"Abigail makes.." is now open for business!

I love my job and I don't want to give it up anytime soon but it's not the highest paid jobs and if I want to be able to start ticking things of my wish list I'm going to have to start getting some extra money from somewhere! 

We have tried eBay - selling anything we don't need or use anymore and that has been successful but I like to make things as you maybe able to tell from my blog and there is no bigger compliment to something you have made, than someone liking it so much that they want to buy it! 

You may also remember that number 4 on my wish list was sell some of my crafts. Which has sort of been ticked, over the summer I made some brooches to be sold at Cafe Create and so far I think one had sold.

Now let me tell you a bit more about Cafe Create, I found out about it from my mum who sometimes volunteers there, it's held on every Fridays 10am - 1pm, it's held in a lovely large room at the back of quite an unassuming looking building called Claremont church in the centre of Bolton, you reach it from the road at the back and ring the bell and wait to be welcomed in, you are then led to a lovely airy room with tall ceilings and a gallery area up some steps, there is a shop selling lots of locally produced crafty makes from jewellery to jams and cushions to clogs! Strung up across the ceiling is brightly coloured bunting and there is a comfy sofa in one corner a craft table in another and a small children's play area. Each week members and volunteers from the cafe create team make cakes to sell. A tea or coffee and a delicious cake is just £2.50 a bargain!, there is normally a craft demonstration where you can have a go, sometimes at a small cost just to cover cost of materials. The Cafe Create members are just lovely, they make it such a welcoming environment and a lovely place to meet new people.

The one downside is because it's on Fridays I only get to go in the school holidays. I had been going since February half term and each time I would show them things that I had made and they said I should make things to sell there and their encouragement has really spurred me on to do it. 

If you want to find out more about it the website is www.createbolton.com. 

     My brooches for sale at Cafe Create

    Cafe Create                    

After lots of deliberation I decided on the name 'Abigail makes' on which to sell my wares. I am selling crocheted, sewn, knitted and felt items and I have decided to open a Facebook page to sell them too and it's doing pretty well I've had quite a few orders, my best seller has been little pudding christmas decoration so I'm going to try some more designs of Christmas decorations. 

Please feel free to take a look and say hi! Www.facebook.com/Abigailmakes 

Thanks for reading, 

Abigail x

Ice cream bunting pattern

I made this bunting for a recent summer swap, I liked it so much I made it for myself. 

This is my first time writing out a pattern so hopefully It will be right, if you try it and have any problems please let me know. But it's fairly straightforward. Just remember at the end of each row chain 1 and turn. 

Ice cream cone - beige yarn

Foundation chain 10 + 1, turn

Row 1: 1dc in each st (10) 

Row 2: 1dc in each st (10)

Row 3:dc2tog, 1dc in the next 6st, dc2tog (8)

Row 4: 1dc in each st (8)

Row 5:dc2tog, 1dc in the next 4st, dc2tog (6)

Rows 6-13: 1dc in each st (6)

Row 14: dc2tog, 1dc in the next 2st, dc2tog (4)

Row 15-16: 1dc in each st (4)

Row 17: dc2tog, dc2tog (2)

Row 18: dc2tog (1)r

Fasten off, change colour.

Ice cream -join on yellow, pink or mint green yarn

Row 1: 1dc in each of the 10 st on the top of the cone (as seen in the picture)

Row 2: 2dc in first st, 8dc, 2dc in last st (12)

Row 3: dc2tog, 8dc, dc2tog (10)

Row 4: dc2tog, 6dc, dc2tog (8)

Row 5: dc2tog, 4dc, dc2tog (6)

Row 6: dc2tog, 2dc, dc2tog (4)

Fasten off

 Make 2 more. 

Lollipop - in yellow, pink or green yarn.

This starts from the bottom to the top of the lolly

Foundation chain 10 +1 

Rows 1- 14: 1dc in each st.(10)

Row 15: dc2tog, 6dc, dc2tog (8)

Row 16: dc2tog, 4dc, dc2tog (6)

Row 17: dc2tog, 2dc, dc2tog (4)

Fasten off

Lollipop stick 

Join on the beige yarn to the 5th dc along the straight edge.

Row 1-7: dc 2

Row 8: dc2tog

Fasten off. 

Make one more.

Scalloped chain

Foundation chain 200 +1 

5 tr into 3rd chain from hook, miss 2 st then dc into the next st, * miss 2st , 5tr into the next st, miss 2st then dc into the next . Rep from * to end.

Fasten off.

Sew in all ends, space out the lollipops and ice creams as you wish, I left a gap of 5 of the shell shapes. Then sew the ice cream or lollipop into the middle of the shell as shown on the photo. 

I hope it's right I'll only know if someone else has a go. 

Thanks for reading and if you try it let me know how you get on. 

Abigail xxx

Easter crafts

http://blog.makezine.com/craft/craft_pattern_spring_bunny/

I found the link for this free crochet pattern for these gorgeous little bunnies on a blog I follow called 1500 free amigurumi patterns. It's so cute I just had to give it a go, my idea was to make some as easter presents but I started doing it too late really and because I'm new to the world of amigurumi I was very slow. It took me a day and a half doing it nearly none stop! Here is my attempt, I didn't have any safety eyes so I stitched on the eyes instead, I think it's pretty cute!

 

I have noticed that some of the people that I follow on Instagram have done there own versions using the same pattern and its great to see how unique they all are. My 9 month old nephew Edward took a shine to this one so  it went home with him, I'm glad my bunny has gone to a good home.

My second attempt at amigurumi and I'm beginning to get better, this time I got my idea from a book 'Cute and easy crochet' by Nikki Trench I recommend this book to anyone starting out at crocheting it was my first crochet book and I still refer back to it. 

I've been wanting to make these really cute egg cosies for ages.

I thought it would be good to make my own with a twist. I followed the pattern to make the egg cosy bit but then made up my own bit to make it look like a chick! I was so proud of myself it's my first crochet design, I think it is pretty cute! 

Handmade Christmas

This year I wanted to really get into decorating the house for Christmas as well as using old favourites to decorate the tree I wanted to add more that I had made myself.
I started with the tree , most years I decide on a theme and stick to it duck egg blue features highly in my lounge so on previous years I have had red and gold with blue, but last year I was given some small vintage style baubles as a present from one of the children's parents at school. This gave me the inspiration for this years tree , they were small, one was gold, purple, red, orange and green made out of crackled glass. I wanted my tree to be colourful like these. So first step- lights I had coloured lights instead of the usual white. I keep some of my old baubles but added more different coloured ones luckily I was able to borrow some off my mother in law who bought new baubles near enough every year and had lots to choose from I also borrowed some quite retro looking lantern decorations which reminded me of some we had as a child I was told that these were older than me!
I also had some old favourites that I had picked up along the way. My glass stars/snowflakes I bought from Jo Downs glass in St Ives, the two handcrafted snowmen I bought from the Christmas markets in Manchester, the Father Christmas and angel I bought from Woolworth's for our first tree in our new house 9 years ago and a little Venetian glass angel given as a present off a friend from her holiday in Italy. I also added this year a handmade decoration to remind us of the year we got Max. A little felt Max the red nose reindeer decoration.
I like to look at a tree and remember the different stories that go with each one.

I also made some crochet snowflakes to hang in the windows, some small ones and big ones and next year I'll do more. Pinterest has been a massive inspiration for Christmas decoration ideas I pinched an idea for hanging candy canes with ribbon and a garland over the kitchen window, I also got an idea for making a driftwood tree that I stuck on to a canvas and put battery operated lights. The driftwood I collected on a beach in Anglesey when we went camping in May at the time my sister slated me for collecting it but even she had to admit it looked pretty good.
I also had a party and made bacon wrapped sausage rolls or pigs in duvets as I like to call them! I made my own mince pies and snowmen cakes.
It has all been time consuming and hard work at times but in the end it all looks good..I'm actually wishing I could decorate the house the whole year around because it gives me an excuse to be creative.