knitted toys - christian the lion

During summer, there are lots of garage sales and open air flea markets in my little part of the world. I like to walk around, finding old stuff thinking 'oh yes, my mum had one like those' or didn't granma have a vase like that ? Sometimes you find objects that are mysterious, and I love to listen to the explications and stories behind. 
I don't spend a lot of money, and enjoy a sunny afternoon among crazy stuff.  I had to promise my husband that I would not (NOT) buy any wool,  but he never mentionned knitted toys. When I come across knitted toys, preferably old ones that have been used, I find them irrisitable. 

So, when Karin (my bear making friend) asked me if I was interested in an old lion, only one reply was possible : Yes !  As I already have an old lion walking about the place, another one sure was welcome.

She offered me the most gorgeous knitted toy ever.  I've been looking at it for some days now, with a huge smile on my face.  The thing has a positive feel about it, it's soft, the colours are soooo 70ies, and I love the way his manes are crocheted around his head, and that long tail with a funny tassel.
I have named him Christian as a tribute to the real 'Christian the Lion'.

( If you don't know him, check out his story here on Youtube !)

fimo necklace

I was leafing through a new book at the bookstore, and found the picture of a fimo doll, made into a necklace.  She's so cute, I couldn't wait to get home and make one for me.

fimo combined with beads

she's got a funny face

I used old lace to press a pattern on the dress

I kinda liked using fimo and beads, it's nice to combine and makes the whole thing more playful.
The little shoes and the handbag are super cute.  She's hanging on a leather string, that runs through her head.

This is my prototype, I'm quite pleased with it.  A second one is nearly finished, I used a bit more colour.  Pics are following soon.

color affection

I'm amazed (and a bit ashamed) how long it was since I put a new post on my blog.  September is a very busy month, with  the school starting up again.  But I have been in a creative mood as well, so a few new things happened. 
I started knitting the famous 'Color affection' shawl that I saw on Ravelry.  It is so beautiful, I immediately wanted one too.

I chose the lace yarn by Rowan, in petrol blue, mint green and darker green. 

I finished it yesterday, and blocked it this morning. This is the result :

it is a see-through shawl

autumn orange accent

you can wrap it around you in many ways

it is huge....

more potholders

The weather isn't very nice today, so I stayed in and  had a go at a pattern I came accross in blogland to make a crochet mandala.  I turned the mandala into a potholder.

black goes well in my kitchen.

The pattern is wonderful : it's not just crochet for dummies, but it requires some thinking and it has some pretty 'weird-effect-stiches' incorporated.  And the result is therefore something to be proud of - it was challenging.

I used some leftover cotton, made 4 (because I want double potholders),  and I added a little loop so I could hang them on a hook.

A big thank you to Jeanet from 'Blij-dat-ik-brei' for inspiring me with all the great projects she finds in blogland, and also thanks to the original designer Barbara from Made-in-k-town for sharing the pattern !

these are Jeanet's work

the originals from Barbara with an excellent tutorial

felting

There is a lot more you can do with wool than knitting.  I was about to learn this at the 3-days workshop given by Mieke Recour.
We worked really hard at felting, it is quite intensive to make the wool change into felt.  You have to start very gently, but then just hit it, throw it around, slap it, get all your frustration out of your body, and the result is simply beautiful !
We could chose what to make, and as I'm not a scarf person, I made a few necklaces.
I love them, they are very light to wear, and I made them into the colours that fit my clothes.

earring made of silk cocons, handpainted

felted wool in spiral technique

plain felt ovals, but I love the colours

silk ribbons

handpainted, they were white when we started

needle felted rose

the only scarf I made : silk cut in fine strings

silk flowers on a felted base

silk is all handpainted

I'm quite proud of this one.

love those colours !

and here are some pics of the workshop itself :

Mieke explaining carefully what we can do

I love this necklace she made !

She has her own working place, an 'atelier'

silk ribbons painted in matching colours

lunch is served in the garden !

the spiral one and his secret : a plain plastic tube

Claire is making one too

Karin is making a book cover

ready to finish, or should I add more stuff ?

trial and error ?

look at that lovely stash of wool in the background....

Claire busy making her bookcover

it involved ironing, in this heat !

finishing the necklaces

I really enjoyed this 3 days.  Mieke is thinking of organising 'free ateliers' , that means you can come and join her in her atelier in De Haan, use all the material she has (and pay for it of course) - and she will help you when you have a problem or want to turn an idea into a scarf or necklace or handbag or anything.  She is a very good teacher, patient, friendly and empathic.  Check out her website for more info !

Brioche, the bread.

 Another recipe...

I was cleaning out my kichen cupboard and look what I found, hidden away in a far corner :

Now, doesn't that call for a brioche bread ?

Here's my recipe : (in het Nederlands zie onderaan)

Mix 250 gr flour ( I used half self-raising and half plain flour) with 5 gr of dry yeast (half a pack) Add 3 spoonfuls of milk and  2 spoonfuls of tepid water.
Knead for a minute and then add 15 gr of sugar, 5 gr of salt and 1 or 2 eggs.  (the dough mustn't be too humid)  Knead for a while and then add 100 gr of butter (divide the butter in 3 lumps and add them in 3 times) Knead until all the butter has dissapeared.
Add some flour if necessary, the dough must form a ball.  If you're doing it in a kitchenaid thingy, let it knead for about 6 minutes, on medium to slow.

Make a ball, and let it rise for an hour.  You can put it in the mould immediately, but be sure to spray some baking fat in the mould first. Cover it with a clean towel, so that it doesn't dry out.

for brioche, make a small ball of dough

and put it on top of the big ball

now put it in the mould, and let it rise

When it has risen, brush some egg yolk over the top, so that it will have a nice golden colour.

Bake in an oven for 35 minutes on 200 °C.
Put a little bowl on the bottom of your oven, filled with some water.  it will make the brioche crusty and light.
We had it for breakfast, with some fresh made strawberry jam.... mmmm....

And in Dutch / in het Nederlands :

250 gr. bloem, half pakje gedroogde gist, 3 eetl.lauwe melk, 2 eetl.lauw water, 5 gr. zout, 15 gr. suiker, 1 à 2 eieren, 100 gr. roomboter.
 Meng in een kom de bloem met de gist, voeg dan het water en de melk toe. Kneed dit 30 sec. Voeg nu de suiker, het zout en de eieren toe en kneed 3 min. Voeg de boter in 3 keer toe, terwijl je steeds kneed tot de boter is opgenomen. Wanner alles is opgenomen kneed je nog 10 min. het deeg moet volledig loslaten van de kom. Vorm er een bal van. Als je een keukenmachine gebruikt is 6 min. kneden voldoende.
Vet een cakevorm in.

spray some fat in the mould.

Leg het deeg in de vorm en laat het 1 uur rijzen.  Bedek het met een propere handdoek zodat het niet uitdroogt.
Voor het brood de oven ingaat smeer je het nog in met een beetje eigeel. Zet het in een voorverwarmde oven van 200 gr. gedurende 35 min. Zet op de bodem van de oven een bakje met water zo krijg je een luchtiger en krokanter brood.

Wij hebben het opgesmuld bij het ontbijt, lekker met vers gemaakte aardbeienconfituur. mmmm.....

my new toy

It doesn't need any words.....
I am so happy with this !

It is old, therefor I like it even better.  It is made of wood, not the plastic and nylon stuff of modern woolwinders..  And it still works perfectly !

I love it. 

winding  and winding, 1200 m of blue merino lace.

finito !

there's the beginning, from the inside

Now to decide what to knit with it ? hmmm.  Lets have a look on Ravelry....