Some Liberty Scrap Busting

Hello! I hope you've had a very happy Easter break.
Despite the wet and windy weather, I spent as much time as I could digging my new allotment. I've only just taken it on and its thrown all my plans haywire. I didn't expect to reach the top of the waiting list this year, and when I got it,  it was in a serious state of neglect!
It's probably a good thing that it rained as much as it did. Otherwise I would be incredibly sore from digging by now.
When I wasn't busy digging I was having a really rather lovely play with some Liberty fabrics and paper mache shapes in my craft room.
I keep even the tiniest scraps of fabric and they were the perfect choice for these Easter eggs and bunny.
The papier mache shapes were bought from my local Hobbycraft store and I used regular PVA glue to attach the scraps. They were all odd sized pieces, and very small.  I cut down larger fabric scraps to about 1" (2.5cm). Around the top and base of the eggs they were even much smaller than that.

Once completely covered I let the eggs and bunny dry for a while and then checked them over, applying more glue if any little edges had escaped the glue treatment.
The correct name for this type of craft is decoupage.
It was lovely to work so closely with the small squares of Liberty prints, seeing all the tiny details which you sometimes miss when sewing something larger.

I also love how, quite by chance, the rabbit appears to have an eye! He hasn't,  it's just how the pattern  of the fabric falls. But it's quite uncanny that it was totally unplanned and yet happened on both sides of the rabbit!

Of course, this beautiful way of using up those small scraps of fabric isn't just restricted to Easter. You can buy all sorts of different papier mache shapes to cover - hearts, small trinket boxes, initials and a whole host of other animal shapes, both large and small.

I may end up with some Liberty print in every room at this rate!

I hope you had a Happy Easter too!

Quick and Easy Bobble Hat - A Free Pattern

As often happens, this week didn't turn out the way I planned!

I arrived back from a month in Toronto just a week ago. What a wonderful month that was! I was there to visit my new grandson and his very proud mum and dad. Oh dear! I am missing all those baby cuddles right now!

On arriving home I dived into my yarn stash with the idea of knitting something for the baby. I pulled it all out and decided that it definitely needed to be culled and organised.

My son  and his wife follow my beliefs in using natural, organic yarns where possible and in order to buy more yarn, I needed to use up some of the old stuff first.

I decided to use a bag of super chunky weight yarn to make some charity hats.

These are just a few of the ones I've made so far.

I'm going to send them to Knit For Peace. Although it's almost Spring I'm sure they will be welcomed  for refugees.

As usual I made up the pattern to suit my needs. 

I've written up the pattern to share with you. It gives instructions for three sizes:

3 - 6 yrs

6 yrs - teen

Adult

I've given instructions for both knitting in the round and knitting flat. Choose whichever is your preferred method. 

You can get the Dropbox link HERE

I was working on the pattern yesterday over a cup of tea when an interesting conversation with my adult son ensued.

He asked what I was making and I said "A hat with a pompom". He said "Oh, you mean a bobble hat" 

"Yes, I suppose I do" I replied.

So I started to wonder which name I should give to the pattern. Hat with Pompom or Bobble Hat?

In the end I decided that he was probably right, but I would love to know which term you would use. Pleased let me know. I might end up changing it!

So, a week ago I thought I was knitting baby clothes. About 7 charity hats and plenty of pattern writing later, I now have a smaller stash, and yes, I think I can justify a little baby yarn purchase, don't you!