Filler Post

And it's late, sorry!  I went to the Elven Ball on Saturday and my dress was much admired and soon there will be photos but over 1200 pics were taken (including 'arty ones' that required me balancing on a chair in heels....) so they might not be up for a bit.

In the meantime - I have achieved some knitting!  Check out these lovely leaf wash cloths I knitted!

The pattern can be found here and was a lovely knit.  I did the garter stitch one mostly at the pub on Friday afternoon (I know, it's a decadent lifestyle :P)

 The stocking stitch leaf was started during Call the Midwife last night and finished before bed.  So, reasonably fast knits, both of them!

 I've included my hand in this pic for a sense of scale.

As you can see they're still blocking but I can't wait to use them!  I have also knitted a pair of fingerless mitts today (yes, it's been all about the knitting this weekend) so I may show those off on Thursday!

#DICraftSwap - Christmas

Yes, I'm still participating in Hannah's wonderful #DICraftSwap!

For the Christmas swap, I was sending to Hannah.  I'm afraid I have to confess I failed miserably at taking photos of the things I sent her, as I did my making for her around the time we lost Gran and I was a bit disorganised then...

This is the only photo I took!  It's a felt Christmas tree decoration I made her, when I was deciding on the placement of the sparkly bit!

Charlotte sent to me and she sent me a package I think any larper would have loved, so I felt very spoilt!

Charlotte is an amazing crocheter and she made me this awesome hat!

It looks awesome and, unlike all my other hats, it keeps my face toasty warm as well! She also sent me some gorgeous socks!

These are fluffy on the inside and really comfy!  Again, perfect for my winter larping gear and keeping my feet lovely and warm inside my boots.

Charlotte also sent me some chocolate, which is always welcome in any larp!

I shared these with some of my fellow monsters whilst waiting for the player crew to turn up.  Very tasty they were too!

It was a wonderful parcel and it made Sunday's game that little bit more fun (and warm!).  I'm currently working on my next #DICraftSwap, so I'll leave you to go and finish it. 

Next week, I'm hoping to have photos of my Elven Ballgown to show!  I can't wait!

Disaster!

I have had a major knitting fail this weekend. :(

As a result, this knitting is being put away for a good long while, until I am less sad about it.  Bleh.  I'm going to cast on something in garter stitch with a chunky yarn.  Who needs lace?!

Paper Flowers

I got a kit for Christmas! To make a bunch of paper flowers.  I had so much fun making them and now they really brighten up my table and make me smile to see them.

The flowers are made with pipe cleaners and tissue paper, which is layered then concertinaed then opened out around the pipe cleaner.

Such bright happy colours!  Working out my colour combinations turned into one of the best bits of this little project.

As advanced warning, I have no idea what I will share next week.  I'm hard at work on a ball gown for the 21st (all will be revealed in time) and when not working on that I'm knitting.  My lace shawl is two repeats away from finished!  But...  Next week might be thin on the ground!

Needle Case and Pincushion

I have  crafting friend who loves foxes, so when I found a cute fox print fat quarter, I knew what I had to make!

Yup, another needle case and pin cushion gift set.  The orange embroidery thread is a stranded cotton and the buttons are wood effect.

I did tiny straight line quilting on the needle case and the hand embroidery is chain stitch.

I love making these pincushions so much!  I really ought to get around to making myself one!  Not that I don't have enough pincushions already, but you can't rally have too many, can you?

An Embroidered Cushion

Over Christmas I relaxed by doing this embroidery.

It's done in a variegated rayon thread and I simply back stitched it.  I must find more time to embroider, because I love it so!

Of course once I'd finished I had to work out what to do with it.  Luckily, I've been planning to recover my cushions for a while now.  So it became a cushion cover! 

I backed it with a floral fat quarter I had left over from other projects and added ribbon for a little extra prettiness.  The back is a simple envelope of a gold-y yellow upholstery velvet.

I have now been asked to stop recovering the cushions as Mr Kit says they are all too pretty and he is now afraid to sit on them.  So we've kept two of the old ones so he has cushions he's not afraid of crushing! 

Merit Badges for the YLoQs!

As this campaign year has progressed Miss Wentworth-Farlington and Miss Worthington have been ever so busy, earning merit badges for their dear Professors (and worrying npcs and fellow players alike in their quest).

Anyway, the other day I finally got around to stitching the ones we've earned so far.  Here they are!

They are all back stitched onto white cotton, with leftover lengths of various embroidery threads.

Military Etiquette Merit Badge

Bridal Rescue (Community Service Badge)

Wisdom of the Normals (Accomplishments Badge)

Planar Tourism Merit Badge

I am very much hoping we can earn some of our other badges before we graduate!  Mostly because coming up with these designs is fun!