Tamra here again to tell you about a great lady named Sheryl and her wonderful charity The Broken Doll. The Broken Doll’s mission is to provide little girls in orphanages, foster care, and other distressing situations with beautiful dolls to call their own. These dolls are often in very rough shape (especially the American Girls) but Sheryl restores them to their original beauty, and even improves them.
Sheryl says that The Broken Doll was a gift from God. She says that she enjoyed dolls and playing with her daughter, but that she felt like she should be doing something more. When she restored two beat up American Girls for her daughter, the ideal ministry came to her: restoring broken dolls to help broken children heal! Today, Sheryl’s mission is going strong, with hundreds of lovely dolls going to children around the world. She asks for donations of dolls in any shape in the 16 to 18 inch range, particularly with dark skin, new handmade and store bought clothes, paint, and money for shipping, if you feel lead to do so. You can find Sheryl on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/4TheBrokenDoll/?fref=ts These dolls are loved before, during, and upon arrival, making the little girls who get them feel loved as well. I will be donating to The Broken Doll, and I hope that some of you will too!
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Good Day everyone! I have a great blog for today. ShiFio. Shirley and Fiona. A mother and daughter team of knit/crochet designers from the highlands of Scotland! How fun is that? They are extremely prolific designers! You all will love their designs!
Now I was first introduced to ShiFio's designs in the Summer when someone sent me THE most adorable owl baby cocoon. I fell in love with it! When I looked up the designers I was over the moon excited to find ShiFio because most of their patterns are patterns that my daughter Tamra and I would use in our work. :) Mother/daughter inspiration right there! It all began here: http://www.shifio.co.uk/patterns/245.html, isn't that completely adorable? ShiFio has 331 patterns and counting in every skill level. Mom, infant, dad, even the family pet, can find something they like in ShiFio's collection. (Please remember these ladies wrote these patterns and sell them for money follow all copyright laws and give credit where credit is due!) All the patterns including this adorable knitted tiger cocoon http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/270-tiger-cocoon-knitting-patterns-270, can be purchased through Ravelry. I love their website its so clear and concise. Though obviously these ladies posses skills that I do not, I very much enjoy looking through page after page of great patterns. I must say the work is stunning. I am a bit envious :) The patterns are available in both US and UK terminology so most of us can pick up a hook or a needle and carry on with a ShiFio pattern. Working with my own daughter has been a wonderful experience. We are looking forward to years of working together. Though we don't write and sell our designs we do share ideas. I find the idea that these two ladies work together even with busy lives marriage and children is wonderful. My daughter is not yet married but I expect one day we'll have that joy and I hope we will still share ideas and work like Shirley and her daughter Fiona do now. Shirley and Fiona write patterns for everything from teddy bears to coffee sets. This adorable toy bear, which no doubt my daughter is equally enamored with is available through their website and Ravelry, http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/257-betty-bear-crochet-pattern-257 The lovely thing about these ladies is that they encourage crafters to ask questions about their patterns. After the sale customer service is so important when it comes to writing patterns. I'm always glad when I read that designers encourage questions. ShiFio do offer free patterns in both US and UK terminology but as with their paid patterns please follow copyright laws (investigate the laws for your country). We encourage people to acknowledge the designer. How else can we protect these crafts for the next generation. To me having the arts of knitting and crocheting passed along through beautiful handmade garments and home decor is so vital. We live in an information age, its a double edged sword for sure. It seems that Shirley and Fiona have found ways to by pass the impersonal nature of an impersonal world by creating simply gorgeous work for us to make and share with others. In fact I think this: http://www.shifio.co.uk/free/blanketUSA.htm would make a sweet contribution to any charity. Do yourself a favor and check out ShiFio's website, Ravelry page, the work is exemplary! You'll find something priceless to make and to share or something you wish to have made on your behalf. Either way these ladies have knitted a feast for the eyes for every fiber artist! Yes you! Laterose Jumbles, Laterose Doll Clothes and Doll Repair and I couldn't do what we do without your fantastic ideas. So in order to wrap up our year of great fun and great designs we wanted to run a slide show of YOUR ideas. Our customers often become our friends. In order to "wrap up" this year we wanted to say thanks by showcasing YOU our wonderful, thoughtful, brilliantly clever customers. Here's to a wonderful 2016!! Hello all! Tamra AND Lyn here talking about a great designer named Janette AKA The Green Dragonfly! Operating out of Hamilton, New Zealand, Janette has two kids and can often be seen with them and with things she’s made for them.
Among the many things she’s made are stuffed toys, like her Nibble Nibble Hop Hop Bunny: https://thegreendragonfly.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/nibble-nibble-hop-hop/ And clothes like this pretty openwork cowl: https://thegreendragonfly.wordpress.com/2014/09/09/easy-crochet-cowl-2/ She is also a big believer in imaginary play, so she has a whole list of fun kids crafts that would be welcome in any children’s library reading group, Sunday School, classroom, children’s drama club, and home. (Montessori teachers will love it!) https://thegreendragonfly.wordpress.com/kids-crafts/ She is also a talented artist, throughout her blog you can see her sketching and coloring. Her style is one I’m a big fan of: colorful and slightly surrealistic! Off to Mom to find out more! Hi Lyn here! When Tamra introduced me to The Green Dragonfly. I totally flipped. Bookmarked about 15 patterns… ooed, ahhed, and even a squee or two came out. Wow I LOVE her designs. I’m going to be making the Easiest Crocheted Slippers for charity https://thegreendragonfly.wordpress.com/2013/06/28/the-easiest-crochet-slippers/ But I also went NUTS for the Top Down Crochet Cardigan. SO CUTE! https://thegreendragonfly.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/top-down-crochet-cardigan/ What can I say I’m a fan. Well sort of an instant fan :) Janette not only shares her designs, her cool ideas, her art, but she also shares a little of her world with her readers. I love when designers share their heart. Janette, you are a ROCK star! If you crochet for charity at all or you have little ones for whom a nice snuggly handmade pair of slippers or a super cute hat would be great gift, I encourage you to check out The Green Dragonfly! Janette’s patterns are straightforward, well written, very popular on Ravelry of course, and just really well thought out. I’m so impressed. You all know I really only write about designers who excite my imagination! I love crocheting kids clothes, but hey, when there’s a pattern for me in the bargain, I’m all about that! Where else can you find The Green Dragonfly? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Green-Dragonfly-252827191436556/?fref=ts Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/the-green-dragonfly Tamra and I are really excited to bring you The Green Dragonfly! Thanks Janette for all the great patterns, for being a transparent blogger, and for sharing your world with us. Back in August of 2015 I introduced my American audience to the magnificent Marion Leys. Since this is the season of giving I wanted to update my blog because Marion has been hard at work creating new designs for all of us to share with family and charity. Again many of her designs are free and available to everyone. I'll even share a page or two that helps with converting the metric measurements and needle sizes to the American system. Marion is not only a fantastic designer but a lovely person. I've come to be acquainted with her kindness through her facebook group (which by the way is growing every day). https://www.facebook.com/groups/made.by.marianna/ She engages regularly with the members of her group and is so good to comment on the work shared within the group as she finds time. I wanted to update you on some of the great patterns Marion has shared or updated since my last blog post. And there are approximately 23 new patterns? Wow! That's what I said. So lets begin with Marion's webpage which you can find here: http://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.co.uk/ Its FULL of amazing patterns CAREFULLY designed and tested by Marion. I am amazed at her thoughtfulness. Those who use her patterns rave about how beautifully written they are and easy to understand. Marion is very kind about answering questions. If you have questions about Marion's patterns you can ask in the group page on Facebook, on Ravelry (not a member YET?) http://www.ravelry.com/designers/marianna-mel, or you can contact her at [email protected]. With that, let me introduce you to some of my favorite newly added patterns. In keeping with the holiday spirit Marion began knitting for Christmas in September. My kind of lady, she likes to be prepared. She designed these DARLING little crocheted Christmas hats http://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/christmas-baby-hats-hope-you-think.html Also from September these adorable Animal Pockets. They made cute gift bags for any occasion but fill them with little sweets or fun little toys and you have a great bonus Christmas gift: http://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/animal-pockets.html In the month of October, Marion designed 7 more patterns. Again a little Christmas treat these "Glitz" Snowflake decorations: http://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/glitz-snowflake-decoration.html Naturally I love making baby and children's clothes, as you know and Marion's designs are known nearly the world around for being easy to understand and knit/crocheted up. Loads of her patterns are written for the sweet little babies that come into this world. That is why I love this design: http://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/charlie-baby-beanie-hat.html November of course brought more lovely and thoughtful ideas to Marion's readers. NINE more designs in the month of November. Some great gifts to share and to give to your favorite charities. My regular readers know my heart for our premature babies. Anytime a pattern is designed for the neonates I am so happy to share! Marion has literally dozens of preemie patterns on her webpage and her Ravelry page. This pattern is so sweet. http://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/jack-jill-premature-baby-hats.html Next another holiday pattern: Christmas Pudding? Yes please http://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/mini-christmas-pudding.html Not exactly sure how to translate UK to USA crocheting and knitting terms? Some of Marion's group members wanted to say thank you to her so I wanted to add their comments to this blog: Alex Curran shared that he had made little items for his partner's daughter using Marion's patterns. Krystina, a member of the Marianna's Lazy Daisy Day's Facebook group had this to say: "These patterns are a life saver, easy to knit which means I can do more for charities etc." Here is a slideshow of Krystina's work: Margaret Luff had this lovely tribute: "Thought you may like to see some things I have done using Marions patterns....I belong to a group called Neonatalknitters we are on facebook...we knit for two local neonatal units here in Manchester ...St Marys & Tameside we been going two years now...it started with 3 ladies in one of their front rooms one of our founders is Sue Carrigan we are going from strength to strength with lots of ladies knitting from home too getting bigger every week....Marions patterns are used all the time some with adaptions made she does them so people can understand them !!! Keep it up Marion. Best Regards Margaret Luff Chrissie Dinnage, another of the members of Marianna's Lazy Daisy Days, wanted to share her photos of Marion's patterns. Jacqueline Wilcock adds: "Marion I respect you highly, your patterns are just perfect, i have knit from many of them, i particularly like your babbity hat which fits so nicely on baby's head .. thank you xx" Linda Herbert sent these touching words: "I love Marion Leys knitting patterns they give me so much pleasure, and the tiny babies that receive them the warmth they need and it gives the parents some comfort that they look normal babies being dressed. Instead of poorly one's . I have just sent another parcel to John radcliffe hospital Oxford. Where I was born prematurely." Beautiful thank you Linda. Here are a few of Linda's creations made with Marion's designs. Leslie Baxter shared this about working Marion Leys designs: "It is because I found Marion's patterns that I was able to create so many awesome sweaters and yesterday I donated 85 of them to charity. I love her patterns and how quickly they can become something for precious little ones. Thank you for writing about her awesome patterns and thank you Marion Leys for all your wonderful patterns" Alison Beattie shared how she uses Marion's work to help babies in South Africa: I started using Marion Leys knitting patterns a couple of months ago I find them very easy to follow and if I get stuck I will post on this page and recieve lots of help from fellow knitters... here are some of my completed items that are given to a local Neonatal ICU here in Johannesburg South Africa As one can readily see, Marion's well written, well thought out designs are beloved by many. In fact her group has 3,446 members. Marion sets a wonderful tone for the group everyone enjoys sharing their stories and pictures. Its more like 3,000 + friends! I thank you ALL so much for being part of this blog and sharing your work with me. Marion, my deepest gratitude for all that you do for people you've never even met. You are the Glitter in the Knitterverse :)
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