Craft-a-presents

Hello! It's me! I'm back finally. Woo!
I've had a lot going on during the last few months that have kept me away from the bloggy (mostly holidays/vacations) but I am back in freezing New York so can show you all that I have still been crafting. Don't. Worry.

First up, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 2 months late is better than never, right? I hope everyone had a fantastic time and is still keeping to their NYs resolutions. I am not :/

I spent the holidays with my friend-family in London, England. What up, Bow? Many good times were had and lots of cute gifts exchanged.

Here is my contribution:

First up, many, many reusable crocheted cotton grocery bags!


I love this pattern, it is super quick and easy to do while commuting. Pattern here from Purl. I actually made more than are in the photo, but you get the idea.


I like that the straps are long so you can sling it over your shoulder. Particularly good in NY if you live more that a couple of blocks from the Supermarket. Like me.


I have one to send to NZ that I forgot to give while I was there, (sorry K!) and then I am going to experiment with some multi coloured ones for myself. All were made with machine washable cotton.

Next we have the cowls:

The first I made for myself as a test, as I didn't have a pattern but I thought I could visualize what I wanted. Made with one skein of Brown Sheep's Burly Spun in "Lemon Drop". Sorry about the blurry picture!


It is super warm and just what I wanted. Let me know if you want the pattern. I was inspired by this picture from (I think) The Sartorialist.


Since the yellow one turned out quite well, I made two more for gifts, out of Lamb's Pride Bulky from my stash. Colours, Emerald City and Mystic Blue.



Next we have a Gold trimmed lace scarf/wrap for someone I owed 2x Christmas presents AND a birthday present. Let's call her C.


To make this I got a yard/metre of lace from Mood Fabrics (Thank you, Mood!) and edged it in gold, with a couple of rows of single crochet, then a final round with loops to create a picot-ish edge.


And here is C modelling it! Yay!


Next is the Brighton Cowl for my Mother:


Pattern on Ravelry here.


I almost got this done with one skein of Cascade 220 Heathers in Mallard (2448), but I ran out with 3 motifs to go. An-noying.


My favourite part of lace scarfs is how pretty they look when blocking.


And last but not least is the Felt Cushion Cover I made for my bro.


It doesn't look it but its made of Navy Wool felt and I basically made up the stitch pattern in some different contrasting colours to make it more interesting.


Super easy if you try it yourself!

Ahhhhhh and that is it for now. I will be back more regularly I promise with some more pretty pictures later.

xxx

Embroidery Frame Finishing

This is for bk. The way I finish my embroidery frames is probably not the way you are supposed to do it, but it seemed like the easiest way to me. I leave a wide edge around the frame and sew the edges acros the back of the frame until they are all secure and lying flat.

Like this:




Once it looks like a spiderweb, I tie it off and it's done. This way I figure it won't be too difficult to get the canvas off if I ever need to, and also it won't slip even if the outer frame does.

Hope this helps bk!

Mumma and Bubba

My good friend R had a gorgeous baby a few weeks ago named Lucia. This is super exciting as she is the first baby among my group of friends, and boy is she cute. Unfortunately I won't get to see her until I am home in New Zealand next January, so in lieu of actually attending the baby shower and visiting her in person I made and sent some custom swaddling cloths from some gorgeous fabrics I found at Purl Patchwork.



The pattern is actually from Purlbee.com (Purl Soho's blog). You can view it here.

I chose some soft double cotton gauze and shot cotton to make a matching set of three. All fabrics are Kokka I think.





The back fabrics were all double shot cotton, in complementing colours. And then I added a running stitch around the edge of each cloth to tie it all together.


They are super easy to make and feel nice and soft, perfect for babies born at the beginning of southern-hemisphere Summer, like Lucia.

If you are not familiar with swaddling (and I wasn't before I saw the pattern) here is a how to video:



Of course I was super late with R's birthday present as well (January) so I popped a blue scarf in the package as well.


A tried and true pattern at this point.



Yay babies!

Oh Dolly

Behold. My first embroidered portrait:


In case you can't tell (from the quite dark photo), it is the one and only Dolly Parton.

A friend, Z requested an embroidered bag for her birthday (which was in March!!), so as I was SO late I decided to capture her favourite diva in stitches.

Started with sewing a simple drawstring bag...


Decided on a portrait to copy


Traced the portrait with a pencil


Went over the pencil with a thin sharpie felt pen. Put the pen drawing inside the bag so I could trace it with disappearing fabric pen


And started stitching that pretty face


What do you think? Did I capture her likeness?


Here is is all finished and ready to be wrapped.


Further Dolly enjoyment below...

Autumn Nails

Some more nail colours I have been trying...

Turquoise


Mauve


Lavender


I currently have this colour on my hands


And this colour on my toes.


Next time, who knows! Maybe I'll go back to my old Autmn fave Navy...

Embroidery Wall

I finished the last few frames for my embroidery wall...




Which is now in place in my bathroom, yay!


All patterns from Sublime Stitching
Hoops and most of the material from Purl Patchwork

Brides and Feathers

Wow. It's been a while huh? My bad, I hope you have all been ok without my in-frequent posts. I have been super busy and also went for a much needed holiday to Tuscany (via London) for a friends wedding. Oh god it was good. Beautiful setting, beautiful ceremony, beautiful couple.

Before I left I asked the bride if there was anything I could help with, and she asked if I could make her something to wear in her hair. I freaked out, but of course I agreed. I don't have much experience making things for the hair but I knew I had enough time to learn.

So after a few emails back and forwards we decided on a blue feather number (no peacock!) with some sparkly bits thrown in to tie it to the dress. The whole wedding had a vintage 1920's theme, and K's dress was an original flapper dress from the era.

Below is the final product:


K was such a relaxed bride that she put all her trust in my judgement and said that she was sure I would make something great. Awww, so nice. Me being based in New York, Kate in London and the wedding in Tuscany meant that she didn't see it until the day before the wedding (eeek!), but she loved it in the end and it looked great.

Here is Kate and I at the post-ceremony cocktail hour (first face photo of me on the site *gasp*).


So pretty right?

I was a LITTLE bit paranoid about K not liking the blue headpiece so I made a back up, based on a picture of a ban-do headband K had sent me.


And here is me wearing it:


K liked this one to, but in the end the blue one won out.

Site Update

Just letting you know two (hopefully) exciting things:

1. You can now access this blog via www.gauzecelebre.com (or drop the 'www' if you like)

2. Comments are back! I'm still moderating though. Sorry I didn't realize they had gone.

As you were.

500 Pencils

Why is it that when I am super broke, or saving for something really important, I see something awesome but completely non-essential and then am consumed by it, until it is mine?

Case in point: 500 Pencils from Social Designer


A subscription to receive the above set of 500 pencils in sets of 25 per month for 20 months. You can even buy (or subscribe to) the awesome display cases above and below, and display them like art. Awe. Some.


I am only mildly less excited about these pencils as a 27 year old that I would have been 20 years ago.

Some things just never go out of style.

PS: No I haven't succumbed... yet. Let me know if you do!

Sneak Peek...

Here is a sneak peek at the two newest additions to the embroidered hoop collection I am trying to get going. I whipped these up the other weekend while watching a True Blood marathon (best ever).


Both patterns from Sublime Stitching

I made...

... a new pillow out of some yellow felt squares I got at Purl Patchwork.

I think I am going to make another perhaps in grey and then add a grey blanket stitch around the edge of the yellow one, and a yellow edging to the grey.


Hanging out on the couch with big silver.


What do you think? Better plain or shall I add the border?