A rush post - just some Christmassy projects

Just sharing some Christmas crafts ....

These were for an ornament swap.

Latest crochet

I just haven't been in the mood for any quilting lately but have finished a few crochet projects. I made this blanket a few weeks ago. I just love it. It's bright and cheerful and is the biggest project I have attempted in a long time, although it is just simple granny squares.

This one was made from 100% wool from Bendigo Woollen Mills. I can't wait to stock up on wool and make another one.

I've spent a couple of weeks at home looking after the pups as Sug had to have an operation on her knee due to a broken cruciate ligament. I was supposed to keep her confined and stop her from walking, so we spent a lot of time just sitting together while I did a few hand crafts.

For a bit of a change from crocheting, I've been doing quite a bit of cross stitching. This isn't a craft I am normally passionate about but I have had a thing for it lately and have finished quite a few little projects. Here is one - a little pin cushion:

 

And a band to embellish a hand towel. I also crocheted a pretty filet edge on this one:

Crochet edgings are something I have been having fun with lately. I have more doileys than surfaces now, so edgings make a nice change and means I can beautify the most mundane objects, such as these kitchen towels:

A bit quiet on the craft front

I've been a bit quiet on the craft front although with the cold weather setting in, I've been doing some crochet occasionally on the weekends while snuggling up in front of the heater.

I love doileys and there are so many great free patterns on the web. It's amazing what you can do with a ball of cotton and a couple of hours.

I'm getting over a nasty cold so I spent yesterday in bed making this little one:

While these larger ones I made over the last month or two:

This washcloth was a free pattern on the web as well. I wanted to use the end of some thin pink cotton, so I made a little soap bag as well:

Home Sweet Home Filet Crochet

I finished off this sweet filet crochet on the weekend. Although not a large project, it has taken me a few weeks as I've only been able to spend an hour or so each weekend. This was a free pattern from Sauntering Stitches. I used a thicker crochet cotton, as that was what I had, so mine turned out a bit bigger than the original (about 14" x 17" as opposed to 12" x 14"). I also used a different edging as I really wanted to get it finished and I find picots slow going! 

I'm not sure whether I am going to frame it or turn it into a pillow yet.

Puppy pillow

This was a super quick finish on the weekend but only because I'd done all the work previously. I had an obsession with vintage iron on embroidery transfers for a while (and why not when they cost $1.99 from Grandma's Attic - so saves all that frustrating tracing time) and these puppy stitcheries were two of a series I had planned to complete in order to have enough blocks for a small quilt.

Needless to say, I didn't make enough blocks and a couple of years later I came across the stitcheries and put them together with some fabrics that matched the background and thread of the stitcheries. Then another few months later, came across the incomplete project again, handquilted it quickly and sewed on a backing to turn it into a mega-sized cushion cover for a big 80cm cushion insert I had.

Gee, this is a massive pillow and big and firm too. It would be great for lounging around on the floor. But if I put it on the floor, it really would become a puppy pillow as any soft furnishing so placed ends up belonging to Sugar and Spice.

Midweek Quickie - bookmarks

Alright, I confess, I didn't do any crafting this week. My weekend was spent mowing and doing other similarly not-fun but necessary chores. Considering the grass was dead and yellow a month ago, I shouldn't really complain now that we are getting rain, but seriously, how can a lawn grow half a foot in a week? I wish I could foster some of the poor animals living in the drought affected areas.

So anyway, in the interests of having a post, here are some bookmarks I made years ago. Both really quick.

The first was embroidered in star stitches on Aida cloth in variegated thread, so I got a shimmery effect without having to change colours. Plus the stitches were so quick as each asterisk-shaped stitch covered 2 x 2 squares. I glued it over cardboard with a plain fabric backing and made a twist cord out of leftover thread.

This one was my first and only attempt at ribbon embroidery. I don't know why I didn't do more of this because it was so quick and easy. The leaves and branch took no time at all as each was just a single stitch. The flowers were colonial knots in DMC thread so they didn't take much time either. Again, finished with cardboard for sturdiness and a twisted thread cord. (Don't look too closely at this pic cos this bookmark is a little dusty!)

Midweek Quickie Cheat

It's a cheat because I really didn't do any crafting this week! I have lots of boring and predictable excuses, but why bother?

So today I'm blogging about some older small projects, made over the last year or so. 

First up, a crochet covered jar which I originally planned to use as a vase but have found it kind of useful for storing knitting needles. This was just a made-up-as-I-went thing so no pattern.

And this is a hot water bottle cover I made last winter when I was in a bit of a knitting frenzy. From memory, it was from a Garn Studio pattern that was free online. It was a nice quick project made on circular needles so only a tiny seam to sew. In thick wool, it didn't take long to knit up at all.

Midweek quickie: button art

For this midweek quickie post I'm showing off some button art! These were the outcome of another easy project that took less than half an hour to do.

I found some little artist canvases in my cupboard and covered them with fabric, then just glued on some buttons. For the heart, I traced a design on from a template, covered the line with the first row of buttons then filled in the gaps. For the circle, I used an egg-ring.

I used PVA glue for this so they took a while to dry but this gave me more time to move the buttons around as opposed to a hot glue gun. I also tend to get into a bit of a mess with my hot glue gun with wispy strands all over the place!

The frames are some bargains picked up from a discount shop.

Midweek quickie: tealight holder

I've made a promise to myself to make more time for craft! And while I don't think I'll be completing any Farmer's Wife or Baltimore Album quilts in the near future (or even my lifetime), I think even I can find half an hour a week for a small project.

So here's a little tealight holder, made in about 15 minutes from a glass I had on hand and some self-adhesive pearl and crystal shapes I picked up from a bargain shop a few weeks ago and have been wondering what to use them for. These were great as they came in strips so the pearls were all joined together, making them very quick to apply. With the crystals, I just had to snip them apart. The only downside is I don't think the adhesive will be very permanent on the smooth glass surface so I may need to get out the superglue at some stage to prolong the life of this holder.