A Tale of Two Brooches

It took me a while to figure out the plural of brooch, nothing looked right, in fact brooches just doesn't look right at all but according to google it is.

I do love wearing brooches, they just work so well with my love of thin knit cardies, dresses and boots.

The lovely handmade brooch above that I wore to meet mum in town last week, was made by the talented lady Norma Conway from http://thefairyyellowbugqueen.blogspot.co.uk/, and I was lucky enough to win it in a giveaway of hers :)

I love the way artists come up with so many ways of using mixed media to create something completely different.

Here Norma has used canvas to paint the toadstool picture onto, and has then crocheted around the edge.

Speaking of crochet, thank you so much everyone for your lovely comments on my first pattern :)

I am working on a larger version this week, one more of the size I like in a brooch, and hope to have it online in the next couple of days.

Designing crochet patterns appeals so much to my logical mathematical brain, like solving a puzzle, a way that I can create art that satisfies all aspects of me.

I always thought I wasn't artistic, but I think you just have to find a way that works for you.

Fox Pin Tutorial

I've created my first ever crochet pattern !!! 

A tiny fox pin, a big deal for me, so please be kind :)

You could create a hair slide as I have here, or perhaps use it as a brooch, attach to a keyring, or use it to embellish another item. I also have another tutorial coming up soon for a larger version.

For this tutorial you will need brown, white and black yarns, I have used dk weight and a 3mm hook, but you could use any size yarn and use and appropriate size needle, e.g if using american worsted weight you could use a 4mm hook but your fox will be a little larger.

I have also used UK terms through the tutorial, so:
double crochet (dc) is US single crochet, half treble (htr) is US half double crochet.

Slip stitch: Insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
Double crochet: Insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through stitch, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
Half treble: Yarn over, insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through stitch, yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook.

 To Begin: Create a magic ring, sometimes known as a magic circle. 

There is a great video tutorial on how to do this Here.

 Make sure to create a slip stitch when making your magic ring.

 Make 6 dc into ring.

 Pull your circle mostly closed but not over tightening, don't join with a sl st here.

 Make 2 dc into the top of each of the 6 dc you made in the first round.

 Sl st into next stitch, and finish tightening the magic ring.

 Into the next stitch make 1 sl st and 1 htr

 Next is a picot stitch. Chain 2 then sl st into 2nd chain from hook,

 making sure to go through both loops of the chain.

In the next stitch make 1 htr and 1 sl st.

 Make 1 sl st into the next stitch, and in the following stitch make 1 sl st and 1 htr.

 Another picot so, 2 chains and sl st into 2nd chain from hook. 

 Into next stitch crochet 1 htr and 1 sl st changing over to white yarn.

 In white, make 1 dc in each of the next 3 stitches.

 In the next stitch make a sl st switching to the black yarn,

 leaving the white yarn behind for now.

 In the same stitch make a htr

 In the next stitch make a htr and also sl st, changing back to the white yarn again.

In white yarn, dc into the next 2 stitches. 

 Sl st into the next stitch which should be at the base of the first ear, and fasten off.

Tug all the strands of yarn nice and snug and sew in all ends before blocking.

You can if you wish embroider eyes, or sew tiny beads on, before attaching to perhaps a pin, fastener or keyring, maybe even using as an embellishment to another project.

I hope you enjoyed my first tutorial, I'm looking forward creating and publishing more of my ideas soon.

Of dresses and kitty cats

 It's been a mixed and busy sort of week so far, trying to fit in some crafting time around getting my first crochet tutorial ready to publish. (fingers crossed this will be tomorrow, eeek)

 I'm attempting to make some sort of house dresses using an old 70's pattern and some fabric from the stash, something which doesn't matter if they get muck on them. It's always dressing up day in this house :)

 I've also been trying to make time amongst photos and typing, to read some of my new treat, a book that has been on my wishlist for a long time now, and with a new addition out recently. It's an American book, so contact for supplies are over the water, but it covers everything you could possibly want know about running a homestead, from canning to giving birth on your own!!

Right off for a quick shower and to settle in for the evening with himself and a dvd, neither of us seem to be able to catch up on our sleep since the clocks went forward, so not too late a night. Evening all :)