Pocket Love meets Valentines

Blimey! Has it really been over 2 weeks since I was here last? Doesn't time fly when you have more work than you know how to handle?!

BUt seriously, recently, I've been thinking about making things for charity again and with Valentines Day approaching, I thought perhaps some little hearts. I have one or two ideas of what I could make but thought I'd start with the Pocket Love Hearts that I made last March. (The idea for them came from - Curly Birds She has lots of ideas for things you can make.)
It was such a sweet idea - I often wonder if This Batch that I made to send out to the Philippines, were shared out by Mara to her friends and family and are now treasured.

They're so easy to make and they don't take too long - depending on how much decoration you want to add. They're tiny, so you can't add much. Although there's no reason why they have to be tiny - you go right ahead and make a BIG heart!!!

I made half a dozen a couple of weeks ago while it was raining and to begin with I only made them with red felt. Then I thought perhaps someone might like a different colour - after all, just because it's coming up to Valentines doesn't mean they all have to be red. I do have a few small pieces of felt in a variety of colours and will buy some more at work on Monday.

For the stitching and decoration I'm using some beads and embroidery threads given to me by a dear friend. The pattern - such as it is - I hand cut from the first piece of felt, then laid on the next piece of felt and cut round it and so on.
On one heart, I added a few beads and on another a stitched daisy, a few kisses etc. Then hold them wrong sides together and stitch round with blanket stitch. When you're nearly all the way round, add a tiny amount of stuffing. Finish the thread end off carefully, so no knots show.

If I'm going to persuade people to buy them as Valentines gifts, I need to crack on really!! I should have decorated them on one side only, rather than both... Ah well... I'll try and do a few more tonight.

This afternoon I have a little crochet to be getting on with. Have I ever mentioned my love of Pinterest?? I'm sure I have. Well, THIS mandala has been re-pinned over 400 times from one of my boards. It's a nice (if pricey) pattern, although I don't like the designer's colour choice but because so many people seem to like it, I keep thinking maybe I should make something like it. I have made a couple of mandalas in the past and they are rather enjoyable to make. They just have very little purpose...
I've also pinned a design called Sophie's Garden which I absolutely love and have been waiting for an excuse to make it. Well, there are two friends birthdays coming up and I thought it might make a nice cushion cover for one of them.

Naturally, I'm trying to make do with the wool I have available to hand, so it won't be as nice as the original - in fact it may turn out to be quite ugly and be consigned to the bin! But so far, it's not too bad.
The pattern doesn't have the green bobbles but who wants to follow the pattern exactly?! And anyway, it needed bobbles...
It's wet out again today, so it's the perfect day to stay in and crochet and sew.


Yesterday was quite the opposite - bright and sunny with a chill in the air but without Friday's biting wind. And there was actually blue sky! Yes BLUE!! I took lots of photos of course. Here is a tiny selection. See you again soon. :-)