My somewhat rustic crafty UK map

So on Monday I left you with the hint of me drawing out maps of the UK for a spur of the moment project. I get a lot of my inspiration through the Crafts and DIY pages on HelloCotton, and a lot of projects on there have been featuring wall art based around a persons state like these gorgeous pieces that the Rookie Seamstress made. I thought I'd take it a step further by personalising it for myself into creating a map of the UK with a few extra details.

The project is easy to complete after spending most of Monday afternoon playing with it, additionally you only need a few bits and bobs [two pieces of material, buttons and thread] and you don't need to be a sewing wiz. I started off drawing out a map of the UK, simplifying the edges somewhat to make it a little easier to cut out, in turn you could print a map. 

After giving your pieces of material a quick iron, cut around your map and use the paper as a template to cut out your country/state. Once you're done with the cutting, lay your landmass over your background material and position as you want it, either tack or pin the two in place. Now you can either be neat and use a sewing machine, or do what I did just sewing with a haphazard running stitch around the countries coastline in a complementary thread - I choose yellow to bring out some of the flowers.

Once you've sewn all the way around you could finish your project here, but I wanted to make my map a little more personalised and here is how the buttons come in. You can use as many or as little as you like [although the size of your map will effect how many looks good]. I choose to mark were I was raised, my university city, the capitals and some of the places we're I've been on holiday using a separate style and coloured button for each. I then finished it off with a little key to explain them.

And that is pretty much it.  I finished mine using a canvas reusing the method of glue gunning the material like I did with the memory board project. But you could additionally frame it.

I'm geekily really pleased with this project and I'd love to do some more in the future, perhaps of my home county, Joe's home state or life here in Michigan. Such a fun way to mark where you're from.