My Creative Space

Is it really My Creative Space time again already? Only another 1000+ posts in my blog reader this week. Blogtoberfest is making my head spin! Another day at playgroup and another mouthful of sand. Another crocheted something for Maya. (And here)
Another squared vest.
I love this simple but gorgeous pattern. I worked out how I stuffed up the sleeves last time. This time I “stuffed it up” deliberately so could do the gathered sleeves again. This is how I did it:
1. Follow Amanda’s squared vest pattern.
2. When Amanda says “Remember ch2 counts as dc” (Note I’m using US terminology here), ignore that and add an extra dc to the start and end of every round.
3. Stitch up the seams as per Amanda’s pattern.
4. Cut 2 pieces of hat elastic to fit comfortable around your arm.
5. Thread the elastic around the sleeve edge and tie in place.
6. Then do two rows of double crochet (Australian) around the edge to cover the hat elastic and voila!

My Creative Space

Finally... One ripple dress complete.

Fifth and final WIP done.

And one new WIP started.

More creative stuff here.

The beanbag that’s not a beanbag creative space

Finally it’s finished – the beanbag that’s not a beanbag. It took a lot longer to make than I had expected. That seems to be a very familiar story with me. I start things expecting to whip ‘em up in a couple of hours and when I don’t finish them they get put away for another day hence the millions of half started projects everywhere and hence the WIP challenge. Speaking of which, this is another WIP down – only one more to go!

So anyway back to the beanbag that’s not a beanbag. I love how it has turned out. I love that the kids love it. Although I really have to keep an eye on Maya when she’s in it!
I love that the kid’s friends and cousins love it. I love that I have inspired a friend to try making one herself.

All I did was sew up a beanbag using denim and upholstery fabric with some extra strong upholstery thread, hammer in some eyelets at the top (that bit was fun!), cut a door in the side, place a hoop inside the bottom of the beanbag to help keep its shape, put some cushions and blankets inside, hang it from the eyelets on a hook and voila, a fun swinging hideaway for the kids!
It looks so fun and comfy that I want to get in there myself, but I think I’ll leave the fun to the kids. I don’t want to break it! My Creative Space is a little bit later than usual this week. I’ve seen a bit too much of the bathroom in the last 12-24 hours, after eating a bad batch of food at the food court at work yesterday. Lets just say I won’t be eating any of that impossibly red sweet and sour pork again anytime soon!

WIPing up Triangles

Remember those triangles I was crocheting here and here and here? Well I have finally finished them and have used them to make some things. Here they are sewn up into a couple of cushions for Khye’s bed.

I’d finished the crocheting and sewn up a couple of cushions ages ago, but I’ve been really procrastinating on hand sewing up the stuffing holes and stitching the crochet to the cushion. Khye’s been bugging me for his round cushions and now they’re done he doesn’t really care…sigh…

And with the other half of the triangles, I added picots around the edges and chained them all together to make some flags for his room. I don’t think he has noticed them yet and for some reason I haven’t pointed them out to him. Here’s hoping he’ll be a little more excited about the flags than he was about the cushions.

Hmm these photos of the flags are a bit crappy and I’m not sure why but they’re twisting out of shape now that they’re hanging up. I have ironed them, but maybe it’s something to do with the way I’ve joined them together with the chaining???

Anyway, I’m counting this as two more WIPs down in my WIP challenge. Only another two to go. Geez this challenge can’t go fast enough for me. I’ve got so many ideas for new projects but I just have to patient and finish off my five first. And to think I was originally thinking ten WIPs. I would have gone crazy!

My Creative Space (and first WIP done!)

I am so happy with my new little cardi. I just love it. I used Amamda’s squared vest crochet pattern. And despite Amanda telling me it would be quick and easy to make, it actually took me ages.
I ran out of yarn (again) and then somehow I stuffed up the sleeve edges. But I managed to fix both, as you can see, by adding in some rounds of matching scrap yarns and by threading some hat elastic around the sleeve edges.
When I started I thought I would use a big 7mm hook in an attempt to make the yarn go further (does that actually work?), but by the end I thought it was a little loose. Luckily it was a tad too big and the yarn I used is wool, so I lightly felted it and now it is perfect!

I love, love, love it and I can’t wait for some slightly warmer weather to wear it. Also perfect is that it is my first WIP to be completed in my WIP Challenge. Only 4 more things to finish!
And join Kirsty on her Creative Space Thursday.

My WIP Challenge

I am ridiculously hopeless at finishing things before starting on new things. My list of WIPs (Works In Progress) or UFOs (UnFinished Objects) or whatever you like to call them is huge. And I have some unfinished projects that have been sitting on that list for years and years.

Take for instance the patchwork cushion sitting on the couch. I made it about 12 years ago but I still haven't hand sewn the hole up and there is still stuffing spilling out of it. Or then there's the pair of overalls I started making for Khye about 2 and a half years ago. He's now way too big for them, but if I finish them in the next few months maybe they will fit Maya. And then there's the secret project I started making for my friend for her wedding present. They have just celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary and are now expecting their first baby in December. They still haven't received their present and probably won't for quite a while longer yet. (I think I bit off more than I could chew with this project.)

So anyway in a bid to cross some things off my list and to feel like I am achieving something, I have a plan to challenge myself to finish 5 WIPs before starting on anything new. Sean doesn't think I can do it. I'm not sure I can do it either but I'm gonna try. How hard can it be to finish 5 things? It's not like I'm setting myself a time limit or anything. The only rule is: finish 5 things before starting anything new.

Anyone else interested in joining me on my WIP Challenge??