Make It! Christmas Pine Cone Ball Tutorial

If you noted my surfeit of pinecones earlier in the year you will know that I was looking for things to do with them, of a Christmassy nature. I saw some big balls of pinecones being sold in the shops this year, as Christmas decorations (not for the tree though, too heavy!) and I thought that I would have a go at making one. Here is a tutorial (be gentle with me) in case anyone else would like to try it out.

First you need a load of pinecones! Seriously, pick up a good basketfull. 30? I can't quite work out how many I actually used. NB: but if you use a small size oasis ball you will need only small/medium pinecones. Try to get a few smaller ones which are useful for finishing but you shoud aim not to have too varied a size selection.

Oasis Ball
Pinecones
Tools: Snub-nosed Pliers (useful not essential) Secateurs and scissors
Ribbon, enough to go around the ball you are using with plenty left to make a loop
Florists wire
Pins

1)Tie the ribbon around the ball, knot it making sure the loose ends are roughly even. Then pin the ribbon in place around the ball with dressmaking pins, use around 4-6.

 2) Cut the florists wire into lengths - you will need the first few wires to be long enough to go around the pinecone and all the way through the ball. Wrap the wire around the wider end of the pinecone pulling it so that it slides between the bracts, then twist the ends of the wire. If you do this with pliers it is easier to get a nice secure finish.

3) Insert the wire into the ball - start by adding cones around the centre. The first cones with long wire should be put into the underside, and the long end bent over to secure it. After the first 8 or so with bent over wires you should be safe to use slightly shorter wire which just goes through most of the ball. Beware of making them too short though or they will just fall out again! Keep putting them either side of the ribbon until you have created a double line of cones all around the ball.

4) Now add cones into the central section of either side. It is better to be methodical and keep adding in circles until you just have space for a central one. It may be best at this stage to choose all remaining pinecones and  'try' them by popping them into the space without wires first, because you want a nice snug fit. Jiggle them a little as you put them in, to lock them together and avoid big ugly gaps.

5) Ta Da!! Tie up the end of the ribbon and hang the beast up. These might be pretty all glittered up too.

Found on my mantelpiece this morning

Dinosaur Doings

I  have been beavering away in the evenings making all the dinosaurs that I have been commissioned to make for Christmas. Quite a few have come from local connections - I did a stall at the village Toddler Group, and although sold very little on the day, many people contacted me subsequently to order a custom dino. Result! It just shows that you should take every opportunity, no matter how small it seems, with good grace. Because you NEVER KNOW how things will turn out.

Needs his eyes sewing on!

Got to get on and make a bunch of these guys in blue

Last main task: figure out how to make a triceratops baby dinosaur. OK I have figured it out on paper, but when I start to sew it I will know if my calculations are correct. Better make a prototyposaurus!

Folksy Friday - Technology and Progress

 Facebook Plaque Kristi - Krafts 
Computer Geek Tea Cosy Sarah Kerry
Waldo the Worm i-pod cover Waldo the Worm
Microchip bracelet Spoilt Pig
X-Box Card Storey Shop

Because I spend too much time on this lovely machine xx

Christmas Decoration Swap - The Conclusion!

I do love a good swap - and was pretty early sending mine off (If you want to see what I sent click here) What a lovely feeling it is getting parcels and I had two yesterday - one was this beautiful ceramic decoration and sweets (yummmm) from my Sew Scrumptious Christmas Swap partner Funky Cinderella. Thanks Cindy xx It's so lovely!

Hands up who loves Flashdance?

A pattern from my stash of old magazine clippings. I really love this photo shoot. Although it is a bit more sultry than my usual fare.....

This 1970's magazine article simply oozes that Flashdance sex appeal - and if you like easy chunky knits with a dancewear vibe then follow the link to legwarmer heaven!

Slouchy Knitwear Pattern Document - Various Jumpers, and Legwarmers

Vintage Cross Stitch Ideas

This is such a sweet little set, from my very old (1940's?) french embroidery booklet. I would love to lavish time and attention on my children's clothes in this way. I am having a bit of a vintage baby clothes moment (see post last week) but not enough to actually sit down and make any. Besides my embroidery is not so neat.......... Still. the dress is a simple sort of summer affair and you could probably achive the right look with some braid. I am thinking about this section of my stash, combined with next summer, combined with some white cotton fabric:

Monday is Motto Day

Awesome Motto for this week - which hopefully will be less busy than last week, but if not, do take a little time to sit and sup, and ponder this very British truth. xxx

Digital Print originally written in tea (cool!) from NikkiMade on Folksy.

Sunday Showcase - Latest Purchases!

Instead of merely showcasing the work of a Folksy shop I like this week, I thought that I would share some items that I have bought from Folksy, to illustrate that I really do shop there as well as sell from it, and promote it! I might well witter on about handmade but am I really doing the handmade christmas thing?

I got the gorgeous heart stained glass decorations from my good friend Amy who trades as AmyOrangeJuice. If you visit her website you will see that she also undertakes large commissions and has won awards for her work. These hearts are managing to look pretty despite the dreadful weather also on display!

The ceramic star is one of a couple of personalised decorations that I had made as Christmas presents, which came from a ceramic artist/sculptor maker called Angela Tait. Her Folksy shop, Tait Gallery, is full of lovely small ceramic items perfect for gifts. I hope that the stars will be appreciated as I really love them and hope they will be a treasured keepsake for ever.

If you want to commission something special for Christmas you may well need to get a move on, but why not visit the Folksy shops of these fine craftspeople and see what they have to offer you?

A sweet momento of someone elses past

I was at an Antiques Shop recently, when I spotted this photo of a little girl in a dusty corner of the place, half hidden behind some other stacked up frames. I wonder if the sitter has grandchildren of her own now. I wonder why this picture was left abandoned although it clearly once meant so much to someone. When it was taken, someone carefully hand coloured this little lady, from the blue eyes to the red hat on her doll. And check out her dress! It looks hand embroidered - the detail is not so easy to see here but there are little animals (puppy, duck) and flowers all over it. Although I was not shopping for wall art, I had to buy her. She can sit in my sewing room and help to remind me of how precious a hand made thing can be.

Make It! Rabbit in a Snow Globe Christmas Decorations Tutorial

So although I go on about things I have made, I hardly ever do any tutorials or makes on here. So I thought that I would try to share more! I have been busy over the past months creating Christmas Decorations, and my favourites have been the various Snow Globe designs I have created.

Bunny in a Snow Globe
These are simple to make and with a little extra effort (not much) you can make any design you fancy.

You will need:
A card or paper template of the shape you want to use.
A round lid- I used the lid from a tub of Betty Crocker Icing! Washed, obv.
Three small sheets of felt - I used white, blue and faun.
2 reels of cotton, one white, one black. You might like to also use a thread which matches your central shape.
2 scraps of ribbon (each around 10cm long)
1 piece of heavy interfacing. This will give more structure to the decoration, but it will be OK without. Alternatively you could even use card board or even thin wadding.
Irridescent seed beads.

1. To Start. You need to draw around your shapes. I like a vaninshing ink pen, but you could use tailors chalk too. 

Cut 1 circle each of the front and back colours (2 circles in total)

Cut 1 rabbit shape.

Cut 1 circle of material of interfacing then cut off a strip approx 1/3 inch to make that circle smaller than the others.

2. Prepare your rabbit. Using a double strand of black cotton (or black embroidery thread if you have some) sew on a little face. I like a sweet sleepy face - you can choose whatever takes your fancy. My emboidery skills are not very sophisticated but there is scope here for embellishing the rabbit.

You can add scraps of other felt or fabric to make a range of effects, like this snowy tree:

Adding the scarf: 

Take 1 scrap of ribbon, fold it lengthways and slide it through the rabbit and background layers. Pin this against the felt, making sure one side extends no more than 2 cm. Take care to leave the ends loose when you sew........................

Using the machine or handsewing depending on your preference stitch the rabbit to the white layer only. Take care here to not sew the loose ends of the scarf, although you can sew over the scarf where it is behind the rabbits neck.

Then fold the scarf over the rabbit. Take the small end and fold it onto the neck. Then taking the longer end, take it to the middle of the neck and fold it at a right angle. To make the scarf look knotted I folded it in a sort of squash fold - I can't explain very well! Here's an origami tutorial that might help. You can see better in this photo of a different rabbit decoration that I did:

Then stitch across and down the scarf to secure it.

4. Assemble. Pin the layers together. Put a pin in the head and body of the rabbit, gathering all the layers together. Don't forget the middle of your sandwich (the interfacing).

Take the other scrap of ribbon - this will be your hanging loop. Fold it in half to make a loop and slip the raw ends between the white and blue layers at the very top of the circle. Secure with a pin or a few basting stitches.

Stitch all around the edge of the decoration, with about a 1/4 inch allowance. You might like to add an extra line of reinforcement stitches at the top where the hangng loop is. Try to keep it even and turn the felt with a firm steady hand. I find stitching the circles not to hard but the neatness is an issue!

6. Finishing touches. Any little beads or buttons you want to add can be sewn on now. I suppose you could add them to the top layer before sewing but if you are adding seed beads I find it simpler to put them on at the end. I sewed on irridescent seed beads to look like the snow in a snow globe by inserting the needle at the side to start and then ensuring as I sewed that the needle and thread were passing into the middle of the decoration not the back.

If you do make any decorations using this tutorial as inspiration why not share them on the Made by Dolly Flickr pool?

Happy Happy Making xx

Pattern Wednesday - Introducing the Little Ladies - Emma

As part of my pattern collection I have a group of childrens jumper and cardigan patterns from an unidentified  1970s era magazine. The one that I have uploaded this week is a sweet little jumper which would look adorable in a pastel colour although I prefer good punchy colours on kids. But what is nicer than a snuggly jumper?

The one in the middle hates her jumper.
Or maybe Ingrid just stole her biscuit.

You can see the pattern made up on the child labelled 'Emma', which is also the name of the pattern.

EMMA Girl's Jumper Pattern

Christmas Decoration Swap

As I commented in my post on Saturday I have been participating in a Christmas Decoration Swap co-ordinated by Sew Scrumptious. I didn't want to talk about it too soon, mainly because there is no point in sending a surprise package if you have been putting photos up of the contents up on the internet. But I sent the parcel a few days ago now so I am hoping that it has arrived/will arrive soon (Royal Mail, reliable or not? You decide.).

The rules were you had to send a handmade decoration, some chocolate and a card. I decided to have a go at making my christmas card as I really should! It turned out OK considering I don't have a lot of card making stuff. Overall I was pleased and I hope my swap partner, Funky Cinderella - a fellow Folksy seller - will like what I have sent her. If you don't want to view the parcel contents, LOOK AWAY NOW:

Motto Monday. Well, more of a statement of fact

Il Pleut Original Framed Artwork by Wall Art Envy

Berries berries everywhere

The garden is positively heaving with berries of the non-edible kind, and crab apples, and leaves. All the wonderful oranges and yellows of autumn having one last gasp, I think, before the winter really sets in. Eat birdies eat!

How many days til Christmas?

Some decorations I have on Folksy
but not the one I'm sending to my Swap Partner obviously!

OMG There are only 42 days to Christmas, I have not done any of the things on my November To Do list or bought any presents. Still, I did manage to participate in a Christmas Decoration Swap over at Sew Scrumptious, more on that another day (secrets, secrets!!).

Folksy Friday - Winter has arrived

Beautiful wintery things from
1  First Frost bracelet from Mi Mi B
2 Winter Fields Brooch from Lynwood Crafts
3 Silver Winter Earrings from Willow Wire Creations
4 Melted Snow Glass Decoration from Kumari Glass
5 Autumn Leaf Christmas Decorations from By Sally

Trrying a new look on the old FF as I always have trouble getting the pictures to look well positioned.
I know I posted this Thursday night but I am busy tomorrow!!!

Pattern Wednesday - Melon Sleeves Sweater

Todays pattern is a lovely little mohair number. Actually this is a decent wearable pattern. I might try to find time to knit it in a different yarn as I love the look but mohair is not compatible with my lifestyle!. The full sleeve detail and trim fit are pretty compatible with the current trend for 1970's styling. Loving the photographers conceit of having the model eat a melon in her melon sleeves! 

Again this pattern was clipped from a 1970's magazine, by my gran, and sadly she did not note which one.

MELON SLEEVES KNITTING PATTERN

More 1970s decorating ideas

Red Rum Red Rum

As per my previous post I have a new book about 1970s home decor that I am enjoying thumbing through very much. As I unexpectedly have a little extra time tonight whilst my daughter is listening to a nice long story CD, here are a few more pictures.

"

"Women got the vote? Huh, that's news to me. Another Tom Collins dear?"

Hang this outside your kids bedroom and I guarantee quiet nights