Pixel cross stitch

You may remember that we have a bit of a Space Invader theme going on in Tea Towers (if not then check out my post on laptop cases), if so then my latest make will be no surprise...

This cross stitch design was from a lovely little kit by mouseloft (www.mouseloft.co.uk) - these kits are simple, cute designs which are the perfect size for an evening of quick cross stitch.

I bought some black aida to use instead of the light blue it came with - this really shows off the design and makes it feel more like the graphics from the original game. 

With a little bit more sewing it has now transformed Rich's new bag.

I'm now itching to add some cross stitch to other items about the house, I had best go and buy a few more kits from the lovely Mouseloft designs!

Christmas llama

I'm still cracking on with the backlog of Simply crochet kits that I've amassed, here is the latest off the hook - Fa-la-la-llama by Erinna Lee.

Quite a fiddly make to do, lots of small pieces to crochet and then join together including some tricky embroidery on the face using separated yarn... which ended up pulling apart so had to make do with some doubled up thread.

When I made up the sequined reins I decided to crochet them straight into the chain which I think gives them a much neater finished than the method in the pattern.

Pretty pleased to have him finished, and also glad to crack on with some other exciting projects I've been keen to start... more on that soon :-)

Pottering

Have a look at the pots I got to make at a friend's hen party, they've been glazed and fired and thankfully survived coming up from London to Croatia and then to us here in Manchester.

This little one was my first try at using the potters wheel and turned out much better than I imagined.

It was lovely using the wheel and feeling the clay take shape, would love to try it again some time.

We also got to spend some time forming a pot by hand. This took a much longer time with much smoothing out and slowly shaping.

My pot had a torn edge effect that thankfully meant I didn't need to try and create an even brim... it may well have driven my fussy nature crazy!

I'm not as keen on the outside of my pot with the striped look from the glaze... I had thought it would be coming closer to the base than it did which would have just left the light blue showing at the bottom.

I love my two pots and am so grateful to my friend for having such a lovely crafty hen party :-)

Hama bead geekery

This weekend had us all busily hama beading away... Rich had seen some fantastic Mario coasters that he wanted to try and recreate so everyone in Tea Towers was enlisted to help.

Didn't they turn out fabulously?

Peaceful waves

I've done it! I have finally finished my very lovely snuggily Moorland Blanket from the yarn pack I bought way back in September last year.

I love the colourway - it blends so well through the grass colours, into the heathers and then to the beautiful colours of the sky.

I had difficult choosing a four colour border so I stuck with the 3 colours liked best together and that I felt went well with the blanket all the way through the colour phases. Now I'm all ready to snuggle up on the sofa - may have to wait a few months though!

I'm also putting a few repairs into Sam's old toddler blanket, it's seen a lot of love over the years and from being on Sam's bed since he was tiny it is starting to unravel in a few places... hopefully I can keep it together for a few more years!

Hot hot hot!

The weather is so very hot - our Manchester garden has never been this dry... however there is one plant that seems to be loving the recent heat wave.

This ever so cute amigurumi crochet cactus is from the kit with issue 59 of Simply Crochet. I love this pattern by Ilaria Caliri, the little details make it look so perfect, like the spike stitch around the top of the pot to create the rim and the tiny pompom that you put in the centre of the flower.

The hot weather seems to make it hard to face any larger projects so at the moment I am happily working through some of the lovely kits from my back issues of Simply crochet.

I've also recently finished this Tilly Flop card design that made me smile - so true :-)