Simplicity and Ornament

Sometimes you have to go overboard and let loose, just so you can reign it in again and do something simple. I purged the colour and complexity with the former so I could create the simple bottlecap pin cushion afterwards. It could well be my favourite one. But enough of pin cushions I am moving onwards and upwards.

Why I Should Learn To Knit

Donna Wilson is ace, just ace.

Tailored Monsters Unveiled

I like to think that Snitcher lives an international life of crime and high intrigue. He never reveals the identity behind his mask. He always keeps his back against the wall, makes 'The Lamb' taste his crumpet before it is ingested, and makes a point of probing the butter for listening devices which makes a dreadful mess I can tell you. Such drama over tea and cake. Snitcher likes to end all his sentences with '10-4', 'Roger that', 'You are clear' and always whispers into the cuff of his duffle coat. Sometimes I think he doesn't work in the large print section of the local library after all…


Muggins is pure brawn. He does whatever Snitcher tells him. 'Drive the pretty car fast as soon as we jump in', 'give the man the big black round thing then run away'. Muggins thinks the best of everybody, particularly if they offer him chocolate Bourbons and Barley sweets to suck on.


The Lamb doesn't say much. When he does share rare tidbits about himself and his salubrious life, his voice startles you with it's quiet gravelly depth, much resembling someone with a 50 a day Lambert and Butler Kingsize habit. He will only address himself in the third person starting every sentence with 'The Lamb…' He thinks nothing of stealing Muggins' Sherbet Dibdabs, making him whimper and cry. It is therefore not surprising that he always carries a shiner on his left eye.


Here they are in all their glory. The international crime ring. The henchmen. The Ateam of felt toys. Renegades from good, wholesome toyshops.

They were incredibly easy to make. I love my new little monsters. They are bigger, beefier and ready for a fight. I am not sure who they are going to go to. I thought they would make good Christmas presents but I have no idea who would like one.

Things I learned:
If you don't fiddle with that funny tension knob on the sowing machine then thick material will rip your thread

Tailored Monsters

I discovered that in tailoring, collars linings are made from a really think stout felt. It's beautiful. So I decided to make some monsters with it. I thought the dark grey would go nicely with the village fete neon thread I bought. In an effort to learn new things I went back home for an intensive mum-wisdom session where I was taught the beginnings of machine embroidery. Of course I did everything wrong, trying to sow circles that came out looking like a 3 year olds first attempts to draw. Then the mistress of sowing herself - she of the 5 year City and Guilds Hall of fame - took over and showed me how it's really done. It's amazing how much easier it is when you can observe a pro at work. So I have been sowing faces and making some new monsters. They are shifty.