Sewn skirts and tatted blobs

Here's the latest of the little lady's handmade clothes. It's a little skirt.

I'm almost embarrassed to show the next picture, but I will, as an exercise in humility. Here's a closeup.  That's supposed to be a french seam.  The big guy wanted to 'help' with the sewing machine, and this is the result.  Sigh.  Oh well, 'help' is sort of good...

Next is the tatted blob.  Sadly, it doesn't look much different from the last time.  The blob is another clover doily by Eileen Stafford.  As I was working on the previous doily, I fell for that trick of perception that happens when working on round things.  The first few rows take so little time.  Those first rows are sooo easy.  Why don't you use up your stash and make two!  It's too easy to forget that rows get longer as circles get bigger.

Still, I'm determined to finish this.  I even drew myself a little motivational progress diagram.  The coloured parts are the rows that are done.

Sigh, I have a long, long, long way to go.

Alien

I've got aliens dancing in my head, with a Sting song in the background.

Here's the alien.  It's the 'Fuzzy Alien' from Christen Haden's 'Creepy Cute Crochet' book.  Since I didn't have any fuzzy yarn, he's actually a multi-colour alien, not a fuzzy one.

The Sting song is 'Englishman in New York'.

What's the connection?  It's the chorus;

     I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien....

I can't get the chorus out of my head, so I thought I might as well share.

Ribbon Flower Tutorial

A friend of mine showed me a little hair clip with a ribbon flower and asked me how to make it.  There are many, many ways to make ribbon flowers, but here's the method I want to share today.  If I find some willpower, maybe I'll share some more.

Step 1: Start with a a piece of 1 inch ribbon and a 50sen coin.  (This method is most useful for Malaysians).  For a 1/2 inch ribbon, use a 20sen coin.

Step 2: Put the ribbon on the table with the shiny side down. Using the 50sen coin as a guide, draw a petal on the back side of the ribbon.  Keep drawing petals until you get 5-6 petals all in a row.

Step 3:  Leave a bit of space, then cut the ribbon after the last petal.

 
Step 4: Take a longish piece of thread and tie a quilter's knot in it.  Just wrap the thread around the needle.  Pinch the part of the needle wrapped with thread between your fingers.  Pull the needle through and tighten to make a knot.

Step 5:  Starting from the right, do a running stitch along the petals.  Make sure to stitch almost to the edge of the ribbon

 Step 6: Keep stitching, pulling the stitches as you go until you get to the end. The petals will ruffle up as you pull.

 Step 7:  When the last petal is done, tuck the ends of the ribbon upward.  Stitch the ends together.  Take a few stitches through the center, to hold everything together.  Tie off the thread and cut it.

Step 8: Turn the flower over and embellish the center with buttons or beads.  Tadaa, the flower is done!

Friendship bookmarks

I spent the last few days making friendship bracelets. The kiddos are getting bigger ad starting to read longer books, so these are actually being used as bookmarks.

These next ones are from patterns on friendship-bracelets.net.  I put a little bell on the end instead of a tassel.  The kids like the tiny jingling as they carry the books around.

I used to make the usual chevron and diamond bands when I was a kid, but some of the ones on that website are just jaw dropping. See this rainbow one made with 24 strings. WOW!  I'm tempted to try it, but I think I need more practice to improve my tension first.

Mice and bones

Take some unassuming yarn, a little book from the Japanese budget shop, then add a few hours of hook work.

A few lopsided stitches later, and I had a little mouse.  When this little guy was finished, I was so charmed I made a nest for him in my socks so he could keep me company for my morning beauty routine (such as it is).

At least, I thought I had made a mouse.  Apparently, I'd made a bone; a bone of contention.  The little lady saw him on my shelf and declared 'I want him!'.  I told her no.  Now she's pestering me to make one for her... in pink...  So far I'm resisting, but I don't know how long I can last.  She knows where I keep the yarn.

Double stitches and half stitches

Double stitches are useful things. The bottom two bracelets were done with double stitches.The other one is done with half stitches.  The bracelets were inspired by the ones in this Klutz book.

Here's the ultimate way to use double stitches; !!TATTING!!

Tatting is demonstrated here by this shapeless blob.  I'll write more about the blob later.  First, let's see if I can take some steps to help it evolve out of blobbishness  (not a real word).

2 months and lots of pictures

Two months of blog silence...  Bad blogger, no chocolate.  Oh well, life is what it is.  I didn't stop crafting.  I'd have to be stranded on a desert island for that to happen.  Even then, I'm sure I could do something with with all those coconuts.  So, here are pictures.

Here's a tatted goat from Jane Eborall.  He's pink and he's proud!

It's a mushroom wedding.  The mushroom is from Knitting Mochimochi and the bride and groom are from Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi.  My little guy asked me to make the mushroom since it's his favourite food.

A bunny family fom Mochimochi land.  Obviously, I'm really enjoying Anna Hrachovec's designs right now.

A unisex dress up bear from Tilda Filur, specially for the little lady.

My current obsession, macrame bracelets made with cotton cord, beads and charms.  I make a few every week, as a sort of reminder that I actually can craft something.  They're very satisfying.  I can design, make and finish one of these in little found moments in a day.

I should just take a picture of whatever I'm working on each day, add some links and call it a day.  Perhaps consistency is better than quality?