A Letter from the Tooth Fairy

It’s finally happened… we’ve been waiting aaaages. At last, after weeks of wobbling, it's come out -  the first tooth.

Already six and one of the oldest in the class, yet one of the last to start losing her baby teeth. It’s made me feel a little sad - she’s growing up - far too quickly if you ask me. But just look at that that little happy, gappy smile. 

So here I am - with a tooth. 

I had to ask around for the going Tooth Fairy rate (thanks mums), and it got me thinking of how it was when I was a kid. The idea of a fairy taking away my old tooth ….for money, was magic on so many levels.

I thought I’d do a little embellishing..the sort of thing I would’ve loved. A letter from the Tooth Fairy…a 21st century tooth fairy of course. A modern day, urban tooth fairy who likes a bit of skateboarding as much as she likes her glitter. A fairy who's not really that much into pink and isn't afraid to get a bit messy sometimes … and I thought it’d be nice to share with anyone else who lost a tooth this weekend. 

I’ve drawn up and made a little printable - a letter from the Tooth Fairy… complete with envelope. I've included pdfs which can be the saved as a an image file and placed it into a program of your choice (e.g. Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, or an online photo editing site). Write your message, print and cut it out, fold and stick where necessary. I've provided full instructions on how to add text, plus an example of what the tooth fairy might write - optional of course. You can print it using one of the many quirky, fairy-style fonts out there, or even handwrite it for that lovely personal touch. Blond, brunette - you get to choose. Plus you get to use it again and again - just change the message each time. Easy peasy.

You can even make it 'Fairy size

Let’s make the most of the magic, eh…. while it’s still around…..it doesn’t last long.

                                    Get your customisable Tooth Fairy Letter HERE  

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Happy Galentines Day

I'm loving the new February 14th concept that is Galentines Day. (Boys, you need one too).

It's great to hear of all those single.. and not-single girls getting together to have fun on a night that's been well and truly hijacked by couples. It's about time, I say.

It's a while since I last did a granny square project - so, with Valentines(Galentines) day on the horizon, I've been on the lookout for a nice 'heart' version of the the granny square. There's loads of them out there, but nothing quite matched what I was looking for. 

I decided to do my own - I wanted it to be slick (well, as much as hand-crafted can be), well-defined - and I wanted it to glow. Here's what I've got so far.

Sadly, I've written no pattern as yet, -  life's been getting in the way of blogging lately. I will post one hopefully in the not too distant future. 

But for now..... wishing you...

Love, in whatever shape or form.... X

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Graduated Stripe Buggy Blanket

Another new baby in the 'hood….a boy.  

Seems that there are lots of boys being born round here at the moment. 

Means only one thing....

...yep, another blanket.  

This time I had hardily any time to whip one up. 

Wait.... I really shouldn't say that - handmade items are NEVER 'just whipped up'. 

So a nice simple stitch in an easy to do and contemporary graduated stripe. This can be made in any DK yarn. I used Stylecraft Life DK in classic, but not traditional baby colours. It is one of my favourite wool mix yarns and has a real quality soft feel. What's more it washes and wears well and doesn't break the bank. 

 Cream, Fern and Blue Haze - Perfect for a boy ….or a girl.

This is a great project for beginners.
I've made an easy to follow pattern with a chart for those more visually inclined, plus a guide to the graduated stripe pattern.
You can get it HERE

US Version
UK Version

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New Year, New Bunny.... well sort of

Oh the thing us parents have to do.

I thought I'd start the new year - not with a pattern - but with a story of regeneration, and of what is possible when you think all is lost... sometimes. 

Meet Pop-pop. Yes, I'll admit the name's a little quirky, but she was given it by a 1 year old that had a pretty limited vocab at the time.

Fast forward 5 years...... that floppy little bunny has become a major part of our family. I can safely say that it's my daughters favourite cuddly toy. She will not travel or go to sleep without it.. and we kind of love it as much.

But would you just look at the state of her! Shabby, covered in holes - I'd darned her countless times - I'd even darned the darned bits - those holes were now just too big to darn. And terminally grubby - as much as I was keen to give her her regular spin in the washing machine it was a safe bet that she was likely to just fall apart. 

Buying a new one just wouldn't have cut it. We'd never have been able to replace the old Pop-pop. Drastic measures were what was required here - this bunny needed a skin transplant. Could we rebuild her?

Only one way to find out.

 I got to work with my trusty tools and an old minky hoodie that no longer fitted…

took a copy of her body parts….

 made them into a pattern, 

and bit... 

 by bit…

gave her a bit of a makeover…

Some bits I could sew together by machine but it was mainly hand stitching. The eye and nose area had to be care fully cut away and stitched back so she still has the same ol' features.

It took ages... but oh was it worth it.

Ta da! Good as new. A brand new Pop-pop....

and a very happy, little girl.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

XXX

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Merry Christmas 2014

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas

Best Wishes

thredHED

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Here Comes Christmas...... Fluoro Flakes

Did anyone just mention Christmas?..... Yes it's nearly here..... and, believe it or not,  I'm pretty organised this year, for a change.... At least i think I am.

Just one little thing though - my tree's looking a bit bare... still. Every year i try to make new ornaments for it, but this year I've been too busy getting organised.

 I needed to give it a quick boost.

 Here's what I came up with....

... a slightly different twist on the crochet snowflake that, let's face it, is everywhere these days. 

This one is has a more modern, slightly 'Scandi meets Conran Shop" inspired twist and instead of traditional white is, yes, you guessed it.....fluoro. 

It still has that handmade quality and sits nice and quirkily on a real tree but also works with something more contemporary.  

Nice and simple, and those colours are fab. Crochets up in just two rounds. You can make a good few of them in one evening, easy peasy - and it's still not too late. As a special Christmas treat I've included a free pattern.

 HERE's how to make them.

Happy decorating.

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A Letter to Santa

Christmas seems to be so much more fun with children around. They're coming home from school with cotton wool snowmen and cut out snowflakes. They're practising their Christmas songs and learning lines for the nativity. Their latest favourite read is the Argos catalogue (why oh why did I pick one of those up?) and every trip to the shopping centre needs a plan for avoiding the Disney shop. Those little ones are getting excited.

I'm very conscious and a little sad that those years of magic are very fleeting so I'm determined to make the best of them. Perhaps in a way, I'm  wanting to relive the the magic I remember from my own childhood. Of course I also learnt the true meaning of christmas and our kids will too, but in the meantime there's no reason why it can't be fun.

I thought it would be nice to make a printable. A letter to Santa... in its own special envelope.  Nothing pre-written, chances are they can write their own now - at least with some help from mum or dad. I've provided some lines, but hopefully that's all the help they need...

Just watch them fill up that space in no time.

I wanted to share this as a printable download - in case you might like to do it too.

If you follow the link at the end you can download the 2 page PDF. You may reduce or enlarge as required by changing the details in the 'scale box in the print menu.

Print and cut out on A4 (portrait setting).  Fold the envelope (it's easy to see where) and stick down. 

It will need to be sealed with glue - my daughter was a little disappointed when she licked the top and it wouldn't stick, bless her - never mind....  no big deal. 

We (with an adult of course) put ours on the open fire, and sent it up the chimney... or you could do THIS

If you do decide to send it in the post, don't forget to include a stamped addressed envelope if you want a reply.

Get The free printable download by clicking HERE


This is for personal use only. It must not be re-sold or used for commercial purposes.
For all permissions please contact
thredhed@btinternet.com

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Draughtbusters

We're hunkering down for the winter here in London... and it's getting cold... so I thought I'd share this. In these times of saving energy, colossal heating bills and (still, despite what people are saying) austerity. Someone somewhere may find it useful....

Have you seen the gaps underneath our doors?

I mean... seriously.... Look at them.

Gaping, draught-beckoning, under-door, wind-tunnelling, chasms.

.... Kind of needed to sort this.

I have a small stash of fake fur that I've had for years. nice stuff that is destined to become, one day, the most gorgeous coat - but in the meantime, there's just about enough of it to spare for a more pressing little project to keep out those breezes.

So off to Jewsons I go for some pipe insulation (all will become clear - I promise). Love it there - shopping with all those builders - surreal.

So what do you do with a pile of fake fur and pipe insulation?

Here's what. This is an idea I got from lovely blog Living a Slow and Simple Life . A fab draught excluder that slides snugly underneath your door - and (this is the important bit) stays there. It moves with your door. No getting in the way. No having to put it back in place. 

And you know what - what a difference.

So snug that when you open the door you're practically blown off your feet. Ok.... so I exaggerate, but trust me - it works, and particularly well with wooden floors. Our living room has never been so toasty. You needn't use expensive fake fur. Fun fur, fleece, velour, velboa, minky or even just some unused fabric would be just as good, and for a room with a floor covering like carpet, a fabric with no pile, like cotton canvas, would be the best option.

It's important for the environment and for our pockets that we try to conserve as much heat and waste as little energy as possible these days so this is a great idea. It's easy to make and works out pretty cheap. With the most basic of sewing skills and couple of hours you could do some serious draught busting. 

Click HERE for instructions.

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For Mums

It's Mothers day again over here in the Uk. I can't believe it's come round again. How time flies. 

Big bunches of flowers, lovely handmade cards from the little ones, having breakfast in bed or lunch down the pub - it's all going on in this part of the world today.

But let's spare a thought for those who don't have mums - for whom Mothers Day is not an easy one. 
I'm dedicating this post to the mums who are no longer with us, for whatever reason.

Lets not make too much of a big deal of Mother's day, as nice as it is for some. Let's just appreciate the mums we have -  everyday. 

In the meantime, to all you mums out there, Happy Mothers Day.

Crochet Iris by thredHED. Rainbow flower by Iris. Keep watching, pattern to follow.

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Hearts - not just for Lovers.

It's nice to take time to appreciate those you love but, let's be honest, Valentines day is not everyones cup of tea. Red Roses, Chocolate Hearts, or candle-lit dinners - been there, done that, have come out the other end - now totally indifferent…….  so I'm not going to go on about love… or romance. 

Having said that, I do love the paraphernalia…. but that can be just as much fun without all the sugary stuff. 

So for those of you who are…, or who are not, doing Valentines Day, for whatever reason…. but like the odd heart or two, here's a nice little project .

 'Crochet hearts', I hear you say, 'they're everywhere'. 

Yes' that's true and they look great - but I wanted to push  it further and make something extra pretty and, in true thredHED style, 

... a little bit useful.

These little lights instantly perk up a dark corner and look pretty at the same time. Made from crocheted hearts, sewn together and reinforced to make little filigree shades for a chain of LED fairy lights (and I must stress LOW VOLTAGE LED). Use can use any fibre yarn - it's great for using up your stash.

They can be red and racy, hot pink, or muted pastels for that vintage look….or why not mix 'em up. Which ever way you choose they do look nice…. and if you like a bit of crochet you can make them.  Here's how - for a limited period of time, my pattern and instructions are free to download to all fans of my thredHED face book page. 

Click to get it HERE  

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Gifts for the boys….Tidy Bag

There's nothing nicer than a handmade gift. I love 'em. But Boys?….. simple handmade gifts for boys (and by that I mean men) - now, that's a tricky one, especially with the men I know. They seem to be much more discerning, more fussy than any girl. They totally get the handmade thing but with them there seems to be no messing -  they want stuff that is either really cool or really practical.

Ok. BIG birthday challenge of the above kind. Thankfully I had a small amount of this  great Riley Blake cassette-print cotton fabric.

I picked it up on a visit to friends and family in Bristol, UK from the most fabulous craft shop Flo Jo Boutique. Well worth a visit if you live in or are visiting the area. It sells  all manner of gorgeous printed fabrics, and holds some great classes and workshops - check it out.

I decided to keep it very simple with these lovely little Tidy Bags. Great for keeping their shoes/trainers or undies in when travelling, or just for great-looking, handy hanging bathroom/bedroom storage. Half a metre will give you a couple or if you have more fabric you can make as many as you like. How about a variety of sizes. You can change the size and proportions - the making process is still the same. I think an extra large one would make a great laundry bag. Perfect  - and not just for the boys - I know plenty of girls who would love it too.

They're easy to make - a good project, particularly if you're new to sewing. It's made using 'French Seams', so it will be nicely-finished and good quality. I've put together an easy to follow tutorial.

You Can find it HERE. 

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New Year, New Arrivals, New variation - Stripey Chukkas

A little something for the New Year new arrivals.

 Two new versions of my Little Chukka boot…. in stripe. I've been dying to try a stripey version of these. Knitted in two rows of each colour - a nice stripe width, it's also easy to change colour without floating yarn or finishing off. You may need to juggle the colour variations slightly depending on the size you make.

We've still got plenty of cold weather to come before the spring, so this makes a great gift.

You can find the pattern HERE.

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More Stashbusting - Modern Patchwork

Here I am again, sorting through my stash, not wanting to throw away these scraps of fabric. It just seems so wasteful.

Time for another project….. some modern patchwork. As lovely as traditional patchwork is, it takes on a whole new lease of life when we bring in right up into the digital age. "How do you do that?", I hear you ask…….

…….PIXELS

1. Pixel Ice-cream Plimsols, 2 & 3. AIE Fashion, 4. 3 Rings, 5. Avant Garden, 6. Socialphy

These graphic inspired textiles are currently all over the blogosphere, and are crying out to be made up as modern patchwork.

I decided to stick with something pretty simple - a cushion comprising of 9 rows of 9 squares, 81 squares in total. 

For anyone who'd like to give this a go HERE's what I did. 

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