inspired by the colours of the new season

a bracelet made for a friend simply by sewing easy to make disks onto a french chain (see the post a couple of weeks ago) or an i cord - each disk made by making 6 chain, slip stitch in first chain to form a ring, then working 18 single crochet (UK - dc) into the ring, working over the tail end and finishing with a slip stitch into the top of the first stitch. Pull the tail end to tighten the hole in the middle a little and secure it by threading it through some of the single crochet stitches, the other end is sewn onto the cord - use one of the disks to make a catch which will slip into a loop which you have tied at one end of the cord.

B-rilliance...

B for Bolt... B for Blake... amazing!
(knitted alphabet letters coming soon...)

go for gold...

...or any colour you like - we've had such fun so far this holiday not only watching the fantastic games coverage but also making these wrist bands - a free pattern from fabulous crafty mag 'craft sanity' available from here - truly easy enough for children to make (and there is also one of my doll patterns in there for free too and a how to make ice lollies from a pack of jelly)... so keep your cool & go for it!

looking book

my new patterns are now available from etsy & ravelry  - just click the linked words  -  I'm selling them as individual patterns - horse or bear or elephant or as all three together (you'll see what I mean when you pop to the shops) but do have a look first and see if you like them - there are some free patterns in this 'look book' too!

& a cornish sardine too

'though not a real one... can you imagine that?! whoofwhatawhiff

P.S...

...and i've made a crocheted covered pebble paper weight (try saying that fast, or after a glass or two of vino... or both?!!) for another teacher who is leaving to teach in spain - thought she may want to take a little bit of cornwall with her! - p.p.s i don't have a pattern for this but there are loads on the web...

hey teacher!

would you mind leaving the room whilst i show the others how to make you a stress ball for a leaving gift!
gone? ok -

1. knit a ball by following the simple and quick (& free) pattern found here.
2. get your kid to draw a picture of a person's face wrecked with angst (can be a picture of someone you know - i don't think James' resembles me though? I hope! Mmm!?) onto a piece of scrap fabric or felt (the ball i made, which uses aran yarn and 5mm/ US8 needles, measured 2.5inches diameter)
3. cut around the face (use pinking shears if you're using fabric - felt is fine as it doesn't fray)
4. sew the face to the ball taking care not to pierce the bag inside which contains whatever you like  to stuff it - i remember reading somewhere that cornflower was good for juggling balls so that's what i used.
... and that's it - one squishy superbly suitable stress ball (our teacher at the moment will have James again next year so he will use this for sure!)

knitted log cabin...

i'm in the process of making a puffed-up-like-a-pillow log cabin quilt for my new 'bear friends' patterns (last project - yay!) - however do i add the odd fabric log or not? (going to make one for myself too with large chunky yarn and big needles. hey - we can make one together when i post up the pattern (next week i hope before the kids break up for summer) watch this space...

❤ art...

looking through some old digital pics and found these artworks that my children have done... harry, may and james' gallery...

details, details...

small things are so not unassuming and insignificant they all add up to make the whole simply wonderful...

living in a suitcase...

i was searching for an item i had knitted for my knitted bears book to answer a reader's query the other day unzipped one of the suitcases in which i keep all my knitty bits and saw some old friends - friends who sadly never make it as they are my trials, see the way i work,  i knit things then adjust and adjust the design which means having quite a lot of abandoned... er - how can i put this without hurting their feelings ...'cast-offs' - quite a good pun considering we are talking about knitting here - sorry, i di-gress... however, dry your eyes - they have a moment of fame right here, right now... let's hear it for...

it's the little things that mean so much...

it's my birthday today and this has made my day - found in my cereal bowl this morning after she had gone to school...

taking time to smell the roses...

i've bought some in the house because there is no way of enjoying them outside at the moment - so wet, damp and gloomy - still they smell gorgeous and add that ray of sunshine that is so missed here in UK at the moment! Alfie is enjoying them too... question if the day - do elephants use their trunk to smell with too?

cakes, cakes, cakes...

why?... well it was my daughter's birthday last week and mine next week - we both love cakes... so - here are some pinteresting ones... have a very sweet and delicious day!