Poppies update...

Just a quick update...

I spent much of last week making crochet poppies and giving them away to people who then went on to make their own donations in the poppy tins.  I've worked out that it has helped raise more than £100 for the Poppy Appeal which is totally fab  - thanks to everyone who made a donation!

Next year I must start making them earlier....

Back soon xx

UPDATE: now also available as a flip book style tutorial

- simply click to play the video below:

How to crochet a Poppy...

 
Yesterday it was moustaches, today it is Poppies!  It would seem like November is a month of causes so let's all get stuck in..

I made this poppy flower pattern after I couldn't find one I liked and I've made a few in lovely bright scarlet red cotton DK for friends & family on the premise that they will put a bit extra in the poppy appeal collecting tins - hopefully you will do the same if you use this pattern...

The Poppy

       Red Cotton DK & 3.5mm Crochet Hook

• Start with a magic circle and make 2 ch (you can use 3ch if you are not familiar with magic circles - just crochet into the 1st ch instead)
• Make 11 dc into the circle, ss to join
• *2ch, 2tr into first dc then 2tr in each of next 3 dc but on the last one add 2ch and ss to the same dc* - this completes the first 'petal'
•  ss to next dc then rep from * to * to make another 2 'petals'
• Fasten off and pull the thread from the magic circle to close the gap. 
• Sew in the ends before trimming neatly.
• Sew a small black button on to the middle of the poppy and add a brooch finding or safety pin to the back.

There is a picture step-by-step here for those who prefer a visual guide :-)

1)  Start with a magic circle and make 2 ch then make 11 dc into the circle

2)  ss to join, 2ch

3)  2tr into same dc
 
4) 2tr in each of next 3 dc

5) add 2ch and ss to the same dc - this completes the first petal

6) ss to next dc, 2ch 

7) 2tr into same dc

8) 2tr in each of next 3 dc

9) add 2ch and ss to the same dc (to complete the 2nd petal) then ss to next dc, 2ch

10)  2tr into same dc, 2tr in each of next 3dc, add 2ch and ss to same dc to complete the 3rd petal.

11)  Pull the thread from the magic circle to close the gap, sew in the ends & trim.  Add a black button to the middle of the poppy & a safety pin or brooch finding to the back.

The Leaf

Green DK & 3.0mm crochet hook

•  Start with 10 chain
• 1tr, 2dtr in 3rd ch from hook
• 1tr in next 3ch
• 1htr in next 2 ch
• 1dc in next ch
• ss to next ch, 1ch
• then, working down the other side of the chain...ss to first ch
• 1dc in next ch
• 1htr in next 2 ch
• 1tr in next 3ch
• 1tr, 2dtr in next ch
• ss to back to first ch & fasten off

They can be worn with or without a leaf (I quite like them plain) and I think they look quite good as a cluster for a brooch too.

Enjoy x

UPDATE: now also available as a flip book style video tutorial HERE

If you use this pattern around November time, please pop an extra £ in a poppy appeal donation tins - thanks!

Cro a Mo (....how to crochet a moustache for Movember!)

I guess many people come to supporting a specific charity through some sort of personal experience and through it end up wanting to give back - to try and make a difference no matter how small....

Several years back I did just that and began to try & help raise awareness of prostate cancer by putting some of the Prostate Cancer UK little blue man badges on my website and it was very humbling that people bought them and I was able to send them a cheque.  One of the main things I became aware of is how this is one of a few cancers that has many viable treatment options - particularly if caught early (further information here).  Unfortunately, because one of the first symptoms is a little embarrasing many men leave it too long so awareness really is the key and I fully support the 'Movember' initiative that I am pleased to say is growing in support every year!

Last year my husband grew a 'Mo' and managed to raise a good amount £££s.  If I could 'grow a Mo' I really would....but I can't so I have decided to 'cro a Mo' instead - and I figured I would share it with you and that that will still be helping to raise awareness :-)

So ladies,  hooks at the ready please...

(1)   Beginning with a little DK wool and a 3.0mm crochet hook, cast on 5 ch.
(2)   1dc in the second ch from the hook
(3)   1dc in each of the 3 remaining chain stitches, 1ch, turn

(4)  dc2tog, dc2tog, 1ch, turn
(5)  *1dc in each dc, 1 ch, turn, repeat from * once more
(6)   2dctog, 1ch, turn

(7) *1dc, 1ch, turn then repeat from * another 3 times
(8)   2ch then fasten off
(9)   Repeat steps 1-8 to make a second half of the moustache then sew them together!

........ta-dah!

Now you can thread it on a stick and wear with pride..

 I am so going to regret this photo aren't I ...but then, it's all for a good cause :-)

And you can make lots in lots of colours and help get the word out and if you would like to you can make a donation to  Movember here:  http://uk.movember.com/donate/

Thank you xxxxx

 

And the winner is......

.....no-one!

As of this morning there were no comments left on the blog for the bead giveaway so I will put it away for  another time.

Back soon!

Trick or Treat....

Did I already mention that I like Halloween alot ..... ?  Sorry,  it must be the child in me or possibly the sugar high I get from sorting   pinching all the sweeties we stock up on ready for the inevitable flood of local kids ghouls!  

Of course the fun doesn't stop at midnight either because as soon as the clock chimes we enter another skull loaded celebration with the 'Day of the Dead' festival aka 'Dia de los Muertos' !  I probably shouldn't even get started on this one because we could be here a long time but the colours, the sugar skulls, butterflies, folk art and flowers... are just amazing!

So, back to the purpose of this post...the blog TRICK is this fun little ghostie make which you can knock up in 5mins and give to the kids to dangle on a stick on the doorsteps later tonight....

All you need is some scissors, glue, elastic band, needle & nylon thread, wobbly googly-eyes, kitchen towel and white fabric (or you could even just make them from kitchen towel is you have no fabric!).  I used one of my son's old school shirts which he seems to grow out of within the first term and which always have just enough ingrained dirt splodges on to render them too shabby for the second hand shops...

Follow these 6 simple steps:

1)  Cut a square of white fabric
2) Screw a kitchen towel up into a rough ball shape (for the head). Place in middle of fabric square.
3) Gather fabric around the kitchen towel and secure it with an elastic band
4) Cover the elastic band with a scrap of white fabric
5) Glue on some wibbly-wobbly-googly-eyes
6) Sew a length of nylon to the top of the ghostie head so you can dangle it from a stick

I hope you have fun with that - you could make loads and make a ghostie-tree for your window display:-)  Next, the blog TREAT  is a chance to win this fab mix of beads, kindly donated by Beads by Lili  

As you can see it is absolutely b-u-r-s-t-i-n-g with colours, flowers & skulls!  It could be all yours too because it's the very first blog giveaway and entry is easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!


This giveaway is open to anyone aged over 18 living in the UK and to enter all you need to do is leave a comment below this blog post by midnight EST on Sunday 04.11.12 

The lucky winner will be announced on a new blog post and the beads sent out once they have contacted me with their address (UK only).  The full terms of our giveaways are here so make sure you check them out and then get commenting !





                              Have fun over the next few spooky days
                                                               & 
                                                     Good Luck !

Spooky goings on....

You may have noticed it's been a little bit quiet on the ADM blog this last week... listen....shhhhhhhhh....  (cue noise like a tumbleweed)  - is there something spooky going on?!

Well no, not quite yet but it will soon be Halloween so there might be at some point.  I guess you could say that the real world has been that little bit extra 'demanding' recently what with projects, family events and any spare time being spent 'prepping' for the making session at the Pound Arts Centre in Corsham.   It was quite a challenge to get two lots of craft stuff ready (plus samples) and I think I must have checked & re-checked a zillion times that I had everything we needed to be able to make fabric corsages and/or some jewellery on the day!  I'm glad to report that it all seemed to work out well  and there was plenty of creativity, chatter & smiles.

And so it's onto the next event and with Halloween always being a firm childhood favourite, I couldn't resist making up a few little projects to share.  To begin with I got busy with some large round acrylic beads and a marker pen which then, in turn, led to several little spin off project ideas for using them!

First up was my 'Jack O'Lantern' Earrings (main picture at top of blog post) which are pretty simple to make if you have a little bit of jewellery making experience and some pliers - the full step-by-steps are over on my tutorial page if you fancy having a go.

Next up was a dingly-dangly 'Mummy' charm which you could easily make into a keyring or bagcharm.  You'll just need a bit of wire, some white 'rags', glue, string and a large white round bead for the head (if you can draw better than me it helps too ;-)

Then last but not least, it's one for the spooky story teller - a scary skulls book thong to dangle between the pages as they tell their blood curdling All Hallows' Eve tales to their terrified audience...

            
I'm putting the instructions for all three projects into one of my mini-make books (link here) and hope you will be inspired to enjoy creating your own set of creepy character accessories!


Until next time....   

Happy Spooky Making!

009, bow ties and ......a licence to craft

Apple squash - shaken not stirred.


Yes, that is a jelly sweet 'olive' and this week we are about all things Bond & 9yr old birthday excitement! This last quarter of the year is just about the best thing ever for G - having 2 lots of celebrations, pressies & parties in fairly quick succession (not to mention Halloween & Bonfire Night in between!).  One of his current favourites is James Bond so it is with great timing that the 50th Anniversary also falls in this month! 

With all the upcoming festivities, every Secret Agent needs to dress for dinner so 'M' (aka Mummy) has a plan and a licence to craft ;-)

ADM Productions presents.... 'You Only Stitch Once...' 

For this mission you will need some black fabric, needle,

 black cotton and scissors.

Begin by cutting a rectangle approx. 23x12cm

Fold the long edges of the rectangle to the middle

Fold each end like this..

Then fold both ends into the middle on the back...

Catch the sides with your needle and thread and

 sew them over the top of the ends. Keep the needle
and thread attached..

Cut a small piece of fabric approx. 11 x 3.5cm

 and fold it's edges to the middle as before...

Wrap it around the tie (neatest bit at front)

 and sew into place...

then stitch a brooch or safety pin to the back...

Ta-Da  - a bow tie fit for a mini-secret agent!

(see - there was only one lot of stitching)

 Right, I'm off to blow up balloons, sort out party food & cakes. Oh yes, and before I sign out I can let you in on another little secret...  the first blog giveaway is coming soon!




Happy Secret Crafting :-)