Four ways with a crochet flower and a tutorial

I love the last page in "Your Home and Garden' (NZ) magazine each month -"Four Ways With...' - lots of creative crafty ideas and little projects.

So after emailing this lovely crafter my crochet flower pattern she gave me the idea of writing my own 

'Four ways with ...a crochet flower'.

1. Decorate a woolly hat  (I bought the hat for $1 from the Bethlehem Market -bargain!)

2. Make a little brooch ( I found these brooch backers at a bead shop in Tauranga)

3. Embellish a granny square

4. Make a crochet flower hair-clip

A few people have asked where I found the pattern for my crochet flower...my crochet class teacher showed us how to make them in our first class so here are the instructions for any beginner crochet crafters like me!

How to crochet a small daisy flower

1. Chain 4

2. Do a slip stitch to make the chain into a ring (put your hook through the first chain stitch you did and hook the wool through that stitch and the stich on your hook) 

3. Wiggle your little finger through the ring you have made to make the hole a bit bigger and easier to see

4. Do a treble stitch into the hole (UK/AUS treble)

5. Do 2 more treble stitches into the hole (each set of 3 trebles makes a petal)

6. Now slip stitch by putting your hook through the hole, hooking the wool and pulling it through the hole and under stitch on your hook

7. Do 3 trebles into the hole again then another slip stich

8. Do 3 trebles and another slip stitch

9. Do 3 trebles then another slip stitch

10. Do 3 trebles- you should have 5 'petals' now 

11. Slip stitch into centre and fasten off/

I've made a pdf of the tutorial with step by step photo's that you can download or print here.

And for more crochet inspiration here are some clever people to visit...

http://crochethealingandraymond.wordpress.com (she has a lovely giveaway at the mo)
http://attic24.typepad.com/
http://greedyforcolour.blogspot.com/
http://auntymum.blogspot.com
www.kootoyoo.com

Megan x
PS: I'd love to hear of any more flower ideas and does anyone have a link to a pattern to make a bigger flower?
PPS: Go the All Whites!!

my creative space: crafty books

I went to the library the other day to get a couple of novels to read and just had to take a look upstairs at the knitting and craft section...our library really does have a great selection of crafty books! I've been wanting to read "Homemade" after seeing it in the Viva a while ago and it is a lovely book full of creative ideas.  I just opened up Cath Kidston's "In Print" this afternoon and already my head is full of things I would like to do from it.  I am really good at getting ideas, writing lists and thinking about the million things I would like to create for my home but not so good at the actual follow through. Maybe I will write (another!) list down the side of my blog of all the things I want to do and then I might actually start some!
I am loving these colours at the moment, especially bright yellow which I am completely obsessed with. It's hard finding that right yellow though, not too lemony but not too orangy as well.

I can crochet flowers now too yay!

I love the pink of these tulips :)

Well, not much more to show you, all my creative space is in my head at the moment!!

Head over to Kirsty's  for more creative spaces..
Megan x

a crafty magical menagerie

My mum came to stay in the weekend and brought with her a lovely pressie for Amelie that I just had to share- this amazing box of cardboard animals that you punch out and put together (by Japanese designer/illustrator Junzo Terada).

Each animal comes with its own envelope (with the instructions) so you have somewhere to put the pieces if you want to take them apart again. Aren't the colours and patterns just gorgeous?!  Mum bought them from a book shop in Napier but you can find them here and here.

And here's another crafty animal- a ribbon taggie hedgehog toy from Cherish Child in Mt Maunganui- isn't it cute!

Megan x

tidy up time

It's 'interesting' how quickly toys spread from cupboards and containers to the floor and just keep on spreading. These pics are from our lounge and kitchen this morning...

I guess this what happens when Amelie decides that 5am is time to get up for the day and Stella makes it 6am to join her! She has fallen asleep on the couch now though so I grabbed a moment to do a bit of a  tidy and sort out while they are both asleep.

That's better! How long will it last though...??!

Some toys off to the Sallies...I love decluttering!

Did you spot these cute velcro balls in the photo's above? I bought them from Clare at Greenvalley Crafts- Stella loves pulling them apart and throwing them around. Clare's got some more for sale here.

Megan x

my creative space: more woolly goodness

I have been crocheting up a storm using my lovely 'Sublime' Merino wool from the Tauranga Knitting Centre. It feels so soft and the colours are just gorgeous! I'm going to make a blanket using these colours.

We're off the Raglan for the long weekend so I've a got a couple of things ready to pack...a copy of Country Living UK Magazine and my crochet supplies.  I'm using the lovely zip purse Jennie from A Little Vintage sent me as part of a giveaway prize- it's the perfect size for a bit of crochet- thanks again Jennie! I even took my crochet to the car testing place yesterday when I got my warrant-it was nice to have something to do while waiting.

My new knitting/crochet mania means I am really coveting this print at the moment- its from the very talented designer Colleen from Dear Colleen.  I am also loving yellow at the moment so it's perfect really! 

And if you are still to catch the knitting bug or a beginner like me but you really want some knitted goodies for your little ones the clever Jo from Cherubkids on Trademe sells gorgeous slippers and hats in lots of scrummy colours (and very reasonably priced too!) I have asked for a pair of adult ones tee hee! 

To see what's been happening in other creative spaces today head over to Kirsty's here ☞

Have a lovely cosy weekend:)

Megan x

granny squares and baby blankets

Well I've finally got a bit of time to write a post again- it's been a while!  Isn't it the perfect weather for some crafty woolly projects. One of my crafty challenges this year was to learn to crochet and I am so excited to have made my first granny square this week. I went to an afternoon class on Saturday at the Tauranga Knitting Centre and along with 3 others we all learnt how to make a square. I was by the far the slowest and needed the most teacher attention, in fact I had to move to sit next to the teacher ha! but I got there in the end. Of course when I got home and tried to make another one I ended up completely stuck and had to use some tutorials on the web but four days later I think I've got it! I found this photo tutorial from Susan London Textiles the best for making the first 'round' and then used Pip's lessons from "Meet Me At Mikes' to make the rest of the square.

 A pic of the square I made at the class (a bit wonky!) and my numerous practice pieces!

 I also made a start on a knitted peggy square for a baby blanket but I think I am going to crochet one first as its a lot quicker and winter is already here! 

And for some more crochet/knitting goodness.... a few weeks ago the very clever crochet gal Kirsty over at Kootoyoo showed us this amazing granny square necklace from jeweller Victoria Mason. I had a look at her other gorgeous jewellery and there's a little ball of knitting too- love it!

Well, better go before the baby wakes up.  It's pouring down outside and I've got the heater going, a chick flick on (the Meryl Streep movie 'It's Complicated' which my hubby will be pleased I'm not making him watch with me!) and a cat wanting to snuggle while I do some crochet- bliss!
Megan x