Monday, December 6, 2010

Spats and Scarves again Oh my.

Just a quick post to keep updated as I have been stuck in a procrastination mood and am now getting this and my vintage blog and youtube up to date as I need to start sewing some clothes asap.While other things are not done my creative flow wont work lol.
Anyhow...
I have sent all my gift exchange gifts to their new homes and they have all been recieved with much happiness. Yay.

This is my last gift send and would be halfway to the USA by now.


A close up remember he is of scottish descent hence the tartan fabric Be great if it was his tartan too.

aspt

Happy Crafting ,
Granny

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Spats Giveaway Contest

If you would like to own these spats

just follow and subscribe to my blog and then enter a comment on why you would like to have them.Everyone who does this will all go into a draw and have equal chance to win.Name will be drawn on the 10th December,
Now just be warned these spats will have a differnt lining on each one (I had a brain burp and used the last of the lining on 2 lefties) but you wont be able to tell from the outside.
Hope to see a great amount of comments.

Goodluck,

Granny

The spats arent pink as they look they are olive,marron,red and orange patterned and the loning isnt blue as shown they are cream coloured.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Busy little me and my new sewing machine.

I thought I would drop in and show the items (pic heavy) I have created in last few weeks.I think I have almost finished my gift exchange gifts (thusfar) just have another pair or 2 of Spats to make.

I ended up making 2 more pairs of the Alice Cuffs one in red again and one in an eggplant colour (purple or aubergine to be exact)They were a request by one of my exchange gift people,she saw my blog and LOVED them so much I had to make her a pair.

Here is my blocking of the cuffs (on old body board kids broke).My 1st blocking of knitting ever, was when I made my 1st pair of Alice cuffs.Blocking is a must when you knit anything with a lace effect.

I made another neckwarmer in the purple for another gift and must say my flowers have improved 100% since my 1st attempts.


I made a mans neckwarmer and added a Indian flint as a button as I know he is of Native American decent
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I also finished the other 2 scarves for the other fellows.Here is one he also gets the black spats.


My spats came out quite well but still have room for improvement.Next pair will be in tartan as they are for a fella of Scottish decent.


My biggest excitment for the week is my new sewing machine (bliss).Its a Janome and its been many years since I had a new machine.My old one is a Brother bought for me by my hubby way back in the early 90s .I wanted a machine that will do heavier fabrics and I have been told the Janome is the way to go and the buttonholer is a dream.The brother will go in for a service next week and will now be one for the grandkids to learn on.I am so excited by my machine and I think my knitting is finished unless I have more requests so will get stuck in to sewing for a bit


I am really keen to get into some more spats in denim and lace etc so stay tuned.

I also started a crosstitch of this gypsy lady.
Another lady I have met online at Craftster is also doing the same lady.Its a tad hard for my old eyes to do crosstitch so wil be a long process but I will get there.

Thats it for now must parcel up my gifts and get them off.

May your crafty days be many,
Granny.

Oh I almost forgot I had to make a mermaid outfit and a genie hat for the kids here is the mermaid outfit no pattern was used and she was one happy little mermaid.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Now I am Hooked

on crochet.I have been making the most adorably easy,feminine, pretty little scarflettes.Saw them on one of my youtube friends (she bought hers from etsy) and decided to have a go at making one( I hate buying when I know I can make myself).The pattern is made up just a heap of chain as long as you like then going back over those chains with a stitch (I dunno what its called tho) do a few rows for the scarf and then make the flowers and attach brooch pins on the back so they can be placed where you want.The original one she had also used chiffony type flower brooch as well instead of 2 crocheted ones. But I have none at the moment so did the 2 crochet ones.You could also add a vintage brooch as my youtube friend suggested.Here they are


They were cheap to make as the wool was bought at an opshop and was brand new and I had the pearls,clips and other yarn already.
Hope you liked them.

I am keeping my original one and will wear it next winter (its the one on my neck)The other is going as a gift to America.I am going to make a few of these in different colours as they are fun and quick to make.
Thought I'd share before time gets away from me.

Till I craft again,
GrannyB

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Just a quick post ...

Been having a few days rest from knitting I think that craze may be nearly over for now but I must finish off at least 2 mens scarves 1st so I can send them on their way.My wool basket is overflowing now as I have picked up alot of lovely balls from the opshops since I started.Least I will have plenty when my knitting or even crochet craze starts again as it will.
Today I am only sharing a couple of things one is a crocheted hat I made for the sister of the young boy who is getting the lions jumper the pattern is made up.

The funny looking book marks are for their mum also in crochet one is supposed to be a sunflower and the other is supposed to be a spider ( there really is 8 legs) with a web.


Now I am not the most proficient crocheter just a basic one tho have always wanted to get into harder patterns.Maybe one day? I hope she likes them any way, as she is an avid reader they will come in handy I am sure.
Well thats it short and sweet.
Till next time happy crafting

GrannyB

Thursday, October 14, 2010

A few of my completed items

I have not been here for awhile due to being busy creating and also packing up and moving and unpacking again.I am still in the middle my knitting craze and have finished the items in last post plus a couple of others.
I decided to leave the dragonfly square as it was as I didn't have enough if the same colour to continue it as a scarf.She can use it as a placemat for her coffee or whatever she so wishes.
The Lion jumper is complete and ready to send and wasn't too bad to make but I really do detest seaming!!I did learn how to do mattress stitch for seaming tho thanks to youtube.

I created some ankle and wrist cuffs for a gift exchange to a lady in Canada who does different dress up themes.The pattern was quite simple and can be found at Ravelry.Was my 1st attempt at blocking.It truly is a great place for patterns many of which are free.She has sent me some very sweet beaded jewellery.

I also found this spider that was knitted to be attached to a childs hat and I have turned it into a redback spider albiet a huge one and added a pin so it can be worn as a brooch.I will be making these again but will try and add some wire in the legs to make them sit where I want.

I ditched the last dragon scarf due to it not being a thick enough ply and started another which is also going as a gift exchange to a lady in the USA for her son.She sent me a cute brooch in the form of an antique watch face with a ribbon.

I am now creating my own version of a Dr Who scarf as another gift to a fellow in the USA (not sure what he will create for me as yet) The link above is very informative. This link is good one for Aussies to follow with needle size and ply wool we understand.Be warned the doing garter stitch row after row can be a tad boring but is simple to do while reading and watching TV so is also a no brainer.I dropped a stitch today ,luckily is on the side and will sew it up without undoing any stitches.
The colours are not DR Whoish at all but I may even attempt doing a proper one in the near future for another gentleman I know.The pink is there as this particular fellow said he doesnt mind some hot pink thrown in.

I am looking forward to getting into some crosstitch as soon as these items are done.


Well think thats it for now happy crafting one and all.
Granny.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

My Craft Basket Runneth Over

I am on one of my creative bents again.Which is not an unusual thing for me.The trouble with that tho is it doesnt seem to stay in a basket but overflows and fills a whole area then a room and then keeps on growing.While I am renting I am trying to keep it all contained but its hard and I look forward to having my own space one day.I have been promised a double garage when our house is built as my craft come office come storage and junk room and I cannot wait.(next year early I hope.

I have really been a crafting person since about 5 or 6 when I was shown how to knit.It was an ugly scrap of pink knitting that I proudley kept for many years and even used for show and tell a couple of times.I must have been quite proud even tho it was only about 20 rows of holes and crooked edges that seemed to expand as it grew.I wonder when I threw it out? It may be gone but will never be forgotten.

Since that time I have learnt (not always well) how to do many things and will continue to learn and create even tho I may be a master of none.

In this blogging journal I will share all the new things I have started and the finished items also (if it is not placed in my UFO basket for too long that I forget its there I do have a few I remember).Lets hope this blogging will motivate me into completing those long awaited UFOs.
As I am now a granny and for some reason I didnt pass my creative gene to my own children I have taken it upon myself to teach the grandchildren the joys of creating their own things.This I will also share as we progress thru the crafts.

In the last week or so I was busy creating costumes for my grandies for school as you can see and the 3 older ones who are at school all won in their class so the effort was worth it.The mad hatter hat and the jacket ideas were from following this tutorial from Threadbangers on You Tube.

At the moment I am in the process of a childs jumper for a face book friends young son.

Pattern is out of a book from Spotlight and is called Moda Impact Issue5


I am also knitting what is called an illusion scarf for a craft swap with a lady in the USA.Can you see the dragonfly you cant see it front on only as you l;ook along it. I got the pattern from Ravelry its a free pattern.This Dragon Scarf pattern is also free at Ravelry its for the grandson and is a simple and fast project to do.


Till next time may your crafting days be blissfully fruitful and a lot of fun.