I love Japanese craft

Here is the kumihimo braid I made. I used a foam marudai that I bought in the $2 shop ages ago. It's really easy to do and very therapeutic.

This little elephant card is based on a pattern in the Ondori 'Lovable Mini Dolls' book. I bought this book about 20 years ago and almost passed it over as it was 7 quid. Glad I splashed out. I've made a few of the dolls and adapted lots of the patterns to make cards.

Lotsa stuff

We've just been on holiday to the south coast. This gave my hubby a chance to windsurf and me and Lil Taf to catch up with my beloved auntie who lives there. She is the one who taught me to crochet lace. I'd forgotten just how much fun she is. She has also given up crochet as she is too busy, so she has given me heaps of crochet cotton. About 150 balls of the stuff. So now I have to find somewhere to keep it all. My husband thinks I should put the craft I'm not working on at the moment in the loft. Should I remind him of the bead loom, the lacemaking pillow, the cross-stitch kits, the candlemaking equipment etc that already live there? No, I'll just make room under the bed. He doesn't understand that I'm always working on all my crafts, it's just that sometimes I'm working on them in my head!!
I did manage to crochet a pig and make a kumihimo braid whilst I was on holiday. Also started another doily. Is there anyone out there who would like a nice hand crocheted doily??

A Card

Papercrafting is my latest craze. Since 2001 I've made nearly all my own cards. I really enjoy it too. There's something very therapeutic about sticking bits of paper together. I also love it when
people keep them and produce them years later. If they'd give me them back, I could just send them again next time. I have to admit that I have done this to my husband. Well, men aren't the world's most observant, especially with stuff like that! The picture is of a card that I designed myself. It was inspired by 2 chocolate planes. Amazing that I didn't eat them before I'd finished.

Works in Progress

As a true Jack of All Trades (and master of none), I have several crafts in progress. There are the scrapbook pages of last September's holiday in Weymouth, an amigurumi animal, a crocheted doily and 4 cross-stitch pictures. The trouble is, once I get in the crafting mood, I want to do everything at once. Then the mood passes and I leave things half-done. If I could stay focussed, maybe I'd be a master of at least one craft.
I've been watching 'Kirstie's Home-made Home' on Channel 4. She visits all sorts of crafts people. One lady produces fantastic quilts. One particular one she made took her 4000 hours. If that had been me, I'd have spent 4 hours on it and then, 4 years later, donated the remainder to the rag & bone man. That reminds me, I've been meaning to make a Thomas Tank Engine quilt for my little boy. I've had the fabric for ages.....

A bit of stitching

I made this years ago when I was living in Christchurch. I got the pattern from a library book. I think it was an Australian Women's Weekly book. It still looks as pristine as the day I made it. I put this down to good-quality felt. In case you were wondering, it's a hanging. I had to photo it like that as it is too long to do any other way. I was thinking - I love making things, but what do I do with the completed items? My husband is dreading me taking up pottery.

Knitting Bee

My little boy loves bees, so I thought I'd knit him one. This is from a book by the marvellous Jean Greenhowe. She is probably the best knitted toy designer. The bee only took an hour or so to make and only used a little bit of wool. The little man was thrilled with it.

Doilies

I think that's how you spell it. These are so old fashioned that they must surely be fashionable again? The two coloured ones are Twilleys patterns. I've had them for years. I spent my teen years crocheting lace. Did make up for it after though. The white one is from an Ondori book (those fabulous Japanese again).

An oldie but a goodie

I've just knitted a dishcloth. It's the best dishcloth I've ever had. It can be washed and bleached to keep it pristine (handy for when my Mum comes to visit). It's an easy pattern; using 4.5mm needles and dischloth cotton, cast on 41 stitches. k1 p1 until the end of the row. Repeat this row until the cloth is about square, and "hey presto". Was lucky to find balls of the correct yarn for 50p in a charity shop.

Kick up the 70s

Way back in the 1970's, my Auntie Eve gave me 2 necklaces which were crocheted around a marble. I thought they were great at the time even though I unpicked one to see what was inside. Anyway, last night I decided to try doing one myself. I made it up as I went along and the result is close to the original. I think I was a bit eager with the decreases as there are some large holes. I may try again and if it works, will post the pattern (it doesn't get more exciting than that, does it?).

Amigurumi

This is a really cool craft from Japan. It's the art of crocheting in the round to create gorgeous little creatures. My Nan taught me to crochet years ago. I thought it was just magic. Then my Aunty Eve taught me how to crochet lace. I've been hooked ever since (dreadful pun). Here are some photos of critters I've made. I created the chick myself, but all the others are patterns from other wesbsites. The tortoise is from here. The beaver and frog are Roxycraft's. The elephant is an old pattern I had already.