Category Archives: crochet

September 6, 2010 · 7:08 pm

Adventures of 2 travelling bears part 2

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! sometimes, technology is BEYOND frustrating!

I have spent the last 2 hours, trying to get this post to ‘take’…. but even though I have edited it a dozen or more times, and even deleted, and started over …. the photos just WON’T show up…..  I’ll try again tomorrow….   😦

In part one of the adventures of the traveling bears ‘ Link ,

the bears and their humans set out for Vancouver to get Paul moved and settled in for his new school year.

photo copyright Angus Findlay

The bears loved sunbathing on the dashboard of the van, and agreed that they had the very best view of the scenery.

photo copyright Angus Findlay

They quite enjoyed exploring the sand dunes in the Rocky Mountains.

…

Secretly, they were relieved that they didn’t meet any of their large Grizzly cousins.

Although, they assured everyone that they would be very brave and speak politely to any enormous bears who ambled past….

..

Paul and Little Bear took a verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry deep breath when they arrived on his new doorstep.

photo copyright Angus Findlay

It was a fine road trip…. next ….. settling in……

3 Comments

Filed under crochet

Tagged as , , ,

September 4, 2010 · 6:22 pm

The adventures of 2 travelling bears-1

One of our son’s closest friends, Paul, decided to move to another city to go to school.

So, our son and his wife and another of their dear friends, (Mike), decided to drive Paul to his new city.

They loaded up their van with Paul’s possesions and came out to the farm to spend the night before ‘take off’.

As I watched them preparing for the journey, I had the sudden impulse to ask Paul if he would like a travelling comfort bear to keep him company on his great adventure.

He said- Yes, please!

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

Luckily, I have a stash of them, crocheted from the designs in my book: Crocheted Teddy Bears (link)

Mike was also open to adopting a teddy, so he chose one, too….

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

Soon, the Intrepid Travellers were all packed and ready to head out down the road, over the mountains to the Coast…..

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

The van was loaded right to the gills, so the bears decided to check the air pressure on the tires….

copyright Angus Findlay

They declared it to be acceptable.

All hatches  battened… and the team prepared for a good night’s sleep and an early morning departure….

Further adventures of Team Paul and  The Amazing Travelling Bears to be continued….

5 Comments

Filed under crochet

Tagged as , , , ,

March 15, 2010 · 12:05 am

Tottie and the Teddies Take Tea

Tottie Tomato is always up for a tea party. Today, she’s sipping tea with a group of teddy friends.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay

Some of her teddy friends are really tiny. One little mischievous fellow decided to go for a little dip in his teacup, which raised a few eyebrows. Other than that slight social faux pas, the tea party was a great success.

What’s the story behind Tottie’s  tea party today?

Well, the other day, a lady asked me if I still had copies of my Crocheted Teddy Bears book. I checked on my shelf, and realized that I did, but only had 2 copies left and that I had tagged it to transpose it into pdf format.

So, I spent the day and evening working on re-building the book as an eBook.While I was working on building the pdf’s, I wondered what had happened to the original teddies from the book.  I had crocheted a really enormous one, and knew that I had given that one away, as I just don’t have room to store it.

I knew I had several of the tinier teddies from the book scattered around the studio, but it took some searching to find them.

Some of them completely eluded me, but I just remembered that there is a collection of them in my workshop boxes, so I will have to see if I can lay hands on them.

I love crocheting teddies with unusual materials. Do you see the teddy bear that I crocheted from wire?

He’s the one who’s whispering secrets into Tottie’s ear. Because he’s kind of see-through, I put some precious objects inside him, which then makes him even more special.

I have stitched pins on the backs of the other really tiny bears, and I wear them as pins.

A  friend made me the naughty little one in the teacup, and spool knitted a cord onto it to turn it into a fine little bookmark.

So, you see, teddy bears can do more than just sip tea!

They can do all manner of important things.

But, when you think about it, really, all a teddy bear REALLY needs to do, is to just be him or herself.

A lesson that we all could learn from, yes?

PS: If you are interested in the pdf patterns for my crocheted teddy bears, they can be ordered from:

crocheted teddy bears

Leave a comment

Filed under crochet, doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making

Tagged as , , ,

February 24, 2009 · 5:49 pm

Mardi gras butterfly masks

mardi-gras-blue-mask-0n-orange-275mardi-gras-white-mask-0n-orange-275

Somehow, I don’t think that I will ever go to New Orleans for the real Mardi Gras,

but that won’t stop me from celebrating in my studio!

I made these Mardi Gras masks with all kinds of techniques and things that I love:

Tatting, spool knitting, crochet, butterflies, Grandma’s vintage buttons, beads and other found objects, as well as woodworking.

Feels like a celebration to me!

Happy Mardi Gras!

Images and text are copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay and not to be copied without her permission.

8 Comments

Filed under crochet, spool knitter & spoolknitter & spool knitting & spool knitting

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 10, 2009 · 11:31 pm

Rosie Recycle is done and ready to go!

rosie-recycle-book-and-dolls-2-qs

I am so excited!
I have finally finished The Rosie Recycle Doll Book!

http://www.crone-findlay.com/Crone-FindlayCreationsWhatsNew.html

tottie-and-pin-dolls-qs
Rosie Recyle dolls are charming little one of a kind dolls that are
an inspiration to ‘go green’, and become a thrifty ‘eco crafter’.

Combine your stash of scraps of yarn & embroidery floss
with colorful bits of junk mail, old magazines
and packaging to create enchanting & unique little
Rosie Recycle Dolls.

The book includes instructions and patterns for
* Knitted Rosie Recycle Dolls
*Crocheted Rosie Recycle Dolls
* Spool knitted Rosie Recycle Dolls
*Rosie Recycle Dolls with ribbon or lace scrap skirts.

The completed Rosie Recycle dolls
are approximately 5 inches (12.5 cm) tall.

They have pins on the back of their heads, so they can dance from
your hat, bag, lapel, curtain, inspiration or bulletin board.
They’re also great for scrapbooking, too…..

The Rosie Recycle booklet is 48 pages, and is full color.
It’s 5 1/2 inches by 8 1/2 inches- so easy to slip into your tote bag!

I am doing the big time happy happy happy dance….

and Tottie Tomato thinks that Rosie Recyle is pretty darned wonderful, too!

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Image Source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright



13 Comments

Filed under crochet, doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, eco crafts & green projects, spool knitter & spoolknitter & spool knitting & spool knitting

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

October 21, 2008 · 3:41 am

Save the Children Baby Cap by Noreen Crone-Findlay

In Sept of 2008, I was teaching workshops in Portland OR at the Knit and Crochet Show.

I met Trish and Christen, who are working hard on the Save the Children campaign.

I was really impressed with what they are doing, so I designed this baby cap for them:

and Tottie Tomato approves!

So, without further ado, here is the pattern:


Crocheted Baby Earflap Style Cap

by Noreen Crone-Findlay (copyright)

Size: To fit a small newborn head, 10 inches (25 cm) in circumference

Materials: 3/4 oz (25 gm) of 1 ball Caron Simply Soft Paints ( 100% acrylic, 200 yd/ 182 m, 4 oz/113 gm)

(Cap in photo was crocheted with # 002′Rose Garden’)

Equipment: Crochet hook, size ‘H’/5 mm, a darning needle or tapestry needle, scissors

Gauge: 7 dc = 2 inches/5 cm

Instructions:

Ch 3, join to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, cut a short length of contrasting yarn to use as a row marker, and place it against the last stitch.

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc of previous rdn. Pull row marker out and place it against the last stitch. (12 sc)

Rnd 3: (2 sc in 1st sc, 1 sc in next) 6 times. Move row marker. (18 st)

Rnd 4: (2 sc in 1st sc, 1 sc in next 2 st) 6 times. Move row marker. (24 st)

Rnd 5: (2 sc in 1st sc, 1 sc in next 3 st) 6 times. Move row marker. (30 st)

Rnd 6: (2 sc in 1st sc, 1 sc in next 4 st) 6 times. Move row marker. (36 st)

Rnd 7 -9: 36 hdc. Move row marker.

Row 10: Ch 3, 26 dc.

Rows 11 and 12: Turn, ch 3, 26 dc.

Row 13: Turn, ch 3, 3 dc, 4 hdc, 3sc, 6 sl st, 3sc, 4 hdc, 3 dc.

Edging: Ch 1, 1 sc in each st of lower edge, ch 1 at corner, work sc up side of flap, across forehead and down 2nd flap. Cut yarn, finish, weave in ends.

Now, write a note or make a small tag and attach it to the cap and mail it, and a letter to the new president of the USA, telling him that you are helping the babies of the world and asking him what he will do for them, to:

Save the Children, Knit One, Save One

c/o The Doe Fund

173 Cook Street

Brooklyn, NY 11206

Noreen Crone-Findlay designed this cap with love, for the Save the Children, Knit One, Save One campaign. Please DO NOT copy the pattern, pictures or text of this blog entry to post on your blog or other places.

Please send people the url, not the content. Thanks so much!

Image Source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

10 Comments

Filed under crochet

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,