Happy Holiday Hooking

It’s taken Maya quite some time to warm up to this hat. But thankfully all that crocheting, unraveling, crocheting, unraveling ... etc hasn’t gone to waste and she finally approves of her new sun hat. Once again there was no pattern, it was very experimental. I used a shell pattern in rounds and it was a bit of a challenge working out where to increase and how to increase, hence the unraveling. I think it has worked out okay except the brim is a bit floppier than I had hope for. But in an attempt to broaden it and reduce the floppiness, I double crocheted over a plastic cord around the edge.
It’s still a bit floppy but at least it keeps the sun off and it does look quite cute with her colour coordinated drink bottle!

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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!

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!

My Mum's Creative Space

My space is a little boring at the moment. I’m still working on the ripple dress, planning another crochet top, and doing lots of softie cutting out in preparation for future markets. But my Mum has been very busy lately. And Maya is a lucky girl ‘cos she received this fabulous quilt for her first birthday last week. Mum originally patched the quilt back in 1976 when she was pregnant with me. She has recently repaired the quilt, rebacked it, and machine quilted it. The backing fabric is from the curtains my Mum had in her room when she was a baby. I love that this quilt has so much family history in it. Maybe one day I could add to it a little for Maya’s daughter…
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My Creative Space

Crocheting more of this:It’s very slow going and getting a bit monotonous now. I think I prefer crocheting with big hooks and big wool. Looking forward to the end of it now.

Crocheted another one of these:Yes it’s exactly the same as the first one. It’s an order for a woman (a complete stranger we met at the shops) who saw Maya wearing hers and wants one the same size and colour for her granddaughter. Still got some loose ends to weave in and a toggle button to add.

And finished making these:Some bedding for a little wicker doll’s pram we are giving Maya for her first birthday tomorrow.

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My Creative Space

I had envisaged that this creative space would be all about my gorgeous new crocheted sleeveless jacket like the one I made Maya last week, but it hasn’t happened. It all began with a bit of excitement and a lot of gusto (and maybe a touch of obsession), but has ended with disappointment.

First, I used the wrong yarn, a heavy textured yarn and for some reason I chose a colour I don’t love. Second, the jacket ate the yarn very quickly and I don’t have any more to finish the job. Thirdly, the yarn texture is hiding the pretty pattern I crocheted.

So anyway I’ve hidden it at the back of the cupboard so it’s out of my sight and out of my mind. I’m still really keen to make myself a jacket like Maya’s but I’m thinking that maybe I’ll use some wool fabric and sew it rather than crochet it. I haven’t been totally put off crocheting things for myself, but for the moment I think I’ll stick to the small Maya sized garments.
More Creative Spaces over here.

My Creative Space

How on earth do you make an 11 month old sit still for photos? Every time Maya sees the camera she lunges for it. It makes taking photos of her very difficult. Actually it makes taking photos of anything with her nearby very difficult!

Just get a look at those tiny but terrifying teeth!

Anyway back to the creative stuff, I crocheted this sleeveless jacket for her on the weekend.

It was inspired by a top I saw someone wearing on tv and inspired by Leonie’s wrap.
It’s another ... one made without a pattern. I simply crocheted a circle and “added” a couple of slits for armholes.
I made a prototype with calico first to get the right size for Maya, then started hooking from the centre, ending with a scalloped edge and finished off with a wooden toggle button (raided from Khye’s threading beads - he’s most upset and wants me to take it off - I’m hoping he forgets about it).
I love it and now I want to make one for myself!

I’ve also been joining my triangles this week.

What’s happening in your creative spaces this week?

My Creative Space…

…has been very busy this week. First up, I made two pairs of desperately needed jammies for Maya. They are made from vintage flannelette sheets. I’ve been searching the oppies for jammies Maya’s size but found nothing. Now I’m glad I didn’t ‘cos these homemade jammies are soooo much nicer – cosier and prettier than anything I could have bought (Sean doesn’t agree with me though). Yes I did make them a bit too big, but hopefully they’ll last longer.

Next I made another something for Maya. A little skirt made from an appliquéd and embroidered tray cloth. This is so totally inspired by the very inspiring Kate at Fox’s Lane and the gorgeous white tablecloth pants she made for Pepper. It is a little stained already, but with Maya still commando crawling, I’m sure there are many more stains to come. Now I have to try and find some non pink clothes in her wardrobe to match!

Lastly, there was yet another something for Maya. (Thank goodness I have a girl I can make pretty things for!) I made the dress for her dolly. I didn’t have a pattern, just kinda made it up as I went along. I really wanted to make a short sleeved dress to cover the white cotton of her soft squishy body, but that was way too difficult, particularly on such a tiny little dress. My sewing machine couldn't handle it. I guess it just looks like a white t-shirt underneath.
She has such a beautiful face doesn't she?
And I finished dolly’s cardi.

That’s all for now!

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My Creative Space

It’s Maya’s first birthday in a few weeks and I’ve been preparing her present. We are giving her a dolly who is in desperate need of some cute, warm clothes and I plan to make them. And ‘cos I couldn’t leave my crochet hooks alone for too long, I started dressing her with this little cardi. Using the purple wool left over from Maya’s top and armed with the “Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Needlecraft (1980) and a cardi Mum crocheted for me when I was a baby, I began crocheting without a pattern. I had intended to crochet it in one piece, but I started at the bottom edge and then it all got too hard when I reached the arms. So I started another piece from the neck edge and stitched the 2 pieces together. It was certainly a work of trial and error with lots of unraveling and lots of recrocheting!As you can see I still have to tie in the loose ends and sew on the buttons, but I think it has turned out well. Just in time to keep poor dolly warm in this miserable Melbourne weather.

Now I have to work out how to sew a dress to go under the cardi…

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My Creative Space…

… has waved bye bye to the crochet hooks (temporarily of course) and warmly welcomed the scissors and sewing machine back again.

I’ve been cutting out these woolly squares,
and transforming them into these soft rattle balls,
which have been very much loved by Maya!
I have also been admiring these gorgeous vintage sheet fat quarters that arrived recently and matching them with my existing collection. Thanks Ange for a great swap!

Where’s your creative space at this week?