A rather posh lady with a fascinator

At Hobbycraft in Carlisle they like to inspire their customers with finished projects dotted around the store.  I had the chance of messing about with a styrofoam head to make it look interesting.  Well of course, I have to be dragged kicking and screaming into any crafty project, but, you know, I thought I would help them out.  (in other words, I grabbed the head and ran with it before they could change their mind!)

So, I gathered supplies.  The head, of course, and a couple of nice decopatch papers to compliment each other.  A fascinator base and some ribbons along with some beads on a length.

I covered half the head with one decopatch paper design.

And the other half with the other, trying my hardest to keep a straight line down the middle of the face.

Then it was time for the fascinator.  No feathers in this fascinator, I hate the blooming things!!

I started by attaching the thickest ribbon with a couple of stitches, then looped it randomly around securing it with a few stitches as I went.

I quite like the effect, but of course, it needed more than that.

I added a second ribbon in this same way, and then a third  (It's hard to see from the photo but the second and third are pale pink and silver)

Time for the length of beads, added in exactly the same way, but then I decided to add a dangle bit, as you do.

I hot glued it to the side of her head - don't worry, she didn't feel a thing.

Now she is all ready to go on display above the styrofoam section in Carlisle Hobbycraft.  Pop in and see her if you like  :)

Little Lady Ninjas

This new pattern popped into Hobbycraft, where I work, recently.  I hate it when new things come in as it costs me a fortune - in fact I don't think I ever make any money at the end of the month working there, I seem to plough it all back into the business! .. Anyway.....

Just look how cute it is.  It is by Sarah-Jane Hicks and produced by DMC Creative.  The cotton used is DMC Petra.

I was asked if I would create some of the little cuties for display - well, of course I would.

So, off I skipped home with the cotton and the pattern and got to work.

Before long I had three little heads with shiny black eyes staring back at me.

And soon enough the first Little Lady Ninja was born.  And just how cute is she?

Then along came another one to keep her company.

And a third soon followed to make up the trio.

Off they went back to Hobbycraft to adorn the display.  They seem quite happy just hanging there, looking about.

Having watched me make these little cuties over the few days that I was busy with them, Hubby then asked if I would make him one for his desk at work, but he wanted it to be black and white.  (well actually, he wanted silver "throwing stars" , but he was too impatient to wait for me to buy silver cotton, so he settled for black & white.

 I loved doing these, they were so much fun.

Classes At Hobbycraft - Display

I've just put together a new class list for Hobbycraft.  Not a lot of customers realise that we offer classes and workshops so we had to think of some way of promoting it.

Behind the checkout is a shelf, which usually gets filled up with bits of crafts that colleagues have done, but now it is a "Class Display Shelf"  and wo-betide of anyone should dump something on there!!

Marie was in one day last week doing a kid's summer school class and when she had a little lull I asked her very nicely if she would bash me out some foam frames.  Bless her cottons, she did too.

Each class now has it's own section on the shelf.  Fliers are printed off and sitting on the shelf beside the advert - all we need now is to get the spaces filled up with examples.

So, if you are close to Carlisle and you fancy learning something new, pop along, have a look at what is on offer and treat yourself to a class or two  :)

Coming this month:

• Mon 5th Aug (12.30-3.00pm) - Nim & Num /  Mug Painting - Drop in Session = £1.50
• Tue 6th Aug (12.30-3.00pm) - Nim & Num / Pencil Cases - Drop in Session = £1.50
• Tue 6th Aug (6.00-7.30pm) - SoozInTheShed / Bead & Banter / Tutored Beading Group = £5.00
• Wed 7th Aug (12.30-3.00pm) - Nim & Num / Jigsaws - Drop in Session - £1.50
• Thur 8th Aug (12.30-3.00pm) - Nim & Num / Hats - Drop in Session - £2.00
• Fri 9th Aug (12.30-3.00pm) - Nim & Num / T-Shirt Painting - Drop in Session - £5.00)
• Fri 9th Aug (3.00-7.30pm) - Monkey Tales / Make A Sock Monkey with Anne Scott - £17
• Sun 18th Aug (1.00-3.00pm) - Heevis Miniatures / Dolls House Miniatures Demo - FREE to watch
• Mon 19th Aug (6.00-7.30pm) - SoozInTheShed / Wool Craft Group / Tutored Knit & Crochet - £5.00
• Tue 20th Aug (2.00-4.00pm) - SoozInTheShed / Beginners Jewellery - £15 
• Wed 21st Aug (10.00-2.30pm) - Monkey Tales / Make A Sock Monkey with Anne Scott - £17
• Thu 22nd Aug (2.00-3.30pm) - SoozInTheShed / Learn to Crochet - Class 1 of 4 - £10
• Thu 22nd Aug (3.00-4.00pm) Lawrence Graham Photography / Mount Cutting Demo - FREE to watch
• Tue 27th Aug (3.00-4.30pm) SoozInTheShed / Learn to Beadweave - Peyote / £10
• Tue 27th Aug (5.30-7.30pm) SoozInTheShed / Lavender Hearts (Sewing) - £10
• Thu 29th Aug (2.00-3.30pm) - SoozInTheShed / Learn to Crochet - Class 2 of 4 - £10

Sparkly Crochet Shawl

At work we have this ..... let's call it yarn, called "Firefly".

It is by Sirdar and comes in a range of gorgeous sparkly colourways.

I thought I should make something from it to showcase how nice it can be.

I  know, a shawl! A pretty, slinky, sparkly evening shawl to go over that pretty summer party dress.

Want to make one too?  Here is the pattern for you then.

You will need:

• 3 x 50g balls Firefly Yarn  (if you want to do the fringing you will break into a 4th ball)
• Size 5.5mm crochet hook.
• Approx 150 beads with 1mm holes.

What you do:

*This pattern is written in UK Crochet terms.

• Crochet a foundation chain of 205 stitches
• (Now this next row is a little tricky as you can barely see where the stitches should go, so just shove in your hook and it will be fine) Work a DC about 8 stitches from your hook.
• Chain 5, work a DC about 4 stitches from you last DC.
• Continue working across in this manner until you reach the end, finishing with a DC  (I had 65 chain loops at this point, don't panic if it is a few more or less.
• ***Turn your work and slip stitch across the first chain loop to reach the centre.
• Chain 5 then DC into the next chain loop.
• Repeat all the way across, then when at the last chain loop, DC into it and turn.
• Repeat from *** until you only have one pattern loop left, break of your yarn and sew in the end.

(Every row will decrease the pattern making the shawl come to a point at the bottom.

Fringing:

• Cut the yarn at approx 6", thread it through an edge chain loop and tie securely in the centre of both the loop and the yarn.
• Thread a bead onto both ends of yarn (I used a needle for this) and tie a good secure knot to stop the bead coming off.
• Trim the yarn quite close to the knot and repeat all the way along both of the side edges.

You can add a button and a loop if you like, but I just used a shawl clip to fasten.

It's on display in Hobbycraft, Carlisle if you want to go and stroke it  :)

© S Simmons, 2013 

Tie-Dye Hobbycraft Shirt

Yep, I tie-dyed a workshirt.

Following on from my tie-dye skirt I was asked to produce a shirt for display in Carlisle, Hobbycraft, so I took home a lovely crisp, never worn, work shirt and gave it the colour treatment.  (it is a pale blue colour to start with)

Using some marbles I tied them all into the shirt (took ages! - well actually I skipped off for a sly wee and a read of a magazine while Hubby did it - why have a monkey and climb a tree for coconuts yourself?)

Then I dyed half purple and the other half green.

Groovy baby!

Want to make one yourself?

What you need:

• a shirt you want to dye.
• Dylon hand dye in two colours
• an old bucket / sink basin
• measuring jug
• marbles
• elastic bands

What you do:

• Wash the shirt by hand and wring it out well.
• Take the marbles and tie them into the shirt, as many as you can fit in gives a nice pattern.

• Make up the dye according to the instructions
• Position the shirt so only half of it is in the dye, poke it, swish it, leave it for the allotted time.

• Rinse in cold water and wring out at much as you can do with a shirt full of marbles!
• Prepare your second colour and repeat the process with the other side of the shirt.  Don't worry about being too exact as ome cross over is good as you get a third colour, as is leaving a little of the original colour to help blend.

• Rinse well in cold water and remove all those marbles.
• Wash according to the instructions on the dye.
• Done!

Cosy Knitted Cushion

The boss at work wanted a cushion knitted,  I can't remember the full description but it was something along the lines of "like a waffle"  :)

I got to work, using Bonus Chunky yarn in Sandstorm.

Would you like the pattern?  Here you go then.

What you need:

• 250g Chunky Yarn (137 meters per 100g)
• Size 6mm Knitting Needles
• Knitting Sewing Needle
• 3 large chunky buttons around 38mm in diameter
• 18" Cushion Pad

What you do:

• Cast on 65 stitches using the thumb method.
• 1st Row * K2, P2  rep from * to end K1
• 2nd Row *P1, K2 rep from * to end P2
• Repeat the last two rows another 5 times making a rib of 12 rows.

• ***13th row *K1, P4 rep from * to end
• 14th row *P1, K4 rep from * to end
• 15th-18th row - rep last two rows 2 more times
• 19th row - Knit
• 20th row - Purl ***
• From *** to *** is the pattern, repeat it until you have 28 pattern repeats in total,

Rib & Buttonholes
This is the buttonhole sizing for a 38mm button, but you can make the holes smaller by casting off less stitches, or larger by casting off more.

• Using the rib pattern, work 5 rows.
• Rib 12 stitches, cast of 5, Rib 13, cast of 5, Rib 13, cast of 5, Rib 12
• Rib 12, cast on 5, Rib 13, cast on 5, Rib 13, cast on 5, Rib 12
• Work 5 rows in rib.  Cast off.

Making Up

• Lay the piece flat on the floor and fold both ends in to make an envelope, the buttonhole rib should sit on top of the plain rib.
• Sew up the sides including the rib (sewing through the rib will be sewing through three layers of knitting, Pull it tight to look neat)
• Position the buttons to match the button holes and sew to the underneath rib.
• Stuff with a cushion pad and button up!   Ta dah.....

And here is the finished product on display in Carlisle Hobbycraft where you can buy all the products needed and grab a free pattern at the same time  :)

© Sue Simmons / SoozintheShed

2013 

Knitted toy display at Hobbycraft

The crochet display has now been taken down at Hobbycraft in Carlisle, and replaced with a toys and doll display.

I had a lot of help doing this fun display, little things can take a lot of knitting.  In fact, I think I got away with doing very little with this one (whistles innocently)

I used the decopatch tree as a display aid, and tied the knitted toys into it.

Let's start with Gaynor's knitted offering.

First we have a very cheeky snake.

Very cheeky, he checks out the young ladies as they pass his tree, he watches them furtively, ready to strike...... but he has not quite plucked up the courage to strike yet!

He has a friend, a Panda, that keeps him calm and collected.  When Snake gets out of hand, Panda whacks him with his stick of bamboo!

Then you will find Monkey, this is a greedy Monkey. He will not, under any circumstances, share his banana. He guards it with his life, only having a nibble when he thinks no one is watching.

At the base of the tree sits three beautiful dollies, lovingly dressed by my Mum, Vera.

This is Polly Dolly, she is a cute baby doll, dressed in pink and white with a band of fluff around her pretty little hat.

Her friend is Jemima, she is a trendy doll, working her 60's glam style clothing and poncho.  She likes bright colours.

Their friend is Penelope Pirate, she is dressed.... like a pirate, completed with bandana and eye-patch.

Two twin flower girls sit in the basket hanging from a branch.  They are the Tulip Twins and they like to be sitting up high, swaying in the wind.

Hiding around the back of the tree you will find Henrietta and Horatio, the lace knitted hedgehogs   These little chaps were created by a colleague from the Glasgow store on our opening day way back on September.  You can pick up a free pattern for these in Carlisle Hobbycraft.

Back up in the tree you should be able to spot Festive Fred,  he is one of the Great North Air Ambulance owls that I am knitting to raise money for the charity.  You can find him and his friends HERE, should you wish to purchase one.   Or you can purchase a pattern to make your own from Fluff and Fuzz on Etsy.

Another two GNIA Owls are locked in a bird cage as the wee naughties keep flying up into the roof space and refusing to come back down.  Their names are Hooby and Edmund.

A few more crocheted owls are adorning the remaining branches, you can read more about those HERE and also find a link to the pattern.