Needle Felted Butterflies

I tried something new.
I bought a kit from Ewe Give Me The Knits.
The kit is made By Ashford and contains all you need to make these butterflies.
There was actually a lot more Corriedale wool sliver than needed so I have some extra to play with!


These little beauties didn't take long to make at all.

They have brooch pins on the back.

I find kits a really good way of having a go at something new.
Everything you need is in there so saves you trying to figure it all out for yourself.

Some Web Links to needle felting tutorials:

The Silver Penny
Video and downloadable PDF

Needle Felt a Doll - Black Sheep Designs
3D needle felting

Needle Felt a Lady Bird
3D needle felting

A selection of videos
For those of us who are visual learners

Mum . what did they build the great Wall of China out of?

My answer....

Weetbix!

Any one who has cleaned dried weetbix off a highchair knows this is a true and factual statement!

Always clean off Weetbix ASAP!

There are somethings that are best left to dry to clean up..

2 minute noodles are always best to clean up after they are dried. They smear and make a worse mess if you try before they are dried.

Slime made from cornflour and water, always best to leave it to dry.

Another thing that is easier to clean after it is dried on the carpet, but you wouldn't want to!!
Dog poops!

Sleep deprived ramble...

My observation for the day..

You'll find plenty of people who will tell you what you are doing wrong and few who will tell you what you are doing right...


I had another Sleep deprived night! I seem to do my deepest thinking when I've had my least amount of sleep.

Michael doesn't like to sleep!

Now there are a lot of people who will offer me great advice on how to 'fix' this. They'll tell me how wrong I was to give him a bottle. How he shouldn't be having milk at his age. How their children slept through because they did x,y and z.

But there are very few people who will listen to what I have tried. Will offer a friendly ear and not be coming up with a solution for my problem.

Do you really listen to others? or are you planning how to solve their problem or what advice to give? Or how their problem relates to your life?

I know I'm a terrible 'solver'. And after being on the receiving end of others solutions I really should know it really doesn't help the other person. Why? Because it's not their solution but yours.

Why do so many of us assume others aren't as intelligent as us? and we need to solve their problem for them? When really if we let others talk it out they really can come up with their own solution?

I've come to the conclusion that the best thing I can do when a friend is telling me how difficult things are is listen and ask questions which help the person come to their own solution. There is a name for this Active Listening. But to do it well you have to practice it, it's something you can do badly and will appear false and condescending.

Really other people are intelligent and can with a little encouragement and listening, form their own solutions when they have a good friend who listens.

You know I find being a mother hard work! To all those other mothers who find it hard work too.. A BIG HUG.

More links on listening:

Listening is powerful medicine

Active listening - PDF

Listening to Children

Spinners Lap Mat

Inspiration hits at the strangest times.
I was sitting here this morning thinking about spinning up my next lot of fiber from the Natural Fiber Club from Moseley Park.
Wondering if I should card the fleece into rolags or spin from the fleece using a Flicker Brush to open the ends.

Then my train of thought went off to how I would keep the flicker and fiber handy to me and wheel. When you get this far pregnant any bending down to reach stuff can be a challenge!

And this is my solution:


I used some off cuts of rubber backed curtaining for the top and a non stretch fleece for the back.
I chose the Curtaining because it's strong and the fleece to provide a bit of grip on my lap so when loaded up the mat won't slide off!

I quilted the two layers together to add a bit of structure to the mat.
The Pockets I pleated and gathered with elastic, making them nice and roomy.
The tape I added to hang my flicker from.
I could even tie my orifice hook and gauge to, keeping them handy.

The center of the mat could be used to cushion the seat too if you don't need a cloth on your knee to catch all the fiber.

I could even use it to store all my bits and pieces.

Fern with the unbrushed hair is kindly modeling

I'll have to go have a spin now to see if my little mat is handy!