Owl Amigurumi - Latest project.

Sadly I just missed the June OPAM with this project but it did take me quite a long time to make.  I knew what I wanted to do so made it up as I went along.

I knew what I wanted to do so cut out a few paper templates and then crochet the size and shape to match those templates.  I have put a bit of beany filling in the base to help keep him upright.  My daughter thinks I should tweak the ear corners so that his head is not quite so flat looking but I am still having a think about it.

I really enjoyed the crocodile stitch for his feathers which looked just right and it is in one piece and I was wondering how I was going to achieve a feathery look.

Really pleased but I am a little sad as I do not have another project on my hook!  Need to find a project and quick.

Best wishes

xx

What a HOOT! -OPAM March

Nearly a week after I tried to re-shape my finger I decided to have a go at finishing a kit that came with a magazine using the sewing machine.  I have been going to work and having to help the students with some of their practical work after all.

I started this little chap months ago but he went on the back branch (burner) as other things took over.

I bought this magazine to see what it was like but not really bothered since.  I do feel that many of the magazines seem very similar at the moment.

He is meant to be a doorstop but I can not bear the idea of him being thrown on the floor by a door.  I have stuffed him with toy stuffing (the most painful part for my hand) and a small bag of rice in his tummy to weigh him down a bit and he now has pride of place in my car!
It took about an hour to finish him and it was painfully slow but not too bad.  My other fingers were glad for the exercise and it felt good to make something so it was a tonic for me.  Finger swelled up but you can not have everything and I was told to move it as pain allowed so I am not damaging anything.
I can certainly see the mis-shapening of my finger and where the cycst is and I suppose that I because I have annoyed it.
So the start of a new week and I wish everyone a good week ahead, the weather is supposed to be improving too.
xx

Meet Hoot and Toot - Little Knitted Chums

A week or so ago I said that I wanted to start a little knitting project seeing as the nights are drawing in etc.  Well being Friday evening at the time Sophie was still up and asked what I was doing when I got my knitting needles out.  After some time I ended up casting on stitches to make , not a garment, but a small knitted owl as an example for my Textiles Club to see.

Meet Hoot!

Made from a small ball of purple wool using basic stocking stitch.  I then used felt to give them some eyes, beak and wings.  The wings have been cut out using pining shears to give a bit of a feathery look.

Sophie likes to get involved so she dashed upstairs and dug out her knitting bag (not really done any of this for some time) and came downstairs asking me to cast on some stitches for her as this stage is still a bit fiddly for her to do.

After a couple of hours spread over an evening and an afternoon please ..........

Meet Toot!

Sophie cut out all of the feltshapes herself except for using the pinking shears which she found a bit heavy as I have a full metal pair, which I bought from a hardware shop in Bakewell, Derbyshire.

It is great that Sophie and I can have sessions like this and do some crafty making. They are so cute and lots of fun to make.  In fact I have started something else but this time it is not an Owl but still an idea that one of the students might like to have a go at.  

We still need to make sure they can all knit before we can embark on these little knitted chums so I have plenty of time to make up some more ideas.

Ideal for using up scraps too.

Finally Finished! - OPAM June

You may remember last week that I had started this little kit to only find that some important bits were missing.  Well now we are home and after several loads of washing and sorting out holiday bags I managed to replace the missing components...................

Some buttons from my collection and a scrap of orange felt saw this little fellow finally finished. I was not really sure about putting the hanging loop of ribbon on.  He looked at home in this small tree in my garden.

Hi little tail could now be fully attached as well.

His little bow tie just under his chin (if he had one) completes the stylish look of my new little owl softie.  My first OPAM finish for June.
He is now sitting on my white dresser looking very much at home.

We have had a lovely day.  The sky has been a bright blue, sun all day and warm to boot.  I had some work to do and completed it outside on the decking with a cup of tea!
Have a good week everyone.
xx

Felt Owl Kit - OPAM May 2013

I bought this kit last week along with another so that Sophie and I had something to make whilst on holiday.  Especially on any rainy days.

So yesterday I started said kit and followed to step by step instructions......then I found out that I had both buttons missing as well as the beak!  So the Owl will have to wait until iget home before I can finish him.  Hopefully Sophie will have better luck.  You would not find yourself in that situation with anything that I sell and I have had kits in my Etsy shop in the past.

Ohhh the disappointment!

xx

Felty Owl Swap

Above shows the owl that I made for our little swap.  I was a bit sorry to see this being posted off so I have decided to make one for myself.

I have never made an Owl before and I do not have any patterns so I ended up making my own.

I really wanted to have some details on the back so a hand cut flower with some hand embroidery and an added button.

I thought that it broke up the lack of colour on the back.

I also sent this keyring with an owl theme.  I did not actually make this, I found it at a craft fair.

Plus this bracelet which  I made.  I also made a whole batch last month for my craft fair stall in July.

Plus a packet of tissues with the Union Jack on them, a Cornwall sticker plus a little notebook for red

recording your cross stitch or embroidery projects with thread colour codes.

I love taking part in swaps and this very mini one suited both of us because we both have busy jobs and there was no severe pressure to be completely on time if something came up and there was no confusion or disappointment is not receiving. 

I would love to do another mini swap once the term has ended.  I have not made any ATC's for a while.......

Anyway....I am in the process of putting this owl pattern into PDF format and I shall let you know when it is ready.  I have got to make sure that it all fits when it is printed.

Take care

xx

Owl Swap- What a Hoot!!

Excuse the title but it is Friday and I could not resist.....
I like to take part in swaps but sometimes I miss the sign up.  Tatyana  and I have been visiting each others blogs for a while now and we "met" when we were paired up for a swap.  So a few months ago I suggested a little swap between the two of us.  After exchanging a few ideas we both decided on Owls.

Tatayana's parcel arrived safely all the way from Australia and it as great fun to open.

Started off with lovely tissue paper which I am going to use in my next sketchbook.

A very striking card which I think will eventually go in my sketchbook too.

Then...

...this cute little Owl with lots and lots of hand stitched spots!  That is right, each of these spots have been cross stitched on to linen!    There is a hanging loop at the top.

So neatly stitched.

Some lovely ribbon, I will need to think carefully what to use this for.  I normally start to think about useful things for the new term in the Autumn.  Especially wallets and notebooks.

Sorry...blogger does not like this picture!!   I lovely set of fabric crayons!!  This is such as great gift as I use these a lot and I have nearly run out!!  I really do appreciate these and I shall post about these as soon as I produce something (worth looking at of course).

Oh, how i love felt!!!

Then a mysterious bundle of bubble wrap.......

....the sweetest set of embroidery scissors and one of Tatyana's handmade scissor keepers with a little snail on the end.  Isn't it cute!!  Lovely colour too with the flowers all over it.
A lovely and very generous parcel Tatyana and I appreciate the amount of time it must have taken to stitch all those spots.
Tomorrow I shall show you what I made and sent to Tatyana.
Take care