craftually eclectic

finished the support beams in the Great Hall on the first floor, after filling in the gaps with paperclay, painted with acrylic paints and washes.

My solution for difficult to reach places: my hand through the window for easier access, works out nicely that there is no glass in it yet.

The seams are partly painted with acrylics and I'm enjoying the process very much. It's fun to work on my own makings I created a few years ago.

Love this birdseye view into the great hall; while making this part of the castle tower, I specifically chose to make the whole dollhouse in three parts, so I'll be able to use this birdseye view in future photoshoots (my plan is to make a long table full of food and drinks, plus seven seats for the seven inhabitants and this scene will be visible from five different angles, including the birdseye view, which will definitely give some satisfying photography).

For the drawer I've wanted to change the front for so long; I want it to "disappeare" into the mountain. Before applying another layer of paperclay, I filled in the space with some aluminium foil.

Also sculpted the blacksmith shop, last stages before permanent placing, filling in the gaps, as if it was actually built inside the armoury.

This little guy is one of my favorite recent critters: a blue-banded bee! The colors go so nicely together and the little head tilt is just adorable.

I really enjoyed how the pattern used different stitch types for subtle shaping effects instead of regular decreases. The space behind the head was done with front post stitches, and the slight narrowing of the abdomen was back-loop-only single crochets (which also left the front loops visible for added patterning!)

finished yarn in skeins and with knitted sample.

Had to ply it twice because I tend to severely underply. Turned out lovely though!

This fiber was such a joy to work with, its 200g of 50% Rambouillet, 25% Tencel and 25% Tussah silk from a local fiber festival.

I plan on knitting the Curious Crop by Lydia Morrow

A quick little handspun hair ribbon! 🍃

What I discovered: I didn’t know this topiary garden existed, my cupcake petti hides the waistband I embroidered honeycombs onto. As seen below without me cupcake petti.

Do I recommend doing all this in 3 weeks? No.

No point mentioning those bats, I thought. The poor bastard will see them soon enough.

Third big knit ever— summer socks!! :)

Did you know that you can make cable twists without actually crossing the stitches?

No cable needle and no stitches hanging in mid-air 😉

This works if you are crossing a single knit stitch, i.e. C2F and C2B or 1/1 RT and 1/1 LT.

You can practice these faux cable twists with Square 35. The Faux One of the Learn-to-Knit Blanket

To make a right twist: knit 2 sts together without slipping them off the LH needle, then knit the first st only and sl both sts off the LH needle.

To make a left twist: sl 2 sts knitwise and

place them back on the LH needle (as with SSK), knit into the back of the second st leaving it on the LH needle, then knit both sts together

and sl them off the LH needle.

Find the pattern and tutorial in my book Learn to Knit in 50 Squares 🌺🧶❤️