ALL AT SEA

 

For the past year the Tiddlers have been OBSESSED by sealife. As you will probably have noticed in previous posts their rooms are little underwater havens, populated by a million fluffy sea creatures, and it would appear that their mission in life is to keep me occupied making all manner of amigurumi fishes etc. to add to the collection.

This is my summer's list of achievements, which the Tiddlers till now were very happy with, but having seen a post by disorderly-twinings, they have discovered I have haven't finished the whole set - shock horror!!!
So guess who's been commissioned to make lobsters.  I just hope they don't spot a pattern for a whale!

WHAT WAS I MAKING WITH THIS???

I'm a bit of a butterfly when it comes to making things.  I start them and then get sidetracked and the project gets popped into a carrier bag and forgotten, until sometime in the future I remember it and fish it out only to find that I haven't a clue what it was eventually meant to be.

My other problem is that I tend to get very inventive and use bits of maybe two or three patterns when making say, a sweater or cardigan.  Now at the time this seems a really good idea, but when I pick it up again - doh! - I haven't a clue what I had in mind when I stashed it away a couple of months ago.

So.....
I designed these labels to stick on or in the bag with the (for the moment boring) project giving all the details of what it was all about and all the bright ideas I had for it - and it works!

 Phew... sanity saved.

So if your sanity also could do with a bit of saving the file is here for you to download and print off.  There are eight labels on an A4 piece of card, so they are quite economical as well. ;0)

                                     Click here to download Project Labels

Please, as usual, be kind.  It's for personal use only so don't sell them or pass it off as your own work in any way.

BELLS - IT WAS THE BELLS!

These little crocheted bells are a real joy. I make a little stash of them for moments when I need that little bit of extra magic.  They can be used, I have found, for so many different projects.
I love decorating cakes but unfortunately am not particularly good at the clever paste sculptures that so many 'proper' cake makers seem to achieve, so - improvise!  The bells were just what I needed for Val and Daves cake and really did the trick - success!

I also needed something quickly to finish off these bouquets of flowers and make them look special and once again the bells added that little 'something' that was just what just the job.

LITTLE ANGELS

Cute Thread Crochet Angel

After a weekend labouring in the garden, trying to reverse the ravages caused through not enough TLC being applied during the early part of the year - doh! - I decided that a little quiet crochet was in order and as Christmas is approaching, and I have promised friends and family little thread crochet angels for their trees etc. I had better crack on.

Sparkly and ready for Christmas

 Last year I made about a dozen angels using different patterns I had aquired, but this one seems to be the best and certainly the most eyecatching.

I bought the basic pattern from Crochet Memories but adjusted it a little as I prefered this helo.  It was quite easy to crochet and shape using a cone of cardboard for the body and some cotton wool covered with cling film held in place by a covered pencil pushed through the armholes, to shape the sleeves. I use a solution of glue and water to stiffen it as described on my crochet page.  It really works well and I was well pleased with the result  :0)

Branching out

Having had a fair bit of success with the bells, I've now started to branch out into other crocheted items.  The fans turned out particularly well and have been requested by friends for bridal good luck gifts.  Again I had a few hours of brain twisting to get the boxes to fit and look professional.  I've had several attempts that looked good but either didn't stay together for very long, (see picture) or didn't stay shut properly, but eventually I hit gold and am so pleased with the final product.

THREAD CROCHET WEDDING BELLS

My most recent passion is for thread crochet ornaments.  Years ago, when we were in Bosham on the south coast, I peeped into a craft gallery and saw some crochet bells and little animals.  They were so beautifully made, that that was it - I had to have a go!  So I looked round for patterns - not a chance - they are like gold dust.  Eventually, I found just what I needed and got cracking.  At the time you could get fabric stiffener called Stiffy from almost any craft shop, which did the job perfectly.  However, you don't seem to be able to buy it over here anymore so, after trying starch, PVA glue and everything else I could think of to stiffen the material and having disasterous results, I gave up making them.

However, last year I discovered that Evostick Wood Glue (blue bottle for outside use) is just the job.  It dries clear and very hard.  Perfect, I was off again. :0)

Crochet Wedding Bell & presentation box

So this is what I made for my friends wedding.  I also had a wonderful time designing a box to put it in.  Oh, the joy of being a crafter, it keeps me quiet for hours!