Bunny Tutorial and Giveaway

So ladies with Easter just around the corner, I had a mind to make a pretty spring bunny garland to hang in the kitchen on the mantle shelf.  Way back I made some of these tiny little bunnies as card toppers and brooches but decided that I needed something bigger for a garland.  I had a play and this is what I came up with.  Nothing too taxing and they can be made in a matter of minutes..honest they work up really quickly.  So would you like to have a go yourself...if so, then here we go....

 I would just like to say before we get started that I have never written up a tutorial before and it is quite strange to write down something that you do almost without thinking.  I used a 4.5 crochet hook and DK wool, mostly Stylecraft.  They use very little wool so are ideal for all your little scrap balls.


I start by making a slip ring/ magic ring, there are examples of how to do this in most crochet books and I expect there is a Youtube video out there as well.  Into the circle chain 3, this counts as your first treble.   

Make another 11 trebles and then close with a slip stitch in the third chain of the first treble.  You now have 12 trebles altogether.

Then pull the circle tight to close the hole in the centre.

Make 3 chains, this counts as your first treble, and then make another treble into the stitch directly below.  

You now have 2 trebles in one stitch

Repeat all the way round the circle and then join with a slip stitch in third chain of first treble. as on previous round.

Make 3 chains, this counts as your first treble, then make another treble into the stitch directly below

Make 2 trebles in each of the next 2 stitches.  You now have 3 clumps of 2 trebles.

Now turn the work to the back and make a chain of 12 stitches.  

 

Insert the hook into the middle of the next treble...wind wool around the hook and pull through with a slip stitch.

Make a further chain of 12 stitches and repeat again between the next set of trebles, pull through with a slip stitch.

You now have 2 ears.  Cut wool leaving a bit of a tail.  Secure and then using a darning needle weave in the end pulling the head together ever so slightly to make it appear more rounded.  Also secure middle to keep hole tight closed.

Turn work back to the front.  You now have the body of one cute little bunny.

As for the bobtail, (isn't that a brilliant word)!!  Using a 3.5 crochet hook this time with an alternative colour wool, make another slip ring/ magic ring.

Do 12 single crochets into the circle.

Join together with a slip stitch into the first stitch.

Draw the circle together as before and secure.  You can then glue or sew into position.  I embellished my little bobs with a pearl bead and another pink one for it's eye.  You can also use buttons or whatever you have to hand.


I then used the 4.5 crochet hook to make a chain to the required length and then threaded the bunnies on through their ears.  Space evenly and stand back and admire.


I hope all of this makes sense, if not drop me a line and I will try and help.

I am offering a garland as a GIVEAWAY if any one would like one.  All you have to do is leave me a comment.  Simples..... I will choose a winner on Thurs 29 in time for posting on Friday morning.  Good luck.

DEV x

Weekend

It has been one of those wonderful weekends with glorious weather and the bluest of blue skies. A weekend of pottering about doing a bit of this and a bit of that. No pressure, no urgent business, no real housework, just lazing around in the sunshine.

There was a nice parcel in the post on Saturday morning which set me up nicely for my one of my new projects. I am not really into acrylic wool, but this has been recommended by several bloggers and a fellow member of the craft club that I belong to. The colours are scrumptious and it is really, really soft and most importantly, it doesn't make that sqeaky sound on the crochet hook. You know the one I mean don't you......It is also a bargain at £1.50 for 100 grams!

I have loved this design for ages, it's called African Flowers in case you haven't seen it. There is an amazing flickr site with hundreds of projects using this design. Just google and have a look see. I wanted something summery in pastel shades and after a bit of playing, I came up with the above. I am going to call it my Isabel blanket. I am trying to "join as I go" as well as crocheting in all my ends. It is a bit new for me and I am a bit slow, but I think that once I get the hang of it proper it will save loads of time. I hate sewing in all the ends don't you?

Originally, I was going to use all the colours that arrived in the post, but to be honest it all looked a bit too busy. This was my third combination of colours and it sort of clicked. It won't be a huge blanket, just a lap quilt for those chilly evenings when it isn't quite cold enough to light the fire.

So now, I suppose I should give you the results of the giveaway. No magic hand this evening it was her night off, (the camera was being naughty). I decided that I would give both brooches away in the end. So without further ado........Congratulations to.....................

If you can let me know your addresses, I will endevour to get them in the post as soon as I can. Neither of you expressed a preference for the colour so in the order that they appeared in the photo on my last post, and the order I drew the names from the bowl, the lilac/pink one will go to Marqueta and the rust one to Kazzy. I can't say fairer than that. I do hope that you like them.

Dev x

My Second Giveaway

Hello there and a Happy Mother's Day to you all, I hope that you all received something nice from your little people. I woke to find this on the table.. She has recently opened a store in Canterbury, good news for me and the Littlest Fairy....not such good news for Mr Fairyglade though.

Would you like to see what was inside? Look at these amazing pretties. I am such a lucky Mummy am I not?

So here at the Fairyglade everything is bursting with colour and activity. The birds have gone into overdrive, prinking and preening and strutting around. Old nests are being renovated, particularly by the doves and new ones are being built by the wildies. I sat outside after breakfast, my new mug keeping my hands warm because it was a bit sharp to say the least. I could see my breathe! But it was so worth it. The doves were cooing, the robins trilling, the crows cawing, the magpies chattering, the woodpeckers drilling, oh so much noise, but so worth listening too. Nature's alarm clock I call it.

As for colour, the spring fairies have spun their magic and the daffodils are lighting up even the gloomiest of corners. Everywhere you turn there is a golden pool of colour.

I just can't get enough of the daffodilies and Mr Fairyglade has planted thousands upon thousands since we moved here.

Such hard back breaking work at the time, but so worth the rewards now. We have quite a few different varieties and some flower early and some a bit later, that way we can keep the colour going as long as possible.

Then there are the hyacinths that waft their sweet intoxicating perfume on every soft puff of breeze. The Fairglade is a beautiful place to be all year round, but particularly so in the spring.

On my last post I mentioned that I had picked up my knitting needles for the first time in a while. My fingers were literally itching to get hold of the needles. Do you know what I mean, it's that irresistable urge to do something, that I actually feel like my fingers are twitching. So I suppose you are wondering what I was up too or maybe you weren't and there was no one out there with an interest either way. I am going to show you anyway....

A trio of pretty brooches! Once I started, I couldn't stop. So do you like them? I hope someone does because I don't need three and I so I thought I might offer one as my next giveaway. You have a choice between the lilac bow or the rust/orange bow. I am keeping the dark pink one for moi.

You decide which one you would like and leave me a comment and I will pick a winner next Sunday 10th April around teatime.

Well, that's all for now folks. Looking forward to the new series of Lewis this evening. I feel a bit of crocheting might be in order as well, remember the itchy, twitchy fingers.............

Dev x

Spring

Well it seems to have arrived, finally. What a lovely week we have had here at the Fairyglade. Washing has been dried on the line and there has been time to sit a while after work and do some crafting.

Here is where I sit in the warm sunshine, do you like the cushions? Bargain at Dunelm Mill.

There has been a bit of dolly making and a bit of knitting too. Ages since I picked up my needles. Excuse the porky fingers and the tatty nails.

I will tell you more about this make when I have done a bit more, but think flowers.......

Now, let me introduce you to Delia, my latest fairy doll. Isn't she cute!

Her dress is made from an old dressing table mat and I have attached some pretty beads in the centre of the flowers.I have used an old earring to decorate her bodice and another one for a bit of sparkle on her lace headband. (She is in my shop if you are interested. See the link on the sidebar).

And so onto the Giveaway. Sadly I have not heard from thriftymissus which is a real shame. Just to let you all know that I emailed several people, contacted bloggers with similar names and I believe that another fab blogger even tweeted a message in the hope that she might get in touch. So I feel that I have done what I can.

So, this afternoon the magic hand pulled another name from the dish and this time it's congratulations to Vintage Vicki. So sorry thriftymissus!!

I hope that you are all enjoying some sunshine and will be back with another Giveaway soon.

Dev x

Tah Da Moment

Hello there and I hope everyone has been having a lovely weekend. So here we are again. Now what shall we do first the Giveaway or the Ta Dah moment...mmmm....decisions, decisions.........

Okay, Tah Da moment it is then. So without further ado, can I introduce you to Lottie and Mabel. Lottie first I think as she was the first one to be completed.

She's is so pretty with her braided hair and little star decorations.Her dress is made from an old lace handkerchief with an overskirt of deep white lace. I have used a diamante trim to give her a bit of sparkle, and she has her dancing shoes on too.



She is approximately 10 inches tall from the top of her hair down to her twinkly toes.



Secondly, Miss Mabel. She is slightly smaller at 9 inches. Her underskirt is made from an old chair back and her overskirt, a piece of fabric from a bolero jacket made to go with a bridesmaid dress.



Her hair is made using Wenslydale sheep's wool all the way from a flock in Germany. I made her a pretty bow with some crochet lace from the chair back and topped with a small pearl bead.

Her bodice is adorned with an old diamante and pearl earring from my Mum's magic box of pretties.

She too has her dancing shoes on, decorated with tiny metallic gold stars. They both have white wings made from an old napkin and also have a hook at the back for hanging from wherever you want.

There is she is as pretty as a peach...Miss Mabel.

I hope that you like then both, I can't decide which one is my favourite, what about you?

I have decided to offer these two girlies for sale in my shop if anyone is interested.

And now for the Giveaway... the names in a bowl.... the magic hand appears and pulls out....

Congratulations to thriftymissus and if you get in touch and let me know your address I will get the dvd's in the post soonest. (I don't seem to be able to log into your blog, so not sure if it is invited peeps only).

Well that's all for now folks, there will be another giveaway soon. Bye for now.

Dev x

EDIT if anyone out there could get a message to thriftymissus for me as she hasn't contacted me and I am unable to leave her a comment on her blog for whatever reason. Many thanks.