The Tower, Poppies and WWI Remembrance...

A couple of weeks ago I went to visit the poppies at the Tower of London - it was both stunning and humbling to think that each one represented a life given in WWI (and that was before the installation was even completed!) I am so glad I bought one ages ago as they are sold out now and I'm very much looking forward to having it in my new creative space when it's finished.

During half term my son was given the task of making something for his World War I topic homework.  One of the suggestions was to make a poppy and, as I'd made loads a couple of years ago after writing the crochet poppy post, it was an obvious one to pick (even his teacher suggested I would do it with him!)  So, while G made a mock up of a trench with soldiers for a photo based project I had a think about how we could do a different sort of poppy this time.  I remembered that he had used some foam clay earlier in the year for another project and decided we would make our own 'clay' poppies as a sort of tribute to the Tower poppies. We made several in both foam clay and silk clay which we bought from a lovely little craft shop called 'All The Pretty Things'....

We made them into brooches & keyrings and G took them to school on the Monday.  Later that day he came home with... an 'order' list for around 30 (!) ...so you can guess what we spent the next few evenings doing...

..they were free on promise of making a donation so at least it should've raised a good bit for Poppy Appeal :-)

I also bought some gorgeous 'Milly' 100% wool while I was in the shop so I could have a go at 'super sizing' the crochet poppy pattern which turned out like this...

I used a chunky 10mm crochet hook... this pic is to give you an idea of scale

I still get requests to make those little crochet poppies and made several new patterns for a Simply Homemade magazine feature  (one is now a free pattern on their blog here) However, I also felt I should do a new crochet poppy project for the Centenary and wrote a pattern for this 'Remembrance Style Poppy'...

I used a 4mm crochet hook, some red cotton DK - you'll also need a button, scissors and a needle.

Begin with a magic circle and make 2ch into it...

Then make 13dc into the circle...

Join with a ss then make 2ch...

Make 2tr into that first dc...

then make 3dtr into the next dc...

3ttr into the next dc..

3dtr into the next dc...

Finally, 2tr plus 2 ch into the next dc and ss to the next dc. That's the first 'petal' done.

Start the second petal with 2ch, 2tr in next dc...

followed by 3dtr in next dc...

3ttr in nect dc...

3qtr in next dc...

3ttr in nect dc...

3dtr in nect dc...

2tr plus 1ch in nect dc...

Leave last dc empty (it kind of helps to define the petal shape). Finish off and pull the thread end to close the middle circle. Sew in the ends at the back for neatness.

Find a suitable button and sew it on with black thread.  Add a pin at the back.

The pattern is free for you to use for personal use but please do make a donation to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal in return.

Lest we forget.

All pictures and text (c) Addicted to Making 2014

Needles, wool and the blue duck...

Time has once again whizzed by with one thing and another and for the last week or so I've been getting absorbed in a new craft. Do you remember I posted a teaser pic of some wool fiber I bought... well I thought I'd update you on how I've been getting on with it!

A visit to a lovely local craft shop had reminded me about a wet felting kit I bought a while back but hadn't been very interested in but, I had been wondering about needle felting so when I saw all the accessories in the shop I couldn't resist!

I bought a few more colours of wool that I didn't have in the kit...

and a few of the special needles you need...

I also tried out a couple of different types of needle felting 'mats' to see what the difference was;  one is soft like a sponge and one is more like polystyrene (to be honest I tend to swop about between both with no real preference at the moment)

  
One of my first experiments was a simple little felt heart. I know some people use cookie cutters to help with the shaping but I just did this one by eye.... I also learnt very quickly that you have to be careful with those needles.. they are very sharp!

I feel it needs a bit more embellishment to really finish it off but, eager to try something else,  I then made the little blue 'duck' pictured at the top (it started out with the intention of being a bird but decided to take on its own life form!)

As I began to get the hang of it,  I wanted to try something larger so made four huge individual poppy petals that were then joined together to make large flower. I'm thinking I'll add a clip to the back and a large vintage button for the centre to finish it off...

I do love the brightness of poppies so I also made this little poppy fields picture brooch which was embellished with some simple black stitches...

and finally, with today being the 70th anniversary of D-Day, I was inspired to make a smaller lapel poppy that has been embellished with jet black crystals and seed beads.

It's actually quite addictive and it's great to have something different to play with - I can't wait to experiment more :)



Happy Making!




All pictures & text (c) Addicted to Making 2014

Vintage jumble, button addiction & blue poppies...

I thought that this update I would tell you about my weekend adventure at the
 V & H Jumble Sale in a village called Box in Wiltshire....

I was quite excited to discover it was on because I do love a delve around in jumble, picking up lots of little bits 'n' pieces that inspire or delight me  so add the word 'vintage' and it's just about the perfect combination for a leisurely browsing session!

The venue 'Selwyn Hall',  is on a steep little road leading down to the beautiful expanse of Box Park and as it was quite a bright morning and the fair was only on between 11-2pm I set out early, safe in the knowledge there is a big (free) car park that is hardly ever full.....  except for, I soon learnt, this particular Saturday when I was lucky to just squeeeeeeze into the weeniest space left! 

Still, it was worth it because, having paid my 50p entry fee I stepped inside to see a room full of wonders and immediately found myself dreaming over things like this...

'oooh.... ahhhh.....lovely textiles...what could I make...hmmmm'

and these...

'oooh look...dolly bundles.. I love them...I want one!'
(from Lucia Collectables who you can find on www.RubyLane.com)

In fact there was tables laden down with all kinds of vintage-y things lining the walls of the whole place with a row of little tea tables down the middle.

As you can see - it was already getting busy and I couldn't get near to the first few tables I passed as most were 3-4 people deep!  In the end I had to weave my way back & forth around the room, getting a look in here and a peep in there where I could.  Luckily I didn't need to be anywhere in a particular hurry so quite enjoyed my indulgent little meanderings!

The BBC Homes & Antiques stand was there, manned by the lovely Alice Roberton (H&A ambassador and a familiar face at such events around these parts)...

And this little corner of gorgeousness was courtesy of the washerwoman.blogspot.co.uk from where I picked up a piece of black & white 'dogs tooth' tweed fabric and a jar of metal buttons..

Mmmmm buttons....

This little slice of curiosities tucked away in a corner was courtesy of Sue from 'Vintage to Victorian' 

And do you see that big china bowl the lady in the scarf is looking at? Can you guess what's in it....yes, that's right - more buttons!  

And yes, I bought a little paper bag full. Well, it would have been rude not too wouldn't it?

I think I might be a little bit addicted to buttons (I appear to be growing a rather large collection...).  Although I'm not sure it's possible to have too many because they are such useful crafting embellishments - for example, on my return home I immediately picked one of the metal ones for my crochet flower idea which I wanted to make with some gorgeous petrol blue cotton yarn I picked up from Lucia Collectables 

...have wool... just add hook & scissors!

Make a flower... add a button...

then pop it on a hair grip!

This flower is made using the same pattern I used for the poppy tutorial here (scroll down the page). I just fancied a blue one and I thought the old metal button topped it off nicely. I guess you could say that re-using the pattern and adding an old button gives this make the U factor! (U as in up cycling!) 

So, all in all a thoroughly enjoyable morning. Can't wait until the next one and I am sure I will translate my other purchases into other new makes soon too.  And yes, I confess, I maybe did buy a few other bits too (...bundle of dolls, books, a brooch..)

Want a last bit of jumble eye candy before I sign off? Oh go on then..

I bought a pretty brooch from the ladies on this table...

Happy browsing :-)

xxx