Redwork Pet Patterns

      Here is a fanciful collection of antique-looking pet patterns for those of you who love to embroider old-fashioned redwork. You can enlarge the pictures, if you need to, by printing them out and rescanning them in your photo copier.

dog and cat seated, side by side

kitten and puppy in a basket together

cat fishing for trouble

Mandy Shaw loves her redwork and inspired by this antique quilt she shares with us how
 to design your own and then transfer the designs ready for stitching; this is just a taster
video; the watch the full film you should go to www.justhands-on.tv

More free redwork patterns from my Prickly Pins Blog:

• Nautical Themes for Redwork
• Victorian Themes for Redwork
• Native American Themes for Redwork

Turn a Novel Mexican Table Set

      The Mexican couple shown right, and the "jumbo" cactus just below, provide novel containers for salt, pepper and sugar. The cactus is turned by following the method described for the powder box. It should be finished smoothly on the inside. The handles are notched around the edge and hollowed out in the center to resemble flower blossoms. The one at the top can be turned with the lid and later carved, while those glued to the sides are turned separately. Holes bored lengthwise through the salt and pepper shakers are tapered at the bottom to fit the corks, after which a number of small holes are drilled through the top to meet the center opening.

• 31-MD-00186- Salt and Pepper Shakers Art Deco
• 31-DP-00214-Turned Salt and Pepper Shakers Honeycomb Tops
• Salt and Pepper Shakers - modern 
• Drill press and band saw only - wood branch salt and pepper shakers
• Maple domed tops for salt and pepper shakers
• How to turn a bowl with a matching lid - lathe work
• Wood Turning, Bowl & Lid Part 1 - at YouTube
• Wood Turning - A Lidded Box in Sycamore at YouTube

Use three shades of green paint for this cactus sugar bowl: dark green, a lighter shade of green and then a very
pale green for the star shaped, prickly needles.

Cut This Novel, Dutch Boy Pipe Holder!

Click to enlarge pattern.

      This holder will provide a novel decoration to dad's smoking set. The figure is scroll sawed from 1/4-in. plywood and the base is of 21/2 inch solid stock. Tenons extending down from the feet fit snugly in holes in the base to support the figure, which is sanded and painted in appropriate colors. Note that a small oval depression is made near the end of the base to take the pipe bowl so that it will not tip.

Charring Enlarges Pipe Stem

      A rubber pipe stem that does not fit tightly can often be made to fit by charring it with a match to increase the diameter of the portion that fits into the bowl. Hold the stem in the match flame until small bubbles appear in the rubber, then stick it into water to harden. 

• How to make a briar pipe using a drill press and lathe
• Lord of the Rings pipes: Handmade Churchwarden's
• Missouri Meerschaum Pipes
• Learn the basics of crafting wooden smoking pipes
• Read about toy pipe smokers, Räuchermann, made by hand in The Ore Mountains
  

Craft a Crossword Puzzle Fan

Croosword-puzzle fan.

Crossword-Puzzle Fan Pulls Lettered Strips to Find Words

      Here's a clever gadget that will help anyone in solving crossword puzzles as it is based on the fact that it is easier for most people to see combinations of letters than it is to imagine them. Twenty-six strips of tough paper, each lettered from A to Z, are slipped next to each other in a holder which has a slotted face through which any selected arrangement of letters can be seen. The width of the strips should be such that they can be slid back and forth individually in the holder.

• "Born on Christmas Day" Crossword
•  Amazing Crossword Puzzle Secrets
• "Crosswords" short film

Make a Ladies' Crocheted Hood

This pattern first published in 1916.

Material

Columbia Heather Yarn

3 balls No. 301

Columbia Worsted Knitting Yarn

1 hank Bottle Green

1 Bone Crochet Hook No.3

1 large Button

Instructions No. 1

   Starting at the top, with brown yarn make a chain of 71 stitches.

   Row 1 - Work 1 Sg. C. in first stitch, * 1 D. C. in next stitch, 1 Sg. C. in next stitch, repeat from * to end of row, chain 1, turn.

   Row 2 - * 1 Sg. C.  on top of D. C. of preceding row and 1 D. C. on top of Sg. C. of preceding row, taking up the whole stitch, repeat from * to end of row, chain 1, turn.

    Repeat row 2 until you have 6 rows brown.

   Row 7 - With green yarn work 1 Sg. C. in each stitch, taking up the whole stitch, chain 1, turn.

   Row 8 - With green yarn work 1 Sg. C. in each stitch, taking up the back loop to form a rib. Repeat these 8 rows until you have 6 brown stripes and 5 green stripes. * With green yarn take up 35 stitches, repeat pattern, decreasing 1 stitch at each end every 4th row until there are 6 brown stripes and 6 green stripes, there should be 9 stitches left, finish end with a loop of 8 chain, work 10 Sg. C. on loop, now repeat from * on the other side of hood, sew hood together at the top and with brown yarn work a row of Sg. C. all around, with green yarn finish with picot edge.

   Form 2 pleats at the top where hood is sewed and finish with button, the ends of the cap are crossed at the back and held with the loops over the button.

• Harlequin Hoodie and Fox Hoodie for little ones
• Snowflake hooded cape for baby, so sweet!
• Pinecone Cowl & Infinity Scarf for the ladies