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

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.

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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

Sampler Catch-up & Crochet Block

I've been busy on my genealogy work over the last couple of weeks, hence not much happening on the stitching side here. I have made a great headway on one particular small branch of my tree, and I always get a lump in my throat when certain discoveries pop up in my research. It is so interesting to discover new people in my tree.

But now I've actually got some stitching things done again I can show you what I've been up to.

The Embroidery Sampler has two small simple stitch bands added.

(sorry the photo seems blurred)

....and here is the full sampler so far.

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BAMCAL 2017

The12" Block Seven for my Blues Blanket is That One Sister

Again, I have adapted the pattern to suit my personal preference (the freeformer in me always wants to take over, lol).

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And....... tada!!!!

This is a sneak preview of a pattern that will be released soon.

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So the only 'finish' that I can add to my YOP (Year Of Projects) is the 12" crochet square.

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Tony & I have been out for a couple of coastal walks, all close to our home.

The first photo is Opunake beach from the cliff top (looking north across to Middleton Bay), and the second photo is the walk past Opunake lake and heading south to the next bay.

Two very different coast views and an enjoyable couple of days adventures.

See you next week when I hope to have more of the sampler done, and another 12" square, 

plus whatever else takes my fancy.

Wooohoooo - lots of stitching

 Lots of projects got to spend some quality time with me during the week.

The 'Long on Colour' freeform challenge made an appearance. I think this is going to be a cowl.

Earthy and autumnal colours with a pop of black and white. 

And we had such a lovely day yesterday that I was stitching in the back garden in the shade with my kitty companion.

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My BAMCAL 2017 Blues Blanket has two more 12" blocks made.

Block Four is Kaleidoscope Blossom Square by Chris Simon

Block Five is Marigold Mandala Square by Dorianna Rivelli with slight adjustments in the outer rounds as, once again, I 'do-my-own-thing'.

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The Summer Brights Blanket has four more 6" blocks.

This is Window Box Granny by Lisa Mauser

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The ¾" Hexagon Quilt

The darker blue has been added to the rosettes, and lots of yellows prepared ready for attaching.

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Weaving Project- My Garden, panel 2.

This panel starts with a band of regular weaving at the bottom which is the same yarn as Panel 1, and then gradually incorporates freeform weaving as it progresses. 
Multiple weaving styles and texture will be added to this.

So that was my week. Very productive, and I even got to empty and clean out the fish pond (as the two last fish in there disappeared last weekend, probably to a kingfisher or new stray cat that I've seen hanging around).

Crochet and Roses

Two 6" blocks finished for my BAMCAL blanket.

And that is all I can show you of my stitching week!

Other 'things' are being made but I still can't show those at the moment.

I've been doing a fair bit of gardening earlier this week, and here is a lovely bunch of roses trying to peer in my lounge window. 

I'm so glad I took this photo a couple of days ago because we have just had about 48 hours of strong winds and heavy rain, and these poor flowers do not look like this any more.

BAM 2017 - January so far

I thought I'd show you a couple more pics of Bertha Bling this week.

To read her story go here

And she has been featured, along with some of her kin, 

on the Laughing Purple Goldfish site.

BAMCAL 2017

Another block has been made for my Blues afghan.

This block started off as the circle design from a book (Granny Squares & Shapes by Susan Pinner), but it was a circle, so I modified it to be a square.

And here's how my 3 (so far) January blocks are looking together.

I'm not joining them together until I have made them all, and at the moment, I don't know how many I shall be making... as this is meant to be a stash busting project it just depends on when I run out of blue yarn I suppose.

I'm quite pleased that I have January off to a good start. 

I have also made two more blocks in a different colourway, but I cannot show them here yet.

Onwards and upwards.

Happy Stitching.

Cyra

(Batty) Bertha Bling

Say hello to Bertha Bling, better known to her closest friends as 'Batty'.

The Ravelry Freeform groups January challenge brief was to create your Inner Beast using a magic ball of yarn. A pattern was provided by one of our members. As this was a Freeform challenge it was expected that the pattern would be used as a starting point, or spring board, to create our own Inner Beasts. Many of the resulting Inner Beasts are hilariously unique. Pop over to the Ravelry Project board to see them, and more Inner Beasts are still being created as some members are having so much fun with this they are creating a whole family of Inner Beasts, lol.

Inner Beast Project Board. (You have to be a member on Ravelry to view this link.)

I started with the pattern instructions for the body, but freeform took over just as I reached the leg holes.

What happened then I can only describe as innovative.

A bit of a Budha style tummy, and other curvy body shapes, appeared. She had driven her way into my head and was creating herself.

She is 16” tall in a siting position, and 27” from toe to crown.

Half woman / half beast. She occupies her days by creating havoc and laughing very loud. In just the nine days that I have known her she has kicked over my water glass twice, hidden the back door key, left a tap running in the bathroom, tipped a box of my yarns over, worst of all, left a hand/claw print in the un-set jelly.

Her name is Bertha Bling but her friends affectionately call her Batty for short.

She is by far the craziest woman, or beast, that has ever come to live in my house (although my family would argue that I’m almost at the top of the crazy list).

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Other things that have been made this week:

Moody Blue 12" square - designed by Helen Shrimpton

and Efflorescent Window - designed by Laurie O. Campbell.

These are 6" squares that may, or may not, be joined together to make another block. I'm undecided whether to use them as individuals or not. They need another round of stitches to get them to the 6", but I'm waiting to see what other 6" blocks I make first.

Happy Stitching

BAMCAL - YOP - FO's - AYIS - MYIS

Oh boy....... I've done it again..... started lots of projects.

And just in case the title of this blog is reading like a foreign language to you, let me translate it for you here.

BAMCAL = Block-A-Month Crochet-A-Long

YOP = Year Of Projects

FO's = Finished Objects

AYIS - A Year In Stitch

MYIS - My Year In Stitches

2017 BAMCAL is a Ravelry group in which we are given a choice of 3 blocks each month to crochet as we wish for our chosen project. I am going to see if I find enough time to do all 3 blocks, as I would like to make at least two afghans and a tunic/poncho.

My first 12" block is finished - Floral Kaleidoscope Afghan Square by Julie King.

I am using yarn from my stash for this project.

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While I'm showing you FO's, here is a Free Form Ball that I finished for a CAL in another Ravelry group. 

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A Year In Stitches is all about making stitches every day for a year and in a random, freeform style.

I have chosen a colourful printed fabric to randomly embellish with stitches.

And here is the start - Day 1 stitches.

Just a little bit more each day.

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My Year In Stitches is a different project. It still incorporates a little bit of stitching each day, but this one is slightly more organized. It started off life as a patchwork wall hanging that I made a few years ago.... but.... I never really liked it the way it was, so I have decided to spruce it up with a whole heap of stitching to make it more appealing to me, and hopefully, I'll enjoy it enough when it's finished to actually hang it up instead of hiding it in a box.

The green stems are what I have stitched today, and there are quite a lot more of them to stitch too, so I might not share photos again until I get onto something more interesting to see.

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This has been another YOP blog post.

Happy New Year to you all, and Happy Stitching.

Cyra

Crochet Along - Squares

I'm averaging one crochet square a day at the moment, but that will all change from tomorrow as I am back into 'busy-as-a-bee' mode with finalizing the deal with our new property (solicitor appointments, real estate agents etc.) and we will be taking yet another 6 hour journey to the property for some more site visitor appointments. 

This time next year we will have our dream home (I hope).  Exciting stuff!

Here are the new crochet squares for this week.

Some I have taken from the book - 200 Crochet Blocks by Jan Eaton - and some I made up as I went along because I need a challenge every now and then.

Photos are taken while I have them pinned out for blocking.

And two half-squares just to use up the left-over ends.

I may be missing next week while we are away, but I'll be here in spirit.

Happy Stitching