Crafty Braam

Came across a completely new idea (through my favourite Dutch blog ofcourse 😀) and remembered I had a ball of Scheepjes Whirl yarn laying around that would be great for this project. I would have rather used Unicat yarn but I can't find that in stores here at all. You basically crochet a doily or table cloth and stretch it inside a hoop. (we used to make them in the 1970ties, but with thin white cotton, so they ended up much smaller, to hang in the window).My biggest problem was to find a VERY LARGE ring to fit this. Needed to be at least 100cm (40") in diameter. I only found 1 place online and it was close to $100. Little too pricey for my taste. Many people gave me suggestions and eventually I went with connecting 2 hula hoops ($2 a piece at Dollarama) and spray paint. I used up practically all the yarn and it made the mandala 110cm (43"). I'm not completely satisfied with the spray paint. Suppose to be for plastic but here and there it didn't stick very well so…

Beside masks, I guess there will be a need for these items too next month when the kids go back to school. I had a request to make some for my neighbour, a nice change from the extreme sewing lately . To make your own, download my free Hand Sanitizer Holder on the pattern page or on Ravelry.

We're 6 months into the pandemic now and still living this “new normal” life. Things have improved somewhat because we can go out and socialize more, but only with people we choose to be in our “bubble”. Social distancing is still the norm and I'm afraid for quite some time yet. To try and contain a new upswing in the infection spread there is now a mandatory face mask use for indoor public places. School are going to be open again next month and kids will also have to wear masks, starting in grade 4. Needless to say I have been extremely busy sewing. I'm at the point where I have to borrow Malinda's sewing machine for a while so I can bring mine in to have oiled and serviced (it's starting to squeak quite badly, from overuse I'm sure). I've now provided most of the family with masks but I'm getting a little overwhelmed lately with orders from friends of friends, Michelle's clinic clients and just through word of mouth. People seem to like the design a …

This was a super fun project to do. It's the Copenhagen Building Blocks pattern, but it reminds me a lot of Dutch canal houses. Very versatile because you can combine any type of house or section of house in whatever colour you prefer (or happen to have available) and put it together to your own liking.I used a lot of the yarn I use for the bunnies (Sport or DK weight) on needle 2.75mm
I made 12 houses (6 for each side) and it fit perfectly around an Ikea pillow 50x50cm. Pretty pleased with the end result.

I finished the cardigan I was working on and I'm very pleased with the result! I had to make sure I didn't run out of yarn because there was no way I could buy more (I purchased this YEARS ago) but at the end I even had some left over! I'm using it on my next project of knitting some roofs for these Danish houses or probably another little fox.
I decided to not add buttons because I would never close it while wearing anyway.
The pattern is free on Ravelry

I’ve always done a lot of craftwork but with this continued “stay home” order even I am starting to get a little bored with the usual stuff.
These little nurse dolls are a fitting project right now. They’re easy and fast to make, use up leftover yarns! Free Ravelry pattern.
A little more work making the Florence Nightingale bear. I’ve made her before, for my daughter and sister (both nurses), but I figured it was the right time to make another one. Ravelry Pattern

I’ve made a lot of different face-masks already and I still keep trying new designs (Pinterest has an endless supply of free patterns) to see which one I like best (and it keeps changing as I go). I’m also sewing masks for Michelle’s clinic, so she’s ready to welcome her clients back when/if the government allows her to open again (not till after June 1st is the latest news).

Right now I’m working on a cardigan for myself (free pattern), in an orangy coloured tweed yarn I’ve had laying around for a long time, just never kne…

We're living in a very strange world right now, dealing with the Corona pandemic and no end in sight for the near future yet. At least another month or more with lockdowns and social distancing. I decided to try my hand at some different stuff for a change. So with a lot of people feeling the need to wear face-masks I fired up my sewing machine and here are the results.
I went on YouTube for visual information and then tried different styles to see which one used the least amount of fabric, which one was the easiest to make, which one was the fastest to make and which one was the most comfortable to wear (top priority!)

The winner is the pleated mask on the bottom right.



June 2020 update
During several more months of the COVID-19 pandemic I have tried a lot of different designs since that first attempt in April. 
And my favourite is now this style.
It's easy and fast to make, fits well over the nose and under the chin. And it doesn't touch your mouth so it feels less restricti…