Embellishments

February 28th

Crocheted gift ribbon and embellishments

I am rubbish at wrapping gifts, years ago before children I spent ages making my gifts look beautiful but over the years that has fallen by the wayside until recently.  I am a yarn addict and am happy with either a crochet hook or knitting needles in my hand, so along came the idea to embellish my gift in yarn adorned mini makes.

It began with making the gift ribbon and then having fun with the little motives.  This can be personalised to the recipient, from bottles of wine to work tools, cars, diggers and more girlie items such as flowers and hearts.  Your imagination is your only limit when it comes to this. Below are some of mine that I have made recently.

Puff flower - crochet embellsiment

With Easter just around the corner, make some
cute bunnies to add to the crochet gift ribbon

This month's Little Box of Crochet, I could not
resist embellishing this rainbow addition too!

To make the gift ribbon I ensure I have the box or wrapped package to hand and then chain enough to cover once around with maybe 3 chains spare as the overlap and for connecting.  Depending on the size of the gift determines for me the stitch used, the smaller the gift the smaller the stitch, this is so it does not overpower.  I then crochet whichever stitch I have decided upon into each chain.  Once that is complete I take a contrasting colour and dc (UK) sc (US) on each side so that the ribbon effectively has 3 stripes.  Sometimes as with the Little Box of Crochet I actually slip stitched along either edge, just depends on the look you want.   To complete the ribbon itself I either sew the ends together or crochet them with slip stitches.  I tend to then place the ribbon on the package and then sew the motives onto the ribbon in situ making sure I have them placed on the gift exactly where I want.

Choosing the motives is fun and there are so many to be found on the internet, I will let you find your own.  Hope I have given you an idea or a spark, let me know if you give this a try.


♥  How do you gift wrap your presents?

Christmas glass fusing and gifts

December 21st  

This year I have found a new love in glass fusing and since October we have been making glass gifts and decorations.  This is a photo heavy post...

Quick and simple to make are Christmas trees and over the weeks we began to perfect them.  Tweaking here and there is all part of the fun and you never really know what the firing process will do to the creations.

Great fun to make these Christmas trees

 

I think they are quite subtle and dress the window well

 

And glass trees in the kitchen, it has to be RED

I made about ten tree brooches in the end and wear different ones each day, I've given a few away already...

Even glass tree brooches, bad photo it looks so good in 'real'

Mistletoe brooch

Contemporary holly brooch

As well as going out to my weekly glass course, I have been making use of my birthday present, the microwave kiln.  I'm still getting to grips with it and intend to play much more in the New Year.

The microwave kiln came into it's own in making the
smaller pieces such as earring and cufflinks

 

A sneak look at the hot glow after firing

My biggest project to date other than large glass bowls was  a free standing angel, the idea being a candle is lit behind her to give an ethereal feel.

 

Unfortunately the angel was too high in the kiln and lost
lots of her definition, thinking I will have another go

I still like the angel though

She really wasn't meant to be, was she?

The children every year make their own Christmas presents for the adults in the family.  This year they decided to try glass fusing too.

Even the children have fused glass, making Christmas presents

The children's work needed two firings, one to fuse
together and the second to 'slump' them into the dish moulds

Coaster before firing

I may have become quite addicted , just look...

A kiln full of Christmas presents and goodies

And presents to give to hosts and hostess' over the Christmas period...

 

Christmas scenes fired but still warm in the kiln

Christmas scene in situ

We loved making the robins and the house cat seemed quite keen too!

Robins in the kiln

...and outside on my holly bush

♥  Have you made any Christmas presents this year?  ♥

Christmas crochet and Christmas gifts

December 15th

In our family we have used corks for over 30 years at Christmas and dressed them up as Nisse, year on year we add to them.  Scroll down on my Nisse  to post to see. Last year I added to the collection by creating a crochet cork tree forest, so simple and such fun to make.  This year the addition has grown with inspiration from Instagrammer Flo and Dot.  Interestingly I inspired her to make the crochet trees.

Reindeer cork, inspiration from Flo and Dot

There is no pattern o the reindeer or snowman as I just made it up as I went along not thinking to write it down.  BUT if anyone is interested, just shout and I'll make more and write it as I go along!!

I've just realised my snow man could do with a hat and scarf, need to rectify this!

For instructions of the Christmas tree tutorial click on the link.

It's beginning to look a lot like a bow!

 

One bow tie ready for my 5 year old nephew

And matching hair bow for his twin sister

To make the bow part of the bow tie and hair bow:

Chain 28 and make a circle with a sl st
Row 1 dc into each chain, 28 st
Row 2-9 dc into each st
Row 10 *dc2tog, dc in next 2 st* repeat till the end of the row, 21 st
Row 11 *dc2tog then dc into next st* repeat till the end of the row, 14st
Row 12 *dc2tog then dc into each of the next 5 st*, repeat till the end of the row, 12st
Row 13 dc first stich, ch3, skip next 3 stiches
Row 14-15 dc into each st, 12 st
Row 16 dc into first st, ch3, skip next 3 st, dc into next 8, 12 st
Row 17 *dc into first 5 st, dc twice into next st* continue till the end of the row, 14 st
Row 18 *dc, then dc twice into next st* continue till the end of the row, 21 st
Row 19 *dc into first two st, dc twice into next st, continue till the end of the row, 28st
Row 20-28 dc into each st, 28 st

Fasten off.

For the Bow knot:

Row 1 Ch 17, intot he second chain form the hook, dc into each st, 16 st
Row 2-6dc 16 st, ch 1 and turn

Fasten off.

For the neck band:

Chain required amount for the small person's neck and allow an extra 10 chains.  Dc into in each chain at end of each row, chain 1 and turn.  I did this for 3 rows and then fastened off.

Putting it altogether:

Take the bow knot and sew it around the thinnest part of the bow tie.  Attach the neck band behind the bow tie and add Velcro to the opposite end and behind the bow tie.  this ensures that should it be tugged it will come off easily and not strangle or hurt small person.

For the hair bow, attach either an elastic hair band or bow clip and it's ready to wear!

No room in my house is left alone at this time of year and the study too had a quick make over with tapestry crochet.  I crocheted 2 harts on one side and 1 on the other.  Using as I often do, those that follow this blog, I up cycled an old yoghurt pot and crocheted around it for the desired effect adding this time a picot edge.  It's fun and quick to make.
 

The study gets a crochet make over too

Just right for my Sharpie pens

Men are notoriously difficult to buy for, let alone make for, but this year I think I have hit upon a great  idea.  I bought a very cheap ice scraper and crocheted a mitt for it.  Again simple, no pattern.  I just chained enough to easily first over my hand whilst wearing an overcoat and began to decrease as I approached my wrist culminating with a small enough hole to fit the ice scraper through.  Hope my dad likes this...

Ice scraper crochet mitt

Who doesn't make scarves at this time of year, a couple from the hook this year, nothing fancy, plain and simple...

Every year I have to crochet a scarf or two as well, don't you?

Another scarf on the hook for a last minute gift

In Norway you do not wear outdoor shoes in the house and when visiting others you either bring 'indoor' shoes or slippers or sometimes there is a basket of slippers available to guests.  I love this way of living and here show you a quick pair that would be great to wear around the home at Christmas or indeed to pop into your bag and take with you when visiting others, start a new trend in your area...

The beginnings of tapestry crochet slippers

Et voila, completed slippers for Christmas

For the pattern  see Heart slippers


And in case you need a few more Nisse in your life, what home wouldn't be complete without these at this time of year, here is my pattern for last years  Crochet nisse

♥  Wishing you all continued happiness, what are you up ?  ♥