Knit video tape - Neulo videonauhaa

Most of us have lots of video tapes we are no longer using. Open the casing with a screwdriver and take the tape reels out. There are many things that can be made when you knit, crochet or weave the tape. I'm making a rug for the bathroom using tape. If you think that too rough for your feet, use the rug at your entrance - or make a bag out of it.

I use hollow plastic needles metric size 10 (thickness of my little finger) and just knit back and forth, using the tape and coloured linen thread at the same time.

Knitted baby mittens - vauvan lapaset

I knitted the cuffs on smaller needles, knit 2, purl 2, so the mittens stay on better. 24 stiches, I knitted round on 4+1 needles.

Ranneosa on neulottu pienemmillä puikoilla, että siitä tulee tiukempi. 24 s.

Here's a chart for the lace part:
Pitsineuleosan kaavio:

Crochet toys for baby mobile

Recently I brought this baby mobile as a present for my new granddaughter. The hanging animals are fixed with velcro, so I decided to crochet alternative toys to hang on the mobile. Here they are, each have a string attached to a bit of velcro at the back.

Each figure is made of two circles of about 9 cm in double crochet (single crochet in American terms) and I crocheted them together from the edges, putting some wadding inside. The mouth is sewn on, the eyes small crochet circles sewn on. After the middle bits were finished I added various kinds of petals and frills to them.

The curly bits on the bottom right flower are done like this:
make a starting chain about 3 times the length you want the frill to be. Crochet back on it by making two double crochet stiches (single crochet if American) in each chain stitch. When you are finished you still need to curl it around your finger so it becomes even.

Bead earrings - korvakoruja helmistä

There are millions of lovely beads you can buy as well as other components to make up earrings. I have bought these in London at www.beadworks.co.uk but I'm sure you'll find them close to where you live or else in the many online stores. Here a photo of a few I've made.

Kauniita helmiä ja muita korvakoruihin tarvittavia osia myydään monissa paikoissa ja niistä on kiva tehdä mieleisiään korvakoruja. Nämä ostin Lontoon reissulla, mutta varmasti löytyy lähempääkin ja verkkokaupoista. www.beadworks.co.uk Tässä kuva muutamista tekemistäni korvakoruista.

Vauvan tossut, ohje

Katso myös erilaiset vauvan tossut ohjeineen uudessa blogissani.
Kätevä ja nopea tapa tehdä vauvan tossut. Nämä pysyvät hyvin jalassa ja perusohjetta on helppo muokata haluamakseen. Varren voi jättää pitkäksi tai kääntää kahtia.

Olen käyttänyt puikkoja no. 3. Langaksi käy esim. Gjästalin Maija tai Novitan Nalle tai Wool. Mutta jos haluat käyttää paksumpaa lankaa, vähennä silmukoita. Tällä ohjeella tulee ihan pienelle vauvalle sopivat tossut.

• Luo 44 s ja neulo aina oikein 16 krs
  
• Päätä 10 silmukkaa 17. krs:n alusta ja neulo krs loppuun
• Päätä 10 silmukkaa 18. krs:n alusta ja neulo krs loppuun (5 cm x 22 cm)
• Näyttää tässä vaiheessa tältä:

• Jaa loput silmukat 3 sukkapuikolle ja ala neuloa ympyrää.
  
• Näin:

• Jatka neulomista kunnes sukkaosassa on 13 krs. Keksi mitä tahansa kuvioita tai värejä. Lisään tänne kuvia, kunhan saan uusia valmiiksi...
  
• Kavenna: 2 s oikein yhteen koko kerroksen ajan.
• Seuraavalla kerroksella samoin
  
• Katkaise lanka ja vedä se loppujen silmukoitten läpi.
  
• Ompele varsiosan saumat kiinni ja päättele langat.

(The same in English)

Baby booties with instructions

This is a very handy way of knitting baby booties. They are easy to make, stay on well and also the basic pattern is easy to alter in any way you like. The cuff can be folded or left longer.

I have used knitting needles european size 3. Use any wool that you like, take needles the same thickness as wool and alter the number of stiches accordingly. Mine are for a baby up to 3 months.

• Make 44 stiches and knit 16 rows
• Finish off 10 stiches in the beginning of row 17 and knit the rest across
• Finish off 10 stiches in the beginning of row 18 and knit the rest across (5 cm x 22 cm)
• Looks like this:

• Now divide the stiches on 3 short needles and start knitting round.
• Looks like this:

• Continue knitting, making any pattern you like, until you have 13 rows of the foot bit
• Knit 2 together the whole row
• Again knit 2 together the whole row
• Cut wool, pull it through the rest of the stiches
• Sew the sides together

(SUOMEKSI - IN FINNISH)

Felted wallhanging

This is a wallhanging I made several years ago and still have on my wall. It is made out of felt I first rainbow-dyed myself.








Here's how you make this:

• Get a board (polystyrene works well) a bit bigger than the finished item
• Put nails/pins along the sides and string some sort of thread criss-cross. I used brightly coloured weaving linen thread but any other is just as fine
• put a bit of felt under each spot where the threads meet and then some felt on top and felt them together. That way the thread is stuck and when you take the hanging out of the board the whole lot stays together. I used soap and hot water for the felting but you could use needles as well.

Paljaat varpaat - sukkia Euroopan köyhimmille lapsille

Jos kudot mielelläsi sukkia, tee muutama ylimääräinen pari ja lähetä ne Radio Dein kautta Euroopan köyhimmille lapsille. Lisätietoa aiheesta os. www.radiodei.fi/?sid=152. Itse olen vasta saanut aikaiseksi kolmet sukat, mutta kaiken kaikkiaan niitä on tämän hetken tiedon mukaan kerääntynyt pian tuhat paria.

Otetaan osaa keräykseen!

Sorry about the post in Finnish only - it is about charity knitting for poor children in Eastern Europe.

Crochet baby blanket

My first grandchild was born 10 days ago :) It's a beautiful little girl and I'm a proud grandmother! Now I'm crocheting her a small blanket, more for decoration than for warmth, I suppose.



And here's a close-up:



Here's the finished blanket, size 52 x 70 cm.

Knitted baby cardigan with crochet trim

Finished another cardigan for my grand-daughter who should be born next month. (Well, the buttons are still missing.) It is on a very soft yarn and the bits around the buttons and the neck have been crocheted after the pieces had been sewn together.

Fairyland - child's applique picture

I made this applique picture many years ago for my children's wall. Even though it is simple I love the feeling of fairyland it also gives to myself! The little golden birds are on transparent thread and move from tree to tree and even hide under the "branches".



Here a couple of close-ups

Neulegraffitipalasia Manchesteriin!

Tämä myös suomeksi.

Manchester Craft & Design centre kerää neulegraffitipalasia tämän vuoden loppuun asti valtavaa neuleinstallaatiota varten. Koko 7 x 40 cm, tekniikka ihan mikä tahansa, kunhan pala on tehty langasta. Ajattelin, että kiva olisi ottaa osaa.

Täällä osoite, johon työt lähetetään, kuvia ja lisätietoa:
www.craftanddesign.com/about/yarnbombing

Choosing colours

All my free time continues to be spent on recorating my new home. I have moved many many times in the past and decorated several homes. Little by little I have got to know what I want my home to look like to feel happy and at home there. For me the most important thing is strong colours.

Every person is different and therefore nobody can tell anyone else what sort of colours they should have in their home. I find that the best advice is to get a picture, piece of fabric, a scene in a movie, object, anything... that makes you feel invigorated and content. That warm feeling that this is ME. Then use the style of that item to model your home. This time I'm doing exactly this and feel very happy about the results. I'll post photos later on when the apartment isn't so messy with tools and bits and pieces all over the floors!

This photo is one of those that really felt lovely to me. Unfortunately can't remember anymore where I got it from.

Baby cardigan

Got the baby cardigan finished :)