My Architecture/ uni blog

Please check this blog out; it's my new baby!
architectureandi.blogspot.com
xx

Project 1: Picnic

Hello
Before the picnic project, there was Project 0: a warm up to the term. I looked at St Stephen's Basilica, Budapest and Bratislava, Slovakia - both of which were interrailing ventures.
Last week, we did 'Project 1: Picnic', whereby we had to set up an installation of what your ideal picnic would be.... It was an excuse for a cooking and baking day. I made couscous salad, a roasted butternut squash and pepper tart and (obviously) chocolate cake.

Much love
xxx

University and Me

Hello all! It's been a while (again)!
Since you last heard, I have explored many tiny pockets of Europe, along with some friends. You can see it all here.
I have started stitching together the blanket,
I moved into Uni,
I bought some knitting needles from a local AMAZING hospice shop and started knitting bunting.....

Some of the squares sewn together!

Bunting - curling corrected by a sherry glass and a calculator
Typical architect tools....

The sketchbook begins!

Untidy already!!

Books and trunks. LOVE IT

Hopefully I will have time to stay crafty as the course really kicks in.
Keep your eyes on this page!
Abi
xxx

Announcement

Just dropping a quick line to say that am away on my interrailing adventure and that you lovely followers should expect some kind of radio silence as there will be no creative posts until I return.
In the meanwhile, abibanfield.posterous.com will hold all the magical updates!
Much love,
Abi
XX

Knitting and other things

I have been knitting like an old lady. To date, I have knitted 74 squares. Which sounds like a fairly small number, but considering this has been done in about 8 weeks, this becomes slightly more impressive (to me at least).
I've learnt a lot, and my tensions are getting better (I can heat you saying snorin'ell, Abi, I do not care for your technical knitting shiz... but remember, I can apply this to making some awesome jumpers for YOU). I've been using more and more advanced patterns, woohooo.... anyway; enough with the jibberjabber, on with the photos!!!

Lots of 'knit one purl one'

Beautiful fairisle - definately a jumper worthy pattern

Aunty Janet's (obviously)perfect square

Moss stitch, cable and reverse stocking stitch

I also knitted a egg cosey, which was my first experience of creating 'bobbles'... truly eye-opening. It is pictured next to a 'hat' which came on an innocent smothie bottle thanks to the big knit which I WILL be doing this year.

slightly smuf looking colours...I will be adding a pom pom.

Aaaaaand that's not all folks!!! I promised a picture of my travel wallet and diary (which I filled in throughout my French holiday); here you go!!

Dairy, left, and open travel wallet with pass etc, right.

closed travel wallet.

So that's all for now folks - will update before I leave to interrail round europe i'm sure
Much love
Abi
xx

Appologies

Hello neglected blog, I am sorry I have been ignoring you; I have been busy knitting hard and making various travel cases and covers for tickets.... however, I am leaving in  a few hours and I haven't any time to upload pictures!!
So when I get back from holiday number uno, I will have pictures of:

•  my ever growing pile of knitted squares (I am making a 'uni' blanket of LOTS of 15cm square samplers)
• My awesome travel diary cover
• A matching passport/ ticket/ map wallet
• a customised 'bra bank' (clearly not with me modelling it - ewww) 
• Whatever craftiness/ photography magic I come up with in the next few weeks 

As always, 

Lots of love and thank you for reading!!! Off to finish packing and panicking about how much I should/shouldn't be taking! (without exaggeration, I am packing very light clothes wise, and seriously half of my luggage is wool and knitting patterns. Sad isn't it?)

Abi

xxx

PS. Whilst I am away - pretty please have a look at my friend Lily's Blog It's so full of inspiring craftiness and really motivates me to not put off my projects, but just get on with it!!

Little Green Bag

Once upon a time, I bought a small green vintage leather bag from eBay. I loved it; I took it everywhere and put everything that would fit in it. Consequentially it began to break, and instead of following the "stitch in time saves nine" philosophy, I just kept using it until it had to be thrown into the bottom of my 'to be fixed' trunk. Whilst tidying, I found it again, and decided it had to be saved. Here are some pictures for you lovely people!

Snapped strap

The front all ripped off.

The stap after glue gun and fabric tape

the same green cotton tape and a LOT of glue

Simple really, but I love this bag, and it's coming out with me tonight!!

Abi

Auction haul!

I went with my mum and brother to Lewes auction yesterday, and I seem to have caught the auction bug! Must remember that I don't need antiques!
I managed to become the happy owner of a lawnmower box of cameras. As I was looking at a warthog head (as you do) Cameron (my brother) rushed over and told me that I had to look at this box under a table. So glad he did, because what I found was lot 153.... and it was love at first sight.

mmmmm

My Pentax K10's long lost grandpa

My absolute favourite

consul box camera.



All the lovelies - 28 in total. 

If I am honest, it was a bit of an action of heart rather than head - I'm supposed to be saving for Europe. However, at £72.60, I think you'll agree that this was a positive steal - even with some duds in there. It makes the cameras average out at £2.60 each. I'm a happy bunny. There were also a few light meters, lenses, filters, tripods, new 1980s opera glasses and (not pictured) a photoschneidemaschine - which I can only imagine is a kind of guillotine? However it has a serrated edge - so if anyone could shed light as to why that would ever be a good idea, that would be great!
I have discussed creating a dark room in our garage with my mum... only problem is I am not a photographer, I did not take photography at college.
I have no idea what I am doing.
Good job then, that I like the look of cameras. Because they are all film, and I haven't a clue. Time to hit the books I think!

We also bullied my mother into buying an oil of a clipper which the auction room decided was horrible. Cam and I disagreed and got it for £6 plus buyers premium. I would have cried my heart out if it was my work that received so much negativity.
Just because we can, our plan is to paint a Jolly Rodger on, paint the sailors to be little Jack Sparrows, 'rip' the sails a bit and send it to the french lake house. All in good fun!

measures 51" by 54".... it was fun getting it in the car.

See the little striped sailors?

Anyway that's enough for now! Off to clean, knit and read - classic teenage activities.

Disappointing news

I regret to inform you lovely people that although I will be creating lots of lovely things this summer, I will not be putting it on etsy. I am travelling and going on holiday a lot, then to uni, so it makes no sense to have the shop up and running if I shan't be there to run it :(

However, this does mean that I am  less stressed and I will still be posting on here - there's a lot to come!!

Lots of Love
Abi
xxxxx

Long time no see!

Hello there!!!

I am just realising how much I have neglected this blog and crafting in general! What is happening to me?! So much has got in the way, namely art and it's ruthless demands.....

Since the last
I have finished my art A level (pictures will definitely follow eventually), such a weight off my shoulders!!! And I finished Alice's dress on time, but a very poor fit (a rather large cock-up on my part, sorry baby g!), so that is in pieces ready to be re-designed, re-drawn out, re-cut and re-stitched. After re-fitting it might just be re-finished....

Alice and I on her birthday
with the badly made dress!!

I also made Sophie a dress for her birthday. This one was much more successful!! She seems to love it, and she looks absolutely gorgeous in it!!! The basic ideas came from a 90's pattern for a much longer, slightly differently shaped dress. I hope to keep adapting this pattern as it has such a beautiful fit on anyone (i.e. I WANT ONE TOO!!! maybe I'll create some sleeves....)

Sophie on her birthday
Looking hot!! 

I am now on study leave, so I have some more free time (which I should obviously be using for revising:/ )
However, because I am going to have an adventurous kind of summer, I need to get some money in so that it's a comfortable series of trips rather than a stingy stressed existence. Therefore, I have started myself an etsy account (not news really, this was a long time ago) which can be found here. At the moment only has some hand cut labels on, but I plan to expand beyond my thoughts of what is possible, after exams end of course (20th June). [Dear lord! That means my exams are over in 20 days time!! arrrghhhh!]

So, Etsy....
Some things to expect!
~ Jumpsuits
~ Reclaimed and reconstructed
~ Summer dresses
~ Home wares
~ Jewellery
~ Gifts
~ Kits

The grand opening: 30th June!!!!  I expect I will have some kind of promotion!! Keep your eyes here!!


Lots of love,
Abi
xxx

PS
I wore my calico jacket to my cousins wedding after taking in the back a bit :) It got some compliments, happy days!!!!

cam's shirt and alice's dress

Just a quick update in-between art and french work...

Wanted tot share some photos of my brother's birthday present - which took me a while but no where near as long as i thought it would! Didn't use a pattern, used his school shirts for reference though!

lovely checked silk.

cuff detail

pocket

 And because I love her, I have bought some fabric for Alice's birthday dress.... We went to our local haberdashery because shopping local is good!!! This was alice's third choice because there wasn't enough fabric in the other rolls :(
So we ended up with a floral green, with a green lining and a green zip. The fabric is by harry glass I think - the same designer as of the fabric i used on my skirt in a previous post.
I'm hoping her dress looks awesome - you deserve it alice baby! xxx

the fabric for alice's birthday dress 

Lots of Love, and -as always - thanks for looking
xxxx

cakey cake

Haven't posted for a while, but hey ho - haven't had the time. Art is very slowly sucking the breath out of my lungs and the sanity from my mind...

HOWEVER, Without further ado

It was my baby brother's birthday on thursday so I made him a cake - and a shirt (post to follow). Well, I say baby brother. He is taller than me by FAR, but technically younger therefore I can bully him still ... with the aid of a stool...

I did a smooth icing, which involves a really runny consistancy
 and a lot of fridge action

mummy did the letters in a fondant...

Used my new bunt tin, so it was like a huge doughnut.
I filled the hole in the middle with haribo... YUM

took off the letters and drizzled over an awesome cream and mars bar sauce...
Heart attack alert

with the letters, haribo bears and candles on top

yum yum yum

OM NOM NOM

Thanks for looking
Abi
xxx