Callaloo Soup

Hooked on Yarn | More Crochet Baskets

My latest crochet baskets, as in they were completed today! I found a source for the textile yarn online here in France, and bought a spool of black to test it out. Today I remembered that I had two t-shirts in the upcycle pile, and made them into t-shirt yarn using this tutorial  from Craft Passion. So incredibly easy! I will be on the lookout for t-shirts to make into yarn now.

The baskets are perfect for stashing yarn, hooks and other craft supplies. And they work up really fast. I used techniques from a couple of tutorials like this one at Nimi Design, to help me get started on the large basket, but once I got it figured out I was able to make the smaller one completely on my own.

Actually checking it again, I realise that I totally left out the Chain 1 at the start of each row. Oh well, it still worked out!

I totally love them, and plan to get a variety of colours of the yarn (or t-shirts) to make storage baskets for the entire house. I really want to switch out the boring black bins in Kieran's room to give him more pops of colour.

So stay tuned for more!

 

Here's My Neighbour Totoro

I finished the Totoro stuffy in time to give him to Kieran on his birthday (the back up plan was finishing it for his party on Sunday).

Here are some nicer styled shots!

Eeeek! I'm so excited about being able to make stuffed toys now! Kieran is happy with him, and Totoro has been a favoured buddy at bedtime.

I also have an order from friends who are fans of the movie. They claim it is for their impending newborn but I know better.

Now, what other toys can I make?

 

Amigurumi Totoro in Progress

Have you seen the movie My Neighbour Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki? It's one of Kieran's favourites, although it's been a while since he watched it. He prefers Ponyo on the Cliff by the same director. He does recognise the character Totoro however, so when I saw this amigurumi pattern I knew I had to make him one for his birthday. (Heads up: Amigurumi is fast becoming a new obsession of mine!)

I'm really close to finishing, which is great, as his birthday is on Thursday!

I'm about three quarter way through the body, and already have the ears, arms, eyes, tail and the tummy patch done.

I'll show him off to you next week in all his glory!

P.S. I highly recommend those movies for your little ones. Sweet gentle tales with lots of imagination and creativity.

From the Archives | Envelope Pillow Cover from Vintage Fabrics

I posted this tutorial almost 4 years ago to the day on my now defunct tutorial blog. I thought I'd add it here since it's still a great technique, and I actually need to make some more of these soon. The tutorial uses a vintage sheet and handkerchief, but of course you can substitute any fabric you may have on hand.

Supplies & Tools

Old/vintage cotton sheet and thread to match
Embroidered handkerchief or vintage doily or scarf and coloured thread to match design
Sewing machine with decorative stitches
Sewing scissors
Measuring tape
Pins
Iron
Pillow form - I used a 15"x15" one which is fairly standard

Instructions

Measure and cut a 16&1/2" square, and two 16&1/2" x 10" rectangles from the sheet

 

Center handkerchief on right side of the square piece and pin them together. This will be the front of the cover.

 

Using coloured thread and a decorative stitch, stitch kerchief to fabric. Tip: practice the decorative stitch first on a scrap piece of fabric to ensure that stitch lengths and tension are correct. I learned this one the hard way!

 

Fold over 1/4" along long side of rectangle piece and press

 

Fold over again and press

 

Change thread colour and using a straight stitch, hem the edge, and overstitch on the right side.

 

Repeat with other rectangular piece. These two pieces will form the back of the cover with an opening to make it removable.

With right sides together pin one rectangular piece to the top part of front as shown, with hemmed edge towards middle.

 

Then pin other rectangular piece to bottom part, overlapping the top piece, with hemmed edge towards middle.

 

Stitch all four sides together with a 1/4" seam. Remove pins, tie off and cut threads and turn to right side.

Front

Back

 

Leave cover on right side and over stitch 1/4" from edge

 

Close-up

Insert pillow form and toss on couch!

This project should take you less than an hour if you have some sewing experience. Please let me know if you have any questions! I am by no means a professional seamstress and I made this up as I went along, so my instructions might only make sense to me!

This really brings back memories! I did this just before Kieran was born: four years and three homes ago! Time flies doesn't it?

 

The Wednesday Window | Bright Green Crochet Cowl

One of my latest crochet creations is this green cowl, which will be perfect this spring. I used the instructions I found here. It worked up quickly, which is how I like my craft projects! More info on what I used (and more photos) here on Ravelry.

 

I am Totally Hooked on Yarn!

I learned to knit and crochet as a child. My grandmother was known for her crochet doilies, and all my aunts and older female cousins worked on it too. If I remember correctly I started learning in Brownies and later on in Guides. Truth is I totally sucked at it. I blame it on the thin threads and miniscule hooks everyone used. I would end up with sore fingers, and too tight stitches; oh and my work was always grungy looking because I was fighting with it so much, it got dirty.

When I discovered crocheting with yarns I was so happy. Why on earth did we use those tiny threads and needles? I guess because we didn't need to make warm hats, scarves and sweaters!

Fast forward an undisclosed number of years, and I am once again picking up crochet and knitting. Mostly crochet, because I understand it better and can more easily complete a project. My knitting thus far this year consists of a very wonky looking practise set of rows, with holes, dropped stitches, extra stitches and knotted purls. My sister got me an online knitting class though, so there's hope!

I've completed a few projects already since picking this back up, and am becoming more and more possessed by the craft. My Pinterest board is burgeoning with projects I want to try. When I was setting up my boards sometime last year, I used the tongue-in-cheek name Hooked on Yarn, and it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

My latest project is this basket you see here. As one possessed, I have quite a few works in progress and I need something to stash them in, and what better than a crochet basket to store crochet projects?

I whipped this one up in a few hours starting Sunday night. I was heavily inspired by this project (and I NEED some of that fabric yarn). Then I saw this one and decided that my basket needed handles, so on translating the post I was able to figure out how to make them. Very proud moment there!

The final touch of the red trim came from this tutorial. My basket turned out to be about 10" in diameter and 6" tall. I used some chunky yarn that was sitting in my stash and a size N/10mm hook. It's pretty wonky, because I was totally winging it but it works! I plan to make a bunch more, and once if I work out all the stitches I will post a little tutorial.

Kieran has also asked for one, so I will attempt some sturdy ones for toy storage for his room. Well I will make them for storage, I don't know what he will end up doing with them!

Do you knit or crochet? What is your favourite thing you've made?

 

12 Days of Christmas Cheer | Day 9: Sending Christmas Greetings

Today I sent out the last of my Christmas Cards. I was determined to get cards sent this year. Most years, I plan to make and send cards. What usually happens is that I get cards made, but they never leave the house. Ooops. And I think in the last three years, I haven't gotten beyond drafting some kind of design.

So I got smart this year and instead of the insurmountable and overwhelming task of sending cards to everyone I know (like seriously!), I made a very short and sweet list. And I used printable cards I found online to make sure it would really happen. I used these cards for French recipients, and the ones shown above for English speaking recipients.

I got the English ones here at The Plumed Nest. You can print them on any background, but I chose kraft, because, well it's kraft. Once they were printed I decided to add a bit of oomph to them, and grabbed a box of doo dahs, some washi tape and some baker's twine.

I added sequined flower centers to the trees

 

a rhinestone embellishment to the O in JOY

 

red and green washi tape strips

 

and washi tape and baker's twine.

 

This was super quick, and made me feel like I sent some handmade love to the recipients.

Have you sent cards out this year? If not, I promise it's not too late, your friends and family will love to receive a greeting, even after December 25th.

12 Days of Christmas Cheer | Day 6: Making Clay Ornaments

Over the weekend Kieran and I worked on some clay ornaments together. We used the classic salt dough recipe which you can find all over the internet. We also did this last year, and I have to say his technique is much improved.

Kieran's clay ornament from 2011

Meanwhile I worked on some slightly more sophisticated ornaments.

I pressed a rubber stamp into my rolled out clay before cutting my shapes out. I also made a set of ornaments using homemade porcelain. My porcelain clay ended up being a combination of this idea and this idea.

The next day, I mixed up some glittery sealer by mixing PVA glue, water and glitter. We painted this onto the now baked and dry ornaments:

While waiting for them to dry once again, we went for a walk

And now they are on the tree!

Have you ever made clay ornaments? Do you have a favourite recipe for the clay?

10 Things for Christmas

So the Holiday season is well upon us, and this week I am digging into the new crafts and activities I want to do this year. Here are 10 of them.

1. Cookie Cutter Ornaments

2. Festive Center Pieces

3. Cinnamon Ornaments

4. White Clay ornaments

5. Olive Branch Wreath

6. Chocolate Gingerbread loaf

7. Wall tree from branches

8. Twine Stars

9. Stove Top Christmas Scent

10. Geometric paper ornaments

What's on your Christmas to-do list?

 

 

See more lists of 10 here.

Tuesday To-Do | All That Glitters Holiday Decor

I found some wooden numbers on clearance a while back, and grabbed some up without a real idea of what I would use them for. I was vaguely thinking maybe some decor for Kieran's room, since he is very into counting. When unpacking after the move I caught sight of the 2 and the 5 together and had one of those aha moments: 25...December 25th aha!

This is a super simple project. The longest part is waiting for everything to dry. So that you can take pretty photos to post online.

1. Remove tags and hooks/string if necessary (or keep the strings if you want to hang these).

2. Paint numbers with gold craft paint

3. Before the paint dries, quickly sprinkle all over with gold glitter

Wait impatiently for the paint to dry.

As they say here "et voila!"

You can use wooden or paper mache numbers (or letters!) for this craft, and change up the colours of paint and glitter to match your holiday decor.

I'm not sure where this will go yet, I love them so much they might stay in my office!