How to Thread The Needle and Meeting the Challenge

I hope that you have all had a lovely Easter Break and that the Easter Bunny was good to you and brought you lots of chocolate eggs,  I must admit that I had my fair share who can resist, I wonder if there is anyone who doesn't actually like chocolate.  

Thank you for all the lovely comments about my new Bunny family and also to Una, Regula and Kate for the how to thread the sewing machine suggestions 

Which were

1. Good lighting is essential.
2. Ensure that the end of the thread is not frayed.
3. Ensure that the needle is at it's highest setting.
4. Place a white object behind the needle or dark object if using white thread.
5. Use a magnifying glass.
6. Use Polyester thread.
7. Use needle no 80.

There is also a great post here on The Art Of Manliness which explains it all, I am going to give them all a try and I will let you know what I find works best.

Or maybe we should just get one of these :)

April challenge

Just to refresh your memories I challenged you to use up some of your least favourite stash yarn and this was the yarn in question for me.

So introducing the

Candy Floss Scarf

You have feel it to believe just how soft it is.  I have to be honest I really didn't expect much of this yarn but I was pleasantly surprised.

It isn't the easiest of yarn to crochet because of it's knobbly texture.

I used a 7.00 mm hook and the simplest stitch and one of my favourites, moss stitch crochet.  It was finished in no time and will keep someone very warm I'm sure.  

But that's not all!

Cuddly Bunny

This is knitted and I must admit with this yarn it was very hard to keep the tension even so it's not perfect but I love it because it's soft and cuddly so I'm sure a little one will love it too.

You can find the pattern here

So all in all I haven't done too badly even if I haven't managed to bust it all, can you believe there's still this much left.......

Any Suggestions ?

Linking with 

April is nearly over so link up all you April stash projects before the end of the month.
How is your stash-busting going ?

Also there is still time to 

With lots of 
love

An Easter Bunny Story.

I have been sewing! it's ages since I've had my sewing machine out and I'm not really much of a sewer but I've wanted one of these bunnies for ages. So out came the machine from under the stairs, I dusted it off and then the hard part... threading the needle! it takes me ages, I know what you are saying, why not use a needle threader, well I did but it takes me ages to thread that through the needle too, honestly the actual threading of the needle is the part I hate the most about the whole sewing process, if there is any advise from you sewing experts apart from a new set of eyes of course, it would be most appreciated...isn't it sad to think it can only get worse :(

Anyway I would like you to....
Meet Becky

This was Becky when I first made her, complete with hat, but she cried and went on something terrible, she absolutely hated her hat and so, just to quieten her down the hat had to be removed.

 She was so much happier when I took it off, she asked me to tie a ribbon in her hair instead, she also said that she would like a bracelet to match the flowers on her dress so of course I had to comply and I made her one.  

Now Becky was very happy...at least for a while, and then she said she was bored, so....

I sat her in the bay window where she could watch the comings and goings in the street and that kept her happy for a long while but then she started complaining again, I began to think that this bunny of mine was going to be a bit of a handful, I tried all sorts to pacify her but nothing worked, I soon began to realise that poor Becky was lonely so...

Meet the twins Betsy and Bernard 

Now I have to say, apart from in the beginning when he was first created, Bernard hasn't been a bit of bother, at first he kept crying for ice cream, now how a bunny would even know about ice-cream when he hadn't even seen any before was way beyond me but you should have heard the racket he made so as you can see I have embroidered him his own personal ice cream cone and I haven't had a peep out of him since. 

As for Betsy she didn't want to know about ice cream, "I have to look after my figure" she said, which I thought was very strange coming from one so young, all she wanted... and she did ask very politely, was for a small bunch of flowers on her dress and a ribbon in her hair to match Becky's.

Now I'm pleased to say that everyone is very happy, Becky is delighted with her new family and plays with them all the time, I can see that Bernard is feeling just a little bit uncomfortable with all this hugging malarkey...typical male! 

Materials
I used a linen table cloth donated from a friend to make the actual bunnies.
Becky's dress was made from a pair of curtains which someone had attempted to make but never quite completed.
The twins clothes were made out of a denim dress which I bought for myself years ago, I wore it once and decided it just wasn't me, I'm so glad it has been put to good use. 

I have to thank Shari from The Stitch Pattern for the bunny inspiration, from the moment I saw her bunnies I fell in love and have wanted one ever since.  I made the bunnies from this book.

I love this book there all sorts of cute things to make in it.

Also a big thank you to Joy from Joyjinks creations who has inspired me with her beautiful embroidery, I know I just embroidered a small ice cream cone but I was ridiculously proud of it and it reminded me of how much I used to love to embroider, I made many pictures in the past  but have forgotten the how to so, I ordered a book and it has just arrived while I was writing this.  

Can you believe it? now you know what I will be doing this weekend.

I had so much fun making these bunnies apart from the threading of the needle of course, the house has been more of a mess than it usually is with bits of material and thread all over the floor mixed with the usual bits of wool...is anyone else as messy as me? 

I'm pleased to say I  have tidied it all up for Easter, the machine has reluctantly been put away but you know, I have a feeling that my bunny family is going to grow. :)


Have a Great Easter Everyone !

With lots of love

One to Love

The Nola Granny Shawl

I made this shawl a while back but haven't had time to show you until now. I really enjoyed making this and lets face it who wouldn't love making a granny shawl, so easy and cosy to do, no thinking required just let your hands yield the hook while your mind drifts to far off places, warm beaches and sunshine far away from the cold winds and rain of the North East of England ;)

Made totally with stash yarn, I used a strand of double knitting together with a strand of 4 ply in green and Aran weight in navy keeping my fingers crossed that the navy wouldn't run out.... there was just enough!

I found the shawl here and wanted to make it right away, I loved the edging which Pammy Sue used for her shawl but I knew I wouldn't have enough yarn to make it so I used the edging from here ( you can find links to other shawls and poncho's there too.)

The Nola shawl is named thus, because the sound of the name Nola makes you feel warm and cosy and the name actually means fair shoulder, sounds very apt don't you think?  If you think I'm a little crazy (or a lot) that's ok too ;)

This shawl will be joining the gentle ripple and the Luana, eventually to be sent to SIBOL

This shawl used 362 grams of yarn
linking with..

Thank you to those who have joined in the fun and have tried to guess the joining colour of my blanket which is now finished yay!!! I'm just waiting for some good lighting so that I can take some decent photo's.

There is still plenty of time to guess, the last guess to be in by midnight 27th April. 

With lots of love.