I just found a cool book website for Aussies thanks to another Aussie blogger (sorry, I forgot which one!)

If you are in Australia and would like to purchase my book, "Kids Knit!" you can purchase it from fishpond.com.au and if you spend over $50 you get free shipping!

I've added two new poems to the spam poetry project today. If you haven't read about it yet, I'm making poems out of the titles and sender's names from various spam emails. Mostly the type with randomly generated subjects.

I'm having a lot of fun so if you'd like my list of spam-lines so you can start your own spam poetry project on your website let me know via my contact page (link in the left hand column) and I'll send it to you as a basis for your own spam-line collection. Actually, give me a few days and I'll make a graphic so anyone who wants to join in can show it on their website! If I have the time I might even start a webring :-)

Woohoo, I've finished writing the very last of my daisy winder and flower loom tutorials!

You'll find the on the small looms page.

I will be adding more vintage patterns as I unpack them, more original patterns as I design them, and will rewrite the looms and yarn article when the most recent additions to my collection arrive.

I did give up trying to make an attractive butterfly but I might retry that one in the future.

:-)

I hope you find the tutorials I have written inspiring and useful. Let's make loomed flowers the next big thing!

I know I've kept you wondering for a couple of days but now I'll reveal the books that I bought at the book fair last Friday :-) Click on the small photos for a closeup so you can see the titles better.

Lots of poetry from some of my favourite poets, a little mythology and some textiles in this first photo. I'm currently enjoying reading Beowulf in the Anglo Saxon Poetry book. I can't wait to get to Malory :-)

On the far right you can see "Textiles by Woolman and McGowan" which was published in 1913. It has a very interesting illustration of someone using a walking wheel and using a stick to turn the wheel. I'll see if I can photograph some of the images to show you. I won't be scanning it because it's in perfect condition and I don't want to break the binding but I should be able to photograph some of the interesting images quite well.

"Patterns for Weaving by Jocelyn Burt" is one of the titles I was specifically looking for, so I was really pleased to find that for $1! The pulled thread embroidery book was a great find because I was also looking for interesting embroidery books and this one has really good illustrations.

In this pile are some interesting weaving books, among others. I haven't looked at the workbook of weaving yet, but the one on top of the pile "Handloom Weaving Technology" has some interesting info that I haven't seen in other books, including using a temple and the proper way to throw a shuttle. "Raffia Hats and Baskets" and "The Techniques of Bobbin Lace" were two specific books I was looking for. I was feeling pretty lucky to find anything I wanted, let alone so many specific titles! "Pattern Alterations" is a book on altering commercial sewing patterns to fit, which is info I've been looking for so I can make some things for Miss Binky. The Singer sewing book was published in 1954 so I might show you some pictures from that. It has some really nice line drawings of fashions from the era.

But wait, there's more!

A couple of items arrived from Ebay this morning :-)

Two fun Japanese craft books:

I love Japanese embroidery designs. I have a couple of Ondori books from the 1980's that have some lovely designs in them and this one is equally as adorable.

The other one is a felting book. I missed out on buying a book on needle felted dogs from the book shop a couple of weeks ago so I couldn't resist this book when I saw it. It also has some really pretty felt and fabric roses in it that I'm going to make.

The other auction that arrived was a daisy winder book from 1948.

There are a lot of copies of this available on Ebay at the moment so it only cost a couple of dollars. I bought it so I could scan the front cover and inside page and send it to the folks at handweaving.net so they can fill in the missing pages to the copy they have available to download for free at http://handweaving.net/DAItemDetail.aspx?ItemID=6758#

I have to admit it. I'm addicted to textiles related gadgets.

• I have a full set of weavettes.
  
• I collect daisy winders and flower looms (and not just old ones).
  
• I have 4, 6 and 8 peg knitting spools. I was going to make a 2 spoke one but I use the 4 spoke one with just 2 of the nails instead.
  
• I own two tiny automatic spool knitting machines in the shapes of ducks.
  
• I own (and know how to use) a lucet.
  
• I love to make needle books and sew project bags.
  
• I even own a butterfly loom (although I admit they really have their limits. I need to try felting my butterfly stuff to make cool fabrics I think).
  
• I have a needle felting machine permanently set on the dining room table. :-P
  

For my birthday month I bought myself a set of pom pom makers

Then I bought myself a couple of yo yo makers because I have always wanted to make a 1930's replica yo yo quilt. I'd post a picture of those too but they haven't arrived yet...

I'm not going to tell you what I bought last year :-)

But look!

Shaped yo yo makers! How freakingly cool are these? See that second shape? It's a flower! Apparently these will be released in the US in June. I hope they release them in Australia too because I'm going to keep some money by to buy the whole set.

One thing I would have said I have absolutely no interest in is a Chibi needle holder. But then I found out that one of this year's colours is orange and I do need a set of bent needles for making loomed flowers.

I love orange...

Lol, maybe I should just make up a "gimme a present" link like zefrank

PS: Do I use all these gadgets? Actually, I do!

I've uploaded yet more flower loom tutorials today to the small looms page.

Only four or five more articles to go and I will have shared every last little thing that I know about using daisy winders and flower looms with you :-)

orange kanzashi, originally uploaded by thea superstarr.

I've been admiring these little fabric flowers on Craftster and people's blogs for a couple of months now, and was really happy to find this blog post about them.

craftster.org blog ｻ Kanzashi Yumminess

Now I need to find a book about how to make them! Jamie and I were dreaming about where we would like to go for a holiday overseas if we could ever afford one. I'm thinking I want to go to Japan so I can buy craft books and needlework gadgets <VBG>

Edited to add: I found a website with links to tutorials!

Edited again to add: A series of in depth tutorials. Click the download link for each one to save them.

Edited a third time: You can just assume that I'm going to keep editing this post with more cool stuff until I post the next entry. K? :-)

Jujulovespolkadots has posted this very cute tutorial in her typepad gallery thingy. You may have guessed that I'm obsessed with flowers at the moment. You'd be right...

The Kanzashi Website

We went to a local book fair today and boy are my feet sore!

I didn't think that I would find anything this year as I have done a major destash of craft books, plus I was looking for some very specific books. Not only specific topics but also some specific titles.

What are the odds that you're going to find exactly the books you are looking for at a 2nd hand book fair? Pretty high, it seems! I found almost everything I was after and the only things I didn't find were really "out there".

They're restocking the tables tomorrow, and there were some very nice knitted lace books by Furze Hewitt still there when we left at closing time today (we were at the front of the queue when it opened this morning but we went back just before closing "just in case" because Jamie works for the rest of the weekend and we can't go back). So, if you're anywhere near Wollongong and it's still before Sunday April 22nd when you read this, pop over to Kembla Grange racecourse and check out the books!

I'll tell you what I bought tomorrow :-)

PS: No I don't feel guilty that we destashed about a thousand books over the last 16 months and then bought home bags and bags full because it's for charity!

PS: I like to see pretty pictures when I read blogs so here's a preview of my embroidered loom flowers that I made for the tutorial that I hope to upload tomorrow.

:-)

I've almost completed my set of tutorials on using daisy winders and flowers looms. Here's what I'm working on now.

I made these for a tutorial about embroidering with loomed flowers.

I've embroidered the stems and leaves and just have to sew the flowers on. Most of them will look quite different once they're stitched down. I'm really looking forward to finishing this, but I lost the light so I couldn't document it for the tutorial if I finished it tonight.

But I'm sure you already knew that. You'll find them on the small looms page

Including instructions for my cute little caterpillar which I'm thinking of making into a puppet.

Since yesterday was my birthday I relaxed with a little embroidery (after taking full advantage of Spotlight's 10% off birthday discount!)

I finished the purse from the kit I bought at the op shop last week.

I ended up using one of my own vintage embroidery motifs on it instead of the abstract triangle idea from the kit and I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

I did end up putting my initials on the left hand side to balance out the design and I'm really glad that I did because otherwise it would have been horribly off-centre. I also think it adds a nice personal touch so I'm glad I ironed the transfer on wonky in the first place!

Now that it's not my birthday it's time to get back to work adding the rest of the information on daisy winders and flower looms. Then I have big news (I hope!) before I spend all my time finishing the hat book once and for all! I've decided that, since a death in the family, selling our home and moving 900km up the coast, being homeless for 8 months (lucky my dad had a spare room), and having no room to work have impinged on the hat book deadline long enough it's time to focus 100%. The distractions are now over and it's time for the last push to get it done. So it's flower looms, then big news (for me anyway), then book done.

PS: No I am not pregnant :-P. the news isn't quite that big.

I thought you might like to see what crafting oddities I have come up with today, so here's a short pictorial list

1: A caterpillar body made from loomed flowers

2: A flower made from yarn of both dubious taste and quality. Forgive me, there is reasoning behind me making such a violently green and sickly shiny flower this far past St Patrick's Day. I'm rewriting my article about flower looms and yarns you can use. I wouldn't want to make another flower using this stuff, but it is possible...

3: In an attempt to redeem myself in your eyes <VBG> I have started the little bag kit that I bought at the op shop the other day. I've chosen a nice vintage flower design and will be stitching it in tasteful, non-neon, totally not shiny (unless it's art silk), quality threads because I want to use it when it's finished. It's ever so slightly off centre to the right hand side of the bag so an extra little flower or monogram might find itself added to the left hand side to even it up if it bothers me. It will. I can tell :-P

Embroidery wools and a skein of Caron Watercolour

From the early 1930's. This booklet has definitely seen many better days, but most of the patterns are intact and will make a nice addition to the knitting wiki

Another booklet of patterns for the knitting wiki

A tube of cool buttons from the Spotlight "bags of craft crap" end of season sale. $5, bargain!

Some of my favourite buttons from the $5 tube o' goodness. I'm going to use these for purses, embroidery and other things that I haven't thought of yet.

A little embroidery kit from the Wollongong Embroidery guild for $2! This kit makes the little knitting bag in the photo. I'm going to stitch something else on it but I think I might start it tomorrow and take a little break from flower looming for a day.

Two little bags of embroidery thread yielded these lovely colours. You just can't get a good screaming-make-your-eyes-bleed turquoise like that anywhere these days

;-)

Some more buttons. I'm going to take the black ones apart and use the gold parts for embroidery. The thing in the middle is a 5cm (2 inch) patchwork template and I'm going to use the beads for textured embroidery.

I need to have more children so I have a reason to make these :-)

Martha Stewart - Needle-Felted Sweaters

This video makes me think I've been winding my flowers incorrectly (but I like the way I do it so there). I will try it this way though to see if I can make the centres a bit smaller.

The fashions, however, gave me a real giggle!

I was playing with this:

And this happened

Anyone want to buy me a year's Flickr hosting for my birthday next Sunday?

:-P

Heavenly

:-)

Hmmm, it's my 37th birthday on the 15th. Maybe I should buy myself one!

I've added bunches more info on daisy winders yet again, including instructions for making my monkey and robot toys!

You'll find them on all the small looms page.

Enjoy!

and a little friend too :-)

I'm currently writing some tutorials on making little characters with a daisy winder and I thought I'd show you the in-progess shot of my little monkey

I decided to design his face in photoshop before I started sticking felt bits on permanenlty in case I screwed it up.

Cute huh?

:-)

Another set of daisy winder tutorials!

My attempt at putting all of my daisy winder and flower loom knowledge online continues with five more tutorials, including instructions for how to make faux French beaded flowers!

You'll find it all on the small looms page.