Clip-a-dee-doo-dah Clips!

Last month I did a little post about Attic24's beautiful blog and how I have been inspired by her colour and creativity.  Well, the other day, I managed to send off a few Granny triangles for her Yarndale bunting project
(see http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2013/07/yarndale-update.html). 
I forgot to take a pic but remembered to pop on pictures of my completed clips as they came from tiny bright circles I saw on her blog the other month.  These were a gift to my school fete and it was so lovely to see some of my girls wandering around wearing these!  I knocked up a few flowers as well and used just a bit of craft paper to hold them but I think they came out pretty good.  So, thank you Lucy for your inspirational blog and I will try to knock out a few more triangles before August! x

How to make the clips

You will need:

Any scraps of wool work great but DK cotton looked the best.

3.5 hook

clips

Circles

1. Ch 4 and ss into a ring.
2. Ch 2 and do 8dc around the ring.  SS and fasten off.
3. Attatch contrast colour, Ch 2 and do 2dc into each stitch- 16 stitches.  Fasten off.

Flowers

1. Ch 4 and ss into a ring.
2. Ch 2 and do 9dc around the ring and ss into first stitch.
3. Ch 5, skip one dc and ss into next dc.
4. Repeat step 3 around the flower to make 5 petals and ss into the base for final one.

Before I go, I thought I better add on a few other clip related pictures!  Yes, I have a lot of catch- up posts to do. (I'm even writing posts and holding off posting- July is going to look good on the post count!)

I'm sorry these are a bit fuzzy, they were a quick snap that I forgot to check.  Iphones are great but tricky to get the light right and mine is such an old phone now.  I saw a few die cast roses that twisted up easily and thought I would have a go myself.  The rose worked very well, I thought.  I added an extra felt circle on the back of the clip to disguise the use of a glue gun which also helped the clip stay fast in baby hair as it was for my little niece.  I tried a quick "Hello Kitty" bow on request by my baby but it turned out a bit pants- that's what you get when you rush...

1- Cut a flower shape with decreasing size petals swirling into the centre.

2- Roll around tightly.

3- Pop a few stitches through the base and up through the centre to hold. 

4- Cut a matching small circle for the back of the clip.

5- Attach using a glue gun.

By the way, the gorgeous blue flower came from a free brooch idea from "Mollie Makes".  These are folded flowers stitched onto a circle base.  It's so pretty that I've used it for several brooches as well. 

Finally, I come to another little thrifty project- It really is getting a bit silly now.  Take one unravelled school hairband.  Wind on a favourite ribbon tightly and fix with a glue spot or superglue.  Stitch a quick embelishment from the odds and ends jar and have it ready just in time for a birthday party!  Big Madam was so pleased.  You do have to alternate between crafts for others and crafts for kids or else they get a bit grumpy for all the nice things leaving the house!

  



Old jeans into skirt!

I'm so into the thrifty thing at the moment!  In fact, I can see how it gets to be a bit of an obsession...  My Katie has always been an angel in hand me downs and gets the fact that each penny saved can be used for days out and holidays!  So this skirt really sums up the whole, "That's still got plenty of wear in it!" philosophy.  Let me explain... 

Like most Mummies, I've got into a pattern where, once a week, I pop into my local charity shop to either drop off donations or pick up some bargains ( I very rarely leave without something!).  It's not toot either.  I grab books that I have on my Kindle wish list for 50p, classic books for my classroom, fab dresses for me and board games and bits for the girls as a weekly treat.  I much prefer getting a beaten up board game for a pound than spending £3 or £4 on a flimsy magazine and plastic toy.

So, during winter I managed to pick up a 50p pair of jeans for Katie to rough around the park in and, when the knees finally gave in, I jsut couldn't give up on them!  A quick look on Ehow gave a simple explanation which I, of course, ignored most of for a quick fix:

1. Cut off legs
2. Cut triangle from legs to fill leg space (I made a quick cardboard template and left 1/2cm edge for hemming).
3. Zig zag edges to prevent fraying.
4. Pin panels in place and stitch using simple straight stitch.
5. Press with an iron (this will help when doing the hem).
6. Cut hem if needed to even out.
7. Zig zag edges to prevent fraying.
8. Turn up to length, press and straight stitch the hem.

Now, I know I should have double turned the hem but I was going out and Katie wanted to wear it.  I have learnt now that turning up a hem needs to be done whilst the person is wearing it!  I tried to make it straight on the table and, of course, forgot about bottoms and hips and all those curves which alter the final line.  So, it's a bit crooked but much loved.  I wasn't even allowed to add a bit of embellishment as, "It's fine like that Mummy."  Such a Madam!

The jean genie lives on his back!

Yup.  We have a Jean Genie  in the house (although in my mind, it's a girl).  She is talked to each morning as we come down the stairs, makes various journeys around the house by one or both tiny tikes and settles down for the night after the cat goes out.  I was going to add eyes and a nose but she frankly doesn't need 'em!
This quick fix was to help the draft but ended up really helping to deal with the upstairs window condensation issue we always have when it gets chilly.  Thinking about it, it makes sense that the drafty door was sucking in cold air to condense upstairs so this little gem is a great help!  It's so easy to do- I got the idea from "Super Scrimpers" tv show on channel 4.

1. Cut the legs off an old pair of jeans (I needed both legs to make a super size one).
2. If using both legs, you will need to re-stitch along the seam to make the legs straight.
3. Turn inside out and stitch legs together.
4. Turn back and press.
5. Gather up some old towels and roll tightly.
6. Stuff the tube (this takes longer than the rest of the project).
7. Tie ends ribbon!

This took under an hour with the sewing machine and the ribbons mean that the towels can be reused!

How to do a square knot (with bells on!)

I may have got a bit carried away with the bells.  It's just that it is such an easy pattern (from "Handmade Living" magazine July edition) that once I started, I kept thinking of more and more people who would love one.  It also used up a bag of tiny bells that I bought last year to make jingly baby balls.  The pattern is my idea of heaven.  Quick, simple, cheap and very effective. 

The bracelet uses simple square knots and  threading bells on at regular intervals.  This was a new technique for me and I found the square knot tricky at first.  The first two photos show how I did it.  The thread for bells was always the same strand so I found keeping the needle threaded helped me see which part of the knot I was on. 

1-You start with four threads and separate the first and last thread out for knotting. 

2-Left thread over middle two to make a loop. 

3-Back thread comes over the first thread, tucked behind the central threads and through the loop on the left. 

4-Pull these threads slowly and evenly to make half of the knot.  The needle is now on the right.

5- Repeat the process so that the needle ends up back on the left to make a square knot!

Hope this helps x

Sew, a needle pulling thread!

Greetings from the Von Trapp sisters!  This was a June project that had to wait until I could pin both girls down long enough to take a picture of them!  Don't they look like the fabulous curtain outfits made by Maria as play clothes?  Now that's what I call "Thrifty" (and bordering on the realms of cruelty to children)

These cute little headscarves were to allow crazy running around without losing their head covers- something which "accidently" seems to happen a lot with big sister.  But, oops, the triangles aren't deep enough for the point to be tucked into the tied up scarf so instead we get that comical blindness as the tail flips over the face as they run around.  

This is just a variation of my pretty bunting.  

1-Hem a triangle around the two diagonal edges.

2-Fold bias tape over the straight edge leaving long enough tales.  

3-Stitch straight across bias tape to make the ties and Bob's your uncle!

How to make an Ipod Bag

1. I have snatched a few minutes in between making lunches, nap-time and 100 other little jobs to type out this pattern. Let me know if you use it!
   (PS- sorry about neon colours as my daughter chose them!)
   
   Equipment
   Small ball of DK wool main colour
   Small ball of contrast colour
   2.50m/ 3mm hook (I stitch quite loose and need small hook)
   darning needle
   
   Abbreviations
   SC= single crochet
   Ch= chain
   
   
   
   Instructions


2. Ch 3.


3. SC in second ch and in next stitch, Ch 1.


4. SC in 2 stitches, Ch 1.


5. Repeat until narrow rectangle is the length of Ipod base.


6. Do extra SC in last stitch (as a corner), Don't turn.


7. SC around the edge, putting 2 SC in each corner.


8. SC in last corner, Don't join.


9. Now work in a spiral using SC (no 2SC in corners)


10. When bag is the desired height go to edge and continue around for approx 14 SC, Ch 1, turn and do 4 SC back.


11. Repeat Ch 1 and 4 SC along to build up the strap. Fasten off at desired length.


12. Join strap using whipstitch.


13. Join contrasting wool at bottom corner of the strap, Ch 1 and SC around the strap and bag.


14. Repeat at other corner.


15. Fasten off and weave in loose ends.


16. Now add your own embellishments!

Week 6 Decoration- Tiny Felt Robin

Look at this!! I am so proud of this little guy as it is the first design that I've made that is a perfect match to the pattern.

1. I sketched out a robin from a google photo and traced each different section onto plain paper.


2. I cut out the teeny pieces and used sticky tape to hold them onto the felt. (This was a tip I got from a previous website. It makes it easier to cut very small pieces neatly, the felt piece comes away when the shape is cut out and the tape left on the template strenthens it)


3. I used silver, red and brown thread to embroider the details and then stitched all the pieces together. I added a plain, fine ribbon to keep the focus on the little guy

The whole thing from cutting to finishing took just over 40 minutes which I was surprised by, I must say! I wanted to scan in my pattern but my scanners gone phooey so I hope this picture will do.
FREEBIE ALERT
So, instead of a pattern to offer, I am going to start my first Freebie Giveaway. One condition though. I want to get up to 10 followers. When I have 10, I will put names into a hat and send this little guy out to you. So, if you want him, spread the word and help me complete my dastardly plan "Mwah- ha-ha!"

Let's start as we mean to go on!

Well hello there! I'm a bit of a slow-coach when it comes to technology and have taken my sweet time starting my little blog. But now that my Ravelry page is looking a bit healthier, I decided to have a go at blogging.

Happy New Year to my lovely sister who is my first follower! I hope in time I will get more people peeking at my page so I will try to put lovely pictures on as I go.

For now, here are some pictures of my first sewing machine attempts made a few months ago.

1- For my bunting I used pinking shears to cut the triangles which were then pinned together and stiched together quickly around 2 corners on the sewing machine. Binding tape was folded over and pinned to flags, then run through quickly on machine.

2-I followed the guide for Kirstie Allsops Patchwork Stockings on the BBC website and used my leftover bunting fabric to make these. Not very Christmassy but so cute and I have spare fabric in case I get a surprise addition to the family!