Sunday 29 January 2012

Challenge reveal an unsatisfactory bird watch and another jumper transformed

It's reveal day for the Monthly Challenge on Needlecraft Haven. This month we did a Russian Doll design from Les Chroniques de Frimousse. Mine is stitched using mainly Carries threads in Baby Teal, Peacock, and Gold, on Crafty Kitten fabric in Icicle, and finished fairly simply as a hanging decoration. I left off the snowflakes as I wanted to display it year round, and changed the text to read "from Russia with love".
The album with the other finishes is here.
A week or so back I saw this sweater makeover project from Tea Rose Home, and I thought it looked like fun, so off I trotted to the charity shop, where I found this pretty but plain cardi.
I pretty much followed the tutorial, adding some godets and a bias trim around the neckline using a small printer's sample of liberty print fabric I had lying around, and then added some lace, fabric yoyos, and a handful of vintage buttons I've been dying to showcase somewhere, and this is the result. I think it looks a bit like something from Per Una.
The RSPB great garden birdwatch was this weekend. I got  a very poor showing this year because Bill decided it was a good day to sit out on the patio and intimidate all the birds:-
Two each of sparrows, blackbirds, bluetits, chaffinches and magpies, and one solitary starling. No thrushes, wrens or goldfinches at all, even though I know they are there.
I'll leave you with a picture of Eloise, in full Harley Quinn mode, modelling her lego creation from last week. Linda, will recognise the transatlantic jeans which she very kindly helped us acquire at Christmas.

16 comments:

cucki said...

your stitching is really very sweet..i love russian doll so much...
wow beautiful makeover of the sweater...looking so stunning after the makeover..
have fun..
love cucki xx

Kathryn said...

What a neat thing to do to a sweater! Love Eloise's different coloured legs (I love how your kids model things).
Your Russian doll colours are great and so is the saying.
Sorry about the birds - is Bill the cat?

Linda said...

Thank-you, Eloise, for the picture. The jeans look much better on you than in the package. It is a good thing Eloise is not here; I just discovered this weekend that in our area, a very violent gang dresses in red and black.
I especially like your stitched version of the matryoshka dolls. I really need to look for a nice set of the dolls. One of my sets is a little primitive and dates from the Soviet era. The other one is very simple and dates from the early post-soviet time and is for tourist trade.
Interesting sweater modification - I can easily imagine Eloise wearing something like this.

Mouse said...

oooo love what you have done to the sweater cardi :) and love those jeans but not with my petite derrière ;0 hahahah love mouse xxxx

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

I forgot about the Birdwatch but we had a pair of blackbirds, a robin, possible a female robin, a small brown bird, a pair of magpies, a wood pigeon and a collared dove which fight each other.
No heron as we have no fish left. No seagulls as it's calm at sea, we only get them when it's stormy.
I love your DD's jeans, I'm wondering if I can get away with a red pair if I wear a black top...

Barb said...

Love the Russian doll hanging Christine and how clever is that with the cardi.
Eloise looks fab in her jeans. Did not know you have a cat.

Sally said...

Love your Russian doll finish.

Wow! How fantastic does that cardigan look! I think I need to show Abi that as she loves making over clothes.

Love Eloise's jeans!

Kate said...

Great re-make of the cardigan. Lovely finish on your hanging. Great jeans.

Julie said...

Great challenge finish, shame there weren't more this month, maybe next month will be better.

Eloise looks amazing in those snazzy jeans.

Super cardigan

Nicola said...

You have such great ideas for transforming knitwear. I really like how you changed an ordinary cardie into a very modern top with a designer feel.

Angela said...

What a great idea to do with the sweater :) Congrats on your sweet Russian Doll finish :)

Maureen said...

I love your cardi - certainly livens it up a bit.

Heidi said...

Your Russian doll is adorable. I bet it was fun to stitch too. I only just read about the monthly challenge so I am in for February.

The cardigan is amazing. Do you get scared before you put a pair of scissors to it? I certainly would.

Stop by my blog as soon as you can!

Hugs from Holland ~
Heidi

Carol said...

What a creative sweater makeover, Christine... I love seeing what crafters can do to give old items new life! Love your little Russian doll, too :)

Kathy Ellen said...

Your Russian Doll is lovely, and I am in awe of your incredible total transformation of this gorgeous cardigan. You obviously have an amazing artistic gift!

Carin said...

Your stitching is beautiful !!
I love what you did with the makeover.