Category Archives: gifts & easy to make gifts & presents

Simple Little Things That Make Me Happy- Hand Prints

I am very fond of the little kiddo that lives next door. He and his Mamma are good friends of mine.

The doorbell will ring and my little friend will announce that it has been 50 years since we talked, so we will sit together on the porch and have a chat. His Mamma sits on the grass and we all enjoy the moment.

Yesterday, I took paper and pen outside and drew around his hand and he astounded me with his mathematical abilities. Three years old and doing some pretty clever addition! wow….

We had a lovely time drawing lots of handprints.

Then I cut one of them out, traced it on wood and cut it out. I burned the date on it and am going to give it to my friend for Mother’s Day.

I haven’t felt up to doing any wood work for more than 6 months, so it felt sweet to say hello to my saw and sander again.

I made wooden handprints of my children’s hands when they were little, and still treasure them.

Handprints are magical. They make me happy.

What made you happy today? ❤

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Simple Little Things That Make Me Happy- A Bee and A Bear in a Plum Tree

Noticing lovely little things is a wonderful way to connect to beauty and that is so healing!

It creates an oasis of happiness, which is so essential.

Making Comfort Bears, especially the Clancy Comfort Bears makes me happy.

Here’s a link to the pattern and how to video so you can be happy making them, too. LINK

I went out to take a picture of a Clancy Comfort Bear in the Plum tree, which is gloriously in bloom, and smells divine!

And the scent of the blossoms was incredibly gorgeous!

A fuzzy, chubby Bumble Bee thought so, too! Delightful!

Tadah! 3 Simple Little Things that make me so happy!

What makes you happy?

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Knitted Clancy Comfort Bear

KNITTING PATTERN FOR THE CLANCY COMFORT BEAR

by Noreen Crone-Findlay (c)

The knitted Clancy Comfort Bear is my latest design for comfort bears.

I designed it in honor of my beloved son in law who died last year.

Clancy was kindness incarnate and always kept several Comfort Bears in his pocket to offer to people who were having a difficult time. So, the Clancy Bear is a living legacy to keep his kindness unfolding in the world. With love in every stitch……

THE ‘HOW TO’ VIDEO FOR THE CLANCY COMFORT BEAR IS AT:

NOTE: The finished size of the Clancy Bear is determined by the thickness of yarn and size of knitting needles that you use.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Knitting Needles in a size that is appropriate for the thickness of your yarn,

Yarn: Less than an ounce for each Clancy Comfort Bear

A crochet hook that is appropriate for the thickness of your yarn.

Black 6/0 glass beads for eyes, Stuffing,

Black sewing thread and a needle that is small enough to sew on the beads, Tapestry or darning needle

Sewing machine thread in a color that matches your yarn (optional)

Felting needle, Tape measure, Row Counter, 4 small safety pins, Scissors or thread snip

INSTRUCTIONS: Beginning at the feet:

Cast on 11 stitches.

Rows 1- 16: Work in st st (knit one row, purl the next)

Place one of the little safety pins at each end of Row 6 and then 1 more pin at each end of Row 10.

At the end of Row 16, cut the yarn, leaving a 42 inch/105 cm long tail

Thread the tail end into a darning or tapestry needle and lift all the stitches off the needle.

Pull up to gather the top of the head.

Take the needle through the stitches one more time to secure them.

HEAD:

Sew the centre front seam using the Baseball stitch to the first set of safety pins. (see video for how to).

Take a couple stitches to secure the head. Remove the 2 safety pins.

Stuff the head.

Wrap the yarn tightly around the neck 2 times then stitch over the wraps to secure them.

EARS:

Take the yarn up to the side of the head at the top of the head and stitch over the knitting needle or crochet hook twice.

Stitch over these loops several times to make the first ear.

Repeat for the 2nd ear.

Take the needle back down and out at the ‘shoulder’ to be used to make the arms.

TUMMY SEAM:

Thread another strand of yarn or the sewing machine thread into a needle and stitch the center front down to the next set of safety pins.

Stuff the body.

LEGS:

Fold the cast on edge in half to find the midpoint.

Take the needle through it and stitch it to the end of the tummy seam.

Stitch in place a couple of times to secure it.

Squeeze and fold the edges of the front to meet the cast on edge, forming the leg with the corner point becoming the toe. It’s a bit like origami.

Stitch the leg inseam together, pulling up tightly.

Stitch the second leg inseam.

Secure at the middle.

Take the needle through the body to the back, and snip.

ARMS:

Take the crochet hook through the stitch at the shoulder where the yarn came out.

Yarn over, pull up a loop through the stitch on the body.

Chain by taking the yarn over the hook and pulling it through the loop on the hook.

Do this 7 to 9 times, depending on the thickness of your yarn.

Take the crochet hook through the shoulder on the other side of the body and pull up a loop.

Thread the yarn end into the tapestry needle and stitch the loop to the body.

Take the hook through the first chain stitch at the shoulder, and make a slip stitch in it by pulling up a loop through the chain stitch.

Repeat this for all the chain stitches, ending at the first shoulder.

Stitch the end into the body and use the felting needle to secure the arms to the shoulders and to bury the yarn end.

NOSE:

Take the black thread through the head, coming out at the center of the face.

Secure it with a couple of tiny stitches.

Make several horizontal stitches for the nose.

MOUTH:

Move down and take a couple of shorter horizontal stitches for the mouth.

EYES:

Take the needle up slightly above and to one side of the nose and sew on the bead for one eye,

then the other.

Secure the stitches by going back down to the nose and taking a couple of tiny stitches at the corner of the nose, then taking the needle back through the head. Snip the ends.

PANDA:

INSTRUCTIONS: Beginning at the feet:

Cast on 11 stitches with black yarn.

Rows 1- 6: Work in st st (knit one row, purl the next)

Place one of the little safety pins at each end of Row 6

Rows 7 & 8: Join white yarn and work in st st

Rows 9 & 10: Drop white yarn and work in black yarn.

Place 1 more pin at each end of Row 10.

Cut the black yarn, leaving a tail of 42 inches/105 cm.

Rows 11- 16: Work in white yarn.

At the end of Row 16, cut the yarn, leaving a 20 inch/50 cm long tail

Thread the white yarn end into a darning or tapestry needle and lift all the stitches off the needle.

Pull up to gather the top of the head.

Take the needle through the stitches one more time to secure them.

Stitch the center front seam of the head with the white yarn.

Stuff the head and wrap and secure the neck.

Take the black tail end out through to the shoulder and leave it there for now.

Work the rest of the Panda body, legs and arms the same way as the Basic Clancy Bear.

EARS:

After working the Arms, take the black yarn up to the top of the head and make the ears.

EYE PATCHES:

Take 3 small vertical stitches for each eye patch.

NOSE:

Take 2 horizontal stitches for the nose.

MOUTH:

Take 1 smaller horizontal stitch for the mouth. Secure the yarn by stitching through to the back of the neck and stitching in place the burying the yarn in the body.

EYES:

Sew the eye beads to the center of the patches. Secure the thread ends in the eye patches.

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Equilateral Triangle Loom Weaving- How to make potholders and mug rugs

This how to video by Noreen Crone-Findlay shows how to make potholders and mug rugs (coasters) woven on the Equilateral Triangle looms, using techniques shown in previous ‘how to’ videos.

The potholders and mug rugs are quick and easy to weave using the Weaving techniques that she developed for the Equilateral Triangle Looms that she designed and Dewberry Ridge Looms builds.

Here’s the link to the ‘How to’ video for the potholders and mug rugs (coasters):

The link to order Equilateral Triangle looms is:

https://www.dewberryridge.com/products/equilateral-triangle-looms

The links for all the ‘how to videos’ for all the Equilateral Triangle loom techniques as well as patterns for projects are at:

https://tottietalkscrafts.com/2023/02/21/equilateral-triangle-looms-all-the-links/

Happy Weaving!

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Equilateral Triangle Looms- All the Links

If you would like to order the pdf patterns for the projects,

Please post a note in the comments and I will get back to you asap OR click on the links to my etsy shop. Thank you!

For 7 years, on and off, I have been working hard on developing these wonderful Equilateral Triangle looms and lots of projects to weave on them.

And, tadah! They are finally ready to go out into the world!

I love them and hope that you will, too!

To order the looms, please go to the links listed below this box

https://www.dewberryridge.com/products/equilateral-triangle-looms

The Latchet Lucet is used a lot in many of the patterns. Here’s the link to order it: LINK

The YouTube ‘How To’ videos will all be listed below this box

1- Introducing the Equilateral Triangle Looms LINK

2- How to Weave the Triaxial Weaving technique on the Equilateral Triangle Loom LINK

3- How to Weave the ‘Mountain’ Weaving technique on the Equilateral Triangle Loom LINK

4- How to Weave the “Molehill” Weaving technique on the Equilateral Triangle Loom LINK

5- How to Weave the “Glacier” Weaving technique on the Equilateral Triangle Loom LINK

6- How to Weave the Lock Stitch Flower Weaving technique on the Equilateral Triangle Loom LINK

7- How to Sew together the woven triangles and other modules LINK

8- Potholders and Mug Rugs (Coasters) Woven on the Equilateral Triangle Looms LINK

The Photos for the PROJECT PATTERNS can be seen at the links below:

SHAWLS AND OTHER ACCESSORIES: LINK

1- Asymmetric Shawl Pattern

2- Butterfly Shawl Pattern

3- Simple Stole

4- Bag to Carry and Store the Equilateral Triangle Looms

5- Two Round Shoulder Shawls

6- Shawl Collar Vest

7- Cowl

8- Geometric Butterfly

TOYS AND OTHER SMALL PROJECTS WOVEN ON EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE LOOMS: Photos can be seen at LINK

1- Cuddly Teddy Bear

2- Cuddly Kitten

3- Simple Gnome

4- Gnome Family

5- Easily Amused Monster

6- Koala Bear

7- Little Dog

8- Panda Bear

9- Pocket Penguin

10- Geometric Butterfly

The Free Patterns on my blog will all be listed below this box

Potholders and Mug Rugs (Coasters) Woven on the Equilateral Triangle Looms LINK

Blog page about the Potholders and Mug Rugs LINK

I hope that you will enjoy the Equilateral Triangle looms as much as I do!

Happy Weaving! ❤

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Tiny Teddy Bears to Weave on Hello Looms

When I was designing the Teddy Bears for the 2022 Summer Weaving Challenge, it struck me that weaving very tiny teddies for the teddy bears would be fun.

I decided that the very smallest looms from Hello! Looms would be wonderful to make ever so teeny tiny teddies.

I also made them a little bed…..

Here’s Part One of how to weave the Teeniest Tiny Teddy Bears:

And here’s Part Two

And, Part Three:

To order the Baby Duo looms from Hello! Looms, go to LINK

The Links for all the how to videos are at:

LINK

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Saffron Teddy Bears – How to Weave Their Sun Hats

The Saffron Bears love to have picnics, so of course, they need to have Sun Hats!

I designed the sun hats for the Saffron Bears, but they fit lots of other dolls and soft toys, too.

Here’s how to weave them:

The link for all the video tutorials for the Saffron Teddy Bears for the 2022 Summer Weaving Challenge is:

LINK

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Saffron Teddy Bears – Assembling the Bears

Here are the video tutorials that show how to assemble the teddy bears:

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

The link for all the video tutorials for the Saffron Teddy Bears for the 2022 Summer Weaving Challenge is:

LINK

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Saffron Teddy Bears- How to Weave the Head and Nose

The head and nose of the Saffron Teddy Bear are very expressive.

Here’s how to weave the head:

And here’s how to weave the nose:

The link for all the video tutorials for the Saffron Teddy Bears for the 2022 Summer Weaving Challenge is:

LINK

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Saffron Teddy Bear for the 2022 Summer Weaving Challenge- How to Weave the Teddy Bear Arm

Sampling for a weaving project is a really good idea that most weavers often avoid doing.

But, weaving a small sample can give so much information to the weaver that it is a huge benefit.

Weaving the arms for the Saffron Teddy Bears is a win/win in the sampling department 🙂

The arms are small, but will quickly show you if your yarn is going to make a pleasing fabric for your teddy bear.

If not, then it’s better to make adjustments and weave it over again, rather than committing to weaving the whole body and then finding that the yarn doesn’t work.

So, start your bear by weaving an arm first.

You’ll be glad you did!

The link for all the video tutorials for the Saffron Teddy Bears for the 2022 Summer Weaving Challenge is:

LINK

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Filed under frame loom weaving, gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, Saffron Loom, Summer Weaving Challenge, teddy bear, tutorial & how to, video tutorial, weave along