Adding Colour to the Playground, Part 2

I managed to dodge the heavy showers this week and install the yarnbombs at my boys' school! I did have to run in for cover half way through and there was an extremely heavy shower of rain and hail just after I finished, good timing!

 entrance to the fairy garden

I worked quickly, hoping that I wouldn't be spotted by the children because I wanted them to find the pieces for themselves at lunch time. I sewed the crocheted rectangles around fence posts and willow tunnel branches.

 another fence post piece

 several were sewn onto the willow branches

I had to twist and turn into all sorts of funny positions to fit in the child sized willow tunnel, it was good to stretch full height afterwards!

a much longer yarnbomb

 I love the shrinkies the children coloured!

In another area of the playground I installed 3 yarnbombs with amigurumi monsters attached to them! 

monster yarnbomb 

I crocheted the monsters for fun over 5 years ago without any real purpose in mind for them. Since then they have been moved around my studio space gathering dust. I thought this project would literally breath some fresh life into them!

a happy smile

I hope the children enjoy interacting with these small pockets of colour in their playground. I know they have plans to further transform the area and I look forward to seeing what they come up with!

I'm back! (and sorry I've been away so long)

I seem to have taken a rather a long break over the summer - ooops! The school holidays were full of long sunny days, trips to the beach, picnics and of course lots of crafty days with the boys!

Rather than typing thousands of words about what I have been up to over the last few months I will use photographs to tell my story. If you would like to know more about anything you see please leave a comment and I will get back to you.

 the youngest and I learning how to use double pointed needles

 a giraffe I crocheted for the middle boy and an elephant for a friend's baby

 a new style of brooch which I have designed and started selling in my folksy shop

 the youngest drew this monster and I recreated it in crochet!

 middle boy wanted the same, of course!

 youngest showing off his finished hat in Fluph wool shop, Dundee

 anniversary day out with the hubby! He takes his loom knitting everywhere!!

 a friend commissioned me to make this sweet little mouse

middle boy designed and made a den for his crocodile and a water bowl

 eldest sprayed and painted his Nerf gun

 my latest yarn bomb in Dundee, Blackness Road area

 I finished the african flowers blanket which I had been working on for a long time

 detail of finished blanket

I have taken up quilting using the english paper piecing technique

Well, that's a snapshot of my summer! School has been back for a month now and I will get back into blogging and restocking my folksy shop https://folksy.com/shops/martasecocrafts

Design, design, design

It's been all about designing this last week or so! Now that I have learnt how to write up my patterns in the traditional format I'm able to work faster from idea through to finished pattern. It seems that no sooner have I sent a pattern off to be tested that I start on the next one. I'm sure the sunny weather and the pretty spring flowers which are beginning to open up all around are helping with my creativity too.

Yesterday I emailed 3 lovely testers with my latest pattern. It was an amigurumi design which I had made a few times 4 or 5 years ago but I didn't know how to write it up at the time. I looked at how my original amigurumi was put together, counted the rounds and thought about the colours.

 My new amigurumi in the centre with the original designs either side

I decided to use my current favourite yarn; MilliaMia ( http://www.millamia.com/home.php there are a few free patterns on the website, worth a look!). I buy most of my yarn from UK based Lemonade Yarns ( http://www.yarnandcraftshop.co.uk/  free patterns on this website too!). There is a pattern competition running at the moment which might have something to do with my increase in designing too! The details are on the Lemonade Yarns facebook page if you are interested in finding out more  https://www.facebook.com/lemonadeyarns?fref=ts

Cover photo for my new design

This morning I received a free sample of wool from Emma at Lemonade Yarns. It was a ball of Jenny Watson, pure merino DK, a new line of yarn for her shop and I was keen to try it and see what it was like. The wool felt lovely and soft and not at all scratchy so I thought it would be perfect for a cosy headband. I began working on a cable sample straight away and I'm happy with it, ready to move things on to a bigger scale. 

Work in progress

I am extremely grateful for all the work my pattern testers do. There is always something obvious missing from one of my patterns and I appreciate these little mistakes being pointed out, making the final pattern just right for someone to pick up. For every pattern tested the tester's name will be added to a prize draw to receive a surprise parcel of homemade goodies from me. I will do this every six months. If you are interested in pattern testing for me please get in touch, I'd love to hear from you!