Creative Friday

Unicorn Pegasus pattern available from here, here and here.

This week I have been working on a custom unicorn pegasus order for someone in the USA. She is finally finished and is already winging her way across the ocean to her new home...

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and thank you for sharing here:)

 

To add this button to your blog, right click on it and 'save picture as' to your photos. Then add it as a gadget / picture to your blog on your blog's design page with a link to my blog address:)

Welcome to Creative Friday!

Thank you so much to everyone who shares the love and posts their links to their amazing work:) Please feel free to post your links to anything you have created and would like to share, it can be a recipe, sewing tutorial, knitting tutorial, felting, crochet, crafts, art, spinning, weaving, working with fibre, photography, poetry...etc...

I also love to hear from you, so if you have a moment, please leave a comment:) Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us! Just add the name of your blog to the widget and then add your blog link with the http:// at the beginning of your link address:) I have added a Creative Friday button on the sidebar of my blog, please feel free to add it to your blog for Creative Friday and link it to http://www.naturalsuburbia.blogspot.com/ so others can find this space and share their creativity too:)

1. I have started a Creative Friday Flickr Group where you can post your beautiful photos that you link to each Creative Friday, to join the group, please go here.

2. If you would be so kind as to link back to Natural Suburbia in your blog post that would be lovely:)

Have a wonderful day,
xo
Linda

 

Creative Friday

My Creative Friday contribution for this week is the e-book that I finished writing and sent off to the publishers. Thank you all so much for your kind messages on my Mamma4earth Facebook page. I'm waiting for the first draft from my publishers to arrive, which should be here any day now, I will have a look at it, see if there are any changes I need to make and then it will go back to them to be published and sent off to all the e-book sellers. I'm so excited!! As soon as it is out there in the e-universe, I will let you know!

Knitting-wise, I am busy designing a white wolf pattern that should be available soon:)

Have a wonderful weekend!
Linda

 

To add this button to your blog, right click on it and 'save picture as' to your photos. Then add it as a gadget / picture to your blog on your blogs design page with a link to my blog address:)

About Creative Friday:

Thank you so much to everyone who shares the love and posts their links to their amazing work:) Please feel free to post your links to anything you have created and would like to share, it can be a recipe, sewing tutorial, knitting tutorial, felting, crochet, crafts, art, spinning, weaving, working with fibre, photography, poetry...etc...

I also love to hear from you, so if you have a moment, please leave a comment:) Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us! Just add the name of your blog to the widget and then add your blog link with the http:// at the beginning of your link address:) I have added a Creative Friday button on the sidebar of my blog, please feel free to add it to your blog for Creative Friday and link it to http://www.naturalsuburbia.blogspot.com/ so others can find this space and share their creativity too:)

1. I have started a Creative Friday Flickr Group where you can post your beautiful photos that you link to each Creative Friday, to join the group, please go here.

2. If you would be so kind as to link back to Natural Suburbia in your blog post that would be lovely:)

Creative Friday and Stick Weaving

Kye and I managed to finish his rainbow stick weaving scarf this morning.
I sewed in the ends, took the sticks off and tied the tassels on both ends of the scarf. He wrapped it around his neck and exclaimed just how soft and warm if felt! This has been a really fun project for all of us, Jen is going to make a scarf for herself but will probably use 8 sticks instead of 6.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

To add this button to your blog, right click on it and 'save picture as' to your photos. Then add it as a gadget / picture to your blog on your blogs design page with a link to my blog address:)

About Creative Friday:

Thank you so much to everyone who shares the love and posts their links to their amazing work:) Please feel free to post your links to anything you have created and would like to share, it can be a recipe, sewing tutorial, knitting tutorial, felting, crochet, crafts, art, spinning, weaving, working with fibre, photography, poetry...etc...

I also love to hear from you, so if you have a moment, please leave a comment:) Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us! Just add the name of your blog to the widget and then add your blog link with the http:// at the beginning of your link address:) I have added a Creative Friday button on the sidebar of my blog, please feel free to add it to your blog for Creative Friday and link it to http://www.naturalsuburbia.blogspot.com/ so others can find this space and share their creativity too:)

1. I have started a Creative Friday Flickr Group where you can post your beautiful photos that you link to each Creative Friday, to join the group, please go here.

Yay!! Thanks so much to those who have joined the Creative Friday Flickr Group, it is wonderful to see your photos!

2. If you would be so kind as to link back to Natural Suburbia in your blog post that would be lovely:)

Have a wonderful day,
xo
Linda

Creative Friday

Knitted Daisy Flower

I am almost finished knitting flower patterns for my 'Knitting Flowers' e-book, this is the daisy pattern I worked on yesterday. I love Daisy flowers, they are happy little blooms. I am so excited to share this e-book with you, I can't wait in fact! I am just kitting up a rose bud pattern and then the book will be complete and sent off to the publishers next week. For now I am checking spelling and grammar, making sure I have the correct font, line spacing and picture size.
PS Let me know if there is a specific flower you would like included and perhaps I can add just one more:) I know, I can't help it, knitting flowers is addictive!

If you would like to read my updates for the release of the e-book, you can follow them on my Mamma4earth Facebook page.

Welcome to Creative Friday,

Thank you so much to everyone who visits this space!

Please feel free to post your links to anything you have created and would like to share, it can be a recipe, sewing tutorial, knitting tutorial, felting, crochet, crafts, art, spinning, weaving, working with fibre, photography, poetry...etc...

 

I also love to hear from you, so if you have a moment, please leave a comment:) Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us! Just add the name of your blog to the widget and then add your blog link with the http:// at the beginning of your link address:) I have added a Creative Friday button on the sidebar of my blog, please feel free to add it to your blog for Creative Friday and link it to http://www.naturalsuburbia.blogspot.com/ so others can find this space and share their creativity too:)


1. I have started a Creative Friday Flickr Group where you can post your beautiful photos that you link to each Creative Friday.

2. If you would be so kind as to link back to Natural Suburbia in your blog post that would be lovely:)

Have a wonderful weekend dear friends,

Linda

Guest Post by Amber Smith from Mama Nature and a Giveaway

Today we have Amber joining us for a guest post on Natural Suburbia, she is a very creative and talented woman who loves nature and blogs over at Mama Nature.

In Amber's words:

Who I am: I am simply aesthetic, spiritual, intuitive and imaginative. I support our local Farmer's Markets.  I am a newly discovered community artisan! I believe in creating physically and spiritually. I want to inspire people to take whatever idea I share and make it their own and make it personal to them.

What I create:  I have been creating for my family the past year and it wasn't until recently that I felt very encouraged by my friends and community to branch out and sell some of my creations. Things I create for my family: garden art, felt toys, polymer dolls and jewelry, knitted clothing (my favorite being the little red riding hood), upcycled patch-work clothing, quilt mandalas, illustrations for there bedroom walls, and stories that teach real value. Yes, I am a busy lady and I always try to involve my children in what I do. Most people may think being this busy might make life more complex but for me and my family it actually brings a simplicity and balance! It exercises our self-sufficiency, self discipline, self-awareness, self-discovery, our heart, our family's quality of time and of course our creativity. I'm so thankful for the opportunities I've received in my life and I'm even more thankful for the supportive people in my life!

                        

 

 "Certain things catch your eye, but pursue only those that capture your heart..."

Native American saying

What inspires me: Three things that inspire me: my children, my community and mama nature. I don't think you can get any more simple than that! My favorite musician is Jack Johnson and we start nearly every day listening to his music and allowing it to ground us and prepare our hearts for the day. I also have been a member of his All At Once Community for a couple years now. Other things that inspire me: my heritage & home, this waldorf, and wildlife

What is my crafting space like? Space is so important. It's nearly a source of inspiration itself! A majority of my art doesn't happen in my home - it happens outdoors or in our community! Occasionally, in the evenings or early morning I will construct a new felt creation. And my family has been very supportive in giving me quiet time for a couple hours Tuesdays and Thursday evenings. This is when I blog, craft and reach out to people outside of our home.

Craft Tutorial: 

This is a very open craft tutorial. If you aren't afraid of using your intuition and prefer being natural over uniform and perfect - then you may really enjoy this tutorial!  There are no real rules for this but I will try to share how it worked for me! Go ahead and free your creativity - exercise your problem solving skills and make something unique and creative!

SUPPLIES:

flexible tree branch

multiple strands of yarn

HOW:

#1 First bend your branch into a circle. Then use some yarn to creatively wrap and hold the ends together. Next use a second piece of yarn to create grass by wrapping it half way down one end and up the other.

#2 Now choose the color for your tree. Once you have selected the color yarn of your choice cut 5 strands of equal length depending on the size of your branch. The center strand must be about 12 inches longer than the rest because you will use the center strand to wrap around all 5 pieces to create a tree trunk effect.

#3 Attach the longest strand to the center using the larks head knot technique

#4 Attach the remaining pieces *two on each side of the center strand* using the same larks head knot technique.

#5 Gather the strands at the bottom of the branch tightly. Use the long center strand to wrap and attach to the bottom of your branch.

#6 Once the strands are securely attached at the bottom continue to wrap the long center strand up about half way and back down again. Tie the center strand tightly.

#7 Choose a variety of colored yarn. The yarn can be all lengths or you can cut them to equal 24 inch lengths. Attach the yarn to one end near the larks head knot.

#8 Begin weaving and adding more yarn until finished!

Links for Mama Nature:

Blog

Facebook

Etsy Shop

Pinterest

MAMA NATURE - GIVEAWAY

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs.

Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do it.

Because what the world needs are people who come alive."
-my grandma/Robert Henri, The Art Spirit

Amber is giving away this incredibly cute handmade Bigfoot toy. If you would like to enter this giveaway, please like her facebook page and leave a comment below saying you have liked the page:) If you are not on Facebook, you can Tweet about the giveaway or choose one of the additional entries below:)

For additional entries you can choose to either 'share' her Facebook page, follow her blog Mama Nature or heart her Etsy shop.

Please remember to leave a comment for each entry.

The winner will be announced here in this post on Sunday, please ensure you leave an email address so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

Congratulations to:

MelMay 31, 2012 2:45 PM

I love every shop you all feature. So many creative people out there, Mama Nature included. I just went by and "liked" their facebook page. Thanks for the giveaway!

Amber, thank you so much for sharing here today on Natural Suburbia.

Linda

Strawberry Knitting Pattern and Yarn Along

I have been wanting to knit a little strawberry for ages!
So here it is, knitted from yarn scraps, I have knitted it in the magic loop technique, or DPNs would work just as well too:)

Materials:
Red and green oddments of yarn
4mm circular needles
Merino stuffing
Sewing up needle
4mm DPNs to knit the stalk i-cord

Pattern:
Cast on 4 stitches and join for knitting in the round.
Round 1:Knit
Round 2: Kfb all stitches. (8 stitches)
Round 3: Kfb all stitches. (16 stitches)
Round 4: Knit
Round 5: (Knit 2, kfb) across the round, knit 1. (21 stitches)
Round 6: Knit
Round 7: Knit
Round 8: Knit
Round 9: (Knit 2, knit 2 together) across the round, knit 1 on the end. (16 stitches)
Round 10: Knit.
Round 11: (Knit 2, knit 2 together) across the round. (12 stitches)
Round 12: Knit
Round 13: (Knit 1, knit 2 together) across the round. (8 stitches)
Round 14: Knit
Start stuffing your strawberry now.
Round 15: (Knit 1, knit 2 together) across the round, knit 1 stitch on the end. (6 stitches)
Cut thread, thread needle and put stitches on the sewing needle, make sure you have stuffed the strawberry sufficiently, pull the stitches tight.
Finish off.
Sew in any ends.

Green Top:
Cast on 4 stitches, join for knitting in the round.
Round 1: Knit
Round 2: kfb into all stitches. (8 stitches)
Round 3: Knit
Round 4: kfb all  stitches. (16 stitches)
Round 5: Knit
Round 6: (Knit 1, kfb) across the round. (24 stitches)
Round 7: Knit 3, ***turn, purl 3, turn, knit 1, knit 2 together, turn, purl 2 together, turn, put the first stitch from the left needle over onto the right needle.
Pick up 2 stitches along the left side of the knitting on the right needle.
Cast them off by knitting them across onto the right needle one by one and passing the right stitch over each knitted stitch.
Place the right needle's stitch on the left needle and knit 2 stitches together, knit 2.***
Knit from *** to ***

Continue to knit this way until all the stitches have been knitted.
Cast off the last 2 stitches down the side of the little leaf, finish off and sew in ends.

The strawberry and its green fringed cap.

Sew the green cap onto the strawberry.
With 2 double pointed size 4mm needles, pick up 2 stitches on the top of the green cap and knit a small i-cord for a stalk.

This pattern is for personal use only.

Joining in today with Ginny's Yarn Along.

Enjoy!
Linda

Creative Friday

Welcome to Creative Friday,

Thank you so much to everyone who visits this space!

Please feel free to post your links to anything you have created and would like to share, it can be a recipe, sewing tutorial, knitting tutorial, felting, crochet, crafts, art, spinning, weaving, working with fibre, photography, poetry...etc...


I also love to hear from you, so if you have a moment, please leave a comment:) Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us! Just add the name of your blog to the widget and then add your blog link with the http:// at the beginning of your link address:) I have added a Creative Friday button on the sidebar of my blog, please feel free to add it to your blog for Creative Friday and link it to http://www.naturalsuburbia.blogspot.com/ so others can find this space and share their creativity too:)

1. I have started a Creative Friday Flickr Group where you can post your beautiful photos that you link to each Creative Friday.
2. If you would be so kind as to link back to Natural Suburbia in your blog post that would be lovely:)

Have a wonderful weekend dear friends,
Linda

Creative Friday

This week I have been busy making these little knitted friends... They are winging their way across the Altantic Ocean from South Africa to their lovely new home in the United States...

I have finally developed a button code for Creative Friday at last! Please feel free to add it to your blog:)

<div align="center"><a href="http://naturalsuburbia.blogspot.com/" title="Natural Suburbia" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYdO_l2YTyJo5OvabdJYXBiOb2jl15IQf1nf_6oPd6kduP5Xer3zP86ZmZSTMCJ_AAHBgndnBHs5HN1WGvZ0QwK240FmzBQNMXDw5mMoIkedGFCNtkIjCv2F-DH94hTHgLWlZPZRBpoc/s1600/index.png" alt="Natural Suburbia" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

 

Welcome to Creative Friday,

Thank you so much to everyone who visits this space!

Please feel free to post your links to anything you have created and would like to share, it can be a recipe, sewing tutorial, knitting tutorial, felting, crochet, crafts, art, spinning, weaving, working with fibre, photography, poetry...etc...

I also love to hear from you, so if you have a moment, please leave a comment:) Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us! Just add the name of your blog to the widget and then add your blog link with the http:// at the beginning of your link address:) I have added a Creative Friday button on the sidebar of my blog, please feel free to add it to your blog for Creative Friday and link it to http://www.naturalsuburbia.blogspot.com/ so others can find this space and share their creativity too:)

1. I have started a Creative Friday Flickr Group where you can post your beautiful photos that you link to each Creative Friday.

2. If you would be so kind as to link back to Natural Suburbia in your blog post that would be lovely:)

Have a wonderful weekend dear friends,

Linda

Of Wood and Wool

Thank you so much for sharing your family traditions regarding the loss of first teeth, Kye's two teeth are still very loose and still in his mouth, he tells me about them all the time and about how loose they are... He is very excited that his permanent teeth are on their way soon:)
This is the blue wool Kye chose for his hat, he wants it to be exactly like his brother Caiden's, only, blue...

I just couldn't believe the size of this little egg we found today, I'm not sure which chicken it came from, they have all been laying for quite some time now, so I wonder why there would be a tiny egg all of a sudden?

Early this morning, Caiden and Jenna went off to the workshop to make this dog bed for Daisy, (Jenna's dog.) 

I think Daisy likes her new bed!

Caiden also made a cat toy for Charlie and Olive.
I do love all the woodwork that's going on around here at the moment.

A Tree House for You and Me....

Over the last few days, Caiden has been totally absorbed in working on his tree house. I love it when this happens with one of my children's projects. To see him so driven and enthusiastic about building something with his hands is wonderful! For the last three days, he has woken up early, dressed, fetched his working tools and gone outside to build on the tree, only stopping briefly for lunch and then going straight back out into the garden. He has enjoyed this so much and I can see how very proud he is. (This mama here is very proud of him too!)

There have always been platforms in the tree, but now, he has added sides, a roof and a window. He is also hoping to earn his Craftsman's Badge at cubs by completing this project.

I have also finished the pattern for my Meerkat, I have named him Basil, you can find his pattern in my Mamma4earth Etsy Shop, Ravelry store or Craftsy shop and a huge thank you to everyone who has joined the Natural Suburbia Facebook page:)
xo
Linda

Shamrock / Clover Knitting Pattern for St Patrick's Day

Hello friends,
We celebrate St Patrick's day here because of our Irish ancestry and I thought a knitted Shamrock would be a fun and enjoyable knit for today, I am so happy to share it with you here.You could make it into a hanging ornament, sew it onto a scarf or on the side of a hat or even a sweater. It looks pretty sweet as a brooch too.
I hope you enjoy this little pattern:)

Materials:
Oddments of green double knitting (DK) yarn
4mm straight needles
Needle for sewing up your Shamrock and ends.
2 Double pointed needles for knitting the i-cord for the stem.

Shamrock Pattern:
Cast on 2 stitches
Row 1: Knit 2 stitches
Row 2: Purl 2 stitches
Row 3: Cast on 1 stitch at the beginning of the row, knit 2 stitches, kfb
into the next stitch. (4 stitches)
Row 4: Knit 1 stitch, purl 2 stitches, knit 1 stitch.
Row 5: Cast on 1 stitch, knit 4 stitches, kfb. (6 stitches)
Row 6: Knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches, knit 2 stitches.
Row 7: Cast on 1 stitch, knit 6 stitches, kfb. (8 stitches)
Row 8: Knit 3 stitches, purl 2 stitches, knit 3 stitches.
Row 9: Knit row.
Row 10: Knit 3 stitches, purl 2 stitches, knit 3 stitches.
Row 11: Knit row.
Row 12: Knit 3 stitches, purl 2 stitches, knit 3 stitches.
Row 13: Knit 4 stitches, turn work.
Row 14: Knit 4 stitches, turn work.
Row 15: Knit 2 stitches together, knit 2 stitches together. Pass the back
stitch over the front stitch on the working needle, there is one stitch on
the working needle now.

One stitch left on the right needle.

 Picking up the 3 stitches.

Pick up 3 stitches up the left side of the top of the Shamrock with the left needle and cast them off
with the single stitch on the right needle.
Knit 1 stitch from the left needle onto the right needle and pass the back stitch on the right
needle over the stitch before it.
One stitch remains on the right needle. 
Knit 3 stitches from the left needle to the right needle, turn work.
Knit 2 stitches together, knit 2 stitches together. (2 stitches) and pass
the back stitch over the front stitch.
Bind off.

Sew in the top ends of the Shamrock pieces, leaving the ends at the base for sewing your Shamrock together.

Sew the pieces together.

Pick up 3 stitches at the base of the Shamrock with a double pointed needle.

Knit an i-cord for 3 inches and then cast off.

Happy knitting!
Linda

Saturday

Jenna and Erin have been tracing some of Kye's drawings onto fabric and embroidering them, I think they are so sweet. All his pictures are hanging up on one of the walls in our school room. They are such happy little pictures...

Today I have finished a new Snowdrop pattern, you can find it here.

Wishing you a peaceful weekend.
Warmly
Linda