Make It! DIY Cat Toys

As much as I love my little cat guys, I do resent how much one might pay for a cheaply produced cat toy, if you went out to buy such a thing. Our kittens love to play, like the children do, with boxes, the wet washing, jingly things etc, but to prevent them destroying the house (that is, both children and cats) sometimes toys are a good answer. 

To welcome my new cats home, my children and I put together some simple cat toys we have had endless fun with.

We made two types of toy, a Cat Wand and some Mice.

CAT WAND INSTRUCTIONS
You need a range of ribbon, or scrap fabric strips,
craft feathers (or collected from garden?),
string (here we used out string from the veg box),
a bamboo cane
and some sort of ball. This is an old golf practice ball, which worked very well.

MOUSE
You need some more scrap fabric
a piece of string or ribbon for tail
some stuffing - toy stuffing/wool work best but you could also add some catnip
sewing kit

I have made a sort of pattern to download free here. Apologies for scrappy hand drawn-ness of it, I don't have the correct software or know-how to make a better one....

Only 166 days to go until Christmas!

I sit here in lightweight skirt and blouse, shoes off, slight tan, posting this about Christmas craft and expecting *ducks* some blogland approbrium.

However, I find that there's no time too early to start thinking about Christmas, so I started planning my Christmas decorations this year NOW. Mainly because there is a hope that I might stock some local shops this year and they will want something worked out a long time before December!

Currently I am working on a lovely bevy of Angels, which I am making from a pattern by Gingermelon. That links to her blog which is full of great stuff, but if you want to go and get the Angel pattern yourself, it's on her Etsy. Such a great pattern for using up bits of felt....

Can't resist adding embellishments

Experimenting with expressions

Lots of different colours!

Last year I made lots of felt decorations from my own patterns. My favourites, which I shall be doing again with some improvements (to the face!) were the gingerbread men 

and these buttony trees.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Sharing a Giveaway - No Bull!

Quick! There's an excellent giveaway happening over at Dolls and Daydreams, about to end (tomorrow Weds 13th March). 

The lovely Sarah is celebrating the release of her newest pattern, a super cute and totally moo-tastic couple of patterns of a Bull and Cow. For those of you who are not familiar with Dolls and Daydreams, I would recommend her as a source of sweet and easy to follow doll patterns. She also does patterns for clothes to give them more of a wardrobe, gives lots of hints and tips on creating an individual look and how-tos on embroidering faces etc. Helpful for the novice and non-specialist!

Many of her patterns can be bought individually or in sets, such as Wizard of Oz characters, Snow White and the 7 Dwarves etc. 

Her Facebook page is a source of inspiration, as she often posts photos of dolls that sewers from around the world have created using her patterns.  I often get 'plush envy' as there are a lot of talented people out there! Why not take a look?

Blog Neglect - and some Vintage Pattern Love

Yes, I am guilty. I have realised with a shock that it has been months since my last outside broadcast. Of course, I am still a bit on the old FaceBook but shame, shock, chagrin, I have hardly touched this blog. So apologies if you have been checking in, although I don't really know if anyone has...............

Tonight is Halloween, but I will ignore that for now (it's not a big event around here. If I get one Trick or Treater straggling up the lane they will deserve a mug of cocoa and a blanket as much as some sweets).

I am mainly here on Tinterweb to show off my latest aquisition in the Vintage Pattern stakes, this amazing girls smocked party dress. If I can get off my petooty and finish all the MBD Christmas orders in advance I will try and make one but it will have to be a gift to someone with a teeny girl - the patterns in Size 1 only and both my girls are too long and tall for this style. The 6 yr old looks like a standard lamp these days, in a frilly skirt. Luckily Baby T has several under 1 yr girlbabyfriends so......

I like the pink gingham version with the bigger bow at the back - that's a tongue twister - but these are all really short hey. Very full skirts too - need some matching knickers I reckon - cute!

Pattern Wednesday - Weekend Casuals: His and Hers Sweaters

This is a cute unisex pattern that I think has a lot of wearability today. Also it's in DK (phew!). It comes from one of my stash of magazine patterns that were torn out sometime in the 1960's or 1970's  - no chance of finding where they came from now! I like to keep old patterns in the public domain - at least they might get used again, instead of festering away in the dark, but of course if you know who this pattern belongs to, coyright wise, and would like to get in contact, please do. I am always happy to credit where it is due. 

Follow the link to the pattern document - I'm afraid the formatting is a bit awry - the page was really creased and although I have tried to go through and check for mistakes, my scanner wasn't very happy about the state of this one!

WEEKEND CASUALS

Pattern (Recommendation) Wednesday - Honesty

This is not really a pattern so much as a pattern recommendation. I have been busy knitting my daughter another cotton tank from a pattern that I have made several times before, called 'Honesty', and thought that I would spread my love for this pattern further by blogging about it. It is designed by Sublime Yarns for their range of cottons and I think that it is a lovely simple pattern to follow - I especially like it because I have not managed to completely screw up the neckband which is what I often do! Here I used a cotton acrylic mix from Sirdar called Summer Stripes. It knitted up somewhat large but not a real problem. Also, the bow's a bit floppy but hey, she likes it. If you Ravelry all the pattern details are here and if you like, a link to my project page. 

Previous attempt where I actually used the recommended yarn:

Pattern Wednesday - a quartet of hats

What more need I say, when describing this delightful knitting pattern for four different children's hats? I am pretty sure that my Mum, at age 2, had the pink angora effort or similar, although persuading her to produce relevant photographic evidence may be problematic! I love poor wee Rab in his yellow beret. Not his most flattering colour!

Pattern Wednesday - Victoriana Bolero

Bolero Pattern

This cute little pattern for an angora sweater is simple and would still look lovely, although maybe not with the big sleeves? Such a sweet photoshoot, really in the Laura Ashley Victoriana vein. As they say the 1970's are a big story for your fashion inspiration this season, drink deep from the well of faded charm I have here. Enjoy xx

Childrens 'Fashion'

One of my most dearly held wishes is to create many more of the clothes that we wear and not have to rely on shop bought items. Unfortunately, I am usually quite busy and all too easily beguiled by price, or cuteness! Still I have now started as I mean to go on this year, and made the baby a pair of crawling trousers from a nice roomy pattern I have lying around. A good easy one to ease me in.

Pictures to follow of the finished item.  I also intend to make a few other things for my big girl. A candidate is this short childrens skirt. Although I am torn between this and the lovely skirts here - they do the best cute girls skirt tutes. Anyway, gotta love this 1970's pattern illustrations. Cute!

Pattern Wednesday - a Cameo performance

Look at this fabulous vintage pattern styling.  They are clearly having a lovely day out in Oxford, enjoying the weak British sun in their comfy slacks and matching sweaters. But all is not well. The poor woman is forced to stand in this faux-winsom manner against her husband as a ploy, to avoid him noticing the fact that her boobs are possessed and are creeping up her shoulders shortly to burst out and begin a  B-movie scenario.

Pattern Wednesday - Continuing the Little Ladies Collection - Ingrid

This simple little jumper would be a great play jumper for a little girl, with a cosy folded over collar and enough of a pattern to make it interesting to knit. Not really a 'vintage' or 'retro' look, just old fashioned enough to suit me!

Ingrid Jumper Pattern

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

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

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

Pattern Wednesday - Fairisle for the Fellas

Back in August I started trawling through the stash of old patterns from magazines that I was given. Having failed all summer to get around to downloading any, I thought that I would begin again in a more structured way - ha ha. Every wednesday (or so I plan) I will share one of my downloaded patterns. Usually knitting. Usually a 1960's or 70's magazine clipping. It is a real shame that in most cases I don't even know which magazine they came from, and the knitwear designer is so rarely credited. So spare a small thought for the unsung hero/heroine of the needles when you are enjoying the fruits of my Pattern Wednesdays!!

The first one is Fairisle for the Fellas, a 1940's inspired V Neck Fairisle tank or sweater for Monsieur.

Classic cable jacket

Here's another great find from my vintage patterns stash. A Vogue knitting book from the 1960's, with some really wearable designs in. Thankfully also most are in DK rather than the usual vintage 4-ply business. I wish I had time to make this warm looking cable jacket for myself! I could have done with it today, against the blustery wind. 

Vintage Patterns continued

Still ploughing through the stack of vintage patterns and clippings. There are some classic examples from the fashion of the1940's to the 1980's. Here is a 1970's magazine knitting pattern for a little cardi, with the clothes and lovely styling giving it such a touch of Victoriana.

Huge stash of vintage patterns hooray

Just before my mum went on her month long expedition to Sri Lanka (Why? I hope she is OK?! She never writes) she mailed me this enormous stash of vintage patterns, books, magazine clippings etc. Some are knitting patterns, some sewing, childrens, crafts, etc. I will slowly get through looking at all of them but here are a few highlights that initially caught my eye.

The little girls smock is from a book of fairytale theme embroidery patterns which are really charming.

The second picture is an article showing you how to knit a dress, as modelled (of course?) by Francoise Hardy! (Woman 1967)

Cute knitting pattern alert

After a wonderful rummage at my local charity shop I have lucked out and got a large stack of really old knitting patterns. I don't have time (sad face) to get started knitting any yet, but I thought that I would share a few in case anyone else needs something to do?!

This baby hat one is my favourite, I reckon you will need a 3-ply looking at the tension, anyway who can resist its ears?
The Orlon Baby Hat PDF Pattern can be located here

Why Mummy? Why?

Blouse Pattern Saga

I have been soliciting advice over on Sew Retro about a blouse pattern that I bought at Vintage at Goodwood. It is a size 18 and I am a size 10. And not skilled personally in the pattern rescaling dept. But hey, you don't refuse a 1950's sewing pattern that's less than £3 do you?

Any advice welcome, here is are images of the packet front and back so you can see the piece shapes.