Category Archives: knitting

September 2, 2020 · 11:21 pm

Merrie Sunshine and Minnie Moonbeam Wooden Dolls

I have loved wooden dolls all my life and have made many, many of them throughout my life.

More than 20 years ago, I began a series of flat wooden dolls that I called: ‘Merrie Sunshine’.

I’ve worked with Merrie Sunshine off and on for all these years, but until the pandemic unfolded, it didn’t occur to me to make a mermaid sister for Merrie Sunshine.

I’ve been working on larger articulated wooden mermaids and it was these dolls that brought Merrie Sunshine to mind,

and then inspired me to give Merrie Sunshine a mermaid sister.

Here are Merrie Sunshine and Minnie Moonbeam with my most recent wooden mermaid (the inspiration for all this)

I asked Donna and Gary McFarland of Dewberry Ridge Looms if they would be interested in making

unpainted, unfinished Merrie Sunshine and Minnie Moonbeam dolls that people would then be able

to make uniquely their own.

They said that they would, and so here are what the dolls look like fresh out of the envelope from Donna and Gary:

MERRIE SUNSHINE: LINK TO ORDER from Dewberry Ridge Looms

and

MINNIE MOONBEAM MERMAID: LINK TO ORDER from Dewberry Ridge Looms

I have made 4 videos that show how to paint or color or decoupage the dolls to make them uniquely your own and how to stitch the dolls together

LINKS TO “HOW TO ASSEMBLE AND EMBELLISH MERRIE SUNSHINE AND MINNIE MOONBEAM DOLLS’

PART 1- How to’s for the Face, Hair and all kinds of things:

PART 2- More Embellishing

PART 3- How to use Washi tape and origami paper to dress the dolls:

PART 4- How to stitch the dolls together:

Here’s a little inspiration for the Merrie Sunshine Dolls”

and a glimpse of how I have embellished some Minnie Moonbeam Mermaid dolls:

And, dolls need clothes, right?

So, I have designed an eBook of CROCHETED DOLL clothes for Merrie Sunshine and Minnie Moonbeam

Available in my etsy shop- LINK

AND a book of KNITTED DOLL CLOTHES for Merrie Sunshine and Minnie Moonbeam

Available in my etsy shop at LINK

AND a book of Doll Clothes WOVEN ON THE 2 INCH PIN LOOM

Available in my etsy shop LINK

Here is the link to the facebook group for the Merrie Sunshine and Minnie Moonbeam dolls LINK 🙂

How to make Tutus for Merrie Sunshine and Minnie Moonbeam:

How to make shawls and other wraps for Merrie Sunshine and Minnie Moonbeam:

Watch this page for more links to fun things for Merrie Sunshine and Minnie Moonbeam. 😀

I hope that Merrie Sunshine and Minnie Moonbeam will bring you as much joy as they have brought me! ❤

4 Comments

Filed under crochet, Dewberry Ridge looms, doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, knitting, mermaid, wooden dolls

Tagged as #crocheteddollclothes, #knitteddollclothes, #merriesunshinedoll, #minniemoonbeamdoll, #woodendoll, #woodendolls, #wovendollclothes, Merrie Sunshine Doll, Minnie Moonbeam Mermaid doll, wooden doll, wooden dolls

May 13, 2020 · 12:27 pm

An Old Gnome got a new coat of paint and a view of my studio

Many years ago, I bought a vintage gnome at a garage sale.

Rather liked that he had weathered off all his paint, and yet was still steadfastly all in one piece.

Last month, when I was weaving hearts for the window, I decided to add gnomes to the window, and the old fellow didn’t look cheerful enough to add to the gaity.

So I painted him:

It struck me as being odd that he didn’t have a mustache, so I added one, using my much loved old ‘Gnomes’ book as a guide.

I tried to add the Bunny to the window, but he’s too big and floppy, so he’s sitting in a corner of the studio instead.

I designed him many years ago for Canadian Living magazine.

Here’s a link to the pattern for him and his sweetheart: KNITTED BUNNIES

And, then, I took pics of some of the other things in that corner of the studio.

Including a little video:

And then I totally forgot to blog about Gnomes and Bunnies and looms.

It’s a crazy time.

Hope you are well ❤

4 Comments

Filed under free pattern, knitting, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, personal stuff

Tagged as #paintedgnome, #vintagegnome, Gnome, Gnomes, knitted bunny

November 27, 2019 · 9:50 pm

Comfort or Blessing or Pocket or Prayer Bears- Crocheted Knitted and Woven

Knitting, crocheting and weaving Comfort/Compassion/Kindness/Pocket/Prayer Bears is really important to me.

I have crocheted, knitted and woven thousands of them over the last 20 or so years, and have given them all away.

I designed my first Comfort Bear in response to 9/11 in the hopes of soothing frightened, grieving hearts.

The first version was a crocheted Comfort bear, and was the front page of the Craft Yarn Council of America website for a couple of years. The link is still there: LINK

And, here’s the link to the Crocheted Comfort Bear that I tweaked slightly for my blog: LINK

A few years ago, I designed a knitted Comfort/Blessing Bear that has a ‘hugging’ single loop for the arms so it can hug you back: LINK

Last year, I designed a very simple little knitted Pocket Bear with Stitched Arms: Here’s the Link to the video:

https://tottietalkscrafts.com/2018/12/25/easy-to-knit-comfort-or-pocket-teddy-bears/

The most recent member of the Comfort/Kindness/Compassion/Blessing/Prayer bear is a crocheted Panda:

LINK

Note that you don’t have to make it as a Panda…. crochet it in blue yarn to make a Blue Bear of Happiness, or in more traditional brown yarn…..

Another kind of Blessing Bear or Compassion bear is to make them for people who are grieving the death of someone they loved.

Use garments that the person used to wear and either cut the garment into fabric strips and knit, crochet or weave a Memory Bear, or unravel one of the person’s sweaters and knit, crochet or weave a Blessing/Memory Bear with that.

Here are some links for Memory Bears: LINK and LINK

I did mention that I have woven Comfort/Blessing bears didn’t I?

One of my favorite projects in my new Potholder Loom Weaving book is a Blessing Bear woven on the potholder loom:

Here it is, peeking out of a little pocket on one of the baskets that is in the book:

Here’s a link to order it online, but you can also order it from your local bookstore worldwide: LINK

4 Comments

Filed under blessing bear, charity knitting, crafting for charity, crochet, knitting, teddy bear, tutorial & how to, video tutorial, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as #blessingbear, #comfortbear, blessing bear, Blessing Bears, comfort bear, crochet, crocheted blessing bear, crocheted panda, kindness bear, pocket bear, woven blessing bear

March 18, 2019 · 7:12 pm

Hurrah- a link for Edward and Anastasia knitted teddy bears

I am thrilled to bits…. a lady on Ravelry found a link to Knitting Today archives.

This means that people who are looking for patterns for Edward and Anastasia teddy bears (that I designed for Knitting Today) can now get the patterns online.

Yay!

I can’t send them out because the publisher owns the copyright.

I did a LOT of designing for Knitting Today, so there are lotsa other patterns in there from me, too.

Here’s the link: https://archive.org/search.php?query=knitting%20today

I also searched for ‘Your Knitting Life’ which was a different title to the same magazine, and the Yellowstone Edward and Anastasia came up:

https://archive.org/details/Your_Knitting_Life_2012-June-July/page/n9

Happy knitting!

Easy to knit comfort or pocket teddy bears

I love knitting and crocheting comfort/compassion/pocket bears.

Here’s Tottie Tomato with a batch of bears that I just knitted.

By the way, in the video, I explained a little about where ‘Tottie Tomato’ came from.

Back to Comfort or Pocket Bears…….

Over the years, I’ve made thousands of them and given them away.

Here’s my newest version… knitted, and then folded and stitched, and oh so sweet!

The pattern is: Knit 20 stitches for 22 rounds and then follow the instructions in this video:

Happy knitting! And, may the little bears bring you delight in the making, and joy in the giving!

For more patterns for Comfort bears, please click:

Knitted comfort bears

Crocheted comfort bears

3 Comments

Filed under blessing bear, charity knitting, crafting for charity, gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, knitting, teddy bear, tutorial & how to, video tutorial

Tagged as #blessingbear, blessing bear, comfort bear, Comfort Bears, compassion bear, Easy to knit teddy bear, kindness bear, knitted bear, knitted teddy bear, knitted toy, knitting, Noreen Crone-Findlay, pocket bear, Yarn Crafts

December 11, 2017 · 10:11 pm

Cutting garments into fabric strips to weave and knit

Recently, I made a video about cutting up garments to upcycle them by weaving or knitting with the fabric strips.

In early October of 2017, my son in law’s step-dad passed away.

This was, of course, very hard on our grandson.

I talked with him about what it meant to him to have his ‘other’ grampa (not my husband) pass away.

I asked him if he needed something of his grampa’s to hold onto, and he said yes.

So, I asked for a couple of Bill’s shirts so I could make comfort critters with them.

I cut them up and wove them into kittys, as that was what my grandson asked for, so he has one, and other family members have them too. (I didn’t photograph all of them).

I also knitted a teddy bear for one of our relatives, as he is definitely a teddy bear guy 🙂

The bear and kittys have been well received and they do carry the love that went into every stitch of making them.

I’ve done this before, and have found that ‘compassion critters’ made from upcycled clothing of a dear one is very comforting for people in grief.

Every little thing helps….

Here’s the video:

The woven kitties and knitted bear are made from the following patterns:

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/88710…

and https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/27430…

5 Comments

Filed under blessing bear, charity knitting, crafting for charity, eco crafts & green projects, Findlay Bear and Flora Panda, gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, knitting, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, personal stuff, potholder loom, teddy bear, tutorial & how to, video tutorial, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as blessing bear, compassion bear, compassion critters, grief, how to make fabric strips for weaving and knitting, knitted teddy bear, Memory Bear, upcycling, woven kitty

July 5, 2017 · 1:22 pm

6th Sense One of a Kind Art Dolls

For many months, I have been working really hard on new mixed media fiber art sculptures.

The 6th Sense is intuition/inspiration/imagination.

These one of a kind art dolls are based on dreams, memories, meditations and contemplations and are an invitation to embrace creativity, healing and wholeness.

They are a combination of tapestry weaving, narrow band weaving, lucet cords, tatting, knitting, wood work wire work and leather work.

Here’s a slide show video of my 6th Sense One of a Kind Art dolls.

Most of the 6th Sense One of a Kind Art Dolls in the video are for sale, but some of them have already sold and gone to live in their new homes.

8 Comments

Filed under band loom, doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, knitting, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tapestry, weaving & handwoven, woodwork, Woven Women tapestries and woven works

Tagged as 'Woven Women' by Noreen Crone-Findlay, 6th Sense Woven art dolls by Noreen Crone-Findlay, doll, doll making, dollmaking, dolls, hand weaving, hand woven, handwoven, narrow band weaving, Noreen Crone-Findlay, small loom weaving, tapestry weaving

December 23, 2016 · 1:48 pm

Wooden and Woven Dolls for Christmas

Recently, I had a lovely conversation with my darlin’ grandson.

He said to me: ‘Nanma, I LOVE your dolls. Will you make me one for Christmas?’

I was thrilled that he is pleased with my work and that he wanted me to make him a doll for Christmas.

What an awesome 7 year old he is!

I asked him if he wanted a wooden one or a woven one, and I was convinced that he said, ‘Wooden’….

So, I stayed up very, very late one night, and got up early, to carve him a wooden doll:

I used a birch branch from our son’s neighbour’s tree. It’s been drying for a year and a half and is lovely to carve.

Tottie Tomato cheered me on as I carved.

She comforted the new doll, because she knows that the knives, chisels and sandpaper are very uncomfortable, and that paint brushes tickle….

After he was done, and I had knitted his sweater and jeans, Tottie Tomato and New Boy went to hang a few ornaments on the tree in the village.

Something was feeling not quite right….

I thought: I have to check and see if Grandson actually said that he wanted a wooden doll…..

So, I asked him which dolls he loved?

Wooden or the woven art dolls?

We were out at a concert of his Grampa’s music, so I sketched the shape of the 6th Sense art dolls in the air.

YES! he said, firmly!

THOSE are the ones I love!

Oh oh….

I asked him to draw in the air and show me what shape he had in mind.

Yup….. Woven Women 6th Sense art dolls, and NOT 6 inch tall wooden dolls….

oops.

He specified that he wanted it soft to cuddle and that it had to wear black shoes.

I asked him to draw exactly what he wanted…..

He held his hands up in the air and showed me the size.

So…………………………

I have been weaving up a storm……………. well, a doll, along with a few other things……

I used the tapestry weaving technique to weave the body front, and plain weave for the back.

I did a clasped warp technique for the arms and legs to make the color changes work for the arms and legs.

I hope that he approves of how I interpreted his design!

I hadn’t thought of making him a doll for Christmas, so I am incredibly grateful that he asked.

And, because I didn’t get the brief right first time around, our little sweetheart gets TWO dolls, not one!

For now, they are chilling out by the Village Christmas tree, enjoying themselves in knitted armchairs that I designed for Findlay and Flora Bear.

The pattern for the chairs is in my etsy shop:

LINK

I can’t bear to wrap them until the last moment, so I will have a chance to enjoy them, too!

Merry Christmas, Happy Channukah, Happy Solstice, Happy Yule, Happy EVERYTHING to you and yours!

Love and blessings all round.

May 2017 bring Peace, Wisdom and Compassion!

14 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Findlay Bear and Flora Panda, gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, knitting, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, wooden dolls

Tagged as Christmas dolls, Christmas gifts, dollmaking, dolls, hand made dolls, handwoven, holiday gifts, Noreen Crone-Findlay, small loom weaving, spool knitting, tapestry weaving, weaves, weaving, weaving techniques, wooden dolls, woven

December 13, 2016 · 1:06 pm

6th Sense One of a Kind Art Doll- Tree Mother

Last month, when there was a spectacular Super Moon, we stepped outside to admire it.

The gigantic moon looked like it was suspended in the huge trees that line our street.

The image of the Great Tree Mother, rocking the Moon in her arms, rose up in my mind….

and I knew that I had to build one of my 6th Sense one of a kind art dolls.

Here she is:

Great Tree Mother Rocked The Moon in Her Arms:

While I was contemplating how to build the Great Tree Mother piece, my husband and our daughter took the dogs for a walk one morning.

Chloe came home with a wonderfully gnarly branch that had been pruned from someone’s tree and tossed into the alley.

She just knew I needed it…. even though, at that point, I hadn’t told her what I was mulling about 🙂

We have a very deep connection!

It is perfect.

So’s our daughter….

Anyhow…

The faces….

Years ago, my dear friend found a moose antler that had been shed and she asked me if I could use it.

I cut 3 faces from it, and carved them and painted them.

Two of them became part of this piece:

Tree Mother’s face.

She also has a ‘Hidden Face’ that is hidden inside the piece and will never be revealed.

Too bad I didn’t photograph it! Oops…

Here is Moon’s face:

I carved the hand from wood.

I wove the bands on 2 different looms and knitted the grey hand spun cloth of her robe.

All of the 6th Sense Woven Women have 6 pennies incorporated into them, as a metaphor for coming to our senses, and embracing intuition, intelligence and inspiration.

She is 29 inches/72.5 cm tall and the branch spreads out to 15 inches/37.5 cm wide.

She is not for sale.

By the way, she is also a celebration of creative adaptive re-use and upcycling. I love that.

6 Comments

Filed under band loom, doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, knitting, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, weaving & handwoven, Woven Women tapestries and woven works

Tagged as celebrate the moon, celebrate trees, doll, doll making, dollmaking, dolls, hand weaving, hand woven, handwoven, knitted doll, moon, moon doll, narrow band weaving, Noreen Crone-Findlay, one of a kind art doll, small loom weaving, textiles, tree, tree doll, Tree Mother, trees, upcycling, weave, weaves, weaving, wooden dolls, woven, Woven Women tapestries by Noreen Crone-Findlay

May 28, 2016 · 7:54 pm

Knitted armchairs for Findlay Bear and Flora Panda

My grandson has been getting very impatient with me because poor Findlay Bear and Flora Panda don’t have anywhere comfortable to sit in their little house.

For more than a month, I have been telling him that I am working on a pattern for knitted armchairs.

He just raises his eyebrow now. He’s not sure that I really am on it.

BUT….