diy dressing up: pippi longstocking

We've just had one of those crazy busy weeks, I honestly haven't had one spare moment to visit blogland. There's been unexpected photoshoots, family staying, dance rehearsals and shows (very lovely, but 3 - yes three - hours of trying to keep two little ones amused ...), football team cup finals (lost on penalties, lots of very emotional 9 year old boys ...), cub camp, and then right in the middle I find out that Nellie has Another Dress Up Day - aaargh!

Why does everything always seem to happen at once?! If only I could be one of those organised mums, who knows exactly what's coming up, rather than living in a chaotic whirlwind and just managing to pull things together by the skin of my teeth. Outside the house I try to portray an air of bohemian calmness, wafting around with a relaxed smile fixed to may face ... I think I give the game away every morning with our last minute sprint to school (we give Bolt a run for his money), bags flying behind us and beads of sweat appearing on my brow. Sometimes I really drive myself around the bend, goodness knows how my family put up with me, I've always been like this, I guess some things will never change ... 

So, back to dressing up, as we were saying goodnight on the eve of dress up day, we had a little brainstorn, our conversation went a bit like this ...

Nellie (currently studying Roald Dahl): "I think I want to be The Enormous Crocodile"

Me (casually laughing whilst trying to think of excuse): "Urrrm, maybe next time darling, let's go for something a little less ambitious ..."

Nellie (thinking hard): "OK ... how about The Hungry Caterpillar?"

Me (freaking out inside): "I'm not sure we can magic up something complicated over night ... let's think about something more human ..."

Nellie (perusing her book shelf): "Oh ... I know ... Hermione Granger ... you could sew me a big cloak ..."

Me (I love how my daughter hasn't yet realised that I'm not SuperMum): "oh dear ... no black fabric!"

Of course the answer was actually lying straight in front of us, Pippi Longstocking ...

Pippi is one of Nellie's favourite books (and mine, I can't get enough of Lauren Child's illustrations). The perfect mix of ordinary little girl, with enough caricature to make it easy to put together and yet obviously Pippi Longstocking. It's amazing what you can find lying around the house, after a quick rummage I had pieced together a flowery shirt dress, some orangey-red hair spray from another occasion, mis-matched stripey socks (a real stroke of luck!), school shoes, green ribbon, my old toy monkey, some florist wire (from my pre-kiddo days as a florist), an eyeliner pencil and that little crochet collar as a finishing touch. Those wired plaits were a nightmare to get right while eating breakfast, but she ended up looking like a real-life version of Lauren Child's Pippi!

on my craft table ...

Have you got any projects on the go at the mo?

I have to admit that my crafty exploits are currently completely crochet-based, I still have 'the blanket' on the go, as well as several purses I have promised to make friends, and a commission for a collar, but nothing new. As much as I love making all of these, I have definitely been itching to get my hands on something different, do you get like that? There is nothing like the lure of starting something new ...

So after being all bogged down last week with a cold (can you believe it, I managed the whole of the winter without getting a cold and as soon as the sun comes out, bingo!) and the inevitable shelf painting, I felt the need to scratch that itch ... then I remembered something that caught my eye a few weeks ago, Erica's mandala ...

I'm not sure what a mandala is, other than something pretty, so let's call it a pot holder! Anyway, this one's a beauty, in fact after I saw it I went straight over and bought the pattern on impulse ... had a little read through ... gulp ... overlay crochet technique, what?! ... slightly afraid I filed the pattern away!

Fast forward a few weeks, and finding myself twiddling my thumbs, it suddenly seemed just what I wanted to do ... do you want to see the start I made ...

I am so excited about this mini project! LOVE the pattern and LOVE learning the overlay technique. My mandala has already changed quite a bit since I took this photo the other day, you know how it is when you get into something and you just can't put it down! Can't wait to show you the finished article ...

lucypeachslice

A few days ago I went on the type of photoshoot that I love to do. It was for a new kids clothing line, lucypeachslice, that a clever friend of mine is designing ... my girls were so excited, they came along with me and were asked to help with the modelling, fancy that! Total girl heaven - pretty hair, beautiful clothes and even a touch of make up!!

Here's some of the getting ready shots ...

I can't wait to show you the end results, but that will have to wait until after the launch party, so stay tuned ...

weekend fun

Over the weekend I was supposed to be painting our new shelves/workstation. Painting wood isn't really my cup of tea ... walls are a different matter, I love a bit of wall painting, you see big results quickly, and you can have fun with colour, but wood is slow ... fiddly ... and the smell gives me a headache. I had already spent the whole of the previous weekend with a brush in my hand, so the idea of another weekend of the same didn't fill me with pleasure, especially since we finally have a bit of sun. I know it really needs to get finished, but you can see my mindset, it wasn't going to take much to convince me to postpone my painting plans. So, when I heard rumours of a lovely little charitable crafty event with Homespun Living at one of my fave local cafés, I was sold ... tea, cake, craft, and all for charity, now how could a girl like me refuse a deal like that!

My middle kiddo (Nellie, aka my partner in crime when it comes to crafty things) and I got there bang on time (my friends will tell you this is very unusual for me so you can see how keen I was to escape the painting ...). I went armed with my huge blanket project bag, hoping to make some progress as homelife seems to provide too many distractions for serious blanket making at the mo, however I spent the entire morning socialising and eating cake. My daughter on the other hand came home with a necklace, a hand stamped teatowel and a lavender heart!

Helen (Mrs Homespun Living - up there in the photo!) was soooo lovely and helpful, that I have come away itching to enrol on one of her courses ... actually make that two of her courses ... does anyone local fancy joining me on 'Learn to love your sewing machine' or 'Knit a baby cardigan' (apparently a great way to learn to knit in the round?!) ...

have you seen ... 91 magazine?

If you haven't already popped over I recommend taking a little break from what you're doing, brewing yourself a cuppa, putting your feet up and having a little browse through the pages of the latest issue ... it's a wonderful online publication, full of inspiring ideas and clever people ... and best of all it's free!

What are you waiting for ...

I found myself clicking on far too many links to lovely, 'new-to-me', online vendors and pinning all sorts to my pinterest wishlists ... what were your favourite finds?

shopping crush: 8 april 2013

The sky is actually blue outside, the birds are singing and my garden is awash with yellow daffodils ... dare I say it, but it feels like spring might finally be here. I love winter, but it's dragged on for so long this year that I think I might have slipped into hibernation for the last few weeks, a state of total lethargy with little to zero inspiration. 

Well I'm pleased to say that all has changed, spring has woken me up and I'm back to busying myself with projects around the house. We are slowly but surely putting a little personality into our no-so-new home, which in turn has found me browsing for lovely things to buy ...

1. Delightful hand-painted wildflower teapot by RooTree [etsy]
2. Silver vintage floral glass earings by Pomegranate Prints [notonthehighstreet.com]
3. Sweet edelweiss embroidered blouse [ruche]
4. Decorative hanging bird [lush designs]
5. Pretty folk birds cushion by Lou Brown [notonthehighstreet.com]
6. January's Flowers archival print by Rebekka Seale [etsy]
7. Gorgeous olive retro sofa [couch design]
8. Dipped toile dessert plate [anthropologie]
9. Mimi musette leather envelope bag [mimi berry]

pattern: adorable crochet peterpan collar

As promised, the much awaited pattern of my little peterpan collar. But before I begin I have to point out something, just incase you miss it, and you cannot miss it as I'm reeeally pleased with myself ... After a lot of trial and error I worked out how to do a little trick on this picture, move your mouse over ... ta-dah, see what happens, the bottom right picture changes, hehehe soooo cool!!

Anyways, last week I posted the pretty pictures of my daughter in her collars, and I was asked if this collar comes in adult sizes too. Funnily enough I did intend to show you a picture of me in one of my collars, but there's something you should know about me, I'm not really very keen on appearing in front of a camera, I guess that's why I'm a photographer ... however, after plucking up the courage to do a self portrait, I found that I had lost a part from my tripod and my remote was out of batteries. This made the whole process virtually impossible (what a shame!), but I did get one almost acceptable close-up shot, and that's what you can see when you hover over the image - my chin!!! ... and my collar ...

It's a very quick and easy pattern, I can literally knock one up in less than an hour. There's one slightly complicated bit to explain, but hopefully I'll convey it alright in my instructions ...

Yarn
For my grey collar, that I photographed in this tutorial, I used Rowan pima cotton, because the yarn was the exact colour that I was looking for. However, it is quite a soft cotton, and I definitely think that the pattern suits a stronger mercerised cotton which holds its shape better. For the cream collars I used my good old favourites, Rowan siena 4ply and Rowan cotton glacé.

Stitch dictionary

For this pattern I have used US terms:

sl st [slip stitch]                            

ch [chain stitch]                           

sc [single crochet]

hdc [half double crochet]

dc [double crochet]

tr [treble crochet]

dtr [double treble crochet]

Foundation Row:
1. Make a foundation chain to your desired collar size + 1ch for turning. Measure the chain around the neck of the person you are making it for, and take into account whether it will be worn with high or low cut tops/dresses, or even just as an alternative to a necklace (which is how I wear mine sometimes).
Row 1:
2. Miss the first chain, sc into the back loop of the second chain from hook, then sc to the end of the chain only stitching through the back loop of each stitch (later in the pattern you will crochet back along the reverse side of the foundation chain and it will create a nice pattern of holes if you only stitch through the back loop on this first row).
3. Chain 5 for turning (you can see where I have counted them in image no.3).

Row 2:

4. Miss the first five chains (as shown on image no.3), this counts as the first dtr, then dtr in next 3 stitches (you can see where I have counted these in image no.4).

5. Tr in next 3 stitches (as shown in image no.5).
6. Dc in next 3 stitches (as shown in image no.6).
7. Hdc in next 3 stitches (as shown in image no.7). In total steps 4-7 counts as 13 stitches (3 hdc + 3 dc + 3 tr + 3 dtr + turning chain)
8. Then continue along the row with sc, until you are 13 stitches from the end (see where I have counted these in image no.9). The next 13 stitches will be the reverse of steps 4-7.

9. Hdc in next 3 stitches (as shown in image no.9).
10. Dc in next 3 stitches (as shown in image no.10).
11. Tr in next 3 stitches (as shown in image no.11).
12. Dtr in last 4 stitches (as shown in image no.12) + 1 ch for turning to complete the row.

Row 3 (This next row will actually be a round as you will crochet around the entire edge of the collar):
13. Miss the first chain, sc into the second chain, then continue to the end of the row (this will become the inside edge of your collar).
14. Now here's the tricky bit to explain, rather than turning at the end of the row, continue around the corner (see the arrow in image no.14).
15. Make a sc in each chain along the edge and then continue around the next corner as well (see the arrow in image no.15).
16. You will now be crocheting along the reverse side of the foundation chain. Make a sc in each chain, which makes a sweet hole pattern along the foundation chain (this will become the outside edge of your collar).

17. Continue with sc to the end of the foundation chain, then continue around the corner (see the arrow in image no.17).
18. Make a sc into each twist of the stitch along the edge (see arrow in image no.18).
19. At the end of the edge you will have completed the round and reached the starting point again (see image no.19).
20. Now you are ready to chose your trim (only fasten off if you are changing colour).

Row 4:
21. For the trim there is a variety of things you can do. You can keep going with the same colour or fasten off and change to a contrasting colour. If you stick with the same colour as the main section of the collar it is nice to do a more detailed trim, such as a picot edging (you can see that I did this in one of the collars pictured at the start of this post). If you change colour I think it looks nice to do a plain trim, just in single crochet, this is what I chose to do for my grey collar and also for my daughter's collar with the pink trim (also shown at the start of this post). Once you have decided on your trim, turn and start to crochet back along the short edge and around the corner (see image no.21)
22. Continue all the way along the outside edge of the collar (the foundation chain side with the pretty holes), right to the end, around the next corner and along the other short edge (see image no.22).
23. Next chain a few stitches to make a buttonhole (make sure that you chain enough to fit around your button, I used 5 chains).
24. Fold the chain back on itself to create a loop, join with a slip stitch and fasten off.

25. Using the loose ends of yarn, sew on the button and then sew in the ends.
26. If you're wondering what the voodoo crochet image is, it's blocking! I know it's a pain, but I really found that this pattern benefitted from being blocked, it ensures that lovely smooth curve of a peterpan collar. Et voilà, peterpan collar complete and ready to wear!