Egg Carton Sewing Box
Welcome to the last day of Knitting & Crochet Blog Week 2012! I've had a great week. It's been such fun putting my posts together and I've really enjoyed visiting lots of new and lovely blogs. I hope you've enjoyed it too. I have to say a big thank you to Mr Myrtle and the kids. They've been very patient with me tapping away on the computer all week! Next week I think I'll have a bit of a rest... Well, after I let you know who has won the needlecase giveaway and which sweater you've chosen for me to knit! Oh, and updated you on my new designing adventures....
Today's theme is knitting vs. crochet. As you have no doubt gleaned, I LOVE knitting. It is my hands-down winner. It makes me feel very excited and I'm a fairly animated person at the best of times. I'm told I talk quickly and walk fast. I'm chatty, and my head fills with creative ideas far more quickly than I can make them. Well, multiply all that by about 100 where knitting is concerned. Right now my hands are zipping all over the keyboard and my heart is beating fast. Knitting! Yippee!! What is there not to love? Yarn, patterns, crazy techniques, fabulous creations... bliss!
But, I am also an intrepid adventurer, especially where crafts are concerned and I don't like missing out when something seems fun. Have you seen some of the amazing crochet creations about? I want some of that too. So, I've had a go at crochet.
I started with this wee egg. Cute isn't it? All through March I saw lots of sweet little eggs being made for Easter. Knitted, sewn, felted and crocheted. Eggs galore! I thought they looked delightful but didn't make any because I needed a reason to use my egg. I'm working at it, but I'm generally hesitant to make stuff that isn't useful, pretty as it might be. It probably has something to do with the vast number of things my kids make, and my aversion to dusting! Anyhow, Easter came and went and I didn't make any eggs....
And then this topic for today's post was announced and my sewing kit idea was born. I could combine crochet, a cute egg and usefulness all in one go! My egg could be a pincushion! I grabbed an old egg carton and found the best egg pattern on Greedy for Colour. If you haven't visited Kate and seen her knitted, sewn and crocheted creations, you must! Her blog is fabulous.
The instructions were great and my wee egg didn't take too long. I used a cotton/wool blend from my stash and filled it with wool roving so it was nice and firm. I stuck it into the front of an egg carton with some super fabric glue so it shouldn't go anywhere!
The rest of the egg carton I filled with all those necessary bits and bobs. I'm giving it to my dear niece for her 8th birthday, so it is a starter kit. There are some small scissors in a little padded pocket, a thimble, cotton, buttons, a pretty pink tape measure and I made a tiny needle case with yellow wool felt. Don't you just love those dolly pegs for the cotton? Oh, I think they are soooo sweet!
I spent a happy afternoon with Nelly decorating the outside of the egg carton with tissue. We used lots of tiny pieces of torn pink and lavender tissue, layer upon layer, and lots of PVA glue. It really strengthens the box and the hinge, and adds a deep glossy colour. A bit more interesting than just paint.
But, it needed something more. So, I turned to the mother of all crochet blogs, Attic 24 for inspiration. And I found it! My lovely flower is from Lucy's flowers and leaves tutorial. Mine is a nervous little thing, a wee bit wobbly! I had to learn a few more stitches, but her instructions are fantastic and I got there in the end. I finished by sewing a running stitch in pink around the edges to pretty it up, and tie it in with my pink box.
And so, there you have it. A wee sewing box and my foray into the world of crochet! I would love to try more but I do have to work at the basics. It might be because I am left-handed, but I struggle with holding everything comfortably and achieving good tension. I knit right-handed and hold the yarn in my right hand wrapped around my little finger and over my index finger. With crochet, I hold the hook in my right hand and the yarn in my left. I find it really hard to get comfortable and let the yarn smoothly feed through my fingers.
I'd love your help! Do you have any tips? Is it just me, or just practice? Can you point me in the direction of some good instructions? You can give me all your advice in the comments bit at the bottom of this post. Thank you!
Well folks, we're done. It's the end of Knitting & Crochet Blog Week 2012. Thank you everyone who popped in to see what I was up to. I hope you enjoyed my posts. I've loved your comments! If you want to see what else is happening today search 3KCBWDAY7.
And so, there you have it. A wee sewing box and my foray into the world of crochet! I would love to try more but I do have to work at the basics. It might be because I am left-handed, but I struggle with holding everything comfortably and achieving good tension. I knit right-handed and hold the yarn in my right hand wrapped around my little finger and over my index finger. With crochet, I hold the hook in my right hand and the yarn in my left. I find it really hard to get comfortable and let the yarn smoothly feed through my fingers.
I'd love your help! Do you have any tips? Is it just me, or just practice? Can you point me in the direction of some good instructions? You can give me all your advice in the comments bit at the bottom of this post. Thank you!
Well folks, we're done. It's the end of Knitting & Crochet Blog Week 2012. Thank you everyone who popped in to see what I was up to. I hope you enjoyed my posts. I've loved your comments! If you want to see what else is happening today search 3KCBWDAY7.
XXX
