A different blanket

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Antes de costurar qualquer prenda, costumo procurar alguma inspiração na net. Quem não? Ideias para prendas para miúdos custam-me sempre a ter, por isso foi com alegria que me deparei com esta no blog It's Always Autumn. Guardei-a durante antes, mas nunca cheguei a experimentar. Uns anos depois, voltei a cruzar-me com ela. Não fiz exatamente a mesma coisa mas serviu-me como ponto de partida. 

Before I sew any gifts, I usually search for inspiration online. Who doesn't? Finding gifts for boys is always hard for me, so I was pretty happy when I found this ideia by It's Always Autumn. I saved the link for years but I've never really got to make it. All this years forward and I came across this again. I didn't exactly make it as in the original but it was my starting point to what I actually came up with. 

Primeiro pensei em fazer o jogo, tal como na inspiração, para o filho mais velho de uma amiga. Mas como tinha de fazer outra prenda para o mais novo também, acendeu-se-me a luzinha. Porque não transformar isto numa coisa para os dois? Para jogarem precisamente juntos. Então criei uma manta que é também um jogo de tabuleiro com duas caras, de tamanho gigante. Infelizmente estava de chuva quando tirei as fotos e não consegui fazê-lo na rua, que era o que pretendia para dar uma perceção mais realista do seu tamanho. 

First I thought about making a chess board game as in the original idea for a friend's oldest son. But I had to think about a gift for the little one too and that's when I hit the light button. Why not putting them together?! So they could actually play together. So I created a two sided huge fabric board game for both kids. It was rainy when I took these photos so I couldn't take them outside, which I wanted to, so its size would be more perceptible. 

Num dos lados da manta fiz um jogo, o três em linha, com círculos em feltro em cinzento e em preto para jogar. No outro lado da manta, o segundo jogo, as damas. Para este usei círculos de feltro, ligeiramente mais pequenos em cinzento e branco. Já não estou 100% segura, mas penso que a manta mede 80x80cm, e comecei por fazer o lado das damas. Depois fiz as contas para que o do três em linha ficasse certinho também. 

In one side of the blanket there is a game, three in a row, with grey and black felt circles to play. On the other side of the blanket there's a second game, chess board. For this one I cut slightly smaller white and grey felt circles. I'm not really 100% sure anymore, but I believe the blanket is 80x80cm, and I started with the chess side. After doing the patchwork for that one, I made the math to make the other side even. 

De forma a ter os círculos organizados quando não estão a jogar, fiz também uma pequena bolsa com os restos dos tecidos que usei nos jogos. Também pensei em fazer uma mochila para que pudessem carregar a manta para diferentes sítios se necessário (tal como o parque, a praia ou algo assim), mas fiquei sem tempo. Como quase sempre, a minha filha pediu-me logo para fazer uma igual para e para o irmão. Só mais uma coisa para adicionar à lista. Não admira que seja tão extensa. 

To keep the circles organized when the the kids aren't playing, I also made a little pouch using scraps from the main fabric used in the games too. I also thought about making asmall backpack so they could carry it if needed (for a trip to the park, the beach or so ever), but I got short on time. As often happens, my girl loved it so much she recuested one for her and her brother too. One more thing to add to my list. No wonder it is so long. 

WIP: granny squares - for a change!

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Desde que meti a manta de quadrados que a minha mãe fez, na cama da G. há uns dias atrás, que fiquei com vontade de fazer uma também. Já ando para fazer uma de retalhos, como a minha há muito tempo, mas esse tem sido um projeto sem começo sequer. Voltando à manta de quadrados, em crochet, bem... a ideia andou a rondar durante uns dias, e para me fazer decidir, descobri há pouco um blog espanhol que é uma perdição e que está neste momento a fazer um curso de crochet para quem se quiser iniciar nesta arte que eu não domino. Assisti às lições 1-5 e achei-as básicas. Parece que afinal até percebo qualquer coisa. Há duas noites atrás experimentei brincar com a agulha e um novelo de lã rasca que tinha comprado para o cabelo de uma boneca - como todos os novelos que faziam parte da minha caixa. Afinal, crochet e malha é algo que passo sempre para a minha mãe. No entanto, acabei por fazer uma pesquisa online. Não li nada, olhei apenas para as imagens e achei que conseguia começar qualquer coisa de jeito. Ontem, sai de casa pela manhã com os pequenos e comprei 5 novelos de lã. Pedi conselhos à senhora, a grossura da lã, o nº da agulha que deveria de usar (não comprei porque estava certa que teria uma por casa e acertei, o nº 3 e tudo como a senhora me indicou) e fui-me a elas. Olhando de perto para a colcha da minha mãe, copiei o esquema e lá fui fazendo os primeiros quadrados. Comprei 5 cores e juntei o vermelho que já tinha comprado o ano passado numa tentativa vã de fazer uma boina para mim. Cada quadrado tem 6 voltas, mas ainda quero juntar o branco para fazer uma volta a mais em cada um dos quadrados. Também quero usar o branco para os juntar a todos mas nem vou pensar ainda nisso. Primeiro, vou-me entreter a fazer quadrados e quadrados... depois logo se verá se sou capaz de mais. Hoje mesmo fui comprar o branco e comentei com a senhora que já levava 6 quadrados feitos, ao que me respondeu que já ia bem encaminhada. Depois disso já fiz mais cinco, mas o último (ao qual já acrescentei mais uma volta em branco) não aparece nas fotos. Só sigo dois blogs especialistas nestas coisas, o da Susana e o da Naná. Duas meninas que já tive o prazer de conhecer pessoalmente. Elas têm sido uma inspiração e têm-me dado vontade de aprender mais, apesar de saber que não é o meu forte. As cores dos seus trabalhos deixam-me sempre com um sorriso na cara, principalmente as cores mais fortes, e isso é o que gostava de ver na minha manta. 

Ever since I've put the granny square blanket my mom made, in G.'s bed a few days ago, I've been feeling like I too would like to make one. I've been wanting to make a scrap one for a while, just like mine, but that's something i couldn't even start yet. Back to the granny squares, in crochet, well... the idea has been around for a few days, and to make me make up my mind, I found the greatest spanish blog, which is hosting crochet lessons right now, for begginers, like myself. I watched lessons 1-5 and got the feeling that they were too easy and I actually knew a little about it. Two evenings ago I  played a little with the needle and a cheap wool I had bought to make a doll's hair - just like all the wool in my stash. After all, I always pass crochet and knitting stuff to my mom. Even though, I went searching online for granny squares. I didn't read anything, I just looked at the pictures and thought that maybe I was capable of starting something worth it. Yesterday morning, I went out and bought 5 balls of wool. I asked the old lady from the shop some advices such as the width of the thread, the needle's number (I didn't buy one though since I was sure I'd have one similar and I was right, I had the same number she told me which was n.3) and got to it. Taking a good look at my mom's blanket, I copied the pattern and started with the first squares. I bought 5 colors and used the red I already had, from last year, when I tried in vain to make myself a beret. Each square has 6 rows, but I still want to buy and add a white one to each of them. That's the same color I want to use to put them all together, but I won't think about that yet. first, I'm just going to entertain myself by make square after square.. and then, we'll see if I'll be capable of further. I bought the white today and commented with the old lady that I had six squares done already, which she answered I was on the good path. After that, I have made five more, the last one though (with a white round too) is not on the photos. I only follow two crochet and knitting focused blogs, Susana's and Naná's blogs. Two ladies I have already met in person, by the way. They have been a huge inspiration and have been making me feel like learning more about it, although I know that's not my thingy. The colors of their works always leave a smile on my face, especially those strong, vibrant colors, and that's exactly what I'd like on my own work. 

January Refashion Month with Abby from Things for Boys

Sometimes you know exactly when, how and why you started following or knowing about a blogger. Honestly I can't tell when that happened with Abby from Things for Boys, seriously, I can't tell. I can tell I like what she does though, the tips and tutorials she shares in her blog. And oh my gosh, I was blown away when I opened her post for today... I have refashioned blankets into robes for my daughter before, but I have never thought about turning them into some of the gorgeous things she has collected to show us. 

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I was very honoured and excited when Magda asked me to join her Refashion Month series. I get great satisfaction out of being able to give an old item a whole new life. It's thrifty, eco friendly and great for the creative imagination...I will warn you though, if you're new to repurposing, refashioning and upcycling, you may find it hard to throw anything away. Everything now has the potential to be something else!

If you haven't heard of me before, my name is Abby and I blog over at Things for Boys. I blog about all the sewing, crafting and baking I get up to for my two little boys and the big boy (my hubby). There's also a bit of selfish sewing thrown in for good measure. We live in Australia and are in the middle of a heatwave!

As most of you are in the midst of a very cold Winter, I thought I would show you some ideas that you can use to refashion old woolen blankets. I will never pass up a wool blanket, they have so much potential.

1. Make a Coat! I made this coat from one Queen size wool blanket. It it the warmest thing I own and is affectionately called my 'blanket coat'. You can read all about it here. I think a kids Bomber Jacket made up in a wool blanket would also look amazing. I don't find my jacket itchy, but if you're worried, you can always line it, particularly for kids.

2. Baby Sleeping Bags! No one seems to use blankets for babies or toddlers these days, it's all about the grobag. These sleeping bags keep your baby nice and warm even if they roll around or kick about. I have made up quite a lot of these over the years, from lightweight Summer bags to these warm Winter bags. I love using wool blankets for the batting because the wool is breathable, which is perfect if your baby is a sweaty sleeper like my boys!

3. Ironing Board Cover! Ok, this one isn't very exciting, but if your ironing board needs a new cover, why not make it instead of buying one. Use your favourite crazy print fabric on top (the one you bought because you had to have it, but it's too crazy to use on anything) and then use one or two layers of an old woolen blanket as the padding underneath. The wool can withstand high heat from the iron and is great for holding in the steam.

4. Pin Cushion! Did you know you aren't meant to put the polyester toy stuffing into pin cushions?! It can rust your pins! I also find that pincushions stuffed with hobby fill tend to be too light and move around a lot when I'm trying to stick the pins in. My solution is to use the scraps from my other wool blanket projects. I cut them into little pieces, about 1/4" square and use them as my stuffing. I will admit my hand can get cramped up doing this, so I usually give the job to hubby! The wool has a bit more weight to it, so my pin cushion stays still and my pins won't get rusty! All the details for the Cathedral Window pincushion above and matching thread catcher can be found here.

5. Oven Mitt or Pot Handle Covers! Pieces from a wool blanket also make the perfect insulation for an oven mitt or hot handle cozy. The wool works just like insul-bright and you don't need to try and remember which side of the insul-bright goes where!

6. Casserole Carrier! I might be cheating a little bit...this idea is pretty similar to #5 in that it uses a wool blanket for the insulating layer. Take your casserole to the next Pot Luck in style. You can find a round up of free casserole carrier patterns here.

7. Quilt Batting! I've heard of many resourceful people who use the blankets as quilt batting! Second hand blankets have usually been through the wash a lot, so any colour run and shrinkage has been taken care of. I'd suggest trying to get a plain, light coloured blanket for this project as you don't want some bright green tartan pattern showing through your quilts top layer.

 

(image source, See Kate Sew)

8. Hats! When I think of a winter hat, I usually think of knitting. Sewing is much faster, so why not sew a hat! I love this boys hat pattern from See Kate Sew. See Kate Sew also has an adult size version.

9. Slippers! Slippers are often made from old felted wool sweaters, but there's no reason a wool blanket wouldn't work too. There are a lot of tutorials around for making slippers just your size. You can find a few here, here, here and here.

10. Christmas Stocking! Ok, Christmas is finally over and you probably want to forget about it for the moment, so you can file this idea away for later. A lot of wool  blankets come in traditional tartan colours... think bottle green, reds and gold. These colours are perfect for Christmas stockings! I have a free stocking pattern here.

How would you refashion an old wool blanket?