IdaDown

Sad, but true

2009-05-05T10:08:00.002+10:00

Well I am embarresed to see that the last time I posted it was MD, which is next weekend. Ah there have been many and varied reasons.... Hmm, since last year, I have accumulated more UFOs. Seems summer is the time for creative energy, and winter is the time to finish all those summer projects LOL. Crochet has been put on the back burner, initially because my hands just got too sore (as I do insist on using teeny tiny hooks) but then because of the heat. So I have a sheep, a cow and a monkey all calling out to me. I have also been dabbling with drawing, started my writing again...gosh...just too many things and not enough mental energy. So, I live vicariously through others, and dream of the day when I will complete my hobbies.

I am mother...Annals of a domestic diva??...

2008-05-11T16:09:00.008+10:00

Well Mother's Day was interesting. It started with two night feeds with Baby, who has a stuffy nose and is not a happy chappy. Then the morning was broken with the dulcet sounds of "mummy!" so a sleep in was out of the question, and into the lounge with Miss 2, to watch Dora the Explorer and other age appropriate delights. Of course soon after Baby woke up and joined the action. Mid morning, after a quick trip to drop off flowers to Mum and do some shopping, the domestic diva entered the kitchen: a storm was brewing. A cooking storm: bacon, eggs, roast tomatoes, mushrooms, croissants and blueberry pancakes. I was in the middle of my finest coordinated cooking effort, having delivered Miss 2 some pancakes, when after a coughing fit, she started vomiting. A quick pause for the diva delights...clean the floor...send Miss 2 off for a shower...back to cooking. Brunch was laid out, I was poised, ready for consumption, when Baby decided that he was ready too. I got to eat my food one handed. After lunch both kids fell into a deep sleep, and finally there was quiet. So I decided to make the most of it and went to have a sleep myself.

And now the day is drawing to a close, the air is starting to chill, the light is fading...Miss 2 wants cuddles, Baby is trying to eat tissues from the tissue box, I have a roast on and the dogs are pestering me to be fed.

Ah motherhood, would I swap these experiences for more sleep, quiet dinners out, no nappies, no vomit..? Are you kidding? HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

To mothers everywhere...

2008-05-11T07:55:00.005+10:00

Bear Necessities

2008-05-07T17:26:00.003+10:00

One of my first craft loves is teddy bears. The bit I hate the most is the assembly (jointing with cotter pins), so I have a few bear skins in my sewing box! I thought that I would add a few pics of my other hobbies, and found a picture of the bears I made for my wedding - all hand sewn. I bought crystals for the bride's veil, to match those on my own.

One flew over the cuckoo's nest...

2008-05-04T17:07:00.003+10:00

Who knew that one could become so attached to chickens! It seems you name something, spend time working how to tell one from another, and WHAM!! you are hooked. So when I came home from picking up SM and discovered Charlotte sitting on the pool fence (ie NOT in the coop) and Ginger nowhere to be seen, I was quite upset. A quick scout around with the torch (flashlight) did not reveal the illusive chicken. SM patted my hand, and said, "Don't worry, mummy. We'll find Ginger tomorrow."

Hubby came home and did another quick search. Nothing. Conclusion: she escaped and was living the high life or a neighbours dog got to her...

The next morning I went outside to let my girls out of their hutch when I saw Ginger running around in the pool area - where she had obviously spent the night. I was most relieved! Needless to say, as soon as hubby woke up, the chickens has their flight feathers snipped.

So much for the long weekend

2008-05-01T16:38:00.009+10:00

Well the long weekend has been and gone. I thought that I would get a chance to work on
Instead I looked after my SQUIRREL MONKEY and MR BUSY, when I wasn't helping build

Which now houses

Unfortunately these 3 are not impressed!

UFO vs WIP

2008-04-25T15:53:00.003+10:00

This long weekend (ANZAC Day) I am going to tackle some of my UFOs. They have been lurking in zip lock bags at the bottom of my WIP bag.

2008-04-23T20:51:00.003+10:00

I have been a tad bad...I have started a new project before finishing Sheepish. My poor eyes needed a break from 3 strands of black cotton!! And so begins "Udderly Mooverlous" Hopefully pics soon. As if life wasn't busy enough the "old Geiser" - the hot water variety - needs replacing, so crafting will have to take a back seat...

Frustrated

2008-04-20T08:28:00.005+10:00

Well it has been two weeks and I still haven't had a chance to finish my sheep! It is driving me crazy!!! A combination of looking after the kids, working with black (which is very hard to see, especially with tired eyes at night, and doing two at once (to make sure pattern is correct) has meant my poor little one is taking FOREVER! So I guess less moaning, more crocheting!

Anyway, here is a preview of Sheepish Shaun. He still needs another arm and leg, and a tail. Not sure whether to put a top knot on his head. Will have to make one and see what it looks like

Sheepish

2008-04-16T22:24:00.007+10:00

I am busily making a sheep -a part of my farmyard series (cow to follow). I have discovered 2 things: crocheting with 3 strand cotton and a 1mm hook (US size 10) gives one very sore fingers; and that black is a nightmare to work with! More fool me for wanting to work in minature. Hopefully I will soon have my very own "Shaun the Sheep" ...

Pulled in too many direction

2008-04-14T19:51:00.002+10:00

So many ideas, so little time!! To sleep or to crochet?? Been working on lamb for three days now! Isnt there a bubble somewhere where time ceases to exist?

Henny Penny

2008-04-07T16:16:00.003+10:00

Hoorah, Henny Penny is finished. Now for those experienced in the craft, this project would have taken an hour or so. But for me it is quite an achievement to complete it in a day and a bit (sooner if I hadn't run out of materials). The children helped: by leaving me be for long enough to get it done! So now I want to try make a series of similar shaped critters: a frog, a sheep...? We will see. What is in my minds eye does not always translate to the 3D form.

Download pattern (pdf) here

Just a little chicken

2008-04-07T09:37:00.002+10:00

I am so excited. I have just got two new books on amigurumi from the library! The whole concept of recently published books being available from our library is so novel, I am still buzzing! Wow!

I have started to fiddle with a hen, gaining so much inspiration from
Crochet Animals by Annie Obaachan (I feel like a big sponge at the moment).The shape of the hen is a basic egg shape. The comb is a chain of shells -inspired by Annie's Lion's Mane.And the wings are from her penguin. I love the wings...shape without bulk (tried cone but too bulky for such a small
item).

So my little hen is now awaiting feet and eyes, but sadly have run out of the yellow thread I used for her beak, so a trip to the shops is in order...

Kangaroo

2008-04-05T16:26:00.010+10:00

After making the hatchlings, I started making a cat from a book I had recently purchased (Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts! Amigurumi). Typically, while my hands were busy, my mind was buzzing. I was thinking about ideas for Mother's day and suddenly I knew I wanted to make a kangaroo. So the cat was relegated to a bag and I began the search for a pattern.

I guess if I am known for one thing, it is saying, "oh I love that pattern, I have to make it. Except I would change..." and from there the tweaking and adaptation starts...In this case I couldn't find a complete pattern that I was happy with, so bits came from here, and there, and bits were tweaked and then I ran into a problem. I wanted a particular type of back leg, but couldn't understand the pattern. So now I have to thank a wonderful lady: June from PlanetJune. I sent an email asking her for help, thinking that she would send me a site with a tutorial. Instead she crocheted a section for me and sent me some photos. Once I knew what the section was supposed to look like, I could fiddle until mine looked the same. A BIG thank you.

And so here she is, "my little kangaroo."

She stands about 7.5cm (3 inches) from head to base (not including ears). I used 3 ply acrylic baby wool and a size 2mm needle. The pouch is corduroy. I used 4mm onyx beads for the eyes.

My little mama needed a baby. So using 3 strand embroidery cotton and size 1 mm needle, the joey was born.

Easter Hatchlings

2008-03-25T11:29:00.008+10:00

With Easter fast approaching, I wanted to make some Easter Hatchlings for my daughter's daycare class. I have just learned how to crochet and wanted to practice my 'new skill'.

Unable to draft my own pattern, I set about looking for one on the web. I found the perfect pattern (cute, easy and quick) at PLANET JUNE. These are the cute acorns that inspired my CHICK-A DEES.

With my creations in full swing, I showed my husband, who questioned why the acorns had yellow caps? After adding eyes, he said that they looked like evil acorns. Undeterred, I continued and added beaks. I would have preferred to use button eyes, but given the age of my target audience, I embroidered them instead.

Given that I have been crocheting less than a month, I am happy with my first project.

Owl and the Pussy Cat

2008-03-24T23:53:00.006+10:00

Or...HOOT and MEOW.

After making teddies and other soft animal toys from a variety of woven back fur fabrics, a friend introduced me to the world of SOFTIES. I fell in love straight away. It was a little daunting - I am not used to sewing with regular fabric.

I decided that my first project would be the "Owl and the Pussy Cat" . I found so much inspiration on the net. In particular, I love the range of animals at LucyKateCrafts. However, I also really like owls that are made so that the back fabric forms the front peak of the owl. This would also look good with my matching cat. With all these ideas in mind, I set about drafting some patterns.

Once I was happy with the designs, and I had chosen my fabric, I set about hand sewing my creations (I hand sew all my toys). While my toys are NOT in the league of LucyKateCrafts. I was happy with my attempts. And then I stuffed them.

OK so now I confess to a blonde moment. It just did not occur to me that the lovely pink striped fabric I had chosen was a stretch fabric. So my creations are a little rounder than I had anticipated. Well, not one to abandon a project half way through, I put it down to experience and pushed on.

And here are the finished duo, with the back details showing (again inspired by LucyKateCrafts. ). Despite all their flaws and foibles, my daughter loves them!

One day I will redo them in non-stretch fabric...but at the moment, enjoying dabbling with other patterns, designs and techniques...