Bearskin Buddies

Just a quick reminder that today is the LAST DAY of July... 

So if you're participating in the Bearskin Rug Challenge, you need to post your finished photos today.

Meanwhile, I had a craft meet at my place today - and Daphne brought over her black bearskin rug.

Couldn't resist popping the two of them into a photo together...

Don't they look adorable? And so, so cuddly?

An Owl Hat

Oops.

You knew that I couldn't keep away from the owls for long, didn't you?

But this time it's not a stuffed toy. Instead I've succumbed to the lure of the OWL HAT.




Yes, I know they've been done to death by everyone else...

But I'm still pretty chuffed with my Scrappy Version!

No Owls Today...

Thought you might like to see a NON owl post today...

So here's a headband I've been working on recently:

As you can see - it's just a bunch of Granny Squares joined together... So easy!

The pom poms are joined to a chain stitch cord,
which is tied in between two of the Granny Squares.

That way you can wear them on a crazy day,
but take them off if you're feeling a little more subdued...

Uh-Oh...

The small owls are breeding!

And there's some medium sized ones...

And some large ones too!

But my absolute favourite is the miniature one...

And here's a shot of the whole family:

More Owls...

 

I did say I was KOOKY for owls right now, didn't I?

And you did believe me, right?

 

It's possible that OBSESSED would be a better description...

But life would be boring without the occasional obsession...

Wouldn't it?

Kooky for Owls...

I have to warn you...

I've gone a little bit KOOKY for OWLS!

The rest of the world seems to have been "Owl Crazy" for several years now...

And I've refused to get on the bandwagon.

Not because I don't like owls. Quite the opposite. In fact I love them.

But I like to do my own thing, not just follow the trends of others.

Only then I made an owl... and another... and another...

There are at least 12 owls currently scattered around my desk - in various stages of completion...

And I'm sitting here mentally choosing the yarns for my next one!

Obsessed much???

Quirky Lion

So he's not your traditional Lion... but by golly I love him!

Here he is enjoying the jungle that is my back yard...

Almost done...

I've been working on that Quirky Lion... and he is moments away from being finished...

First I added some button eyes:



Then some nostrils and a raggedy mane:



And of course a tail:

 

But there was something that I just WASN'T loving about him...

 It took me some time, but eventually I figured that the problem is the face...

The detail of the face is kind of getting lost in amongst the mane - so I needed something to make it POP some more, and figured the face would look better against a plain light coloured background.



I love this effect...

Work in slip stitch through the back loops only, using a contrasting colour:



And see how clever it looks when you turn it over:



Now to add the eyes and nostrils...



And stitch the new face to the lion...



I'll try and get some finished photos to share tomorrow!

Repairs to the Paper Mache Mannequin...

I'm a bit hopeless when it comes to FINISHING things...

Surely I'm not the only one, right?

It's just that other projects come along, with new inspiration - and I can't help but go chasing them.

This paper mache mannequin was started back in April 2012... but never actually finished.

There was always supposed to be more layers of paper, including a top layer of torn sheet music,,, and then a few coats of clear lacquer.

But I barely got one layer on.

In fact, if you look at the lower section of the body - you can see that I used giant pieces of paper, just to get that first layer finished quickly!

That was pretty lazy - even for me...

So I shouldn't really be surprised that the neck broke a few month ago, while I was trying to block a hat on it (and pushing WAY too hard, might I add).

The other day, we received our copy of the local White Pages... which usually goes straight from the front doorstep to the Recycle Bin. I honestly don't know why they print so many copies of these any more. Sure, some people still use them - but I would think most people look business numbers up online these days - or refer to the individual business websites...

This year I'm putting my copy to good use.

I love the way the tiny print is looking. It still has that recycled feel, but doesn't distract in the way that the newsprint does...

So while it's a nice sunny day, I'm outside adding layers of paper mache - in the hope that I actually finish this off properly by the end of the week!

What could it be?

Sometimes it's fun to just grab some yarn and a hook - with no real plan in mind - and just see where it all takes you to...

With this one, I had an owl in mind.

I was kind of going for a tweedy, multicoloured look... using three strands of yarn worked together as one, and then swapping and changing colours as each yarn ran out.

Then it got a bit too tall for an owl... and I realised that it actually wanted to be a cat. A tall sitting cat, with a ginormous long tail which spirals around and around the body.

But then it morphed again...

And for a moment I thought it was destined to become a vase!

A wonderful scrappy vase. 

I can just see this with the most delightful Bunch of Daisies sticking out the top, can't you??

Or maybe Daffodils instead?

(Don't worry about the water leaking out - I'd set a glass jar inside the crochet vase)

And then I saw that it was actually meant to be a lion...

Don't worry if you can't see it yet - you will!

Crochet Tea Towel Topper

I wrote this Tutorial about 18 months ago - and shared it in another online forum, but forgot to post it here on my blog...

Here's my instructions for making an old Kitchen Classic.... the Crochet Tea Towel Topper...



Basic crochet skills are required. You will need to be able to work chain stitch, single crochet and decrease.

I am using US terminology for my crochet stitches.

(If you use UK terminology, replace all 'single crochet' stitches in this tutorial with 'double crochet' stitches)

Materials:

• tea towel
• 8 ply cotton yarn
• scissors
• 4mm crochet hook
• large button
• wool needle
• sewing needle and thread (or sewing machine)

Prepare the towel.
Start by cutting your tea towel in half. Turn over the raw edge to create a neat hem. Press and stitch in place.



Make guide holes.
Use the wool needle to pierce a row of guide holes through the single layer of fabric beneath the hem.



Begin crochet.
I'm going to write my stitch numbers at the end of each row. These are a guide only. Your stitch count will be similar but not necessarily identical.

Row 1 : Work a row of single crochet into the guide holes and over the hem - 48 sc.





Rows 2 - 4 : turn your work, chain 1, single crochet across - 48 sc.



Row 5 : turn your work, chain 1, decrease in every stitch across - 24 sc.




Rows 6 - 8 : turn your work, chain 1, single crochet across - 24 sc.



Row 9 : turn your work, chain 1, decrease in every stitch across - 12 sc.

Rows 10 - 12 : turn your work, chain 1, single crochet across - 12 sc.



Row 13 : turn your work, chain 1, decrease in every stitch across - 6 sc.

Rows 14 - 26 : turn your work, chain 1, single crochet across - 6 sc.



Make Buttonhole.
Row 27 : turn your work, chain 1, single crochet in first stitch, chain 10, single crochet in last stitch, fasten off.



Work edging.
Go back to you original starting point.



Join in the yarn, and work a row of single crochet around the edges of your work.



When you reach the buttonhole, work a single crochet into each of the chain stitches.Then continue with your edging.
Fasten off and weave in all ends.



Attach your button... and hang your towel with PRIDE!