*Designer* - New Retro Soft Toy Pattern at Get Smitten

Let me introduce to Rory Lion and his friends! They love to have fun adventures together and are inseparable, which is why I have included the step by step instructions to make all four members of the gang in my latest pattern release at Get Smitten!

Rory is quite bossy; the leader of the gang. He is caring, loyal and loves to dance and sing. He goes out of his way to be centre of attention and his favourite crisps (that's potato chips to my American friends) are Cheese and Onion flavour

Barney Lamb is happy-go-lucky and follows Rory wherever he goes. He is very good at Maths and jumping and he loves remote controlled cars. One day he would like to visit New Zealand

Squealia Piglet is very excitable and has to fight the urge to squeal nearly all the time. She loves arts & crafts and sometimes gets in a right mess with all her paints & crayons. Her favourite colour is pink and she has a very curly, spiral crocheted tail!

Miss Bunnie-Penny is quite timid but very, very caring. She is helpful & kind and is always available for cuddles. You can tell her all your worries & she will make you feel better just by being there. She dreams of having her own chat show like Oprah & she loves lollipops. She has the most beautiful tail you ever saw on a rabbit

I had great fun designing these guys - I wanted to capture the carefree innocence of childhood friendships and have their expressions reflect this. I love the naivety of their faces, both in terms of expression and in construction - the large eyes appeal to younger kids and the long gangley limbs give little hands something to hold on to. I kept the shape simple so that sewists of all ages and experience could make them and the pattern can be made by hand or machine, as there are no difficult sections to trip you up. The character of the animals is added with crochet details and the pattern contains full step by step instructions on how to make these defining elements

I also wanted to give Rory and his buddies a kitschy, retro vibe - like the kind of toys I remember seeing in my Mum's crafting books of the 70s. I have used a selection of mismatched vintage fabrics with bold floral patterns to help achieve this look. If you want to do the same, you'll find a great selection of vintage fabric fat quarters here

Preview

I recommend adding a little bit of lavender to the body just before you stuff it so that the toy has a calming and relaxing affect on children at bedtime - the scent is released as you give your cute, new friend a good night hug!

The pattern is available at the bargain price of €5.00 in my Get Smitten Etsy store right here

Happy sewing!

Lisa xx

p.s  if you happen to make any of these guys from my pattern, you are most welcome to upload your photos to my Get Smitten Flickr group or my Get Smitten Facebook page so that we can all get a load of the cuteness!

{all images © Lisa Pocklington for Get Smitten using Instagram on iphone 3G}

Thinking Pink in October

There's just one week left of October and the opportunity to help me raise funds for Breast Cancer Awareness!

I have been an active supporter of Breast Cancer Awareness for the past ten years and each October I make an effort not only to help raise awareness of the disease, but also to raise funds to help scientists find a cure by donating a portion of my Get Smitten sales during the month.

This year I have earmarked a few pink items in the Get Smitten boutique (which is still currently residing at the friendly site of Etsy - International marketplace for all things handmade - until I get the dedicated website relaunched) from which I will be donating 50% of the sale price to the charity

I designed a bold crochet bracelet especially for the event - I love the delicacy of the gold chain against the chunkyness of the yarn and the hot pink really pops! It's also light as a feather which makes it so easy to wear; mine has become a real Autumn accessory favourite!

I don't usually list my hand crocheted beanies on the site as they are sold in exclusive boutiques but I couldn't resist offering my Careless Whisper slouchy mohair best-seller, again in hot pink

And of course there are several choices of gorgeous vintage fabric fat quarters in various shades of pink and floral patterns to fall in love with. I pulled four pink ones together as a sweet mini collection - do you like it?

Oh, and I re-introduced a couple of the super cute Hair Candy clips featuring two of my favourite pink vintage fabrics - this particular fabric is dear to my heart as it is leftover fabric from a dress my lovely Mum made for me as a little girl. How cute?!

I have also joined forces with the unstoppable Knitting in France, who is holding a fund raising sale of hand knitted hats for the same cause. I'm sending a range of Get Smitten beanies for her event. Good luck Borghildur!

Many thanks for your support and if you're a lady... don't forget to Feel Your Boobies - or get someone else to do it for you! {wink!}

with love
Lisa x

{photos by Lisa Pocklington for Get Smitten, Careless Whisper beanie photo by Jeremy Wilson}

Happy April Spools Day!

 

Wishing you all a very merry April Spools Day!

I have a collection of vintage wooden spools here at Get Smitten HQ and had planned a quick photo shoot for today's post. Then I came across this print on Etsy and realised it was Sew Perfect for what I had in mind, plus I thought it would be nice to showcase someone else's talents & artwork for a change! I love the addition of her Grandmother's thimble; just beautiful. I'm totally earmarking this for my studio wall

Sew Perfect image by Silver Horse Photos available for purchase here. Visit their gorgeous Etsy store for more vintage inspired fine art photos

Lisa xx

Designer: Vintage Style Crochet Cardigans

There has been some Etsy love coming my way this week! Firstly there was the Boudoir Butterflies Artwork featured in a treasury and now it is the turn of my vintage style, crochet cardigan. The treasury (below) is called Peach Storm by Zionshore & what a gorgeous collection of peachy goodness she has found. I'm loving all the soft, warm tones of blush, peach & coral this summer. I'm in that same spot on the bottom, centre left again! Thanks Zionshore for the mention x

I designed & made 3 of these cardies (short for cardigans, if you are not familiar with quirky, British terminology) on holiday in the South of France one summer. They are based on the short, waist length, swing jackets that ladies of distinction wore in the 40s & 50s. I made them up in a cashmere blend super chunky yarn which gives them a kitten-soft quality. The third one I never got round to photographing. I want to find an old fashioned carousel with beautiful painted horses to compliment the deep, dusky raspberry of the yarn.

The yarn quality and the hours that went into them are obviously reflected in the selling price, so I appreciate they are not likely to be fast movers. But this makes them all the more special in my mind. They are delightful to wear - I couldn't part with the yellow one in the end and always get compliments whenever I wear it. It's sweet over a white summery dress & I love the line of the 'swing' when I wear it with skinny jeans.

And did you notice the vintage fabric covered buttons?  

Love ♥ Love ♥ Love

I've been thinking about releasing the pattern for them - what do you think? So then you too can enjoy the happiness that comes with wearing something unique & not mass produced.

It's a good feeling; I promise xx

{photos by Jeremy Wilson on his beloved Holga}

Designer: Boudoir Butterflies Textile Artwork

  

Boudoir Butterflies Textile Artwork

by Lisa Pocklington

One of my favourite ever pieces of textile artwork is my Boudoir Butterflies - I have produced it in various colourways ranging from deep raspberry, gold & black (seen below) to duck-egg blue, ochre & black as pictured above. There is something timeless & feminine about both the colours and the delicacy of the butterflies. I am as in love with it now as I was when I first designed it a couple of years ago - and it remains my best seller!

Poster for Exhibition of Textile Art by Lisa Pocklington 

featuring Boudoir Butterflies

The subtle - almost chinoisery - colour palette is currently available in my Etsy boutique and was just featured in this Etsy Treasury by Waterrose. She selected pieces that were hand embroidered & I am so very delighted to be included!

That's me, bottom row centre left.

Thanks Rose! x

{all images by Lisa Pocklington for Smitten with it all}

Hair Candy

It's always heart warming to know that someone out there in the wonderful world of gorgeous things officially announces that they like what you do. My pink vintage fabric Hair Candy was featured in an Etsy Treasury East by eveneve recently & I am sooo pleased to be mentioned amongst such delicious vintage fabric wares. I am in love with that tote bag on the left... and the insulated lunch bag... and that pretty little neck scarf. Let's face it, I am in love with vintage floral fabric!

Peachy Keen - some Monday eye candy

I had a bit of spare time this afternoon to catch up with a few of my favourite inspiration blog sites & this delish colour palette just seemed to be calling out my name everywhere I looked.

1. Hair Candy by Get Smitten. I love this product shot, the Beautigloss yarn is just divine but I ended up using the shots with the vintage dress patterns on the site for continuity
2. Birdcage print by Lovely Pieces as seen on The Bright Side Project. This gorgeous print is part of their daily give-away; pop over to the site, answer the question "do you believe in love at first sight?" & hope that you'll be picked as the lucky winner!
3. Floral display by Saipua as seen on Design*Sponge. I totally LOVE everything that the peeps from Saipua do with flowers
4. Sweet Nothings diy project by Halligan Norris for Design*Sponge. Love the cute styling on this shot