tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29765106756060689372024-03-21T02:02:46.467-07:00trashy eleganceAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.comBlogger176125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-82558103802972669532016-04-15T04:46:00.000-07:002016-04-15T04:46:23.484-07:00Starburst Crochet Beret....Completely Ignoring Patterns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
<br />
I'm sorry to have to report that I went through this winter without a hat. I know, I know, <i>what</i> a tragic tale. It is of course only now that I find a crochet pattern for a beret which I like the look of:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bhookedcrochet.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Beret-for-Web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Beret for Web" border="0" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2761" src="http://www.bhookedcrochet.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Beret-for-Web.jpg" height="400" width="330" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">www.bhookedcrochet.com/2015/02/22/crochet-beret-pattern</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's a beautiful hat I'm sure you'll agree. However, I wasn't loving the
ribbed brim she had going on, or the fact that the way the pattern is
written out is a little hard to follow (not that I could have done any better....also I shouldn't really complain as it was posted online totally free...). So instead of following the pattern or watching the youtube video of how to make it, I followed the stitch diagram that was provided for the first couple of rows:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bhookedcrochet.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Diagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Diagram" border="0" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2771" src="http://www.bhookedcrochet.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Diagram.jpg" height="161" width="224" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNbwu9MtrMrqX9jXuLgQ_BamWelMGN0FB04304u1belu4KRfzu95QGIPyNCaL-aQKQtyZ0ZtmB5cveTBeiKYaOUszSvazmcVQZ0WDHDY-XGVRtUTFPk_7zkh5KTTqUedceeHGKeKQ/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNbwu9MtrMrqX9jXuLgQ_BamWelMGN0FB04304u1belu4KRfzu95QGIPyNCaL-aQKQtyZ0ZtmB5cveTBeiKYaOUszSvazmcVQZ0WDHDY-XGVRtUTFPk_7zkh5KTTqUedceeHGKeKQ/s400/003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
And then, well, sort of just made it up as I went along until I had a hat:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxF_AvG-pKsdgPCIHYRcOLqAPXnj7SPmNWBLlOBto40DjB4RtHRLygBljEBL54G_zMIcXgCTnXvqhzeQ4X8Ff5qLNHiUu4hLlBKHrbkb2S1fkoGpTXf1SnU_QfQGGlbivKNOQ5CfZL/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxF_AvG-pKsdgPCIHYRcOLqAPXnj7SPmNWBLlOBto40DjB4RtHRLygBljEBL54G_zMIcXgCTnXvqhzeQ4X8Ff5qLNHiUu4hLlBKHrbkb2S1fkoGpTXf1SnU_QfQGGlbivKNOQ5CfZL/s400/005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKN2h136-rroRmueWUrb3fuPYUQefX_ElLMN__KXoYekIrSBOBjkGEIoCI-s3IswPuP-eiq-c611Qx1lxfz-Z26ddRmX0-8wBrSwuHX0L1L6BYzX4Ezq7_qnM-8TWRsQdALixrXRG/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKN2h136-rroRmueWUrb3fuPYUQefX_ElLMN__KXoYekIrSBOBjkGEIoCI-s3IswPuP-eiq-c611Qx1lxfz-Z26ddRmX0-8wBrSwuHX0L1L6BYzX4Ezq7_qnM-8TWRsQdALixrXRG/s400/006.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Helpful, right? I must say I am rather fond of the starburst stitch, though you do find yourself in situations like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYIXX035vNDZ5ioAPSpNPffamAUFqgUt3MZxipTRCKi9UGItxXWNdaBnlRVfGTqalknwVEkffX1Y-JwSV-rUwP4qcn6KfNW-E1xs428g0nd9-_3-B5-wzEf4yBarPiBC6BMCTYTNLC/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYIXX035vNDZ5ioAPSpNPffamAUFqgUt3MZxipTRCKi9UGItxXWNdaBnlRVfGTqalknwVEkffX1Y-JwSV-rUwP4qcn6KfNW-E1xs428g0nd9-_3-B5-wzEf4yBarPiBC6BMCTYTNLC/s400/002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
That's right, 9 hoops on my hook. 9!!! I feel like I can pretend I'm a knitter now. In fact I am so chuffed with the actual making process of this one that I may even crochet a matching scarf. Thank goodness for pinterest:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDqRgU6QFuvOWNYjKXIDHGUlUPQ_k4C238pajNZPJELI8fPazeYdNqhBuhr9M-NvlqKQFK3p8LO-lMIYw0kSVmy9PtULChYBPrWZXOlj6HWEvygGfNjw9f2E57t_YsVv9SqmzYlThY7E/s1600/11235381_904533442950913_5890866384571744277_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDqRgU6QFuvOWNYjKXIDHGUlUPQ_k4C238pajNZPJELI8fPazeYdNqhBuhr9M-NvlqKQFK3p8LO-lMIYw0kSVmy9PtULChYBPrWZXOlj6HWEvygGfNjw9f2E57t_YsVv9SqmzYlThY7E/s1600/11235381_904533442950913_5890866384571744277_n.png" border="0" class="shrinkToFit" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDqRgU6QFuvOWNYjKXIDHGUlUPQ_k4C238pajNZPJELI8fPazeYdNqhBuhr9M-NvlqKQFK3p8LO-lMIYw0kSVmy9PtULChYBPrWZXOlj6HWEvygGfNjw9f2E57t_YsVv9SqmzYlThY7E/s320/11235381_904533442950913_5890866384571744277_n.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tinashandicraft.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/scarves.html?m=1</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-46911792406975937272016-04-13T05:29:00.000-07:002016-04-13T05:47:07.013-07:00Customising T-Shirts With An Old FriendSummer is finally here! So it's time to revamp the wardrobe a little, but without spending lots of money because, y'know, who wants to spend loads on clothes when there's wine and cake to be had? Customising plain t-shirts is a fun way to add new and totally unique pieces to your summer look without breaking the bank. The beauty of this D.I.Y. is that you can do pretty much whatever pops into your head!<br />
<br />
Time to grab some cheapy cotton t-shirts, a fabulous friend and a bottle of bubbly. Plus any or all of the following:<br />
<ul>
<li>scissors</li>
<li>thread</li>
<li>fabric paints/pens</li>
<li>card for making stencils </li>
<li>fabric for appliqueing</li>
<li>beads/general findings</li>
<li>tassels/pompoms</li>
</ul>
My best friend Ellen and I came at this from totally different angles - she went straight for the fabric paint and painted/stenciled pinterest/Harry Potter inspired designs on the front of her new tops (and they turned out so well!). I made a grab for the scissors and hacked away at the back of my tops, leaving the fronts plain, then prettied them up afterwards with stitching and paint. I'm really happy with one, the other....well it's always useful to have scrap fabric in the craft box!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9SVkkRpIXHI9h5t60ODi9LZlX_FvP87jkyVZIn-bcGtk7eub0w6ewZ979SuZVz5QaB-BGwHBtw0B85SIHQ3ms3owugAEPw0l65POPUy8q4Y5NwmhxDysUn0JoI6no7AzexUn7y7u/s1600/165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9SVkkRpIXHI9h5t60ODi9LZlX_FvP87jkyVZIn-bcGtk7eub0w6ewZ979SuZVz5QaB-BGwHBtw0B85SIHQ3ms3owugAEPw0l65POPUy8q4Y5NwmhxDysUn0JoI6no7AzexUn7y7u/s400/165.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When in doubt, cover it in bees. Can this be my catchphrase? It's not very catchy....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I say 'hacked away', but there was a degree of planning with this one - I made a rough hexagon template and drew around it three times running down the back. I then cut out the one nearest the neck and realised that stitching around them before cutting would help the hexagons keep their shape. So I stitched, and then I cut, and then I stitched a bit more, splodged on a little black fabric paint and did a little free-hand embroidery of a bee over the top.<br />
<br />
It's pretty minimalist but I find with a top that it's often more striking to go with the less-is-more approach. I do however, now have to find a bra which doesn't totally wreck the look...oh well.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSWKSIcEfjAA_C2YLSM_SK7QfYWycIQeD7p8TgMpNqAi8UyHa97aUHM7hZEZRx4MzhVQ5sPw2zM2TQ2i-ON0c2JgvTaNrtFrXFWDG3PzukEWIrC2OrGslTI65OyPqkfMYCYnn2eZP/s1600/166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSWKSIcEfjAA_C2YLSM_SK7QfYWycIQeD7p8TgMpNqAi8UyHa97aUHM7hZEZRx4MzhVQ5sPw2zM2TQ2i-ON0c2JgvTaNrtFrXFWDG3PzukEWIrC2OrGslTI65OyPqkfMYCYnn2eZP/s400/166.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BEE!!!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-70422432262441352152016-04-07T12:15:00.000-07:002016-04-07T12:15:22.820-07:00I'm Back! (Again) And This Time There Will Be Capitalisation, Maybe Even Grammar....The Spelling Will Still Be Pants Though.A good friend once told me that I need to finish what I start. And looking over the last year or so, she has a point - I have started, despaired over, and eventually deleted 8 blogs. 8!!!<br />
<br />
This is the only one I do not have the heart to erase.<br />
<br />
I have poured too much of my silly into it.<br />
<br />
I suppose it makes sense to continue on then. Here's a couple of things I have done recently(ish):<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasDTJeN92dfkK4i0Ve-piPsMOV9OLzTFzP98x8Ds9XmXEnSybgiMdOkewI4rm7qLv5uxe1BOUS4al26laR3gtGKDftEBVL4JDtv8F1HG6is0bqsNxRwimG3CcbG71fnImTukL8S4j/s1600/298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasDTJeN92dfkK4i0Ve-piPsMOV9OLzTFzP98x8Ds9XmXEnSybgiMdOkewI4rm7qLv5uxe1BOUS4al26laR3gtGKDftEBVL4JDtv8F1HG6is0bqsNxRwimG3CcbG71fnImTukL8S4j/s400/298.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made Harry Potter style wands out of chopsticks (just add a glue gun and paint).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJmi6Y6a3USbx7tZVlOoc4srWuWpz5IS6f5TQ1audc6zWL-IcINg3PRda4NnybKrIyvcFmFJ_zrWaeZCwSUmoP-xCPdGZy9LV3pKqLZrDj2Duc3QC1hC9s1cGTKFDwsEZSYX1Fi_d/s1600/233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJmi6Y6a3USbx7tZVlOoc4srWuWpz5IS6f5TQ1audc6zWL-IcINg3PRda4NnybKrIyvcFmFJ_zrWaeZCwSUmoP-xCPdGZy9LV3pKqLZrDj2Duc3QC1hC9s1cGTKFDwsEZSYX1Fi_d/s400/233.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And Golden Snitch Christmas decorations...guess who went to the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio before Christmas... Shrinkles wings, gold pen, heat tool, glue gun etc.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDikbj3ecPcEcMjCKXEYaYlFcQD5xYJ76tMtctijsc2yMrXBq2Q9JBai32P0trZiERjNHDJFBh9hysBiz6j8mpir7e6uz_7awYEWTZFq4RqUh1MtZw82-RAt1wCA0XWekgWPOiLBM/s1600/005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDikbj3ecPcEcMjCKXEYaYlFcQD5xYJ76tMtctijsc2yMrXBq2Q9JBai32P0trZiERjNHDJFBh9hysBiz6j8mpir7e6uz_7awYEWTZFq4RqUh1MtZw82-RAt1wCA0XWekgWPOiLBM/s400/005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wrote my first complicated crochet pattern. I'm not going to do this again unless I get a long holiday, and maybe some sort of payment.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlhTIPfnzvt58_t26qc0x3JA4JO07AZKQ8mod3u3fDpCeuDf9VUf4Nai8UT4Utd7Q3xhDutJ0xmYCG21_PryJ9SDBCtCcFcekx5p8sCbCxyJ9N5oJ1xUZtEdWGbtkyx1qrhoZ6FLa/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlhTIPfnzvt58_t26qc0x3JA4JO07AZKQ8mod3u3fDpCeuDf9VUf4Nai8UT4Utd7Q3xhDutJ0xmYCG21_PryJ9SDBCtCcFcekx5p8sCbCxyJ9N5oJ1xUZtEdWGbtkyx1qrhoZ6FLa/s400/016.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I became a bit mermaid obsessed - indelible ink pen fabric appliques on pre-existing lace top.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So yeah, not a whole lot has changed. I'm happy though, and will aim to post again soon : )<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-19539398368452541192014-10-30T10:27:00.000-07:002014-10-30T10:27:52.203-07:00crochet strawberry leaves with a tiny spiderit's almost halloween! and my mother has lovingly crocheted me a spider brooch for the occasion, so naturally, i have made a little something for her in return:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgjUI8eyjht_lHbb3sw_i6LHSMFUl4Q6cIyBDl5mkmBfkJ63aiKwSc4fwAu2Qezhd6tJMWXU_LX3Q9yZKXBPsNlQk8cM97ZDa_PtbXTWB2wUjF3wRPyESi8Wzc0ny0cXR0rLbW_GH/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgjUI8eyjht_lHbb3sw_i6LHSMFUl4Q6cIyBDl5mkmBfkJ63aiKwSc4fwAu2Qezhd6tJMWXU_LX3Q9yZKXBPsNlQk8cM97ZDa_PtbXTWB2wUjF3wRPyESi8Wzc0ny0cXR0rLbW_GH/s1600/001.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
a spider brooch! ok, so i wasn't having the most original moment when i decided to give a spider brooch to someone giving me a spider brooch...but i think it's cute. the leaves are strawberry leaves from caitlin sainio's <i>100 lace flowers to crochet</i> which i did in size 30 variegated green with a 1.5 hook. the 'web' bit i did in white sewing thread with a 0.6 hook (it's just a cluster of treble-trebles and a length of chain). and the spider is four bits of size 30 black thread, knotted together in a double knot for the body, with single knots for the knees:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJC54LYAarwi_IRxoHndYRaHOK2bhL_p-8jl8BzNAuM2YA4DugCV4skO9tQa60d6vZ2F9ebof3riMV_vu7ruTOHNLI-NUjilQSQpsGGrPaKVd42RYDY7Hvs31YSsDDxGXc1FRGTlu/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJC54LYAarwi_IRxoHndYRaHOK2bhL_p-8jl8BzNAuM2YA4DugCV4skO9tQa60d6vZ2F9ebof3riMV_vu7ruTOHNLI-NUjilQSQpsGGrPaKVd42RYDY7Hvs31YSsDDxGXc1FRGTlu/s1600/002.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
yep, i'm pretty happy with this.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-87254061903110918152014-10-29T05:24:00.000-07:002014-10-29T05:24:00.509-07:00embroidered hermes wing shoesanyone who follows this little blog closely, or anyone who looks too closely at my feet, will realise that i have a thing about putting wings on my heals. i don't know why but it just has to be done. here's a little recap for those of you at the back of the class who weren't paying attention:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAl0ZWyYWoeaF7roa4oQ_ukbOsWK8wfEkiaVVzY-5Ou-TjWeCTBzFRdeRkxZV4CBwUm9tXGMtqCupBHqD-5jkr1BOzQChMofgT7jklRy4SYeb1VzR222hDLV3f1wCfi4bZPXuZhdw/s1600/003.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAl0ZWyYWoeaF7roa4oQ_ukbOsWK8wfEkiaVVzY-5Ou-TjWeCTBzFRdeRkxZV4CBwUm9tXGMtqCupBHqD-5jkr1BOzQChMofgT7jklRy4SYeb1VzR222hDLV3f1wCfi4bZPXuZhdw/s320/003.JPG" height="400" width="300" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxFJxCalOuCtyKIdqtUSCyl0vTq8Je1l_2JHQcJ2Q3CZ7c2BwSx-Ef-r0y_kPBYjc5ZVVsZZs68J6GtMSXUzXX69ZQqyjmQNHxxaRZt4s5Nl35zAj4wgFnjIllcgazRa5eprQOJ8O/s1600/003.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxFJxCalOuCtyKIdqtUSCyl0vTq8Je1l_2JHQcJ2Q3CZ7c2BwSx-Ef-r0y_kPBYjc5ZVVsZZs68J6GtMSXUzXX69ZQqyjmQNHxxaRZt4s5Nl35zAj4wgFnjIllcgazRa5eprQOJ8O/s320/003.JPG" height="240" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsXexwx7rWC_eOw7J10G4VWwXDCo6IzlJxe2XubfmJY7GZa-sXl6xdXwu09JgUroBjCii3iW0b74LIULKQitO-BkPwhKsWe3NEEbuOhqR7Yiesu7PCVxhQsEspuJtgaBPwloB79Kj/s1600/001.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsXexwx7rWC_eOw7J10G4VWwXDCo6IzlJxe2XubfmJY7GZa-sXl6xdXwu09JgUroBjCii3iW0b74LIULKQitO-BkPwhKsWe3NEEbuOhqR7Yiesu7PCVxhQsEspuJtgaBPwloB79Kj/s320/001.JPG" height="400" width="300" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
now i'm in a new city, new streets, new shoes... and here's what happened this time:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgTtx2JaziWsjwNp_LnLrRCl_-3U46fCN4kpIhbCcyFKkhKpFItXmgG5Jnb0V57ZdygLlCErUHskz0eYb3hf6Gj8fU6x9w3w5Om2tZQpSYIk7FDjUXRI4RQNdwVAvl-etDQG77QA1/s1600/081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgTtx2JaziWsjwNp_LnLrRCl_-3U46fCN4kpIhbCcyFKkhKpFItXmgG5Jnb0V57ZdygLlCErUHskz0eYb3hf6Gj8fU6x9w3w5Om2tZQpSYIk7FDjUXRI4RQNdwVAvl-etDQG77QA1/s1600/081.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
you will need:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
el cheapo tat primark flats £4</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
gold metalic embroidery thread ~£2</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
a strong needle</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
to make:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
embroider some wings on the heels of your cheap, thin shoes.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
enjoy.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
(i'm afraid that i did just make it up as i went along with these. 'free form stitching' i think it's called, or stitch doodle if you're me.)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-50104869574882931742014-10-27T04:22:00.000-07:002014-10-27T04:22:05.781-07:00crocheting in a convent in londonok, i'm giving up any pretense i had of blogging on any kind of regular basis. sorry about that. life got in the way, as it usually does - i've moved house yet again, only this time i've abandoned scotland all together and ended up in london, which i can't really afford on my shop girl pay, so i'm crashing in a convent until something else comes along.<br />
<br />
the usual kind of crazy then.<br />
<br />
i miss scotland. i miss my friends, my work mates, my old laid-back job. i miss having the freedom to do whatever i like, whenever i like, without having to worry about a curfew or upsetting nuns or upsetting my mother. i haven't been myself here yet; new job and strict home life mean that i'm on constant egg shells, all smiles and good behavior. and i'm reminded of the life advice a much loved maths teacher once gave me in the street, "do what you're good at".<br />
<br />
so here i am in a quiet corner of london holding a crochet hook and building my life back up again, one treble at a time:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGyiSlMLkVep9T6oAkTS5MDRG3yV7qQIDlYpLJ8QtI9q7sBWjlkrkvxIanySEsTWBdpXQhyphenhyphenZowVVdYRTcvQHfBPbkngWf-Bn7DCNQtGno-HkLp1-AlQocFMaOTABgryI-11q5zoOq/s1600/082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGyiSlMLkVep9T6oAkTS5MDRG3yV7qQIDlYpLJ8QtI9q7sBWjlkrkvxIanySEsTWBdpXQhyphenhyphenZowVVdYRTcvQHfBPbkngWf-Bn7DCNQtGno-HkLp1-AlQocFMaOTABgryI-11q5zoOq/s1600/082.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
yes, that's my bedside table in the convent, and yes, that is a lacy heart shaped coaster for my mug. it already has tea stains on it, but that's ok.<br />
<br />
you will need:<br />
<br />
size 30 white thread and a 1.75 crochet hook<br />
<br />
meathod:<br />
<br />
now, i was a bit cheeky with this one so i'm not going to put a link to the pattern. you see it was part of a vintage booklet of heart shaped crochet lavender pillow patterns which a wonderful fellow is/was selling on ebay...and included in the photos of the product was the page featuring the entire pattern for this heart.<br />
<br />
oops.<br />
<br />
i did modify it a bit, opting for a row of clusters around the outside rather than the big frilly thing it had going on. anyway, if you search the internet hard enough you'll no doubt find the pattern as well.<br />
<br />
have fun. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-13477498807774968432014-08-21T03:00:00.000-07:002014-08-21T03:00:02.266-07:00tissue paper flowers - floofing tutoriali am a (rather sporadic) letter writer. when sending letters i like to include a cute flat thing to make up for the potential lack of content in the actual letter. in my most recent bout of correspondence i sent many people a tissue paper flower, ready to be floofed up to full glory. yes, ok, when i say that i sent them tissue paper flowers, i do in fact mean that i sent them some coloured tissue paper which i had loving concertinaed, trimmed, and stapled in the middle. what they got looked much like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TVt9fxgfq6B07zbFPH2HoyCiQHm0jwZRhtSGrLE8soc8Z5wRuaSV1Xf-YnDSH9uQowcT1ZFVq9SnEutXkO7cG0r2FCIS5Bb51KvpNWyTG7669qziuwjIwbwRfYzjJaAP3Quu3aJ6/s1600/009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TVt9fxgfq6B07zbFPH2HoyCiQHm0jwZRhtSGrLE8soc8Z5wRuaSV1Xf-YnDSH9uQowcT1ZFVq9SnEutXkO7cG0r2FCIS5Bb51KvpNWyTG7669qziuwjIwbwRfYzjJaAP3Quu3aJ6/s1600/009.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
the very technical floofing process seems to have stumped some people though, so here's what you do.<br />
<br />
1. expand the concertina like a fan:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-B9uxrkcAFp5saJqo1AeW6SBUCdd9bEm4JE8owVCwrs2IQqGLkRNmqYuhVRuEg4sGit88pTtZ8sIi0E73BbM2sJc3sRfJ9e31A2q6EWaOVHbATeXIfSYODmcPXGLmmFkSiQpOMfCp/s1600/010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-B9uxrkcAFp5saJqo1AeW6SBUCdd9bEm4JE8owVCwrs2IQqGLkRNmqYuhVRuEg4sGit88pTtZ8sIi0E73BbM2sJc3sRfJ9e31A2q6EWaOVHbATeXIfSYODmcPXGLmmFkSiQpOMfCp/s1600/010.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
2. pull up individual layers of tissue paper, it should start off looking like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9V9L4PI88DFeiPyC2jgMh3SW3Evy9jixbipyZIQmudTlXLg4p_boaHlIjKeMsNIB5SdcYFapTb4sgv9Hxnp7dnM_VKLGePDUua7rrjsyQqgjzHaBybL3EnwxmXm4SCmNz2UEFL9d4/s1600/011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9V9L4PI88DFeiPyC2jgMh3SW3Evy9jixbipyZIQmudTlXLg4p_boaHlIjKeMsNIB5SdcYFapTb4sgv9Hxnp7dnM_VKLGePDUua7rrjsyQqgjzHaBybL3EnwxmXm4SCmNz2UEFL9d4/s1600/011.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
2 continued. and go on to look like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNi0NIlr9yC13PtNUouQMWPB3hrn0CoCQnRsrnhs8B1uRL_Qv55E4GImJ15TwwSiDzwqY54duI7aS16f9ONkUv6jExock1yXOG4H_Nu8HDb6ikYHM_bCW7rlErFIT02J8k2Em6sh5/s1600/012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNi0NIlr9yC13PtNUouQMWPB3hrn0CoCQnRsrnhs8B1uRL_Qv55E4GImJ15TwwSiDzwqY54duI7aS16f9ONkUv6jExock1yXOG4H_Nu8HDb6ikYHM_bCW7rlErFIT02J8k2Em6sh5/s1600/012.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
3. now do the same thing to the other side, and, wait for it.....you've made a flower! well done!:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQwoLXh3kO8w81SWR68gpvAYC9Uv2SfRJ44-_Nc_cXYAi15JlIqgDeqt0Ot5x1A5xZpCn5Tib41nOJz3BYPj3IYjsNYaBAwFdOoc18VVnnQYViaXmfVSp7RgK6oDXjYI6DMl_G8pu/s1600/013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQwoLXh3kO8w81SWR68gpvAYC9Uv2SfRJ44-_Nc_cXYAi15JlIqgDeqt0Ot5x1A5xZpCn5Tib41nOJz3BYPj3IYjsNYaBAwFdOoc18VVnnQYViaXmfVSp7RgK6oDXjYI6DMl_G8pu/s1600/013.jpg" height="225" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
now to make this particular flower i used 4 sheets of pale orange, two sheets of dark orange and two sheets of red. layer squares of the same size in that order, concertina, staple, floof. </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-41443193280607063062014-08-20T07:55:00.003-07:002014-08-20T07:55:55.342-07:00pompom edged pillow with a little butterfly embroiderystill on theme of trying to make my blank room a bit more homey - i got it into my head that pillows were the way forward. lots and lots of pillows. this is mostly because i hate the headboard on my bed, and it's not mine so i can't just paint it or upholster it or something proper like that. anyways, i only got around to making one of these pillows in the end which has turned out to be a good thing as i'll be moving house YET AGAIN next month...as always, i find i own too much stuff.<br />
<br />
here's a pillow:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaiNEjaQ5S-4iWjYcGUqZJf5cWnP56he_8FZzA9HHar5i-Xv7Up_RjgpFfCNDr7tJqTSGwYV173nkSrlhaDyluq8QQfuC_c8grRN15TbXuHFyATkpzMMRlkNuwosDhLQ9Wvze0ALg/s1600/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaiNEjaQ5S-4iWjYcGUqZJf5cWnP56he_8FZzA9HHar5i-Xv7Up_RjgpFfCNDr7tJqTSGwYV173nkSrlhaDyluq8QQfuC_c8grRN15TbXuHFyATkpzMMRlkNuwosDhLQ9Wvze0ALg/s1600/001.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
now, making pillow covers is really easy - it's two rectangles of fabric sewn together with some sort of overlap and fastening thing going on so that you can put a pillow inside...usually. i however, cheated. this one doesn't have a pillow on the inside - it is literally two squares of fabric, sew together and stuffed like a really boring square teddy bear. this does of course mean that when i eventually do spill red wine on it i'll have to throw the whole thing into a washing machine and prey, but that's ok. The underside which you can't see started out life as an electric blue silk scarf, there's purple pompom edging along two sides and the top is from a <a href="http://timholtz.com/">tim holtz</a> fat quarter with moths on. to make it slightly less beige i picked out one of the butterflies in embroidery: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOqHZHEddC3lwbNEF0-wl94Kwu35ixqqo81Jdfc0sjIwhF_N1PC9RFn8K3u8p-7Ob6Vnz4gOu4FOBo5t2t1pB68xBEidDYvx5N2YYojKuzDXVRJCbGFRyKrzeHgknERUT3BZ3fEHNZ/s1600/215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOqHZHEddC3lwbNEF0-wl94Kwu35ixqqo81Jdfc0sjIwhF_N1PC9RFn8K3u8p-7Ob6Vnz4gOu4FOBo5t2t1pB68xBEidDYvx5N2YYojKuzDXVRJCbGFRyKrzeHgknERUT3BZ3fEHNZ/s1600/215.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
i honestly defy anyone to try and tell me that i don't know how to have fun in my spare time.<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-83745989162327719412014-08-09T06:50:00.001-07:002014-08-20T06:32:33.645-07:00speed sewing - wine bagi have a tendency to leave things to the very last minute so that there's a mad dash to get everything sorted. this can be a little stressful but also very good fun! recently we lost one of our part timers at work as he went and got himself a proper job, i had said i would make him a wine bag with the canvas fabric he gave me at some point...so naturally i waited until there was 20 minutes before i had to head to out to work my last shift with him before starting the little sewing project. here's what he ended up with:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW50B0EqFOtaNdmUiKO8U60tDoA4DGCkIv3DGrNIAtjWuKa-w7-zXLNKRC5fRdlWL9WqNTKAA8HSxM1ECGlo4nm9Z7sMSBXaQmpCg6MnDKbeK9YgdxMp0EE2NyiWk-Xr9uaMZUciHk/s1600/218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW50B0EqFOtaNdmUiKO8U60tDoA4DGCkIv3DGrNIAtjWuKa-w7-zXLNKRC5fRdlWL9WqNTKAA8HSxM1ECGlo4nm9Z7sMSBXaQmpCg6MnDKbeK9YgdxMp0EE2NyiWk-Xr9uaMZUciHk/s1600/218.jpg" height="400" width="225" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
all things considered, it did turn out rather well. i mean, despite my little cheapo sewing machine having real problems with the thickness of the canvas, and the fact that i was sort of making it up as i went along, and that at the last minute i realised i didn't have thread which matched the fabric.... other than all that, it went pretty well. it's basically a long rectangle with french seams up the inside sides, hemmed at the top, and with two handles sewn to that. </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-65298517047992348182014-08-05T03:07:00.002-07:002014-08-05T03:07:53.085-07:00help! i'm a grown up making loom band chokersmy best friend got me into these - i swear it's not my fault! although...her work mate got her into them...so i guess it's not her fault either. blame the workmate of my friend who i've never met before! that way, the blame is kind of dissipated, and we're left with these fab 90's-esque chokers:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJx4QzjIvXXg98nweXto7qEeQYJ8jveARRh3RflPjN1nQu3tF5O1CeiYnhORSi_gksRnrS3H_x8PQqrJ3glAinroSzotCJma_FSHfHl2Ukr-85uxk9PTUoDtTIQxHuYXiNumDrplr/s1600/212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJx4QzjIvXXg98nweXto7qEeQYJ8jveARRh3RflPjN1nQu3tF5O1CeiYnhORSi_gksRnrS3H_x8PQqrJ3glAinroSzotCJma_FSHfHl2Ukr-85uxk9PTUoDtTIQxHuYXiNumDrplr/s1600/212.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
the purple one is of the standard use-the-mini-plastic-faux-crochet-hook variety, the yellow and orange one is much the same but with a second layer of bands, and the pink and blue number is of the fish tail variety. now, i have just enough dignity left to not have actually purchased a loom, so i used a fork:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGB65Tu9B9G6WLQ7XHiFOyDeDkuJNeYqEcFQA99Xk0CHmt4EYKrB8-HNqypi3Z0w9Equj3L15pILkdiG29lmTtZA9E3IacoosP-zcfV06kHXYJmu2mTx06IFdUs2oQvsfn2urFAXa8/s1600/210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGB65Tu9B9G6WLQ7XHiFOyDeDkuJNeYqEcFQA99Xk0CHmt4EYKrB8-HNqypi3Z0w9Equj3L15pILkdiG29lmTtZA9E3IacoosP-zcfV06kHXYJmu2mTx06IFdUs2oQvsfn2urFAXa8/s1600/210.jpg" height="225" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
and then i had a hunt around pinterest and saw that people are making cool things like daisy chain bracelets and wanted one! but those are pretty complicated so actually need a loom....or do they...?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbqkPWlgBoNe6E3N64_uQgJG2SvEm7lGXQ2gThIJm0622Gbw8lV8HzW8za_XcDhMc3WJBvp-3Y5ZRing2jFlhxaNzpWCZGRqLiQslAm2OK_Hr6w7nTQaDUp8aLhULVmcwUscOo07A/s1600/219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbqkPWlgBoNe6E3N64_uQgJG2SvEm7lGXQ2gThIJm0622Gbw8lV8HzW8za_XcDhMc3WJBvp-3Y5ZRing2jFlhxaNzpWCZGRqLiQslAm2OK_Hr6w7nTQaDUp8aLhULVmcwUscOo07A/s1600/219.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
FORK DAISY!!!!! basically i followed the instructions on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku7cFF04RQA">this youtube tutorial</a> while substituting a loom for two forks held back to back : ) oh yeah- fork win. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-81969405787364212762014-07-29T07:30:00.000-07:002014-07-29T07:30:01.654-07:00book treasure box i always liked the idea of a book box to keep treasures in (or a book clutch, although i can't imagine they'd be big enough to fit all the standard handbag stuff in...), but i never seemed to get around to making one. then my mother asked me for one for her birthday, here's how that went:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kw6v-uhBT0iD2o75n873Cz0QVcqJK5uy9cPp65FGS66oTQJyeSkmfB6W-GvHEOvm3X0aC6XdDikEp9SAtPkJnsRVZ2BM7SZtMO15VsvcKNFoAQV8tFPRxqowfZAmDRn9QJQw3fTn/s1600/115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kw6v-uhBT0iD2o75n873Cz0QVcqJK5uy9cPp65FGS66oTQJyeSkmfB6W-GvHEOvm3X0aC6XdDikEp9SAtPkJnsRVZ2BM7SZtMO15VsvcKNFoAQV8tFPRxqowfZAmDRn9QJQw3fTn/s1600/115.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZXg-xKu4dEDjTNdsKJ-4dhFi6lyhh8nVVZA5NjUgXCtXII3OQvjOAdsp3usCB4MADHW9bNqTcP_WuXCeyoEqHQC-L0YbdrU9oGrUOgvDDjuA9xQ4pcLHVTGdRoQmaBoQdGTmltRq/s1600/116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZXg-xKu4dEDjTNdsKJ-4dhFi6lyhh8nVVZA5NjUgXCtXII3OQvjOAdsp3usCB4MADHW9bNqTcP_WuXCeyoEqHQC-L0YbdrU9oGrUOgvDDjuA9xQ4pcLHVTGdRoQmaBoQdGTmltRq/s1600/116.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
they're not difficult to make so much as time consuming - you want a fairly thick book so that you can actually put stuff in the box, but that means that you have more paper to cut through. and no matter how sharp your craft knife is, you will most likely get half way through and get annoyed and start just hacking at the pages you have left to cut through. DO TRY AND AVOID DOING THIS as you really want the inside walls of your box to be neat. i cheated, i mean, i hacked away at it and then concealed the mess by lining it with card covered with an old map. you can do this too as it totally worked out fine.<br />
<br />
this is one of my 'here's one i made earlier' things so there's no step-by-step photos i'm afraid. it's pretty much how you might picture it though - be smiley and polite to the ladies in the secondhand bookshop as they scowl at you and tell you cutting up books is sacrilegious, get book, cut a hole in the pages of said book, hold book shut while applying glue to the edges of the pages, panic when you realise that you didn't put a sheet of greaseproof paper between the top cover and the pages so that it wouldn't all stick together, carefully pry the top cover away from the rest of it - damaging it in such a way that you now have to paint everything to conceal the gluey mess, line book box with a snug, much thinner and prettier card box, glue that in place, then pretend it was all intentional as it turned out rather well in the end. <br />
<br />
good luck.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-28450641896641548902014-07-28T06:00:00.000-07:002014-07-28T06:00:10.864-07:00pompom garlandi have, yet again, moved into something of a blank-canvas flat and am now in the process of prettifying my new room. this process obviously involves pompoms. obviously:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjxS_IGZ2L4H4CLxnxtO3RaNHgGGVvPeBKbS7SK61Sgq3vHQm8ArrbIUy33_554lmFbor39tbvxxZvxFjRCyrwFf20Cdr4dKsz8SSCPQ9l8yt4seq1DliWxMazbrxLCJwyZ0vCRHz/s1600/214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjxS_IGZ2L4H4CLxnxtO3RaNHgGGVvPeBKbS7SK61Sgq3vHQm8ArrbIUy33_554lmFbor39tbvxxZvxFjRCyrwFf20Cdr4dKsz8SSCPQ9l8yt4seq1DliWxMazbrxLCJwyZ0vCRHz/s1600/214.jpg" height="225" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
ok, so i got swept up in the pompom craze that's been on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/">pinterest</a> and then i got my free pompom maker courtesy hobbycraft and <a href="http://www.molliemakes.com/">mollie makes</a> and things got a little cute. I did not in fact use my new high-tech pompom maker, but a fork, so...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
you will need;</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
- wool in various colours (i got a pack of eight 10g balls for £2.50 in hobbycraft)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
-a fork</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
-scissors</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
-some ribbon or something, to hang them off of</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
to make;</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
wrap you wool around your fork until it looks a little something like this:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcYdH8hfx_ZknXt2AUfbA6QFLb4iGnQ2Q7V-rVtK-J6hVjBkgyyElvuBeLSgEHZne6VYj1deRwKUldxNfOTiZqPrK_RxTuuB8wdfIcq0DSycAs4rDHe9JTbhdknpJTm_sUCjCjylu/s1600/208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcYdH8hfx_ZknXt2AUfbA6QFLb4iGnQ2Q7V-rVtK-J6hVjBkgyyElvuBeLSgEHZne6VYj1deRwKUldxNfOTiZqPrK_RxTuuB8wdfIcq0DSycAs4rDHe9JTbhdknpJTm_sUCjCjylu/s1600/208.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
then tie it up so that it looks like this:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uzwysEZa8g8n5Vx4LfZ81tlUDTbOLV1fdb3Ljw7o3z3VzR59x5-tuy7EK54xt7tgcvpDba3cdxhje32KT_tELkm5Q5-KxuPy0fIXAK5kJSPwnxOnr6E0BdU4ommLjpdrTQ_1TrpF/s1600/209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uzwysEZa8g8n5Vx4LfZ81tlUDTbOLV1fdb3Ljw7o3z3VzR59x5-tuy7EK54xt7tgcvpDba3cdxhje32KT_tELkm5Q5-KxuPy0fIXAK5kJSPwnxOnr6E0BdU4ommLjpdrTQ_1TrpF/s1600/209.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
then slide the whole lot off of the end of your fork and trim until it's a pompom. make a fair few of these (they only take like 5 minutes each) and tie them at intervals onto ribbon. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />pretty easy really : ) </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-84290741160748527412014-07-27T05:30:00.001-07:002014-07-27T05:30:42.041-07:00i'm back!yes i know it's been a while and there's really nothing i can say to make up for it. sorry anyway.<br />
<br />
here's a little montage of some of my crafty goings-on since i last posted:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ycYqkjNmEyvPDY1xDElwPnUgF2QaE58ci5putPC4nlU9zK1TBSCzR3MtvRvJ_33BzOpb9_iW7AFWG49lLhqX2DH-lJLYfkzV7UPSZ2B9BMevG9JuFEy2I6V_VN2zQwYIndC8ipnQ/s1600/008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ycYqkjNmEyvPDY1xDElwPnUgF2QaE58ci5putPC4nlU9zK1TBSCzR3MtvRvJ_33BzOpb9_iW7AFWG49lLhqX2DH-lJLYfkzV7UPSZ2B9BMevG9JuFEy2I6V_VN2zQwYIndC8ipnQ/s1600/008.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i got into amigurumi ... and made a tiny cactus for my sister.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_WsvBqxVZXuQK5GiSmAp7SqrVlxQAVKkrED92DB7-a68qipmV2yjohD6_oVqOR1sVUeWbWB5aEzwbvF7d86yQY8X2tDFJ8IMEBJjz2RHYtWthGtRWMxB5U4e32zsWcsEXJITxQyB/s1600/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_WsvBqxVZXuQK5GiSmAp7SqrVlxQAVKkrED92DB7-a68qipmV2yjohD6_oVqOR1sVUeWbWB5aEzwbvF7d86yQY8X2tDFJ8IMEBJjz2RHYtWthGtRWMxB5U4e32zsWcsEXJITxQyB/s1600/003.jpg" height="224" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i started, but never finished a 'settlers of catan' set of hexagons, where each is made out of the resource it represents.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84smVD2TxRS-BCaTSE12hoDDUfX9SpVtoabsPmyKiuOK-QwqCSFi-I7AywaI53KzRwD8zgiDPhbm1SQRgtCeAXhe_m02-tWw3O5oa6B88CVFtJfOJ-QprYQlplpy1BptsvcDrfS-m/s1600/091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84smVD2TxRS-BCaTSE12hoDDUfX9SpVtoabsPmyKiuOK-QwqCSFi-I7AywaI53KzRwD8zgiDPhbm1SQRgtCeAXhe_m02-tWw3O5oa6B88CVFtJfOJ-QprYQlplpy1BptsvcDrfS-m/s1600/091.jpg" height="224" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i designed my first crochet pattern from scratch - a buttercup, which i promptly lost the pattern for.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRV9dc_8T-fmDl15YrR-RDae9PC_KYbODzWbmhBJXkplqiRFc-O2AfGEtXXU-2yLHbp4D_xz1_K9IghyphenhypheniajX8imf1ZXoIXkTiGazYnMjA15a0O5S-NieacPjIdhIgbqODCrTu7zIqP/s1600/084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRV9dc_8T-fmDl15YrR-RDae9PC_KYbODzWbmhBJXkplqiRFc-O2AfGEtXXU-2yLHbp4D_xz1_K9IghyphenhypheniajX8imf1ZXoIXkTiGazYnMjA15a0O5S-NieacPjIdhIgbqODCrTu7zIqP/s1600/084.jpg" height="224" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i went through a phase of making horribly difficult puzzles... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_UeE856W9GZXE_gTWTbGr3WG6BPIdiwAiU0ASHqAA3vaK_DN4C7jFSoPqcUYdi6TwxDN_d8fbhnjgCIQ4xA4Xh1B_OP4lZNQ_NhIbMoimGKzEcjVU6uuBT6BgILvmohbvVEOjTkG/s1600/105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_UeE856W9GZXE_gTWTbGr3WG6BPIdiwAiU0ASHqAA3vaK_DN4C7jFSoPqcUYdi6TwxDN_d8fbhnjgCIQ4xA4Xh1B_OP4lZNQ_NhIbMoimGKzEcjVU6uuBT6BgILvmohbvVEOjTkG/s1600/105.jpg" height="224" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and things made out of puzzle pieces.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7E0PUbko0L0kHmlGwBUCKnwnOZgVvGT-xWauJYabKkGbJlj5yaRTQ_GWp_Jd16omUMa2PS9bddJsikp2nLNJOAGoUMMadnD-Wd88mw0HLQxdhEvHXuaSFdknV_joXKPndLM5PMOW/s1600/114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7E0PUbko0L0kHmlGwBUCKnwnOZgVvGT-xWauJYabKkGbJlj5yaRTQ_GWp_Jd16omUMa2PS9bddJsikp2nLNJOAGoUMMadnD-Wd88mw0HLQxdhEvHXuaSFdknV_joXKPndLM5PMOW/s1600/114.jpg" height="224" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">christmas came and i got my craft on - i made box nets for most of the blocks in minecraft for my siblings to put together.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjet-FuYTAUzCdXQtn3h0SKqBJjHhHk84GH-2pG8Io61O-0XVijfd1OciDOSi3tBCWWqIez3BIfTHCEVRnLWdwT0Ff8OwGtQqhEy-KxU03oQ34gMl63-9wkrhf74Iyi2oG8lQfg4-6J/s1600/124.jpg" height="224" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and i got a little bit better at amigurumi - here's a pikachu.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
there was a lot of other stuff as well, but as i had no internet most of it didn't get photographed at the time. there may be some 'stuff i made earlier' type posts in the not-too-distant future. enjoy.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-75754709576870672022013-09-20T00:30:00.000-07:002013-09-20T00:30:00.381-07:00diy juggling balls<div class="MsoNormal">
i’ve been wanting to teach myself to juggle for aaaaages, so i set about making myself a set of juggling balls during the summer. i regrettably
left them at my dad’s before i got a chance to do any actual juggling, but i had
lots of fun making them so that’s something : )</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
here’s a pic of them at various stages of made-ness:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvz-vAjvz54O1Ab328pxcLg0NFPGpUuqgNKFVjMFB4EO9ofStsYKgy7-fzpZE3ntubVHPvUsiWkzAagf33GUNMo1lsF__ATdxPYwjP6P4YwUPY6WQzEgBROb3nzJCSOboJd30asINp/s1600/342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvz-vAjvz54O1Ab328pxcLg0NFPGpUuqgNKFVjMFB4EO9ofStsYKgy7-fzpZE3ntubVHPvUsiWkzAagf33GUNMo1lsF__ATdxPYwjP6P4YwUPY6WQzEgBROb3nzJCSOboJd30asINp/s400/342.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p>you will need: scrap fabric, scrap paper, pen, ruler,
needle, strong thread and rice or lentils or something along those lines.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">decide
how big you want your balls to be – you can do this by drawing a circle to
the desired size, measuring the radius (height of leaf shaped template),
and halving this (width of leaf shaped template). </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">with
these measurements, make a leaf shape.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">on
fabric - cut around your leaf template four times per ball, leaving room
for seams (i actually drew straight around the template with a biro on the
reverse side of the fabric).</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">right
sides facing, sew these together leaving one seam open enough to put your lentily
filling through- back stitch or running stitch, doesn't matter so long as
your stitches are fairly close together so no filling falls out!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">fill
with filling – make it as compact and full as possible.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">sew
up remaining gap – ladder stitch is good for this.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">do
this twice or however many times more to get a set of juggling balls!</li>
</ol>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-1190180426455307712013-09-18T06:33:00.001-07:002013-09-18T06:33:13.759-07:00lazy scarf pillow case diy<div class="MsoNormal">
it’s been such a long time since i last blogged! lots has
happened – i graduated for university, was a reviewer for a month and moved
house. moved…into an unfurnished house…with no income with which to buy
furniture to fill it with I’m having to get creative (oh <i>what</i> a shame). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
so! pillows! the most obvious thing to fill a front room
with! and my local bargain shop thing sells 18 inch pillows for a pound : D but,
oh no! there are no fabric shops in paisley : ( but fear not – there’s at least
10 charity shops within reasonable walking distance. but oh no! i left my
sewing machine at my mum’s! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
and so the lazy pillowcase was born…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVwL2uEWjCUfBbPhd-QCuwmANqsrA-QLYLU0sb8DtdI-GCNUVb34i4EZforLMZU9LCP-paYHqs_Ip4IouDNV7xDRFpF4N0fFtVViN9goYfzdoR4KFlv8clvqNKb-SW5khyphenhyphen_VIDjE3/s1600/378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVwL2uEWjCUfBbPhd-QCuwmANqsrA-QLYLU0sb8DtdI-GCNUVb34i4EZforLMZU9LCP-paYHqs_Ip4IouDNV7xDRFpF4N0fFtVViN9goYfzdoR4KFlv8clvqNKb-SW5khyphenhyphen_VIDjE3/s400/378.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
you will need: a largish square scarf (most of mine cost
£1/£1.50 from charity shops), a pillow, a needle and thread.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziK49e3jbX2AEkfdmptOP663_JwNr3j4l9e8QM58_iPuRYRRufwEb24IinHwcNHVVg463o9zRMxRhM2N0_L85wpQj0WsBFIndb-NFat6-8k0qWi1N4iGdqkCJG5R2zJofdtCDESD-/s1600/371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziK49e3jbX2AEkfdmptOP663_JwNr3j4l9e8QM58_iPuRYRRufwEb24IinHwcNHVVg463o9zRMxRhM2N0_L85wpQj0WsBFIndb-NFat6-8k0qWi1N4iGdqkCJG5R2zJofdtCDESD-/s400/371.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1. place
the pillow in the middle of your scarf so that the corners of the pillow
are pointing to the middles of the scarf’s edges.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2. pick
up the corners of the scarf.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuaRmuLHf0c9pjoqQaNZgzEB3GZEggN_0LAXhcJ2miRHekb0peUiar2OQ__9XObvc1KdDx7HzuumChnQIh1zb_FyxLRHo1ow-Vij3RnY8Pw7bgeFVe0RJoX1owyrTj0_FFLxql0_Q/s1600/372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuaRmuLHf0c9pjoqQaNZgzEB3GZEggN_0LAXhcJ2miRHekb0peUiar2OQ__9XObvc1KdDx7HzuumChnQIh1zb_FyxLRHo1ow-Vij3RnY8Pw7bgeFVe0RJoX1owyrTj0_FFLxql0_Q/s400/372.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
3. while
holding the four corners of the scarf together, spin the pillow until it
is quite tight.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8CWH1v6N7TCwyvhmTflMY1xOK-86Y855clmvXJ2t46fdwN1FYuikkWPu_Wq9OW6pl-NZpe6-iE3OtD_MWiR1C74PB6kGQ3nrPhLLkkrZ8fK_WUzUIZBdXXW3kn_bH47FXDJ6NxfS/s1600/373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8CWH1v6N7TCwyvhmTflMY1xOK-86Y855clmvXJ2t46fdwN1FYuikkWPu_Wq9OW6pl-NZpe6-iE3OtD_MWiR1C74PB6kGQ3nrPhLLkkrZ8fK_WUzUIZBdXXW3kn_bH47FXDJ6NxfS/s400/373.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
4. allow
the twisted bit to make a nice twist.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBO9iUjWZ-phyphenhyphenyGBYdrWcQY5GA_eH8zz6nZT9k5FzWTq_RsSw0IXuABq38c5DQ74GTNvVA-ipACPzlNWL1Imp-p_XGgm5HZK_UxOvJ_F52LJcrWfBo-Fwrxbisl-dAkHrlDPAwOA-Y/s1600/374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBO9iUjWZ-phyphenhyphenyGBYdrWcQY5GA_eH8zz6nZT9k5FzWTq_RsSw0IXuABq38c5DQ74GTNvVA-ipACPzlNWL1Imp-p_XGgm5HZK_UxOvJ_F52LJcrWfBo-Fwrxbisl-dAkHrlDPAwOA-Y/s400/374.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
5. with
your needle and thread sew one big stitch through the twist in such a way
that it does not untwist.(you want to go straight through the knot here - i only did a couple of stitches as i may want to use these scarves as scarves at some point!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpy7FOR0rv3V0vsFDfnuf0mwZk-PLH-z0VjMNr7iCyR6OKsZJp00sFctb6-rD5LygpoAU0B6ZeTP4iq7oFF66DwK_2LkJqtcc5uaclCXENhtePQX-mTGCojMfH1GGAcg1dmEXVlssq/s1600/375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpy7FOR0rv3V0vsFDfnuf0mwZk-PLH-z0VjMNr7iCyR6OKsZJp00sFctb6-rD5LygpoAU0B6ZeTP4iq7oFF66DwK_2LkJqtcc5uaclCXENhtePQX-mTGCojMfH1GGAcg1dmEXVlssq/s400/375.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
6. enjoy your very lazy pillow! the knots look quite cool but obviously they're uncomfy to sit on...so like, just flip them over (see first pic of post) : ) </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cMEHfgmxjTb_5YOskJXF8JnhCrwm4_1o92BRW-fKtwrs1aEqc6ZyxKsrTObR_3BGtrDQ62Mc_YcWt7rQ3dQKvMg34a_3mt3AJ8QOGEXxUH0NMpNz7uz7FRyb56yEmpD-zH8gfGtj/s1600/377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cMEHfgmxjTb_5YOskJXF8JnhCrwm4_1o92BRW-fKtwrs1aEqc6ZyxKsrTObR_3BGtrDQ62Mc_YcWt7rQ3dQKvMg34a_3mt3AJ8QOGEXxUH0NMpNz7uz7FRyb56yEmpD-zH8gfGtj/s400/377.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-17283306869216297442013-06-26T04:54:00.000-07:002013-06-26T04:55:35.490-07:00granny square chic pursei'm trying to use up all the odds and ends (of which there are thousands) that make up my craft pile. the main offender at the mo is embroidery floss, it's cheap (89p <b>before</b> staff discount) and comes in every colour, so naturally i have pretty much every colour, and i'm something of a messy fellow so, well, basically there's a football sized tangle of thread sitting by my bed that needs to be used up! i quite like crocheting with it and the ladies at the knit and natter at work (mondays 6.15-7.45) were learning how to make granny squares this week so i made a couple of dainty granny squares. which got turned into a purse-bag-thing:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLveSBmyXrVjhOTMSTaXpK2jt-JeHyxBJgl6Mpur8FsQDtrjy36VOLeHCo0xUfxfqoWYZis3MOW-0HdY3pu3NPVu43BRTiGz2PNtYIdWwgVO8uvDquHvZOd9IIigbXJuyJCKPx05g4/s1600/007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLveSBmyXrVjhOTMSTaXpK2jt-JeHyxBJgl6Mpur8FsQDtrjy36VOLeHCo0xUfxfqoWYZis3MOW-0HdY3pu3NPVu43BRTiGz2PNtYIdWwgVO8uvDquHvZOd9IIigbXJuyJCKPx05g4/s400/007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
for crocheting with embroidery floss/thread i use a 1.75mm hook, the thread lends itself to splitting but you get used to that. i should have put something in the picture to indicate size, you can't tell but it's rather small at 13cm but 13cm (ish). i was going to line it but it looked prettier without the interuption, and the holes are so small it hardly matters.<br />
<br />
anyways, to make! you will need: 1.75mm hook, embroidery floss/threads (leftovers will do), a bag clasp (mines 12.8cm across and 5cm tall but so long as it's one that will fit a square any size would work) and glue, i used tacky glue.<br />
<br />
for those of you who don't know how to make a granny square, here are my rather sketchy instructions...as you may notice, this is my first attempt at writing crochet instructions:<br />
<br />
4ch ss into 1st chain to make circle <br />
<br />
<b>row 1</b> - 3ch(acts as first treble), 2tr into 4ch circle, ch1 (3tr into 4ch circle, 1ch) 3 times, ss into 3rd chain of first 'treble'<br />
<br />
you should have a little circle made up of 4 groups of 3 trebles, separated by 1chain spaces.<br />
<br />
<b>row 2</b> - (grab new colour, join at a chain space and) 3ch (again, acts as first treble), 2tr into chain space at the base of your 3ch, 1ch, 3tr into same chain space, 1ch, (3tr, 1ch, 3tr into next chain space, 1ch) 3 times, ss into 3rd chain of your initial 'treble'.<br />
<br />
things should be looking a bit more square now, from here on out it's pretty repetitive...<br />
<br />
<b>row 3 to row (insert number here)</b> - join a colour at a space, chain 3(acts as treble). now, basically, for each chain space on a <b>side</b> of your square you want there to be 3tr, and for each <b>corner</b> you want 3tr, 1ch, 3tr. all groups of 3tr should be separated by 1ch, and once you've worked your way around your square you ss into the 3rd chain of your started 'treble'.<br />
<br />
keep going until your square fits your clasp. then make another one the same size, crochet or sew them together leaving the edges which are to fit into your claps free. lastly, glue one to the other with very strong glue. BAG!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-81363046199500214362013-06-23T00:30:00.000-07:002013-06-23T00:30:01.394-07:00there's a small chance that i'm going to miss scotland, and my job. embroidered highland coo.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuX0gkF4TRoY-6c-m_eyQaZw9pXRazcnLi7vq2q2PcNXB2hrgdH-KE9V_aT8bNUpaEW_NXQjDwQ1RM8dqSgacdfOmgd6vnyNCpaGVpPcKKj-gZm5qP7TY4Tg9oaPQmVHWjeul4yGR/s1600/015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuX0gkF4TRoY-6c-m_eyQaZw9pXRazcnLi7vq2q2PcNXB2hrgdH-KE9V_aT8bNUpaEW_NXQjDwQ1RM8dqSgacdfOmgd6vnyNCpaGVpPcKKj-gZm5qP7TY4Tg9oaPQmVHWjeul4yGR/s400/015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
i don't think that this post requires any further explanation.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-19133449592764546292013-06-22T00:30:00.000-07:002013-06-22T00:30:00.714-07:00playing with my pyrography pen: bee wallethaving gotten my head around burning wood i thought it might be a plan to attack leather next, plus, i was in need of a new wallet. so i headed out and found a yellow leather wallet to cover in bees. here's hoow that went:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXERYl7jE6EpHGbtHaZRqKWLdZxw1LglvUUV5Ub1wyzFIQ3u0L3-zPWt-GFhCQhJ0jDHvPl_YG3ClLRAo30elfVVE1Cnd8eIqEd3XeqzFCsyiLOlb0rFXn9SrWCfpEPEv47fWYUAl/s1600/017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXERYl7jE6EpHGbtHaZRqKWLdZxw1LglvUUV5Ub1wyzFIQ3u0L3-zPWt-GFhCQhJ0jDHvPl_YG3ClLRAo30elfVVE1Cnd8eIqEd3XeqzFCsyiLOlb0rFXn9SrWCfpEPEv47fWYUAl/s400/017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqXBLvZWpUP3VGTv_QYund4vGFs-SnhaplMiIWfOBQ3i9iDqXKjYbgE8b_bAgNb1yRk9KCPnjrGOYkjc3peibJzyQZSVsKk4dOxViYaKcoPpyEQyQ5KmKGIDWT5SYSTWQfyVUDBTQ/s1600/018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqXBLvZWpUP3VGTv_QYund4vGFs-SnhaplMiIWfOBQ3i9iDqXKjYbgE8b_bAgNb1yRk9KCPnjrGOYkjc3peibJzyQZSVsKk4dOxViYaKcoPpyEQyQ5KmKGIDWT5SYSTWQfyVUDBTQ/s400/018.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
i only used the thinnest of my nibs to draw these, mine is about the width of a biro and works in much the same way. i think perhaps because the leather has been treated (to be yellow) it doesn't burn quite so readily as the untreated stuff or wood, but it still works well enough. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-89222290019345641922013-06-21T00:30:00.000-07:002013-06-21T00:30:00.026-07:00friendship bracelets and the joy of teachingas i've mentioned on here before i run a little arts and crafts group for quite young home schooled kids every monday at work, but on the the first monday of every month i get an older group of kids who told me that they wanted to learn how to make friendship bracelets : ) how wonderful is that? so i put together a couple of examples off the different types of friendship bracelet that i could teach them and away we went:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7K1pPnTDrLoImfE86TzEUgwK2-eO9XfCYEPVRHNJKfnEQgkIAMbZ5jxN5nKLYZle4RZk_vViL0Xf6VS9CrOV4FPwphaJnGN9pNlRnY8CM3YHFVyPOEv5PIH9zUrcsxzutlauaD66N/s1600/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7K1pPnTDrLoImfE86TzEUgwK2-eO9XfCYEPVRHNJKfnEQgkIAMbZ5jxN5nKLYZle4RZk_vViL0Xf6VS9CrOV4FPwphaJnGN9pNlRnY8CM3YHFVyPOEv5PIH9zUrcsxzutlauaD66N/s400/001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
we started with the beginner one and by the end of our two hours everyone had successfully made a bracelet! i was so proud! but, i was also a bit jealous, as i didn't manage to make my own while buzzing about teaching all the others. so i went home and made a couple of summery/hippy ones for myself:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfaQqv_FMe5vRrITb5XWg2hQbQ6oqmQliKtRRWFSzs17ECPH5N_isB9sO9Fn0crGRF9_xK4OIw2-zVDr1Tdwx4SZ3oIUs3N9DN6ck3jjfq_AwjVRK-5iK9itPE-Lx3GGR4MOOX3QO/s1600/016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfaQqv_FMe5vRrITb5XWg2hQbQ6oqmQliKtRRWFSzs17ECPH5N_isB9sO9Fn0crGRF9_xK4OIw2-zVDr1Tdwx4SZ3oIUs3N9DN6ck3jjfq_AwjVRK-5iK9itPE-Lx3GGR4MOOX3QO/s400/016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
one is the 'bit less beginner' one and the other is basic macrame using embroidery thread around a cord with a button in the middle of it. i'm very happy with the result, though can't help but thinking that on the summer bracelet front more is better! so i may have to make a couple more.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-43209974885163846682013-06-20T00:30:00.000-07:002013-06-20T00:30:05.720-07:00pentagon patchwork balli got it into my head that i was going to teach myself how to juggle, but then realised that i had no juggling balls. this then became a brilliant opportunity to make some juggling balls! i used the paper method of patchwork and hand stitched my pentagons together while they were tacked to their templates. however, i guessed at how big my hexagons ought to be in order to make my ball, which ended up in my having one, rather large, bean bag/stress ball. it's still rather nice though, so here's how i made it:<br />
<br />
it takes 12 pentagons to make a ball, i just used left over remnants of fabric and scrap paper so this was a free project for me, you won't need much fabric at all! so yeah; scrap paper, scrap fabric, needle, thread, and something like rice to fill it with.<br />
<br />
cut out 12 hexagons of the same size from from your paper and tack fabric to each of them, right side facing out. then sew them together by taking two with right sides together and sewing along an edge, repeat until you have two halves of a ball and then sew these together leaving one edge unsewn. untack and remove all the paper, flip inside out, fill and ladder stitch up the hole. here's my hexagons at various stages of being sewn together:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjv5Z-4KUXFJK3Ff6nKYkj0nulP0ToVgR6UHfO8WDFwD4KsT4UZ3Tn6l4kxZ7UVjQmHeveuDP0I9sZvO9-6O9xYY74EWjYOIfA12feU3TpXMUrtKCQMGlrH6X4X44hxKBSKutoZ6S/s1600/009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjv5Z-4KUXFJK3Ff6nKYkj0nulP0ToVgR6UHfO8WDFwD4KsT4UZ3Tn6l4kxZ7UVjQmHeveuDP0I9sZvO9-6O9xYY74EWjYOIfA12feU3TpXMUrtKCQMGlrH6X4X44hxKBSKutoZ6S/s400/009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
and here's the finished ball, which smells a bit like a pet shop as i filled it with red lentils:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghP463mMOkw0LjQ5uIBqOCVHHzwX64oytwsklyT59r97M5FYoWR7doQORWoZ0CKU38SUsgGr1xZHTzzLDqeWB6R1lMih3BXBU-uUnH_1m4an1lj4mN4ScwjtXZeujN0rMXAZV8Nlu7/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghP463mMOkw0LjQ5uIBqOCVHHzwX64oytwsklyT59r97M5FYoWR7doQORWoZ0CKU38SUsgGr1xZHTzzLDqeWB6R1lMih3BXBU-uUnH_1m4an1lj4mN4ScwjtXZeujN0rMXAZV8Nlu7/s400/002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-60555698443052820032013-06-19T09:21:00.001-07:002013-06-19T09:21:11.472-07:00reupholstering chairs, tardis chair!lately at work there have been a couple of shifts where i've been allowed to hide in the back and reupholster office chairs for the staff room and the office. it's so much fun! who knew that a staple gun could bring so much joy? : ) it's really quite easy too and the results look great. all you need is a chair, probably a screw driver, about 80cm (for two pads) of a fabric you like and a staple gun. each of my chairs takes about 35 mins to do. here's how you do it:<br />
<br />
first up, take apart your chair to get at the cushions that you want to upholster. if it's a old-school dinner chair then this bit may be pretty simple (they can sometime just be lifted out), i was working with simple office chairs which had some very tight screws in so there was a bit of battling.<br />
<br />
once you have the chair pads, take one and place it face down onto your fabric and fire one staple in the middle of each edge making sure that everything is taut. then work your way outward towards your corners like so:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOg1URxHBGMIm6hXzi1PGeVee-Obz5Mg6rmUaQnomtRHSnYqiHK0bsWXe0tI9QGY51s7Ngg47eUJtKkgQLGaU_mLV56kSttpRxOiObgD-bQ6i5aGXQ11FsoU1emtcdDEumUMYAjoN/s1600/007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOg1URxHBGMIm6hXzi1PGeVee-Obz5Mg6rmUaQnomtRHSnYqiHK0bsWXe0tI9QGY51s7Ngg47eUJtKkgQLGaU_mLV56kSttpRxOiObgD-bQ6i5aGXQ11FsoU1emtcdDEumUMYAjoN/s400/007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
once you get to the corners just keep pulling the fabric taut and stapling until they look good, then cut away the bunched up excess fabric that happens, something like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHFJqC3ypt0UaQmQV_93ra9ZSozQDj8iFysCoolmKgAeP7Vd-8qRNVpQVGj_Ao1F0_BC6Vbt8RmeAAW8-7DzJ1zNATz65lrr4hqq4qLcfWVDuShB9ht3gQvlefYhXw81f4UROQGKO/s1600/008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHFJqC3ypt0UaQmQV_93ra9ZSozQDj8iFysCoolmKgAeP7Vd-8qRNVpQVGj_Ao1F0_BC6Vbt8RmeAAW8-7DzJ1zNATz65lrr4hqq4qLcfWVDuShB9ht3gQvlefYhXw81f4UROQGKO/s400/008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
once the whole thing is done, if it looks like this, then you're doing ok:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIPoLKNYrVAdEKYw-n04N7_6aNvHL-6lzOstAb2Zoctib22yqzrfLNiIT7Du_KbQWh42OY7KJqYZB06ZLQGs51BQKXLlhVeRMkvF-_Ky_ZAqu_8-BBEIGAUC8qKEIafsfw_3G6IyR/s1600/009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIPoLKNYrVAdEKYw-n04N7_6aNvHL-6lzOstAb2Zoctib22yqzrfLNiIT7Du_KbQWh42OY7KJqYZB06ZLQGs51BQKXLlhVeRMkvF-_Ky_ZAqu_8-BBEIGAUC8qKEIafsfw_3G6IyR/s400/009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
do the same for the other pad (if you have two to do) and then screw the chair back together again:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_g46PFpd7H2uJg6f3gD2cII_NH1iSgfilOSVCzJWtM1gsWY3s6gURG1uNmSXj7RDm1-WskQokEKskpScajzgXWEBt2sa4SAHA0T_-30mc9-xlAPCUFQE-yejYaNzJfYhpQsw84ZR/s1600/010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_g46PFpd7H2uJg6f3gD2cII_NH1iSgfilOSVCzJWtM1gsWY3s6gURG1uNmSXj7RDm1-WskQokEKskpScajzgXWEBt2sa4SAHA0T_-30mc9-xlAPCUFQE-yejYaNzJfYhpQsw84ZR/s400/010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
i was recovering chairs for the staff room as the pads on ours were getting a bit grim, i basically just grabbed cheapish/fun fabrics and did as many as i could, here's some of the other ones:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8wweFJd7FSD3hMpME5BaFGDNct6wiGe1q2y1F1EQa8MOKSCWzQmk5H2C7lo_eX0OrwuKXF4ZKArGOS_KhSlQi8syuAVbWyeoKxmYs_-FGkSZYPlkRvBaCgRsrCWG2qfW9ix5plCS/s1600/006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8wweFJd7FSD3hMpME5BaFGDNct6wiGe1q2y1F1EQa8MOKSCWzQmk5H2C7lo_eX0OrwuKXF4ZKArGOS_KhSlQi8syuAVbWyeoKxmYs_-FGkSZYPlkRvBaCgRsrCWG2qfW9ix5plCS/s400/006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
and if you're creative with a permanent marker and some fabric paint, you could even make one of your bosses a tardis chair, which i am inclined to say, is kind of fabulous!:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-UBEl4_O72TF11sG4_4kA7ryKORmWvpOyATPA-I8RUP_H8tluHWhoKXpfSMfD80k1Y6k_SQGuawXk2oNlnNMNP0MBeJwrDRnxfq0HBYDjxbr26-uAOG_NEFBh5aOlAnEbNSqbX-n/s1600/014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-UBEl4_O72TF11sG4_4kA7ryKORmWvpOyATPA-I8RUP_H8tluHWhoKXpfSMfD80k1Y6k_SQGuawXk2oNlnNMNP0MBeJwrDRnxfq0HBYDjxbr26-uAOG_NEFBh5aOlAnEbNSqbX-n/s400/014.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-89925136742185211692013-06-05T00:30:00.000-07:002013-06-05T00:30:04.112-07:00having a go at chainmail - both easier and more fiddly than it looks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxoiqJD1C7UUalLN9b5tXfkMvrWdJbmvgSQhE_uA2ySCQReIGuMmQdAFqwMAq3zWzWl3ZOxXVVIjL6RWAMvKX5N0DrEjuJCLkajwOLN6E56G9_wplD3z1cICVDU0d4ugsOSYdi8QC/s1600/011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxoiqJD1C7UUalLN9b5tXfkMvrWdJbmvgSQhE_uA2ySCQReIGuMmQdAFqwMAq3zWzWl3ZOxXVVIjL6RWAMvKX5N0DrEjuJCLkajwOLN6E56G9_wplD3z1cICVDU0d4ugsOSYdi8QC/s400/011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
now, i really should have looked at some instructions or a book or something, anything, before i dived straight in. but i didn't, instead i found a high resolution photo of someone's bracelet online, grabbed my jewellery pliers and a bag of jump rings and had a go : ) it went alright all things considered. though i'm not sure what to do with it yet, continue and finish the bracelet? or stick it onto a hair clip for a mock steampunk-geisha look?<br />
<br />
to make it i kind of took one hoop, opened it up, threaded on another four, closed it to make a grouping of five. with this i took another open hoop and attached it to another grouping of five. i continued in this way until i had a long enough bit to realise that it was far too thin for what i had pictured, so made a second line and joined the two. and if you can follow those instructions then you must be psychic, or just really, really smart.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-76703693051650541482013-06-04T00:30:00.000-07:002013-06-04T00:30:02.797-07:00first attempt at mathematical curve stitchingi was given a great book of mathematical curve stitching, written by a maths person in like, the 70's or something. it's ace! my first go went fairly well:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl22FRxX0-oAqe-OT8XgULnElXwr4-dGNp_Iwmy8ZSxTXkiQkTY90UIcyiutNfkSaZvgOX553VaZv4wmQDt4Dp72-KZ9D7_LeuobvwY9rKD8ZxDeUUuM8yCMkAzsIpc-MumoLifD-W/s1600/007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl22FRxX0-oAqe-OT8XgULnElXwr4-dGNp_Iwmy8ZSxTXkiQkTY90UIcyiutNfkSaZvgOX553VaZv4wmQDt4Dp72-KZ9D7_LeuobvwY9rKD8ZxDeUUuM8yCMkAzsIpc-MumoLifD-W/s400/007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
it's based on a cube...the thing is, in the book, all the stitching is done on paper, where you do all the accurate measuring on the back of your work and mark where all your holes are meant to be so that it's perfect on the front. it was a bit more tricky than that on the fabric, for one i couldn't get the most clean lines when drawing on the back, the ruler being much longer than the embroidery hoop is wide was a bit problematic, and the weave of the fabric didn't quite lend itself to the project. all that aside, i thought it went quite well and looks a bit odd and striking, shall have to patch it onto something, a little clutch bag or something : ) Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-12944669106692612372013-06-03T00:30:00.000-07:002013-06-03T00:30:02.931-07:00second commission! baby dressnow i made this aaaaages ago and totally forgot to blog about it, possibly i was put off by just how bad the quality of the photo is:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9ZoH14aAeIzFzcSukg0xjYUTwgRzPvFNHLFad_QGtsJr7Ru8mU4cl8HLlHoHTNVdOUH4Y4Xpy2bZ30XtA6u1gGskFIjcqUibEwtH6zgtVV0S3_uKEwrFg7YIXbUk6Dj-v8p8OSFi/s1600/011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9ZoH14aAeIzFzcSukg0xjYUTwgRzPvFNHLFad_QGtsJr7Ru8mU4cl8HLlHoHTNVdOUH4Y4Xpy2bZ30XtA6u1gGskFIjcqUibEwtH6zgtVV0S3_uKEwrFg7YIXbUk6Dj-v8p8OSFi/s400/011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
it's a baby dress! the boyfriend's mum wanted something made for one of his mates new baby. oh i hope the child grows out of it before it falls apart completely! cute though : ) Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2976510675606068937.post-74742946137046333892013-06-02T00:30:00.000-07:002013-06-02T00:30:03.528-07:00peg doll horse! with somewhat vague instructions...i couldn't help but notice that peg people seem to be a thing. a strange thing. ranging from a zombie army chess set to a badly made nativity scene. i got it into my head that i would make cool philosophers with their friends: nietzsche with the horse her thought was jesus, schrodinger and his cat in a box, escher in one of his more famous pictures...made out of felt...with a round piece of velcro on escher's base...so you could stick peg-escher into the odd felt sculpture at any angle (it's possible that i've thought about this too long). sadly i only got as far as nietzsche's horse, as i realised that such a thing did not seem to have been made (and put online) yet! what what?! here's my peg horse:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhevBka0bIt3TiAiwTPxiVVXwiaDZ9F7lodSp67TD9nIb0XwWa1q9i5pHbrOFunzaA1uWK_JNwsourR05sxDad9bBUPAR8D1_ddH-YO-Skub3UZATFkqZuAFXUlHqSONyl0h_3KCYy/s1600/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhevBka0bIt3TiAiwTPxiVVXwiaDZ9F7lodSp67TD9nIb0XwWa1q9i5pHbrOFunzaA1uWK_JNwsourR05sxDad9bBUPAR8D1_ddH-YO-Skub3UZATFkqZuAFXUlHqSONyl0h_3KCYy/s400/003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
pretty, yes? he's easy enough to make, just take three pegs and saw them like so:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhcisSkuw4tCfVosxOhwAhiOlZxUa2emLKwSs8GY9h8h1QzHh-UadrBKEm_cjybfLQy1gFVqUQ9mV4k5fNSz8oCpncAMQCmWu1BfQflg3-Zje2jqTmOju2NOGUwDxU0rcSKU8XrWX/s1600/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhcisSkuw4tCfVosxOhwAhiOlZxUa2emLKwSs8GY9h8h1QzHh-UadrBKEm_cjybfLQy1gFVqUQ9mV4k5fNSz8oCpncAMQCmWu1BfQflg3-Zje2jqTmOju2NOGUwDxU0rcSKU8XrWX/s400/003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
yes, i am aware that the doodle is somewhat pants, but you get the idea. once you have your horse pieces, fix them together with a glue gun, then try and fill in the gaps left behind with pva or similar. at which point it should look a little something like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eKebdcXQweBsXCH-QbHskTQpD4BsmnQdtOiUdvR6ek9LSDkQHqGpLIvGeVaa64_iMkcLb_UZnoZyWizhI6DWIx6c0HByl90Ky-pr_Vvqe_1ujMA9BPGHwTfJbycFY6sY5IW9AukH/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eKebdcXQweBsXCH-QbHskTQpD4BsmnQdtOiUdvR6ek9LSDkQHqGpLIvGeVaa64_iMkcLb_UZnoZyWizhI6DWIx6c0HByl90Ky-pr_Vvqe_1ujMA9BPGHwTfJbycFY6sY5IW9AukH/s400/002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
now just paint him to look cute, though you may want to add whip marks if you're going down the nietzsche route.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05747995161428903619noreply@blogger.com0