Crafty Mermaid

Until recently I didn't bother to block my crochet, but I really like the tidyness of how my blocked crochet looks - less homemade and more handmade.  So here's my process, laid out in all its simplistic glory! Materials: 1. Music 2. Ironing Board 3. Iron 4. Spray Bottle 5. Old Towel (to lay crochet on) 6. Thin Teatowel (to place on top of crochet between it and the iron) 7. Pins Warning: unfortunately this only works for natural yarns :( Step 1: Music - I like Imelda May for this! Step 2: Put an old towel on your ironing board (just in case the colour runs and also one you don't need!) Step 3: Pin the crochet to the ironing board and towel. In this scarf I added a pin about every three repeats (or an inch an a half) - there's two pins in the image below - can you spot them?  Usually I add about three pins along the row. Step 4: Spray liberally with water. Step 5: Place tea towel over the crochet so you don

Two lined pencil cases.  I'm really happy with how these turned out.  Bright and cheery!  

My grandmother found one of my early cross stitch projects - Sylvester and Tweety.  I have no idea what age I was when I created this particular masterpiece but the back is hilarious!  I'm going to guess 10 as I know it was in primary school.  Thankfully my work has got a LOT neater .

I bought three vouchers for painting mugs at the same ceramics place that ran the recent painting kitchen tea I attended.  Unfortunately one of the girls who I bought a voucher for wasn't able to visit as planned so I nabbed another friend and we all set forth to paint some mugs.  I'm fairly happy with this one and hopefully it comes out properly in the firing.  One of my friends opted for the stripped approach.

  I can't recall where this vintage pattern came from - but I've vague recollections of my mother giving it to me.  As that's standard Irish font in the bottom left corner, its a pretty good guess, I reckon.   The kit contained the pre-cut pattern pieces (and a slightly mouldy smell!). it even came with binding and elastic.   The finished items!  The apron is very light and probably could have benefitted from lining. But as I sewed it up in a sewing group I didn't have any to hand.  One of my house guests saw it when I came home - so its already got a good home to go to! Why yes, that is a headband!  Its hilarious - very dinner lady. Stunning, don't ya think? Another project out - Its been very satisfying this year getting all the projects finished.  I also sewed up the cross stitch Christmas stocking but there's still a bit of work left to finish it and then find a name to cross stitch on the top.

We've had a tonne of house projects this year and currently the house's siding is being fixed.  If the weatherboard is cracked or rotten, we're replacing it.  If a lot is coming off we're putting insulation in behind it.  Lots of hammering and sawing and lots of scary pictures! We had a fun afternoon tracking down the colour of the house paint.  As it turns out, its Wattyl's Flemish Blue (Deep Base, Solagard, B 144.0, E 280.0, V84.0, KX 144.0).  I love this colour and need to think about sheen's for when we get the house repainted next year.  For now we just went with the closest to the tin we already had.  One side of the house is done and we've painted a first coat of the blue. We've also had scaffolding up for a while.  Its been hard to get in and out of the house with it though - this is our entrance walkway. This is the other side of the house after a day's work removing the weatherboards.  There's a lot more work required

Our friends got their ceramics from the painting party back.  The colours look very different once they've been fired.  BM's bowl came out great.  I love the gun and the hand-drawn cartoon look. My friend also made this moustache cup for her new husband. Here's a selection of the bowls and cups.  I love the green polkadots. And my offering - I was a bit disappointed with this as the paint on the lines ran a bit and I didn't quite get the paint coverage I wanted.  But not a bad first effort.  Unfortunately the stunning octopus cup and saucer didn't make it as the handle came detached from the cup in the firing.  :(

I had a quick finished project this weekend.  Sometime last year (or eek, I think it was the year before) I crocheted a stack of treble rectangles I wanted to turn into a cushion.  Unfortunately the yarn was very slippy and the cushion I had envisaged just wasn't taking shape.  Last week while rumaging through boxes, I came across them and quickly turned them into sunny summery bunting.  A quick flower (ala Lucy at Attic24 ) added to both ends and a very happy make. I also had the ingenious idea of using pegs to hold them onto the curtain.  Unfortunately as its coming into winter here, I can't keep them there and I've added them to the present box for the next special occasion instead.

One of the things I love about sewing is being able to 'rescue' items I'd have to give up on before, like these two flight pillows. Both had lost their 'bounce' and were looking sad and sunken.   I had originally intended to rescue the black pillow but punctured a hole in it when unstitching the side.  The blue pillow was more amenable and had a hidden funnel which I used to fill up with the micro foam beads from the other pillow.   Ta-dah!  One 'good as new' airline pillow.  Long haul flights here I come (well next year definitely!)