First up – my finished projects

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basket, basket cover, bunny, crochet bags, crocheting, cross stitch, cross stitches, cross stitching, festive season, floppy bunny, gnome, granny squares, hand knitted, hand knitting, hand stitched, handknit, handknitsocks, handknitted, handmade, handsewing, happy holiday socks, hat, holders, kitchen cloths, knitted, Knitting, minions, pinboards, sewing, Shawl, socks, Stitching, tissue holder, toaster cover, triangular shawl, work carry all, Wrap

So since I last posted about life in the little black dog household, sometime last year, I have been slowly and steadily crafting here and there, and keeping busy.  It was lovely summers days, and hot, so crafting was not always done, and when I was crafting, it was small items that was easy to work on.

Very few are currently WIP’s and I did indeed finish most of the projects I started during the last few months.

 

Some cotton dishcloths for the kitchen, with little crocheted flowers.  And a cheerful make up bag for a sweet and friendly colleague of mine.

 

One of the bigger projects, a very soft shawl with an autumn coloured edge.  Nearly time to start wearing it, it is just a few degrees cooler here now.  And a granny square, paisley pattern lined toaster cover.  🙂

 

When I dropped in at the LYS, she was working on this stunning basket pattern and kit.  It was super quick and easy, and I now take it every day I come to work, it is perfect for lunch and snacks and all the other odds.  I also finished Bop a Long, the furry bunny I had been planning.  It was a trying project, as the fabric shed fur all the time, and I had fur everywhere.

 

For the holidays, I got the notion to “invite some friends” and some cute gnomes came around to visit. This one with the red hat was very popular.  And I had to have a pair of red socks to wear as well.

 

My daughter gave me this stunning yarn from Italy, and I just knew it would be perfect for this wrap the moment I saw the pattern.  It really shows up the details and texture.  And I even had enough for a little hat too.  Even my old pin notice board got a new vintage look cover with storage pockets.  (it really needed a make over)

 

I bought this little kit last year in Brussels, Belgium and got it stitched up in no time once I got started.  The pieces were all pre-cut.  How nice.  Now it travels in the car with me every day as a little good luck charm.

 

And during a visit to the local huge fabric and craft warehouse, I happened to come across these cute minions.  I immediately knew they needed to come home with me.  So I got a few balls of Turkish cotton and crocheted some little pockets and added the minions to them.  Now my tissues and hand wipes are neat and tidy in my handbag, and I can have the little minions around all the time.

And this is the current progress on the cross stitch work I started last year.  Still much a work in progress, but making steady progress.  I absolutely love the embroidery floss and the gradient it creates.

And that is it for now, happy crafting to all and take care.  🙂

ps:  This was the start of my day this morning, a beautiful Fall day.

On my way to work on this lovely foggy morning.

 

 

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New projects and Wips’

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blanket, bunny, crochet, crochet bag, crochet bags, crocheting, cross stitch, cross stitches, cross stitching, embroidery, floppy bunny, hand crochet, hand crocheted, hand stitched, handknitting, handmade, kitchen cloths, knitted blanket, knitted squares, pure cotton, stitches, Stitching

So it is already July and the middle of the year.

And with that, a lot of new small projects and new wip’s that have found their way onto my needles and hooks.

The blanket square pattern are now settled.  I am happy with the look of the pattern and will continue to knit these squares until I have used all the yarn and have enough squares for a blanket.  🙂  It is a large project that may take a bit, but in the end I will have a pretty big and cozy blanket.

Blanket squares

Then I started with some crochet.  🙂  I had been in the mood to crochet something, and small projects like these crocheted bags were just what I needed to feel very happy with taking out my hooks again.

I made a small cotton bag, and this local cotton works so well.  It is lovely and sturdy and feels good on your hands.

Crochet bag in blue

Crochet bag in blue

Crochet bag in blue

Then I also crocheted a bamboo bag.  I love bamboo yarn to crochet with, it is very smooth and easy to work with.  I added a pretty daisy that I got from a swap buddy last year.  It really adds to the bag, and makes it super cheerful.

Yellow crochet bag

Yellow crochet bag

Yellow crochet bag

Still working with cotton, I am making a small pile of cotton kitchen cloths.  This is the first one, with a few more to follow.

for the kitchen

And thanks to all the beautiful embroidery work of so many, I could no longer keep myself in check.  I have started a cross stitch project.  I am not sure yet if I will be framing it, or using it as a tea cloth or a centrepiece for something larger.  But I love the variegated floss I got and am working on this when the light is good.  (old eyes you know 🙂 )

a bit of embroidery

Also lurking in the background is this floppy bunny.  I have cut the white fur.  🙂  and had bits of white fur and fluff all over the table and workplace in the end.  I still have to cut the grey fur, which is about twice as much.  🙂  but am still working up the courage to cut into this fluffy fur again.  It is gorgeously soft and will sew up beautifully I think.

Fluffy floppy bunny

It is of course mid winter here in Johannesburg, so lots of time to relax and craft and enjoy a sunny cozy spot in the sun.

Happy crafting all.

Winter Break update

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alpaca, autumn, beanie, bear, bears, bunny, ceramic, ceramics, cross stitch, daughter, embroidery, fairies, handmade, handmade bear, Handmake, Knitting, lace, make-over, manos, miniature bear, mittens, paint, speckled yarn, speckledyarn, stellarfibreworks, tiles, winter, yarns

It has been my annual Winter Break and I have enjoyed the break so much.Getting away from the busy work and office is sometimes just what a person needs.

Miekie and I both enjoyed to lazy cold mornings, and spent the time having lazy, slow breakfasts before we started the day.

I got time to catch up on some reading, specially on some of my loved magazines.

The usual amount of knitting definitely took place.  My Alpaca Wrap is now already half way there.  I finished a Manos del Uruguay beanie for my son in law, and have another on the needles for him.  And my daughter is getting matching mittens to wear with her speckled wrap.

Grey Alpaca Wrap

Speckled Mittens

Green knitted beanie

Beanies

With me being home and able to work during the sunnier parts of the day, I could also work on more delicate projects.  One of these were these little fairies in cross stitch.  According to the instructions of the kit, you only stitch areas you want to highlight.  What a lot of fun they are.  Nearly done, and then I will frame them and find a special place for them.

Fairy Cross Stitch Work

Fairy Cross Stitch Work

Wilbur the Bear is now no longer a kit sitting on the table.  I cut the pattern pieces and am ready to start stitching him together.  I want to add a few things, and have gotten cute silk ribbon roses and antique looking buttons as well.  I suspect Wilbur will be a girl bear in the end and may need another name.

Wilmot Handmade Bear

Wilmot Handmade Bear

This wooden box had been around my home for a bit, being used on the odd occasion for this and that.  I finally decided to put it to proper use, give it a complete makeover and keep it around.  So with rather a lot of layers of paint, I was able to smooth it over, and stop it from showing up a nasty stain through each layer of paint.  Finished it off with a bit of pretty lace and a cute ceramic bunny.  Now I can keep it around for any little project or storage.  Sometimes these little wooden boxes are all you need.

Wooden Box Makeover

Wooden Box Makeover

Wooden Box Makeover

Wooden Box Makeover

Wooden Box Makeover

Wooden Box Makeover

While waiting for a friend the other day to arrive for a cup of coffee and a chat, I ended up browsing in a little shop.  I could not resist these cute tiles.  I think I will use the smaller ones as memo magnets and the bigger one will be just perfect for a mug cozy.

Little Ceramic Tiles