Say hello to my little friend: Deer Amigurumi

Last month the lovely Amanda (@pidgecrick on Twitter) posted a picture of an amigurumi deer pattern from June's Inside Crochet. A keen fan of cute and/or kitsch deer, especially the Babycham one, I knew I HAD to make it so eagerly awaited this month's issue. When I finally tracked down a copy this week (all the local shops stock an abundance of knitting magazines but never crochet  ones), I was a bit disappointed with the rest of the patterns. I had a flick through Simply Crochet and was delighted to discover the exact same deer pattern in there too. Yay! There were more patterns in there I liked so I plumped for Simply instead. 

I got straight to work on my little deer and was amazed at how quickly it worked up - it's a long while since I made anything this small! The pattern was pretty straightforward, although I had to improvise a bit as my first attempt at his ears were nearly as big as the deer himself. Once I had all the pieces completed, however, I remembered why I rarely make amigurumi: I do not enjoy assembling them. 

I think he turned out OK though and I'm pleased I actually managed to finish something for the first time in ages. My current list of ongoing projects is getting bigger by the week but I've come to realise that I need lots of different things on the go to stop me getting bored. Switching between two crochet throws, two knitted scarves, a crochet cushion cover and several hand embroideries seems to be working so far but it might be a while before I get any of them finished!

Jenny

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April's Crafting and Crochet Projects

Well, April, haven't you just been a hectic month? Dealing with a seriously ill cat at the start of the month, racing to meet several work deadlines towards the end and suffering from a lingering flu-type illness that lasted the best part of two weeks have left me little time for anything else. I have managed to fit in a little crochet though. I'm usually a fan of instant gratification in my crafting endeavours but earlier this year, I decided to take on some bigger projects. I'm currently working my way towards my first ever crochet afghan and managed to hook up a few more of these this month:

I'm also attempting to make a kind of over-sized shrug/cardigan type garment and have just started it for the third and, I hope, final time! The yarn I was using was too heavy so I've taken it down a notch to a lighter version. I'm making it without a pattern but my idea is fairly straightforward so hopefully I'll have something wearable by the end...

I'm planning on selling some crochet accessories via Etsy over the coming months and am working on stock. This was a great little project while I was laid up in bed last week. I love anything I can finish in 10 minutes and it's really satisfying to see the little piles growing! Still need to weave the ends in though, boooooo:

I also had a go at crafting with felt. I made a wonky heart first and then tried a little birdie, inspired by the lovely Suki over at the equally lovely Owl Club Blog after I saw one she'd posted on Instagram. I can't remember really using felt before, possibly as I'd been put off by the garish  primary-coloured sheets in those craft packs you see all over the place aimed at children, but I picked up some pieces in muted shades the other week and was keen to have a go. I love freehand sewing and felt is much more forgiving towards uneven or mis-judged stitches, making it perfect for a quick and easy crafting. 

So there is my April in a crafting nutshell. Thankfully, little Pepster is now doing well and enjoying chilling at home in cute sleeping poses:

Jenny

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Song lyric embroidery #2

One of the few things my sister and I have in common, apart from the same parents, vegetarianism and the belief that my niece is the best child in the entire world, is that our favourite band is The Doors.  I made this little set of embroideries for her birthday, using a line from her favourite Doors song:

I did them totally freehand and although they're a wee bit wonky, I think this adds to the homemade look rather than detracts from their appearance.  I used chain stitch which I hadn't done before but I'm now hooked on the way it looks.  My stitches could be a bit neater and I definitely improved a lot towards the end, but as a first attempt, I'm pretty pleased.  

Now, shall we have a gratuitous picture of Jim Morrison to round off this mini-post? 

Jenny

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Crochet Tea Cosy

What exactly is it that makes a tea cosy so pleasing?  Is it the nostalgic reminder of a bygone age when every home in the land had at least one?  Is it the association with hot, comforting, freshly brewed tea?  Or is it simply the fact that all tea cosies, regardless of style or shape look like rather comical hats?  I'm not entirely sure but I often find myself lusting over tea cosies, despite not even owning a teapot at the moment.

 It was my mum's birthday at the weekend and she'd asked me for a new teapot to replace her broken one.  I duly located a pretty teapot, four cute cups and saucers and a vintage style tin to store them in, but the set just didn't feel complete without a tea cosy.  So, with approximately 12 hours to go until I was due to see my mum, and 8 of those hours to be spent asleep, I decided to have a go at crocheting a tea cosy.  As my mum's teapot was an unusual shape, I eschewed the many tea cosy patterns available online and winged it, adapting my pattern as I went.

I'm rather pleased with the results...

 

'Seriously? You're taking photos of a teapot when I'm right here?'

I used cluster stitch, increasing and decreasing as necessary according to the shape of the pot.  When I'd finished, I edged the cosy in single crochet and added a vintage button and chain stitch closure under the handle.  The only part I didn't edge was the spout opening as I liked the way it looked.  The beauty of bulkier stitches, such as cluster, is that they work up in no time, making this an enjoyable, speedy little project for an evening.

I hope you like it and as I'm planning to rectify my lack of teapot shortly, I am pretty sure I'll be making another one in the near future!

Jenny

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Tea + Embroidery

This time last year, I had just completed my first ever embroidery.  It was done freehand, featured applique, was a present for my mum's birthday and had a tea theme.  Never one to push the boundaries too far, I have once again completed a tea-themed, freehand embroidery featuring applique for my mum's birthday.  She asked me for a teapot and some nice teacups so I though this would be a nice accompaniment to her pretty new crockery.

And get this, it's BACKED so it looks all neat and pleasing.  I don't know why the back pleases me almost as much as the front but it does.

I love embroidering by hand - there is something very soothing and mindless about it - but I am itching to try freehand machine embroidery.  I didn't think a birthday present needed at short notice (my mum's birthday is on Sunday) was the best place to practise this but I will be frantically seeking advice on here and Twitter when I do have a go!

Jenny

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Lavender stuffed crochet heart

A lovely Mother's Day heart for my lovely mum...

The heart is based on a pattern from The Complete Guide to Crochet from the people who publish Inside Crochet.  I don't usually buy crochet magazines but I couldn't resist this massive issue with 43 patterns!

I used a finer yarn and smaller hook than the pattern suggests as I didn't want it to be too big.   After stuffing with the filling and lavender sachet, I added a little loop as I think it 'll make a really nice hanging heart.  I'm going to make one for my Gran as well as a little Mother's Day gift so I'd better get a move on as I'm seeing her tomorrow...

Wishing a very happy and relaxing Mother's Day to mums, mams, mothers and mummies everywhere!

Jenny

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Pretty stationery and the start of #PostCircle

As a child, I was obsessed with stationery. I was constantly writing, drawing and painting but I think the root cause of my addiction was the fact that my dad was head of supplies for Liverpool City Council. This meant he had a constant supply of free samples of the latest stationery and craft goodies from companies all over the world.  Pretty cards from Germany, Japanese writing paper, felt-tips from Hong Kong, stamps, stickers and glitter - my childhood pen-pals must have thought an explosion had taken place in Paperchase when they received my letters.

As an adult, my stationery addiction has been absorbed by my craft habit but my love of sending and receiving letters has been woefully neglected. I have one pen-pal I've been writing to since I was about seven but other than that, the last time I wrote letters with any regularity was when my friends and I were scattered around the country at uni. We agreed it would be a nice touch to exchange handwritten letters rather than just email and I'm so glad we did as I've now got a lovely box of letters documenting that important time in our lives.

When the lovely Anna of the delightful Miss Beatrix blog announced she was setting up a Post Circle, I joined immediately. The idea is that members exchange letters, notes, cards and anything else they want via post.  After collating short completed surveys from everyone, Anna separated us into groups of six. Each group is named after a woodland creature (such a cute touch!) and I'm in the fox group, or #TeamFox as I'm insisting on calling it.

 Once I was in a group, my thoughts soon turned to stationery. Like any self-respecting craft fanatic (I really feel that should be one word. Crafanatic? Craftanatic?) I already had washi tape, cards, glitter and stamps, but this was the perfect excuse to buy some writing paper for the first time in years!

If you'd like to join in the Post Circle, drop Anna a line and maybe one day we'll be sending each other  pretty packages of loveliness!

Jenny

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Work in progress - Granny Square Blanket

The amazing throws and afghans made by tweeters and bloggers I follow always impress and shame me. I've been crocheting for about five years now and, despite not touching a hook at all for  three years in the middle of that time, I really feel I too should have a home full of pretty, jewel-coloured, welcoming, handmade blankets.  In my early days of crochet, I did once make a blanket. It was simply an enormous granny square in bottle green and I used it to cover one of the hideous armchairs in the rented flat I lived in at the time. Presumably, I left the blanket in said flat, as I've never found it since.

Previously deterred from making a proper, full-size, grown-up blanket by the knowledge that my fickle nature and short attention span would soon see it abandoned and forgotten, I decided to just try and give it a proper go. 

I'm just going to hook up a few squares whenever I have a bit of spare time but I'll keep doing all my other projects as usual to stave off boredom. 

 

 

 



Have you got any tips on staying motivated on a large project?  If you've made a knit or crochet blanket, how long did it take you? 

                                                                             Jenny
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Little Cotton Flowers

There is something very pleasing about crochet flowers. They're quick to work up, they look pretty and the possibilities of how to use them are endless.

I've been making these little flowers from cotton yarn whenever I have a spare few minutes over the past couple of days and I think it's in danger of becoming an addiction.  

They'll probably end up being made into a delicate flowery garland but for now, I'll keep on adding to the pile and they can remain under the watchful eye of Fluffy.

Jenny

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(Almost) Instant Wall Art

Ingredients:

A Sunday morning
1 or 2 old episodes of Friends
A cup of tea
Large handful of buttons
1 x artists canvas
A few drops of PVA glue

Sometimes the simplest crafts are the most rewarding!

Jenny

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Pro-craft-ination - Lamp Makeover

As well as running my own little shop, Bluefinch Boutique, I'm a freelance writer.  I work at home from my little office or, if that's too messy, the kitchen table.  As I'm trying to expand my client base and get together a decent portfolio of writing at the moment, I sometimes have to work on briefs that may not be exactly in my area of expertise and it can take a while to think of an angle for my article.

I'm trying not to turn anything down at the moment as a) it's all experience, b) you never know which unlikely little jobs might lead to bigger and better things, and c) I have a serious addiction to bamboo yarn, I love holidays and I need a new bathroom.

I love writing and once I get started on an article, the words generally flow with ease. Before I can actually sit down and get to that point, however, I tend to procrastinate in crafty fashion.  Generally, I'll be idly looking around the house when my eyes will land on something and I'll think "Oh, I'll just quickly paint/strip/cover/mend that before I get started on the writing" and before I know it, it's 2pm and I've forgotten to have breakfast.

These ugly little lime-green lamps had been sitting in my bedroom for a few months.  I used to have two really pretty white lamps in there but somehow they both got broken.  I actually bought these as a temporary replacement at a ridiculously low price but they outstayed their welcome so, sick of waking up to them, I gave them a quick makeover:

lime-green lamps....non

white and florals...oui

I painted the bases in white acrylic paint, adding a layer of clear varnish as a top coat to avoid the paint scratching off, and covered the cheap lampshades in a really lightweight floral fabric using glue.

I love the finished result and they look so much better in my bedroom now.

The dream is that, one day, my home will be so perfect that I won't be so easily distracted and won't have any desire for procrastination crafting.  Let's see how that goes...

Jenny

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Door sign for a little girl's bedroom

If you follow me on Twitter or know me in real life, you probably get sick of hearing all about my four year old niece.  I do talk about her a lot but that's because she's awesome, cute, clever and hilarious.  I'm currently gathering together bits for her new bedroom which I'll be decorating as soon as it's got  new flooring and central heating in place and am building up quite a little stash of pretty accessories.

I made this bunting the other week and as I had a quiet evening in when Glyn was off at a poker tournament this week, I thought I'd make a little door sign.  Although I tend to have several "big" projects on the go at any one time, I'm a huge fan of anything that can be completed in an hour or so, and this was perfect for instant craft-ification.

I had some tiny canvases knocking around that looked the perfect size so I quickly embroidered the words "Sophie's room" onto one, added a crochet flower and some crocheted picot edging, et voila!

To hang it, I got a piece of broderie anglaise style trim, folded it in half, tacked it together and stapled it to the back.

So simple, so quick, so effective!  

Jenny

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French Memory Board Tutorial

 

I've been seeing all these gorgeous fabric-covered memory boards around for years and have always wanted one.  Laziness combined with a lack of a staple gun stopped me from making one, and an unwillingness to part with the obscene amounts of money the ones I saw in the shops were selling for prevented me from buying one.

I finally "treated" myself to a staple gun the other week and set about covering a generic cork noticeboard right away.  I love how easy these memory boards are to make, but I do not like staple guns.  The last time I used one was when a friend and I were helping a teacher to decorate a classroom wall when we were in Year 3 (It wasn't called 'Year 3' then but was so long ago that I've forgotten what it WAS called).  Staple guns are loud and a little bit scary and I don't know why I was allowed to use one of these dangerous things in infant school.  Possibly because 1980s kids were just tough.

There is no shortage of tutorials out there in Internet Land for making these, but as with everything, I tend to cut corners and make things easy for myself, so here is my tutorial for an easy and quick French Memory Board.

You will need:

♥ Cork noticeboard or a cheap artist's canvas (I prefer the canvas, see below!)

♥ Fabric measuring approx 6cm wider and 6cm longer than your chosen board

♥ Wadding or batting cut to a rectangle approx 1cm smaller than fabric

♥ Ribbon or tape*

♥ Staple gun

♥ Buttons

♥ Needle and thread

* I used approx. 2.5m of ribbon for a 30x40cm board and approx 5m for a 60x40cm board, plus a little extra for hanging

1. Place wadding on floor and place board facedown on top of wadding, ensuring even border all the way around.  Snip off a triangle of wadding at each corner.  Wrap wadding round one edge of board and staple several times along the length.  Repeat on opposite board edge, keeping wadding taut.  Next, do the remaining two edges, pulling fabric as taut as you can.

2. Repeat Step 1 with the fabric.

3. Take your ribbon or tape and, starting with the piece that goes from top left corner to bottom right corner, staple into place on the back of your board.  Working outwards from the central ribbon, and ensuring each ribbon is evenly spaced, staple all the parallel ribbons into place.  Keep the ribbons pulled taut as you work.

4. Now for a little weaving.  Using an under/over weaving pattern with the existing ribbons, place your top right to bottom left ribbon in place.  Work outwards like you did with the first layer of ribbons.

5.  If your memory board is to be wall-mounted, and not just resting against a wall, staple another length of ribbon onto the back for hanging.

6. Sew a button at each ribbon intersection to ensure your pictures and cards stay in place.  If you're using canvas, you can just jab your needle right through to the back of the canvas which is quick, easy and anchors the button well.  For my first memory board, I used a cork board which meant I couldn't do this so it was a bit more awkward just sewing the button to the ribbons, fabric and wadding.

Some tutorials use drawing pins or tacks, but I prefer the look of the buttons.  I found that Broderie Anglaise style lace trim made a really pretty and reasonably priced alternative to ribbon.

I'm currently making one for my niece's bedroom with polka dot tape but she's only 4 so I'm not sure how much she'll have to display in it just yet...

I am also thinking of making one as a Mother's Day present for my mum but pre-filling it with pictures and memories of her family.

Jenny

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