Zana's Homemade: October 2014

Some bits and pieces and an Award.

First, the bits and pieces namely brooches and bracelets. In between a big project (which I will post about over the weekend) I have been making bracelets and brooches for small gifts for the family and friends. I haven’t quite decided on the buttons yet and will make the final decision after looking at the local shops tomorrow.

This bracelet is for a friend who loves these colours. It is simply a row of double crochet with a row of single crochets with three chains in between tom give a lacy edge.

This bracelet is for my sister who loves the earthy colours, khaki is her favourite colour. So I think it will go with her attire! I am not too sure about the clay button as it is quite rough and might snag her clothes.

This bracelet is for my 6 year old great niece Kendal, it is made with acrylic/cotton and is quite soft. I think I might try and see if I can find a really bright button.

These two brooches I think I will use as adornment s for the envelopes of Christmas gift vouchers. (Makes the gift feel more personal, I think.)

Now the award

Anna of : http://annasimplecrochet.blogspot.com has given me a Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Her blog is very inspiring to me with her delicate crochet and elegant doilies and fashion accessories. So thank you Anna very much.

The rules are:

Say who has given you the award, state the rules and post the award.

Tell your readers 7 things about yourself.

Then nominate 15 blogs that you find inspiring and let them know.

7 things about me

I love to crochet, garden and painting. I love my family, cats and friends. I find humour in everything, even the sad and annoying. I love to have coffee with my friends. My favourite author at the moment is David Baldacci. I have a passion for old china especially teacups! I am in the process of writing an illustrating my first children’s book. Hopefully, to be published late next year. Woohoo!

Here’s a sneak preview of the main character, Lily.

Here is my list of inspiring blogs:

http://www.lazydaisyjones.com/

http://zootyowlcards.blogspot.co.nz/

http://craftyinthemed.blogspot.co.nz/

http://chalkygilbert.blogspot.co.nz/

http://lindacraftycorner.blogspot.co.nz/

http://miaslandliv.blogspot.co.nz/

http://dada4you.blogspot.co.nz/

http://natasnest.blogspot.co.nz/

http://nancynicholson.blogspot.co.nz/

http://lovecraft2012.blogspot.co.nz/

http://niebieskachata.blogspot.co.nz/

http://thepatchworkheartuk.blogspot.co.nz/

http://sunshineandasewingbasket.blogspot.co.nz/

http://thelazyhobbyhopper.blogspot.co.nz/

http://colourcrochetlove.blogspot.co.nz/

I hope you find some interesting blogs amongst these!

Have a great day and thanks for visiting.

Apple Blossom Inspiration.

My Apple trees are magnificent at the moment! I just love how the petals have that touch of pink.

I am in full Christmas present making mode at the moment – sorry for using that ‘C’ word! I have decided to make some pot holders for various friends. I have made some when I first started to crochet but they were too thick for using comfortably so I decided to try and make some using a combination of material and crochet cotton. Looking at my stash of cottons and materials I came up with some colours that mirror apple blossom. So of course I had to base the pot holder on flowers. I thought of the vintage flower pot holder pattern but decided that the material I was going to use needed a more abstract version, so I thought of the African Flower.

Err… when I looked up the credit for this pattern I realised that it wasn’t the usual African flower. It wasn't even the Maybelle flower either; it was a cross between the two!

This is what happens when you are too lazy to actually look at the instructions. I actually like this version. I also changed the pattern I originally had for making it into a square, as I hate the curve that sometimes happens when turning circles into squares.

I decided to do the rest in single crochet as I want a striped affect like the material. Above it is blocked and sewn to the backing. At this stage I decided to add the red as edging to give it a finished look.

Tah Da, My Apple Blossom pot holder!

I have just noticed that the apple blossom has only five petals, well I claim artistic licence.

I have lots of other things that I have beavering away at but will leave it for another post.

Here is a picture of my cats waiting patiently for tea as I have been so focused on my crochet. They are hoping that at some stage I will remember to bring the washing in, so let’s wait here as she will have to move us to get at the washing!

Yeah I know that the laundry basket is in a state! Both Peggy Sue and Lucy( she is in the basket) love to use it as a scratching and chew post! If I got a new one, they would do the same so I have given up.

Have a good rest of the week and thanks for visiting see you soon.

A doily, a bag and some tulips.....

In between bouts of gardening the above is what I have been up to over the last week or so.

First the doily, I am so pleased to have finished it as it has been hanging around for ages I had made a mistake and kept putting off undoing some rows and starting again! Finally I took myself in hand and finished. Overall I am pleased with it. It is actually more of a musky pink than the pink in the photo. Um I have not blocked it yet!

Over the last few days, I have been working on making a summer bag for myself out of some furnishing material scraps.

I added a doily I brought from the op shop for $1. It took a bit of nerve cutting it in half, but eventually I got the nerve, and each side is embellished with it.

I decided it needed something more and so I crocheted two Irish roses in matching variegated cotton. These I attached with a central pearl button. When it was finished I decided it needed two roses in the corners.

I even lined it with matching material that I had in my stash! Err … Please don’t look too closely at my hand sewing! The handles I took off an old bag I brought had the car boot sale for 50 cents.