Embroidered cushion

My latest bit of embroidery from the template in issue 2 of 'Mollie Makes'. I enjoyed making this, it was nice to do something different.

My favourite bits are the birds and the blue flowers on the right.

The cushion cover is homemade too - it used to be a curtain.

If you fancied making one of these for yourself you can find the template here.  The designer of the template is Charlotte Lyons. Check out her work - it's beautiful.

Strawberry jam

900g strawberries...

+ 1kg jam sugar...

+ juice ½ lemon...

= 4 jars of strawberry jam

This year I remembered to let the jam stand for 15 minutes before pouring it into the jars so, for once, the strawberries haven't all floated to the top.  I also remembered that 4 minutes boiling is too long when using jam sugar, regardless of what the recipe on the packet of sugar says.

Off the hook :: doily window decoration

Some of you may remember that last year I made several thread-work snowflakes and strung them together to make a garland.  I adored my snowflake garland and it stayed hanging in my bedroom window long after the other Christmas decorations had come down - it became a Winter decoration instead. I think I finally took it down in March.

Then one Saturday night I stayed in experimenting with small doily motifs for a cushion.  A few days later I serendipitously saw this post on the French Knots blog.  Hurrah! A use for those small doilies and an all-year-round replacement for my snowflake garland.  Quite why it's taken so long to get around to finishing I don't know. 

7 small doilies...

blocked* over clingfilm and stiffened with watered down PVA glue...

strung together with fine thread and hung in the window...

I love the finished result and am now wondering what this would look like with coloured  crochet cotton. Another thing to add to the to-do list.

* Once again I recommend these blocking guides from 'A stitch in time'. They are fabulous for making sure everything is symmetrical.   The blocking was truly transfomative - I wish I'd taken a 'before' photograph.

Off the hook :: bolster cushion cover

Finally, a finished crochet project.  A bolster cushion cover for the kitchen settee...

I can think of nothing really to say about it*, so will just give you some details.

The pattern for the round ends is a modified version of the Granny Mandala from 'Crochet with Raymond'.

The stitch pattern for the main body is one I came up with (each shell is 2trtog, 1ch, 2trtog).  

I purposefully created a ridge where the ends and main body are joined by crocheting the pieces together with the wrong sides facing. 

It closes with 4 mis-matched buttons. There was no need to make button holes - they go between the shells.

When I put it on the sofa I noticed that the cushions I made last year look a bit shabby due mostly to my children suffering from an almost pathological desire to throw cushions off the sofa.  Is this a trait that all children share, I wonder?

Hook:: 4mm

Yarn:: cotton dk, various brands

Pattern:: see above

Bolster cushion insert:: Ikea


* I am indifferent to it, truth be told, only finishing it out of sheer bloody-mindedness!!

Calla Lily

We planted a Calla Lily bulb and, contrary to all expectations based on previous attempts to grow anything from seed/bulb, it has grown!  


Isn't it beautiful?

Crochet WIPs

Despite all appearances to the contrary, I do have some crochet projects on the go.

As I've had a teeny tiny mention in a magazine (one of 3 crochet blogs listed - I am gobsmacked but immensely flattered) I thought this crochet blog better actually display some crochet!

I have the beginnings of what was going to be a bedspread, but I think it may now become a cushion.  I love this motif, but am not keen on working the joining round.  The motif is from the 'Sunshine and Shade' throw by Katherine Eng.  One of the reasons I've been a bit disheartened about this project is that the yarn is pure wool and I share my house with clothes moths. What do they love to chomp on the most? You guessed it, wool. If I make this blanket, it could just end up being eaten...

I have the beginnings of a bolster cushion cover in the same colours as these cushions...

I have a piece of thread crochet work destined for the last of my boring plain cushion covers. So very nearly finished, but the thought of blocking (essential) is putting me off...

I am partway through a doily, the design of which is based on a window in a French cathedral (can't remember which one, I'm afraid).  I started this when I had lost the urge to crochet on the basis that just crocheting something/anything might bring the urge back. It didn't and I am guessing something more fun and colourful might have worked better...

I am also in the middle of making a set of potholders to hang on the wall.  Some are finished, but I was waiting for the full set before doing a reveal...

I have a set of teeny tiny thread motifs that I have a plan for, but I need 7 motifs. If my plan for these works out I think it is going to be one of my favourite things...

So much to finish, so little time.  I'd better get on...

Little felt bear

I made this little bear last week...

Some of you may recognise it from issue 2 of 'Mollie Makes'. 

Originally I thought I'd make more than one, but I found I didn't particularly enjoy fiddling about with such small pieces of felt.  

Whether or not I make more is entirely dependent on the level of pestering. Someone wants me to make her one of the elephants.

Embroidered cushion

Do you remember that I tried my hand at some embroidery a while ago? I've now turned that little piece of embroidered linen into a cushion...

I just had to secure and replace some of the existing embroidery and then add the initial.  I'm quite pleased with how it's turned out, but I wouldn't win any prizes for the neatness of my satin stitch.  I am content with the imperfection though - there is satisfaction enough in having had a go and I enjoyed doing it. Unpicking it to try for a neater finish? No thank you!

The back is patchwork and envelope style. It could do with a couple of buttons to help keep it closed. I'm sure I'll get around to that one day but at the speed I'm crafting at the moment it'd be best not to hold your breath.

Cherries

From this...

to this...

all on my own and faster than you can say 'would you like a cherry?'.  I hope no-one else wanted any...