A Slow Year for Craft

Hello everyone! You must be wondering if I've dropped off the face of the earth. Well, I haven't ... but it's been a slow year for craft so far. Even the end of last year was pretty slow, although I have been trying something new - Zentangle. I haven't shared any of my tangles outside the family yet, but then I'm just learning.

In January I got crafty for Kids Camp. I made about 20 little treasure chests. Some were table decorations for our banquet night, while others were for the girls in my cabin.

I also drew a big treasure map as a wall hanging (sorry, no photo of that one). I'm really proud of this one.

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Cards have been few and far between.

I'm sure there were a couple of others, but I haven't got photos of them. I'll be doing another one within the next week.

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The best news is that I have actually finished my crochet rug/blanket. It was May when I finished so it took me 6 winters to finish it. I haven't got photos of it either. I'm loving snuggling up under it on these cold winter nights. The navy, maroon and purple colours are great. And I love the shell edging - it was the perfect finish.

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I'm having a break from large cross stitch projects at the moment. I do have a couple of very small cross stitch projects that are on the go - mostly so that I'll have something to do while waiting for family members while they are in appointments.

2014 Wrap-Up

Here we are at the end of the year.

It hasn't been as big a year for crafting as some years, but if you look back at what I've been doing you will find some chunks of time have been spent doing a little of this and that.

My main crafts for 2014 have been Card Making, Cross Stitch, Crochet and Sewing.

African Sunset is now at about 85% complete. There is just one more elephant, a little more background and some back stitch to do.

I'm really ready to be finished this. It has taken a lot longer than I anticipated, but the end is in sight.

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My final card for the year was a birthday card for one of my sisters.

It is a Lucy Cromwell découpage design. This photo doesn't quite give you an idea of the depth, but it made closing the envelope difficult.

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Progress has also been made on my Crochet Rug. In fact, I think it will have to be called a blanket instead of a rug because it has gotten so big. Sorry I haven't got any photos.
I'm on my last ball of blue wool and then I will be edging it in maroon wool.

It's very large and very warm (surprising for something with so many holes in it).
I won't be working on it until the weather cools down again - probably in April or May. It's just too hot to work on during late spring, summer and early autumn.

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So there you have it. 2014 is done.

There are plans for cards in 2015; hopefully both African Sunset and my Crochet Blanket will be completed and I will be able to move onto new projects. There is sure to be some sewing in there too, as another Kid's Camp is fast approaching and I am in need of a costume or two.

See you next year.
And Happy Crafting!

A "Little" Bit of Crochet

For years I've wanted to do really fine crochet and make a doily. Since I learned how to crochet using a DVD I've thought about it more, but with so many other crafts that I do and projects on the go, it's just one more thing that's been put on the back-burner. I've also been seeing crochet embellishments for cards and realised that I could make them myself.

I had a little time on my hands over the last couple of days, and a book out of the library - "100 Snowflakes to Crochet".

So, I found some crochet cotton and used one of my smallest hooks (actually a cro-tat hook).
The first one I did in about an hour. The second took a bit longer, but it was more complicated.
And here they are ...

The one on the left was first. It's about the size of a 10 cent coin. The one on the left, I think looks more like a ships wheel than a snowflake! It's just a little smaller than a 50 cent coin. It was hard to get the loops right. I wasn't sure which side of the chain to put the hook through so that it sat right. I think I may use these on cards as embellishments.

So that's what I've been up to lately, plus some more work on my crochet rug! It's slow going these days with it getting so large, but I'm closer to the end than the beginning. A few more rounds of blue, then I'll do maroon edging!

Cards, Cards, Cards and a Few Other Things

I know, I know! I haven't posted about projects for a while, but I had some mail go missing and couldn't post about the cards I made until I knew they had arrived!
So here we go - a couple are actually Christmas cards. Mail to Africa went missing, and only just arrived - 5 months later!



This one was fun. The tree is actually a wallpaper cut out. The lights and decorations glitter glue and rhinestone stickers.












This one I made for a friend for her wedding. The heart paper I made myself by sticking punched hearts on white paper. I scanned it into my computer and can now print more whenever I like!

My brother's birthday card! The domino paper was from a craft magazine. The dominos stuck on were actually out of a Christmas cracker. There weren't enough for a game of dominos, but they made a nice embellishment. My brother loved it!

A friend of mine was starting a new job and moving to the other side of the city, so this was an encouragement card. The hand is a novelty paperclip!

A notepad for my Mum! She needed a new one, and while we had all my card making things out I whipped this up. The cover is embossed cardstock, and the hedgehog a sticker.
We had a card making party for my birthday - it lasted 2 days! I pulled out most of what I have, spread it out on and around the dinning table. I can't show you most of the cards we made because they haven't been sent yet, but we had a lot of fun!

A couple of engagement cards. You might recognise the black and white border on the second one! It was part of my Op Shop haul a little while ago. Yes, the heart paper is the one I made and featured in the wedding card I mentioned earlier.








So there you have it! Just a few of the projects I've made this year (and one last year). Stay tuned, there's sure to be more.

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With the cooler weather I've also started working on my crochet rug again. It's big enough to keep my legs warm as I keep making it!

And then there's a cross stitch project I'm working on. No sneak peaks. It's a surprise gift!

Crochet Rug Progress

With cooler weather arriving, it was time to pull out my crochet rug and do some more work on it. I keep thinking I should finish it now, but then as I'm working on it I realise that it isn't big enough. I still can't comfortably tuck my toes in and have it fully over my lap.

So I have decided to keep going around and around and around and around a few more times. I still plan to learn shell edging for the edge. I still have plenty of wool, so that's not a problem.

I'm not sure what colour I was using when I last posted, but I am currently using purple. I've got another 2 and a bit rounds before I change again.

I've now used 7.6 balls of wool out of a total of 18.

Updates

Where do I start?
I have been doing stitching, crochet and making more felt brooches. I forgot to photograph the brooches before I gave them away to my girls on camp - LF8R Winter Teen Camp that my church runs with CYC. I was a leader again this year (my 2nd year) and I gave my 4 girls each a brooch. Most of them ended up using them in their hair for our 80's Prom, the last night of camp. They were gorgeous!

For my crochet rug, I am now back to purple, having finished the next section of blue and the 2 rounds of maroon that go in between. It's getting too big to photograph!

I didn't get 'Hang in There Panda' done in time for my Mum's birthday. I still wrapped it up, along with the picture, and will complete it as I have time. Part of the problem is a lack of thread being supplied. Thankfully the company will send you more thread if you run out. I did have to get some of one colour, however I have now run out of another colour. I don't need as much as they will send, but I can't just go out and match it, because they don't use standard threads. I'm going to do as much as I can, to see if I need more of any other colours before sending my order.

I'm still going with 'African Sunset', but there is no way I'll get it finished by the start of next month. I plan to do the same as I did with Mum, wrap what I've done and include the picture. Hopefully the person I'm giving it to still likes the picture. Not sure what I'll do otherwise.

I finally finished my course, and my new job starts on Monday! I'll be spending several hours everyday looking after primary school aged children in an After School Care Program! Some opportunities for craft will come up there, so that's good. Other than that, I just need to make some more time for stitching. One thing I'm doing is cutting back on my internet time. It's amazing how much time Facebook and other internet things take. It's a battle, but one I'm determined to win.

Craft Updates

I thought it was time I updated you on some of my projects. I haven't blogged for so long because I've been a little busy - family emergencies and starting studying again have taken almost all my time. First up, is my progress on 'Hang in There Panda'. I was working on it a bit, but then realised I was running out of one of the threads. Thankfully you can order more thread free of charge from Dimensions. It took about 3 weeks, but I can now get on with it again. I was trying to get it ready by the beginning of May, but I think it might be more reasonable for the middle of June. As you can see, I have a little more of the panda to do and then all the other sections.

Next there is 'African Sunset'. There is absolutely no way I will get this done by August as I planned. However, what I have decided to do it tell the person I'm giving it to how much I've done and that I will finish it as soon as I can.

I'm currently trying to get the top left corner finished, just so I feel like I'm getting somewhere and so that I don't have to constantly change colours all the time.

And then there is my crochet rug. As I do with many projects that I design myself, I have changed the design of this once again. I was planning to use two balls of blue to one ball of purple with two rounds of maroon in between. However, I am almost to the end of the second ball of blue and I would prefer to have more blue before the next purple section. So I'll just do however many blue I feel looks right and then do some more purple. I will stick with the two rounds of maroon in between though.

You couldn't really get the full colour contrast with the photo of the whole rug, so this next photo is a close up of how the three colours work together. I love how they all complement each other and it will be interesting to see how the next part goes. I'm still not sure quite how large the rug will be.

Oh, and can anyone tell me how I can even out the edges? They are a little wonky right now. I have heard something about blocking, but I'm not sure how it will work on a project this size. I'm guessing that it has to be done once the rug is finished.

One of the things I love about this now is that it keeps my legs warm while I crochet - a perfect winter project!

Craft Drought

Ok, so I haven't posted since October, but then I haven't really done much craft since then.

I've done 1 more ball of blue wool on my crochet rug. The thing with this is that it's too warm to work on it in summer, so it's just sitting there waiting for a cool day and time for me to pick it up.

I haven't done any more on The Lighthouse for ages. I really should finish it so that I can get on and finish the doona cover.

I have done a little stitching on African Sunset, but I have to be careful now that my sister has returned home. It is supposed to be a gift for her 21st birthday which is in August.

Hmm ... what else have I been doing?

Well I made some Christmas crackers. A few years ago I bought some kits, complete with the firecracker parts. Last year my sister made them up, but this year it's my turn.
I haven't done out tree ornaments either, in fact our tree is still boxed up in the shed. I have done a little decorating in my room though, and as I type there is Christmas music playing and I have a Christmas candle burning. As for the tree ornaments, I thought it was someone else's turn this year since I have done them for the last 4 or so years.

I think I just need to get off the computer and get crafting!

A Sewing Day ... Finally!!

Yesterday for me was a sewing day - or at least a sewing afternoon.
I've needed to do this for a while and it finally worked for me to get some things off my list. I haven't quite finished the list, but it's now down to just 4 things.

The first photo is actually the progress on my crochet rug. I've finished the 1st ball of purple, the second section of maroon and started on the next ball of blue. I love the way it looks and the contrast between the sections of blue.




The next photo is of the t-shirt that I altered for a clown costume. I ironed on some flower motifs and around the bottom hem I sewed a sequined, decorative trim. I love how it jingles!
The costume is for Good News Gang this week. We are having a special event - Everybody's Birthday. The kids all get to dress up in what they would like to wear if it was actually their birthday. This way we can celebrate all the birthdays for the year without having a separate party for each child.

And finally are the other things I sewed. 2 headbands and a small bag. The bag I got the fabric and ribbon for at a craft show that I went to last year. It's just 2 pieces of fabric sewn together with the ribbon sewn into the seam, then turned right side out. Half the fabric is inside as the lining.
The headbands are just a single length of fabric which I folded in half and sewed up the side. Then I turned the fabric to have right sides out and sewed the ends. The ends are then folded twice over lengthwise and sewn up to make narrower parts for tying.


And that's my carft weekend. I'm now in the process of making some cards. One is using some stamps I recently bought off Ebay.

Too Much!!

I'm convinced I have too many projects on the go, and too many potential projects competing for mental space and to be done.
Let me tell you what I've got and then you can decide.

• Crochet Rug - 2 balls of blue, 1 ball of purple and 4 rounds of maroon complete
• The Lighthouse Quilt/Embroidery - 75% done (or maybe a little more), once complete to be incorporated into a quilted doona cover
• African Sunset Cross Stitch - 5% (or maybe a little more done - needs to be completed buy August 2011)
• Felt Brooches (photo not yet loaded on my computer; people who see them think I should be making more and selling them; I have some of my own designs that I would like to try)
• Doona Cover - I have the fabric (it matches my curtains), I just need to cut and sew
• Hair Towel - one of those turban things (I've made 1 but I need a 2nd one)
• Alter new Jeans - I have to put elastic in the waist and that requires hand sewing because of the belt loops (I really need a good thimble)
• Finish off the latchhook rug that my sister did for me (the edges need binding - and yes, I have the stuff to do it with)
• Headbands - I have the fabric to make and they would literally take 10 minutes or maybe 15 - and that's for 2, if I just had the sewing machine out
• Drawstring Bag - to go in the Operation Christmas Child shoe box (needed before next month)
• Clown Outfit - needs to be completed before Term 4 starts
• Cardmaking - I have new stamps that I'm dying to use, plus some ideas I want to try

So that's my list - so far! I'm sure I've forgotten something.

Then there is the interior design course that I'm doing, plus planning for next year - like applying for study at TAFE.

I just need block time to concentrate on this and not get destracted by, well, my computer, which I'm on now when I really, really should be in bed.

So what do you think?

Bright and Cheery Craft for a Gloomy Day

Today is a very gloomy, grey day! It's cloudy, raining and freezing cold.

I needed to do some craft, but didn't feel like doing any of the projects that I have on the go. So this is what I ended up doing.

It's a felty! A dahlia. I just needed something bright and cheerful, and something that I knew I could finish. I guess I needed a sense of accomplishment.

A friend gave me the kit, so I didn't choose the colours, but I love it anyway. You don't quite get just how bright it is from this photo.

I've got 2 others that I will do at some stage. One is a sparrow, the other and owl.


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So, I should probably also update you on what else I'm doing. My crochet rug is coming along well. I've now finished the first 2 rounds of maroon and started on the first ball of purple. I love the way the maroon just breaks things up and adds a bit of brightness between the blue and purple. And 1 round just wasn't enough. It needed 2.

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I've also been making some cards.

Here are a couple of them.

Round and Round We Go

I now have 2 balls of blue wool done, plus a little extra to finish the 32nd round.
And, as you can see, I have started on the first maroonn round. I have decided to do 2 rounds of maroon before starting on purple.

I love the contrast between the blue and maroon, although you can't see it here.

As for my other projects, I haven't done anything more on them. There are just too many other things to do in a day, and this is much more portable, especially when I am sitting in the car waiting for people.

I thought about making the maroon rounds a little more decorative, but haven't found a pattern or stitch that really works in. I'm thinking I might do a shell pattern for the outer edge though.

Crochet Rug - The First Ball

Well this is the progress on my crochet rug.

I've finished the 1st ball of wool (plus the start of the 2nd).

The first ball made just over 19 and a half rounds.

I've worked out my pattern, of sorts.

I have 3 colours: Navy, Purple and Maroon.

So the plan is for 2 balls of Navy, followed by one round of Maroon, then 1 ball of Purple, followed by a round of Maroon ...

I have 10 balls of Navy, 5 of Purple and 3 of Maroon, so I'm hoping this will be enough.

Actually, I can't get any more of the same brand wool, so it will have to be. The blocks of colour will decrease as the rug gets bigger because more wool will be needed for each round.

I'll do another update after the second ball of Navy.

And for those wondering, this much has only taken 2 and a half weeks!!

A New Challenge - Crochet!

Ok, so this week I've been teaching myself to crochet using a DVD. I'm actually making a rug, which is very ambitious for a first project, but I want to really learn the stitch.

So I'm starting with a Granny Square and just going around and around, getting bigger each round until I will end up with this massive Granny Square as a rug.

The only thing the DVD didn't teach me was how to change colour or at new wool when my ball ran out.

My friend, Jenny, does crochet, but when I asked her how she did it, she said she just tied a knot and kept going. So I decided to look on YouTube and this is what I found.


It's such a great video, and I think I may try this method since it shows both changing colour and securing the tail of the new colour. The only thing is that she finished off the previous round first. Hmm ... I'll have to think about that.