Every Girl Needs a Pink Dinosaur

One of my major plans this year is to concentrate on making things for my own pleasure - whether it be for family, friends or home. There will be a lot less making to sell and I have no craft fairs lined up at all this year (though of course that may change). I'm keeping my Folksy shop open, and I'll list new items occasionally, but this year I thought I'd concentrate on learning new techniques and spending time developing my own ideas.

I really enjoyed knitting this dinosaur for my Great Niece Deja's first birthday (actually last November but I hadn't got round to posting the photos). Due to the copyright laws I tend not to make things from magazines, but when I'm knitting for a gift (and not to sell) then that's okay.

This was from Let'sKnit magazine, issue 31, June 2010 - knitted in oranges, blues and greens in the magazine 'perfect for little boys' - I thought it would look lovely for a girl in a variegated pink/lilac/white yarn with touches of minty green. I added the long eyelashes at the last minute to make her extra-girlie!

I'm not sure that Deja liked her birthday gift at first.

But she seemed too after a little while.

Every girl needs a pink dinosaur, hey?

New 'The Needle Works' Range

These are my latest designs for my The Needle Works shop on Folksy. I made them for the August craft fair at Newcastle's Grainger Market where they received many favourable comments and lots of sales. A few of these charms, in various designs, are still available for sale. They are all individual and unique, and handmade by myself.

Choose from yummy cupcakes...

Or beach huts to remind you of summer...

Or pretty flowers and pots...

Or sweet little birdies.

The charms can be used in a variety of ways: attach them to your keys so that they can be easily found in the bottom of your handbag...

Prettify a handbag, or attach it to the zip to make it easier to grab hold of and use...

Or attach it to your scissors so that they don't get lost in the bottom of your sewing basket - and doubles up as a pin cushion too!

I love this range: so colourful and cheery. They'd make great little gifts or stocking fillers (Christmas is only 116 days away you know!) or as a lovely treat for yourself. Hope you like them too!

Ice Cream Baby Blanket

I've been crocheting some more little squares.

Lots of little squares in pretty ice cream colours.

I really enjoyed making the blanket for my friend's new baby and the new parents loved it too, so I thought that I'd make some more in different colourways and sell them in my Folksy shop.

I've chosen these colours with a baby girl in mind - soft pink and lilac, and fresh white.

I'm undecided as to what pattern combination to use though.

Concentric squares? Stripes? Diagonals?

I've nearly finished all of the squares now so I better make up my mind soon. At the minute I like the diagonal stripes - but I'd love to know what you think.