Stashbuster

Last year I made these coasters as a Christmas present for a relative.
I used a skein of variegated bulky yarn from my stash. I can't remember the brand or any other specifics (sorry...), but I loved  the colours and the feel of it. I thought this yarn to be perfect for a couple of coasters. So I went looking for a fun stitch I could use and found what I was looking for in 'ons breiboek'. This Belgian reference work holds lots of information and patterns. However, since I get most of my patterns and manuals from English books, magazines and websites, I find the Flemish terminology sometimes confusing. that's probably a bit odd, Flemish being my mother tongue...
I completed my gift with some straw ribbing and a snowflake pendant. Happy with it ! (and it was well received, luckily!)

Japie Apie

This is Japie Apie, my sock monkey. He is a bit scruffy and old (he is actually made of a pair of very old socks...), but I love him dearly! I used the pattern from the magazine Handmade Christmas 2013 (p.98). It was a lot of sewing small pieces together, a bit fiddly, but I did it whilst listening to a couple of knitting podcasts, so time well spent!
As I said I used a pair of actually worn socks. In books and magazines you encounter lots of these sock animals made of new socks. I like the idea of giving a worthless object (like my socks) a new life... et voilà, Japie Apie now watches over me while I am working on some or other project. There is always room for one more, no? AND he spreads the good words "be silly, be honest, be kind" !!

In the beginning...there was a cowl...

A few years ago, I had some time on my hands and being in a bit of a gloomy mood, I thought it would be a good idea to start some kind of easy crafting project. I bought a ball of bulky yarn (Patons fab big colour acrylic) and knitted the cowl according to the pattern I got with the yarn.
I liked it! it was a fun, easy and fast project and I was superproud to wear a piece of clothing I made myself. And the whole process did wonders to my mood!
Since then, I became a bit more critical about the yarn I use (not so much in love with acrylic yarn anymore...) but I still love this first knitting project, for it was more or less the beginning of a lot more happiness!
that is why I chose this first project as my first blogpost.

Welcome !

I have always been making things, being creative, if possible with nice results... :-)
This blog is meant to be a kind of tool, an archive for myself.
I want to learn and explore, become better at my crafts and find new ones I might also love. I sincerely try to be a conscious crafter.
If you like my makings, my posts, please leave a comment, I would like that. Suggestions are also greatly appreciated!
Anyway, welcome to my happy things!
Miss Woolple