Easter is Just Around the Corner

It's been a long, long time since I've posted anything on here. Just after Cup Day last year I started back working full time again and I am not too sure where the last 5 months have gone. 

With the school holidays having just started it's brought my mind to Easter. As with most things in our family we tend to perhaps go a little overboard (as you can see even Ted and Barney got in on the action when mum made them their own Easter Bunny costumes). I'm not sure how much time I'm going to have this year, but thought I'd share what I put together for the kids last year.

We face this dilemma every year - Easter to kids is ALL about chocolate. Whilst I didn't want to deprive them of the joy that is Easter eggs, by the time the Easter Bunny has visited and gifts (who are we kidding, more Easter eggs) are given by both sets of grandparents and aunts and uncles I was hoping to keep the chocolate content down with our gift. So from the time I saw these cute little bags on Pinterest I decided they would be perfect.

They were super easy, and I was able to make the three of them on Easter Saturday afternoon with the football on the TV. I'd gone to Spotlight earlier in the day to buy the felt and some fat quarters for the inside of the ears. If I had a collection of scrap bits of material like mum does, it wouldn't have cost me anything. The hardest part of them was remembering how to do stem stitch for their eyes. I then used the sewing machine to join the back and front together. 

I used the same template to make some little Santa sacks as gifts for O's carers last year, but instead of using normal thread I bought one specifically for decorative stitching, which I think looked much better.

I did end up filling them with far more eggs than I initially thought I would (they are deceptively roomy) so we ended up with the usual sugar overload, but isn't that what it's all about?

A
xoxox

Making Poppies

We discovered the 5000 Poppies Project through the Legacy newsletter and decided to join in.  Having a father, grandfather and great grandfathers who were Veterans it seemed like a fitting tribute.
November 11th 2013 was the first deadline with the project planning an exhibition and workshop at Fed Square in Melbourne. Time was tight!

The website had patterns for both knitted and crocheted poppies and I began by making each of these.  While they turned out ok I thought I'd be faster and better if I could make some in felt.  After checking Pinterest I found a tutorial for felt poppies used as brooches.  Only problem was it was in Russian!
Luckily I can read pictures so  after a bit of trial and error I came up with this.

1. You will need: red felt, black or green felt, small piece of fibrefill stuffing, red and black stranded cotton, small black beads or 'eyelash' yarn

2.The pattern. it doesn't really matter what size you make but I put the 5cm guide on to help if you are printing it out or photocopying it.

2.  Using the patterns cut out 4 petals and a back circle from red felt.  Cut out one centre from black or green felt.

3.Blanket stitch around the edge of each petal. Pull the thread a little as you go to create a cupped effect for the petal. When the four petals are completed running stitch them together across the bottom. Overlap petals slightly as you go and join into a circle but leave end free to gather up the petals later.

4. Run gathering stitch around the black or green centre circle. (I've done it in orange so you can see it but use matching thread. Place small ball of fibrefil stuffing in the centre and pull up tightly.  Wrap thread around a few times to secure and then sew off end.

5.Place the petals around the centre and pull up gathering thread. Secure by stitching through centre from one petal to another.

6. Making stamens Version 1: Sew long and short blanket stitches around centre, three on each petal. Add a bead to the top of each stitch.

7. Making stamens Version 2: On the front side of poppy wrap eyelash yarn between centre and petals.  Stitch down to secure.

8. Neaten the back  by blanket stitching the red circle back over centre of  poppy. A dedication tape can be added before completing the stitching.

This makes a basic poppy.  You can change the design to suit yourself. Make it easier by finding a pretty button to use as the centre or more complex by adding more beads or a double row of petals.

If you would like to send your poppies to the 5000 Poppies Project I'm sure they would love to have them.

5000poppies.wordpress.com or 5000 poppies on Facebook

H

xoxoxo