Funky Sheep Card

So you probably struggle to keep up with all my nibling's Birthdays... But I can inform you my youngest nephew turned 2 over Christmas, and I wanted to send him a fun, textured card. The background is some amazing green paper I've had in my stash for years - it looks so like grass! The texture is similar to crepe paper, but it's much thicker. The sheep's wool is cut from felt, with card limbs and face. I wanted to add some sparkle to the card so gave the sheep a glittery Birthday hat! This is actually made from some amazing glitter tape I recently bought - I was able to line multiple pieces up so it looks like a single piece. I never knew I needed glitter tape in my life, but it has become an essential.

Crochet Puzzle Balls & Charity Craft Auction!

I made more puzzle balls! My previous versions can be seen here, including a free printable for the instructions :) I enjoy making these, and I love mish-mashing colours together! The above puzzle ball has traveled all the way to Australia to live with one of my nephews, but the one below is up for grabs...

Have you heard of a charity called Post Pals? They're a wonderful organisation run by a friend of mine, and people volunteer to send post - letters and gifts - to seriously ill children and their siblings. As an adult with chronic health issues I know how much a piece of post can make me smile, so the work this charity does is brilliant. They are running a craft auction over on Facebook from 1st-8th August 2016 and I have donated one of my crochet puzzle balls! The auction is full of handmade items and craft supplies, and is intended to raise money to take all the children involved with the charity on holiday. They can't get away from their illnesses, but with our help they can get away from the same four walls.

I don't currently crochet items for sale, so if you want a puzzle ball, now is your chance! The puzzle ball up for auction is pictured below. Interested? Click here to visit the Facebook auction to place your bid and look through the other items for purchase - both handmade items and some craft supplies!

Crochet Puzzle Balls

I crocheted these puzzle balls as Christmas presents for two of my nephews (and was requested to make one for another!) They are wonderful toys for babies and toddlers, and I've seen adults in my family spend a fair bit of time with them too! They are very tactile, and pleasing to fiddle with.

They are made using this pattern from Look At What I Made. You begin by crocheting 24 little cone shapes, before hooking them together to make the squares you see above. These three squares can then be assembled to make the pointy star ball (in the first and last pictures). The points can also be rotated after assembly to make a flat sided ball, such as in the pictures below. This means that not only can the toy be used as a ball, to throw and play around, but it also develops motor skills, as it is disassembled and reassembled, and allows for different colour combinations depending on how it is assembled!

The finished size of these balls is an adult handful, but I am hoping to make one closer to knee height, which can be used as a footstool or floor pillows - just need to save up for some super chunky wool! I made these using Stylecraft's double knitting range. At first, it can be a bit confusing how to assemble this puzzle ball, so I made up some instructions to package with them. I'm sharing it as a free PDF that you can access by clicking the image below, but ask that you use it for personal use only. Thanks!

I really recommend this pattern though. I don't see many of these being made in blogland, and they deserve more attention!

Felt Toy Train

One of my nephews recently turned 2. He loves trains, so I knew I wanted a gift that was very much train themed. 

I had originally hoped to adapt this Sweetbriar Sisters pattern to make a train, as I've used it before to make cars (which I've just realised I haven't blogged!) but the proportions weren't working out, so that was put aside for this train!

Internally, the train is made from upholstery foam cut into the appropriate shapes and a cork for the funnel. I then cut rectangles from a variety of coloured felts, and stitched them up to contain the foam, adding details such as windows and wheels.

I stitched velcro dots to the back of the engine and the fronts and backs of the carriages so they can be attached, detached and rearranged.

The birthday boy was thrilled with it, and enjoyed pushing and pulling it around the picnic table we were sat at!