Little Easter Baskets - a Tutorial

 

May the glad dawn of Easter morn, bring joy to thee.

 

Easter Sunday is a week away... plenty of time to make a little felt basket or two!

 

I have uploaded the pattern template to scrib, you can find it here - don't be too concerned about sizing. I made a couple of half sized ones and about a dozen bigger ones; you could probably go bigger again and it would still stay pretty sturdy depending on the thickness of your wool felt.

 

Decoration, or none, is completely up to your preference and time... I will show you how to do the little wool twist and stitch a bullion bee, just make everything else up.

ok you will need the pattern template, some wool felt, scrap wool yarn-  about twice as long as the side length, various colours of embroidery floss, needles, scissors... maybe a little bit of raffia or wood curl shavings for inside the basket, that is it.

Cut out the felt pieces from the template - you should have three - base, side and handle.

 

Tie a little knot in the very end of your wool yarn and with matching thread make a few small stitches to secure it to your side piece of felt (notice that the top sides slope inward just a little? secure your yarn on one side about 1/2inch down from the top)

 

Start twisting your yarn, very quickly you will notice it starts to loop back on itself, working in small sections make tiny running stitches to secure the twisted wool yarn to the felt.

When you make it to the other end, tie a knot and snip off any remaining yarn, finish twisting and stitching and you are done with that bit.

Making a bullion bee...

Hmmm this could be as clear as mud but I'll give it a go. Bullion stitches are best made with straw needles - they are thin and even along the length, if you don't have one (and I don't even know if I do) use a needle with a really small head.. eye bit.. umm...one with even thickness along the entire shaft! It will help the wraps slide off smoothly if you do.

 

Any embelishments need to be done on the opposite side to the twisty wool bit and in the bottom two thirds of the basket side piece.

Ok. you will need black and yellow threads, I used two strands of each and don't snip them between bands (and they each have their own needle so I don't have to keep re-threading)

Bare with me cause I don't have photoshop anymore... Point A is on the right where you see the needle threaded with black disappearing into the felt and Point B is to the left about where you see the yellow thread hanging down. The distance between point A and B is the length of the bullion. You will need to make enough wraps to cover this distance.

 

With either yellow or black thread (knotted) bring the needle to the front at A, bring the thread through.

Take the needle to the back at B and re-emerge at A, LEAVE THE NEEDLE IN PLACE like the picture above..

With your thumb over the eye of the needle, raise the point of the needle up and wrap the thread clockwise around the needle.. pull the wraps reasonably firmly against the fabric and try to keep them even - to start with you should need 6-8 wraps.

Keeping the tension on the wraps with your left index finger, begin to ease the needle through the wraps.

Continuing the pressure on the wraps pull the needle and remaining thread free through the wraps.

Pull the thread all the way through tugging the wraps away from you, this helps to keep them tight.

Now pull the thread firmly toward you, The wraps (bullion) should now sit between Point A and B.

You can fiddle with them to make them even, if you need to, be gentle and keep the tension tight. Anchor the bullion by taking the needle to the back at B.

 

Now swap your colours and do another slightly longer one... keep going till you like the look of your bee. I like to end with a short black bullion 'head segment'

 

 

 Put on a couple of 'lazy daisy stitch' wings and he is ready to buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

I made a little tiny bee with three french knots (a very short bullion, just three wraps and anchor in the centre of A and B) and a running stitch buzzy path.

 

Putting it all together

With wrong sides together and using blanket stitch, sew the sides seam together from the top down

 

When you get to the bottom take the circular base piece and begin sewing it in place, easing as required.

 

Secure any knots on the inside of the basket, it is neater that way.

Fold down the top edge and secure with blanket (or any other stitch you fancy)

To make the handle, fold the two long edges into the centre and stitch in place I used blanket stitch...mainly because I think I can do it in my sleep. When you get all the way across secure the handles on each side at a depth of about the top fold.

That is it.. Happy Easter. May your baskets be filled with love (and a little bit of chocolate too).

 

Dammit doll...a tutorial

Probably about 15 years ago; anyway long before I had a personal computer or had even heard of the the world wide web, I made my mum a doll, a dammit doll. She was pretty funky with mad hair and a heart embroidered onto her bottom. I honestly don't know where I found the words that went with her ~ mum loved her and I am prety sure she used her more than a few times for her intended purpose.

I made another the other week to send to a friend ( I had to get mum to send me a picture of my original one so I could make a pattern). I took pictures along the way just in case someone else needed to vent a little frustration.

You will need some fabric, anything you fancy really, I used cotton calico both times. Umm threads, scissors, pins, stuffing, some kind of yarn for hair...think that is about it.

Download the pattern template from here.

Double your fabric over, right sides together and trace around the templates onto the fabric with a pencil or marker (you will need two arms so trace two sets).

Before cutting, machine sew, with a small straight stitch, on your trace lines ~ make sure you leave the top of the arms and where marked on the body, open for turning and later joining.

Cut out your pieces with a small seam allowance and turn them right way out. You might need to use a knitting needle or chopstick to smooth the inner seams.

Stuff the arms about two thirds up the length, pin the top ~ compare your arms to make sure they are even then baste across your pin line, set them aside.

Now stuff your body, poke your stuiffing down into the legs with that knitting needle or chopstick you used earlier. Fill up her tummy and head til you like the feel of her. Next, making sure you turn her arms so that her thumbs are facing in by her side, stuff the empty arm segment into her armpit and sew her arms to her body using a ladder or some other invisible stitch.

Next pin along her groin as is marked on the pattern and sew a running stitch through both front and back layers of fabric and the stuffing ~ it gives her a better shape. At this point she makes a rather funny voodoo pincushion...which reminds me I'm hosting a pincushion swap this month ~ want to join in the fun? have a look here.

Now, to embellish!
I am partial to the belly button, almost all my dolls get one. This is only a little doll so a neat little bullion belly button does nicely. First make a stitch as long as you think you need a belly button to be, but don't come all the way through the fabric. Wrap your thread around the needle 8-10 times then hold them taught and pull your needle and thread through the loops. Curl it round and secure it. (I am quite sure if you google bullion stitch you will get a far better explanation and probably even a step by step video!)

On to her face.
I drew very lightly with pencil to give myself something to work with.

Then back stitched a black outline and filled in with colour.

I gave her bottom a little tattoo ~ she was made with love.

Hair! I used a spun silk mess ~ see!

I managed to unknot it enough to get a dozen or so lengths to work with. I doubled the lengths and with a sharp needle and thread stitched her hair along the seam.

When her hair was all done I gave her to the wee girl for a few wacks against the table (needed to check durability) She whizzed her about so fast she is a mere blurr!

So I slowed her down for a final picture!

When you want to throw the phone
And kick the desk and shout.
Here's a littlt "Dammit Doll"
You cannot live without.
Just grasp it firmly by the legs
And find a place to slam it,
And as you whack the stuffing out
Yell DAMMIT, DAMMIT, DAMMIT.

And that pincushion swap is still open

Craft group ~ to the ladybird ~ a tutorial

Oh! Ladybird, Ladybird, why dost thou roam
So far from thy comrades, so distant from home?
Why dost thou, who canst revel all day in the air,
Who the sweets of the grove and the garden, canst share;
In a fold of a leaf, who canst form thee a bower,
And a palace enjoy in the tube of a flower;
Ah, why, simple Ladybird, why doust thou venture,
The dwellings of man so familiar to enter?

by Charlotte Smith cira 1807

They are a bit cute.. I wanted to make an orange one too but got a bit distracted finishing off making next week's project (always one step ahead!)

Just before I leap into the tutorial I wanted to show you how my pirate from last week turned out; I think he is fabulous (especially his wee hook!) I have my head swimming with ideas to improve him so consider this a prototype!

Right ladybirds ~

You will need the pattern template from here, scraps of red (orange, yellow), green and black felt, embroidery floss (work with two strands), wood roving for stuffing and I think that is it. (Oh you might like to use little black buttons or beads for the wing spots).

Cut out your pieces (remember the sparkle pen tip for tracing onto black felt).

Sew felt spots, black beads, buttons or french knots onto the wings first.

Then paying attention to your As, Bs and Cs, stitch the wings to the side of the head section. Then stitch the funny little V bit which will curve the head nicely.

Ok, now using red thread (or other coordinating colour) stitch the wings together down the centre back.

 

Now find the centre of your base and match it with the centre wing seam. Starting with the curved head end begin stitching the top and base together. The base will seem too small, don't panic, you need to ease your stitching to make the top fit the base so that you get a nicely domed ladybird.

Leave a bit of a gap before you close the stitching and stuff it firmly but not so it is bursting at the seams.

Close it up; leave your needle threaded and attached. To make antenna, bring your needle and thread out in an antennerish spot on its head and make a small back stitch/knot flush with the spot. then bring the thread directly up to what looks like a good length and tie a knot in the thread before snipping the thread with scissors just above the knot. Go in again on the opposite side and do it all again.

 

You can stitch your finished ladybird to a little leaf (add a clasp to the back and it is a brooch, pop it on some black elactic and it is a sweet little headband, or just sit it on the bench and let little hands play with it).

And the free icicle gnome pattern goes to...

MammaWestWind of Chocolate Eyes... I've emailed it to you already, such is the cleverness of the intertubes.

For everyone else I still have two kits left; everything you need ...(well except a bit of stuffing and thread) to make your very own icicle gnome for just $20 and only $2 postage within Australia. I am also in possession of a never ending supply of PDF patterns for this little fellow for just $5...all money gratefully accepted as a craft group fundraiser for our little Steiner school. Please leave me a message here if you would like to buy a pattern.

I had plans to tell you what we have been doing all week but I am feeling sleepy, so maybe tomorrow.

Winter icicle gnome wrap up and giveaway

 

Look out! Look out!

Jack frost is about!

He's after our fingers and toes;

And all through the night'

the gay little sprite

Is working where nobody knows.

He'll climb each tree,

So nible is he,

His silvery powder he'll shake;

To windows he'll creep

And while we're asleep,

Such wonderful pictures he'll make.

Across the grass

He'll merrily pass,

 And change all its greeness to white;

Then home he will go

And laugh "Ho, ho, ho,

What fun I have in the night."

C.E. Pike

I am so pleased to be finished these two; I think they look great!

Because lots of you asked about kits and tutorials last week, I have checked with my other half at craft group and we are going to make a PDF pattern of this winter gnome to sell (thus raising some money for our school). The pattern will be $5 and includes basic instructions ~ NB it assumes that you know how to make a head, but does include 'how to' directions for his cute little nose.

We also have enough hand dyed felt left for about four kits - kits include pattern/instructions and everything else you need except stuffing wool and embroidery threads; they will be $20 plus postage.

If you are interested in either a pattern or a kit - leave a comment with a way for me to contact you. (All the kits are sold, sorry. I will shout out if we dye any more felt. We still have a neverending supply of PDF patterns tho!)

Giveaway bit ~ because it is alway nice to have a chance at a prize; we will giveaway a PDF pattern to a lucky someone who leaves a nice comment and a way to be contacted. I'll do the random thing next Wednesday evening, June 29.  The free pattern was won by MamaWestWind who blogs at Chocolate Eyes

 

Wednesday Craft Group ... Winter is coming and so are the icicle gnomes

This wee fellow is our model for the next two weeks; he came from Netherland in a suitcase and is now living in Brisbane in quite different weather. He was made many years ago by one of our regular craft group members for her classroom when she was teaching at a Steiner school in Holland. We are all a bit excited to be making one of our own ~ he really is quite beautiful with his silk beard, cute little nose and pale blue cloak.

The felt has all been hand dyed and today we collected all the bits we will need to complete him (a few of us collected enough for two..one for us to keep and one to sell at our craft stall during festiValley in August).

(I have made a PDF pattern of this winter gnome to sell (thus raising some money for our school). The pattern is $5 and includes instructions ~ NB it assumes that you know how to make a formed head, but does include 'how to' directions for his cute little nose. Please leave a comment, with your contact details if you would like to buy one.)

Mine are in a bit of a state of undress...

tho they are a little more advanced than you can see here; one is even standing up now! Mind you I did it all at home... I never get anything done at craft!

I am finding it increasing difficult to attend craft group ~ we have a wonderful outdoor space (and even some of those great patio heaters) but it is completly unfenced and the wee girl runs in all directions, disappearing in the blink of an eye (i.e. me looking down momentarily to cut something or do a few quick stitches) I seem to spend most of my time racing about after her, pulling her out of her big sister's classroom, and lately finding her with her pants around her ankles declaring "wee". She is completly disinterested in the sandpit but will hold still for Oooo say 10 minutes or so to demolish her lunch box (usually within 5 minutes of arriving). Next week is the last craft group of term before the holidays but next term we might have to take a break.

I want to say thank you for all of your thoughts and kind words after our old boy Wibur died last week. I still find myself crying quite regularly ~ my poor big girl found herself consoling me in the pet food isle at the supermarket, and my husband offered his broad shoulders when I broke down vacuuming Wilbur's sunny patch of carpet. We planted a Lemon Myrtle on his grave, maybe in spring when new leaves shoot out in abundance I can share a cup of fresh herbal tea with him.

Wednesday Craft Group - Knitted Moss Gnomes; aTutorial

The garden at our place has an abundance of this fabulous green furry stuff and since the door has been installed we've got visitors; wee Moss Gnomes.

These little fellows are made with some very simple knitting, stuffing and a simple formed head like the root babies I showed you how to make the other week.

You will need: (not much) wool/yarn 8plyish - green shades are nice, a pair of 3mm knitting needles, stuffing wool, size one tube/bandage, linen thread, cotton tricot/face fabric, mohair for hair and beard, some embroidery floss for facial features, scrap bit of co-ordinating felt, wool and sharp needles and a small weight about the size of a 10c piece (in fact a 10c piece is a fine weight itself).

Ok, for the body cast on 20 stitches and knit 12 rows.
Cast off 4 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows (12 stitches)
Stocking stitch the next 10 rows (knit one row, purl the next etc..)
From the 11th row begin decreasing 1 stitch at each end of each knit row, purl one row*
* repeat until only one stitch remains; cast off.

Next make a small formed head with about a 3cm circumference. Create an eye line with your linen thread and then cover your face with a small square of skin fabric. If you like, eyes and mouth can be embroidered now.

With your wool needle and scrap yarn begin sewing the hat together from the top (the pointy end) and stop where the decreasing began. Then stitch the front of the gnome together and insert the head into the open space. Stuff under and around the head with wool fleece. Cut and sew into place a circle of felt on the bottom to create a base - slip your weight in before you close it up completely.

Using small blind stitches attach the head into the suit opening, then create his hair and beard out of mohair. To to this sew loops right around the face fastening each with a small backstitch. Cut open the loops and trim his hair and beard to the length you fancy.

Don't stress too much if your knitting turns out bigger - just make a bigger head - he is a very forgiving little fellow.

OH and this is my 200th post! well I never but there you go I do tend to talk a bit. So because I don't have a squillion other things to do (ha!) Who wants to win a Moss Gnome of their very own? Leave me a message (with some way to find you) and I'll do one of those random hat draws next Wednesday May 10.  The wee moss gnome is going to live with Rachel at the Butterfly Ball.
Oh and double OH! Dear Bloom of we bloom here is hosting another swap On the Wings of Spring  

"With birds nesting in my garden and choruses of goldfinches warbling in the trees, spring is an especially good time to love birds... And so I've decided to host a little birdie swap. What a perfect time of year to create some new feathered friends to join spring and summer nature tables! If you are in the southern hemisphere, please don't feel left out... birds need food and shelter all through the winter; and even in the dark of winter, you might look to the return of birds as harbingers of spring."

Won't you flutter over there and join in?