Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Monday, October 30, 2017

Little Penguins

  

   

Two years ago for the Christmas window at Can Do Books little penguins were made, about 94 were made by 3 people.  I came up with the crochet design for the little sweeties, then had so much fun dressing them up.

Sunday, October 29, 2017

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Jamie Oliver's New Book



I bought Jamie's new book, 5 Ingredients a little while ago and have been trying the recipes.  Most of the recipes are good, a couple need a few things added.  I made these Apple Crumble Biscuits yesterday and they are quite nice.  A very simple recipe, all done in the food processor.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Bottom Up

  

Working the figure from the feet up.  Shoes, shoe laces, socks, legs,.......................

Thursday, October 26, 2017

A Character



I am trying to make the people I am crocheting stand up on their own.  I have been playing around with some ideas.  This made me laugh, half made, wires sticking out, and it still has a lot of character.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Doll Practice



I started making one of the dolls from Kerry Lord's new book.  Just making one exactly how it is in the book, then I will be tweaking them to how I want the doll to look.  Need to see size and how things fit together first.

Monday, October 23, 2017

Strawberry Gnomes



I have nothing new to show today, so here is something from this time last year.  Six Strawberry Gnomes were made for the Christmas Window at Can Do Books, although only three of these were in the window, the other three were sold beforehand.  The base is the only similarity with the reindeer, oh, and I had fun making those too.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

First Quilt



  

I have tidied the craft room and put away all the reindeer making bits and bobs.  I do this after each major project, clear the space, clear the mind.  In doing so I often come across projects in the stash that need working on.  I either finish the project, or work a bit on it and put it back.  In cleaning up I found this, the first quilt I made in the 1980's.  A log cabin quilt, single bed size.  I was never happy with the way I finished the quilt, backing and quilting and always intended to re-do it.  So I have removed the binding, quilting and backing.  It's funny, I thought I was quite the perfectionist and that I have relaxed a bit now, but looking at this quilt, I am more of a perfectionist now.  There are so many mis-matched seams and some of the strips are cut to different widths.  I know I have always been kind on myself when I am learning new things, the first is never going to be the best.
I was surprised to see that I had used an old sheet as some of the backing squares.
I am going to back the quilt in polar fleece instead of batting and fabric, the quilt top is quite thick already, just from how log cabin squares are made.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Last Reindeer



This will be the last reindeer, for awhile anyway.  I have enough reindeer for the window, so stopping and going to work on something else.Yesterday's book is very inspiring.  This particular reindeer is knitted in yarn from Fibresmith, hand-dyed, and the large blingy belt I found at Darn Cheap Fabrics in Port Melbourne.

Friday, October 20, 2017

New Book



Picked up my copy of Kerry Lord's new book.  She is the lovely Edward's Menagerie lady.  This one is all about crocheted people.  Hmmm, which one to make first?

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Collective Noun



Tubs of reindeer.  Waiting, waiting.  5 weeks this Saturday the Christmas window at Can Do Books will be set up.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Stash Reindeer



The first reindeer is finished using one of the scarves and antlers from the wool basket stash tidy up that I posted the other day.  The blue is really hard to photograph against the cream, keeps coming out darker in the photo.

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Coconut Biscuits



I felt like baking yesterday, so I made little coconut biscuits.  A Martha Stewart recipe, they are supposed to be two biscuits sandwiched together and then the coconut is pressed around the edge of the filling.  But I think I made my biscuits larger than Martha, so I iced and coconuted the top.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Wool Stash



I did a bit of a tidy up in the big basket of wool in the craft room.  I threw out lots of ends of yarn that I could easily replace if I needed to.  These two yarns were too lovely to toss, so I made scarves and antlers.  Now to make some reindeer to use them.  Already made one body.

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Old Fasteners



Went for a drive to Geelong yesterday, had some lunch and a rummage in a 2cd hand shop.  Found some buttons, press studs and hooks.  They were a reasonable price instead of the usual ridiculous price.

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Bowtie Boys



Little reindeer using some more fabric from Yarnsmith.  I was going to make them little bow ties to wear to match the fabric, but decided red scarves would work better.

Friday, October 13, 2017

Crocheted Reindeer

  

This little one has been crocheted in a hand-dyed yarn from Fibresmith.  He has a shawl, or is it a cape?

Thursday, October 12, 2017

In The Garden

  

Yellow Clivia.  This particular plane hasn't flowered before, didn't know it was yellow, didn't know Clivias came in yellow.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Sewn Reindeer



I had an idea yesterday that I should make some reindeer in fabric.  So I ducked out to the local store, yay, there is a local store I can duck to, Fibresmith, and picked up some pieces of fabric.  I used the pattern for the felt reindeer and added seam allowance while I was cutting.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Bearded Men



The bearded men are finished.  Trousers made, and now they are comfortably sitting in the craft room.  Thank you Christina of _rockanddoll_ on Instagram, they were fun to make.

Monday, October 9, 2017

Reindeer Gnome

    

He was supposed to be a reindeer dressed as a gnome, but has turned out looking more like a gnome dressed as a reindeer.

Sunday, October 8, 2017

Homemade Chiko Rolls



My son is learning to cook.  I am teaching him to work from recipes.  Think of something, find a recipe and make it.  Last night we made Chiko Rolls.  While they didn't taste exactly like a Chiko Roll, the were delicious in their own right.  Does anyone know what kind of pastry the Chiko Roll is made from, because it isn't Spring Roll Wrappers?

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Christmas Window Workshop



On the first Saturday of each month we have been having a workshop at Can Do Books to work on the reindeer.  So that is where I am off to today.

Friday, October 6, 2017

Bearded Men

  



An update of the Bearded Men.  Before and after getting their hair and beards.  Had a bit of trouble with the fabric paints flooding, but nothing a bit of practice won't fix.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Cable Reindeer in Progress

  

I am knitting another reindeer with cables.  The first photo shows when I have put the cardboard base in.  It looks rather stretched at the base and will it all work.  But once the knitting is finished and pellets and stuffing added, it all fills out nicely.

Monday, October 2, 2017

Shetland Reindeer



Inspired by the tv series, and loving all things Scottish anyway, I bought some wool that came from Shetland.  Jamieson's of Shetland is the brand, Shetland Heather the yarn, Broch and  Purple Heather the colours.  He is a larger reindeer, knitted on 4.5mm needles.  And was difficult to photograph as I wanted to show the lovely variation in the colours.

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Bearded Men



The bearded men are coming along.  I started on a second one while waiting for the next instructions. The bodies are all together, now for the decoration.

Bookends & More

  Had a lovely day yesterday on Mothers Day.  We went for a drive to Geelong for some lunch and a rummage around a 2nd Hand/Antiques place. ...