A crafty corner makeover, more knitted hats, a bit of colour and an amazing find

Hello my dear blogfriends!

Thanks for your patience, it's been a bit longer between posts this time. Firstly, my daughter came to stay for a second time! So we've been out and about a fair bit and generally things have been rather busy. In addition to that, I'm still suffering from a horrible cold that refuses to go away, this morning I woke up with a nasty sore throat that feels like I swallowed a cheese grater!!!

Let me say another thanks and welcome to all my new followers, it is lovely to have you all here!
Thanks for all your lovely comments on my last post!

A crafty corner makeover

This time I want to show you the result of my tidying, clearing up and re-organising my little crafty corner. Unfortunately I did not take a photo of the towering inferno that was piling up on top of my craft cabinet, so I can only show you the 'after' photos. Let me assure you that this is a huge improvement and it pleases me much more to look at it now! It took me an entire afternoon, so be warned if you start something like this! But of course, you could sort out just a small corner to start with! I know I got a lot more to do!

My craft cabinet after the makeover!

Displaying some favourite little things

My vintage Spool holder

More treasures!

I love buttons!!!

My various drawers that I painted about 2 years ago

A couple of summers ago, I was really into painting my various wooden drawers, some of which I had for years, plus I managed to find some more here in charity shops! Finally I can access these drawers better! And now they house lots of crafty bits and pieces! When ordering your materials, you can be totally creative - lots of glass jars, liquid washing tabs containers, even food containers, biscuits tins etc can all be used. I find it works best for me when I can see the contents such as the buttons in the jars, but other things are best out of sight (in drawers or trays).

The printers tray, and the children's sewing box were also charity shop finds previously!

Do you have any useful storage ideas that work well for you?


Some finished projects

The following 2 projects have been finished meanwhile the week before. Here are some in progress pictures.

This is my second Alpaca Shawl - meanwhile finished!

21.01.15 Finished this hat for a friend

More knitted hats

When my daughter came back, I knitted her a headband and another hat, plus a new hat for myself, all within 2 days!!!

The knitted headband before it was sewn together

Left hat for me, Right hat and headband for my daughter

And here once more, all my recent knits made from Rico yarn

A bit of colour

Well, by now you probably come to expect quite a bit of colour when you come to visit this blog, right? This is a little bit different! Yes, I'm doing colouring in for adults and it is great fun. I tend to buy a weekly notebook/magazine called flow weekly which I use for making notes, drawing charts and more! This is a page that was for colouring in! But I also bought a big colouring in book! Have any of you tried it? I'd be interested to find out!

An amazing find!

Look at this! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it! A handknitted tunic in Autumn colours (sorry, the colours do not come out so well in this picture which I took in the charity shop when I saw it!)

I tried it on and it fitted me fine, so I had to have it! My daughter agreed that it suits me! In fact, I am wearing it today. What is more, I totally appreciate that someone has handmade it (I can imagine how much hard work went into it, not to mention the amount of colourful yarn and how much it must have cost!) Needless to say I only paid a snip for it! Plus I found a lovely grey jumper with mohair and silk (not handmade), that also gives me a favourite comfy jumper feel!

However, all this has not put me off wanting to knit my own jumpers!

I want to wish you all a happy weekend, what are your plans? Have you scheduled in some crochet or knitting time?

As always, I love reading your comments, so feel free to leave me yours!

Growing flowers, some unexpected gifts, a(nother) knitted hat, and Springflower Squares

Hello my dear blogfriends!

Thanks so much for all your kind comments on my last post! Seems there was something for everybody!

Welcome to my latest new followers, it's lovely to see you here!

Some of you have started following me on instagram which is fun!!!

Growing Flowers

No, not actual flowers, but those of a crochet nature! You may recall my recent post here. Well, on Sunday I finally had the chance to continue on this project. So far I had crocheted 21 tiny flowers, I continued until I had got a total of 40, plus a made a larger flower, too. The tiny flowers were meant to be Forget Me Nots (which I love), and often they came in slightly different shades, not just blue! I used Lang Mille Colori Baby and a tiny 1.5mm hook!

I love making Crochet Jewellery, I have made lots of it in the past before I started this blog!

I used 2 bronze coloured chains and matching findings. I connected each flower with the next with little jump rings, then added a lobster clasp closure.

The beauty of this necklace (apart from the tiny flowers) is how versatile it is, because it can be worn in different ways!

My Tiny Flower Necklace

The Pendant Flower which can be attched in different places

Detail of the lobster clasp closure

Version 1: double layered necklace with pendant flower

 

Version 2: Flower Necklace and Chain necklace together form one long necklace

Versions 3+4: Two seperate necklaces

The lovely colour run between the flowers

Pendant Flower is 3cm, the tiny flowers are 1.5cm

 

You could also clip the Pendant Flower at the back of the neck, this looks nice and eyecatching, especially if you wear your hair short!

I really love how this necklace has turned out, it is so delicate and pretty!


Some unexpected gifts

Both yesterday and today I had some wonderful surprises in the post!

A lovely craft book and a colourful planner

My brother and his wife send me the Dawanda Craft Book and an amazing Calendar with their own photos taken in Tenerife!

A good friend sent me a very colourful planner!!!

A wonderful Photo Calendar

A Knitting Compendium (in Dutch)

And I got the answer to all my knitting questions in the shape of a very thick and thorough book from the parents of my partner!


A(nother) knitted hat

Yes, I am knitting yet another hat, this one is a commission for a friend who recently asked me to make her one practically identical to mine in Red. (I recently blogged about it here). It will soon be finished!

A knitted hat in Red

New Springflower Squares

Well, I really should have finished the hat this morning, but fate intervened and I saw this free pattern online on the blog Made with loops!

So, what did I do? Yes, you guessed it, I started playing with yarn! I brought out my Scheepjeswol Stonewashed yarn and select 2 different colourschemes (total 6 colours).

Here you can see the results! I made 4 granny squares which measure about 9.5cm each. This is such a pleasant and fun pattern and not difficult (especially if you tried making traditional granny squares before). The flowers make it cheerful and funky! ;) Give it a go!!!

Trying out a new pattern!

My first Springflower Square (Pattern by Heike Gittins)

I quite like the flowers at the front with just 3 rows!

20.01.15 Ta-dah!! The 4 Springflower Squares I made today!

Right, after all this crochet diversion I really must be getting back to my hat knitting!!!

As always, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! I really love getting your comments and reading them, so please leave me a little note or two...

It's a small world

Welcome back!

How was your week? Did you all have a good one? (I hope so). Are you looking forward to the weekend? Have you planned in some crocheting or knitting in your spare time! Great!!!

Here is a little look back at my week so far:

It's a small world

I wanted to push my skills into a new direction, so I went SMALL. I was inspired by Japanese Crochet Books which feature many cute and tiny little projects.

This is my own take: A doublesided Sunflower, crocheted together in the middle with shell stitches to make the petals. Add a loop to attach a cord - Voila! A new pendant on a necklace which also doubles up as an useful pincushion!!! (The inside is filled with lots of toy stuffing!)

13.01.15 Finished Sunflower Pendant/Pincushion

My oldest daughter left early this morning. She had brought her own (and first big) crochet project along! She made this Bender hat for someone as a present!!! (I only gave her some small tips when it came to crocheting the eye balls and attaching the arial at the end!) I'm really proud of her!!! (Own pattern!)

14.01.15 My oldest daughter finished her Bender hat!!!

Yesterday we recovered after having gone to Brussels the day before. My daughter carved some stampers (more of that later).

First I crocheted a tiny teacup (with saucer). Then I decided I wanted to make an animal! I had come across this adorable small elephant via Pinterest. So I started making one without a pattern! My elephant is barely 3cm long (5cm including the tiny tail and the trunk!) I think the original one is most likely more than 2 or 3 times as big!!!

Last, not least, I saw this - an octopus, so I made one, too! My little octopus is only 1.5cm small in the body (and 3cm with all tentacles spread out!)

For all this projects I used a tiny hook size (1.5mm) with wool that normally needs 3-3.5mm (Mille Colori).

15.01.15 Finished Tiny Elephant Amigurumi

It's a small world!!!!

15.01.15 Elephant, Octopus and Teacup Amigurumi

Here you can see a 5.5cm spool of Guetermann thread for size comparison

10.01.15 Fingercrocheted Rubber Necklace and Fabric Brooch

Knitting WIPs

1. My second Black Alpaca Boucle Shawl

Thankfully Julija's Woolshop finally received their shipment of new DROPS yarn, yay!!! So I continued with the shawl.

16.01.15 My second Black Alpaca Shawl

2. My knitted 'Stripy Thing' (which will probably become a sleeveless jumper/pullover)

16.01.15 My Stripy Thing WIP

2 colourways of Invicta alternating

A visit to Rotterdam

Last saturday we had a family trip to Rotterdam (NL). We wanted to visit a museum and went to Het Nieuwe Institut (Architecture). We walked around the exhibits which showed various solutions to the housing situation in Rotterdam. It was fascinating! I loved looking at the models and sketches!

Crafting in the Museum

Then my oldest daughter found the workshop corner!!! We were in heaven!!! There were plenty of materials to make things with. The idea was to contribute any 'artwork' to the exhibition.

We decided on carving our own stampers out of erasers!!!! This proved so much fun that it was a revelation!!! We printed some of our designs onto sheets of paper (see mine below).

I then made a white fingercrocheted rubbernecklace and started on sewing a fabric/felt hexagon brooch which is not quite finished yet (see photo above). I also made some 'eye' magnets using printed fabric!

Het Nieuwe Institut, Rotterdam

 

10.01.15 My finished sheets of selfcarved stamper printing

Because of this experience we have been making stampers since Monday!!! I managed to find a good supply of large plain rubbers. These were mostly made by my daughter (hers are amazing!!!), I made the squiggly one, the snowcapped mountain, an abstract one and a little house (only half seen).

You can find a lot more images on my brand new instagram page!

 I found this inspirational (outside the museum):

Don't worry, everything will be alright!

Sunset in Rotterdam

A Day trip to Brussels

On Wednesday we went to Brussels by bus! I took my knitting for the journey! :) We wandered around the 'touristy' bits, such as the Grote Markt, saw Tin-Tin and a million chocolate shops!

Tin-Tin

14.01.15 Brussels Grote Markt (plus following photos)

Two (of my 3) daughters leading the way (and wearing my knits!)

Today is a Good Day!

Last night I spent with my oldest daughter, crocheting, laughing, instagramming together. We went to bed really late (and she had to get up only a few hours later to leave for the airport)! I really loved having her here, I hadn't seen her since her graduation in the summer which is a very long time indeed. We cooked some fabulous vegetarian meals together and we both got stampermania now!!! I miss her already, of course I do!

I thought today would be a difficult day to get through. However, this morning I woke up with energy and decided to get out for some errands. Later in the afternoon I went into town (Antwerp). This is what the weather looked like! No, I didn't alter the photos, they are completely unedited! What a wonderful blue sky!!!

16.01.15 Schelle 3pm

Our street

Schelle Church

Schelle Main road

Well, I hope you have enjoyed reading this post about my week. Let me know what you think, what your plans are for the weekend, etc. I love hearing from you all!