Barisa's Crafts

Barisa Crafts is on the Move!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:39:00 +0000

Soon I'll load the last post here...
I'll make sure you have a link to the new blog which will be in Wordpress rather than Blogger...
I've few complaints about Blogger as a platform but the Barisa store is in Wordpress and it makes sense for the blog to be the same... so watch this space.
I'm planning on taking quite a few of the posts from here to the new site and I've been doing lots of interesting things since the last regular postings. So we'll be looking at the new studio (my personal dream come true!) ... cute accessories for babies and bigger girls, the planned refurbishment of a couple of chairs and lots more... we'll have a section for purchasing patterns in the Barisa store and lots of interesting things in between.
Catch you soon....

Nearly back!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:27:00 +0000

My blog world has been neglected for some months while family and allied health issues took precedence... But... I'm almost back... I've been creating lots of lovely things to share and my family have been busy making me a real studio which is nearly finished, a place which is truly mine to be creative...or just to think in.
So please keep coming back 2012... promises to be great!

Granny Square hot water bottle cover.. another solution for left over squares.

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 09:57:00 +0000

Yet another addition to the ongoing occasional list of ideas on what to do with left over sock wool!
After being asked to make a hot water bottle cover the concept of using some more of the left over squares was suggested...
The fact that there were not enough of any colour grouping wasn't a concern as the prospective owner is, on occasions, a little eclectic so a combination or mismatch wasn't a problem... she even suggested which wool to use to crochet the squares together... more of the left over variegated wool!
The finished result was a cover with six squares on either side, crocheted together (See pictures 1 and 2), a border of trebles (remember I use UK descriptors).
The two sides are crocheted together leaving that row of trebles as a rather plain edging. Around the open end I worked a row of trebles as on the border then a row of (2 tr, 1ch, skip a st repeat to end). I followed this with a last row of trebles. With a crocheted chain to thread through the spaces a row earlier for a tie the cover was finished. This way the hot water bottle cover can be opened to its full extent to put the water bottle in, and then it can be snugly tied on the neck

Crochet Ripple Throw for a Baby Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 09:14:00 +0000

The baby rug/throw I posted on earlier is finally finished and ready to deliver to one very special little girl. It is a little bigger than I originally intended but on reflection it will probably be more useful bigger than small.
The raised triple crochet alternately in the front and the back of the ripples makes the throw truly reversible and the increasing and decreasing number of rows in the bands of colour, gives the option of folding the throw to give the effect of either a mainly white or mainly pink throw.
I was originally a little stuck on how to do the border, even ordering some books to help, however when they took a while to arrive I just went ahead and started on one out of my head... The resulting border is a combination of shells in white with a picot edging in the variegated coloured wool... a really pretty edging which I'll use again.
Using the variegated wool in the double crochet picot edging really ties the whole throw together and finished it off nicely. The border is not that wide but with the lightness of the throw (despite its size) an over ornate border would have seemed like overkill.
I think I'll write up the whole pattern and see if there is interest in buying it.
... And just for those crochet geeks out there... the wool is 4 ply and the hook a 3.50mm.
Next post will be getting back to other ways to use squares made from left over sock wool.

The 'Auntie' Dolls

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 03:31:00 +0000

I thought it must be about the time of year when we all need a little cheer. so it's probably time for the 'Aunties' to pay a visit.

These ladies (I probably use the term rather loosely) normally reside where you see them in the photo.. on a couple of shelves of the bookcase where they can observe the world, usually totally unnoticed by visitors. I created a little story around them as they were created... they regularly 'do' coffee, one of them is a slightly eccentric 'cat' lady who of course is loved by every stray cat in the surrounding district.. she is identified not so much by her wild springy grey hair but by the cats on the buttons of her cardigan/jacket.

Her friend with the elegantly coiffed purple hair, is of slightly better means but doesn't really notice the pearl buttons which are missing from her jacket. However that doesn't stop her from feeling a little superior to her friend the cat lady, and she certainly ensures she always gets to sit on the upper shelf if they have to be separated. They have dried maize in the base of their dresses to make sure they'll stay where they're put.

I'm wondering whether these might be an acceptable, collectible creative option for selling in the new store they certainly like hanging out in my office!

Good Teacher Magazine, Term Three

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 03:38:00 +0000

I've been really remiss at posting, mainly because of things that sometimes overtake us.. however I have gathered lots of photos while not posting and have heaps to share over the next little while. From crochet to sculpture and all sorts in between.

One of the things which has kept me occupied was getting the term three issue of Good Teacher Magazine ready for upload last Monday. Another 52 pages of interesting reading... Go to http://goodteacher.co.nz
Perhaps one day I'll add to the world of crafting magazines and start creating another one to be a companion to Good Teacher...
In the meantime this one is interesting and I'm fairly passionate about the ability to have a magazine which is not paid for or influenced by any political or other group... the fun of deciding what goes in it... even if I don't necessarily agree with the writers theme I will always defend their right to have a say and voice their opinion.
If anyone reading this post is interested in education and would like to submit articles please feel free to get in contact... the magazine is international and I'd welcome increasing the range of writers... actually you probably don't have to be interested in education... it's a lifestyle magazine so perhaps just being interested in writing might be a great start!

Expanding the last post on the Alpaca wool at the fieldays

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 03:52:00 +0000

So... to add with more detail to the last post...
Right at the front of the stand were the most beautiful hanks of wool. Beautiful because they were so soft and the colour-ways were simply too complex do them justice...
As you'll see from the labels they are 'handpainted' and come from Peru... they are quite the most gorgeous fibres I have ever seen!. I have no idea what I'l l create with this 2 ply fibre (800 odd metres to a hank!) but whatever it is will have to be pretty special. (suggestions in the comments would be most welcome!)
The lilac/blue one has a huge range of shades... I took numerous photos and these show the colour most accurately... the cream one on the other hand ranges from a pearly white/cream through greys, fawns, beige... every iteration of those tones you could conceive.
The only problem I can think of, beside deciding what to make, is deciding who, within the family, I should coerce into holding their arms out while I wind 800 metres of wool into a ball!

Fibre fanatics lurking in the lifestyle section of the National Fieldays!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 10:08:00 +0000

Walking around the lifestyle section of the fieldays I really was wandering, almost aimlessly, past all those kitchen tools you can't be without, to peel, chop and whatever.. and past the hand cream which will leave your hands soft and silky, the politicians and inland revenue stands... all without a lot of enthusiasm.. then suddenly, like a beacon in the mire, I rounded one corner and there nestled in the next bend was a stand covered with the most glorious vibrant hues of wool/fibre.
Add to that the lovely ladies 'manning' the stand who loved talking to visitors about knitting and crochet... showing you the circular needles and lovely German crochet hooks they had on their stand, talking about the fabulous wools they had and even getting you to try to knit a row on those circular needles.. all the while they were knitting up a storm themselves!
I realised I had found myself a mighty time waster of a stand!
Most of the wool was fibre which is not readily found at your large craft shop, and they also had a wide range of patterns, finished garments, hats, sock, tiny crocheted flowers to trim those 'oh so useful' beanies which we are all eyeing as winter arrives later than usual but is finally making itself known in a fairly wet and chilly manner.
Sue and the other cheery and amusing ladies on the Joe's Emporium Wool stand (they'd come down to Hamilton from Howick) were so lovely I couldn't wait to visit them a couple of days later to actually talk to them some more and buy myself some of the divine baby alpaca 2ply (yes 2 ply!) wool they had.
I'll take a couple of photos of the wool and post further on it next time.

The cutest alpacas at the National Fieldays

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:49:00 +0000

These absolutely gorgeous alpacas had to provide the most ahhhhh moments in the entire Fieldays.
The National Fieldays, a brilliant offering of all things farming... (and a fair bit which is possibly only loosely related to farming)... covers a huge 40 hectare site for four days each year at Mystery Creek near Hamilton.

Whether you are wanting to find the education options for your children as they need to leave remote farms and board at school, or perhaps as they start considering the options available to them as they are reaching school leaving age... you will find it there.
If innovative developments or inventions are your thing... there is plenty to satisfy that interest. Perhaps the tractor needs replacing or the lawn has really become too onerous to tame with a push mower? The major problem you would face is which machine you would consider purchasing.
What a boon to have everything in one place.. though I must admit this year it appeared bigger than ever (possibly the largest in the southern hemisphere) and I had to take two days to feel I had done the show justice and had managed to find all the information I needed, checked out all the tools I could possibly want (or never need!) and also talk to the crafting ladies in the lifestyle area.
I'll be posting on the beautiful alpaca wool I found, the sculptures which placed in the competition turning farm junk into art, the options open to school leavers and generally waxing lyrical about it all.
The Fieldays are so huge I could never do them justice but they are also of interest to lots of different people, 'townies', farmers, orchardists, academics crafters and home-makers... I'd guarantee there is something interesting for every one of them.

Coming up soon

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:59:00 +0000

I've been rather remiss with keeping you up to date but I have been really busy.
Soon I'll post on the lovely ladies I found at a stand at the National Fieldays... they had the most amazing baby alpaca 2 ply fibre....
Then there will be the next baby socks, and the baby wrap/throw which is a work in progress, and probably a quick look at the lovely warm perpetual circle wrap/scarf in bobble wool.
So until later in the day here's a pic of 2 of the cats embracing winter weather and the rain outside.... enjoy!

Stay-put socks for little feet

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 06:00:00 +0000

When you're tiny and wriggly (or perhaps I mean your baby is!) you'll find socks have an annoying habit of also being easily wriggled off feet... ending up in the bottom of the cot, or the stroller, or worse.. lost forever... flung to the four winds, or left behind when the wearer is being carried around.
So the cutest solution I could think of was to knit some socks.. a smaller version of what was being done for the rest of the extended family. Not only do they look cute but hopefully the fitted heel shaping will help the socks stay on, and so help keep little feet snug and warm in the winter weather with no ties or ribbons to worry about catching or losing!
The socks are really a scaled down version of the adult ones... except they have the addition of 4/5 rows of rib just above the beginning of the heel shaping... hopefully helping to keep the socks in the place they're intended for!
These ones are knitted from normal sock wool and look utterly cute... the colours (because of the flash) are a little more intense than they really are. For comparison the foot of the sock measures 11cm from heel to toe, and they are for the cutest nearly 5 month old girl who is tall with long feet (who wriggles!).
I've just bought some baby bright 4 ply so will try the next pair (perhaps a one year old size) I'll post as soon as they're finished but in the mean time there is a new baby blanket to get on with and a large box full of walnuts to be shelled.

Super quick warm crochet shrug

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:18:00 +0000

This mohair/polyester/wool/acrylic blend fibre in a giant 790 metre, 360 gr ball had been hanging out in the wool cupboard for some time while I decided exactly what to do with it... Another of those 'what a great price ... I'll get it and worry about what to do with it later' purchases! - No wonder the wool stash is rather large.
I had already made a scarf with the wool but that made only a very small dent in the ball and I felt I had to do something a bit more adventurous (while remembering I didn't really know how much wool was left..
Fortunately when we finally go a Spotlight store locally (Crafting supplies chain found throughout Australia and New Zealand) I found they had a few free patterns lying on a table and the pattern for a shrug was on it...

It would have been so easy to just follow the pattern but I found the instructions were possibly recreating the craft of crochet as they didn't resemble anything I'd ever seen before.
So to make life a little simpler I used the concept and created a very simple treble crochet (DC in the US) rectangle... 80 treble in each row (I then just just kept going until the wool ran out!). Folded in half and the sides sewn leaving room for the arms and the garment was done.
The most difficult part was working with a 9mm hook, it's pretty huge compared to the smaller ones I'm used to using for blankets and throws.
On the right the finished shrug, warm, light, and able to be scrunched up into a fairly small ball to pack in the corner of a suitcase...
.

Anemone Granny Square

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 09:30:00 +0000

What to do when a friend finds a picture of a crochet rug and really craves turning that into one themselves The wool isn't a problem but the pattern... is another story...a 3D flower.
We searched the Internet... you wouldn't believe how many crochet and knitting patterns are there... Everything from the downright dowdy to the brightest trendiest things imaginable... and some patterns are so popular they are repeated over.. and over.. and over again as they are picked up and added to others collections, renamed and shared.
However this didn't solve the problem... fibre almost decided on.... recipient not in doubt... just couldn't find the pattern anywhere.
In the end I decided it would make an interesting exercise to try to create something which would look like the original but would also ensure that the finished rug was not too heavy.
The process: Sit quietly, concentrate, and try to write down what I think the pattern is row by row (done carefully this saves too much pulling apart when making a sample)
Then I found a couple of spare balls of yarn in contrasting colours and started following my trial pattern.... I found I needed to alter the numbers on a couple of rows but the end result was a really pleasing 3D effect flower square... it reminded me slightly of the brooch accessories in earlier posts even though the construction was completely different...
The Anemone Flower Granny Square looks really cute... I think I might have to compete with my friend to get one made as well.

Yummy Lamb Aubergine Stack

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 08:57:00 +0000

Alas the eggplant only yielded one fruit (is it a fruit or a vegetable?)
But what a beauty that one turned out to be... glossy, huge, the most glorious shade... and once turned into the lovely dinner on the right we agreed it tasted better than anything brought home from the shops.
Grilled aubergine circles stacked with grilled potato/cheese mash cakes and topped with two lamb mince skewers and a little fine fried noodles.
The result not only looked great it tasted fantastic... and was extremely filling... I had to run for the camera to keep a record of the meal... All hail the chef (who wasn't me!)

Finding buttons for the princess's coat

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sat, 28 May 2011 09:27:00 +0000

Finally the smallest coat is finished... as promised here is the second post to complete this wee journey
Sewing up this tiny coat for a 3 month old baby was pretty similar to the other coats posted recently .. except the tyrannies of scale... Although it was quicker by far than the second one (the job was finished in less than an hour), because of the small size of the pieces and the fluffiness of the wool it was a rather fiddly task.
Having made sure it looked okay with all things lined up correctly, next came the thought that I really needed to find some pretty special buttons to finish this wee coat off. The buttonholes are possibly larger than you'd expect on a garment this size, but with the fluffiness of the wool you need to be able to find them quickly when dressing a squirming baby.
A trip to one of my favourite stores brought the realisation that the button selection process was not going to be smooth sailing as the colours were not going to be the easiest to match. This coat only needed two buttons, I found that white looked too stark against the variegated wool, and the pink was not an easy shade to match, so I started looking at the small selection of lilac buttons to see if there was anything which would fit in.
While not exactly desperate, I was getting a little concerned, when I found just the perfect lilac colour button, except, they were too small, then finally... on the top row... almost out of reach (and I'm not short!) the perfect buttons!
Why go for subtle, any 3 month old has to be the princess of the family, so a little bit of sparkly bling suits perfectly... so rather than quiet buttons this coat has heart shaped sparkle which screams for attention and announces the princess has arrived!

The last one.. tiny coat 1... nearly finished

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Wed, 25 May 2011 09:17:00 +0000

As promised there is the cute current coat (oops alliteration rules!) which is an adaptation of the original and the coat posted yesterday.
Altered from a double-breasted coat, I'm about to sew it together, but the pile of pieces looked so yummy I had to do a preview. This has to be the softest fibre I've ever used.. there is a firm thread to maintain some structure to the knitting but it is just so soft it's unbelievable!
I'll post the finished version but in the meantime this is the third version of what has proven to be a great Patons baby pattern. OK so the fibre isn't Patons.. I usually prefer to chose the fibre then find a pattern... I have enough of this one left over to probably make some long legged bootee/slippers... It's a 3 month size coat so I'm guessing there won't be much crawling!
I think the trickiest bit will be finding suitable buttons. If you're liking the pattern leave me a comment or email and I'll give the details of the pattern book (No Patons don't pay me for this, I wish they did!) Finished version next...

Winter's Coming... break out the coats!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Tue, 24 May 2011 09:36:00 +0000

With winter well on its way and coughs and colds making their presence felt it's time to trot out the coats to keep chests and shoulders warm and cosy.

This coat for a one year old is knitted in a blend of fibres. The coloured bouclé is a blend of mohair and nylon (the nylon is really a retaining thread keeping the soft fibrous mohair in line and providing a little firmness and structure to the strands). The grey of the upper front, sleeves and hood is nylon 8 ply worked double for extra warmth.

The coat is knitted entirely in garter stitch and the pattern is the same basic pattern as the one in a previous post... except... this garment has only 4 buttons to the double breasted front rather than 8 buttons. The teal buttons bring out the colour in the body and the two rows of the garter stitch are worked into the hood ensure the hood relates well to the rest of the garment. Overall this is a lovely warm coat with the garter stitched mohair feeling more like a luxury fabric that a knitted garment.

Meanwhile I'm onto the hood of a three month baby version... altered to have only 2 buttons on the front.... next post.

It's a Dog's Life!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Tue, 24 May 2011 07:35:00 +0000

Yes this is the right way up... Bella has her own way of enjoying life and as I knitted on Sunday morning she made her self comfortable and proceeded to snooze... when I left she was gently snoring... most un-befitting a Bichon-Maltese cross though I have to admit she certainly looked blissfully comfortable.
Being the smallest dog in the household and considering yourself the boss is a tiring job!

Close-up frog cover photo

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sat, 14 May 2011 09:41:00 +0000

While on the subject of photos.. this frog made the perfect cover model for Good Teacher Magazine's latest issue.
I had no idea what sort of frog this was but he was chilling out in the surface of a bin full of water beside the house.
He clutched onto the paspalum grass which was dipping into the water and the opportunity to try to get a close-up was too good to miss.
This was one of those fortuitous snaps which just happened to be 'right place, right time'. The only photo-shopping done was the removal of a couple of reflections near the top which only distracted the viewer, there were no enhancements to the image of the frog.
Immediately after I had finished breathing over this wee frog he decided that escape might be a good idea and swam to the edge of the bin.... the next time I went to see what he was up to he had vanished...
After a quick hunt on the Internet (thanks Mr Google)...
I'm pretty sure it was a variety of frog called the Green and Golden Bell Frog or Litoria aurea... which was imported into New Zealand in the late 1860s. http://goodteacher.co.nz

Another side of Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sat, 14 May 2011 08:31:00 +0000

A trip to Rotorua the other day gave this opportunity to snap the weather at its best - or worst!
The wind was hurtling in from the lake and the little peddle boats moored on the jetty around the tourist launch looked like a lot of ducklings dabbling round their mother.

The white birds behind the trees are a flock of seagulls all facing into the wind and using the opportunity to clean themselves in the rain which while windblown was not driving rain but more of a gentle misty drizzle.The gulls at the back of the group regularly took off and flew into the wind and placed themselves at the front... wisdom in crowds?
In the meantime the gull in the foreground spent its time having a solitary spa in the rather long puddle which had developed on the tiled footpath.
An all... the photo collected a rather interesting conglomeration of sights which made a day, which seemed to have nothing going for it, take on interest and meaning.

Wonderful autumn arrives in the country

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Wed, 11 May 2011 10:12:00 +0000

I love autumn!

Cold crisp mornings - warming in the middle of the day then morphing back to chilly evenings.
The glorious colours of the autumn leaves - who cares that they are everywhere, they make marvellous compost for the garden after giving us that visual feast.
The kiwifruit harvest happens... you can almost hear the plants sighing in relief as the weight of the fruit goes.
The weather gives an excuse for the winter shoes and boots to reappear from summer banishment - yes I am a bit of a shoe nut!
Clothing can return to layers hiding a multitude of sins (well... lumps and bumps perhaps).
And my two walnut trees give increasing amount of nuts as they grow bigger. They are the 'Wilson's Wonders' variety and can be cracked open without a nut cracker (just bare hands)...and the yellow bucket is larger than it looks in the photo... the last ones were collected about 4 days before.

The photo is the result of the collection early on Sunday morning - before the pickers arrived to pick the kiwifruit. We ran the risk of their tractors and feet crushing what had dropped if we didn't do it at that time... not my anticipated start to Mothers Day!
It ended up being a great day... kiwifruit (gold) all picked and taken to the pack-house, and more walnuts collected for drying...

Baby Bootee Pattern Trial

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Wed, 11 May 2011 09:39:00 +0000

So Toni arrived at work with photos of some bootees which she had seen at a baby shower and fallen in love with... was it possible to work out the pattern (or something like it).
As you may have realised I love a challenge (and of course I'm not competitive at all!)
So the trial began...
Starting with a 4 chain circle then using double trebles (UK) to make a rosette.

As the pictures show the trial baby boot continued through to the finished product... It was made in Patons 3ply with a 3.00mm hook.

If you'd like to try the pattern leave a contact in the comment section and I'll email it to you.

Mothers Day Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sun, 08 May 2011 03:20:00 +0000

Dear Mum, We miss you more than we could have known or expected, Love always.

Really simple sweet finish on Baby Jumper

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Fri, 06 May 2011 10:25:00 +0000

A friend's knitting needed a little assistance... the neck of the pretty pink jumper didn't fit and no amount of casting off with a larger needle would do... especially as the neckband is at the top of each segment of the garment so there are 4 seams. Add to that the difficulty of getting the right number of rows (if you are not a regular knitter) and you will see why I found myself the other night with the fun of finishing off a garment without that slight boredom you get when you think you'll never finish what you're working on!

I restitched the seams with ladder stitch so all the casting on and ribbing at the bottom of the garment looked the same... I left a raglan seam open from just above the sleeve seam.

The seam left open was on the front of the raglan sleeved garment...for two reasons,
1. The buttons looked really cute and would be seen more and,
2. Because the buttons had a shank on them, if they were at the front the shanks wouldn't stick into the baby if she lay down.
The edging and buttonholes were done with the same wool and a crochet hook that was a little finer than the needles the garment was knitted with. I did double crochet throughout (American single crochet) 2 rows from the back of the opening to the front on the second (return) row I put in the three chain miss three stitches buttonholes (three times).
When I reached the top of the back section of the button V I continued around the neck with a row of double crochet, putting the hook into every knit stitch on the band. This hid the fact that some of the panels had been cast off with the wrong side facing and some with the right side facing... by doing it this way the finished effect was of a smooth finished cast off edge. The final row continued along the V giving a bit more strength to the buttonholes. After finishing off a few stitches to hold the V in place with the buttonhole side overlapping the underside, ready for buttoning, buttons sewn on and the garment was complete.... and very cute!

Current issue of Good Teacher Magazine uploaded!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Wed, 04 May 2011 06:29:00 +0000

Good Teacher Magazine for term two is being uploaded as I type... Another enjoyable job done! It would be great to get some more writers... unfortunately there is no pay but there is virtually no control over what you choose to write, as long as it is acceptable for an educational lifestyle publication... So we'll take comedy, serious, IT, curriculum based, management, assessment, puzzles, great worksheets, perhaps interesting papers presented at conferences - then forgotten.
The reach of the magazine is international as it is only available online... however it is also free.. the only subscriptions are the lists of those readers who have asked to be emailed when each magazine is uploaded.

Check out the website: http://goodteacher.co.nz
It's also in Facebook and twitter!
If, after you check out the magazine, you would like to write you'll find all the contact details on page three of the magazine.

Apart from that... what do you think of the photo on the front cover?