Chicken!

You may remember last year's Chirpy Chicks ....

Well I made one more chick this year.....

 

 he's busy keeping a friend company by her computer!

I love the curly Teeswater quiff!

I know the other chicks are having a happy springtime  - two have been balancing on our tv and one has appeared on facebook (he hasn't tweeted yet though!)!

Hope you have a chirpy weekend x

Eggstra helpings!

We've been enjoying a hectic Easter holiday...thought I'd add some more eggs to the mixture!

A while ago I looked for a flat egg pattern on Ravelry..as I was new to crochet it had to be simple (and as I haven't mastered the magic ring it had to be flat!)...I tried one...but mine didn't turn out anything like it...even having translated it into UK stitches. So I pottered around with a few stitches and came up with a pattern I was happy with! 

I made different sizes!

They were strung sideways....

...and long ways but didn't take a picture!

They appeared in nests:

....mostly needle felted

..one crocheted!

...a tray full of the colours of spring!

One afternoon RW Jnr and I wet felted these eggs -

We vaguely followed this tutorial using plastic eggs as innards. One has a pink and yellow striped middle and the other has green with a colourful strip of offcut yarn from the loomed flowers.

The intention was to make some more - and some fluffy chicks...but time ran away with us!

Whist on the eggy subject we had a lovely fluffy needlefelted surprise in the post from Tracey:

Hope you have an eggstraspecial weekend!

Happy Easter!

Hope you all have a happy and peaceful Easter xxx

A host of golden........

....daffodils!

After hooking some 5 petalled teeny tiny flowers I thought I'd try some daffodils for Easter. Following a search through some patterns and not finding quite the right one I thought I'd combine parts of the teeny tiny flower and teeny tiny heart patterns, tweak some stitches and add few extra bits!

each was crocheted with 2 strands of yarn, some plain yellow and some with an additional variegated tone.

...and each has a needlefelted middle...I'm sure I've used that before?

 (too many times to create links!)!!

It didn't take me long to combine crochet and felt!

There's another combo to come soon!

I've loved making them...as I started as a novice it was a bit tricky at first but I soon got into a rhythm.

The plan is to string them up into bunting...or a long string

 Can you spot the difference?

Happy Spring!

Project Dragonfly

That's the name I gave my commission during the design and construction processes!

 I can now reveal its story as hopefully it has been given to the intended recipients. 

My friend popped in one day when I was in the middle of rolling the fuchsia for my mum, shortly afterwards she asked if I would design and make a picture to celebrate the 40th Wedding anniversary  of her parents in April. Dragonflies are significant in their family  - and that was the request.

I had loads of ideas and some techniques I wanted to try, when I googled dragonflies imagine my surprise when there was one with ruby red eyes - perfect for the occasion!

I made a prototype:

which met with approval - especially when turned around!

So with a couple of additions (shiny wings which we tried... but decided against....) I began working on the final piece. I took photos at each stage to document the life  of the dragonfly. 

I will only include those of the third and final one - reproducing the original idea was trickier than I had anticipated - but I learned a lot along the way!

So here's the metamorphosis from:

a layer of white shetland...

a second layer of  fibre - hand painted shetland 'River' by Sara's Texture Crafts...
(it is at 90degrees to the first layer...)

and a final layer of  hand-dyed sea green shetland (Sara's Texture Crafts)

 Mohair strands and sari silk fibres were added to the final layer before wetting with soapy water and gently rubbing to form a background.

This is the light and airy bundle of fluff for the wings which  includes pink sari silk, hand-dyed silk tops and shiny angelina fibres. It became almost transparent when wet and required a few straws cut to size as markers for the design.

A needlefelted flower was one of the additions to the prototype - this one is made from yellow  and lemon shetland and some dyed silk fibres.

Continuing the felting process by rubbing gently under net....

...and rolling....

..wet felting completed..

a quick rinse in distilled vinegar to remove the soap..

...and a dunking in summer meadows fabric conditioner... to make it soft and smell nice..

before being hung on the line to dry in the spring sunshine!

Drip drip!

Having a quick stretch whilst drying!

Hanging systems in place...you can see the fibres from the needlefelted body poking through...

Transformation complete:

 

The body is needlefelted with Fuchsia New Zealand Corriedale (Sara's Texture Crafts), mixed shetland pinks, dyed silk fibres and sari silk. Ruby eyes are red shetland and sari silk.

Both the prototype and final Dragonfly have new homes....

Thank you to my friend for the brilliant opportunity and for all her helpful positive comments, excitement, and enthusiasm!

Happy Anniversary to her Mum and Dad!