A Nice Surprise

Yesterday while reading through some of my favourite blogs I discovered that I'd won my first ever give away. I was so excited I couldn't wait to pounce on my husband the minute he walked through the door from work to tell him my news. My prize was this fabulous collection of patterns designed by Julia of handknittedthings.

I love them all and don't know which to start first. What I do know is I'll be off to do a spot of wool shopping this week. If you like the look of these patterns they are available to purchase from the handknittedthings shop as well as some ready knitted items.

Thank you again Julia. It made my day, it was like being given an early Christmas pressie.

Christmas Bunny

This is what I have made this week, a Christmas bunny decoration. I know that rabbits aren't a creature traditionally associated with Christmas but I love them. The pieces that I used for the rabbit are at the bottom of the post.

MATERIALS

Felt

Thread

Stuffing

Ribbon

A bell, pom pom or button to add to the hat - (The bell I used on mine was originally on a chocolate bunny)

 

I placed my rabbit pieces in position on to the felt I choice as my background colour. I used a dab of craft glue to keep them in place.

The pieces were stitched in place using tiny straight stitches.

Next embroider on the rabbit's face.

I then cut around the rabbit leaving a small edge of the background felt. With the same felt which was used as a background, cut out a matching shape and sew the two pieces together, inserting a small length of ribbon at the top for hanging. Slightly stuff before closing up.

Bobble Crochet Pillowcase Edge

I love bobble edge trim and wanted to try and replicate a bobble edge using crochet. I'm sure there must be another way of making a crochet bobble but this is the only way I know.

Foundation Row  Edge the pillowcase using blanket stitch, 1cm down from the edge and the stitches 1cm apart

Join the wool in to a blanket stitch using sl st

Make bobble - Ch4, 3tr (leaving the last loop from each tr on the hook), pull wool through all 4sts, ch4, sl st in to htr.

Row 1  - 3dc in to each blanket stitch, join the row end with sl st

Row 2 - 4ch, skip 2dc, htr in next dc, * 2ch, skip 2dc, htr in next dc. Repeat from * to end, sl st in ch2 of beg 4ch.

Row 3 - Ch4, 3tr (leaving the last hoop of each tr on the hook), pull wool through all 4sts, ch4, sl st into beg of 4ch, * 2 sl st across 2ch, sl st in to htr, 2 sl st across 2ch, sl st in to htr and make bobble. Repeat from * to end. Fasten off with sl st.

Noel Hearts

I've finished these hearts off just in time for when my Mum nips here for a brew and natter after work. My Mum loves Christmas and I made these with her in mind. The free tutorial can be found here. There are more tutorials and recipes plus lots of lovely photos on Cherry's blog so it might be worth a visit if you have not popped over there before.

Fourteen Years Ago Today

I can't believe it was 14 years ago today on a very foggy evening, that my first born made his appearance into the world .

Where has this cheeky little chap disappeared to? The years have gone far too quick.

Unfortunately his Birthday has fell on a school day so he has tried to swindle a day off ... nice try . Instead he has put in a request for a chocolate cake so that is what me and Little L will be up to later.

Winter House

This week I have been making more of these Christmas trees which I made last year and this little winter house decoration.

All the pieces are cut from felt and sewn together using tiny straight stitches. Seed beads were sewn on to look like snow. A small length of ribbon was inserted at the top for hanging and it was slightly stuffed before closing. The pieces I made for the house are below.

Chocolate Pizza

Last Friday evening the children made a chocolate pizza. I had seen one being make on a food programme so bought some ingredients and let the children have a go.

 This is what they used for their pizza -

Ready made pizza base

Chocolate, white, plain and milk

Marshmallows

Toffee sauce

Digestive biscuits, crushed.

I part cooked the pizza base before I let the children loose on it as I knew the chocolate wouldn't take too long to melt.The children broke all the chocolate up and sprinkled it on the base along with some marshmallows. The base was then popped in the oven for a couple of minutes for the chocolate and marshmallows to melt. When the pizza was ready it was topped with toffee sauce and sprinkled with the digestive biscuits.

As much as I love chocolate, the pizza didn't appeal to me. I think it was a bit too chocolately looking. Everybody else said it was nice, though youngest lad said that it gave him a dry throat.