Oh, and Craftsy has just launched their new “indie pattern” feature. Go and have a look at my new pattern store there: I love that I can also sell my sewing and felting patterns there ! :-)

I found some pretty neat info about those spindles in my researches lately. I can’t wait to start adding all that in my ebook project about those vintage french spindles… Make sure you subscribe to my “spindles” newsletter to be the first to know about it ! :-)

Posts are becoming scarce on this blog. Yet I’ve been crafting quite a lot lately… but some things I couldn’t show before all the gifting was done !

I made tons of potholders. This round pattern is really addictive, so easy to make and memorize (= ideal project for tv evenings), I love to find new color combinations again and again… Plus it’s perfect to bust my large stash of cottons which I never use. I have a plan for an ebook grouping several potholders patterns and a couple tutorials… stay tuned.

I also branched out in (yet) another direction… sewing leather bags ! Ever since I saw those guys on Artisa in early december, I fell in love with the idea of making my own funky leather pouches and bags, bought several pieces of colored leather, and set one of my vintage sturdy sewing machine to work. I made little coin pouches for my daughters, a mini hobo bag for my niece and a big-boy pouch for my picky nephew (he seemed to be really impressed and like it, Phew !). Oh, and the orange thing in the middle is a cosy for my glasses made in super thick leather. Perfect ! And it closes with a plum-colored piece of leather too… What else ? ;-)
One of the next project will be a handbag for me. Funky it will be, I swear :-P

I’ve also been working on my first ever submission to a crochet magazine. Wish me luck !! Either way, accepted or rejected, this is going to be super exciting: could be either a first published-in-the-press design for me, OR a super cool new design in the coming months … I can’t wait :-)

So when Stefanie Japel asked me if I’d be interested in working on a Workshop for one of my patterns, I was thrilled to say the least ! I worked on this for several weeks (family issues preventing me to work at my usual pace), starting a new sample for the tutorial and taking probably 100+ photos detailing each and every detail…

And finally, my brand new workshop for the Roselette top is online !! It’s the ideal occasion to brush up your skills if you’ve never crocheted a garment before.

The Roselette top is very easy and quick to crochet, with hardly any finishing at all, as it’s worked from the top down in one piece. It’s a perfect layering piece, ideal for the little ones… and an ideal pattern for gifts, as you’ll be able to make Roselette for all sizes, from Newborn to child size 10 !!

The workshop is divided in sections, with LOTS of step-by-step photos (over 50!), detailed instructions and close-ups. You can come back to the workshop whenever you want, zoom in on the photos.

You can also ask questions (I’ll be there to reply!) and chat with other people working on the same project. I’m so excited and can’t wait to start interacting with the students, and see your Roselettes ! :-)

Also, let me add that this pattern for the Roselette top is still available in its “normal” format (4 pages pdf, with several in-progress pictures but nowhere as detailed as the workshop), with the new added sizes up to 10 yo. And there’s a french version too ! Yes, lots of news on this little pattern… :-)
Price: $6

The princess first had no feet, and then had 4. A family of bugs it would be then :-) A prince was then drawn, and a bug-dog. Along with a castle for them all.

We drew, cut, sewed, filled with polyfill, cut some more, sewed some more… And ta da by noon we had a castle, princess and prince !! And beware when asking for the door to open, or you might be surprised: some of the bad guys got smashed under the heavy door this morning ;-)
The girls haven’t had much time to play with it yet, but they alreay love it. I can see how this is going to be hours of fun and endless stories… Plus it was fun to make of course !!! :-D

As for the details, if you’d like to make one:
- I copied my daughter’s drawings onto a white sheet with permanent black marker, cut about 1′ around the whole figure.
- Cut some “clothing” in a different fabric which I zigzag-sewed onto main “doll”.
- Sewed main doll (white fabric) with a colored back fabric, with right sides together. Left an opening to turn inside out.
- Girls turned their doll inside out, and stuffed it with polyfill.
- Closed the opening with sewing machine (or you could handsew it, but I was lazy)
- For the castle, I sewed an extra door, with padded fabric. Zigzaged around door on main fabric, and cut inside to create opening. Attached the padded door to bottom of door-opening, and added button and buttonhole to top of padded door.

In this picture, you can also see my younger daughter’s newest Roselette, and a matryoshka skirt I made her some time ago. Their friend is also wearing a brand new t-shirt-upcycled-into-nightgown we made her with my friend. First sewing lesson… It seems she’s ready to give in and buy a sewing machine now. yeah ! More crafting together :-D

.. Good point though is that my third submission has good chances to make it into the book. :-D

I have now finished the apricot colored Roselette, and nearly done the turquoise one (in size 8). Sizing seems all good for those new added sizes (up to 10 year old) and I should be updating the pattern next week. If you want to buy a copy, do it now before the price rises to $6 ! (and if you bought it previously either from ChezPlum or Ravelry, you should receive an automatic update :-D)

And now, let’s cast on for another Roselette (I had to order more yarn as the plum colored one was too dark for good photos)… for a very exciting project !! :-D