I had a perm exactly like this...

I had a perm exactly like this... back in the early eighties! what a flashback :)

I've been working on designing a knitted lion, but I'm struggling to get 'in the zone' with it

so yesterday I put down the needles, and picked up my crochet hook instead...

meet desmond the lion (or part thereof)

he has an unfortunate eighties perm, but who am I to judge? been there, done that!

his mane is so soft and cuddly... and I'm loving the almost heart-shaped wooden bead, which I am contemplating for the nose

he's actually much larger than I anticipated... so he will be huge by the time I add a body

oh well... he is the king of the jungle!

embellishments

when it comes to my crafting, I am really focussed on using reclaimed and recycled materials... and this extends to include the embellishments as well

I love embellishments... they are that extra touch that you add to a project to really make it stand out from the rest... your embellishment can make even the simplest item seem super-fancy, and will give real character and personality to your work

but choosing the embellishment can be hard...

sometimes I will let a project hibernate for a while after it is finished, because I feel that it needs something more... but I just can't figure out what to add, that will really enhance the appeal... it's worth the wait

I've decided to try looking at designing from a different angle... change it all around and start with the embellishment, and let that dictate the project

so I'm letting myself make some impulse purchases... to allow myself to buy an item just because I love it... but with no real plan in mind...

let the inspiration come later!

we're not talking big bucks here... not even close

and nothing new either... it's op-shopping all the way

so this is my first purchase: a pair of small wooden clogs - paid $1

who knows what they will become a part of? perhaps they will adorn a handbag, I don't know yet

I'm open to suggestions if you have any!

I think I'm in lurve...

this has been so much fun!

I wasn't sure about it all when I first signed up. I haven't worked at anything remotely like this before, but I wanted to challenge myself... and push myself out of my comfort zone. I was really nervous in the beginning, especially when some of the sketches were being submitted... I really thought I had gotten in way out of my depth. But I stuck with it... and I am so pleased that I did.

which just goes to prove... you don't truly know what you are capable of until you try



so here he is... chi-kore

made entirely from reclaimed yarns, even his button eyes were once adorning a knitted garment

the wings were made from a felted aran jumper, and I highlighted the cabling pattern by using marker pens... to give that extra dimension

he's cute and cuddly... and I am not the only one around here who loves him!

not far to go...

I'm seriously loving this challenge!

we now have a head and a body and feet... all that's left to do is add some wings and attach the head

I ended up doing the bendy straw thing for the ears... so they can be moved into a number of different positions, which actually give him a variety of emotions... and almost make him seem real!

gotta start somewhere...

When it comes to creating characters, it's all about the face and head for me... that's the most interesting and fun part to work on, and it's where the creature really comes to life.

So with a project like this... I have to start with the face... otherwise I am lost!



I only 'do' cute. It's what I love, and anything else feels wrong. I also love odd, unusual and eccentric... but there has to be a good dose of cuteness thrown into the mix too.

I'm happy with chi-kore so far. Just having a think about how to attach his ears. I'd like them to be on a flexible stem of some kind, so they can move around a bit. Crochet covered pipe cleaners would do the job, but I'd rather avoid using wire in him. I might use the top of a bendy drinking straw, and crochet around that instead... but I'm open to other ideas if you have any.

Loving the colours so far... except the pink might have been an unfortunate choice for the nostrils. Am I the only one who thinks they look more like nipples????

teddies

I love Jean Greenhowe's toy designs... the attention to detail in them is magnificent! The only down side, is that there are so many tiny little knitted pieces - so the seaming and assembly take forever.

I'm working at designing my own range of knitted and crochet toys, just as adorable as hers... but minus the nightmare seaming process.

Because the problem is... you knit all the pieces, and then bail when the time comes for sewing. You end up with a bag full of appendages, which you know will look magnificent when completed - but it's all too hard.

I have a bag of teddy bits that has been lying around for years. They were worked from Jean's Traditional Favourites pattern book. I'm committed to bringing them to life this week. Well, five of them anyway!

Number One is done, and I will send it with Megan's Hat to cheer her up.

hats off

I almost forgot to make this hat!

Honestly... I really need to start writing things down...

I heard an online friend talking about a 'hat drive' she was organising for a six year old girl named Megan. Megan is suffering from leukemia and soon to commence chemotherapy. My heart went out to her, and I offered to make a hat for the gift basket which is being assembled.

So here is my contribution for Megan...



I plied together the reclaimed cotton from four different garments, to create this aran weight multi-coloured yarn. Being cotton, it shouldn't irritate her sensitive scalp. It is worked on 5.5mm circular needles... so there are no seams, which is also a bonus for sensitive skin.

It's made from a very simple hat pattern formula.

I cast on 60 stitches, worked in stockingette for seven inches and then began my shaping...

k8, k2tog to end... 54 stitches remain
k7, k2tog to end... 48 stitches remain
k6, k2tog to end... 42 stitches remain
k5, k2tog to end... 36 stitches remain
k4, k2tog to end... 30 stitches remain
k3, k2tog to end... 24 stitches remain
k2, k2tog to end... 18 stitches remain
k1, k2tog to end... 12 stitches remain
k2tog to end... 6 stitches remain

fasten off

I still don't particularly like working on circular needles... but the no seaming is fabulous!