Silent Sunday

How to....Make a POMPOM

This month's How To has had to be adapted slightly due to my arm injuries. It's a fairly simple one but what you can do with them are endless. Try making a pompom scarf or adding on to the top of a knitted hat. Why not add them to a pair of slippers, napkin rings or just use them as decorations. 

Step 1: Draw some circles onto stiff card and draw smaller circles inside. You will need two circles for each pompom. They can be re-used so how many you make is totally up to you. I made about 10 - it was enough to have 5 pompoms on the go at one time and, as I was doing it production-line style, it was useful to have more rather than less.

Step 2: Cut the circle out, including cutting out the circles in the middle so that you end up with a circular shape with a hole in the middle. 

 Step 3: Choose your yarn. I happen to have quite a lot of pinks and purples in my yarn box so I have chosen 5 colours that go with each other. 

Step 4: Wind small flat balls of yarn from your main yarn balls. These will need to fit through the inner circles of your card pieces so they should ideally be quite skinny. 

Step 5: Hold two card circles together and start winding the yarn around the circle. You need to make sure you go through the inner circle and round the outer edge. Wind all the way around the circle - if you haven't got enough yarn to go all the way around, make a new bundle and continue!

Step 6: Once you have wound all the way around your circle, get a pair of sharp scissors. Move some yarn slightly so that you can get your scissors between the two pieces of card. Carefully cut the yarn all around the outside edge of the circle between the two pieces of card. You will have to hold the inner circle to prevent the small yarn pieces from coming away.

Step 7: Cut a length of yarn (about 10 is more than enough) and slip it between the two pieces of card. Wrap it around the yarn threads, pull it together and make a tight double knot.

Step 8: Now gently pull the two pieces of card off the pompom, roll it around to make it spherical and cut the long ends of yarn off.








Voila you have made a pompom... Now what are you going to use it for? 

Not quite a 'Folksy' Friday

Well last week I did a small shout out of some Etsy artists whose work I like, and thought I would do the same this week. I need a name for this post - it'll hopefully become a bit of a regular feature so a catchy name would be good. If you have a good title for the new feature, please comment and let me know!

This week it's bags bags bags...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/72850541/denim-make-up-bag-with-blue-polka-dot?ref=pr_faveitems

Love EvaBdesigns -have to stop myself!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/47960774/little-tote-and-purse
FunkyDivaDesigns is a fabulous person who makes great items!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/59479568/polka-dot-makeup-bag-redwhite
Love the polka dots from asoftblackstar

Silent Sunday

Give a heart to...

It's a great feeling to wake up to an e-mail informing you that you made a sale overnight while you slept so today is a happy day! To be fair, I knew I had sold a second of these heart-felt cards before I actually sold it, but it still made my day. 

So because I am in such a good mood, I thought I would share a few other items I have seen recently in Etsy that I like and you might too. Today's pick are from some lovely bloggers / twitterers who have been friendly / supportive/ lovely to me and I think it's about time I return the favour! So thank you to Abbi of Knightstour, Debbie of Wugylees fame and Patty of DogBarks and CatCalling. You should all go and look in their shops as they have some great things...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68021110/cute-crochet-and-felt-rabbit-greypurple

I love Knightstour's work. Wish I could crochet rabbits...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/51286612/necklace-blue-on-blue-crochet-button

Some crochet gems by Wugylees 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/74262400/black-polka-dot-plush-teeny-wienie

How sweet is this dog by DogBarks?

Silent Sunday

Some Kreativ Kids!

Back in December I posted about a quilt that the children in my year group had made as a leaving present for our head. It's posted here if you've forgotten it: http://www.creatingtrouble.co.uk/2010/12/sewing-with-children.html

Well in D&T last term our topic was SLIPPERS. Now I've never made a pair of slippers, but actually this was a really fun topic and my kids absolutely loved doing it. They all used the same basic template and materials but the rest of the design was totally up to them. I'm so proud of what they have achieved and thought I'd share some of them with you. How funky are these slippers? 

The first pair of slippers to be finished...

Little love hearts.

Meticulously sewn flowers with great attention to detail

Shame I didn't get a clear photo but pompoms on white flowers - FABULOUS!

CUTE little dog faces on these - with ears and sticking-out tongues!

Cute! Teddy bear faces...

I LOVE the monster feet!

So what do you think? I think I have some very talented children in my class. And I should point out that the first and last pairs are being modelled by the boys that made them. Who said that sewing is for girls?