gsm zakjes - mobile phone covers

Last week I gave a workshop in a school.  The school organised 2 days of 'arts and crafts'.  The pupils could follow workshops and get a taste of many different subjects : from streetdance to calligraphy and pencil drawing to knitting and crochet...    That last part was for me.  I thought a lot about what little project would they like to make.  I ended up with cell phone covers.  It's easy, straightforward knitting, and feasable in just a couple of hours.  The age group was 15 - 17 years, so they would all have a mobile phone. 

I had 2 groups, and we had a good time.  It's funny : what is so easy to me, can be so difficult to somebody else.  Some were quick learners and finished the cover during the workshop, some needed a bit of help and I finished their cover at home.  The kids made me smile : the way some of them handled the knitting needles was hilarious. There even was a boy who invented a whole new technique !  And there were kids who took it very seriously, and who were proud about the knitting they could show at home !

Anyway, I had a good time, and I think they did too.  One of the pupils took pictures with his camera, but I haven't received them yet.  I will post them as soon as I get them on email.

What also amazed me, was the size (and price)  of their mobile phones.  I saw a lot of smart phones, LG cookies are popular amongst the young, and the apple stuff they have is amazing.  I have a plain ordinary Nokia, I use just as a phone.  Texting a message I find annoying, all those small buttons....  I am definately from an older generation....

These are the covers they made :

they chose nice funky colours

a lot of inspiration, a lot of designs

The boys went for the darker colours

All phones have different sizes.

Some are knitted, some are crocheted

another teddybear from Libelle

Last week I bought the little book with patterns of toy animals that came with Libelle,  and I tried the teddybear pattern.  It's very easy knitting, well ewplained and lots of fun putting everything together.  I used some left over wool that changed colour.  That's why the bear has a darker head and lighter body.  I also added a little scarf in flashy colours because I thought he needed something extra. 
To be honest, I really like the face, but the body is too round.  When I compare it to the other bear I knitted, I rather prefer his body.  Also, the dark one can move his arms and legs because of the cunning way they are assembled.  This one can only sit up when you put him against something.
So that means I will have to knit a third bear, using the head of this one and the body of the other one and see if that will be the perfect teddy.

How do you do ? 

I like the ears, and the nose is more pronounced

Don't you agree this body is better ?

chocolate muffins

Today I was babysitting.  My colleague Katrien was desperate for somebody to take care of her daughter for a couple of hours.  So I volunteered.  I was a bit anxious : what does a little girl of 2 years like to do ?  I completely forgot what my boys did when they were 2.  Probably playing with their little cars or fighting over the lego blocks.  But a girl ?   When she arrived I let her play with some wool.    Great idea : she was happy to play with a crochet hook and pluck the whole ball inside out.  Later, we tried to bake some nice chocolate muffins.  She did the stirring, and the tasting.  this is a picture of Falone, enjoying a chocolate muffin, with a chocolate mustache as a result.    When her mama came to pick her up, she kinda liked to stay a little longer.   Maybe another day.  I'm beginning to think about grandchildren soon.....

muffins with whocolate glazing

Yummy !

these cookies are great....

I love chocolate !

brei je speelgoeddieren met Libelle

Ocaasionally I like to read a good magazine.  And when I was at the newspaper shop today, I noticed that Libelle was available with a little book 'knitting your own toy animals'.  I couldn't resist, and bought it.  Now I am leafing through the pages, and they are really wonderful.  Easy too, I think.  There's a snake,  mouse, a frog, some cute rabbits and many more.  Just wanted to let you now.  Only available this week....


By the way, you know I'm longing for spring and a bit of sunshine.  Yesterday evening our weatherforecast for Belgium talked about.....   SNOW !!!!  for next week.   I'm going to cry........

teapot cover

Last week, when I was ill the doctor told me to drink a lot of tea with honey.  I love tea, so that was not a problem.  Tea should be hot and sweet, that 's how I like it best.  But I sip my tea slowly, and hate it when it gets cold...   so that was the problem : my old teapot was in need of a little jacket to help him keep my tea warm. 
 I looked through my stash and found 3 colours that matched and I started to crochet in the granny-style way.  I started up at the lid, and increased and then decreased, leaving an opening and finishing with a bow. 
This is the result :

no more cold tea for me !

Green tea with lemon is my favorite at the moment.

easy to remove : just undo the bow at the bottom

spring is in the air

Everywhere you look, there is a little green.  Daffodils are preparing to bloom, tulips are for sale in the shops, in many lovely colours.  Even in the supermarket you can buy bulbs already prepared to bloom indoors.  And yes, I have surrendered.  Here's what I bought.

I put the bulbs in glasses and arranged them together in a little basket.  The doily is handmade bobbin lace, that I bought in a jumble sale last summer for only a few cents. I'm a lacemaker too, and after 5 years of practice I can call myself a true beginner  ;-)   I'm sure the person who made this one spent many hours making it.  The technique is called 'Brugs bloemwerk' or 'flowerlace of Bruges'.

I love the colours and the smell of the hyacinths is divine...

knitting a teddy bear

This is the worst periode of the year to me.  Those long, last days of winter, still cold and wet, and I'm craving for a bit of sunshine.  And just like every year around this periode, I've been ill.  That little influenza virus has made me stay in bed with a bad fever.  I'm better now, but still feel as if my batteries need recharging badly.  Unfortunately the doctor didn't prescribe me a fortnight of sunshine on Tenerife.    I know it's wishful thinking, but don't you wish that he could ? 
Anyway, the world doesn't stop turning because I'm ill, and I've spent quite some time reading all your blogs and the lovely projects you all made have really cheered me up.
I haven't been doing much, just a couple of small knitting projects to use up some stash.  
Here they are :

Am I a snowman or a snow bird ? 

I'm not quite sure.  But I am cute !

I found a pattern for a knitted teddybear

Yes, I can stand up !

I'm a nice fellow, with a friendly face and easy to make !