Heart applique giveaway winner!

Hi Guys :)

The entries for the valentines heart applique giveaway aren now closed. The winner (as picked by the random number generator at http://www.random.org/) is... Taleah Greve!

Congratulations !!!!!!!!!!!!



An email has been sent to yoou telling you how to get your prize :D

Don't be too sad if you didn't win as there will be more giveaways and exciting stuff happening on the blog soon.

See you later aligators!

BYE :3

Stitching and sewing :)

Hi!

Yesterday me and my family went up to London  and took a walk around Greenwich market. I found a stall which sold some cool crochet accessories and I picked up these to add to my brooch collection :D

When I saw them I knew I had to have them (ALL! ahhaha ). They are soo cool! The lady who makes them has an online shop which sells some of the stuff she has on her stall: http://www.tipawan.co.uk/

I love handmade stuff!!!! xxx  >o<

Whilst there we also saw another stall which sold loads of different sock monsters/monkeys. My dad thought they were really cool, so.... today I tried out some of my sewing skills (which I don't use very often but hope to more :0) to make him my version of what we saw:

I was quite proud of my creation and my dad loved it! <3 He put it on his special shelf :)

In other news i'm  very close to finishing my mums kindle cozy :) It will definitely be ready for her birthday next Sunday :D ( I'll  post pictures then)

Something else that happened the other day was I got a certificate through the post for being part of the charity chick knit. I was soo excited  because I've never had a certificate for something craft or charity related before!

Well that's pretty much it for this post :)
 talk to you all again soon,

BYE!

Mini ami circus elephant: 2nd February pattern!

Hola!

The time has come, I have for you now the second free pattern of February! Hes special and he's small and you can make your own, a mini amigurumi circus elephant :)

This little guy is about 3 inches from tail to trunk and can be made in only a couple of hours.

Here's how......

You will need:

• Some DK yarn in silvery/greyey blue (For elephant body, ears and feet)
• Some DK yarn in red or whatever colour you wish (For seat cover on elephant)
• A 3.5mm crochet hook
• A pair of 3.25mm knitting needles
• Two small cream/pearly beads for eyes
• 1 small star sequin/confetti/gem and 2 larger ones (or whatever you wish to decorate your little friend with.)
• A small amount of stuffing
• Some fabric/all purpose glue
• A darning/yarn needle
• Scissors
• A stitch marker/safety pin to mark start /end of rounds

Pattern:

(I worked the pieces in continuous rounds which are not joined by slip stitches unless written.)

 

Body (make 1):

 

Using 3.5mm hook and blue DK yarn make a magic ring, 5dc into ring (5sts)

Rnd 1: 2dc into each st around (10sts)

Rnd 2: *1dc, 2dc into next st* repeat from * to * around (15sts)

Rnd 3: *2dc, 2dc into next st* repeat from * to * around (20sts)

Rnd 4: *3dc, 2dc into next st* repeat from * to * around (25sts)

Rnd 5-9: 1 dc into each st around (25sts)

Rnd 10: *3dc, dc2tog* repeat from *to * around (20sts)

Rnd 11: *2dc, dc2tog* repeat from *to* around (15sts)

Rnd 12: *1dc, dc2tog* repeat from *to* around (10sts)

Stuff body here!

Rnd 13: dc2tog around (5sts)

Rnd 14-16: 1dc into each st around

Rnd 17: dc2tog twice, Slst into next st (3sts)

Fasten off

 Ears (make 2):

Using 3.5mm hook and blue DK yarn make a magic ring, 5dc into ring (5sts)

Rnd 1: 2dc into each st around (10sts)

Slst into next st

Fasten off


Feet (make 4):

Using 3.5mm hook and blue DK yarn make a magic ring, 5dc into ring (5sts)

Rnd 1: 2dc into each st around (10sts)

Rnd 2: dc2tog around (5sts)

Slst into next st

Fasten off



Seat cover (make 1):

Using 3.25mm needles and red DK yarn

CO 6sts

Stst 12 rows (beginning with a k row)

Cast off

 

Making up:

Start by taking your elephant body piece and sew the small pearl beads either side of the base of the trunk to create the eyes. Then take the ears and sew them slightly wider apart a bit behind the eyes, the pictures can be used a s a guide. Darn in/fasten off any loose ends on the ears or body piece. You can stuff the feet if you wish however I didn't. Sew the feet to the base of the elephant as seen in the diagram (in a kind of square/rectangle placement):

Next take a piece of  the blue DK yarn and tie a knot in the end. fasten it to the back (bum :) of the elephant so only a short length of yarn and the knot stick out to create a little tail (see picture for guidance). Sew the seat cover across the back of the elephant and  finally, attach a small star sequin to each side of the seat cover and one to the elephants forehead using fabric/craft glue to make him look a bit more showbiz! :D

All finished!!!!!!

Abbreviations:

(I am using UK crochet/knitting abbreviations)

st(s) = Stitch(es)
Rnd(s) = Round(s)
Slst = Slip stitch
dc = double crochet
dc2tog = double crochet two stitches together
Stst = Stocking stitch
K = Knit
CO = Cast on

I hope you all have fun making the pattern, see you soon

Bye :0)

Project special slippers: Complete!

Hello!

Ever since I recieved the really cool hello kitty buttons from my swap partner I was determined to use them in a special project. When I found the pattern for the slipper socks I knew the butttons would look great on them and now I have finished them I think I was right! :)

Im really pleased with them!

Instead of a white border I just went with the blue to blend in but added one of my white heart appliques to the front of each foot for decoration intead.

At first the straps were a bit too big but I stitched a bit of them in a loop inside and now they fit perfectly :D

And they are all ready for me to wear on my holiday in Ipswich ( I leave tomorrow! :) Now my feet will be nice and snug as I relax and watch telly :3

Another project I finished recently (well actually started and finished in one night) was this little apple cozy:

The pattern was in this months Issue of Knit Today magazine and I couldnt resist casting on when I saw it!

I bought a pack of the sunflower buttons when I was in Japan which Im really pleased about now as it was the perfect finishing touch. I love it when you've got just the perfect button for the job :) I also added a stalk (by casting on 2sts and knitting a few rows in Gst) to make it look just that bit more realistic.

See you later, au revoir!

P.s I am nearly finished making the finishing touches to the second free pattern so it will be up soon!

P.p.s Dont forgt to enter the giveaway for the little heart appliques!!!

All good...

Guten tag guys!

I hope everyones ok :) Yesterday was a pretty good day for me. Not only did I get some valentines gifts from my family I also came home to my parcel from the Cute 'N' Quirky march swap on ravelry! The theme was love and romance (seen as February is the month of looovvvvveeee <3).

I got a packet of heart buttons, some cute Miffy stickers, a Hello kitty magic flannel (which I cant wait to turn full size :0), some veggie jelly bears YUM!!! :P and one very cool handmade object named Mr. Anti-Valentine who I LOVE!

He is amazingly fab!

Thank you soo much to my great swap partner, everything is fantastic :D

I love swaps, they are so fun. They really brighten your day when you get a surprise parcel.

I will be posting again very soon as I have basically finished my special slippers with the hello kitty buttons from the last swap so I will be putting up pictures :)

BYe!

Happy valentines day xxx

Hi everyone!

Today is valentines day!!!! I hope you are all having fun :)

As a special valentines present for all my friends I made a pattern for these mini heart applique/things <3

I whipped up lots of them in all different colours and bought some sweeties too :P

I gave them all out today and my friends thought they were really cute :3



I like to spread the love on valentines.................. :0)

As a very special treat and to show all you readers how much I love you, I am doing a mini giveaway of a pack of 5 of my new heart appliques!:

You get :

1x blue heart

1x yellow heart

1x white heart

1x pink heart

and 1x orange heart!

all packed up nicely. And the cards recycled, 'cos I love the planet too! :)

The giveaway is open to anyone, any age, anywhere.

To enter all you have to do is send your name and the country you live in e.g UK, USA etc...

to: iitki@hotmail.co.uk

Entries close on the 28th of February and the winner will be announced on the same day.

Dont miss out :)

see you soon ByE bYe!

Dyeing success!

Konichiwa everyone!

Last Sunday I tried my hand at some dyeing. It was my first ever time and I was really pleased with how my yarn came out after being a bit aprhensive!

I dyed a cream 40% wool and 60% acryllic yarn. Your only really meant to use 100% natural animal fibres as acryllic etc do not soak up the colour as well. This was one of teh reasons I was a bit worried..... Also I had 3 different packets of  kool aid and had to mix two together to get the right amount of dye and wasn't sure whether doing this was going to cause me to get an icky brown colour...... :( 

However it did not stop me from giving it a go!

I used this tutorial: http://www.knitpicks.com/kpimages/pdf/DyeingTutorial.pdf
Which was really good and very easy to follow.

I prepared my yarn and got my oven proof dish:

 I followed the instructions and *TAH DAH!*:

A beautiful light orange yarn was produced!

Im so happy with my lovely yarn!

I had a plan for the yarn, that's mainly why I was so thrilled when  came out perfectly......

... I wanted to make my mum a special kindle case for her birthday. Ive started work on it already even though her birthdays not till March!

But shhhhhhh its a secret ;)

See you all soon

BYE!

P.s I will be posting the second free pattern near the end of feb as I am still making some adjustments :0)

Recently..........

Hello lovely readers!

I thought I would have a bit of a catch up post as there are quite a few random bits and pieces I wanted to tell you all about :)

Firstly was the bargain of the century I picked up last week.........................

The book only cost me 49p and it had some really amazing patterns in it!

I even found inside a project perfect for using my hello kitty buttons on, some little slipper socks :D

I am going to make the main sock and straps in this colour yarn:

Then for the rim of the sock (done in a crochet edging) I am going to change to white and finally attach my fab buttons. Im soo excited, Im starting them today!

Another thing I did recently was finish this little sushi cutie:

I call her RICE BALL!!! :) I loooovvveee her sooo much xxxx, I wish my real bento could be that cute! :3

The pattern is here for anyone who wants to make their own little foodie friend: http://handmadekittyblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/onigiri-couple-amigurumi-crochet.html

If you remember back to my blog tour you will know I gave away some little cookie buttons. The winner, Barbara, said she was going to put them on some dolls for charity. This morning I recieved an email with this picture of the dolls with my buttons :) They are absoloutely fab! and are going to be sent to children in Africa suffering with AIDS.

It is such a great cause and Im sure the kids will be over the moon with the dolls, well done Barbara!

Thats about it for the catch up really, Im off to start on those slippers and eat the cookies I made this morning......

They are toblerone and white chocolate, YUM! :P

See you all very soon,

Bye xxxx

Happy Chinese New Year!

Wooooo, hoooooooo!

Hello everyone :)

Im very excited because on the 3rd of feb it is Chinese new year, which although im not Chinese I reallllly love becuase it means takeout all round! (this is something we only have very rarely)

As its a special occassion I have created a free pattern for all you readers to enjoy (the first of the two febuary patterns I mentioned :0)

Its a pattern for a chopstick case!!!!!!!!!

If you get started now you could have yours finished ready for the special day!

You will need:

• 1 pair of 3 1/4 mm knitting needles
• 50g (not the whole lot will be used) of Red, or any colour DK yarn
• 1 button
• 1 yarn needle
• AND one pair of  26.5cm (standard size) chopsticks to put in your case! :)

Tension:

There are about 7 stitches and 8 rows per 1 inch squared.


Pattern:

Using the 3 1/4mm needles and DK yarn cast on 7 sts

Gst 3 rows

Then stst 154 rows (starting with a P row)

Next Gst 19 rows

Next row: K2tog, k3, K2tog (5sts)

K1 row

K2tog, K1, K2tog (3sts)

Cast off  the three remaining sts.

Abreviations:

• K= knit
• Gst = Garter stitch (Knit all stitches on all rows)
• stst= Stocking stitch
• st/sts = stitch/stitches
• K2tog = knit two stitches together
• P = Purl

To make up:

 Fold your (very long!) rectangle of knitting so that the cast on edge meets with the point where the Gst section at the end of the rectangle starts:

Then carefully oversew down both sides so that a case shape is made. After that create a button hole at the end of the Gst flap, big enough to fit around your chosen button using the following method: http://ysolda.com/support/pictorial-guides/sewn-button-loops/

However only do two loops instead of three.

Then stitch the button to the top of the case, just under the Gst strip near the cast on edge.

At first you may put your chopsticks in and not be able to fold the flap over:

But do not worry just push the chopsticks in harder to stretch the case out a bit and your chopsticks will then fit in nice and snugly:

and you'll be able to fold the flap over and fasten the button :) 

You can add any decorations you fancy, I stuck on some small gems with craft glue:

FINISHED!!!!!!

Enjoy, and have a happy Chinese new year :)

mmmmmmm.... Takeout chinese!

Timmy the tiny turtle :)

Hola Guys!

Allllllll the way back at Christmas when I posted about the gifts I had made my friend showed her cousin my blog, she apparently realllllllly liked the turtle I had made for another friend and when my friend told me about it I said I would make one for her cousin. Last week my friend told me it was her cousins birthday on the 3rd of feb  sooooo..... I got my hook 'n' yarn and got to work and TIMMY THE TINY TURTLE WAS BORN!

He's a very happy little turtle.....

.........but he does like to try and run away! ;)

hehhehe, sooo cute :D

Im sure hes going to a very good home!

The pattern for the tiny turtles is really fab! Its my first ever fave on ravelry. the link to it is here: http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=97829

Im still working on those two free patterns and one will be cominng your way veeerrrrryyy soon :)

Got to go now,

Bye, bye, bye ,bye (sorry I got a bit carried away :)

BYE!