February 11th, 2015

Salty Sam’s Fun Blog for Children
Post Number 1

 

Diary of a Lighthouse Keeper
Launch Date 20^th February 2015

 

lntroduction

 

Hello Everyone 

 

 

Firstly, let me introduce myself.

 

l’m Salty Sam the lighthouse keeper. There aren’t too many of us left in the world. l am certainly the only one around in these parts.

 

l live in a tall, red and white striped lighthouse perched on some rocks out here in the middle of the sea.

 

This is my blog about my life on the rocks!

 

lt is very exciting living in my lighthouse because l am always having visitors and you just never know who will turn up next!

 

One of my adventures was first published in Salty Sam and the Windy Day.

 

The nearest town to me is Rocky Bay. l can see it on the mainland from my windows. lt is a small fishing town with a harbour where people can moor their boats.  lt is a really magical place to live.

 

Next to it is Sandy Cove where there is a beautiful, sandy beach. Tourists and holiday makers love it because there are cafes and ice cream parlours and lots of ways to have fun like crazy golf and puppet shows.

 

l visit the mainland often because l have friends and family there.

 

My best friend is Captain Jack. He often brings supplies to the lighthouse in his boat.

 

My Auntie Alice lives in a cottage by the river. She loves knitting. She knits jumpers and hats and gloves and scarves and socks for all the family.

 

This week she knitted me a new jumper and l have given you the pattern for it at the end of the post.

 

l have two nephews, Bill and Bob, who live in a little, stone cottage called Primrose Cottage at the back of Rocky Bay and we all love going on adventures together.

 

This is my fun blog for children – but adults are very welcome too.

 

l already have visitors to my website from nearly 100 countries so l really hope all my followers out there will enjoy it.

 

Subscription is totally free!  l do not harvest your personal detail to share with any third parties.  Reading this blog is totally free. 

 

l appreciate readers spreading the word about the wealth of knowledge and resources on this website. 

 

Thank you!

 

 

l’ll tell you more about my life here in Rocky Bay next time.

 

 

Bye bye everyone – don’t forget to subscribe to my blog!

Love and kisses

 

 

Salty Sam

 

 

 

 

www.christina-sinclair.com

 

 

Bill and Bob’s Joke of the Week

 

Bill:  Knock Knock.

 

Bob:  Who’s there?

 

Bill:  Sam.

 

Bob:  Sam who?

 

Bill:  Sam person who came yesterday!

 

 

Salty Sam © Christina Sinclair 2015

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material from this blog without express and written permission from this blog’s author and owner is strictly prohibited.  All rights reserved.

Links may be used to www.christina-sinclair.com

 

Picture Gallery

 

A picture of me in my new jumper

 

 My nephews Bill and Bob

 

My best friend Captain Jack

 

 
        Alnwick Castle

 

 

 

 

Historical Grounds

Tour – Free with admission

Join our knowledgeable guides to hear fascinating stories of the castle’s architecture and history.

www.alnwickcastle.com

                    

THE SALTY SAM NEWS DESK

 

Welcome to this updated website and the launch of my blog!

This blog is for children and big kids everywhere.

It is for crafting newbies, people who like making toys for their children and parents who want to teach their children all sorts of interesting skills that will last them a lifetime.

It is also for people all over the World who are learning English.

Visitors to this website come from nearly 100 countries and the number seems to go up every month.

Most visitors live in Britain and the United States so measurements on the blog are often in metric and imperial to make everyone happy. 

The projects are for crafters of all abilities. There are toys to make for children and by children.

Hand-made presents nowadays are very popular and hopefully treasured by the people receiving them. There will be lots of ideas here for presents that children can make for friends and relations.

Very importantly, the blog encourages you to become a designer as well, with tips on how to make your own unique projects.

 

• Please be careful when printing out patterns that they are the size you want them to be before using them to cut out material. You can use a photocopier to reduce or enlarge them if necessary.

 

• All the knitting patterns on this blog need less than 100g of yarn unless otherwise stated.

www.christina-sinclair.com

And I would love to hear from you. 

The best messages will be published.

(All comments will be vetted before they reach the blog to make sure they are suitable for children to read.)

 

 
New blog posts are published every Fun Friday morning. Tell all your friends that they are welcome to come and join in the fun too.

 

Topics on my Blog

Fun          Animals         Learning

Hobbies      Salty Sam News        

The Environment      Crafting        

Knitting      Cooking      The Sea       Nature

Gardening    Science    Games     Test Your English

                                         

PLUS

 

Salty Sam fans can join in with their comments and share them with children all over the world. But remember that if you are not an adult, you must ask permission to post a comment!

You don’t have to give your real name if you don’t want to, and just your first name will be enough.

It would be really nice if you could say your age (of course adults don’t have to) and what part of the world you come from as well.

I would like to thank Richard Dawson for giving me a five-star rating and a lovely comment about my book on Amazon.

I also need to acknowledge and give great thanks to all the wiki, flicker and clip art sources that I have sometimes used to bring the educational aspect of this blog to life, explaining information in a way that would never have been as interesting or as understandable without them.

The topics were chosen in response to children requesting information. 

If you would like to advertise on this blog, please contact my personal assistant and biographer Christina at the e-mail address below.

Enjoy…

 

This is me at my desk in the lighthouse writing my new blog.

New posts are released every Fun Friday!

lNDEX OF POSTS AND PROJECTS

      Blog Post…                                          How to Make         

1. lntroduction…       my port and starboard jumper and hat
2. My Lighthouse Home…       my nightshirt, bed socks and nightcap
3. My Family…       an appliquéd shoe bag
4. Barney My Parrot…       a parrot toy and a fruit salad
5. The Lighthouse Mice…       a baby lighthouse mouse and a mouse key fob
6. My Mermaid Friends…       a stamp book holder and rock cakes
7. My Seabed Friends…       a seahorse pencil top and a mobile
8. The History of Lighthouses…       a toy jellyfish, a toy snake and a toy caterpillar
9. Rockpooling…       starfish decorations
10. Beachcombing…       a lavender bag and lavender biscuits
11. Seagulls…       a sky blue knitted pencil case and drop scones
12. Smugglers…       my ocean design hat
13. Tides…       my ocean design mittens
14. Oceans of the World…       my ocean scene jumper
15. Seaweed…       book covers, covered boxes, mermaid sweaters and accessories
16. Weathervanes…       a weathervane and my hot-water bottle
17. Clouds…       a hygrometer, pine cone decorations, cloud pictures, a knitted purse
18. Building a Wormery…       worm and caterpillar finger puppets, a knitted glasses case
19. Bees…       my busy bee hat
20. Home-made lce Cream…       my busy bee mittens
21. Bird Boxes…       a birds’ department store and a knitted doll
22. Exploring Rivers…       picnic scones, repeat pattern designs, knitted doll underwear
23. Pond Life…       Sussex pond pudding and a knitted doll’s stripy dress
24. Moth Watch…       marbled paper and a knitted doll’s top
25. lnsect Hotels…       cheese straws and a knitted doll’s skirt
26. The Rocky Bay Coastguard…       a bobble octopus and a knitted doll’s bag and shoes
27. The Rocky Bay Lifeboat…       my lighthouse stripe scarf and striped pencil case
28. Shipping…       a knitted drawstring bag with sailboat design
29. Bill and Bob’s Car Games…       a game of seaside snap and a knitted doll’s pixie hat
30. Collecting Eggs…       a chicken egg cosy and a knitted doll’s pixie skirt
31. Ant Colonies…       flapjacks and a knitted doll’s beach dress
32. Where Coal Comes From…       knitted blankets
33. Looking at the Stars and Planets…       a cat toy and a bedside tissue pocket
34. Hedgehogs…       a knitted hedgehog and a hedgehog cake
35. Bill and Bob’s Kangaroo Project…       my duffle bag and a knitted money pouch
36. First Aid…       a travelling repair kit
37. Aspiring Millionaires…       a money tree and a knitted doll’s pair of trousers
38. Number Games…       a dominoes/Scrabble tiles bag and a spelling game
39. The Pirates of Rocky Bay…       seed bombs and a plastic canvas ring box
40. The History of Pirates…       plastic canvas boxes and coasters
41. The Himalayas…       a friendship bracelet, a wall garden, my bobble balaclava
42. A Soil Test Experiment…       plant pot holders and a knitted doll’s striped jumper
43. lslands…       an archipelago desk set
44. The Moon…       a lavender ball clown
45. Astronauts…       flying saucers and a knitted doll’s hat and scarf
46. Limericks…       my Tam o’Shanta
47. lcebergs…       my arctic hat
48. Flags…       signal flags, castle flags and fairy turrets, a knitted doll’s beach bag
49. Codes…       invisible ink, a knitted doll’s swimsuit
50. The Magic Beak Fortune Teller…       a fortune teller’s tent, a magic hat with rabbit
51. The Shipwreck Game…       a board game and game counters
52. Dolphins…       my swimsuit and swim hat and a plastic canvas container
53. Storms…       apple snow and a knitted doll’s pyjamas
54. Human Statistics…       a makeup/pencil case and Cupid heart needle-case
55. Toy Theatres…       spooky finger puppets and a toy theatre with curtains
56. Road Safety…       a child’s white hat
57. Ducks on the Loose…       a doodle stitching picture
58. A Message in a Bottle…       a hanging star, table crackers, scissors case
59. How to Embarrass Celery…       my bunny bed socks, a celery salad
60. Fridge Magnets…       ice cream, my arctic mittens
61. Feeding the Birds…       embroidered felt caddy and sunflowers
62. ldioms…       a paper boat and storage basket name plaque
63. Recycling…       bath salts and a carrier bag holder
64. Punch and Judy…       a sock puppet and a bracelet
65. Trees…       an almond roll
66. Planting Trees…       a fruit fool and a pot luck tree
67. Beacons…       table place labels
68. The Cornfield Study…       peppermint creams, a little scarecrow
69. Sunken Wrecks…       an alpine garden, a blackwork picture
70. Dandelions…       a plastic canvas tissue holder
71. How Plants Spread Seeds…       pressed flowers
72. Dogs That Have Jobs…       a little toy Scottie dog with a lead and blanket
73. Buckingham Palace…       Apple Charlotte and a knitted doll’s patterned dress
74. The History of Knights…       a jewellery tray, vegetarian sausage rolls, a family crest
75. Time…       milkshakes and a knitted doll’s witch’s outfit
76. Clocks…       a 12″ doll jogging suit, growing living stones
77. lgloos…       a lace heart and a snowman decoration
78. Colours…       a spinning colour wheel and a colouring pencils pocket
79. Kitchen Crops…       a sprouting seeds jar, jam pot tops, my chef’s apron
80. A Vegetable Patch…       a tomato salad and a knitted carrot
81. Cooking Vegetables…       my chef’s gloves
82. Decorating Wellingtons…       cards box, decorated socks, my snowflake jumper & hat
83. Camping…       beany burgers
84. The History of the Teddy Bear…       gingerbread and fabric teddies
85. Blackberrying…       blackberry crumble and my chef’s hat
86. Finger Puppets…       knitted finger puppet family with house
87. Yarn Dollies…       a 12″ doll jeans, dolls’ house cushions
88. Project Get a Rabbit…       a crazy rabbit finger puppet, a pet present stocking
89. Strange Sea Creatures…       mermaid hair scrunchies and bracelets
90. The Bermuda Triangle…       magic potions, a secret Bermuda Triangle file
91. Atlantis…       fish key rings, an air plant garden, a banana trifle
92. Chasing Rainbows…       a 12″ doll ribbed sweater, a colour experiment
93. Stinging Nettles…       a satin stitch harvest mouse canvas work box
94. Making Model Railways…       farm buildings for your model railway
95. Adding to Your Model Railway…       pine trees for your model railway
96. Street Trees…       a 12″ doll sweater, fruit trees
97. The History of Printing…       a 12″ doll pink sweater, a dolls’ house blanket, a stencil
98. Horse Holiday Homes…       a 12″ doll high-visibility jacket, a toy horse blanket
99. The History of Patchwork…       a patchwork cushion
100. Ladybirds…       a farmyard quilt
101. Nursery Rhymes…       my bullion sheep woolly jumper
102. Lightning…       a ribbon weaving cushion
103. Frost Fairs…        a 12″ doll scarf hood, a textured blanket
104. The Clink…       a homework in-tray
105. Hedgerows…       mushroom quiches, a 12″ doll sideways scarf, an embroidered box
106. Cows…       milk shakes, animal mobile telephone cases
107. Owls…       bobble birds
108. The History of Dolls’ Houses…       a dolls’ house mat and rug
109. Strawberries…       a strawberry tiramisu, punnet of strawberries pin cushion
110. Christmas Trees…       cross stitch hanging decorations, a 12″ doll fairy dress
111. Easter Eggs…       a 12″ doll sweater, Easter eggs and Easter bunny
112. Harvest Festival…       a 12” doll tennis dress, ribbon flowers glasses case
113. Halloween…       pumpkin faces, a 12″ doll warm outfit
114. Mysteries at Sea…       a 12” doll beach set, a magic trick
115. Mighty Oaks…       a 12” doll boutique bag, an owl game
116. The Badgers Project…       shortbread, a 12” doll coat and hat
117. The Squirrels Project…       a 12” doll hair accessories, basket linings
118. Hibernation and Migration…       a net wash bag, a plastic canvas photo frame
119. Lucky Talismans…       a Seminole patchwork cushion cover
120. Native Trees…       an embroidered snow scene
121. Changing Seasons…       a 12″ doll skating dress, hyacinth flowers
122. Waves…       a sun catcher, a beach hut dolls’ house
123. The History of Jigsaws…       a patchwork doll’s cot quilt
124. The Romans…       my cable scarf
125. Driving on the Left…       a 12” doll car coat, my cable jumper
126. Cat’s Eye Studs…       a 12” doll jacket, a cat blanket
127. Crops from Trees…       giant dice, apple tart, Russian doll badges
128. Windmills…       a basketwork scarf, an apron and a cushion out of a tea towel
129. Cockney Rhyming Slang…       an orange pomander, a 12” doll orange and lemon dress
130. Whales…       a whale brooch, a 12” doll’s beach sarong dress
131. Coral Reefs…       a satin stitch fish, an appliqué fish
132. Sleeping…       a dolls’ house duvet set, a cuddly teddy
133. Money…       a clown face toy, a sky’s the limit money box
134. Helping the Environment…       a 12″ doll shopping outfit
135. Herbs…       a 12” doll chef set, a broad bean salad
136. Camouflage…       a plastic canvas rainbow-yarn pencil box
137. Wildlife Corridors…       a city garden, a dolls’ house garden
138. The History of Beds…       a teddy bear hot water bottle cover, a 12” doll nightdress
139. Growing Flowers…       a dolls’ house sun bed, a window box
140. The History of Railways…       a 12” doll knitted dressing gown, a writing paper holder
141. Volcanoes…       ginger beer, a Bargello knitting needle case
142. Mushrooming…       duxelles, a mini mushroom farm
143. Penguins…       my sideways penguin scarf
144. Ship Figureheads…       a 12” doll mermaid outfit
145. Sport…       my track suit pyjamas
146. Baron Munchhausen…       an embroidered book mark
147. Weird Hotels…       your own vine, a 12” doll fabric dressing gown
148. Famous Trees…       Chinese spirals, asparagus quiche, a 12” doll hooded jacket
149. Lesser Known Sights of London…       a 12” doll bags, party crackers
150. The History of Piers…       a 12” doll beach outfit – shorts and top
151. Ancient Egyptians…       lucky black cat, a pyramid box
152. Conifers…       a conifer embroidery and decoration
153. The History of Toilets…       a bath bomb
154. Survival Skills…       my sleeping bag, a 12” doll sleeping bag and dress
155. Deserts…       Eton mess, a cacti garden
156. Antarctica…       a 12” doll ski suit, my hooded snow jacket
157. The History of School…       cookies, a felt gingerbread man
158. The Sun…       a 12” doll swimsuit
159. Cats…       a felt cat and a cat nip mouse
160. Guerrilla Gardening…       a hanging basket
161. Fashion Victims…       a felt butterfly, a 12” doll girl-about-town suit
162. Dangerous Animals…       a felt teddy, spinach salad, crocodile finger puppet
163. Meat Eating Plants…       a felt angel fish, wooden spoon puppets
164. Planting Bulbs…       a 12” doll garden outfit
165. Castles…       Hardanger embroidery
166. The History of Television…       a flick book, a 12” doll lounging-at-home tracksuit
167. Conkers…       12” doll slipper socks, a conker bag, a conker house
168. Heroes from History…       a code wheel
169. Garden Features…       a maze game
170. Composers…       a dancing clown, a 12” doll evening dress collection
171. Lions…       a 12” doll black trim dress and shawl, a knitted lion
172. Let There Be Lights…       dolls’ house lamps, family silhouettes
173. Mediaeval Banquets…       a pudding bauble, chocolate mousse
174. The Pen is Mightier than the Sword…       a 12” doll office outfit, felt face pen tops
175. The London Underground…       a dolls’ house garden fountain, a 12″ doll shoulder bag
176. Moles…       an outside wormery
177. Climbing Plants…       a pointed petal flower brooch
178. Geoffrey Chaucer…       a 12” doll weekend away wardrobe
179. Chanticleer and Pertelote…       12” doll pyjamas, pink scrambled egg
180. Darts…       a knitted marble bag, a marble game
181. The History of Clowns…       a jester on a stick, pompoms and knitted buttons
182. Bamboo…       a little house, a tree in four seasons picture
183. Joshua Slocum…       a knitted bag, embroidered star topper
184. The History of Taxis…       a 12” doll evening coat, a pin cushion
185. Tower Bridge…       a needle case, a dolls’ house clock
186. Sea Rescue…       a 12” doll cruise dress, Jacobean stump-work embroidery
187. Dr Johnson…       a 12” doll office outfit, a birds glasses case, a heart bookmark
188. Seahorses…       embroidered void design, patterned picture in ink
189. Deep Sea Exploration…       a piñata, a 12” doll shoe box
190. Alcock and Brown…       a knitted toggle scarf, cut paper bunting
191. The Dinosaurs of London…       a monster jar nightlights, a dinosaur finger puppet
192. Henry Vlll…       a 12” doll evening cape, a felt rose brooch
193. Sand Dunes…       a friendly felt cactus, Eaton Mess
194. The Golden Hind…       little desk tidy boxes, present plaque decorations
195. Famous Sea Canals…       knitted hood, lolly recipes
196. Animals That Fly Birds That Don’t…       3D butterfly pen pot, hanging felt fish and owl
197. The Palace of Westminster…       my knitted house jumper and brooch
198. The Cure for Cholera…       house tissue box cover, paper freezes for windows
199. Waterfowl…       water drops family and cloud home, mini skating boots ornament
200. Unusual Lighthouses…       knitted button house, 12” doll skating boots
201. The History of Tea…       a 12” doll summer cruise dress, smoothie recipes
202. Sandwiches…       triangular mouse, a 12” doll hiking set
203. Crowded Cliffs…       little felt houses, a rockery garden, gallettes
204. Leonardo Da Vinci…       open window embroidery, 3D card butterflies
205. The History of Post Boxes…       a 12” doll wide pants outfit and bag, heart envelopes
206. Smokey Joes…       a knitted sideways hat
207. Snowflakes…       leg warmers
208. Kew Gardens…       a knitted snail
209. Acers…       felt mistletoe and how to grow real mistletoe
210. The Severn Bore…       a knitting bag
211. The Rainforest…       knitting needle point covers
212. Growing Berries…       raspberry muffins, a red and white outfit for a 12” doll
213. Manta Rays…       a fishing game, a hat, scarf, bag set for a 12” doll
214. The Game of Monopoly…       a plastic canvas bits and pieces tray
215. Shakespeare…       gnome finger puppets and a finger puppet hand theatre
216. Sheep…       a round knitted basket
217. Tulip Mania…       a 12” doll ballet outfit
218. Charles Darwin…       a knitted dog, a 12”doll ballet practice outfit
219. Peacocks…       a knitted head cowl
220. Patron Saints…       a happy, lucky frog
221. Racing Pigeons…       a purple and white dress for a 12” doll
222. Swan Upping…       how to sew on buttons, a basket-stitch knitted cowl
223. The Mayflower…       a ball gown for a 12” doll
224. The History of Shoes…       boots, hat and bag for a 12” doll
225. Mount Rushmore…       a scissors case
226. The lnternational Dateline…       bags for a 12” doll
227. Caravans…       a plastic canvas bag with handles
228. Where Gas Comes From…       a blue striped dress for a 12” doll
229. Bicycles…       a catsuit for a 12″ doll 
230. Cheese…       a yellow knitted hat
231. Tie Dyeing…       a blue and white dress for a 12” doll
232. Nuts…       a knitted peanut, a nut cake
233. Shells…       a knitted scarecrow
234. Glass…       knitted scarecrow clothes
235. Sunsets…       a scarecrow hat and little knitted rainbow people
236. Apples…       dried fruit snacks, chocolate apples and a knitted earphones pouch
237. Emily’s Plants…       a long cardigan and scarf for a 12” doll
238. Karaoke…       little knitted water nymphs
239. The History of Vacuum Cleaners…       a knitted bag, a house work set for a 12” doll
240. Cut and Come Again Lettuce…       a gift bag
241. Tartan…       Christmas tree cubes
242. Domestic Life…       bed socks, little, plastic canvas gingerbread houses
243. Henry’s Playroom…       a knitted storage box, a red sweater for a 12” doll
244. Water…       a striped neck cowl
245. Painting Henry’s Attic…       a little, knitted fir tree
246. Repurposed Furniture…       a basket-stitch knitted bag
247. Learning the Times Tables…       a noughts and crosses game
248. Coffee…       healthy snacks, a knitted red & green hat, slippers & apron for a 12” doll
249. The Winter Garden…       plant labels, Christmas tree lanterns
250. Henry’s Herb Garden…       a knitted lavender bag
251. The Atlantic…       little Santa sacks
252. The Pacific…       a pointed-bottom sweater for a 12” doll, little present stockings
253. The South Sea lslands…       knitted heating pad cover, knitted Christmas tree gnomes
254. The Tower of London…       little knitted Christmas tree snowmen
255. London Parks…       a little knitted acorn man in a leaf bed
256. Sid’s Roof Terrace…       green and red striped sweater for a 12″ doll, bead embroidery
257. Tiny Trees in Pots…       little felt trees
258. Ninjas…       a plastic canvas shoulder bag for a 12″ doll, a knitted glasses case
259. Aesops’ Fables…       fingerless gloves
260. Houdini…       a magic trick, a cute pastel clown
261. Tradescantia…       a doll in a cot, marled buttons
262. Charles Dickens…       knitted table skittles
263. Ballpoint Pens…       a rainbow pen holder, a desk set for a 12” doll
264. lsambard Kingdom Brunel…       a knitted teddy to take travelling
265. Freediving…       a starfish family in a cave bag
266. Fuchsias…       a dolls’ house fruit basket, a cat family 
267. Shingle Beaches…       a rainbow-coloured box
268. Finding Dinosaurs…       a dinosaur purse, a fabric painting
269. Bonsai…       a tunic for a 12” doll, an owl key ring
270. The Domesday Book…       vegetable soup, a little knitted pig, decorated bookmarks
271. Heath Robinson…       a plastic canvas robot
272. The Potato…       a gardening set for a 12” doll
273. Hurricanes…       a barometer, a canvas work stamp collection box
274. Florence Nightingale…       a first aid kit box
275. The History of Knitting…       a little knitted rabbit, fingerless gloves
276. Luddites…       dressed teddies
277. Tornadoes…       a tornado in a jar, plastic canvas toy farm pens
278. Turtles…       a knitted turtle
279. Beatrix Potter…       lolly stick book marks, a canvas work picture frame
280. Growing Orchids…       jewellery gift box
281. Paradolia…       little, knitted mermaid
282. The Human Machine…       a light switch doll
283. The History of Jeans…       a knitted patchwork scarf
284. Lichens…       an underwater scene in a jar
285. Encouraging Butterflies…       page markers, a little knitted caterpillar
286. The Arts and Crafts Movement…       a heart bookmark, a knitted phone sock
287. Art Nouveau…      a beanie with flower decorations
288. Art Deco…       a chocolate cheesecake, a plastic canvas sewing needle book
289. Tree ldentification…       a winter sweater for a 12” doll
290. Elizabeth l…       plastic canvas box with jewellery rolls
291. Stargazing…       pizza whirls, a knitted alien family
292. The Beginning of Human Flight…       a pencil pencil case
293. Hot Air Ballooning…       a plastic canvas pin box
294. Daffodils…       a knitted goldfish purse
295. The Earth’s Crust…       a yarn heart wreath
296. Rain…       a rain gauge, a snowman finger puppet
297. Avalanches…       a plastic canvas storage box
298. Politics…       a tiny socks garland
299. Feeling Sad…       a knitted MP5 cover, a present label box, cookie cutter labels
300. William Caxton…       bobble book marks
301. lnsects…       baked bean soup, Santa belt knitted napkin ring
302. Vitamins…       knitted gingerbread man
303. The Red Cross…       mountain gnomes
304. Birds’ Nests…       green hot chocolate, seedling pots, a knitted camera case
305. Pandas…       a little knitted panda
306. Frankincense & Myrrh…       a single bead necklace, a striped plastic canvas moneybox
307. Diamonds…       a dried fruit and nut whirl, a number cubes game
308. Waterfalls…       a waterfall shawl for a 12” doll
309. Calendars…       button page markers, a winter ice princess elf
310. Mary Anning…       lnterlocking shapes pictures, a flower-topped knitted hat
311. Bird World…       knitted egg cosies
312. Barbie…       knitted evening dress for a 12”doll
313. Pink…       a knitted Alice-band
314. Amazing Bees…       a spring blossom nymph
315. A Healthy Garden…       a picnic rug and hamper for a 12” doll
316. Safaris…       a zebra striped sweater and a safari suit for a 12” doll
317. Geysers…       a knitted cowgirl and a knitted cowboy
318. Dick Turpin…       an opera cloak for a 12” doll
319. Woodland…       a patterned green sweater for a 12” doll
320. The Rock Planets…       cat finger puppets
321. Milk…       a knitted squares ball, a clown finger puppet
322. ln the Hive…       a summer flower fairy
323. Jack Shepherd…       a trolley key ring, a little, knitted monkey
324. Dr Barnardo…       a superhero finger puppet
325. Sea farming…       a knitted lavender doll
326. Jamaica lnn…       a pirate finger puppet, a big box shoulder bag for a 12” doll
327. The Outer Planets…       knitted cupcakes, a beach outfit for a 12” doll
328. Press Gangs…       a knitted ball, a sailor doll with hammock and kit bag
329. Animal Care…       an owl and a pussycat in a boat, a doll’s feeding bottle
330. Crop Circles…       a pixie and his toadstool hiding place
331. Jane Austin…       tall buildings book marks, a plastic canvas pin box
332. Reptiles…       a diamond-patterned snake
333. Natural Energy…       a summer dress and jacket for a 12” doll
334. Lady Godiva…       canvas square necklaces
335. Outer Space…       a ballet shoes bag
336. The Bronte Sisters…       three little knitted sisters
337. The History of Paint…       dolls’ house plants
338. Extinct Animals…       a marble run, a knitted rabbit family with carrots
339. Samuel Pepys…       a knitted chicken and chicks
340. Amelia Bloomer…       a knitted football fan
341. Human Skin…       a knitted football fan’s tracksuit, ball and bag
342. Palm Trees…       banana pancakes, a little knitted dog
343. Chip Shops…       an autumn harvest pixie
344. The History of Washing Clothes…       small knitted scissors case, Christmas tree hats
345. lFOS UFOS…       a little, round knitted pudding
346. Betty and Barney Hill…       a little, knitted witch on a broom
347. Chocolate…       a patterned glasses case
348. Greek Classics…       a back pack bag for a 12” doll
349. Frost…      a vertical stripes hat
350. Childhood…       a little, knitted choir boy
351. Guy Fawkes…       sage sausage rolls, a seasonal sweater for a 12” doll
352. Pears…       a little knitted angel
353. The Community Orchard…       knitted sweets decorations, dolls’ house bins
354. Wassailing…       leek and cheese omelettes, a caroller’s Santa-hat
355. The History of the lnternet…       table Santa sacks, a star tree topper
356. Queen Victoria…       a Victoria sponge, a ring box
357. Evacuees…       travelling bags for toy cars
358. Famous Bears…      a snowman wreath
359. Walking Across the Fields…       a ski sweater for a 12” doll
360. The Secret of Success…       games counter people
361. The Recipe for Success…       a notebook cover
362. The Road to Success…       three little clowns and a ticking stick
363. The Spoils of Success…       an in-the-black money box with dragon guard
364. Christopher Columbus…       a travelling jewellery pouch
365. Working Cats…       a USB bag and a holdall for a 12” doll
366. The Cottingly Fairies…       knitted hair scrunchies, a book bag and pencil case
367. Why the Sea is Salty…     a cap-sleeved sweater for a 12” doll, roasted nuts
368. Salt, Mustard, Vinegar, Pepper…  underwear for a 12” doll, salt dough
369. Sharks…       a tiny cottage bag
370. Treading Your Own Path…       a town scene canvas box
371. Working Together…       elderflower cordial, hospital character dolls
372. Rolls-Royce…       ribbed knitted hat, stylish cowl
373. Bats…       a change purse
374. Burke and Hare…       multi-coloured plastic canvas pencil box
375. The Grand Tour…       man-size neck cowl
376. Okinawa…       drawer liner
377. Ariadne’s Thread…       knitted thread sack
378. Puritans…       three knitted friends
379. Up Helly Aa…       party dress for a 12” doll
380. Frogs and Toads…       baby shoes
381. Anne Frank…       a candy-stripe doll
382. Captain Scott…       summer drinks, a dolls’ house terrarium
383. Fair Trade…       chick egg cosy
384. Deer…       beds for little dolls
385. The Suffragettes…       plastic canvas storage box
386. Elephants…       little knitted elephant
387. Tumbleweed…       top and dress for a candy-stripe doll
388. Peat Bogs…       gingerbread man finger puppet
389. Edward Jenner…       small blanket square
390. Be True to Yourself…       top and skirt with straps for a 12” doll
391. X-Rays…       a small pirate crew
392. Sailors’ Superstitions…       character dolls on the beach
393. City Hedgerows…       a sleeveless cardigan for a 12” doll
394. Al Capone…       a toy mouse for a kitten
395. Roses…       Little Red Riding Hood
396. Taking the Right Path…       a fairy
397. Veganism…       a dog finger puppet
398. Ways to Create Your Life…       character dolls on the beach picnic basket and blanket
399. John Keats…       tiny storage bag for a pencil case
400. Positive Thinking…       a bobble hat egg cosy
401. Shire Horses…       pumpkin soup, dungarees for a 12” doll
402. Matthew Hopkins…       a little knitted snake
403. Problem Solving…       a baby jumper
404. Buddha…       a penguin finger puppet
405. Positive Practices…      hat, scarf and ankle warmers for a candy-striped doll
406. The Caledonian Forest…      baby bootees
407. Huskies…       jewellery bag
408. Not Giving Up…       paper bauble window decoration
409. The History of Roads…       party sweater for a 12” doll
410. Sunshine…       little hats and boot Christmas tree decorations
411. Journaling…       children’s party punch, bed cushions and throw for a bed for a 12” doll
412. The Summer Garden…       a boot bag for a 12” doll
413. Nobel Prizes…       a double-sided beanie
414. The Human Brain…       a handle bar bag
415. Bath Time…       pastel-coloured storage bags
416. Octopuses…       shoulder bag
417. The Brothers Grimm…       two little brothers
418. Famous Cats…       two little brothers scarves and snowman
419. Know Your Onions…       dolly bag for a doll
420. Rugs…       playing cards storage pouch, 12” doll rug, cushions & living room throw
421. Tugs…       packing bags for a suitcase
422. Trugs…       a tiny ring basket
423. Josiah Wedgewood…       Little Boy Blue
424. Hermits…       skirt with straps for a candy-stripe doll
425. The Blackpool Illuminations…       projects with non-standard fashion yarn
426. Hops…       beach shorts and back pack for a candy-strip doll
427. Bullying…       school team character dolls
428. Pluto…       juggling balls
429. The Hazel…       a scarf for a 12” doll
430. Cellars and Attics…       a decorated hair scrunchie
431. Plants for Free…       rose petal tea, key strap bag
432. Human lntelligence…       baby hat
433. The Magna Carta…       dolls’ house picture frame
434. J.R.R. Tolkein…       child’s striped shoulder bag
435. Amazing Trees…       drawer storage set
436. The Green Man…      boy’s crayon bag and shoe bag
437. Swimming…       character children swimming costumes
438. Sea Mammals…       a beach bag bags
439. Beyond the Classroom…       a square-based pencil case, character children play clothes
440. The Peasant’s Revolt…       farm character people
441. Beech Trees…       little knitted dog
442. Planting Strawberries…       character children holiday clothes
443. Riding Schools…       locker key bag
444. Angels…       nightdress for a candy-stripe doll
445. The War of the Roses…       a pocket dress for a 12” doll
446. Naturalizing Spring Bulbs…       a decorated school timetable
447. Trees of the World…       dolls’ house cushions
448. Dressed for Success…       sheep finger puppet
449. The Reformation…       baby hat
450. Self Confidence…      a funny face key fob
451. Olive Groves…       small bags for a 12” doll
452. River Mammals…       rainbow glasses case
453. The Commonwealth…       snow boots for a 12” doll
454. Downing Street…       advent stockings
455. Yews…       bauble with bell
456. Solitary Bees…       Christmas decorative cushions
457. Ancient Medicines…       salon gown for a 12” doll
458. Alfred the Great…       apple cake, an emergency handbag kit
459. Llamas and Alpacas…       a mini bag, a pin cushion
460. The History of Shopping…       present labels
461. Windsor Castle…       character children party clothes
462. The Holly and the lvy…       present labels, a little cone person
463. The Subconscious…       Christmas party bags
464. Madame Tussauds…       candy-stripe doll trimmed winter boots
465. Stunt Performers…       lnuit twins
466. Mangrove Swamps…       a pot scrubber
467. Blood…       mouse finger puppet
468. Flower Shows…       a business suit for a 12” doll
469. Corvids…       a games pieces storage bag, a little penguin
470. Archaeology…       a treasure storage bag
471. Trees Fighting Pollution…       a ribbed hat and cowl
472. Battersea Power Station…       builder character dolls
473. Relax…       a bead-decorated scarf for a 12” doll
474. Richard and John…       a little wizard
475. Mudskippers…       a cute octopus
476. Bramley’s Seedlings…       a rainbow yarn storage bag
477. Hawaii…       spa character dolls
478. Mass Media…      a scissors case
479. Growing Winter Squash…       a button-decorated pin cushion
480. Adam Smith…       a shopping bag for a 12” doll, a little knitted sheep
481. Commons…       Goldilocks and the Three Bears
482. Plastic Bottles…       a bathroom accessory set for a 12” doll
483. Saving Money…       a coin bag
484. Cave Dwellers…       a present lavender bag
485. The Fox Family…       a lorry driver and his builder friends
486. Packing Suitcases…       a summer dress for a 12” doll
487. Judge Jeffreys…       a shark finger puppet
488. Flower Crops…       a flared jacket for a 12” doll
489. Astrology…       a crystal storage box
490. Balcony Gardening…       a window box for a 12” doll
491. Film Extras…       monster friends
492. St John Ambulance…       a red belted jacket for a 12” doll
493. Summer Projects…       a little explorer
494. The Yoga Class…       exercise clothes for a 12” doll
495. Avocados…       a handbag pencil case
496. Pep Talk…       a football mascot
497. Victoria’s Children…       a weekend away capsule wardrobe for a 12” doll
498. The Kings of the 20^th Century…       accessory bags for a 12” doll
499. Having Faith in Yourself…       an exercise chart
500. Kindness…       a patterned hat
501. Equinoxes…       reading glasses pouch, forestry worker character people
502. Preserving Food…       piccalilli recipe, a lavender clown
503. Prospering…       accessory bags for a 12” doll
504. Radar…       a present stocking
505. The 100 Years’ War…       a present stocking for a 12” doll
506. Wolves…       a spider web cake, a snowflake pattern bauble
507. Shrubs in Tubs…       a dolls’ house door wreath and flower tub
508. Emily’s Cupboard…      a dolls’ house Christmas tree
509. Gardens of the Future…       a dolls’ house Christmas garland and present stockings
510. Runes…       a striped storage bag and a rune storage bag
511. Building Self-esteem…       penguin present labels
512. The Willow Den…       Christmas tree bell loops
513. Making Candles…       Santa sacks, present plaques
514. The Royal Christmas…       a little Santa
515. Learning New Things…       a striped phone cover, a cocktail, a dolls’ house duvet and pillow set

 

Pictures of all the

Salty Sam’s Fun Blog for Children Crafts

are on Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/TheSaltySamBlog/salty-sam-blog-crafts/

 

See the bottom of this post for equipment needed

for all the yarn projects…

 

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TO ADVERTISE ON THIS BLOG

PLEASE CONTACT:

christina.sinclair.ads@aol.co.uk

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Did you know that some scenes from the first Harry Potter movies were filmed at Alnwick Castle? So you may recognise it.

You can visit Alnwick Castle in Northumberland any day of the week between the end of March and the end of October.

http://www.alnwickcastle.com/

 

 

     Days Out… 

  

The Alnwick Garden Treehouse Restaurant, Northumberland

http://www.alnwickcastle.com/

SALTY SAM’S SEA CREATURE FACTS

 

 

• The largest creature in the sea is the blue whale. ln fact, it is the largest animal in the world at 30m or 85 feet long. A newborn blue whale calf is 7m or 23 feet long.
• Whales, dolphins, seals and walruses are animals that have to come to the surface of the ocean to breathe air (some of these animals can hold their breath for more than an hour) but fish don’t – they get oxygen from the water they live in.
• There are more African elephants in the world than grey seals – grey seals are an endangered species.
• A dolphin is a kind of whale.
• A killer whale is the same shape as a dolphin.
• Whales have lifelong friends that they often visit.
• Giant squids can grow over 13m or 43 feet long which is about as long as a bus.
• A vampire squid has arms that look like a cape and has the ability to hypnotize its prey.
• Octopuses are related to the snails in your garden.
• lt is seahorse fathers that look after their young. They keep their babies in a pouch on their stomach until they are ready to hatch.
• Pearls are formed when a piece of grit gets into an oyster’s shell. The oyster coats the grit with layers of shell. The inside coating of the shell is called ‘mother of pearl’.
• The hermit crab does not produce its own shell but lives in discarded shells that it finds. lt moves into a bigger shell each time it outgrows the one it is living in.
• A nautilus adds larger chambers (thirty or more in a lifetime) to its shell as it grows and then moves into them.
• A Portuguese man o’war jellyfish’s sting is as poisonous as a cobra’s venom.
• Jellyfish are 95% water.
• The fastest fish is the sailfish at 112kph or 70mph.
• Flying fish have wide fins on their sides and can fly over 400m or 1,300 feet over the water at speeds of 70kph or 43mph.
• The largest shark is the whale shark at 15-18m or 50-60 feet long and is harmless to humans because it only eats plankton.
• Plankton are the smallest creatures in the sea.

 

A vampire squid 

 

Pearls forming in mother of pearl inside an oyster shell

 

A hermit crab

 

A nautilus

 

A Portuguese man o’war

 

A flying fish

 

Plankton

 

This model of a whale shark and a diver gives you an idea of how large whale sharks are

 

 

Wildscreen Arkive

have some wonderful films about nature 

Checkout: 

http://www.arkive.org/whale-shark/rhincodon-typus/videos.html

 

 

BLOW MY FOGHORN!!!

 

 PLUS 

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lt’s the Weekend!

 

 
HOW TO KNlT

MY PORT AND STARBOARD JUMPER AND HAT

 

If you want to make this jumper which fits the cuddly toy on my website, of course you can use any colours you like to make the stripes. It is a very good way of using up yarn left over from making other jumpers.

As long as you can knit plain and purl stitches, this jumper and hat is very easy to make.

You can find the pattern to make the Salty Sam toy at

 

www.christina-sinclair.com

 

This is a picture of me in my beach chair 

 

Whenever you are crafting, it is always really nice if an adult can help you and teach you how to do things properly. If things go wrong, don’t get upset or want to give up – it is all part of learning. The projects on this blog are quite simple and when you master basic techniques you will be able to move on to more difficult projects later.

Whenever you want to do a project, read through the instructions for everything properly before you start.

 

 

PATTERN FOR MY PORT AND STARBOARD JUMPER

The left side of a ship is called the port side and the right side is called the starboard side.

The colour for port is red and the colour for starboard is green.

Port is also the name for a kind of strong, red wine so remembering this sentence might help you to remember this information:-

There is some red port left in the bottle.

 

FRONT AND BACK (KNIT TWO)

Using 3½mm knitting needles and white dk yarn cast on 50 stitches

K3 (p2, k2) repeat these last 4 stitches until last 3 sts, p3

Repeat this last row 7 times (8 rows of ribbing)

 

Change to 4mm knitting needles

Using red dk yarn knit two rows (garter stitch)

 

Change back to the white yarn

Knit one row

Purl one row

Knit one row

Purl one row

Knit one row

Purl one row

(This gives you 6 rows of stocking stitch)

 

Using green dk yarn knit two rows (garter stitch)

 

Change back to the white yarn, knit 6 rows of stocking stitch as before

 

Repeat the last 16 rows twice (48 rows from the top of the ribbing)

 

Cast off 11 sts and knit to the end of the row (37 sts)

Cast off 11 sts and purl to the end of the row (26 sts)

 

Change to 3½mm knitting needles

K3 (p2, k2) repeat last 4 sts 4 times p3, k3

P3 (k2, p2) repeat last 4 sts 4 times k2, p3

Repeat these last 2 rows 3 times (8 rows of ribbing)

Cast off loosely rib-wise (that means do ribbing as you cast off)

 

SLEEVES (KNIT TWO)

Using 3½mm knitting needles and white dk yarn cast on 40 sts

K3 (p2, k2) repeat last 4 sts until last 3 sts, k3

P3 (k2, p2) repeat last 4 sts until last 3 sts, p3

Repeat these last two rows 3 times (8 rows of ribbing)

 

Change to 4mm knitting needles

 

Using red dk yarn knit 2 rows (garter stitch)

 

Using white dk yarn stocking stitch 6 rows, starting with a knit row

 

Using green dk yarn knit 2 rows (garter stitch)

 

Using white dk yarn stocking stitch 6 rows, starting with a knit row

 

Repeat these last 16 rows once

Cast off loosely in the next knit row

TO MAKE UP

With right sides facing, continue as follows:-

Using the white yarn, sew up the right shoulder seam, and then the left shoulder seam only 1cm/½ inch up from the shoulder side (not the neck side).

Then fold the sleeves in half lengthways in order to find the centres. Match these centres up to the shoulder seams and sew across the top of each sleeve. Then sew the under sleeve and side seams.

Using sewing thread, sew a snap fastener to the outside corners of the collar – this will then turn over to hide the snap fastener.

 

 

HAT (KNIT TWO THE SAME)

Using 3½mm knitting needles and red dk yarn cast on 40 stitches

K3 (p2, k2) repeat these last 4 sts until last 3 sts, k3

P3 (k2, p2) repeat these last 4 sts until last 3 sts, p3

Repeat these last 2 rows 3 times more

(8 rows of ribbing in red)

 

Change to 4mm knitting needles and white dk yarn

Stocking stitch 8 rows

 

Continuing to use stocking stitch decrease 1 stitch at the beginning of the next 16 rows (24 sts)

Decrease 1 stitch at each end of the next 8 rows (8 sts)

Cut off yarn leaving a length of about 20cm/8 inches to use to sew on the pompom

 HOW TO MAKE A POMPOM

To make the pompom, cut two circles of card about 7cm/2¾ inches in diameter with a 2½cm/1 inch hole in the centre of each (you can draw around a 10 pence coin).

Then wind lengths of the green yarn around the two pieces of card through the middle hole to the outer edge until a pad is formed around the whole ring (tying in the ends of new lengths securely as you go).

Cut through the yarn by slipping the point of your scissors between the card pieces. Then tie a long piece of green yarn around the core of the pompom between the pieces of card. Pull it very tight as you knot it. Do this several times going backwards and forwards around the core.

If you make the pad of yarn too thick or you don’t tie the centre together tightly enough, your pompom will fall apart. If your hands are not strong enough, then you might be able to find a grown-up to help you with this bit.

Leave two lengths of green yarn to help you sew the pompom to the top of my hat.

THEN it is time to pull the pieces of card away from the yarn.

TO MAKE UP

With wrong sides together, over-sew the ribbing using red yarn, then turn the hat inside out and using back stitch or running stitch and white yarn sew around the edges of the top of the hat.

Make sure that you attach the pompom to the outside of the hat.

Fix the pompom on by tying the pompom to the hat and the hat to the pompom. You will need a knitter’s needle (yarn needle) to help you.

Then you might need to trim a few bits of yarn to neaten the pompom.

 

And that’s it! Happy knitting!

 

This is a picture of me wearing my new jumper and matching hat.

 

l’ll speak to you soon.

 

Salty Sam

 

Please note that the material on this blog is for personal use or for use in classrooms only.

It is a copyright infringement and, therefore, illegal under international law to sell items made with these patterns.

Use of all of the toys and projects on the blog is at your own risk.

©Christina Sinclair Designs 2015

 

 
A Couple of little Crafty Tips from Auntie Alice

• Knit through the back of the stitch when you decrease on a knit row and knit through the front of the stitch when you decrease on a purl row.
• To sew your knitted pieces together, use back stitch or running stitch on stocking stitch and over-sewing on ribbing. If the ribbing will be turned back (like on the cuffs and hat rim on this pattern), then you can sew these pieces wrong side together – but this is not really important if you find it too fiddly to do.

 

                                    My Auntie Alice

 

For all the yarn projects on this blog

you will only need:-

 

4mm knitting needles = UK size 8 and US size 6 for dk yarn

3½mm knitting needles = UK size between 9 and 10 and US size 4

(or 3¾mm knitting needles = size 9 UK / size 5 US for dk ribbing)

(or 3¼mm knitting needles for 4ply)

A 3.50mm crochet hook

A yarn needle with a large eye for sewing pieces of knitting together

 

You use 4mm needles for knitting double knit yarn

and 3½mm or 3¾mm needles for knitting the ribbing on a garment made in double knitting.

You can use 3¼mm or 3½mm for 4 ply yarn.

For the projects on this blog you can use 3½mm or 3¾mm needles for the ribbing on garments – it really won’t make much difference so don’t worry too much about this.