crocheted cable
You know I said I took that little detour to Hobbycraft on holiday, well here is a pic of my cable, the wool (though rather pink in this pic?) is a lovely blend of wool, alpaca and silk
It did take a while to figure out, the instructions are not that clear and there was a mistake printed too but I will persever with it. I love the chunkyness of it and that fact it looks like knit. I’m think i’m going to make this into a bag, but this has definitely taken over the top of my list of new projects, especially with winter coming!
Update: I’ve finished my bag! I’m quite pleased with it, if I was to do more I need to tweek it a bit. The handles are off an old favourite bag that wore out last year, It was perfect in size and I wasn’t happy when I really couldn’t repair it any more, but it lives on! I’ve lined it with some thick denim left over from some curtains, which give it a bit more structure and I put a little pocket in side for my phone.
my new bag Ta-darrr!
A bit more upcycling
I know its not on my list, but I saw this competition on the wonderful makers online blog
Spurred on by something I’ve been working on for a magazine article, one thing led to another and before you knew it I was cutting up plastic bags.
I kinda have done something similar for the folksy upcycle christmas challange last year, where I cut up a duvet and made that doily floor rug, but this had to be something new, so I thought more delicate.
So this
became this
became this
and with the aid of a crochet hook became this
and with the addition of bits from charity shops and an old chandelier – became this!
What do you think? I really like it, the flowers look pearlescent and rich and feel gloriously soft and light. which I think contrasts nicly with the chunky chain.
Glamorous evening wear, just don’t tell anyone its from a Morrisons plastic bag!
Green Swap goodies
Well, Emma aka bagladee has received her parcel…. and I can show you what I made!
First up is the shocking pink, organic, fair trade scarf. I saw this on Ruffles And Stuff’s blog, from a link on crafteroo and fell in love immediately with it. So simple, so recycled and plain fab! I used an old top of mine that I’d ear marked for this exact project ages ago and seeing as Emma likes bright colours, and I have like a gazillion scarves, I thought I should make it for her instead!
What do you think? (excuse the face, It was 7.30am and Rich was rushing to work, the boys were trying to sort out their breakfasts, mornings aren’t generally good etc etc…)
It is such a simple pattern, and coming in at 158 inches makes for lots of drape!
Second up is a little pot I crocheted, from an old music tape from my long and distant carefree youth (the Prodigy if you were interested!), no pattern, just sort of made it up as I went along. Although a little squeaky to work with, it is so soft when crocheted and has a fabulous sheen to it so it almost looks like woven metal. Topped off with a button from my stash. Look at the gorgeous shadows it makes
I also added some buttons in an upcycled paper bag ( an idea I complety pinched from Rachel of contented who I did the pincushion swap with and will use again and again as it was fab!), some ribbon and a lush bar of fairtrade chocolate. With it being a completely green swap I made a couple of boxes from a cereal box to pack everything in that were very bright and quirky and I like them!
Luckily Emma loves her scarf and pot and I’m sure the chocolate has gone down a treat! For this swap I was organised for a change and sent it early, with us being away last week, so when Emma sends her bits through I’ll let you have a peek!
Meet me (minus 5ft)
We had a bit of sun around 1.35pm so I quickly took some photos to prove I have been making ’stuff’, not just sat here with a mug of tea and a slice of carrot cake typing away randomly!
Firstly my new top, not finished but its too cold anyway yet! Crocheted in Kon-Tiki which is a lovely cotton/acrylic mix. Its going well, such a simple pattern. I’ve tweeked it a bit, the top part was supposed to be buttoned, but I thought that might be a little bulky so I joined it up with a slip stitch. You then work in rounds down from that and I have to say its looking lovely!
Next I’d like to introduce you to Janebutalittlebitbetterthoughalotsmaller!
Wearing my usual get up of red converse (not a mouse Julie/Rich!) jeans and a floaty top with jewellery. I was going to go with a nice little skirt and funky top but as I rarely make the effort myself I thought it wouldn’t be a true interpretion…
Obviously the hair is quite similar i.e scruffy, though I have to be honest and say my mate Nicki came round to do my hair today (dye, cut, try to style) and gave mini me a little snip too. You can imagine how bad it was before!
And of course, I had to be crocheting, well that or drinking and I didn’t fancy crocheting a bottle of wine! I’m quite chuffed with this bit, I used a cocktail stick and a nail file to shape it!
And finally, another swap, but its okay because its green …
Rachel from contented has another blog with a friend of her’s, called That little bit greener, full of info and tips and documenting their green journey.
And they are hosting a swap – a green swap – so I couldn’t say no, could I…
ATC cards and other swaps!
I know I’m taking part in the Craft Neutral Challange, but surely charity shop thrifting doesn’t count?! Too late anyway, look what I found (and yes, bought)
Isn’t it a gorgeous colour, and I got 7, yes 7 hanks, each 100g! I have the perfect project in mind too when I get a sec, which seeing as I’m not sleeping at the minute (I’m writing this at 04.59 am) shouldn’t be a problem, last night I finished 2 necklaces off between 3 and 5.30am! However despite my bursts of energy in the middle of the night,they are not re-occuring during the day, so I better take this opportunity to say sorry for my increasing bouts of ‘crabbyness’ to, well everyone!
But the sun still rises (yes, even here in Barry) and life goes on.
I do like a swap as you get to meet and chat to fellow crafters and I’ve signed up for another one, a pin cushion swap organised by Claire. My partner is Rachel of contented so I am a lucky girl, her use of fabrics and colours are beautiful. I have in mind what I’m going to do so at least I’ll have something to do at 3am tomorrow!
Have you ever heard of ATC cards? No, me either, but they are FAB! Art Trading Cards, a great idea where you create a card 3 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches, business card size, and swap it with someone else. There is more consise information on wikipidia (obviously) and if you type atc in flickr there are some wonderful examples. Over on ukhandmade creative wishes has started a group, we are going to do it monthly and work to a theme, the first one being trees and plants. So what do you think?
The first one is the one I sent, the second my ‘back up’ and the third a picture of the back where you put your details. I really didn’t know what I was doing or how to construct it, but it was fun to do something completely different. I should be receiving mine soon – can’t wait!
Crocheted Jewellery
I’m busy at the minute working on a new range of bags which is going quite well, and I’m enjoying working with fabric and my sewing machine for a change too! Hopefully, thanks to a wonderful handmade pressie off my dad, I’ll be able to post some fab photos in the next couple of days, fingers crossed!
But what I really wanted to write about is a wonderful compliment, and I’ve had two over the past two days! The tutorial I wrote for this months issue of Beads and Beyond is for my crocheted curtain rings, they look better than they sound, trust me! In fact you can trust Jo, look at her gorgeous blog Daisychain Designs, she makes stunning silver jewellery, a skill I can only marvel at. Fortunately for me though, Jo can also crochet, and she has made one of my designs! Not only does she like it, but more importantly, she can read my instructions – they really work!
They are fab, love the colour!
There is also a link on the Beads and Beyond website here for a tutorial for the vintage variation of the Reflections set
The necklace
The earrings.
My second compliment was from a previous tutorial, someone has sent a letter in to the magazine with a photo of my Vintage Lace bracelet they made!
PEOPLE CAN FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS!!!!
And more importantly, choose too!
Must stop experimenting…
I didn’t realise how much of a short attention span I must have, there’s me, complaining about my boys and their severely short attention spans and it turns out they must take after me. This keeping a blog thing has made me realise that I’m great at getting ideas, often turning them into reality (either by mistake or design) but what I am incapable of doing is following them through with further progression – its always onto the next idea.
So no more! I have ‘experimented’ with my last new idea, I am only going to explore ideas I have already set in motion, like this one I started yesterday…
Its made from scraps of Amy Butler fabric I’ve had for a while, a bit of an old dress, an old shirt and a favourite but broken necklace, and of course a bit of crochet, a double shell trim that I extended to fit the flap.
I boxed the corners and lined it with interlining to give it some stiffness so it retains its shape. I’m now envisaging a whole range of them, all the same shape but with different fabrics and crochet bits SO I’M NOT GOING TO LOOK IN OR WRITE IN MY IDEAS BOOK. I’m going to work on this for a while, and my curtain ring jewellery, I think that can go a lot further too.
So it is written down I am only going to work on those two ideas, although its half term next week so If I manage to do anything it will be a miracle!
On a last note, the latest issue of that fab magazine Beads and Beyond has a tutorial for my Miyuki earrings. Those flowers are what I made that evening necklace and my beautiful green bracelet from as well – ooh – another idea I need to pursue…
Clicking and clicking
With hooks and mouse! First off today a bit of experimenting – with cassette tape, (an old Prodigy one from my long distant carefree youth…) I’ve had this idea to make oversized chains for a while but hadn’t come up with what material to use. While doing a bit of cleaning (we’ve got visitors coming) I saw a plant pot cover I’d crocheted in video tape a while ago, it was going to be a bag but it was too noisy – but perfect as a glamerous pot cover! One thing lead to another and they need a bit of fine tuning, but what do you think? And do you think The Prodigy would approve?
Next up, I’m going out! I know, can you hear the fanfare too? Anyhow, I got this gorgeous dress in the sales, bright emerald green, quite 50’s in style. I thought perfect occasion to wear my new glamerous necklace I made, the one with the wire flowers… but it doesn’t go.
So I made a bracelet that does!
Finally, I’ve also been spending, but not too much, honest! Thanks to the Craft Neutral Challange I’ve only bought some jump rings this year, eveything I’ve made has been from my stash, and that includes several necklaces, bracelets, earrings, scarflettes and gloves! And after all, we have to support the wonderful craftspeople we have!
So, after browsing through researching some of my favourites shops on Folksy I saw these gorgeous brooches by the amazing artist Amy McCarthy
They are recyled beer bottle tops filled with various found objects like shells, bits of old jewellery, shards of glass and set in resin. I think this one is my favourite
or maybe this one
Check out Amys other fabulous glass products in her folksy shop!
My stunning new necklace!
You know when the planets aline, the sun is shining, the boys actually listen (okay, scrap that last bit) but when everything works out exactly as you imagined it but better…
Okay, so no one has a green neck but it was the best thing I could display it on, and It doesn’t work so well on the clear vase.
I crocheted 8 flowers in wire, using 2 beads for each stitch on the petals and used the tail ends to stitch them together. It is so light and soft and molds to your neck shape perfectly. I love it – can you tell!
Romantic Bracelet
14th January 2010
Ta-daa!
My latest tutorial – Vintage Lace, a bracelet worked in wire with freshwater pearls, and on the front cover too! (If you squint!) I love this bracelet, it looks complicated but like all good things, is actually quite simple.
So if you fancy a go get the latest Beads and Beyond Magazine, and if you do, let me know, i’d love to see how you get on!
