The sunday bonnet #3: A bonnet with filigranes Festotu | Festotu – Your web for the crafts, art, tutorials, Hows to and much more

You are here: Home

The sunday bonnet #3: A bonnet with filigranes

Posted on October 9, 2011 by festotu

This sunday on The Sunday hat, I present this beautiful filigrane hat:

This little hat is made crocheting and it is much more easier to be done than it seems.
It looks great for holidays, combined with a cute dress.

Hope you liked it!

Next week a hat made with fabric made yarn.

How does The Sunday hat works?
If you like this hat, leave a comment. Every month I will publish the tutorial on how to make “The sunday hat” that has more comments!.

{Previous bonnets from the series “The Sunday bonnet:}
-The sunday bonnet # 1: a bonnet on a ribbon
-The sunday bonnet #2: A bonnet with wings

I’ve published this post here.

firma The sunday bonnet #3: A bonnet with filigranes

Posted in The sunday bonnet | Tagged a bonnet with filigranes, bebe, bonnet, crochet, hat | 2 lovely comments

Does and dont’s #2: How to find cheap fabric

Posted on October 6, 2011 by festotu

On this post I want to share with all you my little tricks to find cheap fabric.

Those that make patchwork stuff will agree with me that patchwork shops are great! But they have such a prices! And they have so much bright, colorful, attractive fabrics that you end up thinking those are the best (or unique) places to go buy fabrics.

Actually I don’t think so. These are my main reasons why I do not usually go to patchwork stores:

1) They have such a beautiful things I always end up buying something out of schedule and obviously out of budget.
2) They do never have sales, neither the fat quarter and stuff like that section could be considered a sale.

** Why I have all this fabrics scattered like that? It is a trick I will explain on another post: I make fabric compositions with the computer (what a mistery, what is she talking about??) **

At least here at Spain and Switzerland it will always be much more cheaper to buy the fabrics by internet (if you buy enough fabrics the shipping costs will be free or will be compensated by the price difference: make a big order with some friends!). The only problem I see on this: you are not viewing what are you buying and have to rely on the picts.

however, I have some more tricks to buy really cheap fabrics. I got this experience through the years (of economic hardship.. at least for whims..snif..snif).

1) On the normal fabric stores they also sell patchwork fabrics at prices usually much lower than at patchwork stores ( I’ve found once the same fabric 4 times cheaper on one store than on another..). Besides, these stores usually have a section of remnants where prices are ridiculous. And more important they make sales!

2) You can find really good priced fabrics at Ikea! I do specially love those from kids section. And the upholstering ones I use them for making bags and for converting them to yarn and then working them with the crochet.

3) There are plenty of things made of fabric at really good prices. For exemple: sheets, curtains, cushion covers… My favorites: sheets. They can have beautiful prints and the packs contain so much fabric you can end up bored of it!

Here at Switzerland you can find big big discounts. So once I found sheets at 1/4 of the original price. I got so excited! So I bought many of them. On paying the saleswomen told me all puzzled: have you realized the sheets are for a 1.40 bed, a 1.60 bed and a 90 cm bed? jejeje.. she was not knowing I had chosen them by color and the prints!

Last but not least: one of my favorits (but not always cheap..):

4) When traveling around I always look for fabric stores (or yarn stores, depending on the destination). It is always going to be cheaper to buy them at origin than to pay them imported as a luxury product! (like for example batik fabrics, or japanese fabrics..)

Hope this post was useful! And would love to hear your own tricks!

I wish you all a very good week

firma Does and donts #2: How to find cheap fabric

Posted in Fabric, General Information, Materials | Tagged cheap fabric, does, don't, fabric | Leave your comment

The sunday bonnet #2: A bonnet with wings

Posted on October 2, 2011 by festotu

After some time not publishing the series The sunday hat, I had been asked to go ahead with it again. So here I am.

As I explained on the past post on The sunday hat # 1: a hat on a ribbon, once per month I will publish a tutorial on how to make one of the hats published. Which one?, it will be the one that gets more comments. So you know, if you want the tutorial of this hat or any other of “The sunday hats” series, leave your comment!

Ah, and if you send me by mail or comment your creations I will also publish them once per months, referring to your blog or web page.

Back to this post, this week I publish this cute blue hat whit orange strips. It has wings and depending on how you put them it looks like a hat from western movies!
It is made crocheting and is really easy to make. You have it done in less than 1 hour!

¿Do you like it? ¿Want to know how to make it? Publish a comment on this post! The more the comments, the more opportunities to get the tutorial of this hat published!

Hope you liked, next week a hat with filigranes.

{Previous Posts of the series “The sunday bonnet:}
- The sunday bonnet # 1: a bonnet on a ribbon

I’ve published this post here.

firma The sunday bonnet #2: A bonnet with wings

Posted in The sunday bonnet | Tagged bebe, bonnet, crochet, sunday bonnet | 5 lovely comments

Have fun crocheting: practice crocheting

Posted on September 29, 2011 by festotu

On the past posts of the series ”Introductory course to learn to crochet” (Part 1 and Part 2) we learned to choose the necessary material and how to make the firsts steps. Now it is time to start practicing what we learned and have fun crocheting.

My sister has already started and has succeeded to make this little piece of art:

Not bad, isn’t it? I am really proud of her. She has succeeded to make a quite long chain. And the stitches are really regulars! Congrats Isabel!! (if you want to start crocheting like my sister, please read my post: Introductory course to learn crochet. Part #2: Firsts steps).

I decided to improve my chaining technique and started to chain, chain, chain, here I show my results.

I have to say that I love to crochet and the results I got are really funny: a really long crocheted chain.

Utility: fairly low, but I obtained some funny pictures…

Some real pieces of art!! (not joking, I do really like them..)

Ah, and now it comes the best part! After making this little crocheted beauty, I will have the opportunity to have fun undoing it!! jejeje

Next week we would learn the following stitches: single crochet and double crochet. So stay tuned to this blog news! Ah and if you like it, get subscribed to this blog new posts, so you will receive them directly into your mail box (click to the link: Get Festotu delivered by email) or favorite rss reader.

I’ve published this post here.

firma Have fun crocheting: practice crocheting

Posted in Practice | Tagged crocheting, have fun, practice | 4 lovely comments

Recipe Lemon Tartalette

Posted on September 27, 2011 by festotu

As I promised on this post, I explain how to make this delicious Lemon tartalette:

This year has been the first time I am away for my birthday. And also my first birthday with my little baby. So my hubby and I decided it was time to start celebrating birthdays with candles, cakes, and all the stuff..

So here it goes the recipe:

{Ingredients for a 8 to 10 persons:}

{For the pasta briseé:}

- 250 gr of flour
- 125 gr of butter
- 125 gr of sugar
- 1 big egg
- 2 gr of salt

{For the lemon filling:}

( Sorry for the inconvenience but I have the ingredients in cups, the cup I used was containing 200 ml of water, use it as a conversion factor )

- 3 egg yolk
- 3 cups of sugar
- 2 cups of lemon juice
- 1 cup of water
- 2 spoons of cornflour

{Cooking utensils:}
- 1 large bowl
- A 30cm diameter baking tin 3 cm hight or various individual tartalettes.
- 1 large and 1 medium pot for the bain Marie
- A whisk
- An oven
- Paper film and foil
- Some legumes

{Preparation time and cost:}
- Preparation: 20 min
- Cooking: 35 min
- Cooling: 2-3 h
- Cost: around 4 CHF

{Procedure for the pasta briseé}

Step 1) Prehead the oven at 180º C.

Step 2) Mix on a bowl the flour, the sugar and the salt, add the butter at room temperature ( not cold from the frigo, take it off from the frigo some time before you start the recipe). Start working the dough by pinching all the butter, so you get a not-uniform dought.

Step 3) Whenever you have all the butter lumpy, add the egg. Work the dough till you can form a ball. Wrap it in cling film and keep it in the frigo for about 15 min.

Pas 4) Spread the mold with a little butter and sprinkle it with a bit of flour

Pas 5) Take some pinches of dough and go on spreading it on the mold to have the entire surface and margins covered. (if there is too much dough you can use it to make some cookies!). Prick all the surface with a fork.

Pas 6) Put foil over the dough and some legumes over to make some weight.

Pas 7) Put the mold on the oven during 25 min or till the dough is cooked.

{Procedure for the filling}

Step 1) Fill the biggest pot with water and head it.

Step 2) Introduce to the smaller pot the egg yolks, the sugar and the lemon juice. Mix it well. Mix the water with the cornflour and add it to the rest of the ingredients.

Step 3) Put the pot with the ingredients inside the bigger pot, checking that the water is covering the base of the smaller pot. Continuously stir always in the same direction, with the whisk. The mixture will be ready when thicken (if it is not thickening try to add a bit more of cornflour).

Step 4)Remove from heat and pour it on the mold with the dough already cooked. Let it cool down and keep into the fridge for around 2h, or till the filling looks consistent.

That is! Easy, isn’t it? Hope you enjoy my delightful lemon tartalette!

PD: No, I am not going to show my pics blowing out the candles!!

PDD: This tartalette is not the best birthday cake idea, since if you dont get the right consistence the candles are not going to hold right. But it is so delicious…!

Posted in Recipes | Tagged birthday cake, lemon, recipe, tartalette | Leave your comment

How to muddle through #1: Tutorial: How to Make plush toys for babies

Posted on September 16, 2011 by festotu

Some time ago I bought this fabric from Ikea. It is rather funny as it has plenty of animals drawn. I have already done many things with it. But for sure what has been more successful has been this plush toys for babies. And, how is that babies love it so much? There is a trick! If you read till the end, I will show you all the little details on it!

** A lion made with fabric, it makes noise when shaking**

** A camel that is soft and makes noise when shaking**

** An “elephant” (Some people says it is a mouse, but it has a trunk ..<) that has little balls inside and makes zing-zing when shaked!**

This plush toys for babies are really easy to made: even for not initiated! Hope you stay with me making them!

How to Make plush toys for babies

{Material:}

– Fabric with animal motives ( or other interesting motives, like cars, robots,…)
– Fabric for the back of the plush toy (a solid fabric will work wonderful)
– Thread, sewing needle (or a sewing machine) and pinning needles.
– Filling (cotton or polypropylene little balls)
– Plastic bag, those that make noise on shaking them, but not to thick!
– A rattle

Both, for the camel and the lion I followed these steps (the elephant has been easier, as it doen’t has the plastic layer):

{Main steps}

Step 1) Cut out the animal from the fabric, leave some extra fabric all around.

Step 2) Lay the plastic bag on a flat surface. Put over the back fabric with the front facing up.

** Tip for not initiated one: if you are not able to tell wich is the front or the back of the fabric, then it doen’t matter wich side you put facing up!! **

On the top put the fabric animal, with the wrong side facing up. Center it so there is some extra back fabric and plastic showing from all the sides. Pin the three layers.

** Step 2: Pile up the three layers on the right order and pin it.**

Step 3) Sew following the animal shape. Let about 5 cm without sewing. I recommend to choose a straight part (so it will get easier to sew latter).

** Step 3: Sew all around, leaving a part not sewn. If sewed with the machine, make a know on both extremes**

Step 4) Cut out all around the figure, leaving about 5mm margin. On the more curvy zones (curves with less than 120º), make a zig-zag cutting out. Observe the image to see what I am talking about:

** Step 4: Cut out all around, making a zig-zag on the curvy zones**

Step 5) Use the part not sewn to turn over the plush toy. If you have difficulties on the smaller parts, use a pen or a crochet. If wanted, fill the plush toy with porexpan little balls or with cotton. You can also put a bell on it.

Step 6) Close the opening using invisible stitches. That is, joining both sides with small stitches on the fabrics border of both sides.

That it is! You have a plush toy for babies made! Sure your baby will love it! Or maybe your neighbor daughter or your cousin! All babies love toys that make noise when shaked! (and the noise is not earbreaking!!)

** Once upon the time there was a camel walking on the desert…..**

Hope you liked it. If you decide to make some, I will love to see how beautiful is your result! And I will publish a picture of your results!

I published this post here.

firma How to muddle through #1: Tutorial: How to Make plush toys for babies

Posted in Babies, sewing, Techniques, Tutorials | Tagged babies, fabric, plush toy, toy, tutorial | 3 lovely comments

How to crochet. Part #2: Firsts steps

Posted on September 13, 2011 by festotu

On the past post on the series How to learn crochet we have discovered how to choose the right materials to start. Now, it is time to start with the first steps to learn crochet.

First of all, you have ready all the needed materials, that is: a hook and yarn, simple, isn’t??. So now, you must learn how to hold the hook. For do so follow the instructions on the next video:

** This is one of the posible ways to hold the hook. If you don’t feel confortable like that, please check out other positions!**

Now that you feel confortable with a hook on your hands, you must learn how to use it. The point is: how to make the first crochet stitches? Prior to see the video on how to do so, please look at the steps on the next image (click on the image to zoom it!):
** Main steps to start crocheting**

Step 1) Make a loop with the yarn. Take in to the account that the loose end should go behind (as seen on step 1 in the image).
Step 2) Pass the hook trough the loop.
Step 3) Roll the yarn over the hook, so you get a loop on the hook. Pull the hook trough the initial loop.
Step 4) See how a loop has passed through the initial loop. Pull the loose end a bit to close the knot.
Step 5) Roll the yarn over the hook again and pull the hook trough the last loop.
Step 6) Observe how you have created a new stitch.

That is it! Simple, isn’t?? So now let’s see it on movement:

** How to make a chain on crochet**

Before going further, a bonus track, let’s also see what to do whenever something gets wrong and have to undo some of the work (undoing is much easier than doing!):

** How to undo the stitches made crocheting. Fixing mistakes**

Think I given you a lot of homework. Hope you would like to try it and share how has been the experience. For any question, please feel free to contact!

On the following posts, how to make the basics stitches: single crochet, hight stitch, and some extras.. Hope to see you then!

Have a great week!

firma How to crochet. Part #2: Firsts steps

Posted in Crocheting, Techniques, Tutorials | Tagged introduction to crochet, learn crochet, tutorial | Leave your comment

Baby facts: Colds and introducing solids

Posted on September 11, 2011 by festotu

Lately, Ada, my baby, has got her first cold, poor baby! It has been a bit hard, since she was having tones of snot. Nevertheless, she is now feeling better. Uf.. what an awful days, she was ok just on mama’s arms! So I did hat literally no time for my blog and for crafting. I am so sorry..

** Ada playing at the park. **

On the other side, as Ada is already half a year I started giving her solids. It has been a complete washout!! Ada hats solids! There is no way… She accepts the first 2, 3 spoons making faces of disgust. And after, nothing! If you approach the spoon to her she moves the head from side to side and tightly closes her mouth.

I am not really worried as she is gaining weight according to her age and I have enough milk to feed her. But it would be wonderful whenever she enters to the multi nourishment world..

I have already consulted some experts and they told me that she must get used to solids step by step, and that I shouldn’t hurry neither get worried. It seems there are some babies that don’t accept solids till their first birthday.. (I hope it is not going to be the case!!), so I must be patient.. I don’t know if any of you has passed trough something similar.. I would really appreciate any advice!!

On the other hand, these days Ada has made a great advance: she has discovered how to go to get on all fours!! Attention she will crawl soon and my life will became a complete mess..I am already shaking…

Look at this video how well she does play with the mobile I made for her crib:

I must say, if you hadn’t yet realized, I have changed my blog look and feel! It has been a hard job and could be there are some messy stuff around on the next few days. I will work on that very hard to try to solve it as soon as posible!

Ah and adding to that..It has been my birthday..I am already 30! don’t know if I am going to survive to that..snif..
(ps..promise to post my birthday cake recipe, as it was amazingly good!)

firma Baby facts: Colds and introducing solids

Posted in Babies, General Information | Leave your comment

The sunday bonnet #3: A bonnet with filigranes

Does and dont’s #2: How to find cheap fabric

The sunday bonnet #2: A bonnet with wings

Have fun crocheting: practice crocheting

Recipe Lemon Tartalette

How to muddle through #1: Tutorial: How to Make plush toys for babies

How to Make plush toys for babies

{Material:}

{Main steps}

How to crochet. Part #2: Firsts steps

Baby facts: Colds and introducing solids

Sign up!

Grab a button!

Search this blog

Archives

Popular posts

Take a look at my Etsy shop