Cosy up your home for winter

Autumn is upon us and I am beginning to feel a chill in the air.
Here are some nice ideas for you to make or buy to make your home feel cosy this winter.

What could be better than a giant chunky blanket to snuggle up into?

Giant chunky blankets are all the rage  this year and having looked online, they are expensive to buy.

You can try to make your own. The yarn is so thick you don't need needles, you just use your arms, it's called arm knitting. 

I think the best way to do this, is to place the yarn flat on a table and push the yarn through the loops.

Here are some good tutorials to get  you started. 

                Here is the link to the tutorials.

                   https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/a41172/chunky-knit-blanket-tutorials/ 

If you want to buy a giant chunky blanket online, you can find a good selection on this bloggers page.  My Paradissi is a blogger who has curated links to shops on ETSY who sell them.

Here is the link to her page.

                                 http://www.myparadissi.com/2016/10/10-best-sources-for-chunky-knit.html


                                       

Or, how about trying to make these cushions? Once you've got the hang of how to make the blankets, these cushions should be a doddle.

   

An Irish Company called Olannmor is making these huge squishy blankets.

DIY POMPOM RUG

This looks easy enough to make, ha, until I try to. It feels so squishy underfoot, you just want to bury your feet in it.
Start by buying some rug making material in a craft shop, cut out a circle to the size you want, make a load of pompoms and tie them into the holes until you have the whole circle full.
You don't have to fill every hole because the pompoms will cover a certain amount of holes , depending on the size of the pompoms.

 You can do a plain colour or mix it up as shown below.
Good Luck!    

           Here's another colourway for you to make. 

                   

I hope this has given you a little inspiration to try something new to warm up the cold winter nights. 

Baby Love

Baby Love, don't you just love it when someone tells you they have a new arrival on the way.
It makes me want to rush and grab my needles and some gorgeous baby yarn and start making.
Here are some ideas you like to try to welcome the new baby.

Starting with this adorable baby blanket with an Easter theme.
Pink and grey baby blanket, could be changed to white and grey for gender neutral if you don't know if it is a boy or girl.

           Get the Free Pattern here!

I love this next blanket.
it is a tutorial I must try myself but it looks amazing and great for using up your stash of leftover yarn.

                                                                Get the Free tutorial here


Kerry Jayne Designs have some gorgeous baby patterns for sale, here is one of my favourites

                                                                              Get the link here

For something smaller and cute, how about these bibs and bootees.
 Made in cotton they will last forever.

                                                                      Get the Free pattern here

A simple cute newborn baby hat

                                                                         Pompom hat

That's it! Enough for now.
Just a tiny sample of what you can make for newborns that mams and baby will love.

All about Cushions

Hello everyone,
     Spring has arrived, brightening everything up, makes you want to ditch the winter colours in your home         and bring in some bright colourful additions
     You can make small changes without breaking the bank by replacing a few cushions here and there and        maybe add a bit of fun too.
    That's why  I decided to write this blog about cushions.
    A new cushion can add just that splash of colour your room needs to revive it.
    If you have a ball or two of yarn and an old cushion, you can use the filler to stuff your new gorgeous          cushion made by you!

       Pom Pom Cushions.
     Lets start with some pompom cushions. Being a lover of PomPoms, I use every opportunity to embellish        with colourful PomPoms.

I HEART YOU!

This pattern for this gorgeous Crochet cushion embellished with pompoms is available from 

Sarah London, an amazing crochet designer who uses lots of bright colours in her designs. 

                                                                          The link to the I-Heart-you pattern is here

                                       

                                                                          Here is the link to Sarah Londons PomPom making tutorial



      How about this cute and colourful pompom edged cushion which would cheer up any kids room.
      It's a free pattern from Yarnspirations and you can use the PomPom tutorial  have provided above.

                                                                      Get your gorgeous Free pattern from Yarnspirations Here

                                                         

                                 You can also make pompom cushions in Neutral colours!


          I Love Love Love this Woven Tassle Pillow from Persia Lou and its Free too

                                                                                                     Persia Lou free pattern Here

       Seriously, is there anything cuter than this donut floor cushion from Twinkie Chan’s                Crocheted Abode a la Mode? Well…there just might be! Check out some more of Twinkie’s patterns       over on Ravelry!

                                                Here is the link to Twinkie Chan's donut cushion crochet pattern

                              This is Twinkie Chan's book from which the donut cushion pattern was taken
                              She has lots of food themed cushions for you to make.

                                                                           Here is the link to this free pattern

                        

                         Outdoor  Cushions                                                                                                                                      

          Is'nt this just gorgeous! This pouffe has a real Morrocan feel to it. You could use it indoors or                      outside.I love the choice of colours used here. The crochet pattern is designed by Carocreated Design and is available to buy on Ravelry. Link below.

                                                                          You can buy the pattern for the Camilla pouf Here

                         Or how about these Boho style cushions , designed by Justdo.
                           These are to die for, the patterns are available in her Etsy shop
   

                                                                          Just Do Etsy shop Link here


                     The cushions shown here can be used inside and outside too. Crochet some patio               pillows with this free crochet pattern from Bernat Yarns. Throw them on your wicker             chairs and relax in the sun. This easy crochet pattern gives you instructions for a                     round and square pillow.  This is also a great pattern for creating colorful throw                         pillows that you can have on display in your living room or bedroom.  Perfect for                       beginners and advanced crocheters alike, these crochet pillows make for a quick and                easy weekend project.
                   

                                                                          The link to the Free patio cushions is here
         
                                       Vintage Style Cushions           

                        I love this pretty cushion with its flower appliques. it has a real vintage feel to it.
                        The cushion is easy enough to make, in fact the pattern shown above could be used .
                         It is made up of two rectangles made with rows of trebles or double crochet in US terms.                              You can add the appliques after.
                         

                                                             Here is a free link to a butterfly Applique pattern

                     

                 I love the variety of stitches in this cushion.
                 The pattern for this gorgeous cushion is Free , link below.

                                                                 Here is the link to this gorgeous Free cushion Pattern

               Contemporary Cushions
         For those who like a more contemporary feel, crisp add a splash of colour

                                               
Knitted Floor Pouffes have become really popular in contemporary interiors and they can be very expensive.
Here, I hope I can provide some inspiration and some more reasonable alternatives.
These cool textured floor cushions can be made with this Free pattern.
                                   

     

                                                            You can get the Free pattern for the textured floor pouffe here

                            These modern triangle cushions are made of triangles crocheted and then sewn together.
                          Change to darker or more neutral colours for an interesting result.

                                                               Here is the link to the tutorial on how to make this triangle cushion

                 NURSERY CUSHIONS   

        These handmade cushions in a nursery would be adorable.
            I don't have a pattern for the bunny one, its for inspiration only.
             
               The Princess and The Pea cushion.
          How gorgeous is this Princess and the Pea cushion, made with a free pattern from Best free Crochet.
         You could use your leftover scraps of yarn to make this.

                                                          The link to this Free pattern is Here


      Welcome baby with this cute Bunting pattern. it is a free pattern from Red Heart Yarns, link below

                                        Welome baby with this bunting cushion. 

         This little Owl cushion would be gorgeous in any nursery. I have attached the link below to the pattern
         It is in chart form from Princessa juttu.  The 'X' on chart means double crochet and the 'O' means chain          in UK terms.                                     

                                                                 The Pattern for this Owl pattern is Here

                  Lets get Sewing
      For all you sewers out there, how cute are these Teddy Bear Cushions.
      There is a template for you to cut out and sew up on www.cosascositasycosotasconmesh.com/.
      This site is in Spanish but the diagram is easy to understand.

                         
                                              The link to this cushion template is Here


       Or how about these devine nursery cushions , inspiration only

You can create gorgeous nursery cushions, similar to these below by Loola Blu here . 

This is a free tutorial showing you exactly how to make these cuddly cushions.

There is a full pattern and comprehensive instructions included here.

So there's no stopping you now.

Create these gorgeous cushions from pattern Here

Have a great time making these and just a warning , don't overload on the cushions.

Until next time, Margaret

St. Patrick's Day last minute treats to make

Hi All,
This latest post, just in time for St Patrick's Day, contains some quick and easy treats for you to make.
There are some great FREE printables you can use to make a photo booth for some cute photos with your kids or friends. Also some fun drinks and food ideas and some easy craft ideas.


First up are the Free Printables.

These Photobooth Printables can bring great fun to a party and make for great photos.
Just print, cut out and stick a wooden skewer on the back and get some photos to remember.
You can have the best fun with these!

                                                              For your FREE printables click here

How about trying these St. Patrick's Day badges/Hair clips.
This is a Free tutorial from Sugarbee crafts. She uses felt but maybe you could substitute card /paper instead.

                                                               For Free Tutorial Click Here


Here is another great idea using Free printable tags, link attached below.
Print and stick to a sheet of paper or plate, add a Rolo and you have your Crock Of Gold!  

                                                        Click Here for St. Patricks Day printable Tags


There are lots of mouthwatering recipes here for St Patrick's Day treats and deserts
 from Dreamingly DIY.com including this mint green Oreo. Click on the link below to find them all. 

                                                            Click Here for St. Patrick's Day Recipes 

Fun Stuff for kids to do on St. Patrick's Day. Make Leprechauns, shamrocks and lots more, using items available at home.

                                                            Click here for Free ST. Patrick's Day crafts for kids


Finally for the Adults, a St. Patrick's Day cocktail

                                                     Click Here for Leprechauns Kiss Cocktail recipe


I hope these few ideas help make your St' Patrick's Day fun and enjoyable.
Happy St Patrick;s Day!

Valentines Day Treats for you to make

St. Valentines Day is almost upon us , so here are some quick and easy treats for you to make for .
Not just crochet and knitting this time but lots of DIY crafts and foods for you to try. Why not try some out.

Lets start with these adorable love bugs you could make with the kids. You just need some items from a craft store or Tiger. A pack of pompoms, some foam shapes, pipe cleaners  and some glue. Could pass a few hours on a rainy day and hey presto you have  a whole family of these little critters! 

                            Valentines day love bugs for you to make HERE


 How about trying your hand at making this gorgeous crochet bunting. This is a quick pattern. You could use it for making decorations for hats and cards also.  It is a free pattern from Everything Etsy Blog. Link below.

                                                     Heart Bunting FREE pattern Here

These Crochet Heart Shaped Storage Baskets are perfect for all your odds and ends and how cute are they! These are an adorable project that are actually functional too and they are easy when you know how! Free pattern from My Poppet blog in Australia.

                                                            Free Pattern for heart shaped baskets Here


Imagine cuddling up to this  knitted furry cushion! Red Heart yarns have a free pattern for it, link below. Use any fur type yarn you have, of the same thickness and it should work out ok. The thicker the yarn the bigger the cushion!

                    Red Heart Yarn free heart shaped cushion pattern here



This is EasyPeasy to do. Cut some cardboard into heart shapes and wrap with string. You could make these into a garland or hang individually.  Try It with some scraps of yarn in different colours.

Here are some GorgeousHeart shaped Designs for you to crochet, from bags to hats. Free patterns from Daisy Cottage designs

Free Valentines Day Heart shaped pattern Here


Quickie makes! Some cute heart haedbands for you to crochet for the little ones. Free pattern below.

                Free Heart headbnad pattern from Skein And Hook Here


Easy Crochet St. Valentines' headband with this Youtube video tutorial from Lisa Needlecrafts.

                                       Link to video tutorial for headband here

This caught my eye, it's so cute. Clothes peg art!
The kissing Clothes peg. it seems easy enough to do you could use a pen and some felt markers.

                      Sweet treats!
Delicious food treats for Valentines Day. Get a heart shaped cookie cutter and make these glorious treats.



     

   

           

               

                      Sewing Corner

For all you sewers out there, here are a selection of projects for you to try, from easy clothes patches to a little more complex.

                                               Heart shaped sewing tips HERE



That's it for now. Lots of ideas for you to try this Valentines Day. Have fun!