Miniature Carpet & Finger-less Mitts

This will be a carpet/ (rug) for my miniature house. 

It's a trial run for me on the new loom that my darling hubby bought for me on his trip to England last year. I eventually found time to warp the loom and 'go-for-it'.

I'm experimenting with the loom to see how it handles making 1:12th scale rugs, so I chose a simple straight weave for this rug in a two colour chunky stripe.

I have actually done about double the amount that is showing on the photo, and hope to have it finished by this weekend (famous last words, haha).

And there is always a bit of crocheting going on in this house.

A pair of finger-less mittens for wearing while riding my bike (winter is coming here in the Southern hemisphere).

My Raleigh bike -- very retro, lol. 

I use this to get to my local craft groups meetings and for a jaunt around the town or to the library and also for grocery shopping. I try to do my bit to save the earth and not use fuel if I don't have to. If the weather is really horrible though I will take the car.

I'm designing a double-pannier bag to sew for the back rack. I have the perfect fun fabric to compliment the bike colours. 

(the basket balancing on 'his' handlebars is the basket for the front of my bike)

Next week I'm off to a remote stitching retreat, so I might not get a post posted here because I don't think there is internet where I'm going, and no telephone signal either, so it will be a very interesting (and fun) week with a great bunch of stitchers. I am sooooo looking forward to it.

I'll show photos etc after the event.

All for now.

Happy stitching.

Cyra

Freeform Crochet Neck-warmer x 2

Hello again. 

This week has seen the completion of two (yes two) accessories. Two cowls, or neck-warmers, very similarly put together, in slightly different colourways.

The fuchsia edged one ----

And the Purple edged one ---

I have also started on another rug for the mini house, but not enough of it yet for a photo.

We have survived the tornado that whipped through Opunake yesterday morning, The next village to us didn't fare so well in the tornado though, and I think 5 houses lost their roof and 3 more with major damage. The whole community is coming together for those left without homes.

The weather has definitely changed for the worse now, and we actually have the heater on in the lounge for a bit of respite from the unusual cold blast. 

It's good time to stay inside and stitch (as if I needed an excuse).

All for now, see you in the next post.

Happy Stitching

Cyra

A bit more on the hexie quilt & other things

What have I been up to this week. Well, lots of things of course, lol.

I have been slowly plodding away with my little ¾ hexies for the quilt.

Not a very interesting photo, but at least it is progress.

Another scrumblicious  scrumble.

And on the 'mini' scene, I have been making and staining more floor boards. 

This is about 60 boards. A long job ahead still.

And I've fitted the stove together, it still needs finishing off with paint and handles on the doors.

Because the miniatures are taking up a big part of my life, I've decided to start another blog site totally dedicated to my miniatures.

I'll let you know the url for it once it's up and running.

Thats all for now.

See you in the next post.

Cyra

Scrumble...Scrumble... & Craft Room Tour

Did you guess that I've been scrumbling, lol.

And a belated Happy St. Paddy's Day to all who celebrate.

This is my own design for a shamrock, which I attached to a hair slide and wore in my hair for the weekend. 

I've had a big sort out in my craft studio to make room for a dedicated 'art-space' as well now.

Loving the natural light that I get from the window.

My drawing board table can be tilted to any angle and also can be adjusted height ways too. Love it.

The black shelves hold the paints, acrylic, guache and water-colours.

The tan shelves hold my oil paints on the bottom shelf, all my containers of soft-pastels are on the 2nd shelf up, my journals and sketch pads next shelf up. All sorts of marker pens and inks on the next shelf, and then on the very top are things like masking fluid, rubbers, glue, and my larger art paper pads.

Under the table are two of my easels (the larger easels are stored in the garage.

The table holds my most frequently used supplies, i.e. china mixing trays, water container, brushes, pencils, and art crayons.

The armchair is where I do crochet and embroidery (or just chill out with a book).

Opposite the armchair is the sewing table which doubles up as a weaving table too.

Behind where I'm standing and to my left is the miniatures work station and my book shelves, plus another ranch slider (windows & door) the same as that one by the art table.

(I've not tidied that area so no photos, lol).

Hope you enjoyed that little tour of my art space.

I'm off to do some drawing now, catch you next next time.

Happy Crafting

Cyra

Bits of this and that ~~~

Little bits are progressing on a few different projects.

That is a spiral scrumble to be added to a few other scrumbles (ok, LOTS of other scrumbles) to create something -- I don't know what it will be until I have few more of them made, then it will tell me what it wants to be -- a bag, a hat, a garment, a wall hanging, whatever.

________________________________

Back into drawing again. A quick hand sketch for practice.

____________________________________

The Pilli Pala Dolls House

I don't know how other people have got on constructing this dolls house themselves. The instructions are terrible. The right hand wall of the kitchen is the first piece they tell you to put together, and nowhere does it tell you that the uprights need to be attached with space bellow floor level, hence the 'gap' on mine. I will have to saw that much off the top now and glue it at the bottom. 

All the kitchen walls are up now, and the entrance hall next to the kitchen is almost done.

The checkered floor is a paper sheet that came with the house. Not sure that I like this look,  so I shall probably create some other flooring (and a better quality) than this. 

I think a wood floor would look better - watch this space, lol.

Auditioning some wood strips for flooring. I will remove the bent pieces from this pile first though.

That's my lot for now.

See you in the next post.

Happy Crafting

Cyra

Miniature works are fun

Working on small items for the dolls house is so much fun.

This small blanket/afghan for the bed is finished now and on the bed that I have shown you in a previous post. It is crocheted in embroidery threads, and each block is about 1" small. In real life the granny square blanket would be bigger, but as this is for decoration purpose only, I want the underneath bedding to be seen too.

Construction of the house has started at last now that Tony has cut me a base board to work on.

One downstairs room is almost complete.

And the kitchen table was a new start for this week.

Today is an embroiders guild work day and I shall be stitching on the miniature rug.

See you next time with more miniatures

Happy Stitching

Cyra

Happy Valentine Day

_____________________________________________________________________

The only thing I've got to show this week is a broken plate.

Here is my stitched plate.

And here it is broken...... (cut apart)

Then I put glue (stitches) on all the broken edges.

And then stuck (stitched) it back together again.

Close up of repair job, lol.

That was all in the name of experimenting and having fun.

See you next time. 

Cyra

Pilli Pala mini house & some crochet

Pilli Pala mini house.

I cleared half of my work table ready to start on the 1/12th scale house. 

But after measuring up the approximate size of the house, I found out that this space is way too small. So I've had to clear the other half of the table too, so now the whole table is just for the house build. 

This house comes in kit form. It was first published about 20-25 years ago in fortnightly installments, and there are 125 (I think) parts to it. 

(I forgot to take a photo of the packages, sorry, I'll do that for the next posting).

It's the Del Prado Dolls House. I have the whole set. Each part still sealed in it's original packaging. 

No I did not buy it when it was published many moons ago. I had the great fortune to be in the right place at the right time - my local op shop. There were two old and very worn cardboard packing cases stuck in a dark corner with 'stuff' piled all around them. They were very neglected and in need of a loving new home.

I couldn't believe my luck when the lady said I could have it for $5 (NZ). I actually gave her $15 (all I had on me at the time) as it was the Salvation Army op shop, and I like to support them when I can.

That was about 10 yrs ago. 

My idea was to save the set for when I could allocate some proper time for it in the future.

Well, the 'future' is NOW, lol. 

Sorting through the first 6 parts of the set, I realize that this house is not going to be a top-notch sturdy house like the dolls houses my dad used to make. So I need to find a base board big enough for the house and hopefully it will help to keep everything straight and be an integral part of the build. 

I need to search through our outbuildings tomorrow to see if there is something suitable before I go and purchase something. So the main house build is on hold for now.

Meanwhile, I got started on what is called a Sleigh Bed.

This first pic is the footboard. The laser-cut pieces have to be removed from the sheet of wood, and this is what it looks like.

Before

I don't like the rough and rugged edges, so I gave it a thorough sanding to round off all of the edges.

This is it after sanding.

After

Much neater. I am happier with this look even though it took a big part of my day to gently sand all of the parts for the bed.

Anyway, on to the painting, 

(it can be stained instead if you wish, but I want a painted bed).

Primer done and drying. Top coat to do tomorrow after another light sanding.

___________________________________________________________________

I have finished two 12 inch crochet squares. These are already winging their way across the seas to US, where they will be included in two different afghan blankets for a charity auction.

One blanket called for warm colours, and this is my square for that blanket.

The pattern is Marigold on Ravelry

And the second blanket called for neutral colours, and this is my square for that blanket.

The pattern is Dahlia on Ravelry 

(I do not recommend this pattern for novice crocheters as the pattern isn't easy to understand and I had to 'fudge' my way through it in parts).

So that was my week. Hope you had a good one too.

Happy Crafting

Cyra

2018 Goals & update

Happy New Year  

2018 Goals - my year of 4’s

• Spend more time with hubby and put the ‘4-second’ rule into action - Did you know that it only takes 4 seconds to look at a person when they talk to you for them to appreciate and recognize that you are taking notice of them and that they are important to you at that moment.
• Make 4 things for each of my 4 children - I have so many things that my mum and dad made for me, that I treasure, and I want to pass that same love on to my kiddlywinks.
• Complete the crazy patchwork quilt that I started 4 years ago.
• Play some more with freeform bobbin lace and weaving.
• Knitting - I want to learn more than just the basic stitch, and stop being afraid of knitting.
• Make a start on My NZ Dolls House - aka 'Pilli Pala' - and the furnishings within.
• Work on 4 of my embroidery WIP’s. I’ll be happy if I get even one of these 4 finished.

That’s my lot….. apart from all the crochet projects that are a part of my ‘normal’ daily life too.

_________________________________________________________________

Here are some of the projects that I finished in the last couple of months of 2017 and didn't get to post on here about.

Debra the Zebra Firberart- freeform crochet, bobbin lace, & weaving.

I made my Rock Pool bigger and better, and finished it in time for the Regional Embroiderers Guild show, where it won 1st place in the 3D category.... woohoo... go me.

A decorative freeform crochet box.

I've a YouTube video of it HERE where you can see the whole thing better.

A couple of woolly hats for His'n'Hers' Christmas pressies.

The one on the left is a pony tail beanie.

And this is the beginning of a mandala blanket.

Whatever you do in 2018 make sure you have FUN.

Happy Stitching

Time for a catch-up

Sometimes when life throws you lemons you just have to make lovely lemonade.

I've had a 'bit' of a busy couple of months (and the next few will be more of the same, lol), but I have still been stitching away whenever possible.

Here is a catch-up on some of the things I have made since my last post here.

Freeform crochet scrumbles. Getting ready to make a headband or hat.

Wet felting. I attended another workshop and made these two flowers.

Stamen embellishments are yet to be added.

Crochet miniature tablecloth, 6 inches long.