Double Chrysanthemum blooms...

Spring has arrived, and we have not one but two blooms that have opened out and blossomed

I've completed both the singular and double colour, retro, Chrysanthemum cushions

The monochromatic cushion was completed first, enabling me to have a play around with the pattern

The back I decided to keep simple with a giant granny square, as the focus point is the bloom on the front

Once a basic pattern had been formed, I wanted to see what it looked like by adding a second  accentuating colour. These really aren't my taste in colours, but surprisingly I absolutely love how they work together, giving an authentic retro feel to the design

I continued to mix the two colours across the back too

I found some great packs of buttons at my local charity shop, and this set were perfect (they look more yellow in real live!)

It felt great to get these both finished, as the end process always drags for me, partly as I can't wait to see how all the components come together, but also i've got another 50 ideas and projects that i'm eager to try out!

These cushions have great texture. This image is actually the back of the flower, I like how that looks too!!

I just need to capture some more images in good light, and get them listed in my Folksy shop!

As you saw last week, I have already made a start on the next product. The flowers are finished, and now I'm making another c2c square, but it's still not a cushion, I'm trying something new, any ideas??

Bloomin' cushion...

So this week, I have completed the berry toned background. 

And got the giant blooms sewn on.

And made a start with adding the stems...

As I work full time my crafting tends to take place in the evenings in front of the tv.

We've watched two films this week, Epic and Robin Hood...

I've now made a start on the foliage.

 I've tried to add some tones to the leaves, so they are not just a one dimentional colour. 

I did deviate from the cushion for one evening to have a go at the button flowers that I have seen online. I found it really tricky!

For the majority of my work I use a 4-5mm hook, but to fit through the buttonhole I needed to use a 2mm and thin embroidery cotton. This was so fiddly, and on my initial try it as coming out too tight and slipping away from the button. I unravelled and tried again this time adding more stitches on the round but it still didn't work out like the images. All a bit frustrating as it looked such a simple, quick project. I might persevere and try again using my usual size hook and yarn and find some way of getting it through the buttonhole!!

I have seen images by Sarah London of the apache tears stitch which is on my to do list!! So for my mood square this week, I thought I would have a play and see if I could get to grips with the basics of this pattern. It requires you to just work through the back of the loop on standard stitches and through the front loop 3 rows below for the stretched stitch. I like the way the square turned out as its quite 3 dimentional. It's just a shame my to-do list is growing much quicker than I can work!!!

Little Bunting!

I mentioned last week that I had been doing a little crafting. Not a great deal with all my trips out,  plus work seems to encroach on my personal time more and more.
So I had whipped up a couple of owls, which i had previously shown a sneaky pic of!  It was just something that I fancied doing out of the blue, a nice quick easy project, a basic shape, nothing too fancy! After completing the main owl, I decided she needed a bubba companion!

I'll admit I've committed crafty naughtiness!! My owls were so close to completion, all that I had left was to stuff and sew them up, but instead I started a new project! The shame of it!!
In my head, for ages, I have wanted to do a collection of mini buntings. A selection of different styles, shapes and patterns. So I started with a flower. The pattern I took from 100 Flowers to knit and crochet book, I chose the Irish Rose, but only did the centre of the pattern, otherwise the mini bunting wouldn't end up that mini!! I did a test piece first, I did find it a bit fiddly in places and I changed a couple of joins to make it easier.

But once I knew what I was doing and I got into the flow, and before I knew it I had a whole bunch!!

I had a lovely reel of dusky pink ribbon tucked away, I knew this would be a perfect compliment for the flowers to hang along.

I wanted the bunting to be the width of my door. By putting a couple of pins in the door-frame I can then interchange the different styles of bunting quite easily.

I'm looking forward to making more, as they are small and easily transportable and doesn't feel too daunting a task in between work shifts. I quite fancy doing a daisy chain as I think that would look really cute, some hearts and maybe some fishies inspired after seeing 'Chickidees' display window! I might do some traditional bunting too, I'll just see where this project takes me!! When I get round to putting these in my Etsy store I will be able to offer the option of different colourways and different lengths if they don't want their bunting to be quite so mini!!!