Mother's Day Flower Brooch

Today in the UK its Mother's Day, and this crocheted flower brooch is for my mom.
The flower could also be used to decorate a card or present, added to a ribbon for a pretty neck tie or to a hair tie, try different colour combinations & yarn weights

DK yarn/worsted weight

4.25mm - 4.5mm UK/ (6/G USA) hook

(I used Patons Morocco DK colour - Papaya and Coral Mix shade 83a its a new cotton/polyester mixed yarn in pretty colours, but any DK/ worsted weight yarn can be used also for mini flowers try a lightweight sock or lace-weight yarn)

Abbreviations:
(how to make the stitches plus more at NezumiWorld main site)
st – Stitch sts – Stitches
dc (UK)/ sc (USA) – Double Crochet (UK)/ Single Crochet (USA)
tr(UK)/ dc (USA) – Treble Crochet (UK)/ Double Crochet (USA)
ch – Chain

picot - to make a picot make 3 chain than slip stitch into the 1st chain

Pattern:

Ch 27
Row 1: 2 tr(UK)/ 2 dc(USA) into the 3rd ch from the hook, 2 tr(UK)/ 2 dc(USA) into every ch to the end, 1ch, turn
Row 2: [1 dc(UK)/ 1sc(USA) into the tr, 2 tr(UK)/ 2 dc(USA) into the next tr] repeat to end, 2 ch, turn
Row 3: [1 tr(UK)/ 1 dc(USA) into the next tr, 1 picot, 1 tr(UK)/ 1 dc(USA) into the next tr] repeat to the end
Roll flower together and sew, add brooch back

Busy, busy, busy

Thanks to everyone who emailed why I was not posting, I have been teaching 6 days a week, trying to develop some new designs, plus my poor mom had a very nasty accident in the nursing home (the stitches were removed last week and she is healing well now), so the blog and website have been very neglected.
Hopefully from now on I will be slowing down a bit (for a short time anyway) and can start blogging more.
Here's some photo's of the the students work I thought it might be nice to show what we do together.

Resin button

Today I made a little silicone mould of a glass bead using a 2 part mix (Gedeo Siligum-Silicone Moulding Paste), I have used liquid latex to make moulds before but this method was so easy. Just mix equal parts of the white and blue mixture together press around the shape you want place on a level surface and 10 minutes later you have a usable mould for plaster, polymer clay, silver clay or resin.

I used the mould with a uv resin (Lisa Pavelka Magic-Glos) I am making some buttons for a bracelet, I will post more of them soon, here's a finished one I am just experimenting to see which ones I like.

Winters here

Today the heavy snow arrived and London transport ground to a halt.
It was so cold and slippy, but for a short time (before the snow turned to slush) everything looked clean an bright.

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Knitted Pumpkin

Knitted Pumpkin

Abbreviations:
k = knit
p = purl
kfb = Knit into the front and back of the stitch (this is an increase)
k2tog = Knit two stitches together as one stitch
sts = stitches
st = stitch

Materials:
Double knit/ worsted weight yarn used in orange & green
Knitting needles appropriate to yarn used (I used 4mm)
Polyester toy stuffing, Polyfil or scraps of yarn
Scraps of black felt

Pattern:
Using orange yarn cast on 6 sts
Row 1: [kfb] X 6 (12sts)
Row 2: p12
Row 3: [kfb, k1] X 6 (18sts)
Row 4: p18
Row 5: [kfb, k1, k1] X 6 (24sts)
Row 6: p24
Row 7: k24
Row 8: p24
Row 9: k24
Row 10: p24
Row 11: [k2tog, k1, k1] X6
Row 12: p18
Row 13: [k2tog, k1] X6
Row 14: p12
Row 15: [k2tog] X6
Change to green yarn (leave a length of orange yarn to use for sewing up)
Row 16: p6
Row 17: k6
Row 18: p6
Row 19: k6
Row 20: p6
Row 21: k6
Cast off leaving a length of yarn to sew up stalk

Sew up stalk using green yarn

Sew up pumpkin body using orange yarn leaving a small hole, stuff pumpkin body until fat and sew up hole

Cut 2 small triangles and 1 large triangle out of black felt (or embroider eyes & mouth) sew onto pumpkin

The Knitting and Stitch Show 2009

Last weekend I went to my annual visit to the Knitting and Stitch Show at Alexandra Palace.
I arrived late, both bus & tube problems. I was surprised at the entrance there were 100's of ladybirds flying around (I have been making crocheted ladybirds for a few weeks), of course I decided not to bring my camera with me so these photos are with the camera on my phone. The ladybirds were all different types, red with black spots, yellow with black spots and black with red spots. People were running in to escape them. The first photo is of the entrance wall the tiny spots are the ladybirds.

After buying my ticket (£12.00 this year the price is getting a bit pricey I think) I looked at this display of a knit covered boat including knitted sails.
I did not buy to much, this time I had bought yarn at the Iknit event only a few weeks ago. Texere had nice gimp yarn I have been looking for to make some evening bags, plus very nice linen.

I often see this brand Eucalan in American crochet & knitting magazines, the lady at the stand was very friendly and explained the product was eco-friendly, non-toxic, had natural lavender/ grapefruit/ eucatypus depending of type chosen. Could be used for handwashing or machine and did not need to be rinsed from the garment. I bought some and will try it and see, it does smell good.

I got some nice wire, beads & findings, the bead/ jewellery type stands were very popular and hard to get in to, to see or buy from. I liked the crazy wire company, totally beads and with love crafts