Just for Ewe! Meet Rosie the Romney

We think she looks like a Romney breed of sheep, with that soft, curly ivory wool!

I've been busy with the needle felting again - and Rosie appeared! Made with a mix of Swaledale, White Jacob, Merino and Teeswater curly locks!  I must admit that it's lovely working with these soft, natural fibres.

She stands about 6cm tall from toe to curly top knot - and about 6.5cm from that little nose to her tail! 

She's posing here with Hetty the Herdwick.

She's now made her way into my Etsy shop - and I'm hoping someone likes her as much as I do! 

Back soon! 

Kim x 

The 'Isolation/Lockdown Blanket'

The "Isolation/Lockdown Blanket" is finished - Ta-Dah!

I ordered the yarn for this when the lockdown started from Wool Warehouse, and I've really enjoyed doing it (not that we actually NEEDED another crochet blanket!). It's crocheted in Stylecraft dk yarn, so it's very soft and snuggly (and easily washable). It's a single bed sized blanket, so plenty big enough to cuddle into when the weather is a bit on the chilly side!

In between the other crafty projects (cards, learning to needlefelt, etc.) and the ongoing 'try to control the garden' campaign, it's kept me busy. I've decided that I'm incapable of sitting in the evening, watching TV, without something to do!

I love the soft vintage-style colours, and the blanket pattern (from Attic24) is reversible.

Right - what's the next project...?

Thanks for looking,

back soon,

Kim x

Keep learning and trying...meet Rupert!

I can't believe it's Friday again. This strange sort of suspended animation that we seem to be in, alongside working from home, means that the days often seem to blur a bit! I'm not sure when I'll be back fully working in school - and I'm hugely grateful for the fact that I've got lots of hobbies and a garden. I can't say that I've ever felt bored or at a loss for what to do during the lockdown and with extra time at home - thank goodness.  It's more a case of deciding what to do next. 

I'm still on the quest of 'teach yourself needle felting' and decided to have a go at making another little 3D animal - and I'm hoping that you can identify what it is haha! 

Rupert the Rabbit has been made with brown Shetland wool, with some cream Merino and a tiny bit of black Corriedale for the face details

I made up my own 'pattern' shapes, just playing and learning really. As I said, if I can make them recognisable, then I'm not doing too badly!

He's quite cute really - although I think he actually looks better in real life than on the pics! 

I'm not sure what's next on the list of animals to try and make, but I'll keep you updated.

Thanks for looking,

back soon,

Kim 

Meet Hetty the Herdwick!

Well, as promised, a post with pics of my finished 1st attempt at a 3D felted animal! Please meet Hetty the Herdwick Sheep!

It's been a very enjoyable learning curve, making a needle-felted animal, and I must admit that I'm quite smitten with her. I know her face isn't perfect (don't examine it too closely!), and that she is in need of a short back and sides haircut (a sheep version of lockdown hair?), but she is very cute! I got a bit carried away adding the curly locks (so she looks a bit chunky), and she stands about 7 or 8cm tall. 

The felting wool and pattern were from Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts and were lovely to work with - and there are also some great instructional videos on YouTube.  Although obviously (like all crafts), it's something that requires practice, it definitely got a bit easier and made more sense as I went along, getting a feel for the wool, how to use the needle, etc. It's been really nice to try a new crafty hobby (not that I really need any more crafting hobbies!), and I'm just debating what felted animal to try next.

Hope you quite like Hetty too! 

Thanks for looking,

Back soon,

Kim x 

Learning something new!

Despite all my good intentions at the start of the lockdown to spend my spare time productively (when I'm not working at home!), I must admit that I don't seem to have progressed much! I'm not sure about everyone else, but my concentration level for crafting isn't as good as it usually is, and the mojo is definitely a bit hit and miss! My go-to activities are card-making, crocheting and baking - but due to lockdown restrictions (and only husband and I at home - no offspring or visitors), I've tried to limit the baking otherwise we'll be like barrels!

However, one thing I have started to teach myself is felting.  I bought a little kit (quite a long time ago - embarrassingly) and it's been sat waiting for me to (a) have time to do it, and (b) be brave enough to make a start and learn something new!  So, I decided to be brave and have a go - and, do you know what, I've really enjoyed it! The kit was for a felt picture (to be made into an ipad case if wanted), so I made a start.  It's all very much a learning curve at the  moment - but like all good crafts, we should keep learning and practising!

These were the first few attempts! I've got to admit that it's very therapeutic stabbing something with a very sharp needle haha!  Anyway, I think I've now found yet another craft that I'm really enjoying doing. So I treated myself to a little kit from the lovely Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts, to make a 3D figure of a sheep. It's been a challenge to learn to felt 3D shapes - to get both the right shape and firmness - but it's great to do. This is the progress bits so far - a body, head and legs

I'm not sure what the finished sheep will look like - if it's vaguely recognisable, I'll share pics on here!

But it's been good to branch out and try something different - although I'm not quite sure where I'm going to store all the new stash....

Thanks for looking,

Back soon,

Kim