Wednesday 28 December 2011

Crochet Rabbit Blanket


Our Christmas present to our gorgeous rabbits, Toffee and Flopsy, was a blanket crocheted out of string!

Flopsy hiding.

Toffee poking her nose out.


They love throwing it around, chewing it, and snuggling with it! It's also great for covering their food bowl - they have the challenge of moving it to eat!

Tuesday 27 December 2011

Crocheted Mug Cosies

Hello :)
Two of the secret Christmas presents I crocheted (back in November!) were mug cosies. I was inspired by quite a few posts I'd seen round the internet, but loosely based the pattern off this.


The first one was worked in two different pink DK wools...


and finished with a white button...


and two white crocheted stars, worked rather finely!


The second was a penguin version! Worked in chunky black wool, and with a velcro closing this time.


With features added in felt!

Monday 26 December 2011

Christmas Tree VIII: Next Year!

Happy Boxing Day!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas day. I had a great time with my family and in laws, but have now been put on bed rest to recover - not so great for my always-wanting-to-be-doing-something self!

It does however give me time to share with you the things that didn't make it onto our tree/into our home this year. Various projects I spied, but just wasn't able to make in time. Hopefully next year!

3D Snowflakes

These are made with simple paper folding and cutting - I love that they are 3D though!


Crochet Christmas Trees
From Annaboo's House


I love these little trees, and the possibilites are endless!


Beaded Snowflakes

I actually first saw these on a friend's Facebook, but various designs are all over the internet! I love how simple and sparkly they are, and I can't wait to make some :) These 3D ones are also simply stunning!

Crocheted robins, and Christmas puddings, Snowmen heads and Father Christmas heads also float round in my brain - oh, the possibilities! It's also time to start planning a potential nativity scene for next year...

What projects have you seen this year that you'd love to make? I'd love to see :)

See what else is on my Christmas Tree!

Saturday 24 December 2011

Christmas Tree VII: The Finished Tree

I can't wait til we can get some lights with a warmer glow! These are lovely for now tho :)

I love our tree!

There were still some decorations I didn't have time to make, but it gives me something to do next year! I'm hoping to do a round up post next week sharing the unused inspiration.

 I knocked up some gingerbread dough in the hope of making these houses, but so far only men for our tree have appeared!

I am also hoping to have a few posts sharing crocheted Christmas presents - they need to wait til after the weekend though!

I love how our tree has 3 points at the top - it's so unique!
We balance a few presents on the branches for the days surrounding Christmas, to spread the fun.

Me and my husband cooked a candelit Christmas dinner for ourselves on Wednesday, but the time in the kitchen has led to a slight health crash... Tomorrow looks set to be busy with finishing bits off, so I will say farewell for a few days, and hope you all have a lovely Happy Christmas, however you may spend it!

Tran from my childhood running round the base - there is a little elf who bobs up and down at the back!

Monday 19 December 2011

Christmas Tree VI: Angel Bunny

Lit up on the Christmas Tree

Me and my husband spent a wee while discussing what to have on the top of our Christmas tree. It's our second Christmas together, and last year we had a small glittery star, due to our inability to come up with something unique!

Buttons for eyes and a stitched nose. Maybe he even needs whiskers now I think about it!

I had an idea for a tissue paper star (made in a similar way to my wedding bouquet), but we weren't convinced. I couldn't think of a way to make an angel to the standard in my head, and whilst discussing teddy bears dressed as angels, I remembered these on my "to make" list.

Wings made from gold paper and card, attached with a stitch.

Obviously mine looks fairly different, but it was a nice point of inspiration :) I only had 2/3 of a ball of this wool, and I think I restarted about 6 times as I kept making it too big for the quantity of wool!

And a little fluffy tail :)

As it is, I made the ears from each end of a strand of wool, deeming them finished when there wasn't enough wool to do another stitch on either one! He's now sitting happily on top of our tree :)

I'd love to know - what's on the top of your tree?

See what else is on my Christmas Tree!

Saturday 17 December 2011

Christmas Tree V: Glittery Felt Baubles


These are actually based on a badge I designed a couple of months ago (I haven't quite perfected them yet, which is why I haven't shared!)


They are a nightmare to stitch together, but they have such a lovely form when finished :)


I've just made a white ball and a deep blue ball. They add some nice sparkle :)

Thursday 15 December 2011

Christmas Tree IV: Star Wars Snowflakes!

Darth Vader

OK, so these aren't going on our Christmas tree... But my husband received his play code for the pre-release of the new MMORPG Star Wars the Old Republic last night, so it felt fitting to share these! (Yes, I married a gamer who is also Star Wars crazy...)

Boba Fett and a Clone Trooper

 They aren't perfect, but they're so fiddly they are good enough for me, and will help Christmas-fy our house :)

Tuesday 13 December 2011

Christmas Tree III: Crochet Snowflakes!


Can you tell it's my first Christmas with the ability to crochet?!


There are so many different patterns out there, I decided to try a few and see what I liked :)


I want to say some were more fiddly than others, but I think my skills just improved as I progressed ;)


They vary in size hugely, but were all created with 4 ply wool and a 2mm hook.

 
"Pretty Snowflake" (my favourite!)

And I stiffened them all slightly with a PVA and water spray, and hung with clear thread. I thought about adding a strand of sparkle thread to them, or spraying them with glitter. But there's something rather lovely about the plain white :)

So Christmassy :) Have you tried any snowflake patterns you'd recommend? I'd love to see your results!

Also, I just want to tag this in over at Julia Crossland's Being Creative Winter theme. Not sure how involved I'll be next year with the changes going on, but it's been a great experience and I've met some lovely people. Thanks for stopping by!



See what else is on my Christmas Tree!

Sunday 11 December 2011

Christmas Tree II: Orange and Grapefruit Slices


I love how Elf has been timed to come on in the small break between the first and second halves of the Snooker finals. It makes for great TV :)
I burnt most of the grapefruit pieces I did. I cut them thinner and had them higher in the oven. The one which survived was the most beautiful though.


The orange slices don't catch the light quite so well because they're thicker. I finished them off on the radiator - I found it to be more effective than the oven :)
Half the orange slices also have cinnamon rubbed into them (not pictured). My sofa is right next to the tree, and I keep getting lovely wafts of cinnamon and orange floating over - mmm!


Has anyone ever dried apple slices? I'm actually thinking of doing it to string across the rabbit's run hehe.

P.S. Changed the labels round a bit in the sidebar, should make things a bit more accessible :) 

See what else is on my Christmas Tree!
 

Friday 9 December 2011

Christmas Tree I: Crochet Snowman

Hello!

Last year you may remember I briefly shared some decorations I had made to brighten up our house. Well, this year I've made a LOT more, and in the run up to Christmas I will be sharing them with you in a series of short but sweet posts :)

First up?

 
A small crochet snowman based on a free pattern over at The Dapper Toad.
They're so cute!
Here he is hanging on our Christmas tree, with his sparkly little scarf :)


Have you made something special for your tree (or even your house) this year? I'd love to see!

See what else is on my Christmas Tree!

Wednesday 23 November 2011

Being Creative November: Vintage - Owl Tea Pot Cosy


This month's theme over at Julia Crossland's Being Creative is Vintage. It didn't immediately strike me, but ended up being the inspiration for me to finish off a long standing project, before it itself became vintage!


Back at the beginning of 2010, me and my husband were preparing to move in together. Now, I am an avid tea drinker, and I knew our house HAD to have a tea pot cosy. So, I got materials out, and before moving out I made quite a lot of progress.

In fact, by the time I left home, all it really needed was to be structurally assembled.

But... then I moved out. And I had other projects on, such as this Bee tea pot cosy for my brother's family, complete with pipecleaner antennae and net wings...

So, when my parents were able to magically fix my sewing machine this month, I knew it was time to complete it. Being Creative also gave me the actual push to sit down and do it, as the word Vintage always makes me think of all the wonderful fabrics I've inherited from generations of my family, which I've used to make this tea cosy.

The ears don't quite sit at the angle I wished, but when is anything handmade ever perfect?!

 The inside is a different purple fabric and a layer of wadding.


Details all hand stitched on fabric scraps and felt.

I am so thrilled it's finally finished! Although, with the recent posts Woolly Owl Hat and Sock Owls, I think I'm giving the impression I'm much more owl obsessed than I actually am! They're just so adorable... Had a request for another tea pot cosy too, so best get working on that!

I also want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participates in Being Creative, I have really met some wonderful creative people through it, and you're all so supportive :)

I've just redesigned the blog too, thought it made sense now there's a bit of an archive building up :) There are links on the right to find me round the internet too!

Sunday 13 November 2011

Sock Monkeys!

This has been a much promised post over the last few months, hasn't it?! I just knew I had one more to make, and wanted to share the whole little family at once :)

I know sock monkeys became a bit of a craze the other year, and whilst I didn't participate at the time, over the last year I've gone a bit mad... Credit to CraftBits for the tutorial, although it is adapted :) (Click on images to see larger versions.)

This is the very first sock monkey I ever made, nearly a year ago now!

And this was the second!

Then followed a series of mini sock monkeys, in an array of colours!




Crazily, each and every one of these sock monkeys has gone to a loving home, and I don't have one myself... I know exactly what he will look like when the time comes though. If you look carefully in this photo from my wedding day, you can see my rainbow socks... These were over the knee socks, and as soon as I find a new pair, a large rainbow sock monkey will most definitely find a home in my house :)

Saturday 12 November 2011

A stitch in time.

I've been a member of the Association of Young People with ME for 5-6 years now. I recently decided that it was time for me to move on, as a lot has changed - both personally and within the charity - since I initially joined.

However, before I left, I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to make a teddy for a SAM - a Severely Affected Member of the charity. All the teddies are made by people within the charity, so sadly I won't be making anymore. But I am thrilled to have had the chance, and once he's had a ribbon attached, he'll hopefully go to a lovely home :)

Meet... Fudge!
Stood comfortably on the crochet baby blanket I'm working on, which may just be finished in time for grandchildren ;)

Saturday 5 November 2011

Woolly Owl Hat!


Yup, a rare picture of me, in all my *made it out of bed* glory ;) It was worth it for this wonderful hat though. The moment I saw the pattern over at Slugs on the Refrigerator, I knew I had to make it. And that I did, in one week at that!

I did make a few tweaks - adjusted the size to fit my head, subbed some of the single crochet for HDC (my new favourite stitch!), and changed the thickness and length of the plaits.


I am so thrilled with it!




Finally, I'm afraid I have nothing for Being Creative this month - my husband surprised me by taking me back to where we honeymooned, to give me my new engagement ring after Royal Mail lost my original. We had a wonderful time, but I'm shattered now, and have too many other projects to finish ;)
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