Working on...

Trying to line up stripes...!

Short yellow wellington boots (or gum boots).

Some furry warmth.

Ballet shoe ties.

Sorting bits of tutu fabric - cut from some real tutu's, sent to me for these custom dolls!

I've been working on these at the same time as the Twiggy inspired doll.

It felt like I hadn't made a doll in ages and now I'm jumping head long back into it again!

Miss 11 has been working on another flower brooch - a poppy.

Its alot more difficult this time, and has taken her a while.

Its a pattern from an American crochet book, that she translated to English crochet.

The brooch is being sent off to a clever crafter to test out durability!x

Her Creative Space

I know I've talked before, about our 11 year old having taken up crochet.

There are phases, as with all children. Sometimes she has too many other distractions going on.

But every know and then she comes back to crochet, usually starting off following a pattern

and then turning it into something of her own design.

She has been taking it to school sometimes, and has had a negative reaction from certain girls in her class.

You know - the ones who don't like anyone being themselves.

They don't like someone who doesn't follow the crowd, fit in with what they construe is 'cool'.

But - this is now changing.

She has stood up for herself. Others at school have expressed an interest in crochet, 

and she has started teaching them. They are absolutely loving it.

Not only are they enjoying it - they are making new friends and socializing in a different way.

(instead of gossip and sillyness in the playground)

It is helping some of them who have issues with bullying/anxiety etc.

Such a positive outcome I did not see coming.

Got to love a negative situation that is turned on its head!

Anyway - pictured above is the brooch that Miss 11 was 

commissioned to make for a mum up at school - so exciting!!x

update :: she is now teaching her teacher how to make a granny square!!

more creative spaces here

Wordless Wednesday :: Wool

I think someone needs her own blog...

Miss "nearly 11" hasn't done any crochet for a while.

Then came the teachers birthday - today!

So she made a flower brooch (which we forgot to photograph before wrapping).

And last night, she made a granny square birthday card to go with it.

Using a 3mm hook and the yarn I used for the popcorn stitch dress on Gertie.

A sewn frame around it and leaving the ends hanging loose.

Then, this was her this morning with my old camera -

gotta do a photo shoot before I take it to school!

Love it.

Happy Birthday to the lovely Selina today too!!xx

Gertie

This is Miss Gertie! Her dress is crochet popcorn stitch and she is wearing white net stockings

 with leopard print ankle cuffs. She has a matching handbag, merino wool hair 

and a sparkling black necklace - which can be worn as a bracelet by her new owner. 

Not for younger children, as she has a vintage button on her handbag and also in her hair!

I won't be making any more new dolls for the shop for a while

as I'll be making stock for a market coming up soon!x

more creative spaces over here

Feel Better Cuff

Heres the latest handmade from Miss 10.

She's been flitting from one crochet project to another in the holidays.

Not really finishing anything. But when she has someone to make for - 

thats a bit different!

Using a 4mm hook that she found at the oppie (very unusual, as its usually all knitting needles there),

she made this cuff. The middle is double crochet and the frill is made up.

Finished with a vintage button from my stash.

She made this for a girl around the same age as her, who she has never met.

It is to put a smile on her face and hopefully make her feel a little better.x

Mini Granny Cuff

These look like grannyish jellyfish multiplying!

So these granny squares are

made from embroidery thread with a 3mm hook.

They measure about 1 1/2 inches square.

After stitching them together, and only one coat of fabric stiffener -

they were firm but still had movement.

 (thought I'd have to add more than that!)

Added a couple of snap fasteners.

Just as well it was only one coat of fabric stiffener - otherwise it

 would have been a nightmare to sew through!

And its a mini granny square cuff for my crochet girl for Xmas!

(So hard to photograph this).

I found an arm to model it, the only thing is - she wants one now as well!

 You can just see the snap fasteners holding it together in this shot.

I've still got one granny left, that can be made into a brooch too - yay!xx

****

PS. I haven't shown you what my crochet girl (Miss 10)

made for her teachers birthday last week:

It wasn't small - about the size of the palm of your hand.

I hope she makes some really big ones sometime!x

A little handmade gift

The girls school are celebrating World Teachers Day today.

And even though Miss 10 has had a really busy week of homework, 

spelling and a project to finish - she still managed to make a necklace

for her new teacher.

She crocheted some navy and also a mix of aqua blues.

I gave her a strip of pretty fabric and 

after bunching them together - just zig zagged across!

I hope these buttons dried in time!

Happy World Teachers Day Miss French!x

Today...

...we ventured out and found this brilliant 

tape measure ribbon in a stationary shop.

It was such a good deal, I wish we'd got some more now of course!

But we also managed to get to a market. 

It was very quiet and not many stall holders -

 I think because we've had alot of thunder and lightening today.

I bought these wonderful oven gloves from Liddle Apples

 (tagged with Embelish).

They are made from a lovely vintage linen tea towel.

Yay - I don't have to try and make them myself - and I love the fabric!

Little Miss Crochet managed to score some chopsticks,

and proceeded to knit with them on the way home.

(yes, she has started carrying wool around in her handbag now - 

don't know where she gets that from).

A bit of pom pom

... and a crochet frill collar,

 black hearts,

and mustard trim boots.

These two have ended up being a bit too colour coordinated!

Let me know if you think the pom poms are too big!

Ta. xx

My Creative Space - popcorn lampshade

My Creative Space looked like this at the beginning of the week.

(bit of a mess out of shot for sure)

I'm always looking out for wood lampshade bases at charity shops.

I got this one ages ago in New Zealand.

 Its been sat in a box for far too long.

So at 3am the other morning(during another bout of insomnia)

 I stitched the granny squares together and had a go at the popcorn stitch.

I got the hang of it - but it is much more difficult when you

 do one line of them ontop of another!

Anyway - so this is granny squares, a row of treble,

two rows of popcorn stitch and then two more rows of treble stitch.

I've stitched it together at the back,

 so it can be easily changed when the big girl gets sick of it!

I think it would look good completely covered with popcorn stitch now ...

More creative spaces here.x

Freya and Astrid

A couple of new girls for Etsy and Made It!

Miss Freya is over here.

And Miss Astrid is here.

I'm unable to take on any more custom order dolls for the next few weeks, as we will be moving - hopefully - soon. (Packing by myself is going to take a while!) If you are thinking of getting a doll made for christmas, start having a think about what you would like or if you need to sort out sentimental clothes to send. Then let me know in plenty of time!xx

Certain things

... like a crochet poncho,

boots made from a vintage curtain,

an old button in black wavy hair,

the sideways glance from dark blue eyes,

and a sparkly vintage skirt (just a little too puffed out) -

makes for my new favourite doll!

The poncho was actually made first, then the doll to go with it.

She's over at my Made It store.

And that bloke trying to lead her away is over at Etsy!

(Edit: both sold!)