how to make easy-peasy arm warmers

Take one old (preferably holey) pair of knee high socks.

 

Then take a pair of scissors, and cut off the toe of said socks and you're done! Ta-da: one pair of easy-peasy arm warmers!!!

 

Playing along with show and tell and my creative space

take three

A good friend of mine is due in a few weeks and I wanted to make her little bub something. Instead of making the easy-peasy booties I've made before, I thought I'd try something a little more challenging - crocheted baby ugg boots. But after a many frustrations and a redoings, all I had to show for my time was this:

Not really very ugg-boot like - more slouch boots that were never going to stay on a little ones foot...

So, take two: I found another pattern, that looked lovely - cute and simple booties. I began enthusiastically but, typically, without really paying attention to size, tension, hook size, wool ply - you know those things that all important when following a pattern. The net result being a finished bootie that would barely fit a doll.

So, take three: Adjusting the pattern size to make up for the fact I couldn't find the right sized hook and getting out one of little-miss-e's old booties for comparison, and so far take three is a winner!

Now the challenge (as always) is to finish the booties before the baby arrives!

Playing along with show and tell and with my creative space.

hippos for flights

I'm not sure if I mentioned - by my lovely husband is not from Australia. He hails from far across the seas. So with little Miss E in tow, we packed up and prepared to travel to far away lands to introduce her to the family. But before we left, I was a little nervous about how a 3 month old baby would go on long haul flights.

So being it being the Internet age, I googled and unsurprisingly there was a lot of very useful stuff out there. I won't link it all up, if you are interested you can search for yourself I'm sure. I also won't do a list of tips for travelling with babies - there are already heaps out there (for example: check out this list by my lovely friend Lisa). What I will do it show you what I almost made (my lovely step-mother provided the actual crafty hands for this one).

One of the suggestions I read about was to pack each change of baby clothes in an individual zip lock bag - thus enabling you to take a quick change to the plane toilets. I thought more about this, and decided it would be more useful to have a small bag in which I could put all I needed for a nappy change, so I wouldn't have to wrestle the full nappy bag along with baby in the confined space. Seeing I was staying with my step-mother at the time, I asked her about her fabrics and she came up with this:

So perfect!
We then designed the bag together - with button closings at the top and a little wrist strap (leaving both hands free to wrestle baby / hold onto seats as I headed to the toilets). And ta da:



My step-mother did the sewing, whilst I fed little Miss E. And there you have it - hippos for flights.

NB:  I confess, I have it on good authority that the bag was very useful - it turned out that it was my lovely husband not me who did all the airborne nappy changes!

my creative space

My creative space this week has a finished starfish (mostly I followed this pattern)


and a half done hermit crab!



(sorry the pic of the crab shell isn't great - because of the colours and textures in the shell it hasn't photographed well). I sort of followed medium seashell 4 from  this pattern. Well, I followed it a bit, and then decided that I needed the shell to be bigger, so I went off on my own a bit too...

The issue for me is now whether or not the mobile will be finished before the baby is! I'm having a bit of trouble with making the crab itself now that the shell is pretty much done. Probably I should work on following patterns a bit more before I try to make it up myself - but I just couldn't find a (free) pattern that I was happy with.

I've left the sea horse until last, as I am thinking that will be hardest one to make up as it has much less regular shapes. Still, I do have a pattern to base that one on, so hopefully it will go quickly.

How about you? Are you pressed for time in your creative space today?

my creative space

My creative space has been mobile this week: this is me making the starfish for my mobile whilst waiting for hospital appointments. (at least they were only an hour late today - it did give me time to get all the points done and begin the sewing together).

And in other creative news - I finished the clown fish! Woohoo...

So now I've got a seahorse and a hermit crab to go (once I finish the starfish). And maybe a seagull and some seaweed... My big question at the moment though is - what colour to do the seahorse? The hermit crab will have a creamy/brown shell and a red crabby body, the clown fish colour is mostly accurate, the starfish is a mix of purple and blue, the jelly fish is grey with white tentacles... The seahorse? brown and cream (somewhat accurate)? or brightly coloured (given there are already some neutral-y colours in the others)? I just don't know...

Where has your creative space been this week?

my creative space with a suprise and an opps...

So again I am so thankful to everyone who helped me out and suggested ideas for my mobile! I have settled on making a fish, a seahorse, a hermit crab and a star fish to go with my jellyfish. With some seaweed hanging down and a seagull sitting right at the top. Now I only have to get going on the next one - I think I'll do the fish...

And that is where the opps comes in - with all these great ideas I had another look through my wool selection and decided I could make do with what I had, except that I needed some orange for the clown fish and some green for the seaweed. A trip to spotlight later and opps...

Oh well - about half of it was on sale, and as I am really getting into amigurumi, I'm sure I'll find more projects for this lot.

And whilst I have been figuring that out, I've started another surprise project for the baby - can you guess what it is...

What's going on in your creative spaces today?

my creative space - with thanks and a question

hiya,

After complaining last week that my creative space was full and empty, I'd like to say a big thanks to those who encouraged me.

See, I finally sat down and started my next project. I thought I'd have another go at amigurumi and make a mobile for the bub. So I sat down with this jellyfish pattern and some good advice from a friend and, well, things didn't go so well. About a third of the way through, I realised it was way too small for what I wanted. So I unpulled it all and started out alone. Patternless...

 Scary, but I am so happy with the results!

Now, my question is: what else to make for this mobile? I want 3d things that are interesting from the underneath. My idea was to make the jellyfish, a fish, a bird and something else. But should I try to stay with an underwater theme instead? decisions decisions....

What's in your creative space this week?

my creative space

My creative space this week both empty and full (and a little bit late)...
 

  

It feels empty as I've finally finished my baby blanket. I am very pleased with it, even the scalloped edges turned out pretty well! Although the corners are a little stretched and it does need a bit of a press. The problem there is that we currently don't own an iron... If you have a suggestion of how to press a blanket without an iron - I'd love to hear!

 But rather than leaving me with a feeling of satisfaction at completion, I have instead that empty feeling. My itchy fingers no longer have this blanket to work on. See, I've been working on the blanket for as long as I've been growing this baby - over 7 months now... And with the blanket finished I am at a bit of a loss on what to create now... 

And that's the other side of things. See at the same time my creative space feels full. I have a number of ideas and projects that I would like to start, and more things I'd like to make for the baby. but with projects swirling around my head and less than 2 months to go til the little one arrives, I can't seem to settle on starting any of them.

I want to make an animal arigurumi mobile - I even started a fish while on the tram last night. But I don't quite have the right wool, and I have so much wool that I'd prefer not to go out and buy more, so I'm trying to decide between making do or just splurging out...

I could finish off my elephant, who is still sitting in pieces. But I have to admit, I am a little disappointed in it. I messed up the American/Aussie terminology and made the elephant in too big a stitch, with too big a needle and too thick wool. So instead of a compact little elephant -I have a large softie, with gaps between the stitches where you can see the stuffing... So my enthusiasm for finishing it off isn't that high...

I also want to make a sleeping bag/cocoon for bubs - something like this. But again, which wool? do I have enough? Should I just suck it up and go out an buy some specific wool for this project?

I also have other grand ideas of stuff I'd like to make for the bub - baby wipes (from an old towel), a picture for the baby's room, a fabric baby quilt (although we already have plenty of baby blankets), cutting up some old towels into baby sized ones, making some cot sheets, even making curtains for the baby's room and and and...

with less than 2 months left (and 2 more weeks of work) - all my plans may just not be possible. So with such a full head space of plans, I can't seem to decide where to start!

What is happening in your creative space? Is it full or empty?

my creative space (with gluten free nutty chocolate slice)

It feels a bit like it has been one of those weeks. It's been really busy, and thinking about posting today in "my creative space" I wasn't sure I had anything creative to talk about. It's been a week of work, and washing and breastfeeding classes, and dinners with friends. All of which have meant I've felt like I've had limited time to create.

 But then again... I did finally finish sewing together the strips of squares for my baby blanket. And after avoiding dealing with the ends deliberating, I decided to edge the blanket before I finish off the ends. I was inspired by a lovely blogger from last week's creative spaces (I'm so sorry, I can't remember who it was - I've looked, but if I find you this in week's spaces, I'll link you up!) and have decided to try doing a scalloped edge. This is a first for me, as previously, I have always simply chained around the edges. Wish me luck.

I've also been creative in the kitchen. See, I get home from work pretty exhausted these days, so my lovely husband does pretty much all the cooking in our place at the moment. Although I have been stretching my baking fingers this week and make some Nutty Chocolate Slice - partly for a work colleague, who was having a bad week, and the rest has gone in the freezer to serve to our visitors when our little one is born.

I thought I'd share the recipe (given to me from a friend), as it is incredibly simple, fantastically tasty and gluten free (but without any fancy ingredients).

Nutty Chocolate Slice

1 cup chopped nuts (I use almonds, but any nuts will work)
1 cup choc chips
1 cup currants (or sultanas - whatever you've got)
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 tin sweetened condensed milk

Mix all ingredients together.
Put in a greased, lined lamington (slice) tin.
Bake covered @ 190 deg Celsius for 20min
Uncover and bake @ 170 deg for 15-20.
Cool in fridge and cut when cold.


So it seems I've had a creative week after all! How 'bout you - are you joining in with the creativity?

my creative space

is right here on my lap, juggling for space with my computer...

I am still working on sewing together the strips of granny squares for my baby blanket.

and I'm also trying to check out all that my blog buddies have been up to whilst I am have been busy elsewhere!

Hopefully your creative space is also full of good projects and new and old friends!

my creative space

i'm tired tonight. work has been really crazy recently, i'm only two days into my working week, and i have already done an extra half a day, and i can't see it calming down anytime soon. so i really don't have much in the way of words, but i still did want to share a few pics of what's been going on in my creative space over the last week. lots of creating...

 sewing the binding on this project
 

 making some mini grannies for this project

 

and a brand new project! i got a jug cover pattern book for my birthday, and so i popped out to spotlight to get some proper crochet cotton and a mini crochet hook. and it's good fun, but the only problem is that i can't talk and follow patterns, so this is a no-one else around kinda project. 

how are your creative space projects going?

my creative space

is still full of owls...

i thought i'd be done by now. i really should have been done by now. but due to badly thought out cutting out. (read as forgot to add decent amount of seam allowance) i've had to hand stich these buddies up. 

i've come to the conclusion i HATE hand sewing. well, HATE is a bit strong. but i certainly don't love it, and i've come to the realisation that an embroidery hoop would make a big difference (of course, i don't actually have one), so the slow slow slow hand sewing does continue. hopefully, this last owl will be finished soon. 

at least they will be finished by the time the show "owl in spotlight" goes up at la mama theatre in carlton next week. its going to be a great show and is for all ages - if you are in melbourne, you should check it out. 

and check out all the creative spaces this week...

MY creative space...

ok, so i know our lovely creative space hostie is on holidays right now, but i thought i'd still creative space it up tonight. see, i'm making owls:

its the same pattern that i used for the finished owl in the corner. but i am experimenting with their faces. i'm pretty pleased with them so far, and i am hoping that they will all look different enough for terrible comfort's show (see the call out for owls - there is still time to join in, just). and if you are keen eyed enough, you will be able to recognise the gray felt. yep!  its my felted jumper! perfect for these owls.

i might be creative spacing it pretty much on my own this week, but at least i've got a few owls to keep me company... 

my portable saucepan-able creative space...

unusual i know, but this week, my creative space got a bit portable and oddly saucepan-able. see, i help run a sewing group on sunday afternoons. its for women on a local housing estate who otherwise wouldn't have access to sewing machines or overlockers. but on sunday this week, it was very quiet, and so i began to riffle around in the scraps bags to see what i could find.  

see i had been planning to make an owl for terrible comfort's halloween show (see the call out here, and join on in!). and having printed out this pattern at work during the week and then having conveniently left it in my bag, i thought i would get started. so, finding the cut off leg of a pair of tan corduroy pants that had been hemmed by someone and a scrap of beigey coloured fake fur i was off. that was, until some more women showed up and i went back to helping run the group. and that's where the saucepan comes in. see at the end of the group, i had to pack everything up to take the rest of the owl pieces home. for a random assortment of reasons, i had one of my big saucepans with me - the perfect place for all the owl pieces. 

and so this week, i have been finishing the owl off and here it is, all finished: the terrible comfort portable/saucepan-able/fabric scrap owl...

the front panel is a little bit crooked, but not too bad for a first attempt at the pattern, with no instructions. i might even make a few more!

what's going on in your creative space? saucepans?

my creative space

this week reveals my new project. ta da...

i'm making a quilt! i was going for a brown and orange theme to match the back panel fabric. but instead there is turning out to be a bit more of a mix. see, there were a few fabrics that i really wanted to put in (like the blue ellipsoid one on the top right) and so a blue theme got added in. then finally a little bit of plain yellow, which i think helped to de-crowd things colour-wise.

anyway, cutting it out and then sewing it together has been fun. but i am worried about the next step. i actually have no idea how to quilt things, and any helpful suggestions, or directions to good and helpful beginner quilting blogs/how-tos/sites you know would be gratefully received!

here's hoping your creative space is also filled with retro fabricked, family inspired, make-it-up-as-you-go-along kinda craft...

my creative space

so, my creative space this week is full of fabric

pulled from my fabric stash box and 

strewn around the room and 

sorted into colour piles. the first steps in my next project. eek, how exciting...

as always, check out other creative spaces over at kirsty's...

my creative space...

... feels empty. see, its no longer filled with the baby blanket i have been crocheting. (and here it is, before i packed it up and gave it away to the parents-to-be:

 

)
i'm really happy with the way it turned out, the yellows and the grays. i loved making it and the parents-to-be loved it, but now i feel slightly at a loss. 

see, i can't quite believe its done. i realised i have been making this blanket for the last six months. and its a weird feeling - giving away something that represents six months of your life. squares and plans made and finished, movies watched, conversations, travels. over making this blanket, i have connected with a turkish woman who used to teach traditional turkish crochet, and helped some somali women change the thread on their sewing machines. i've chatted with south africans. taught a chinese woman and a lebenese kiwi to make granny squares. connected with and been advised by lots of lovely bloggers, on colours and how to join squares. i've drunk red-wine and crocheted with the fabulous sayraphim. listened, talked, laughed and loved. and this blanket is all of those things. its now that its done done done and given away, i am not quite sure what to do with myself. 

i am yet to find a new project to fill its space.

(but it must be said that i'm pretty sure i will, in fact i have the beginnings of a plan - spawned (in a good way) from one of the fabulous clutterpunk's ideas). 

so hopefully my creative space won't be empty for long...
(and for other much fuller creative spaces as ever see kirsty)

my creative space is...

...filled with 70's inspiration. my fabulous friend bought me this fabulous book from an op-shop:

 it looks like so much fun. 

although - if anyone knows what you do with a crocheted "calypso barbecue holder," feel free to let me know!

 as always, play along with the fabulous kirsty...

my creative space is all packed up...

 

see, i am heading happily off on holidays tomorrow, and am so so pleased that crochet is such a travellable craft. i've packed all  my baby squares, spare joining wool, hooks and spare other wool for my ongoing (but not recently touched) crochet project in just the perfect bag. 

and they just squeeze nicely into the front of my pack. 

so it's going to be a bit quiet 'round here at marjoryjane, as i head off on a four week adventure. but oh, the things i'll see, the things i'll make... i'll tell you all about it when i get back around the end of may. 

bet you wish your creative space packed up so neatly...

my creative space is...

...filled with indecision. see i still can't decide how best to join my grannies. (see post below). and it seems that until i do decide, i am stuck in limbo land, with very little creating going on.

so, i will leave you with the creative space of another. 

 

our friendly backyard spider, who makes a web every night right in the path between the trees on the way to the compost heap. (i have learnt to duck around it). but every day it gets windswept and by the end of the day there are feathers and leaves stuck in it and its full of holes.

and every morning it is made anew.  

and i think there is something kind of special in that. (not that any of that is helping my decide on how i should join my grannies...)

as always, play along with kirsty...