Quick Mother’s Day card

Materials:
1 sheet stock card – I used A4 200 mgr
1 small green sheet – I used A5 craft paper for all the coloured papers
1 small red sheet
1 small orange sheet
Glue stick
Crayons

Fold stock card double to create a card. Let your toddler tear the coloured sheets. Select bits to make up the flower and glue in place. Let child decorate further with crayons, especially the inside. Sign card.

Result: one happy, proud toddler and hopefully a happy mother-in-law on this Mothering Sunday

She combines drawings with handwork items like hats and scarfs. She uses various techniques but her main focus is on embroidery. The combination is very refreshing and mystical. I can see this being picked up by one of the big fashion houses in the future.

Find out more about Izziyana and her work on her Blog.

I found this lovely pattern via Pinterest. It’s from the Cult of Crochet blog. The zakka style is perfect and although the original is in lovely grey, I decided to stash bust my Peaches and Creme. I started out following the pattern but soon realised I would run out of yarn and end up with a bigger placemat than wanted. So I adjusted it to a 40 chain foundation row and 14 double rows (so 28 rows). This using a 3.5 mm hook (American size E).

Zakka style placemat

I’m quite pleased with the result. It’s not exactly straight, but I tell myself this is part of the charm of having a hand crafted item. Now for the coaster that goes with it. I will try to make 4 of each, all in a different colour combo of Peaches and Creme so she can mix and match according to number of diners and mood. I imagine these will not be used for a posh dinner but rather as part of breakfast.

The stitch is rather nice too and should I have any yarn left over, then I will make some hair bands out of it and write out the pattern for the blog here.

After choosing the fabrics and reaching the sewing stage I was a little worried the trousers would end up look rather clownish. I wanted to add ruffles, however would that make it even worse? I then decided to just take the gamble and, following the advise in the book, go overboard. So I added ruffles around the knee sections (which are rather big on this size, because I took up the trousers a little to fit my daughters height) and around the waist.

Ready to add ruffles... or not?!?

 
To make the ruffles I followed the advice in the book again. And used my sewing machine to sew a double line of thread, then pull one. It’s a technique that is quite effective and easy to do. You do however need to take care not to break the thread (obviously). A good tutorial can be found on the Divine Caroline site. Be sure to check out their craft section, it’s got nice ideas!

Anyway here is the finished item. I still have some crochet flowers and butterflies (made from embroidery floss, see pic above) to add to the pockets. Although they are very over the top I think they work very well and my daughter seems to like them. She loves butterflies and happy colours. Not bad for a stash buster!

Girly ruffles for a cool look

More ideas for ruffles on the See Kate Sew Blog!

Tutorials for crochet items used on trousers:

• African Flower tutorial via Craft Passion
• Pretty double flower tutorial from Attic 24
• Little Birdy secrets shares the crochet butterfly tutorial!

Some of my boards

So how does it work?

Well first you need to sign up and wait for an invite or ask someone already on it to invite you to the party. Once in, you can create your own ‘boards’, these are a bit like folders. On these boards you can ‘pin’ (0r save) pictures. This you do by uploading your own or ‘repinning’ pictures uploaded by others. There is an endless stream of pics you can see (both new and repinned). If loads of people repin a specific picture, then you get a trend! Most pics click through to a website or blog where you can find more info, the recipe or tutorial.

Downside of Pinterest

(yes there is one or two)
First for crafters like me it can become an idea overload. There is so much going on that it’s hard to get away and actually craft stuff. I’m sure I have waaaaay more tutorials and patterns on my sewing board than I every have time to make. However I see Pinterest as an inspirational tool. A muse!

Another downside is that anyone can choose to follow you! It’s not like Facebook (for example) where you decide who to be friends with and who sees you stream. Others choose to follow you and you just have to accept it. There are no private ‘pins’ (yet, this is something they are looking into). And before the terms changed on April 6th you gave up any rights to images you uploaded. That is now changed, but what doesn’t change is that your pic can go viral in hours. This can of course be a good thing when you are promoting a website or blog post.

So if you wish to have a look, let me know and I’ll invite you (once I find out how to )

I stumbled onto a video featuring Shiva Rea last night. In it she explains the history of free dance and it’s suppression (mainly by religion and ‘civilised’ society) for the last 2000 years. Since the 1950′s and Elvis’ hip movements we have been rediscovering this instinctive movement form, yet many are still held prisoners by their minds inability to just let go and move…. Without thinking and without rules.

It sounds so simple: just move! Don’t think but listen to the music and dance. Yet I believe many even in my direct surrounding would struggle. Those who don’t do goofy behaviour and are introvert, even when alone or at home. I know a very polite, quiet pre-teen, who – unlike many children – doesn’t seem to have that free spirit of play and abandon. In fact I’ve never seen her display any such behaviour over the years. This is partly her character and partly her upbringing. She is an only child and spends almost every weekend with her grand parents, who are in their seventies. After watching the YouTube video mentioned above I realised she would probably struggle. Yet it would do her a world of good to ‘free’ dance. It’s a bit like yoga, funny enough. Those how say they are too stiff or not bendy enough for yoga would benefit more!

Shiva Rea's Trance Dance DVD

I own Shiva Rea’s Trance Dance DVD, which has yoga and free dance sessions on it. It’s great fun to play. On my first go I did struggle a little bit with the dance section. The brain does tell you that you look extremely silly. Similar to what it tells you when you first start meditating.  However, afterwards I felt happy, fit and fulfilled. It lasted several days. Not bad for 15 minutes of fun and dancing freely. Perhaps this also explains the success of the Zumba movement. After all it is something we’ve been doing for millennia! And it’s slowly coming back.

Egg cosy for Louisa

It’s an egg cozy. The pattern is from Debbie Bliss Magazine autumn/winter 2008, but you can also download the pattern (for a fee) from Vogueknitting.com. For more inspirational egg cozies see Ravelry.com. My friend didn’t quite know what it was when I send it to her (me having forgotten to tell her). Hehe. But after explaining it, it all became clear.

Bunny wabbit from the magazine

It knitted really quickly, but the essembly took a very long time. The stuffing was stored away in the loft and we kept forgetting to bring it down. Then came the sewing together and I must admit that I was rather slow with that one too.

Finally in August 2011 my friend and her family, including her four month old boy came to visit me here in the UK. Time to finish the bunny… E voila! Isn’t he cute? Just like the baby that is now pulling his ears. Good thing I triple stitched it!

Bunny for Faas

Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine, Fall/Winter 2009

My friend from work, Leigh, who runs her own Quilting business here in England, Quilting Pleasures, asked me last year to knit a hat for her daughter. Amelia was then a beautiful girl of 5 years old, who likes things pink. Imagine she’s six now!

As winter was very far away I decided to find a summer yarn… Yep: cotton! I found a great uk based supplier (Create & Knit) of Peaches & Crème, that fab American brand that’s available in a multitude of colours and quite affordable.

Leigh choose a mix of pinks and whites called Strawberry Cream and I found a lovely free slouchy beret pattern with lace, called Spring Beret by Natalie Larson on Ravelry. I did adjust it to fit Amelia’s smaller head. It used up exactly 1 ball of the Peaches. So I have one left over to knit someone else a summer hat too. I say summer, but the hat is warm enough for usage well into autumn.

Summer Beret for Amelia

I’ve made some adjustments to the pattern, but I think it was still a bit too big for a 5 year old.

Summer Beret detail for Amelia