rainbow dolls quilt for bells

Would you like a hot air balloon or a rainbow on a dolls quilt?  That's the question I had for bells yesterday, needless to say she chose a rainbow.

I asked her if she wanted "this rainbow is for Ella" stamped across, she said "no that wouldn't be fair, put it's for our family, I want it to be for all of us".  Where does little girl sweetness come from?  It warms my heart.

This little draw string bag was purchased from a japanese shop, a short drive from where I work, everything is $2.80.  I can see this little bag in linen - it's on the to do list.

No posts in almost 2 months, then 2 in 1 day - what can I say, I found a moment...

I used my japanese pattern book

This japanese pattern book found it's way into my home quite a while ago and I finally gave something a go last weekend.  Pattern G.

 

I didn't want to spend big bucks on fancy fabric as my track record with garments it's quite poor, so I found some $5.00 a metre cotton and here is the result.  It may look a little crinkled, that's because I've actually worn it a couple of times and I prefer it this way (as opposed to ironing it).

Is it because I bought cheap fabric, I didn't hold great expectations and I approached it with a care free attitude that it all went well? If I had purchased fancy fabric would it have been a complete flop? Either way I'm very happy with the finished article.

it's been a little while...

It feels like ages since my last post - that's cause it has been.  The creative juices just haven't been flowing, I have been doing some hand quilting which is nowhere near finished so I won't share that just yet.  Last Wednesday evening I went along to a stitch 'n' knit night which is part of the Mulgrave Makers Market and I made this little zippered number with the lovely Justine.

 Just quietly, I was very happy about learning how to put in lining and I was pleased with the end result.  The little strip of denim on the bottom is there courtesy of a cutting error by me.  Oh well, I think it looks good with the boo boo.

The little project above inspired me to make this cute little Japanese lunch bag, which I found over here.  Nothing like a free download.  After a little talking on Wednesday night about fabric in stashes and how we don't cut into everything and the fact that we can't take it with us.  I cut into a much loved piece of linen, oh there are a few other pieces that I haven't cut into yet but I have made a start.  This bag was done in an evening and it's fully reversible.  If I had read the instructions properly I might have had the hand stitched part on the red on the inside - oh well, I still love it.  I can't imagine I'm going to be packing my lunch in it - I'll have to find another use.

 These flowers are on the back.

 It simply ties up at the top.

I couldn't walk past...

Monday & Tuesday I was in the city doing a training course for work, with only a 45 minute lunch break I nipped out to clegs, they were having a remnant sale, after a quick look on the tables I found a piece of linen from Ireland - and now it's mine.  I also got some nice cotton striped fabric, some alpaca/wool/silk yarn which is so lovely (not sure what I'll do yet) and some Clover bamboo round knitting needles which were on sale.  All in all a great lunchtime shop.

I've started a hat/beanie with the round needles - perfect, no seam.  The black yarn is the same as I used for flip's mitts.

Right now I've been stung by the yarn bug, back to quilting one day...

more crochet & some cute buttons

I've been to two evenings at Stitch N Knit, which is part of Mulgrave Makers Market, last time we were taught by the lovely and patient Mary how to crochet finger-less mitts.  Mine are below, quick little project and fun to make.  A couple of new techniques were learned (foundation single crochet for starting work off instead of a chain + how to finish off nicely + how to decrease without any GAPS!), I wonder how long I'll retain those for...

and then of course I am asked, can I have some too mumma x 2.  The ones below are for bells, who also wanted a few flowers on hers, I did not choose the location of the flowers, I was under instruction.  For both mine & bells' mitts I used Cleckheaton Perfect Day 8ply Alpaca Wool.

Yesterday I went to Wondoflex to get some wool for flip's mitts and I couldn't go past these cute little wooden buttons, they are 1.5cm in diameter.  Of course I have no idea what to use them on, but they are now in my possession.

This is the wool I chose for flip, it was half price - nice.

I love the hint of grey, lovely wool to crochet with.

So now I'm done, I can move onto something else.  There were some lovely yarns I saw yesterday, some nice japanese sock yarn, but do I really want to knit socks - not sure.  Or should I get back to some quilting - probably.

rainbow granny square + pom pom

I'll admit straight up that the colours aren't me, they are miss bells (at the moment, she is 5).  Rainbow colours - she loves to draw rainbows, paint them, make necklaces with the repeating colours etc. etc. etc.  So I thought I'd attempt my very first granny square in her favourite colours.  I can see how people get a little addicted to making granny squares, I think I'd have to do it in natural colours though, I can't do bright BRIGHT!  I do have some linen yarn, it is quite thin though - it's the yarn I used to make my crochet shopping bag - they'd be quite small granny squares.

 we could just call it a mat for her rainbow pom pom...

bear x 2 :: crochet

My sister found this pattern for 'Bruno Bear' over here at Baghi , so cute I had to give it a go.  After a little crochet tuition from her - 2 bears have been completed.  Would you believe that I followed the same pattern and got two different sized heads.  Same ply wool, same size crochet hook.  Clearly I'm not much of a crocheter, but as it turns out anyone who knows my flip & bells knows there is significant head size difference :) so I'll just take it as - it was meant to be.

There is talk of both these bears going to school for show & tell this week.