Mystery Toy - part 2 and thank-you's

The noggin

This is the next part of the mystery toy from Ravelry, the head or noggin as Emily calls it. I'm thinking it looks quite squirrel like, but are there 250 different sorts of squirrel? Anyway, the next clue that goes with it is ...
'This animals' predators (besides humans and habitat loss) include eagles and hawks.'
Part three comes out on Friday - can't wait!
Now for the thank-yous

Funky chickens

I am making these for Pickle-Lily to give to her friends at the end of term, to say thank-you for being such great friends. I must admit I'm getting a bit teary at the thought that next week is her last week at primary school, they really do grow up too quickly!
A thank-you to the lovely staff at Bridgwater MIU - as yet again we have had to pay them a visit! P crashed her bicycle on Sunday and apart from the grazes and bruises hurt her thumb. They think a small bone at the base of the thumb may be broken, she just has to wear one of those germolene (doesn't that word make you think of exactly the right colour - and the smell!) pink Velcro thumb and wrist supports, until we go back again next week for more deliberation. That's why I'm making funky chickens, as she had wanted to make them herself.
Another thank-you to Caroline who has nominated me for

I would like to pass this on to to Cuckoo for her blog that is full of lovely pictures, being so entertaining and true to life!

And finally thank-you to Dorset Girl for her One lovely blog award! I now need to say 7 random things about myself which was hard enough the first time! So here goes ..

• I collect blue jugs - but they can't be new.
• Life is unbearable without cups of tea in it!
• I still can't get my flapjacks to stick together - tried again last night, I have a tin of very large crumbs!
• It took me fives goes to pass my driving test!
• My favourite cars are Pandas - I am now driving my third.
• I still can't crochet, but want to.
• Hopefully the patio doors will open today - the lock has been jammed for over a year, and the nice repairman is fixing them now!

I also have to pass this award onto other blogs - so here goes ...

As always you are under no obligation to accept these awards but please know that I enjoy reading your blogs and would like to recommend you to others.

Made from scratch who I know from Knit Club
Sara who I met at Coldharbour Mill a few weeks ago Crafts of Texture
and The Krafty Cupcake  for being such a good read!


Phew - finished!
Jo x

Innocent Smoothie Hats make



7 hats so far!

 The knit club is taking part in this years Innocent Smoothie The Big Knit campaign to knit little hats to go on top of smoothie bottles, for every one sold they will donate 25p to Age UK. Knit club's target is 400, so far my grand total is 7!
Pickle-Lily has said that she would like to help make some as well, so I have designed the simplest pattern ever, and I would like to share it with anyone who is interested.


Hat make



It is  to make a hat like the blue one above.

Finished knitting

Cast on 28 stitches on 4mm needles using any double knit wool you like.

Knit or garter stitch 16 rows. 

Cast off.

sewn up

Sew up by joining the two row ends together, placing the seam in the middle, sew along the cast off edge, as in this picture. Turn inside out.

make a tassel - part 1

To make the tassels. Wrap the yarn around your fingers about 5 times and then, with a separate piece of yarn sew a knot.

Make a tassel - part 2

To make the Funky Hat, I used up all those long odd bits of yarn that are too long to throw away, and just accumulate in your knitting bag. I knotted them together to make a long piece of yarn. 2 rows garter then 14 rows reverse stocking stitch, with the purl as the outside. Made it up the same way as the blue one.



Funky hat



Why not pop over to Wendy's blog to find out what everyone else has been  doing for Handmade Monday.

Jo x

Folksy Friday

Apple for the teacher!

My apple keyrings have just been featured on Woollyduck's blog. Angela creates the most beautiful felted food - take a look.
Thank-you Angela!

Mystery Toy KAL

Clue 1 - The Body

I'm taking part in the Ravelry knitted toys group mystery knit-a-long. It's brilliant! A toy designed by Yarn Miracle's Emily that is being released in four parts, one a week. You don't know what it is you're making and there is so much speculation and discussion about it on the thread here.  Judging by her other designs it will be cute. I'll post photo's as I go. Anyone else taking part?
Jo x

Updated Tuesday, finished the body

This is the first clue, I forgot to add it yesterday!
Clue:

This mammal has more than 250 species in his family. He’s not the most diverse creature in the world, but he has it all over the aardvark (total aardvark species = 1). But really, how many types of aardvark does one planet need?

All about me - Pickle Lily

Today we have a guest blogger - Pickle-Lily herself...

Us at Wedmore

Hello
I am Pickle Lily otherwise known as P. I got my nickname after my brother's- Pickle!
I love reading and I've always got my head stuck in a good book at bedtime, I've just finished a book from the library - North Child it's really thick and I was always saying it's at a really good part! Also my choice has gotten bigger realising I could read young adult books from upstairs (in the library)!  Enough rambling on about books and time to ramble on about animals.

Jemima the alpaca I met at Coldharbour Mill

My favourite animal is a penguin! But I also love Alpacas!
I love horrible histories and the TV and game show that goes along with it- I also love annoying my family with facts and songs!
I love...
   M aking
   A bsolutley
   K rafty   I nteresting
 kN itted
   G ifts!

I will be leaving primary school this year and everything is extra special!
I love music and loads of great songs and the disco!

We went to Wedmore street fair and I had a bacon buttie plus a chocolate ( another thing I love ) cupcake!!!!!


My fence

 I had fun! I decided to annoy my mum (to her discontent) and bop a balloon around until I popped it! When I went to see if they had any left - they didn't but somehow I ended up weaving! And I made a little fence!

Later just after we put everything behind the sofa on the shelves mum got called out to a fair at Berrow that started in a half hour! She went and had fun!

I had fun blogging- maybe I'll do it more often
P

(All photos taken by Pickle-Lily)

I've won something!

                                     
I can't believe this - but I have won a years free subscription to Mollie Makes magazine!
Our computer has been out of action for the past few days, caused by some malicious software. Husband decided to wipe the computer and re-install everything. This meant no computer for about three days as everything was sorted. The good news was when I opened outlook express there was an email about my prize! Back when it was the royal wedding I entered a competition on The Making Spot and then forgot all about it! So looking forward to my first issue arriving.
It was surprising how much I missed using the computer and all the blogs I like to read. It did mean I could get on with things like cleaning, ironing and making things though. Pickle-Lily and I are at Wedmore Street Fair tomorrow, so we're hoping  for the good weather to continue.
Have a good week-end!
Jo x

Chocolate Chip Crumble Muffins

Chocolate Chip Crumble Muffins

 Just a quick post as I had to share these with you....
They are sooo good, especially eaten warm from the oven. I found the recipe on PuppyFly Boutique's blog and made a dozen big muffins and a dozen mini muffins from the recipe. The mini muffins are perfect for putting in a Pickle-Lily lunch box, the big muffins ... well there are only two left!