Cath Kidston knows how to keep it practical

 

With out further ado, here is a specs case I made from the Cath Kidston Stitch! book.

Although I love making things, I love it more when I make things that are practical and I can incorporate into my life easily. This specs case has been perfect in achieving this for me. 

This is the book which started me on my crafting / sewing journey. It happened innocently enough. I was looking for a birthday present for a friend at my local bookshop and instead came across Stitch! which I bought in a flash, drawn in by beautiful and contemporary yet seemingly simple  cross sticthing and embroidery projects throughout. Of course with this purchase, I had to purchase many more things as I was a complete beginner. After a bit of deliberation and also despair from spending hours on a couple of other projects and finishing it by hand, only to realise it looked like a school art project a six year old made, I made yet another purchase...the sewing machine. The rest is history.

Back to the book - the projects are reasonably simple and provide clear instructions; most are aimed at beginners I would say. If you are a complete beginner in embroidery and cross stitching there is quite a bit of equipment that you have to purchase at the start to set yourself up to do the project and I personally think a sewing machine is essential for finishing the projects unless you have the patience and delicate touch to finish with your hands (both of which I do not possess).
There are a good range of projects to get stuck into with the familiar Cath Kidston cutesy style (some of it a bit too cute for me). Projects which standout  include the bargello and electric flower cushions, the specs case and the stripe mat rug which I intend to make this year. I was going to put up some photos from the book, but I got a bit scared looking at the legal page for Cath Kidston, so best to have a search yourselves if interested.

I haven't made anything recently from this book as I have found that this type of work really takes it toll on my eyes. About a two weeks in working on projects from this book, my eyes were red and raw from so much concentration and straining working tiny stitches...so I have had to take it easy. Does anyone else find this with needlework? Any suggestions? I'll put up a couple of other projects from the book at some stage - such as the bargello cushion and iphone case. 

But in the meantime, here's a final shot with the specs case working it with my sunny's whilst camping a couple of weeks back. So.very.practical.