Wool tidy

If you're reading this blog post its well within the realms of possibility that you are also a wool addict. I'm just potty about crocheting and when people realise that they often donate generous scraps from their bygone knitting projects of yesteryear, to help me in my little crochet accessories business.

To the well trained eye you may be underwhelmed by the quantity of wool here but remember my projects are only a few centimetres big so this really is a mammoth collection for me to crochet into little flowers and creatures so I really am grateful to be the proud owner of such a sumptuous feast of colour and texture.

So tonight I had a big sort out. With a spare shelf in our Ikea storage cabinet and a few left over cocoa drums from my husbands café, I have restored some order for the time being. 

Here. Have a peek...

Spring is in the (h) air

I have been really busy today creating lots of pretty little hair-slides to sell at Oldfield Park Infant School's first ever Easter Craft Fair. The fair is taking place on the 13th April from 10am until 12 noon. To go to the school's website for directions to the school click here.

Blue bunnies for a baby boy

A few months ago I was commissioned to make a baby present for a little boy (who has not yet been born but is due to be born at the end of March).

Facts I had for the growing family

1) they are expecting a boy 2) baby is due in Spring time 3) baby's bedding for his cot is already purchased; patterned with little blue rabbits 4) mum-to-be owns a real life house bunny of her own.

So naturally I set about planning a bunny themed gift.

Here it is, freshly finished and photographed this morning.

I have been careful to make sure that there are no buttons that could be pulled off by tiny fingers or accidentally swallowed by tiny mouths. 

Tomorrow I will send it hopping off via Royal Mail from Bath to Newcastle. I hope baby will be pleased with it when he arrives into the world any time now.

I am itching to try some more little critters. I think cute, little giraffes might be on the agenda! So watch this space...

Pricing 

The five rabbits alone took over an hour each to crochet, assemble and decorate, so I would sell this kind of specially commissioned mobile for £45. If you would like one - or if you'd like a smaller one for a smaller price - get in touch via the 'contact me' page of my website - click here to go there now.

If you would like to use these pictures for anything you are really welcome to, but please do link back to my blog/website and mention me. Thank you kindly.

Here is a picture of a little basket that I have made out of parcel string. Doesn't it look cute?! It is only small but I have filled mine to the brim with silver brooch backs that I use all of the time when I am making my flower brooches. 

Little parcel string basket looking out of the window, what can you see?

I am going to start selling these string baskets soon for just £5 each (or a set of 3 for £13.50). This is a bargain as they take a bit longer than crocheting with wool as the string is slightly more strenuous a fabric to work with - but at least I will have toned arms by the time I've crocheted a few more of these!

If you would like to use this picture in your blog etc. you are really welcome to, but please do link it back to www.theflowermill.weebly.com. Thank you kindly.

Crocheting a small "blankie"

A friend of mine gave me an idea to crochet a simple square and attach a little amigurumi animal to one corner as a really lovely hand-made baby gift.

Here it is, a work in progress.

The square is trebble-crocheted in white cotton and the pink border is a simple scallop stitch running all of the way round in a pink cotton.

I chose to use cotton instead of wool because I wanted it to be really neat (and I thought wool is slightly less suck-proof for a baby) and I ironed it to add to that crisp look.

I'm still undecided on which little animal to crochet in the corner. Will post a pic when it's finished.

Craft fair stall ideas

I always like to have an eye out for unusual vintage objects to hang my crocheted pretties from at craft fairs.

Here is a photo list of four pretty ideas that I've stumbled across on the web.

Lace across a frame by
Natty Cooper-Hall

Really simple but cute heart brooch display
by http://aubreylynnsrnec.blogspot.ca/

Brooch display by http://mamiejanes.blogspot.co.uk
I would love to have a go at making this with balls of wool!

A pretty way to hang brooches
by http://www.etsy.com/shop/sewlola

Baby mobile inspiration

I have decided to make a baby mobile for a customer who has a budget of around £40. I have been pinning together a moodboard on my pinterest page. Below you can see a few of the pictures that have caught my eye. These are so cute and exquisitely crocheted. I particularly love the weather ideas.  

by FizzPopBang on Flickr

by Proud Child Crochet Boutique on Etsy

by Carolina Guzman on Ravelry

To view more beautiful baby mobile ideas visit my mood board by clicking here and to see my finished baby mobile that was inspired by these click here.