Merrystitcher and Crochet

RAINBOW BLANKET PROGRESS TO 10 MAY 2009

2009-05-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

Details on the other blog: www.stitchingandhookingpassions.blogspot.com in the MAY posts , published on 13 May 2009.

This was the state of play on 10 May 2009, by 13 May 5 more colours had been added, it weighed 666 grammes and measures 112cm by 82 cm for 82 rows or 41 colours( as most colours get a 2 row stripe)

Posy brooches

2009-04-30T05:33:00.000-07:00

Note to self: the Attic 24 posy brooches can also be made with tapestry wool which comes in a skein. An average skein makes 4 flowers or 4 leaves, this way you can cheaply vary the colours of the flowers and leaves! Use a 4mm hook. Can be Anchor or DMC- approx cost in Spring 2009 is 85p per skein. Hundreds of colours to choose from!

Then add beads or buttons, a bit of felt and a brooch back.....Voila : lovely little presents!!!

COLOUR striping progress

2009-04-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

Easter holidays are upon us and I am having a glorious couple of weeks off : lots of crocheting goodness, wooly happiness awaits me...!!!To touch base I have taken a few pictures today , this is the crocheting that has happened while waiting at drs, piano lessons, maths classes, watching dvd's or I-player catch ups and so on : ie this was crochet as it's fitted in around my usual life priorities and commitments...

I am SOOOO HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY at these colours!!! So I have indulged a little in maybe a few too many pictures? I like certain'' bits'' and then I like the whole as well.....

My eldest is still begging to have THIS one as HERS , all HERS... and there was a lady waiting at Kumon as I stitched away who started to talk of commissioning something......in CROCHET!

I like them horizontally and I like them vertically, in fact I'm making a stripey scarf soon as well as a shawl collar jacket.

This one above is showing the new way I'm working the ''dips'' or troughs of the ripple: it'a 3htr-tog and I have written a demo tutorial with photos on the other post published today on this blog.

This smaller picture shows the previous way of doing the ''dips'' from the mid blue colour up to the burgundy colour. It changes from the royal blue colour onwards.

Can't get enough of these colours, some stripes are only 1 row and when playing with the colours I have frogged a few : this proved very useful because I now know that a single row takes up about 8 grammes of the DK wool yarn. That is for this blanket: which is 15 repeats of 14 stitches wide.

More crocheted stripes to follow soon! Happy rippley Hooking! And in case I don't make it back in time: HAPPY EASTER to all or anyone reading this. Thanks for joining me in this explosion of crocheted colour.

Rippling on: new stitch in the dip: 3htr/tog: tutorial

2009-04-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

Hello well here I am a bit later on and as promised I have taken photos of the way I work the stitches in the ''dip'' of the ripple.
The pattern said: skip one , htr one and skip one BUT after working it that way for a few rows I decided I didn't really like it.
Soooooo after the burgundy row I started the ''new'' and '' my own'' method : click and close up on the Royal blue row after the burgundy one in a previous post to see?!!Or the next post which will also show the difference!

Here foloows a step by step tutorial in pictures of how I do it: for you experts it's a 3htrtog.

Having worked your ''downsloping'' 5 htrs in the usual way you identify the next 3 stitches: see the pins?
There's a T pin, a blue headed pin and a purple headed pin in the 3 stitches identified.
You don't need pins but I was trying to make it clear.

Yarn over and stick hook into the first stitch in the usual way.Pull yarn through: you now have 3 loops on the hook.

Yarn over and stick hook into the next stitch: pull yarn through that stitch only: you now have 5 loops on the hook.

Yarn over and stick the hook into the third stitch and pull yarn through only that stitch: you now have 7 loops on the hook.

See above: 7 loops on the hook all at once. Don't work it too tight or the next bit is too hard, but also don't work it too loose or it won't look so good- practice first? It really isn't hard with a bit of practice.

Yarn over and pull yarn through ALL 7 loops on the hook in ONE go.

One loop on the hook and it looks as the photo above?

Now you'll work the first of the next 5 normal htrs but control the yarn you don't want it too loose.... Here it is with the yarn over worked and am about to pull the yarn through. Now work the rest in the usual way until the next ''dip''.

If you have any problems: do let me know and I'll try to help.

HAVE A BEARK AND A CUP OF TEA OR A WALK IN THE GARDEN!!!!

And now for the edges: which you'll want to keep nice and straight: I have devised the following:

EDGE STITCHES TUTORIAL

You've worked most of the row and have worked 5 htrs since the last group of 3 in one stitch: ie since the last ''peak''.There's 2 stitches left: a ''proper'' htr and the 2 chain which you worked at the beginning of the previous row.

The above is your starting point, yes? It looks like this?

You are going to work a 2htrtog. or 2 htrs worked together, very similar to the 3htrtog above but not as big.

Yarn over and pull yarn through stitch( the htr below): 3 loops on hook.

Now identify the top of the 2 chain and you are going to put your hook through this and pull yarn through- the T pin is showing the place. There's 2 loops above and one loop below the hook when inserted.

So from 3 loops on the hook you go yarn over and put hook into top of 2 chain( the chain nearest to the previous htr) pull yarn through: 5 loops on hook.

As shown below.

Then yarn over and pull through all 5 loops in one go. One loop on hook as below.

Now you work the 2 chain stitches and turn the work.

I show you in turquoise and then have to redo it it in pale aqua as I have worked 2 rows turq already and I need to change colour- oops wait a moment.....

But before I go I'll just show you where the FIRST htr of a row is worked in the NEXT row after the 2 chain and AFTER turning: VOILA: the pin shows you the stitch to go into.

CLICK on the picture and it will go full screen and you can then enlarge even more at your leisure .

Now I'll return to my correct colour but actually this is NOT as easy to see so the above was useful after all!

I find the pale aqua does not show up well on the white ground, sorry. Clicking will help.

2 chain as before and then:

The first htr is about to be worked.

I do so hope this has been helpful. Please leave a comment if you have any queries or contact me on Ravelry if that is more convenient?

HAPPY HOOKING AND HAPPY EASTER-Y RIPPLING!!!!!!

Colour numbers for ripple blanket

2009-03-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

From left upper to far right these are the following: Merino Sport from MONDIAL available from Yeoman Yarns. www.yeomanyarns.co.uk but you have to phone them for these handknit yarns, you can't order them on the internet as yet....

Burgundy@ # 407
Red #90
Dark orange #331
Paler orange # 410
Yellow # 504
Lime green # 158
Darker green #138
sea foam # 26
pale blue sky #81
turquoise # 109
mid blue #1
deeper blue #353
purple #59

not in the above
fuschia pink #162
deep pinky -dark berry red#47

Reason for the missing numbers is that I tore the labels off so quick so I could crochet that I don't remember all the numbers and a friend has borrowed my shade chart from which I originally ordered- oooh dear, sorry!!!

Updated on 5 April when I had my shade list back. All colour numbers now present.

See yesterday's post to see how I started with some of the colours in the ripple stitch stripes!!!

New colours which arrived on Friday 3 April but not yet used are

very pale pastel pink #595
Denim dark blue #14

First few rippling rows

2009-03-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

First few rows of the ripple balnket to share with you...
Not going to say much today as I'm not feeling so well, more tomorrow or soon I promise.

The forst red row was on Tuesday last and it took a while to decide what to work after the burgundy row and then after the pink row too- various options were tried and frogged...

This is how thw wholw length looks: 15 repeats and now at approx 112 cm width.

Without a flash...

With flash on....

I changed the way I do the dips- after the purple row I think- can you see the difference? I'll explain and demo next time.

Not sure about the narrower rows either- kind of fun but not sure it ''works''....I think I'll continue to throw some in when I feel like it, to have all 2 row stripes is a little too regular for me...?????

Ripple blanket: the beginning- tutorial

2009-03-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

Wool arrived on Saturday and I made a sample piece on the Sunday: Mother's day during several lovely films which were being shown on ITV3 - such as Polyanna- ooooh I wept BUCKETS!
Having listed about 8 ripple designs from Jan Eaton's RIPPLE STITCH book - crochet and knitting- I set about trying them out on a sample piece.

I didn't like Regatta despite the lovely name as it was too fiddly and complicated.
Provence - conjures up such idyllic scenery and sunshine doesn't it? But the dc's everywhere made it too thick as a ripple....Warm waves: too complicated and crowded...5 trebles in one stitch? and then too many tr2togs... brrrrrr

And then I landed on #77: Fall Hedgerows; not too many holes like you get with trebles sometimes, not too dense as it's not dc either. It's in half trebles and a lovely rythmic repeat: 5 htr, 3 htr in one st, 5 htr, skip 1, 1htr,skip 1 and back to the beginning....LOVELY!

As above , I was still learning how to keep my edges straight and playing with the rythm of the stripes.

My sample was 2 repeats and the distance between points was 8cm. 14 sts to one pattern repeat. The sample had about 30 sts. 1 extra stitch at each edge.

It weighed about 14 grammes for the 13 rows shown. I used a 4mm hook. Wool used: the Merino Sport from Mondial : 100% washable wool available in the UK from Yeoman Yarns.

Initially I thought I'd have 12 pattern repeats but when the chain lay on the ground it looked wrong so I went for 15 groups of 14 sts. I always work my starting chains with a bigger size hook, in this case a 5.5mm. And as I'm quite hopeless at counting as I work a chain I crocheted to my hearts content and then stopped to count the stitches, putting a small end of contrast coloured yarn into each 14th stitch with a 4mm hook and tying an overhand knot.

VOILA above. A quick view of how I hold my hook and yarn as so many people have been asking- apparently I don't hold them in a conventional way? I was self taught in Holland many years ago but my English granny helped me along a bit while we listened to '' listen with mother'' on the radio.... I hold the hook in my right hand- yep sorry folks this is for right handed people I can't do it any other way?-thumb on the flat bit and holding the hook like a knife in an overhand hold...

My right index finger controls the yarn and sits on it, it goes up and down while I stitch.( the finger that is)

My left hand holds the work between left thumb and index finger and maintains tension on the yarn: it feeds from below, over my left index finger , under the next 2 fingers and back out over my smallest finger.uuhm I think....

The fabulous book and a bit of the first row after the starting chain.

For a half treble ( UK TERMS THROUGHOUT: USA peeps read sc for dc and dc for treble)
Start as for a treble with a yarn over.

Then put the hook into the stitch below and yarn over again as below. Pull yarn through one loop: leaving 3 loops on the hook as below. Yarn over and now you pull the yarn through all three loops in one go.

And this is how it looks after you do that.

If you start by working a htr into the 3rd chain from the hook and work the sequence as above then you get to the stitch marked with the coloured thread after working the second lot of 5 htr's

as below. This is a very handy way of checking you're on the right course. The first row is always the hardest and it's easy to lose track of where you are.

The next pictures work a half treble - htr- again ... Yarn over.

Pull through a stitch

Yarn over and

Through all 3 stitches.

This bigger picture below shows the group of 3 htr's into one stitch. This forms the ''peak''.

If you have just mastered this new stitch: have a break!!! AAAh puppy time......Or a cup of tea? Then after you have worked a few rows: it's now a lot easier to just see what to do next, the peaks and troughs are visible after the first few rows and you no longer need to count:

5-3 in1- 5-skip-1-skip-5-3in1-5-skip-1-skip-5 etc etc.

At the end I work 6 htr's and turn by working a 2 chain and the next htr in the stitch away from the base of those chains. Effectively you should work 6 htr's after the 2 chain of a turn to get to the middle stitch of the 3 in 1 below, that's where you work the 3 htr.

Then you can count freely again, after the last peak you should have 7 sts: I work 5 htr and then 2 htr together over the last 2 sts before working the 2 chain for the next row....

This gives me a straighter edge somehow....

2 htr tog: yarn over put hook in stitch, yarn over again and put hook into next stitch- at the end this should be the top of a chain stitch- then pull yarn through all loops at once. then the 2 chain of the next row.

Now when you change colour I work the 2 chain in the NEW colour.

In pictures below I show how you can lay the strands of old colour and new colour across the top of the stitches of the row below and CROCHET the ends in as you work so there'll be no sewing in ends at the end!!!! HIP HIP HOORAY!!!!

I usually work about 5 or 6 htr's over the yarn ends before clipping them neatly so they do not show at all. I have also now varied how I work the ''dips'' : by not skipping any stitches but by working 3 htr's together and will show this on a next post.

Bye for now, it's very late: happy hooking!!!

RAINBOW - joy! Woolly colour goodness!!!

2009-03-21T05:37:00.001-07:00

GOOD MORNING!!!! It's been simply the BEST kind of morning for me and I'm just grinning and jumping for joy. The above wool has just ARRIVED and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it, nay you could say - oooh I just cannot find the words?
Adore? Obsessed? Energised? very very VERY excited?! Better than sex? Maybe... Orgasmic? You bet!

A rainbow of wool : as ordered from YEOMAN YARNS last week, 15 FABULOUS bright colours in PURE 100% WOOL and at a price that ''won't break the bank''....oops I forgot our banks are already broken....Well then at only £2 a ball!!!

Above is my first rainbow- as advised my my kids as I forgot the proper order- It's red first they say and ends in bluey- purple....

It was too long in a line so I've looped it around....see?!

This one includes the pinks too- I don't think they feature in a ''proper'' rainbow....

And then I was playing with colur combos- red green sprang to mind- due to the grass I think.

Here's my perennial all time FAVOURITE: the blue- purples with a dash of green and a LOT of TURQUOISE.

And this is to leave you all warm and glowing- think sizzling hot, or crackling log fires ( without the pinks) or just loving goodness, tlc,passion, caring, zesty energy!

What will I make? Well I have ordered 2 balls of most, 1 of some and 4 of my most favourites and at the moment I'm thinking RIPPLE STITCH blanket. In even or uneven width stripes...

Order of colours not yet decided- will do a few samples to decide gauge , hook , stitch pattern etc.

OR you could do the hexagon thing! Pattern in 2 previous blogs: how to crochet 1 hexagon- date and how to join them as you go along- date for a pictorial tutorial....

OR maybe a granny squares one? Attic 24's flower squares? or a BABETTE afghan as per the interweave crochet website?!

Stripes are my all time fall-back favourite so I'm most likely to take the ripple stitch route.

But I may change my mind because D1 ( daughter number 1) has ''ordered'' a ripple stitch bedspread - single size I hope!- in the blues/ greens colourway.

What would YOU make?

Wool in those colours is in stock now . ( tel 0116 2404464) I'm NOT on commission and NOT selling but they HAVE ordered 20 balls in all those colours so I am ever so ever so grateful.

GOT TO GO! Lots of crochet to do as well as dog to walk and puppies to cuddle and feed their weaning mush.... 3 weeks old now.

see them at www.stitchingandhookingpassions.blogspot.com

Posy in crochet

2009-03-13T15:44:00.001-07:00

This is a posy brooch I made from a pattern you can find on www.attic24.typepad.com
It's a super new- well new to me anyway- blog that I found thanks to the latest issue of Simply Knitting magazine.....

There's loads of lovely crochet- and other- stuff on there and it's updated daily... Unlike my own paltry efforts!

HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY to Lucy from ATTIC 24!!!!

My next projects will now be a flower cushion in bright cottons and a woolly blanket or afghan in bright coloured wool from Yeoman Yarns. I can't wait!!!! yummy yummy COLOURS!!!!!

Hexagon Joining as you crochet TUTORIAL in pictures.

2009-03-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

SO SORRY this was meant to be a good way to show how I join hexagons as you finish the third round as worked in my back pack. the pictures loaded in the wrong order so bear with me and I will number the sequence for you. START with picture 1. scroll down to find it, then scroll up picture by picture.

The description of each picture is UNDER that relevant picture.ALL crochet terms used are UK ones.( for USA: A DC is a SC, A treble is a dc.)

OK LET'S HAVE A GO!"!!! You will need one completed hexagon - pattern in my previous post- and one hexagon with completed first 2 colours and the third is complete for the first 3 SIDES ONLY. NOW GO TO PICTURE 1.

This is picture 5 where we start working the next group of ordinary trebles .Just after the first JOINING dc.So you are now working only on the partially completed hexagon again. OK? GO TO PIC 6.

This is picture 4 , showing the just completed FIRST dc of the join.

This is picture 3 , you now draw the yarn through this hole and work a dc.So draw up the yarn as shown and work it.

Here above the writing is PICTURE 2. We have worked a group of 3 trebles at the corner and are now sticking the hook into the completed hexagon ( instead of just working a chain and the next group of trebles) see picture 2. I do this from top to bottom into the hole between 2 groups of trebles on a corner of the completed hexagon.

this is picture 1: see the tiled floor? ONE COMPLETED HEXAGON and one with 3 sides completed.

Start with the picture with the tiled floor showing : this is where we start to join hexagons.

NOW you need to scroll UP to the picture above to see we are going to push the hook into the completed hexagon in the opening in the centre of a corner between the 2 petals ( a petal is a group of 3 trebles)

HERE'S PICTURE 9 where there are those 2 loops on the hook....Now you need to scroll down and find number 9. I am so sorry... Still now it's more fun: like a treasure hunt?

This is picture 8 where we are going to work a dc : pull yarn through- 2 loops on hook, then yarn over and through both loops, dc made.( you can also work this method with slipstitch but I find that too tight and more tricky to do...)

This is picture 7 where we stick the hook top to bottom into the completed hexagon .We do this in the gap after the 3 trebles of the corner BUT before the 3 trebles that sit alone in the middle of a side. COMPRENDEZ? Have a close look , the pictures are clickable. Or leave me a message and I will try to help.

THIS IS PICTURE 6 AGAIN, did I say I was tired? well yes I am, it's those lovely puppies on my other blog... Or as teachers would say: ''just checking you are all awake....''

This is picture 6 we have now completed those 3 trebles. scroll UP.

This is picture 9 where I am working the dc.

This is picture 10 showing the completed joining dc.

This is picture 10 where we are working a group of 3 trebles again.We are now working on the partially completed hexagon only. It's those 3 trebles that sit in the midddle of the side of a 3 colour hexagon.

Picture 11: working the 2nd of the 3 trebles.

Picture 12: just completed the 3rd treble.Now it will be time to join again.

Picture 12 : we are sticking the hook from top to bottom into the completed hexagon, this time in the space between the central 3 trebles group and the first 3 trebles group of the next corner. yarn over, pull through,2 loops on hook, yarn over and through both loops: dc worked.

Picture 13 shows the yarn pulled through.

Picture 14 shows me starting the next group of 3 trebles on the partially completed hexagon, having completed the joining dc. You can just see the joining dc above the hook: it's the blue green triangle above the hook which ''slots'' into the pink of the completed hexagon....

Picture 15 shows the first treble made.

Picture 16 shows the 3 trebles made; THESE ARE THE FIRST GROUP OF THE CORNER of the partially completed hexagon. Can you see the corner lines up with the completed hexagon?

Picture 17 shows the start of the next JOIN: hook from above onto the completed hexagon.

This time we put it into the space between the 2 groups of 3 trebles of the corner of the completed hexagon.

See as above. Picture 18: work a dc as before.

Picture 19: dc worked. You should now have the 2 hexagons joined by 4 dc's evenly spaced .

( with groups of 3 trebles between the joins)

Pic 20: work a group of 3 rebles as usual, you will only be working on the partially completed hexagon now. However If you were joining it to another hexagon you'd carry on repeating the dc joins onto the next hexagons.....

IF there was a hexagon already joined to the pink one and this other hexagon was lying at the top of the picture above: THEN I work a joining dc into the pick hexagon THEN ANOTHER joining dc into the NEXT hexagon ( already attached to the pink one) and then turn back to the groups of 3 trebles of the greens hexagon....

Picture 21
BUT in this case you can just complete the greens hexagon as usual.

Picture 22 : almost completed the greens one.

Picture 23: VOILA : DONE!!!!! 2 hexagons joined with 4 dc's.

I do hope this is found to be helpful and useful?

If you have any questions do send a message or a comment and I'll do my best to help out.

HAPPY HOOKING, HEXAGONS HERE WE COME: HAPPY HAPPY HEXAGONS: COLOURFUL JOYS TO COME.....

COLOURFUL CROCHET : a hexagon back pack

2009-03-08T05:38:00.000-07:00

Here it is as a WIP but let me tell you I finally finished it yesterday!!!
I started it in June 2008 after being inspired by a picture in the May/June 08 issue of Crochet Today.

I decided to use cotton DK instead of the aran yarn so I had to adapt a bit, and a bit more and a bit more until it turned out A LOT DIFFERENT really.

I have been using stash yarns: cotton DK with approx 120 m on a 50 g ball:
a golden yellow, several dark terracotta browns, a light terracotta brown, a'' true'' red , an orangey red, a deep almost brown red, and at the end when I was running out : an orange from Rowan's handknit cotton range.
I also used some 4 ply cotton from Patons- used double -to keep going with the reds I liked.

You need a 4mm hook or 4.5mm if you like it a bit looser and use a lot of the almost aran type Rowan cotton.

I made 36 hexagons: 4 rows of 9, and 18 pentagons: 2 rows of 9 and another 10 hexagons for the optional closure flap.
Then added: a base as above and 2 straps, covered a large ball-bead with dc crochet as a button and a cord of chain stitch with a second row of slipstitch along it's length.

Hexagon: ( in UK terms: every dc is a sc and every treble a dc for USA readers)

Chain 4 and close with a slip st.,
Chain 3 and add 2 trbles into the ring,*chain1, treble3, repeat from * until you have 5 groups of 3 trebles and one group of a 3 ch and 2 tr. Slipst into the 3rd chain of the first group.

Change colour, chain3 into a chain space add 2 tr,ch1,tr3, into the same ch space, then * ch1 , tr3,ch1,tr3 into the next chain space, repeat from * until you have 6 groups of ''double petals'' , finish round by ch1 and slipstotch into the 3rd chain at the beginning of round.

( a petal is a group of 3 trebles)

Change colour: Fasten new colour into a chain space and if you hold the yarn end along the previous row you can crochet over it and avoid having to sew in the ends!!!

Now pay attention: you are going to crochet 2 groups of 3 trebles into the chain space between 2 petals and only 1 group of 3 trebles into the space between the groups of 2 petals: Comprendez?

Fasten into a ch sp between 2 groups of 2 petals, chain3 and add 2 tr, then mover to the next ch sp and work:* 3tr,1ch,3tr ,move to next ch sp and work 3tr then repeat from * until yoi are back at the firsy 3 chain and slip st onto the 3rd st of this. FINITO!

To convert the HEXAGON into a flat topped: PENTAGON you do the same for the first colour and then instead of working 6 groups of 2 petals for the second colour ; you work 5 groups of 2 petals and ONE group of just 3 trebles.
Then in the third colour: 4 sides are identical to the hexagon BUT the final side is: worked as a group of 3 trebles in each chain space across the flat edge after the corners have been worked as double petals. I can't seem to say this very clearly so have a look at the pictures and all will become clear!

Remember they are clickable so you can enlarge at really see ALL of the detail!!! It's alomost or actually as good as a diagram which I myselg always prefer to work from!!!

Later in the week I will try to make time to show in pictures how the hexagons are crocheted together in the final round: there's no sewing at all!!! I worked them in the round no side seams.

Base and straps to follow tomorrow as I have puppy duties to do!!!

For an update on the puppies: see the dachshund diaries on www.stitchingandhookingpassion.blogspot.com

The straps were lined in a polka dot cotton and then sewn on and the end were decorated with a duo of buttons: a large red one and a smaller yellow square one.

The yellow drawstring cord was finished with a pair of tassels and the bag is fully lined in a red cotton fabric. I have reinforced the base with a piece of plastic canvas.

I made a flap for security as in August 2008 I was robbed of my wallet while walking in Oxford and I felt a backpack is very open to such abuse as I do not have eyes in theback of my head- contrary to what my kids believe.......

So to cover the drawstring opening I have made a 10 hexagon flap and sewn this onto the bag.

More details to follow.

Copenhagen jacket progress update

2009-03-06T02:40:00.000-08:00

Sorry about this but the photos are just so very tricky to take - the texture and relief is not easily seen on such a deep colour yarn....

I have now finished one of the side panels. The pattern is free on Ravelry: just search for Copenhagen jacket.

It calls for aran yarn but I am making it in a pure wool DK yarn called Merino Sport from Yeoman Yarns. It's a real bargain really at only £2 per ball: 100% wool, very soft and 120 m per 50 g ball.
The cables are going fabulously : you ''crossover'' every 3 rows and it has a soothing rythm to do, once you get the hang of it , it's suitable for chatty knitting/ stitching groups or radio listening but not quite so handy with tv, I find I miss whole sections of a show as I get a bit absorbed in the stitching.

Very satisfying to do! And I've had quite a lot of ''wow'' and ''that's not crochet is it?'' and '' it looks like knitting'' and '' Love the texture'' type comments when out and about.

The pictures are clickable if you wish to see the stitch details. I will be posting the details of how I'm adapting the pattern for the finer yarn and adding bust shaping and making it a bit longer- just give me a chance!

Those who have also chatted on Ravelry will see that I will be on ''puppy duties ''for the next 8 weeks at least: they were born on 28 February and after 7 sleepless nights I'm having a day off to catch up on sleep and here I am blogging....pffffff.....

I will do it soon, I promise.

The jacket consists of 2 side panels which go over the shoulder front to back, a shawl collar panel, 2 more body panels and 2 sleeves, and a central back panel. All feature cables.

I am planning a bit of shaping where the front panel attaches to the long side panels to accomodate the ''bustier'' types amongst us as I don't like a jacket to rise in the centre front and dip in the back.....

The original pattern is just a series of rectangles /triangles with no shaping.

Blue jumper walking out

2009-03-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

Well there he is : 18 month old toddler walking along wearing my creation! Gives me a thrill, a buzz ;a whooppee di dooo feeling that does! He is a taller than average toddler and yes we've rolled up the sleeves and maybe it's a bit on the long side- but who wants a cold behind ( bee you em )in this chilly weather????? Growing room that's what my mum always said: for ALL of my clothes as she bundled me into something 4 sizes too big.... Not that I think the above is such: probably only 1 extra size up so he can wear it for maybe a year rather than just a few months.....

Hope you like it too as I'm pleased as punch and if I get any comments I WILL post the pattern on here as it's one of my own devising....( so you can bet on it being nice and simple!)

Toodle ooo, tell me what you think or am I just talking to myself here?

Blue jumper success and puppies

2009-03-02T08:48:00.000-08:00

Here we are on day 2 after coming home from the vetinary hospital as she had to have a Caesarian section: instead of 6 average sized puppies my darling managed to grow just three mega- sized puppies but then one got stuck on the way out!
Naturally it had to be the largest little lady who had to come out first and block the way for the lads!
Mum and brood are doing really well now but there have been quite a few scary- and HOW!- moments on the way but even saying that it's all been UTTERLY MAGICAL!!!

I could- and have been- watch them all day long and not be bored for a second! In the above Lucy and Jack junior are suckling and Tom- the babiest of the three- is having a cuddle under mum's paws.

They are just a dayand a half or so old here as they were born on 28 February at about 4pm.
Lucy and Jack Jnr are sleeping blissfully- can you tell which is which?

Here's Little Tom finally having a good suckle- with a little help from me to get him latched on- never thought all those breastfeeding sessions for my own babies would come in so very handy so soon...

And finally, here's my friends little toddler - on the left- with the blue jumper I crocheted for him!

Waiting for the BIG day!!!

2009-02-21T15:29:00.000-08:00

Back again and almost the end of half term.
The jumper for toddler Ben was finished in January and promptly delivered, luckily just before all that snow so maybe he's had some wear out of it in all that cold weather!

I have not yet seen him in it as he was running a temperature with a nasty cold when we visited to deliver his present.

I have returned to the backpack of many colours and as
I was robbed of my purse in Oxford in August I decided it needs a ''flap'' over the drawstring opening to make it a little ''safer'' especially as it will be carried on my back! And contrary to the belief of my kids: I do NOT have eyes in the back of my head.... But yes I DO still usually know what they are up to.....

I had run out of a few of the original cottons so I had been buying some more handknit cotton from Rowan in the sale and now wish to incorporate these into the piece.

I choose a 4/3/2/1 Hexagon ensemble as I like the crenelated adge it gives it and I'll sew it onto the piece at the points. Not all ends have been worked in yet as I have been very busy : ''moving out'' of my workroom as it will be a haven of peace and quiet for the dog to have her puppies!!!

In fact I plan to use my puppy- waiting time to finish the backpack. I'll shorlty be moving in with her - on a mattress on the floor to keep watch in the night: a bit nervously as it's both her and my first whelping.

As you can see from the pictures below: she is very big and they are officially due on 28 February . However the books say it could be as early as the coming Tuesday ( 24th) so we're getting ready.

JJ has made the most marvellous whelping box and madam has moved into this forthwith: as soon as she saw it put into my workroom!

She still lies on her back a lot and it's almost as if she is showing off her lovely tummy with all those puppies growing happily.

Could not resist photographing her in this position!

It almost Sunday and I hope she can hold off for just a few more days as I want them to be as mature as possible and my whelping ''kit'' has been delivered to work and I won't collect it until Monday

SEE this tummy and guess how many puppies she'll be having?!!!

I'll keep you all posted: HAPPY CROCHETING! And thank you for visiting and sharing these unique and memorable moments.

January update: puppies, frost and resolutions!

2009-01-21T10:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, you can tell I've been so busy as I may have been on ravelry a little but no time to blog at all!

Firstly the beloved and gorgeous Pippa was mated on 27 December and we are very eagerly awaiting to see if she's pregnant or not....

She changed behaviour and from not really liking cuddles has instituted a new routine whereby she comes in our bed for a cuddle so hence the photo!

I rather think the sulky look is all about trying to wake JJ- by licking his ears usually- and not succeeding...

The next pictures are about my resolutions to make even more, be more creative and also learn entirely new skills such as touch typing, French and playing the piano .

The new piano came last week and my lessons start tomorrow!!!

It's reading music that I'm dreading the most as it all seems so incomprehensible.

On Nintendo DS- a much loved Prezzie from Santa- I like playing the piano on '' more braintraining'' BUT that is with the music notes designated with letters BOTH on the keys and on the music!

My French lessons for the Nintendo have only arrived today so more of that at a later date and the touch typing was amazing!

NO I'm not doing it yet as I'm much faster with 2 fingers and looking down BUT in 90 minutes- just like it says on the can- or in this case as stated on the packet of the software- I WAS and HAVE BEEN typing quite happily with ALL 8 fingers and the occasional thumb AND WITHOUT LOOKING DOWN AT ALL!

Now I just have to practice an awful lot.....

On the creative side this is what I made over X-mas as a present - slightly delayed- for Christmas for a baby ( BIG BABY more than 18 months old) of a friend...

It uses 6mm hook I think( or 6.4mm I'll have to check) and a very easy textured stitch.

It's in Marble Chunky and used 260 grammes of this.

( It comes in 200g balls)

If anyone would like it I can write out the pattern?!!!It's my own.

Then of course we had to see a bit of FROST as it was soooo pretty !!!

And Finally my ongoing major project which is the COPENHAGEN jacket I found on RAVELRY.

I am making it longer and putting darts in it as a lovely lady in NY warned me it was on the short side and I could see it rides ''up '' a bit in front as there's no shaping so that wouldn't do for my figure...

I am also making it in DK rather than aran which means I have to do so much more: more stitches, more rows and extra panels....

I have almost completed the first front far left panel: VOILA.

Christmas Box appeal hat and scarf set-free pattern

2008-11-24T09:12:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again: time to fill those shoe boxes with gifts for children not as fortunate as one's own!

Warm hats and scarves are needed as well as pencils,paper,soap,beads( for a girl), and other appropriate small toys.

I must admit I do buy the gloves/mittens to go with the above set from Thame market on a Tuesday!

The hat is finished with a simple motif flower from a Harmony stitch guide and a small pom pom, the scarf with 3 small - 35mm- pompoms at each end.

Made with a 6 mm crochet hook and part of a 200g ball of MARBLE CHUNKY by James Brett.

The hat used up 56 grammes and the scarf 80 g and they easily fit both a child's head and into a small child sized shoe box( from Clarks).

For once I have veered away from the usual pink for girls as my own 10 year old won't go near pink but has approved of this set.

PATTERN: HAT

Chain3 and close with a slip stitch., work 3 chain then 15 trebles into the circle.

Chain 4 and work 1 treble 1 chain into each treble : ending with 15 trebles and a chain3 masquerading as a treble with a chain space between each.

Chain 3 and work 1 treble into the top of each treble and 2 trebles into each chain space: ending as 48 trebles( include the 1st 3 chain as a treble).Close each row with a slipst into the 3rd chain.

Continue in trebles working one into each treble and starting each row with a chain3, close each row with a slipst as before.

After 9 rows working staright without increases: change to dc as follows:

chain 1 and dc in everystitch with a sl st into the chain, repeat for 5 more rows( 6 rows of dc in total)

chain 1 and work dc in the front loop only ( to create a foldline) all the way around, sl st in ch: 48sts.

work a further 6 rows in dc as beforefinishing with a crabstitch border if desired.

Make pom pom ( 35 mm)and flower and attach to turned back brim. Work in ends.

Fits adults as well as most children aged 5-10.

SCARF:

CHAIN 144 .

* (work 2 trebles tog in first 2 chains)- twice , then 3 trebles in the next 3 chains[one per stitch], then {work 2 trebles in one chain-} twice and work 3 trebles- one in each of the next 3 chains- repeat from * to end.

The (...) creates a dip and the {...} creates a point so the scarf ''ripples'' along in chevrons.

There are 12 chevrons along the length.

In following rows you always increase by working 2 trebles into a treble in the 2 trebles at the centre of a point and you decrease using a treble before the previous row decrease and the treble created by joining 2 trebles of the row below.

For better instructions- try the RIPPLES book by Jan Eaton- if my instructions are too weird?

Start row with chain 3 then work into stitches below in the same pattern as the first row above and following the contours of the chevrons.

6 rows complete the scarf- work in ends and make 6 pom poms and attach these to the scarf.

VOILA! A lovely present for the Christmas box! Can both be made in the one evening!

And would be welcomed even by our own - relatively spoilt- ''on-trend ''offspring!!!

FLared filatura mohair cardigan based on ''HARU''

2008-11-11T14:09:00.000-08:00

This cardigan is based on the HARU pattern in Doris Chan's Everyday Crochet book for the yoke and top half and I have then improvised a bit by adding flares and a more lacy stitch below the bustline .

The sleeves also were adapted by pinching a pleat at the end of the yoke pattern to create a puffed sleeve and then adding a slimline straight sleeve in the same lacy stitch as the lower body-part.

It can be worn as a deep V babydoll or as a shallow V wrapped front top.

I used about 5- 6 skeins: it weighs just over 260 g and a 6mm hook throughout.

I made it in the second size from the book up to the bustline and then increased for the flared fronts and back.

The yarn is a very old one that I hope will be re- introduced as it's been much admired!

Filatura di Crosa Mohair Multi.

Precious mother and daughter moment!

2008-10-19T05:16:00.001-07:00

Having spent very many hours in the past few months tutoring my eldest in the accomplishments required for the eleven plus exams in Buckinghamshire; I wanted to record a few precious mements with my youngest who- although I did recently make her a cardigan just like mine and just how she requested it- was feeling a bit left out....

So here we are in matching cardigans( ???!!! no comment)

enjoying the autumnal garden delights.

And anyone who thought I had only made the one and Arianna was wearing mine: can eat their proverbial hat!

To her credit Annie has put up with months of- ''go away for now please, we're very busy'' and ;'' can you be quiet please exams in progress'' and ''go play somewhere else for a bit, please we have to do this NOW!''

As for me I will now finally concentrate on finishing the City and Guilds Diploma work and crochet a lot more to my hearts content for at least a year....when it will all start again but for Annie this time and we'll be starting much earlier!!!

To start with only 2 months to the deadline was exceedingly stressful and NOT to be recommended.

UK Coral reef at Alexandra Palace

2008-10-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

What a glorious sight to see the UK hyperbolic crochet reef on display at the Knitting and Stitching show on Sunday!
I did submite a few humble pieces and of the 4 that I remember I managed to spot 3! See if you can do the same?!!!

My pieces are displayed in my garden a few pictures below: there's a tall green/yellow thing, a furry anemone, an orange/terracotta wavy/curly long coral and a white/blue/yellow round coral crocheted from strips of plastic bag.

For anyone interested: there is a page on facebook devoted to this with many more pictures and information: so please do go and have a look.

Maybe you'll be inspired to contribute a piece too: I believe it IS still ''growing''!!!

Leave me a message if you need any help/advice on the ''how'' and ''what with'' on the crochet side or see the facebook page or the INSTITUTE FOR FIGURING website( USA based) for explanations on the ''hyperbolic'' element.

Let's ALL work together to raise awareness and save the reefs of the world!

Happy hyperbolic hooking!!!!

My version of the Copenhagen Jacket

2008-10-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

Samples made in the long panel pattern from the free pattern on the naturally caron.com website.

Pattern name is: Copenhagen Jacket.

Also featured on Ravelry, a lady in NY, USA has made it in a bright red and it looked fantastic so I've been obsessing about making one to wear at work...

I have sampled 100 % baby llama and a cotton/wool mix both aran weights but the former was too soft hairy and''buttery'' in feel and the latter was too ''crisp''.

Now sampling both aran and dk wools as I fear the aran with crocheted cables AND a shawl collar will add too much bulk to my short and ''stout'' frame not to mention the added inches my bustline definately does NOT need.....

I'll be making scarves and hats in the baby llama though: it's a ''to die for'' SOFTNESS!!!!( from Mirasol )

The grey is cahmerino aran by Debbie Bliss, 5mm hook, the deep red a pure wool aran, the pink is a trial piece in dinamo pre wool dk- I WILL NOT be making it in pink, if I choose this it'll be in a grey or turquoise, royal blue or red....

And the blue is a very soft merino wool dk from James Brett and a 4,5mm hook.

Samples for gauge testing made as above:TO BE CONTINUED......

Child's version of Cinnabar by Doris Chan

2008-10-05T02:57:00.000-07:00

Just finished it today : it took only 1.5 weeks when crocheting in the evenings and on car journeys ...
My 8 year old requested a cardigan just like mine and I thought: I wonder if I can adapt the pattern to fit her?
She's only 8 but she's a kind of a ''chubby'' one with 83 cm chest/tum but with a short body and short arms: it's needed only 380 g of Marble Chunky.( i.e. 2 balls so it's a lovely soft and warm jumper for only £7.80!- that's the accountant coming out- oops)

Amendments made:

I started with 25 FSC ( foundation sc : a stitch explained in the back of the book with excellent diagrams) and when it came to the neck extension I added only 3 FSC instead of the 6 each side for adults.
I created the armholes after 10 rows of the yoke and then just added only 3 FSC into the underarms, but worked a shell in the middle stitch and skipped only 1 stitch either side so that the pattern continued nicely.

The body length was my daughter's choice : I wanted it quite a bit shorter but she told me what she wanted so I ran with it: the length is 31 rows from centre back neck but I think 25 would have been sufficient.
The sleeves I made to fir her arms: 48 cm from neck to wrist before adding the border.

The finished back length is 57cm and the sleeves 53cm INCLUDING the borders.
The sleeves got a 2 row dc( USA SC) border finished with 1 row crabstitch, the body has 6 rows of dc with the buttonholes worked into the right front band( only ) into the 3rd row of dc.
Again finished at end with 1 row crabstitch.( usa : reverse sc).

Arianna chose 5 deep pink buttons and chose where she wanted the top button to sit.

Photographs are to follow shortly.
I'm very relieved to report the verdict is in and:

SHE LOVES IT!!!!!

Ps the W.I.P. photo is of the yoke showing the 4 stitch markers at the corners and after the neck extensions have been added- this can be seen at the edges of the opening.

PATTERN: CINNABAR from the book: EVERYDAY CROCHET by Doris Chan.

YARN: james c brett MARBLE CHUNKY in the reds colourway.

HOOK: 6mm for body/sleeves, 5mm for borders.

NB ALL the pictures are clickable- for stitch detail.

VARIATION:

I was sorely tempted - but didn't dare to*- to vary this one just after the yoke by adding a few increases- - 2 on each front and 3 on the back- to make this flare out a bit as is the fashion at the moment- it could be more tunic - like and really cute on a small girl.

Maybe even increase- as above- at row 11 and the again at row 14 and 17?

On a slim child or in a finer yarn this could be very nice!

*=I didn't dare as A is very particular and she had ''ordered'' me to make it the same as mine....

except for the links which she wanted as buttons instead of course!

Doris Chan red marble cardigan finished!!!

2008-09-24T09:28:00.001-07:00

It
It's finished and now I LOVE it!!!!

From Doris Chan's book EVERYDAY CROCHET : using a 6mm metal crochet hook and JC Brett MARBLE CHUNKY in the red mix colourway.

It used 575 g so 3 balls will suffice for the 2nd smallest size in the book.

It was relatively easy and i'M THRILLED at having learned the FSC!!!

Founsation single crochet in USA speak or foundation dc in the UK.

It's a way of starting crochet without a CHAIN!!!!

The daigrams in the book are REALLY CLEAR : so have a go too!

I'm now also on RAVELRY and I found via Ravelry groups that there are a lot of Doris Chan crochet- alongs on the crochet-me website if anyone is interested....

Quite a few of the garments from the above book have been interpreted in different yarns and in the most FABULOUS ways and the fir is sooo good!

You can custom fit the sleeves and body and raglan sleeves are so very comfortable!

Therefore I think I am highly recommending this book!

I also like the way you can vary the fastening with these beaded linked buttons- I have made 3 of these to insert where I fancy.

The back

The stitches

Top down raglan shells cardigan in Marble Chunky

2008-08-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

This is just partly completed thus far on my holiday in the Yorkshire Dales- worked only in the evenings by a log fire as the summer has not been very warm.

There's no sleeves yet and no finishing front borders- I don't think I'll need the borders- the cap sleeve is what you get from the raglan top down pattern.

I have used James C Brett: Marble Chunky and a 6mm hook and a pattern from Doris Chan's book: EVERYDAY CROCHET.

The pattern is CINNABAR on page 66 and I have used 1.5 balls so far: the piece weighs 300g.

I'm making the second smallest size- 40''- and it was quite a challenge working like this but the instructions are good and I have only had to frog a bit twice....!

The yarn used is variegated from a coral through pink to a burgundy and then brown also and is shade MC 14, I'm not sure I like the front panels as they are so different but I'm happy with the back...It's worked all in one and the extremes of colour seem to happen at the fronts in a non matching way?

It has been fun to learn a new technique with an inexpensive and soft yarn, but I may be frogging it after it's finished!

My youngest likes it a lot and if she doesn't change her mind before I have finished the sleeves I will unpick and rework it in a much smaller size for her.

Front without the front bands

Back.

Let me have your views?

Marble Chunky AFGHAN in ripple stitch crochet

2008-08-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here it is : the FINISHED TV Blanket or throw or AFGHAN!
I finished it on the night before we went on holiday to the Yorkshire Dales on 22 August 2008.
No 2 stripes are entirely alike and my daughter ADORES it, I just hope the rest of us get a chance to curl up in it too....
Each row took about 10 minutes and there are 28 repeats of 4 rows : 112 rows in total.
It took 6 balls of 200g MARBLE CHUNKY by James C Brett and a 6mm hook, I used 9 complete and 2 half pattern repeats per row of the waves pattern.
It fits a single bed as a bedspread and measures: 120cm wide and 210 cm long.( 47'' by 6 foot 11'' or approx 83'')

Here are some photos I think they are all clickable....
Details of stitch etc are in a previous post.

It fits the length of either of our sofas, but I could not get all the stripes into one photo....

Fast asleep as she's been on a sleepover and thus got very little sleep!!!!

Mostly gossip and giggles I think, so she caught up on sleep later in the daytime.....ZZZZZZZZZZZ

AFGHAN or TV Blanket

2008-07-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

My latest project as a 20% COMPLETED Work In Progress: it looks OK as a shawl doesn't it?
I'm using a 6mm hook with James Brett's MARBLE CHUNKY yarn in 3 colours- ocean, sapphire trio and a green's /lilac mix.
The stitch is a ripple stitch from Jan Eaton's ripple stitch book: 3 trebles plain then 2 trebles in 1 stitch twice, 3 trebles plain then 2 treble -together twice and then three trebles plain etc etc
A very simple repeat easy to follow and easy to keep track of if you're hooking while watching tv or chatting to friends!
I'm doing 4 rows of each colour and as each colour is variegated anyway : lots of interesting stripes and colours are appearing so it doesn't get boring.
The shawl is 254 grammes: so youonly need a bit from each of the 200 g balls and there's about 2 repeats on here : i.e. 2 repeats of the 3 colours so 24 rows in total.
You need a ''multiple of 12 sts plus 3'' ( soft waves in Jan's boook) : but I used 116 sts to give me 2 nice edges to the blanket -to -be.
It is planned to be the size of a single bed when finished so it can double up as a bedspread or blanket if needed- ie if fuel prices get so bad we just CANNOT afford them and turn the heating all OFF!!!!!!JJ keeps joking that the ice- age is coming and I retort that I'm getting us ready for it!
It'll be like my ''student'' days when I had a flat without central heating in a very cold Welsh winter and lived in home-made fleece ''house clothes''- trousers, slipper boots and a big comfy top which were home- made and which fitted over the top of all ''normal'' clothes just so as to keep warm....!!!

Anyway I digress: the shawl above was a partway point in the project but could easily and pretilly be an end point in itself: so go for it!
It folds beautifully at the neck into a shawl collar with a nice wavy edge....And as stated before: it's a very soft and comfortable yarn!

Guilt-trip Gallery or Purchased Inspiration?

2008-07-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here we go with the GUILT trip Gallery: These days I always feel guilty when I end up purchasing a crocheted garment as I tend to think; I SHOULD have made it myself!

However in way the purchases ignited my slumbering crochet passions and have also inspired it along the way.
Now I'm thinking : what can I LEARN from this?
After all I have many more purchased than made crocheted garments : maybe I'm mostly making ''the wrong things''?
The story starts with this lilac beaded number bought at a knitting fair on impulse in 2000 or 2001 when crochet was NOT yet on the fashion scene at all!

I admired this and wanted to know how it was made, also knowing that I had never worked with thread so fine or with beads at all.
A lovely shiny viscose is what it's made of and when wearing it I have had ever so many compliments!
It ''grows'' a bit, is very loose and the faceted purple '''oil slick coloured'' beads add a lovely dimension.

Next was a white cotton cardigan from Laura Ashley : it was in the summer sale of 2004 I think and again I have worn it ever so much, it was when crochet was not yet in ''all the shops''....
It's quite fine: probably a 3 ply or 4 ply matt cotton thread : when I bought it I had no idea how to do the stitches in it( I do now!!!).

It's a fab summer dress cover up .
Weight: 228 g
The lilac weighs: 318 g

This shaded blue piece was a mistake and I've only worn it the once so far.
Ordered from a catalogue I didn't know about the ''naff'' heart on the back panel , it does look good on jeans with a white t-shirt and there is an inspirational motif on the front panels, worked sideways I think.

The heart detail on the back...

The lovely flower motif fanning out sideways over the front panel.

The next purchase was from a second hand shop and again it's in very fine shiny viscose : a yarn I have no idea how or where to find to buy !!!

It's beaded in the floral borders, closes with hooks and has a nive velvet band finish on the front.

Very useful at winter evening parties...

A close up of the detail....

Alas many washes later it has both shrunk a bit and developed a hole in the back panel which will need mending.

High summer 2005 saw a lot of crochet in the shops and I had not yet acquired many skills so this top from George at Asda was a ''must'' , even if it was in pastel green and palest pink : I ripped out the nylon lining, dyed it with bright pink dye in the washing machine and have worn it a lot every summer since! A hot weather favourite!!!

Now there's a pattern VERY SIMILAR in the latest issue: July/Aug of CROCHET TODAY! so I would love to make one in lime green and turquoise with a bit or royal blue thrown in perhaps?

Means I'll have to finf a cotton 4 or 3 ply to DO IT WITH.....

THIS one weighs just 128g.

Also from ASDA is this cap sleeve top, again it was lined in nylon, I bought 2 white and dyed one turquoise, kept the other white.,worn a lot with cotton strappy tops and shorts.

100% cotton: is it a 2, 3 or 4 ply? It weighs: 172g.

After this there was a lull in the shopping and I learned a lot of crochet.

But in the Spring of 2006 there was this top/cardigan in New Look: made in matt cotton with some shiny viscose and although I thought by then; ''I could make this'' : 1. no pattern like it was readily available, 2 could not source the yarns, 3 had not much free time on my hands....

Good with navy shorts or trousers....

In the same Spring 2006 I first saw this in East and it was too expensive and again I thought : very do-able....But in late summer it was in the Sale so I succumbed and here it is: I haven't worn it very much though and I'm not sure why.....

This one weighs 198g and has 3/4 sleeves

I have no idea why I ordered this white cotton one, it's from a catalogue and I don't think I've worn it more than once...

Autumn 2006 : saw me looking at this crochet coat in Kaliko: £80 it was : and mostly acrylic- 75% , with a bit of viscose. It looked good on and I began looking for a suitable wool yarn, but I only found heavy or itchy ones and this coat feels very soft and drapes fluidly it's not at all like an acrylic yarn.

Then just before Christmas Kaliko had a sale and these coats were down to £8!!!

They did have loads left, possibly had not sold ANY at all so I treated myself and have worn it quite a lot over that winter.

On the front panel the flowers are raised/ 3d and on the back flat motifs only.It's very ruffled along the front opening , comes to knee length and weighs 586g.

2007 was a good year, I wore what I had or had made and no purchases- other than crochet BOOKS of course, until Christmas and the festive season beckoned....

In November for a special trip to the Royal Albert Hall : where my daughter was singing in a choir : I found this tunic top in M&S : a lovely drape and fit( I was still over 10 stone then) : it's 88% viscose with a nice pewter metallic gleam : a bit of lurex I think.

I took out the nylon lining: I'm allergic to synthetic fibres and wore a black cotton t-shirt underneath.

To increase wear I have also worn it to work- part of the metallics fashionable look?But I'm petty sure the ''boss'' was not impressed...!Too creative or bohemian probably....

The bodice has a fabulous stitch pattern: can ANYONE OUT THERE tell me how to DO THAT???

It also has a nice drawstring ribbon to show off a slim underbust- and the high ''waist'' it thus creates helps me look taller.....

Then comes a top that I thought I could wear to the office X-mas party UNTIL someone suddenly told me this was a black tie ''do''!!!I first saw this in a Woman's weekly magazine with a crochet supplement: HAD TO have it of course thinking the pattern would be INSIDE!!!!

But NO! The model was wearing it in several shots but the pattern was for a necklace, no mention of the top....ALAS!!!

Then on a csual tour of the local shops I spotted it in Principles: I recognised it at once from the magazine and well- you can guess the rest...........

Wearing quota: about 4 times, first for NEW YEAR and then a few times out to the pub..

Another viscose/lurex mix : LOVELY YARN but WHERE OH WHERE can us home- crocheters FIND THIS YARN TO USE OURSELVES?????

Coming to the end- for now- of my story : are you asleep yet?TODAY I bought the lovely little black number below.YES I KNOW : I can make this myself: I can do motifs, all sorts of them AND I can now crochet them together. AND the yarn is a simple black matt 100% cotton, I can make the buttons as I had to do this for my course and I can do the shape, inset sleeves, the lot.

BUT is it a 3ply or a 4 ply? Do I use Yeaoman's Cannele 4 ply ( mercerised and a lot stiffer than this yarn- crisper too) or a Twilleys cotton? 2mm hook? 3mm?

oooh There were just too many choices and hassles and with the (new) air conditioning in the office I NEED a cardigan to keep warm!!

So here it is : from FRANSA a lovely black cotton cardigan with 3/4 sleeves.And a LOVELY stitch pattern......

FEELING INSPIRED???I know I am and this little journey has shown me that I need to work with cottons or viscose at a 3 or 4 ply weight and then I might just wear it a LOT!IN summer anyway.

I have made several jumpers( sweaters) which have either not been worn( sleeves too long or just uncomfortable or length too short) BUT I DO have 2 which I have worn a lot:

The mohair V neck cardigan - finished in November 2005 and the Colinette Giotto jumper made in April a few years ago from a pattern in KNITTING magazine...

Girls striped jumper- SUPER QUICK MAKE.

2008-06-28T07:03:00.000-07:00

Here's my eldest blinking in too bright sunlight showing off her latest new jumper ...her current fave!
I bought the yarn in our Easter holiday up at Abakhan in North Wales ; it's available online from there too or from Readicut online also : approx £3.99 a ball. This sweater for a 10 year old takes 1.75 balls.
The balls are 200 g, 100% acrylic- yes I usually HATE this stuff but this one is very very very VERY SOFFFFT!- 312 m to a ball.
CHUNKY weight : rec hook 6mm.
I made it in just 2-3 days of crocheting in evenings only...!!!While on holiday, it was finished before we came home again.Easter in North Wales was bitterly COLD this year hence the yarn and the hurry!!!!

The pattern follows shortly and was inspired by the book: Crochet kids stuff by Sharon Mann and Phyllis Sandford . ISBN 52944 01584. Obtained from Borders in Oxford.
I think it's Canadian.
I was inspired by the sideways sweater on page 25 but mine has a few alterations.
Yarn, sleeve length, gauge, stitch , neckline : subtly different in all aspects.

The above is MARBLE yarn by James C Brett , acrylic. the colour is OCEAN : or CODE MC8

Here is some more yarn, there are quite a few different colourways available.I like saphire trio too as well as the lilac/greens one.Ocean is the one on the far right and in the middle: only 1.25 balls left.

PATTERN:
SIZE : front=back= 45cm long by 5ocm wide my eldest likes 'm baggy.
TENSION: Using all trebles( USA DC) 5 ROWS ARE 10 CM and 11-12 trebles are 10 cm.

FRONT=BACK = 55 STS BY 26 ROWS.

FRONT:

Start a loose chain - I do this on a 7mm hook- of 55sts.
The change to hook 6mm and work another 3 chain- ( turning chain) = 1 treble(dc) then work trebles to the end using BOTH loops of the starting chain.
TURN: chain 3 and work trebles all the way across again but ONLY in the FRONT loop.
turn at end, 3 chain and trebles all the way back but ONLY IN THE BACK loop.
Repeat the above 2 rows until 26 rows have been worked: there should be a line/ stripe effect on one side only caused by working the stitches in one loop only.LOVELY!
This is the outward facing side if you so wish.
The other side should be plainer.

REPEAT for the BACK.

Work in ends.

Now sew the shoulder seams together from the outer shoulder edge inwards towards the centre neck BUT ONLY for 3 trebles.
Then attach the yarn to one of the sides: eg the back and work 3 dc ( sc) in the next 2 trebles.
Then work trebles ( dc) in the next 3 trebles spacing them 2-3 to a treble row .
Then work 2-3 double trebles in the next treble row and triple trebles( 2) in the next treble row.
Cast off leaving a long length whci you then use to sew the open edge of the shoulder wedge to the shoulder edge of the front panel, matching the rows as for the back.
This gives a nicer neckline and more comfort that the original pattern.( from the book).
Repeat the mirror image for the other shoulder.

Basically you are crocheting a triangle onto one back panel
shoulder ,later sewing the edge to the front, to provide ease for the head and neck.
Please adjust the width and length of this for your child.

SLEEVES:
I have worked these from the shoulder downwards to be able to get the length'' just right''
for a very picky daughter!

Count about 24 trebles down from the shoulder seam and connect the yarn, work trebles(dc) 48 in total ( 24 along the back and 24 along the front) and then continue working in the front or back loop as required to maintain the pattern demonstrated on the front panel.
My sleeves are slightly shaped as follows:

Work 6 rows as 48 trebles.
Decrease 1 st at each end by working 2 trebles together on the 2nd/ penultimate sts in the row.
Do this for the next 8 rows until 32 sts remaining, then work straight until required sleeve length reached for your child.

Work in ends and sew sleeve seam from the cuff to the armhole and sew back and front panels together.

Then work the second sleeve the same as the first.

FINITO!!!

I have not added any finishing rows to the cuff , neckline or hem as picky lady is into grunge and does not like any of this. Not even a bit of crabstitch!
Feel free to do so and to add pom poms or embellishments however!
Or maybe limit it to 3/4 sleeves?
With turn backs?
Or a flare?
Or a beaded edge?

FEEL FREE HAVE FUN AND EXPERIMENT!!!!

The fabulous colours just happen with this yarn and it's why I was so attracted to it.

My next project will be a zigzag TV blanket or throw for the Fall 2008 for the kids as with fuel prices the way they are going and the colder winters : we will be needing some Afghans to watch TV in!Also using the yarn below.

( for us adults I'm plannung one in Debbie Bliss cashmerino....YUM YUM)

WIP which must be finished one day SOON!

2008-06-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

Most recent is this motif in 4 ply cotton where I taught myself to attach the motifs together by crocheting the final round with connecting slip stitches into the previous motif.

I played with this in Turkey sitting in the shade watching the sea on a pontoon, lost a 3.5mm hook that way too!Plop it fell off my lap and through a gap in the wooden slats into the sea....
It's the grand flower hexagon on page 26 of 201 crochet motifs etc by Melody Griffiths.
I think I want to make a shrug/bolero or summer cardigan with it, V neck of course.
I have only a few remnant balls of it so have to see how it goes....

Then there's the granny squares I also made in Turkey: in black narvik DK cotton and a Patons lumpy textured white DK cotton called Leila which I have had lurking in my attic for ages.

Thought I'd make the bolero in the May issue of CROCHET TODAY! ( It's on the cover) but as black and white is all the rage this summer- and I have a LOT of it- I thought I'd make mine in just black and white....and also my yarn is a lot finer so I had to increase the size of the squares ....and then....and then I just got stuck.

The oddly shaped one is worked as per the diagram on page 51 but I'm not now sure how to proceed....

Then there's the blazer type jacket that I wanted from Boden, I missed the boat in Summer 2007 so I though I'd make one from my stash and even bought a £20 crochet book just for the one pattern when I never did get going and bought the desired jacket in the Spring of 2008....

I started this in Rowan silk tweed and because I had bought the yarn in 2 lots I have worked the rows 2 by 2 from the yarn as the colour is ever so slightly different.

So it has a very subtle stripe ...

It's from the book: Total Crochet Fashions by Gayle Bunn a leisure arts publication ( a USA book with USA crochet terms)

It's supposed to become the let's do lunch jacket???????

I have done the back and started the front , but I have now lost weight- 2 stone!!!!- and am not so sure, I did less shaping becuase I wanted it loose BUT now I'm slim and curvy and maybe I want it smaller and properly shaped?

Or do I want it at all?

Granny Hexagons: a riot of colours!

2008-06-28T02:48:00.000-07:00

The above came about because of 2 things: the coral reef project which made me buy colours I do not usually use - all from Thame market : pure cotton at £1.50 a ball- DK , and the May /June issue of CROCHET TODAY! which is now regularly stocked in my local WHSMITHS...( For USA readers this is a large newsagent type store)

I cam back from my fabulous 2 weeks in Turkey to find all the remnents of the reef lying about in my kitchen and it being too late to make any more pieces for the reef I decided on a shopping bag as we are going very GREEN in our household and all plastic shopping bags have been BANNED.
I have never done granny hexagons but the magazine had a great diagram so off I went playing with the colours: I had 2 browns, 2 reds and a yellow.
On holiday I learned to crochet motifs together in the final round of the next motif so I decided to do hexagons which tesselate nicely and this would cut down on the sewing or crocheting together- ''later'' - which in my experience often ''never'' happens.....!!!!

The magazine had them in 2 rows and only 2 colours but I was using a thinner yarn and a 3.5mm hook so I added a third row per motif by improvising and am pretty pleases with the result.

I have a regular side- repeating motifs and colours and an irregular side - more colours less repetition- see below!

I have used Wendy Supreme DK cotton, Sirdar CALYPSO DK cotton, Patons 4 ply cotton used double, Rowan handknit cotton- a freebie and a bit thick for this so used sparingly- Narvik DK COTTON ( lovely sheen but splits horribly)Young Touch- and some Patons DK pure cotton.

There are 4 rows of 9 hexagons each, connected in the round as a tube with pentagons as a border top and bottom : 18 of these in total.
It's not finished yet, it will be lined in red with 2 striped shoulder straps and a top striped border with a drawstring cord.
I'm planning to line the straps this time to prevent the stretching that happened with my ''library bag''- see earlier post.

REGULAR SIDE WITH BASE.

IRREGULAR SIDE WITH A FEW PENTAGONS STILL TO DO!

FINALLY : all those ends to be sewn in! I did crochet in the beginnings of most ends but like to sew the rest in securely later- 6 ends per motif times 54 motifs- uugggghhhhh....

Ps so far it weighs: 340 grammes ( before it's finished and EMPTY!!!This will be weight lifting when I go SHOPPING!)

and measures: 45 cm high and 42 cm across: that is an opening of the tube of 84cm.

IT'S ALSO VERY STRETCHY AND FITS me as a strapless vest top...! Shame it's colours I just cannot wear!( ie it's stretching to fit 38"!!!)

UK Coral Reef II

2008-06-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the other structures I have made.
They include one with height- green and with a hyperbolic ''hat'' but with lesser degree of increases.
A long piece with hyperbolic increases on each side.
A piece in plastic stips cut from a plastic bag.
And my favourite as per my previous post.

Hyperbolic Coral Reef crochet

2008-06-14T15:17:00.000-07:00

This is my favourite hyperbolic crochet piece that was made for the UK coral reef.

This is being exhibited in London at the South Bank Centre from 11 th June to 17 August.

I was lucky to attend a fun workshop and lecture there by the IFF.

( Institute for Figuring)

This one is a basic structure of 2 different coloured strands of DK cotton - courtesy of Thame market!_ worked in a circle and then increased every stitch on every row of dc- ie doubling every next row.( USA sc stitches all the way)

Finally I added some eyelash yarn at the end , still doubling or trebling the stitches so it's wonderfully wavy and very tactile.

Such fun to make and to play with, I was sorry to be sending it off- never to be held again.

The second picture is the WIP before all the eyelash had been added.

Another scarf but a wonderful 3 in 1 :SHAWL/scarf/SHRUG

2008-03-31T14:46:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest scarf which is large enough to also be a shawl or a shrug- the latter because it has buttons down one side of the sleeves and button loops on the other side.....

It's made in 2 yarns both from LANA GROSSA from a lovely yarn shop in Delft, the Netherlands .

One is BINGO PRINT which is a pure merino wool, in a variegated colourway : approx DK (UK)weight- 80m to a 50g ball.

The other is LEGGERO PRINT:

a fabulous chenille yarn in an amazing colourway of 8 or more colours and shades , it's 100% microfibre and 160m to a 50g ball.

The scarf/shawl weighs 240 g and used approx 2 of Leggero and 4 of Bingo.

I used a 5mm hook in a chevron pattern which I will be adding a bit later.

There was quite a saga because halfway through I realised I needed more yarn so I phoned the shop in my pidgin Dutch and tried to explain and have them set some aside, I then had to find a way of paying as I didn't want to risk posting Euros and the shop does not take international credit cards- only Dutch ones- and instead of using PAYPAL as I SHOULD have done, I ended up using an international cheque raised by a bank- OUCH soooo expensive!!!This scarf could be pure cashmere!!!!

Then the bank got the cheque all wrong - twice!!!- first the name of the shop and then the amount and then it took 2 months to clear the bank at the other side- unbelievable the difficulties we had!!!

Eventually the yarn arrived and I could finish what I had started in September!!!!

That will teach me NOT to buy single balls for ''trying out'' next time at that shop but to go for at least 4 to 8 balls of the same...!

Anyway I LOVE the way it has turned out- very subtle colourchanges- and it's heavenly soft and warm too.

It was PURE JOY to work with.

My own little quirky TOUCH was that I changed yarn every 2 rows but I didn't want to sew in any ends so when I had completed row 4 I would drop the working yarn, put my hook around the treble at the edge 2 rows below, pick up the previous yarn and do a chain of 2 , hook round again and another 2-3 chain to reach the level of the row just completed, then I would pull the new yarn through to complete the last treble on that row and chain 3 in the new yarn- dropping the old- to start the next 2 rows.

This counted as the first treble ( the 3 ch) of the next row and in this way I had a set of button loops ready for my shawl to convert into a shrug with sleeves !

I sewed a set of small blue buttons on the opposite side of the scarf/shawl.

Dimensions and stitch pattern details are to follow shortly- in the next few days.

Gallery time: machine embroidery gardens etc

2008-03-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

Above is one of my favourites: I've called it Let's linger here.... because that is just what I would like to do!Sit in the sun on the grass or a chair and watch those lovely flowers.
And daydream as to what lies beyond that enticing gate....
Made by myself entirely using free machine embroidery techniques with a play of matt and shiny threads which cannot be seen from a photo.
I made this one after the one below:

Above this writing is a picture of a garden at Water perry gardens which I made a few years ago and which won first prize at a national ''embroider a garden'' competition.....It was made from a photo I had taken myself and then I roughly sketched out the contours on some silk, painted the path and the sky and used free machine embroidery running stitch to embroider the plants and flowers and the trees.

No software was used at all : it's all done as if the thread and needle are a coloured pencil to draw with- entirely by hand ( but using a sewing machine if that makes any sense)

I also really enjoy working a Van Gogh painting in machine embroidery and have done quite a few over the past few years : his use of colour is just so fabulous that one learns an enormous amount from copying and trying to copy make you see, see a bit more, and then look again and see even more different hues and colours juxtaposed in a most inventive and innovative way.

Here are some I made earlier- as Blue Peter would say....

I really adored doing this peach blossom tree : the shadows on the ground were a huge challenge and the fence is literally dozens upon dozens of very different colours!

The Willows were an absolute MUST as when I was still living in Holland I saw these willows along the canals and streams in between the fields every day on the way to school as I cycled past...They have a fantastic sculptural shape when freshly pollarded.

The self portrait was my next HUGE challenge as I had never ever done a face before!

I do think the machine embroidery with the threads and bold stitching emulates the texture of the thick oil paint in the originals so much better than a postcard or print does...

On the right a small picture of a tiger lily , free machine emboidery again this time from a drawing of a bunch of flowers my friend Cha cha brought round for me one day.

It WAS meant to be the first of a trio of pictures BUT I found covering the calico with the dense green stitching for the background SO VERY TEDIOUS even though I did change colours and tones to keep interested- I could NOT face doing another one

let alone two more!

2008-03-02T02:41:00.000-08:00

Here's a baby cardigan that was a dream to make!
The stitch is delightful yet easy to do and it grows really quickly: it took just 80 minutes to complete the back in size 18'' chest.

PATTERN: From KNITTING magazine issue 30 November 2006.
But worry not because I bought it as a back issue in December 2007!

I remembered the baby cardigan and hadn't bought the magazine at the time , because I was on a promise NOT to purchase 2-3 KNITTING magazines every month in the HOPE that they have just ONE crochet pattern in it! ( I don't really knit very much if at all) At £3.99 each it was thought too much of an indulgence...Anyway I digress : I didn't buy it at the time as I knew nobody with babies but recently I have a baby niece and a friend's baby boy to crochet for so I ordered the magazine.

It's called CLOUD NINE and is on page 66 designed for SIRDAR SNUGGLY and in sizes 16/18/20/22 '' chest takes 2-3 balls ( DK 175m per ball of 50 g)
I find chest sizes difficult as the baby is not to hand to measure so I looked up some tables and guessed that the age sizes are: 3 months, 12m, 24m, 2.5 yrs?

YARN USED:I used SIRDAR DENIM TWEED DK in pink mix, 170 m per 50 g ball and 2 balls completely. ( shade 639)
4 mm hook.

Finished cardigan - with buttons- weighs 102 g.

When it was almost complete I found out my niece was growing a lot so I added a bit extra for growth/contingency!
I added 7 rows to the hem, 7 fluted rows to the sleeve hems so it can be worn turned back or down in the new fashion style.
I also added 3 rows in dc to the front button band and 3 rows in pattern to the buttonhole band.
This was because I had an e-mail about the baby and in photos she looked so big that I panicked!
She in India so I won't be able to show you the cardigan on the baby!
She has black hair and huge gorgeous brown eyes so I'm sure this tweedy pink will look utterly adorable.
As long as it fits- fingers crossed!
The fabric is VERY STRETCHY and I found my own adult arm fitted nicely into the sleeve so it shouls also be easy to dress the baby in it.

Here at the right is a detail of the stitch pattern.

FOR THE USA:
Please substitute treble for every dc mentioned.
The pattern is in UK terminology also, but is very simple and only uses trebles ( USA TERM) and chains.
The yarn is Light worsted category : 3 and my choice was 50 % cotton and 50% acrylic , machine washable.

The added rows were worked from the hem downwards for - in my opinion- a pleasing contrast band.
Pictures are clickable.

Back Issues available from : http://www.the/ gmcgroup.com or http://www.knittinginstitute.co.uk/

HOPE YOU LIKE IT and comments gratefully received.

Finished sizes were:
BACK WIDTH : 11.5-12''
LENGTH: 9.5''
Sleeve width 6.5 ''
sleeve length : 8'' with flutes turned back,
9.5 '' with flutes extended .

Crochet Diploma Level 1 :Presentation of Work

2008-02-03T08:32:00.000-08:00

Here's the rest of the Diploma works shown as a first intallment yesterday.

On the left and right is a daughter modelling the first real project: a garment made from a pattern!

Now this requirement started a huge journey for me as I has NEVER made anything from a commercial pattern before! I had always muddled through and made it up as I went along : it was one of the things I loved about crochet when I was 15 ; the freedom! No restricting needles and stitches to cast on : with crochet you could always add a bit or lose a bit , go in any direction etc etc.

First it took me ages to FIND a pattern I actually WANTED to make! And that's where my collecting of crochet books , both UK and American started- in 2005 and I now have LOADS.

Over 50 at last count PLUS patterns downloaded from the internet....and pattern leaflets from Sirdar or Patons and lots of patterns in Crochet magazines too: Crochet Today, Interweave Crochet and Crochet!....as well as Dutch crochet magazines.

Anyway I digress : I found this pattern on the market in Thame and made it in a DK cotton, I had to follow the pattern to the letter to prove that I could and again that was a challenge for me as I always tweak something or change a bit and individualise it....

In the end I did it and my daughter- as can be seen by her antics- loves it.

Next Project was with a 3 ply thread and a finer hook than I prefer to use so again I was right out of my comfort zone.

It's NOT a doily : it's a shrug with a shawl collar and in an earlier blog you can see me wearing it.

I did use a pattern - from one of those obsessively collected books!- but this time felt free to tweak the edging which is more my own design.

The Crochet course also includes 3 types of crochet which are a lttle different: Tunisian, Hairpin and Broomstick.

I had done some hairpin and broomstick in my teens from a set of very good Dutch magazines called ''Ariadne'' from which I tended to teach myself as my mum doesn't crochet at all.

BUT I hadn't even ever HEARD of Tunisian and I found it very difficult to understand at first!

Also why give up the freedom of the hook with one stitch????This cross between knitting and crochet was eventually mastered and THEN Pauline had the great udea to suggest that I do one of my Projects in it!!!!Unbelievable.

But she was so very right because I did it and it worked out so very well and it's a cushion ( Pillow) that is much admired and loved and used daily- although the dog has now decided it's HERS-!

This is the Tunisian side and the other side has motifs, this time the pattern is entirely my own.

Except for the motifs which are in Pauline's book: How to Crochet.

The Final project was great fun and I was very sensible and used up a ball of fancy yarn bought on a whim but without any set plan.

This is a little hairpin bag - again entirely my own pattern- which is totally ideal for my daughter to take her ''missal'' book to church in.

It is a little book that helps her to follow the words of the Mass and to respond correctly.

Pauline thought the bag was a bit too small but she hadn't seen the use for which it was needed!

Below right are some of the files I have now accumulated all due to doing this course!

Inspiration from fashion magazines and catalogues featuring crochet in clothing, toys or items for the home, yarn supplier details, shade cards, favourite blogs and websites, research , etc.

New yarns tried out by sampling, motifs with beads, newstitches tried out or yarns combined in different ways.

The yarn blobs on the far right above are a pure cashmere 4 ply which I just can't wait to have a go with and PLAY!!!It's heavenly SOFT.

On the right are the 4 projects completed shown together.

The course included 35 samples some of which are shown on my previous blog and the remainder are as below:

Three tunisian samples are in pink/magenta top left.

Then there are 3 braids, lower row shows some broomstick , a pink sample with chevrons and a turquoise sample showing the effect of gradually increasing the hook size with the same yarn.

Then finally below are a set of hairpin samples - all in various pinks - showing a variety of spines, a variety of joining methods and a fringe or 2.

The blue include a shaped piece with a dc and crabstitch border, a piece of broomstick crochet and a few braids in a fine thread.

I started the course in June 2005 - I'm also a mum of 2 with a dog a part time job , a house to run and doing a diploma in machine embroidery also....And there is in addition a husband who would sometimes like some time too!!!

I almost completed the course by October 2006 , when I really wanted some time out to make what I wanted to make and that's what I did : I had a ''time out'' from October 2006 to January 2008.

Pauline is very supportive of this and puts no deadlines or any pressure on you and it worked really well for me.

I made all the babyclothes, scarves, sweaters ,hats , shrugs and so on that have appeared on this blog over time.

This month I completed the final samples which have been passed by Pauline!!!!

I also have to add that the course led me to buy Crochet magazines ( the hunt for a pattern)

which led me to an interweave crochet magazine in 2005 which mentioned Crochetville:

and this I found such a fun filled and inspirational as well as supportive site that I

wanted to join and contribute and THAT in turn led me to start this BLOG!!!!

Therefore ; a HUGE THANK YOU has to go to Pauline Turner who made me do all this by advertising her Diploma course in the back of a book I had just happened to buy...

I joined the course and the BLOG happened as well as all the above and more.

Once upon a time I could crochet a bit BUT my work wasn't straight , my edges would ''wander'' and I had no idea of turning chains.....I couldn't understand crochet patterns, I only understood symbols and I only worked with a 4mm hook, never did any texture, no ribbing , no bobbles.
Now there's a whole world of crochet stitches I can explore and understand!

Roll onto Level 2??! OK I'm thinking about it.

CROCHET DIPLOMA presentation of samples and projects

2008-02-02T17:42:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the samples I have completed for Level 1 of the Crochet Diploma course run by Pauline Turner .

There are 35 samples in all , 4 projects and then an exam, a research paper to write and a crochet diary to keep.

Below centre are some Filet Crochet samples-white on blue card- a sample where the stitch height moves from slipstitch through dc to quadruple trebles and a sample- navy/white - where 2 colour pattern is shown.

The next few samples -starting at the left below:these show a dc rib( blue variegated ) , textured trebles by way of bobbles in a deep royal blue, a lacy white fan stitch , 2 braids suitable for a classic jacket worked in DK yarn, a textural piece in pale blue using varied stitches, then on the row below: a 2 colour textural design working around the treble posts, triangles worked to or from the point in trebles and dc respectively , some net , a fanstitch square and a series of crocheted buttons.

On the right below are the first set of samples, worked in a DK yarn and a 4.5mm hook- mostly- the top row show trebles increasing in height: ie double treble, triple trebles and quadruple trebles from left to right in the pink.

Below that are trebles wirked in betweeb the stitches , normal trebles and a treble rib also al in pink.

The mint green sample is dc worked in a pure cotton DK yarn and a 4.5mm hook.

I can highly recommend the course for as Pauline is a strict task master you have to learn to crochet very neatly and properly and I have learned an enormous amount in the past 2 years!!!

Stash pictures

2008-01-31T10:31:00.000-08:00

This is the latest addition to my stash: yarns from the USA which my brilliant husband braved AC Moore - and all by himself!- to buy for me!

4 balls Lion moonlight MOHAIR in a glitzy Glacierbay colourway,

2 balls Lionbrnad Suede prints yarn in Waterlilies and 2 balls of fuzzies: funfur prints and fancy fur

This Elle MONET which I have 10 balls of was purchased for a hooded cardigan for one of my daughters, it's actually Izzy's colours but as I'd already made her one last year it could be for Annie but she doesn't actually wear warm layers as she's such a hotblooded child that never feels the cold....

So it has lain in my attic for well over a year or 18 months now....

Can't as yet decide what to do with it!!!

Resolutions and stash busting!

2008-01-31T05:48:00.000-08:00

Resolutions AHOY!
Very happy to announce that I have now lost 2 stone! Only a few more- or according to WW : 10- lbs to lose !
Been so busy exercising that I have had very much less time to make anything!

Had a fab e-mail the other day invitng me to join Ravelry and having joined I plan to sort out and organise my stash once and for all and maybe ''bust'' it over the next 2 ( or3???) years!
Can't promise not to buy any yarn in the meantime though THAT would just be too difficult.
Hence I have started to drag my mountains of yarn from our beloved attic and photograph it so that it can be visually recorded as well as noting yarn thickness, yardeage on each ball, quantity and so on.
This also was one of my resolutions for 2008, which I recorded by making a collage of it all so it's very VISUAL.
It's on the wall near my desk as a constant reminder....
One of my resolutions was also to finish level 1 of the Diploma in crochet which I started some time ago and had almost finished but then ran out of steam with......pffffffffffffffffffffffffffft
I submitted the final samples on Monday 28th January whereas my resolutions deadline was March 31st so that was going really well!

Turquoise and grey pom pom scarf- free pattern- crochet

2008-01-01T15:04:00.000-08:00

Hello and HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2008!!!
It's quite fun and very relaxing to be blogging on the very first day of the new year, it was on my to do list and I'm about to manage it!

Here I am courtesy of my brilliant photographer daughter- aged 9.5- in my new coat, Christmas gift suede gloves and scarf I made to match!!!

The specs by the way set the precedent for what has become my TURQUOISE YEAR or episode in artistic terms....
They came about by a sheer chance at specsavers where I had to buy sunglasses as an emergency because the puppy had chewed my adored Raybanns....!!!( They were many years old and prescription ones...not easy to replace)

Anyway back to the SCARF: I love it and I hope you do too, very easy to make and requires the following:
It all started with one of the balls bought as a ''try out'' single 100 g ball of yarn from a shop in Delft, Holland- it's on an earlier blog- it's KATIA ( a Spanish brand) AZTECA in a grey and turquiose variegated way : colour 7802 , it's 50 % wool, 50 % acrylic , there's 180m on a 100 g ball and recommends a 5.5mm hook or needle BUT I used a 7 mm hook.

It turned out not to be enough for the scarf I wanted so I added the following:having found out that I could NOT get hold of anymore balls of this, SUCH A SHAME as once I'd used it I ADORED it both the softness and the fabulous colourway.....

So I added:
LANG yarns brand, MAXI TOSCA in a multi tweedy greys colourway, the ball band is not clear on the number: could be 711.0080 or 3990.
It has 92m on a 50 g ball and is 55% wool and 45% acrylic and the greys blend perfectly with the KATIA.

FOR THE POM POMS I used the MAXI Tosca and to add the turquoises also I used:
Yeoman Yarns DINAMO DK pure wool : 109 for the bright turquoise and 359 for the peacock/teal colour.
I also used small amounts of a 4 ply pure wool on a cone from Yeoman Yarns : turquoise was 1080E and the Capri /teal colour was n0 24.
I had some LANG ZOOM leftover in a deep grey which I also used a bit of: 6950034 or 47798.

You'll need a 7mm hook and a way of making pom poms, I used the Clover pom pom maker- a gadget I admit don't need but LOVE: IN SIZE 45MM AND 35MM.

THE SCARF PROBABLY TOOK ME ABOUT 2 EVENINGS : IT'S VERY QUICK!

Finished size: 15 cm wide by 203 cm.

The AZTECA lasted for 5 rows on one side and 6 rows on the other, the rest is Maxi Tosca.

DIRECTIONS:
Chain 185 sts.
Then work DC ( USA : SC for every dc mentioned here- after) in every chain until the last using only one loop, then put 2 dc in the last chain, turn the corner and put 2 dc in the first loop of the chain on the other side, then 1 dc per loop until back at the beginning facing the last loop before turning.
You are effectively working both sides of the chain, upper AND lower edge and not turning the work conventionally.
Work 2 in the last loop and 3 in the first loop of the next stitch, 2 dc in the next then 1 dc to the other end and repeat the increases to create a curved border at each end.
For my corners it was as follows:
ROW 1: 2 DC'S in one stitch twice.
Row 2: 2 dc's in one stich 3 times
Row 3: 2 DC'S in stitch - 2 stitches before the turn, then 1 dc, then 2dc's in the central stitch, then turn corner, 1 dc in 1 stitch and then 2 dc in 1 stitch, 1 dc in each stitch to the other end and repeat the curve above.
Row 4 : same as row 3
Row 5 same as row 3.
Row 6 as row 3
Row 7 : 2 dc in 3rd stitch from centre, 2dc in next stitch then 1 in the centre and repeat sequence, repeat at both ends.
Row 8,9,10 as row 3

You do need to play it by feel and increase only so much as to keep the curve lying flat, you don't want it to buckle or curl.

Work in all ends .

Make 2 of the 45mm pom poms by winding a variety of colours that tone with the main colours on the tool and sew these in the centre of each end.
I steamed mine in a small sieve positioned over a jug filled with boiling water and covered with a lid for a half hour or so and trimmed them after this to neat fluffy balls.

Then make 4 of the 35mm pom poms varying the colours slightly but including all greys and turquoises in each one, steam and sew on either side of the large one, about 3 stitches are between each pom pom. Hide the wool ends in the crochet work and trim.

VOILA I hope you like it!!!
The scarf wraps comfortably twice round the neck for maximum neck protection OR can be worn longer as shown below.

Finally showing you all my fab turquoise handbag- USA - PURSE?- which was a birthday present in April from my beloved and which set the trend for all this turquoise!

I also have turquoise rainspot patterned wellies which we discovered in a little shop in Great Missenden - where at Rainbow Silks I buy the Lang yarns....- and these are GREAT to walk the dog in, so I wear them DAILY.

The gloves were a Christmas present from my eldest daughter, she spotted them in good old M& S !

The trend for Turquoise all combined, and finally the scarf solo....The colour changes in the AZTECA yarn were the inspiration.

If ANYONE OUT THERE knows where and how I can buy some more then PLEASE let me know as I'd love a sweater too!!!!!

Pale pink merino wrap baby cardigan and hat

2007-12-31T14:47:00.000-08:00

Here it is I've been busy again for my bay niece in India : this time in pink merino wool: DK , it took about 2 afternoons and an evening to make including the hat! Using 3.5 mm hook and DK wool the cardigan used about 350m and the hat a bit more...

I'll weigh the remianing ball to see what it used up in a moment.

I used the pattern in the book ''NO TIME TO CROCHET '' by Melody Griffiths and the hat is from the book too although I added the scallop border to match the cardigan and a flower for the top from a pattern I have already used a lot for corsages.

The flower is a simple triple layered rose this time with 7 petals.

A cute pink heart button forms the centre.

I shortened the ties as it's for a 4 month old baby and added a snap or popper on the inside to keep it in place.

It's fabulously easy to make and whizzes along as you start from the shoulders and work down!

All in easy trebles stitch, each row measures a cm deep so each time you're 1 cm closer to the finish.

The pics are clickable , here follows one for a bit of detail, the scallop edges really finish it so nicely.

It will be off to India on Wednesday ,so I can't show it on the baby alas.I made the 3- 6 months size .

The hat uses about 70m of DK yarn.

The above is all in UK crochet terminology: USA readers need to convert.

a 3.5mm hook is about a 4E hook.

UK DK IS A BABY, sport or a fine light worsted type of yarn.

HAPPY NEW YEAR- FOR 2008!!! Mohair Shrug.

2007-12-30T14:50:00.000-08:00

Hello, logging in here to wish you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Here I am many weeks ago , in late October actually wearing a shrug I have made from a scarf that I featured in an earlier post: this is made from 2 .5 balls of Filatura Di Crosa variegated mohair , a 7 mm hook and a simple fan stitch pattern!!!

I made 2 of the ''scarves'' and then crocheted them together to make this shrug and as the sleeves were more of a 3/4 length which I didn't want I used a bit from a purple variegated ball to add the contrast edges at the ''cuffs''.

Where I crocheted the scarves together left a ridge but I meant this to happen as I do like it as a design feature: you can really see it on the back.

I will post more details on this in a later post , suffice to say that lots has happened since October: lots of scarves have been crocheted and knitted, baby cardigans and baby hats , floral corsages and a recorder case and I have also lost over 21 lbs.....!!!!!

After the detox I found a superb diet online that speedily helped me lose 7 lbs in 11 days and I continued this with a more sensible rate for a while before joining WW online to lose the more recent 7 lbs....only 10 more lbs to go before I will be reaching the safe BMI of 24!!!!

We have even enjoyed Christmas with home made Christmas cake and home made Christmas pudding without gaining more than a lb or so.......

Detox,crochethats and doorstop progress

2007-10-09T03:50:00.000-07:00

On the first of October I started a detox eating pattern ( beware the word diet- they never work for long and make one feel so deprived!!!) : main reason being a lack of energy and a bout of quite horrid eczema on my arms- I did take a photo: but hey you really do NOT want to see this so instead a photo of bark as that is what my arms were feeling like.
I took the photo as inspiration for one of many textile projects and it may inspire someone else too?

The detox is amazing: I felt weird for a few days and I'm eating foods I had never eaten before but I do feel better, the eczema is clearing up and there is absolutely no itching....

Basically it's Carol Vorderman's 28 day detox with a few changes by me and a few additions using the Dr Gillian eating guides....
No wheat is the main difference, no meat or fish whatever and a set of new grains and pulses such as aduki beans, lentils and quinoa etc.
As I was on about 5 cups of tea or more I'm still allowing myself 1 cup of tea with 30 ml of skimmed milk once a day but apart from this I'm dairy free too.

There's lots more preparation and cooking involved , which if one works I'm not sure you'd have time for while running a house with kids etc as well?

It's day 9 and I 'm about to cut back on a few foods that although wheat free/dairy free had sugar in them so they'll have to be banned next.
These were delicious: honeyed rice puffs and Dutch apple cake : but as I also want to lose a lot of weight I'll try to cut these out next.

ERRATA: I need to make an apology for errors made in previous posts: the innocent bottle hats result in a donation to AGE CONCERN not Help the Aged .
And this is when sold in Sainsbury apparently, now the hats have to be in by 22 nd October to be sold in November BUT with the current postal situation I have no idea if the hats will ever get there.....
We haven't had any post for 4 days now?
I'll come back to the hats at the end of this page.

THANKS GO TO:
Oh and I want to thank both Angela form my knitting circle who was knitting the little hats and who insoired me to have a go- albeit with a different method- and also Simply Knitting magazine : who by printing a review of the innocentdrinks website reminded me to have a look at that and get going!

CHROMOSOMAL DOORSTOP:

This is now prgressing nicely I haven't any photos of yesterday's work but I have of some work carried out in the summer: It was painted plain brown - a chestnut shade as I have decided to have a copper/metallic colourscheme for it.
My youngest insisted on helping with the painting , she loved doing this and I like to include my family in the work, it makes it more personal and special.

I also made sheets of silk paper and painted these in shades of brown and gold......
These were embroidered with some of the characteristics which are inherited on our genes such as personality traits , eye colour, hair type,etc
Then they were applied in a textural way much like papier mache, but using silk paper rather than ordinary paper.
A glimpse of this is as below- still as a work in progress.

Machine wrapped cords and tactile scrunched silk papers applied to the doorstop.( above)

Just prior to the above, my youngest painting away. Silk papers are drying at the sides on black plastic.

INNOCENT BOTTLE HATS

Here are my collection of hats, I made 2 hats in crochet using Twileys Freedom wool and 5.5mm hook, the patterns will follow shortly- one is in dc( smaller pom pom far right) and one in half trebles( pom pom too large and furthest on the left in the pic)

The hats again, too late now for the pattern as the campaign for NEXT year's hats will kick off soon and I'll submit them as part of that.

However if in the meantime anyone still wants a pattern: let me know because they were very quick to do.....?

Step by Step mini bobble hat on French Knitter/loom

2007-09-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

1. Step one is above: one large French Knitter from Readicut at £1.79, one hooking tool at 95p from Rainbowsilk and some variegated Shoeller and Stahl cotton ,Start by making a loop and putting it over the first prong as indicated by a line on the plastic loom.

2.Step 2 is wrap the yarn from the first prong round the back of the prong on the left, between the second and 3rd prong and across the front of the 2nd prong, through the gap between the 1st and 2nd prong and across the back of the 2nd prong and 3rd prong to repeat the prvious movement for the 3rd prong , continue thus for all prongs.( all 15 of them now have a wrapped loop and the first or 16th has a made or knotted loop.

Step3: now running the main yarn from right to left across the prongs and above the wrapped stitch, lift the wrapped stitch from step 2 over the yarn sitting across the front of the prong.

Step 4 : Continue all the way around in this way

The above is the top view of how this looks and the pictures are clickable for further close-up.The above is essentially the french kntiing method, continue around, counting each time you pass the line at the front of the loom, each round done is a ''row knitted''.

The above shows the loom with about 14 rows knitted.

The finished hat is 19 rows high in this instance, the cast on border rolls naturally and attractively forming the brim.

Step 5 is the cast off: you thread a needle with the yarn, you can cut it at about 3 circumference width length when the rows are completed.

Once the yarn is cut, thread it into a needle and work the needle into each stitch in turn, going in from the top and out from below the stitch , then lifting the stitch off the loom.

When all stithces are taken off you can tighten the yarn to make the top of the hat, sew the end in securely with 3 holding straight stitches.Trim end of thread.

Step 6: You can work in the started thread by loosely stitching the brim to secure the rolled part, but do it loosely or the hat won't stretch nicely over the top of the bottle.

Step 7: Make a pom pom.

I made one using a Clover pom pom tool of 35mm diameter but you can of course use any mwthod or size to suit your hat.

Or make a tassle for the top.

Step 8: Attach pom pom ( or tassle) to top of hat and securely fnish off any remainng ends.

The finished hat!

It used 6 grammes of a 50 g skein of cotton ( probably DK) and there was 90m in the 50g skein.

Made in part of an evening while comfortably watching an Agatha Christie murder mystery......

Innocent bobble hats: Help the Aged Fundraiser

2007-09-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back but I reckon I could get a degree, no :a Phd in the art of procrastination! I have done a little on my doorstop but I have also found trillions of other little jobs to do which always take longer than one thinks they will and so the saga -or is it a legend? -continues .
On a happy note the scarf above was knitted- yes amazingly I can knit- just a little bit- in just 2.5 hours whilst happily sipping a drink and chatting to friends in a local knitting circle, it was in a pub and very pleasant , I was so glad my husband came home in time to take over the babysitting!

The scarf is 10 stitches, all garter st, on 15mm needles and used one ball- which is all I had- of Katia : ''ETHNIC'' - the ball was about 89m long and chunky the ball band recommended a 10 mm needle size .
I didn't have one of those pairs handy and my eldest was still knitting on my 12mm so I tried the 15 mm and am very happy with the result.
More importantly my youngest was thrilled to bits and has worn it constantly now for 2 days.
And as any parent will know and undestand: THAT is the acid test and is WHAT COUNTS.

Having used a ball bought in Delft recently I was drawn to my other Dutch purchases and thought I 'd make myself a trendy little jacket from a pattern in a Dutch sewing magazine......

Well , you can see what happened: Pippa had other ideas!!!

As soon as I spread out my cutting board and the pattern paper : she was onto it!

The picture's too dark, but really she is smiling or was that a smirk ?

She rolled over but was difficult to budge, I did manage in the end and it is at present a WIP, more news to follow on that too... My third - of many more- procrastination efforts - was an idea that I hope will be very useful for lots of other people as well as- very hopefully- a class full of children!!!

In the summer my youngest- then just turned 7 - was wanting to crochet but found it very tricky - she's fine on what she calls ''finger crochet'' which is doing a chain with fingers only : no hook involved.

She can make really long leads or chains like this but what can we do with them all?

So I hit on the idea of some French Knitting and after using a small 4 or 6 pronged one she proved she was good at it and enjoyed it but she wanted to make jumpers( sweaters) for her lily dolls so I bought her a larger French Knitter ( or flower tool) from ''Readicut'': 16 prongs.

More recently I took it off the loom and realised that it could be the body or sleeve of a jumper but also a little hat....She made a pom pom with my latest beloved gadget - a ''Clover ''pom pom maker and I have just sewn them all together to realise it's the exact size for an '' Innocent ''bottle!!!!

So there it is : a 7 year old can make the hats for the fundraising campaign that Innocent are running this Autumn( Fall), they'll donate 50p for each behatted bottle sold this November!

TO: Help The Aged.

Then I was thinking : what if the entire class could make a hat each ( 30 hats!) in one of their craft/design lessons : wouldn't that be a superb fundraising idea as well as good citizenship for the children?!!

And fun to do , teaching fine motor skills and what fun you can have with a ball of wool......

You can include maths: if there are 16 stitches in a row and you'll need to do 20 rows: how many stitches is that?

If you stripe in 2 colours and do one colour 4 rows ( say blue)and the other 2 rows( say lime green) , over a total of 24 rows how many of the blue rows would you do in total?

If you need 40 cm per row: how much yarn do you need for 24 rows?

If 320 sts weigh in at 8 grammes : what can you make with 50 grammes of wool?

Etc etc....

And pom poms are fun to make whether the ''old'' way with cardboard circle-doughnuts or with crafty new tools or gadgets!

So not only did I then make a quick hat myself with some Aran yarn to see how long it would take and the rows, etc

I also e-mailed Readicut and some online yarn suppliers to see if anyone will donate the tools so the school children can have a go.

More to do on that tomorrow.

So finally : here is the'' pattern '' for people who want to use THIS method of making Innocent bottle Bobble hats.

Sorry YES the bottle is EMPTY because their fabulous smoothies do not last more that a few minutes with any one of us!!!

With Aran yarn a 16 prong French Knitter and a toothpick/crochet hook or curved upholstery needle:

Make a loop as if to start crochet and put it on a prong- preferably the one with the starter mark on the front.

Loop the yarn round the back of the next prong then across the front, round the back and onto the next prong all the way around.

Then running the main yarn across the front : pick up the lower loop on the prong and lift over the yarn sitting at the front, continue all the way around.

You can make stripes with any new yarn.

Some DK yarns or fancy textured ones work also.

The bue- mainly Aran- HAT is 24 rows high, the lime and turquoise hat is 20 rows high.

The whole hat including 45mm pom pom weighs 6 grammes.....

To cast off you cut the wool leaving a 50 cm tail, thread this into a yarn needle and run the yarn with needle into each stitch on the porng in turn, then lift them off and pull tight, VOILA A HAT!!!

Work yarn ends into hat neatly.

Make pom pom or tassle and attach to hat.

FINITO.

Post to Innocent hats at the address on their website: www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/thebigknit.

The Big French Knitters are available from : www.Readicut.co.uk

at only £1.79 each excluding P&P.

Readicut do pom pom makers which I haven't ever used but my Clover ones came from www.Rainbowsilks.co.uk

I 'm hoping this will be useful for some if not many children, school classes even?

Who knows, but please feel welcome to comment.

September Musings: CHROMOSOMAL DOORSTOP

2007-09-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a view of where I walk my dog every - well almost every- morning and most afternoons.
Peaceful isn't it? That's just to get into the mood as Today- and all of this week I have a target: I have to finish a project for my Diploma City and Guild's course and it's a doorstop.....
Not only that but I chose it to be inspired by the shape and texture of a chromosome.
I got the texture part from some electron -microscopic pictures in a book.
This was started in the summer of 2006 and yes it REALLY was a lovely warm summer and I made it in the state it's seen below:

I made it from jam jars filled with sand from the children's sandpit- they are too old for it now anyway- which I wired together with chicken wire and then I put a few layers of papier mache over the top.

Hence the newpapery look of it.

To allow it to stand I nailed it to a little plinth of wood but which also is to be covered in newspapers.

Funny how - just like when you have fish and chips- newspapers are suddenly a riveting read when you are supposed to be doing something?

It then spent many a month sitting on our fridge in the kitchen- well a logical place to have a fridge ..- I digress- as I couldn't decide on a colourscheme for the piece.

My original ideas and drawings had been in rich reds and blues with touches of olive green and purple but then I had my doubts.

The inspiration was turkish carpets but it just would not translate in my mind to the doorstop and I spent a lot of time in displacement activities: my crochet especially!!!

And now it is to be finished in just one week..... mainly because we may be moving to Geneva and I need to have finished this Diploma before we go.

In theory I had another 9 months or so but this has shortened to less than 3 months.

I need a sign that says DON'TPANIC just like the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy book- anyone remember that?

Maybe I should crochet myself a sign- NO I'm procrastinating again.....

I have chosen a colourscheme and a set of textile techniques and more of this tomorrow.

One of them involves metres- or is it miles?- of machine wrapped cord and this is NOT one of my favourite activities- in fact I'm always thinking of things I'd rather be doing than wrapping as soon as I've done a few INCHES of this technique, sitting behind the sewing machine.

It feels like a life sentence!!!

This afternoon I was daydreaming that I was doing a live broadcast of demonstrating the technique on a podcast to be shown/linked to this very blog- I think I 'm going mad?

To re affirm my previous sanity I end today with a picture of a mountain which is my VERY OWN handiwork: hand painted on silk and machine embroidered freehand: a mountain with lavender to calm the spirit, soothe the mind and help visualise the scenery which I might be walking the dog in after the move to the Geneva area - if it happenz....

See you tomorrow.

Isolation and the single yarn ball/skein....

2007-09-16T15:01:00.001-07:00

Here are some balls of wool I bought whilst on holiday in Holland, there is this marvellous little wool heaven ( yeah shop) in Delft that stocks Lana Grossa and other yarns such as Katia and Scheepjeswol on shelves from floor to ceiling: Bliss.
They are what I'll be occupying myself with in the coming week.
So I'm aiming to finish with a brainstorm on what you can do with just one ball( I have an attic full of bags of just one ''try out'' ball of something...)

Meanwhile back to the isolation bit: I have just come to the end of an 18 month contract and my childminder's youngest has started school so she's given up childminding and is doing other - more lucrative- work.
The school will start an after school club in 2 month time so I have given myself 2 months to find a suitable next post , preferably as part of a career structure....
Hubbie is going to France for a week and here I am dreading the days and evenings filled with????? a void?????

Of course there's the house( YAWN) which needs a lot of TLC and a springclean as well as a de-clutter and there's the 2 diploma courses that I have work to do for:
City and Guild's Machine embroidery and P Turner's diploma in crochet : BUT....
WHERE OH WHERE IS THE SOCIAL CONTACT???
I LOVED going to work in Oxford, in a large and very friendly organisation and all that fabulous shopping at luchtime....

Due to my loss of income we can't really afford a babysitter so I can't go to my crochet class or knitter's group either, I have to be home every evening....
And because of late working or meetings in London I missed the last 2-3 weeks of thise classes also and I'm beginning to feel really isolated....

Then I thought maybe this isn't an unusual occurrence and maybe there are more mums who feel this way sometimes?

Back to the crochet : The balls in the picture have a few destinies I planned as I bought them:
The pinks/beige Katia wool is to be a scarf for my youngest: 10 sts on 10mm knitting needles was suggested in the shop so I'll give that a try.

The green/purple/jade/royal blends- far left at the back on the photo below- these are 2 different yarns in a similar colourway from Lana Grossa and I'm going to make a striped scarf: part chenille , part merino wool for my eldest daughter.

The turquoise at the front is a Katia Aztec WOOL mix and varies from turquoise to a pale grey so I want to make a few crochet samples to play with stitches and tension ans see how the colours move or work out when made up.....I just HAD to have it as the colours are amazing, not really shown too well by the photo.

Then there are 2 more ( 1 omitted from photo) merino wool ''Bingo print ''from Lana Grossa and I want to play with them but not yet sure what will be the outcome, maybe I order more from Holland by mail if possible?

Finally in the photos are the Filatura mohair wound balls mentioned in my mohair scarf project , there's not much and I need to see how the colours vary , but then again you can't undo/frog this mohair so I need to get the sampels done in a way that I can join up into useful pieces later...?

Clockwise from top left- the pics are clickable, Blue/purple /green/browns wool and chenille,
by Lana Grossa, the wound Filature purples/reds mohair, the pink/beige Katia wool, the turquoise /grey Aztec from Katia, green/blues merino wool Bingo Print from Lana Grossa.

One Skein ideas: Varying from approx 160 m a ball to 80-90 m per ball:

1.Beanie/hat
2.Fingerless gloves
3.skinny scarf, possibly corkscrew or very lacy
4.egg cosies
5.i-pod/MP3 player/mobile phone covers
6.Doll's sweater
7.Cushion cover- possibly only one side( USA read Pillow)
8Bag
9.:use in multi yarns project such as poncho/capelet/shawl/scarf/bags/waistcoat etc etc
10:Use in Freeform project : jacket,cardigan,shawl,bag of any kind or whatever.
11:Baby hats for friends or charity( soft yarns only)
12:Baby bootees : IF the yarn is very soft...
13:Part of a toy or Amigurimi or one in it's entirety? ( I fancy making an elephant or/and a dachshund)
14:Uses as stripes with another yarn or same yarn in plain or contrast colour
15:Make lots of tiny pompoms and decorate the edges of a gnirob sweater or scarf or cushion.....
16:Make into beads in crochet, stuff it and make a showcase necklace
17:Wire it up and make a tiara or crown for dressing up.
18:Make part of a slipper sock?
19:Use up the ball in french knitting and plait or knot the cord into a hairband?
20:Wire up the above french knitted cord and make flowers?OR FELT IT?
21:MAKE JUGGLING BALLS?
22: Make buttons- lots of them and decorate a cushion or bag or scarf....
23: make motifs and felt them for a bag or household item decoration...
24: make motifs and decorate an item of clothing...
25:Make and donate granny or other squares or shapes
26: make scarves/hats and donate to the Christmas appeal for boxes that go to the colder climates.
27: as above but for toys to fit into the Christmas boxes.
28: make hats for smoothie bottles as per appeal...
29: make a vase, a pot or a 3d item- stiffen it using Paverpol or similar product if needed.
30: make lavender sachets?
31: Make wheat bags- if the yarn can survive frequent heating in a microwave...
32: make doll's blanket or other clothing: dress,coat,skirt,hat/scarf set,legwarners etc et's
33: teddy bear's sleeping bag...
34 dog's lead or collar ( and/or) dog coat.- depends on size of dog.....
35: make lots of tassles and decorate a horse's or pony's bridle for a festive occasion....
36: PINWEAVE a panel ....for a bag or scarf or waist coat?
37: Use it to do surface crochet onto another item....clothing or accessoryor furnishing..
38:Cut it into equal lengths and weave it through a crocheted mesh or lacy knit ?

And I could go on and on but this has been fun and cheered me up no end, thanks for reading.

I'd very much welcome any other ideas?

Mohair scarf: Italian yarn:quick project!!!

2007-09-15T05:32:00.000-07:00

Above some pics of my mohair project, probable destiny a scarf.....

It was an italian mohair purchased in 1983, yes really 24 years ago- so it's almost vintage !!!!

I bought it in London and it has travelled with me in my stash ever since, Hampshire, Canada, Wales, London, Oxfordshire you name it and it's been there!!

I thought it was high time I finally MADE something with it, at the time I thought it was a bit pricey and I can't remember the brand but think it was a Filatura Da Crosa , the yarn bands have been lost as I wound it into machine knitting balls on a ball winder many years ago in Canada( 1985 I think), it was meant to be used as the weave fibre in a woven design on a knitting machine but the samples made were dissappointing and it never went anywhere after that.

I have 2 wound balls of the pinky/orange variety and then several more balls in a more purply/ pinks /reds variety that may have been a different shade as it seems quite different.

I also still have a bag full of blue/green - mainly green mohair of the same type but different colours obviously.

I made the above piece on a 7mm hook and a 27 st base chain, then worked 4 x 5 treble fans with a single treble in between.

The colours are fabulous, amazing and the photo doesn't do it justice at all, and it's worked into a very soft lacy, loose fabric, I'm sooooo pleased with it!

I went really BIG with the hook , I think a 4mm hook was recommended ( it must have been quite fine if I'd been thinking of using it on a knitting machine!)

and initially thought I'd try a 5mm or 5.5 mm hook, but this is so much better!

It shows the yarn off as it's so open and lacy.

Dimensions:

44 grammes made a scarf : 20cm wide and 125cm long.

4 pattern repeats of the fans in the width, 57 rows in the length.

Definate colour changes every 2 rows.

( 8'' by 49'' for one ball of 1.5 oz on a K 10.5 hook in 5 dc fans for the U.S.A. readers of this)

What do you think?

Now I have to decide what to do with the remaining ball of the same colour, the 2-3 balls of the purple version and the - yet to be weighed and counted- of the green variety!!!!

Blissfully soft,warm fingerless gloves: my first attempt!

2007-08-17T11:55:00.000-07:00

Above my first attempt at fingerless gloves and I LOVE them!!!

It's from a pattern in Melody Griffiths: Crochet in no time book , but I made them in Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino yarn: they are blissfully soft and aaah soooo warm..!( pardon the pun)

I used a 3.5mm hook and made one glove in an evening: including sewing in all the ends...

The greyed navy is shade 207 , the lilacy baby blue is shade 605 and the deeper lilac is 606.

One glove takes 18 grammes of the navy/main colour,

10 grammes of the deep lilac: or first contrast and

8 grammes of the pale blue colour.

The yarn has 2.5m to each gramme of yarn so that meand you'd need 45 metres of the main colour, 25 m of first contrast and 20 m of the second contrast.( for those of you who are going to substitute and need to know the yardages: 1 yard is 90 cm or 0.9 of a metre.

( ie you'd need 50 yards of the main color - this is for the USA readers)

The book has the instructions for fingers as well but I've never had nor made fingerless ones so I was dying to give them a go.

It's the yarn which makes them unbelievably soft: 12% Cashmere and 55% Merino wool,the rest is microfibre.

Now I have my daughters wanting them for Autumn, but in different colours...!!!

Would be PERFECT as stash buster gloves and superb quick pressies too....Any DK wool or yarn could be used.

Or as they use so little you could make them in a super luxury yarn and not break the bank!

Matching Scarves and Beanies to follow shortly in September: WATCH THIS SPACE!

I have the ideas, and will be writing the patterns...

Circles jacket in turquoise blues

2007-08-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

Here is my current WIP , I wanted to show it to make me get on and finish it : it's been languising in a basket since I had to get on with the baby jackets as they were needed to be finished BEFORE the babies were due!!!!

My sister in law had a baby girl on August 2nd in Delhi, India .

She's called Arina and is absolutely beautiful of course!!!

I'm very much looking forward to meeting her in November when they are due to come back to the U.K. for a while.

The jacket on the left was inspired by a pattern in a Dutch magazine which I bought in Delft in May.

I bought cotton yarns in Delft at the time and added them to the variegated one I already had at home, I had to go and buy a bit( read a lot) more of this from Shipston on Stour...!!!

I'm also adapting the neckline to be a V-neck and am planning to crochet the sleeves directly onto the shoulder line and work downwards so that for once I should be able to get the sleeve length right!!!And if not I can add a bit or undo a bit...!

I'm not yet decided how it will be finished in the front in terms of buttonbands, or not or trimmings or maybe just ties....

The picture on the right is me blocking the 2 front pieces in the very little sunshine we have had this ''summer''....!!!!!

As an update : yes it IS raining again and has been all day with a forecast of 4 more days of the same but at least I thank God ( truly , honestly) that we haven't been flooded unlike some parts of the County of Oxfordshire.

And now I had better get on with working out how to do the stitches for this....!

I'm planning to take it on holiday.....

PS Now I look at it in the pictures I wish I had worked the circle stripes to lie vertically!

Library granny bag

2007-08-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

This is a project that was finally completed beacuse our dog bit through our bookbag which we used on a weekly basis for our library books.

She chewed right through the canvas shoulderstraps : thus rendering it useless!!!

And as my 2 girls and I go to the library weekly and they sometimes take out as many as 10 books each we need a sturdy bag to carry them all home in!!!

Now the granny squares were made from leftover DK cotton ( Sirdar) in October 2005 and I had them lying around as one does in one of my many knitting/crochet /wool baskets....

The photo doesn't do the colours justice because I found a lovely bright royal blue yarn to add to my squares and I think it makes the colours sing a little louder?!

It looks navy on my screen but I guess that's because of the screen colour set up situation....

I crocheted the squares together with the royal blue and then added a border in sc( USA) OR dc ( UK) and nice long straps also in dc.

It's lined in a fine cotton to minimise weight gain but maximise strength (and use!) as books would stretch the granny squares out of all recognition I think!

Unlined it weighs 254 grammes which means I think it took about 70-80 g of the 3 main colours and the rest in the royal blue.

I used a 4.5mm hook throughout and there's surface crochet in the centre of the shoulder straps.

The straps are 130 sts long and crocheted around on both sides of the starting chain.

I liked playing with the colours and the squares and both sides of the bag are different, one is traditional with a central focus and the other has diagonals....

I'm really looking forward to using it.

Katrina's baby jacket

2007-07-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Just finished this about half an hour ago today: the baby jacket for my sister in law who is ''due'' 2 weeks from today...!!!!!

So really it could be arriving anytime now and not be a premature baby....WOW!

She's in Delhi right now and we haven't heard for a while but we're hoping everything is going well, I finished early so we have the time to post this and it may get to her and her baby on time!

She chose the colours and we don't know if this latest addition to the ''Koffler '' dynasty will be a boy or a girl....

I made this from the Melody Griffiths book: ''Crochet in no time '', but don't you believe it I think this took at least 15 to 20 hours or so of crochet time as it uses a 3mm hook!!!

I used the prescribed baby cashmerino wool from Debbie Bliss which is divine to work with: so soft and smooth, warm yet cool to work with- it's the cream component in the above.

I substituted for the green: I used Sirdar's new baby bamboo yarn: a DK bamboo and wool mix,

I love the sheen it has that contrasts with the matt cream wool , but to work with was not so nice.

It splits easily, it had 2 knots in both of the entirely new balls purchased, it also had a fluffy bulky spliced bit right in the middle of one ball.......

When I mean knots: I mean the yarn was not continuous: it had ends which were knotted together!ON a NEW ball of yarn that I paid the normal price for!!!

So I had to undo a bit, cut the knotted parts out and work in the ends which should not have been there..!!!

But hey, what a lovely little jacket - I made the 3 months size and you can't see it but it feels very very SOFT.

It can probably be machine washed at 30 degrees...:

Baby cashmerino is 55 % merino wool, 33% microfibre and 12 % Cashmere. and is a fine DK/ almost a 4 ply: 125m to 50 grammes.

Baby Bamboo is 80% bamboo and 20%wool- 85m to 50 g.

As you can see from the photo it's all in dc ( UK) OR s.c for the U.S.A. readers among you and the shaping is very simple, it's sewn up the back seam to minimise bulk for baby's comfort.

I just love the star buttons made from shell linings: abalone I think.I sewed them on really REALLY tightly and thoroughly as I know the new mum -to -be is very worried about buttons and the risk of choking......After all I have two kids of my own and they didn't choke on any buttons.

Let me know what you think? YOU , OUT there in the ether ??!!!!

And here are the matching bootees that have already made it out there to India in the Royal mail!

With the pattern picture of the jacket from the book.

And now for the hat........

HAPPY Hooking!

Baby jacket in pure cotton DK

2007-07-09T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hi there , sorry I have been almost 2 months away!!!
Been busy partly work - some amazing competition that included a team challenge event for local government managers , partly busy with family and crochet of course!!!
Here is my latest finished project: a newborn - 3 months baby jacket for a baby boy who is expected on Friday the 13th July at the latest- but his mum is hoping he'll come sooner than that!!!!
I used Patons 100% pure cotton DK in the 100 gramme balls, 2 in pale blue and one in the darkershade.
The jacket only weighs about 160 grammes.
I used a 4mm hook and it's all in double crochet ( UK) or single crochet stitches- USA.
I used the pattern from the book: Crochet in NO time by Melody Griffiths and adapted it as the pattern is for a 4 ply and a 3mm hook......
It's not all that quick to do allthough this version is a lot quicker than doing in in a 4ply cashmerino baby wool and a 3mm hook!!!It's in 2 pieces worked from the cuff and sewn up the back seam.
I am now repeating this in the cashmerino baby wool ( Debbie Bliss)and a babybamboo yarn from Sirdar for my sister in law who is expecting her first in August.
My best friend who is expecting the baby this week is expecting her third and won't want to handwash baby jackets!!!
It's softer,warmer but a lot slower to work this time, I'm also doing it in cream with mint green contrast at the request of my sister in law and will do the buttond for a boy as that's what the family is expecting .... there's 4 female grandchildren already...!!!
It'll be a fun surprise if it turns out to be a girl , and the baby won't mind the way the jacket buttons up will it???!!!
If anyone wants to know the stitches , number of rows, tension etc etc for the DK cotton version , just let me know and I can let you have the details of the adaptation.
There's a lot of pale bue and darker blue left over : enough for several bootees and a hat I should imagine..!!!!

UPDATE : MY FRIEND HAD HER BABY: WELCOME TO BABY BEN born on 12th July at 6 lbs 13 oz....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!

PATTERN FOR COLOURFUL CROCHET BEANIE

2007-05-11T04:50:00.000-07:00

Here are close up views of just the beanies, to see the girls wearing them you need to have a look at an earlier post...

The one on the pudding basin- solo at right is HAT NUMBER 1, the iother with the dark purple scallop edge is hat number 2.

Here follows the pattern I used: they weigh about 38-42 grammes each ( as a finished hat) and were made in DK ( UK terminology used throughout with translation at the end for the USA)

weight cotton yarns , it's an ideal way to use up your yarn stash!

I purchased the pink and lime greens specially because I really wanted to play with those colours...

INSTRUCTIONS:

You need a 4mm hook, but I work quite loosely and as the construction is quite stretchy I don't think a gauge swatch is necessary, however if you know you work quite tightly , you may want to use a 4.5 or even 5mm hook?!!

If buying from new you need 5 colours you love, 1 X 50 g ball in each.

I have used the following:

A: Dark purple shiny stranded pure cotton DK - pengouin brand I think

B: FUSCHIA PINK: Rowan handknit cotton

C: LIME GREEN: Rowan Calmer

D: Turquoise: Rowan linen and cotton- it comes wound over a cardboard core- like a toiletroll....

E: Sirdar pure cotton DK in pale lilac

HAT 1:

rnd 1:Using E , ch4 join with slst to form ring

rnd2:ch4,work [1tr,1ch]into the ring 7 times,join with slst to 3rd ch of beg 4ch.

( you now have 8 spokes of a wheel)

rnd3:Ch5 ,work 1tr into chsp( chsp=chainspace) ,ch2*[1tr,2ch,1tr]in next chsp,ch2,rep from *all round,join with slst to 3rdch at beg.

You now have 16 tr.

rnd4:Change to C

Ch5,work1tr in chsp ,ch2,1tr in next chsp,ch2*[1tr,ch2,1tr]in next chsp,ch2,1tr in next chsp,ch2,rep from * all round,join with slst to 3rd ch at beg.

You now have 2 tr in a ch sp and then 1 treble in the next chsp and then it repeats( 2:1 etc)

24Tr.

rnd5:Change to A

Ch5, work 1tr in 1st chsp,ch2,1tr in next chsp,ch2,1tr in next chsp,ch2*[1tr,ch2,1tr]in next chsp,ch2,1tr in next ch sp,ch2, 1 tr in next chsp,ch2 rep from * all round, join with sl st to 3rd ch at beg.

You have a 2:1:1 repeat now and 32 tr in total.

rnd6: Change to B

ch5* work 1 tr in a chsp,ch2, rep from * all round, join with a slst to 3rd ch at beg.

rnd7: repeat round 6 twice more

rnd9:Change to D rep rnd 6

rnd10:Change to E rep rnd 6

rnd11: Change to A

cH 3,WORK 2 TR IN IST CHSP*[work 1 tr in top of tr in lower row,2tr in chsp],rep all round,slst to 3rd ch of beg.

rnd12: Change to C

Ch5,miss the first 2 tr,work 1 tr into 3rd tr of previous rnd,*[ch2,miss 2tr,work 1 tr into top of 3rd tr]rep from * all round,join with slst to 3rd ch of beg5.

rnd13: rep rnd 11

rnd14:Change to B , REP RND 12

rnd 15 , 16 Change to D

REP RND 6 for 2 rounds , placing the tr into the chsp s.

rnd 17:Change to A

REP RND 6

rnd 18 Change to E

Ch1,* work[ 1dc,1tr,1dc ]into each chsp all round, join with slst to beg ch.

Sew all yarn ends in neatly.

FINITO!!!

For USA: EACH tr is a dc, each dc is a sc.

the DK yarn is approx a worsted or light worsted type yarn, category 3 to 4 in the standard yarn weight system.

A 4mm hook is a USA G/6 and for tight tension/gauge people you may wish to try a 7 or H/8 hook.

Beg= beginning ie the 3rd chain of the 5 chain or 3 chain that you did as a start to a new round.

This changes the chains to represent a treble.( USA dc)

HAT 2 : This is the one with the dark purple scallop edge.The taller girl wears it in the photo.

The hats are the same size and stretch to fit.

Work rounds as for hat 1 but replace the colours thus:

R1,2,3,in A

rnd 4 in C

RND 5 in B

rnd 6 in E

RND 7 rep rnd 6.

rnd 8: change to D rep rnd 6.

rnd 9: ch3* work 2 tr in chsp, 1 tr into top of tr, rep from * to last chsp,work 2 tr into chsp, then slst to 3rd ch of beg.

rnd 10: Change to A

cH 5 , MISS 2 TR, WORK 1 TR INTO TOP OF 3RD tR ,* miss 2 tr,ch2,work 1 tr into top of 3rd tr, rep all round ending on a 2 ch, slst to 3rd ch of beg

rnd 11 Change to C

CH5, work tr into top of tr, * ch2, 1 tr into top of tr below,rep from * ending in 2ch then sl st to 3rd ch of beg.

rnd 12 Change to B

rep rnd 6

rnd 13 Change to A, REP RND 9

rnd 14 change to E , rep rnd 10

rnd 15,16: change to C rep rnd 6 twice.

rnd 17: change to B, REP RND 6

rnd 18: change to A :

Ch1, * [work 1dc,1tr,1dc] into each chsp all round, join with a slst to begch.

To finish: work a loose chain in D the length to fit loosely around the intended wearer's head,add 20 cm for a tie with bow or 10 cm for a tie without a bow, finish.

Weave this through the spaces in rnd 16, tie a knot( overhand) with or without a bow, weave ends back into hat, sew ends into hat and secure bow with sewing also if desired.

( Can do the latter with fine matching sewing thread if you so wish)

Variation: Add a crocheted flower to one side instead of the knot or bow....!

Further variations: Add a few more woven in crocheted cords or use ribbons?!

For Winter: make it in wool and thread wool cords or velvet ribbons through it, or finish the lower edge with a Funky fur or similar eyelash yarn!!!

ETC ETC , too many ideas too little time!

Please let me know if you use this at all, it took me a ( school)day to type up and load onto the site, was it worth it?

If someone else makes one then yes , it WILL have been.....

Sew in all yarn ends as invisibly as possible.

Blues Necklace

2007-05-06T14:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a necklace I crocheted as a treat the day before my birthday: it took only a few hours and as my partner didn't have time to shop this year due to an imminent and very important MBA exam , I thought I'd make something to stop too much dissappointment the following morning...

It was cheap too!

I used:

Silver plated wire from the Scientific Wire Company : available from Winnifred Cottage or Rainbow Silks or the knitting shop in Leighton Buzzard, the first one does mail order and has a website. The wire was £3 but I only used a little there's loads left. I used the .2mm thickness.

The beads are the DENIM colur way of beadpacks from Viking Loom beads: it'll take 2 of the big packs at approx £7.25 each.

I used a 4.5mm hook and after threading all the beads on the wire- very easy to do with wire no needle needed!!!!- I crocheted a chain slipping a bead into each individual chain stitch, looping the wire over each bead.

I did add a few extra beads from my stash and a few chips of lapis lazuli for a touch of semi-precious gemstone but mainly it's the denim pack beads.

Finally I added the closure and voila a new piece of jewelry for my birthday!

I get my sterling silver fittings from PG Minerals: www.beads.co.uk and although the ones shown are metal as I'd run out, I'm going to replace them with nice sterling silver ones...

It's comfortable to wear and looks great with Vneck T-shirts!

I hope someone has a go too, it's so easy , quick and effective, let me know what you think?!!

Hip crochet Beanies

2007-05-01T05:34:00.000-07:00

These are my girls wearing the beanies I have just made for them from my own design: pattern to follow shortly!

It was very simple and took only an evening each and even that was sewing in all the ends of those lovely colours.

I used lots of Rowan yarns and some yarn from my stash ans a 4.5 mm hook I think....

The yarns are all about DK thickness - for USA readers that's approx. 12-14 wraps per inch.

The Fuschia bright pink is Rowan handknit cotton- this season's newly bought.

The Lime green is Calmer from Rowan also purchased recently.

The turquoise is a linen and cotton blend from Rowan from last year, I made a cushion cover in Tunisian weave stitch- see the old blogger for photo and details- and I had a bit left over.

The lilac is Sirdar cotton DK- 100% COTTON and quite thick.

The deep purple is a gorgeous shiny multistranded cotton from a French brand I think, it was in my stash...

I bought it in the '' just one ball type of mood'' in Petersfield last summer- I couldn't resist it and yet had no need or purpose for it at the time.....Does anyone else do this?

Any way I love the colours and loved making them and they seem to really like wearing them too so it's WIN WIN all around....

If I get asked I will publish the pattern: it was very simple, mainly mesh from 1 treble, 1 chain...( for USA 1 DC , 1 cHAIN)

It fits all, myself, the kids etc- very stretchy.

Introductions and HELLO!

2007-05-01T05:17:00.000-07:00

Hello here I am in my birthday sweater/jumper from 2006.

I am currently working on my jumper for my 2007 birthday- which was 9 days ago - but only the back has been done so far so it's a WIP.

I get given yarns - or cash- for my birthday you see and then I make myself something....

This is my third blog: I had to make a new one because I changed my e-mail address and as they are linked the old one no longer worked- I got to publish white sheets of screen....!!!

So yes maybe I should have added that I'm not very IT literate or competent but I DO love to blog!!!

My old blog is at www.susanmerryking.blogspot.com

and no I wasn't able to add this into links....Sorry.

My other works in progress are a black cotton DK shrug which has been unpicked twice and which has been annoying me a bit, I went wrong on the Happy Hooker pattern - making it longer and then getting very bored with the mesh and the unruly size of it- it's made all in one: sleeves, back and fronts.....

The I redid it and then I redid it again...Now it awaits my return from more exciting things: like my new jumper in Gedifra FIOCCO ( fab yarn) and Lana Grossa Binario ( ditto very fab)

I am also distracted by doing baby bootees for all my friends and colleagues who are having babies or first grandchildren respectively....

The day before my birthday I had a special treat lined up: I had a go at crocheting with silver plated wire and lots of beads- in a mixture of blues.

Photo and details to follow very soon.

It's turned into an ''OK ''necklace....Not bad for a first go but not fabulous either....