Snowdrops & the beaded flower experiment...

I am beginning to realise just how much inspiration I take from the garden and our semi-rural location.  Butterflies have always had a special meaning to me but other visitors such as the dragonflies, birds & flowers also seem to feature largely in my daydream makings.  I love to wander, take photos and wait to feel my crafting muse begin to stir.

Yesterday, being a Sunday with the family happy all doing their own thing and not having much planned myself (other than sipping tea, playing with the pup & a bit of random making),  was just such a day for letting my mind wander until it found something that captured it. The recent snow & ice had dissolved so I ventured outside to see if there were any new shoots peeping up.  There wasn't alot going on but then it's probably still a bit too early for many larger spring flowers but I did find this little cluster of sweetness..

 
They weren't fully open and their pretty little heads reminded me of demure ladies midst conversation.  I thought it would be interesting to try and make a beaded version but I wanted it to be delicate too so went off in search of some seed beads & wire (I've never yet been much of a traditional beads & thread kind of beader).

After a little trial & error (and copious cups of tea!) I ended up with my own little beaded snowdrop..

 
I think I might make a few more more so that I have a cluster and then perhaps wire them all together to make a brooch 'spray'.

I've written up a quick tutorial for it here if you fancy having a go.  And after I made the snowdrop I tried using the same kind of technique for another flower which I think would look quite pretty attached to a hair clip - what do you think?

I could see myself making more of these in varying petal shapes & colours as spring rolls into summer...

Happy flower making :-)

Distractions, Snow & Puppy Love

This last week or so has been very full on with tasks that really needed completing yesterday such as the tax return, new designs & write ups and, truth be known,  largely thanks to the arrival of  'Teddie'.....

'Teddie Blu Chase' (to give his full name) is our newest family member - he's a 'Cavachon' pup which is a cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Bichon Frise.  For someone like me who has never owned a dog before it's a both a big learning curve and a big (ok.. more like HUGE) distraction. Blame my family for conspiring to convince me it would be a good idea.  Of course, he has got cuteness by the bucket load and is generally just kind of irresistable. I mean, just look at him...

Oh what a distraction he has been with those floppy ears, soft tickly tummy, paws that are still just a little bit too big and classic puppy dog eyes... I am sure you'll see why it's been impossible to do much other than the 'essentials'! I just love him.


Another thing that has been quite distracting is all that white stuff falling from the sky - always exciting and I think its UK law that you go out to play in it because we might not have it for long...  

Of course the other thing that Teddie will no doubt bring is lots of excuses inspiration for making things... the family are already egging me on to crochet him a blanket but the first doggie making project is, in that random light-bulb-kind-of-moment, well, quite kind of...random.  It all started out with a few doodles of said doggie...

And then I began to wonder if I could use them to make something - possibly in felt? Bearing in mind this doodle was only about 2.5cm x 1.5cm it wasn't going to be easy....hmmm.. I could feel a crafting challenge coming on (or maybe I was just a bit insanely tired after a busy week of intensive puppy training!) Anyway, I set about pinning the outlines to felt and cutting them out with sharp embroidery scissors..

In hindsight it would be easier to draw the shape and cut around it!

Next, I used some black embroidery thread to make a couple of french knot eyes and a satin stitch nose...

Then I did some itsy-bitsy blanket stitches around the edge of the back piece...

and stitched the 'face' on with tiny running stitch in a thread that practically matched the felt colour (so less visible) and before I closed the gap in the layers I stuffed in the weeniest amount of toy stuffing. 

 It was looking kinda cute...

But,  then I decided to see if I could make it even cuter... you know, a bit fluffier... so began to lightly 'scratch' my needle across it to lift up the felt...

                                                              ...and it worked just fine! 

My next thought was what could I actually use this miniature feltie for....and for now it has been attached to a phone charm finding but I am thinking there would be many other ways to use it too.

Let's see what Teddie thinks...

I *think* he likes it... do you?

xxxxxxxx

Vintage style crochet & keeping it simple...

After the last post (where I realised I didn't have a nice pencil case to take to college...) I sat down and thought about what I could make.   Initially I thought about making a traditional style fabric pencil case but, barring the excitement of going out to buy some new bit of fabric, it didn't seem particularly challenging and I could probably just as easily go and find one to buy.

So then I thought about crocheting something in lots of bright colours and started to rummage through my yarn stash until..... I came across a small ball of natural colour 100% cotton DK tucked right at the bottom of the basket.  It looked so unassuming and kind of plain & simple but in a good way if you know what I mean?  

I got out my hooks and started to play, just seeing how it looked worked up in different stitches with different size hooks.  I really liked the 'fabric' effect of just doing row upon row of ordinary double crochet and, choosing a 4.0mm hook,  began to work up a small circle shape for the base of my design (which I now had in my head to be something sort of vintage and a bit 'different' in shape & style).  

 From that point on it just sort of grew and, when it was long enough to fit my pencils, I gave it a simple chain loop edge...

And finished off with a length of thread and a couple of beads with which to make a drawstring top...  

I do like the simplicity of it and even ummmm-ed and ahhhhh-ed about whether to add a small wooden bead to the thread ends.

I'm going to use it for my pens but it could be used to store crochet hooks or knitting needles (if made longer) or perhaps made as gift bags... there's lots of uses really.   And I guess you could also add a cardboard or felt circle base inside at the bottom to strengthen it if you wanted.  


I've written out the instructions here in case you fancy having a go:

'Vintage Style Pencil Sack'

Begin with a magic circle, 2ch into the circle then 5dc.

Row 1: 2dc in each dc all way around, ss to join

Row 2: 2ch, 2dc in next dc, 1dc, 2dc alternately all way around, ss to join

Row 3: 2ch, 2dc in next dc, *1 dc in each of next 2dc, 2dc in next dc*.   Rep from * to * all way around, ss to join.

Rows 4....  continue to increase until circle measures the intended diameter for the bottom of your sack (i.e. mine measures around 6-7cm)

Next, make a dc in each dc all the way around but only working in the back loops of each stitch, then ss to join.  

Begin another row of ordinary dc on that and so on until the sack measures 18-20cm (at least long enough to hold your pencils, hooks or such).

To finish off the top edge, * ch5, skip a st then ss to next dc* then rep from * to * all way around.

Sew a length of thread all the way around the sack, in long gathering stitches a couple of cm under the top edge, add a bead to each end and knot to secure.

**********

Will you make one.... and if so, what do you think you will use it for?


Enjoy :-)

Hibernation, new year plans & excuses to craft...

Happy New Year -  I hope you had a joyous Christmas & relaxing break!

I feel like I've been in some sort of hibernation mode since Christmas and have done nothing much of anything... including crafting which is highly unusual.  In actual fact I felt slightly under the weather with almost 2 weeks of annoying cough & laryngitis so in addition to not being able to talk as much as usual I guess it just sort of generally quietened me down.  My husband was also ill on the 'big day' so that dampened the spirits a little too.

Anyway, here we are in 2013 and I am beginning to feel the cogs start turning in my head again and ever so slowly the ideas are beginning to tickle my creative fancy and give me reasons to craft - although in all honesty it's not like I really need any excuses to craft however,  I did also get this rather lovely pair of new embroidery scissors as a present and they really need a little testing out..

Like many of you,   at the beginning of a new year I start to think about what the year might hold, where I am going and what I could achieve and so on and normally there's a crafting theme in there somewhere.  Last year I set a self imposed challenge to improve my embroidery skills - largely influenced by receiving the gift of my Grandmother's silver thimble from my Mum as a Christmas present (and yes, I did have a tear or too at the sentiment!). I really love having it and to me it is one of the most beautiful crafting accessories I own...

Here's a few of my practice pieces, worked on through 2012..

A good place to start.. a home for my needles!

I must try more 'Blackwork' embroidery....

Haven't quite finished the sampler I started... maybe I'll put that on the list too!

This year I am setting myself the continuing challenge of improving my tatting skills so you can expect another update on that soon ;-)  

In addition I am about to start a short college course in graphic design to 'fill in the gaps' of a skill that I have a fair bit of experience in but have not been formally trained in.  I am looking forward to it and you might even see some results of it on the blog.

Anyway, I have just started putting together my 'stuff' (oh the joy of buying new stationery... it's almost as good as crafting stuff!)  and I think I have everything ready although I can't find a pencil sharpener to put in my pencil case.   And I've just realised I don't actually have a pencil case - well there's one good reason to craft then..

Happy New Year Making!
xx

Christmas, biscuits & country cottages...

It's nearly Christmas day and I think we have everything ready - which kind of worries me because we are not normally this sorted and it makes me think we may have missed something.  Oh well, whatever it is I have one day left to remember and then we'll have to do without it (whatever 'it' is).

In the meantime I have been thinking of things to keep the G amused pre'TBD'  (The Big Day) and came up with the idea of festive biscuit houses which are along the same lines as gingerbread houses but which don't necessitate my baking loads of gingerbread. As you can see my 'house' turned out more like an abandoned, ramshackle barn but that said, I do kind of like it because not being too perfectionist allows you to get sticky & stuck right in - so great for kids! 


I thought I'd share it because, having had a go this afternoon,  it's messy, it's fun, it's a bit like building a house of cards and, best bit,  it's cheap as you don't need many ingredients so here goes....

You'll need some rectangular, plain biscuits...

....and some icing made up a bit like Goldilocks porridge i.e. not too thick and not too thin or it won't work!

Then you simply start sticking some biscuits together to make the basic shape and wait for it all to dry (because if you don't it will all fall apart as I discovered... many times!)

Add a roof and fill in the gap with another triangle of biscuit before drizzling liberally with more icing...

If, like me, you do not let the icing set fully between each bit of building the structure will start to slip & slide.  If it does... well you can always remove them and just add more and use the broken bits for 'walls' (or just eat them!) I say just have fun, make the best of it and pretend it was always meant to have that 'derelict shabby chic' look.  Oh - and then sprinkle with edible glitter because that just makes everything look pretty anyway!

So, that's that.  And now, if I could just remember the thing I think I may have forgotten we should be all done for TBD....


Mince pies! I've just remembered that we have no mince pies for Santa tomorrow night... ah well, looks like the biscuit house will be put to even better use after all ;-)



                                                                             Merry Christmas !
                                              xxxxxxxxxx

Sweeties, challenges & the 'Stained Glass' DragonFly....

I've had a busy old time catching up on things since the challenge of the yarnstorm plus I had a day of not feeling well earlier in the week and just didn't feel like doing anything so pretty much had a day on the sofa with a duvet & daytime TV.

I so rarely spend a day like that but it's even rarer for me not to want to craft! Fortunately it didn't last too long and by late afternoon I started to feel a tad bored.... my fingers started itching to do something.  Obviously whatever I was going to do had to be 'lap suitable' with minimum toolage so I mentally ran through options such as embroidery, crochet, knitting etc.  Then I remembered my self imposed 'tatting challenge' and the story of how my nan had learnt to do it when she wasn't well and that just about settled it - I spent the afternoon improving my picots (more on that progress later).

Of course, having had a day of not eating much too, the first thing I fancied when I started to get my appetite back was something sugary (no surprises there) and my daughter had just happened to bring home a large tin of christmas chocs for us all to share - pre-Christmas- perfect timing!

Later that evening, as we built up a growing pile of sweet wrappers and sat there twiddling them and smoothing them out (do other people do that?) my husband suddenly held one up and said 'I challenge you to make something with these!' - as you can guess, I am not one to turn away from a crafting challenge, ill or not, and my response was (after much brain racking) a 'Stained Glass Dragonfly'.


It is a fiddly make but the end result is quite pretty so worth the effort & patience I think.  I've done a few step-by-steps to show how I made it so that the thrifty among you can collect up all those sweetie wrappers at Christmas and have a go too:

To start with you need to make 4 x little wire 'wing' frames - I used 0.4mm beading wire but you could use thicker if you wanted.  Then, carefully paste some glue onto each wire wing and stick  them each to a separate piece of sweet wrapper.  It helps to press them down with something but be careful not to stick your fingers too!

 While the wings are drying, cut another length of wire and slide on some beads.  Make a 'body' for the Dragonfly by twisting a couple of times between each bead.  

When the wings are fully dry carefully trim off the excess wrapper with scissors.

 Sort the wings into pairs and put to one side.  Next, cut a 10-12cm length of wire to wrap around the body, just under the bead that you want to act as the 'head' of the Dragonfly.

Hold one pair of wings onto the wire 'neck' area and use one end of the wire to wrap around and secure them in place.  Repeat on the second side and use bent nose pliers to help tuck in the ends.  Use all the wire up and, if you feel it's necessary, add some more to help secure and cover the wing ends.

Finish off the tail end of the 'body' by twisting the wire ends together and trimming neatly.  Then arrange the wings to overlap slightly, give the body a little curve and your 'Stained Glass' effect Dragonfly is finished!

They look great hung in a window and I love the effect that slightly overlapping the wings creates.  If you make a really sparkly one you could try hanging it on the Christmas Tree!  Of course you don't have to stick with Dragonflies either as I'm sure the same technique could be used for lots of other shapes so go ahead, experiment & have fun.

Fly Dragonfly... fly!

Oh  - and don't forget you might need to eat lots of sweets so you have enough wrappers for the project ;-)


Happy Making!

Bath bombs of the woolly kind....

Those of you who have been keeping up with my PsAZZ Yarnstorm antics will know that this week saw the target 'Stitch Up' day arrive!

On Wednesday, several of us arrived at the BIRD building armed with needles, scissors, hooks and spare yarn for sewing up.  We also managed to take along a good helping of biscuits & cakes to help keep our energy levels up :)
 

Despite my worst anxieties that we would not have enough squares to cover the door I was really pleased to see we had a good table full by the time we got everything laid out!  It was heart warming to see just how much effort had gone into the squares and motifs which had not only been sent in by group members and their families but also from patients & visitors to the nearby Mineral Hospital and from as far away as Australia!

 We had a heap of pom poms to play with....and some brilliant 'banners' with the group name on....

...and one group member had cleverly crochet some hands to represent our logo!

We soon got to work stitching all the different size & shape squares together....

Stopping only for a little light refereshment... (believe me these carrot cake & cream cheese cup-cakes were beyond delicious!)

Making up the garlands was pretty easy but it wasn't all plain sailing and we had a slight hiccup with the door blanket which, when hung up, dropped so much that it meant the gap we'd left for the letter box was  far to low!   Still, we were determined not to be beaten and did a quick bit of in situ stitching 'n' gathering and in the end all was well...

we also 'dressed up'  some nearby drainpipes...

and strung up a magnificent cascade of pom poms....

 and by the end of the day all the garlands were criss-crossing and fluttering prettily between the windows...

We still had some bits & pieces left on the table and a fantastic spider web creation too, but simply ran out of time & daylight! However, we certainly won't be letting it go to waste and we are returning next week to install the rest.

I really hope it manages to stay up all through December and helps to raise the profile of the PsAZZ Support Group! 

If you are in Bath, do pop by to have a little look :-)