Ta-Dahhh!!

Yes, finally my project is finished.

Here he is in all his glory.

 (click on the picture for bigger)

He is quite large.  Too big in fact to lay out on my teeny tiny living room floor, so he was laid out at the cafe where we have our knit and natter group.  Size-wise, he just about fits on a double bed.

He didn't need many finishing touches, I just crocheted round the edge to neaten him off.

I'm so very very chuffed with myself for completing such a big project, in a fairly short space of time.  About 6 weeks altogether.  And most importantly, number one son is over the moon with his surprise present.

It's been a while...

The last six weeks or so have been busy. Almost every spare moment has been taken up by "the project". (I did  have a week off when  #1 son was on school holiday.  It's his surprise).   The pile of yarn on the previous post has been transformed.  Firstly it was transformed into 927 teeny tiny squares.
This is what 927 squares looks like.

Doesn't look much does it?

Well, let me assure you, it looks very much different now!

All my teeny tiny squares have been sewn together.  I am finishing off the edging.

I've been taking "the project" to my knit and natter group.  On Friday I finally finished the sewing up and held it up to show the group.  I was thoroughly surprised when a random stranger in the cafe where we meet came up to say how brilliant it was.  I'm so excited I just want to get it finished now.  I reckon it'll be another couple of days and then I can post my big "ta-dahhhh"



                         

Inspiration

When I'm not crocheting, I often like to look at crochet on the internet.  Pinterest is a great site.  For me I like to use it the same as bookmarks, only instead of text links you  have pictures.  I think this is great.  There have been many times when I've ploughed through my long list of bookmarks, because I know I bookmarked a link for something, and can never find it.  With Pinterest, you can easily find the picture.  It's not just for crochet and crafts, you can pin anything!

I'm also a huge fan of the craftzine blog, which is where I came across THIS.  Now, NO.1 son loves Pokemon, I love crochet.  I could feel a plan.

There was much google-ing.  There was a great deal of
messing around with imaging programs.  There was a lot of counting, and some maths.  There was a trip to the market which resulted in this little lot.

And now there is frantic hooking!
By the end of the project there will be:
556 Yellow 
257 Black  
75   Peach
24   Red
13   Brown
2     White  squares.


Can you tell what it is yet?!

Wanted...More hours in the day

Busy. Busy. Busy.

As the title of my last blog said....So much to do and so little time.

The big brown blanket is finished.  Gone off to it's new home.  A quick run through the washer, and the scratchy-ness was almost gone.  A few more washes and it will be lovely and soft.

The "Secret Santa" cushion cover was made, and finished and is winging it's way across the seas.  Again, it was made from the scratchy wool, but it looked lovely, and washing instructions were included.

I managed to squeeze in a few bits for my knitting groups Christmas stall.  There were my flower pin cushions, which I forgot to photograph, Some mini santa's, reindeer and snowmen, (pics to follow) and this rather simple and very lovely cushion, which didn't even make it to the stall, but was snapped up by another group member for rather a sizeable donation.  All proceeds from the sale went to the RNLI.  A very worthwhile cause, especially for us coastal dwellers.

I also made 8 mug cosys, filled the mugs with chocolate, and hot chocolate sachets and marshmallows, and wrapped them for my daughters friends.  Totally forgot to take pictures ...Doh * slaps self on head in Homer Simpson style*  Trust me...they were brilliant!

And finally.....

Another blanket.  This took 2 weeks of solid hooking.  Every spare moment.  I did at least 4 hours a day on this.  6 or more most days.  It's a Christmas present for someone who helped us out last year when we were really stuck, and helped us out again this year.  My "good samaritan".  I hope he likes it

I've also managed to squeeze in 2 carol concerts, a class assembly and a trip to see the school choir at the library in the last week.  Daughter 2 has presented me with a latch-hook ladybird which she wants me to make into a cushion "for nanny...for Christmas..."  Right-ho....what colour do you want that in...."

So much to do, so little time

So, it's been a while!
Christmas is hurtling towards us at an alarming rate.  I'm still trying to finish the big brown blanket, which seems to have stopped growing.  I keep going round and round and round, and I swear it's still the same size.

I'm also working on a Secret Santa.  This is causing me quite a headache.  I was going to make my recipient a lovely scarf.  I'd bought the yarn and everything...except when I was notified of my giftee, it turns out she lives abroad.  Somewhere HOT.  So, she's not going to need a scarf, a hat or wrist-warmers then.  Hmmm.  I've decided on a cushion. I'll post a pic of that at a later date.

I'm also trying to crochet for the knitting groups Christmas Fair.  I've made a few simple flowery pin cushions so far, and some teeny tiny Christmas stockings for tree decorations, but I think I'm somewhat lacking in inspiration.
There is something I did make and finish all in one day.  These lovely wrist-warmers which I made for my 10 year old daughter.

No pattern, I just made it up as I went along, but made notes so I could do the second one the same.

And will you look at that button!
  I bought a 1KG mixed bag of buttons from ebay and there were 2 of these lovely, sparkly buttons.  Perfect!

Now, back to the blanket....

Pom tiddly pom pom

One day, a couple of weeks ago I was collecting youngest daughter from school, and she pointed out a school friends rather fascinating scarf.  More of a novelty than a neck warmer, it appeared to be a load of pom poms, threaded on a string.  A quick google revealed it to be from Claires accessories.  If you were in Claires a few days later you might of seen me, gasping in shock....£12. Twelve English Pounds.  For a bit of i-cord and a few wooly pom poms.  (Accessorize/Monsoon have similar for £22)

Pah, says I.  I could make one of them for nothing.

And so I did.  

So simple to make.

Knit/crochet/use one of those dolls with pins in the head a length of i-cord.  I knitted mine using double pointed needles.  

Length is up to you.  Mine is approx waist length on my daughter.

Get yourself a pom-pom maker.  This isn't the one I used although it is very similar.  4 pieces which clip together.  Much easier than trying to thread the cord onto pom-poms, or cutting out circles of cardboard.

I added a few stitches through the cord to secure each pom-pom.

And now I'm going find some scissors and clip that rogue thread off the middle pom pom...

Bits and Pieces

How time flies!

September seemed to be a busy, busy month.  Eldest went off to high school, the other two (who we are now referring to as "Jedward"...if you don't know who they are, lucky you) are back at Primary, which leaves me at home with my lovely smiley baby.  Baby is proving to be an absolute joy.  Seldom whiny, often sleepy, generally hungry, usually happy, occasionally smelly.

Once the older kids were back at school, I decided to check out the knit and natter group again. They are a lovely bunch, of mainly older ladies.  (Wool-crafts are still generally seen as an old-ladies pastime round here, which is a shame, I'm hoping to make it a bit more rock 'n' roll).  We meet in a beach side cafe, and spend as much time knitting as we do gazing out of the huge windows at the ever-changing view.

Anyway, I've been working hard for the last couple of days on a fairly quick easy project.

Bits and strange pieces.

As you can see from the off-cuts it's a colourful piece, and what could those strange plastic bits be for?

All will soon be revealed!

A gift from a friend

Most of my friends know what I get up to of a evening.  Several have received the fruits of my labour as birthday or Christmas presents.  Occasionally one will find a ball or two of yarn and donate it to my ever expanding stash.  One day I got a knock on the door to find a friend with a huge massive laundry bag, crammed full with all sorts of woolly goodness.

It's always exciting when you find a new stash to root through, and this was no different.  Among all the usual half used balls of acrylic were several brand new packets of wool.  Wool.  Proper wool.  Wool from a real sheep. Undyed, unbleached, naturally coloured wool.

So, I'm making her a blanket!  (What else)  Partly as a thank you, and partly to use up this vast resource of wool that I'd struggle to find another use for.

One problem is, that it is really scratchy.  I did hook up a quick sample square, and ran it through the washing machine.  It came out much softer and after a couple more washes it was really nice.  But, I need to finish the blanket before I can wash it.  I've not made as much progress as I'd of liked, as it even irritates through my clothes, so I end up wrapping a baby blanket round me before I start, and that gets a bit warm in the summer!
Now the nights are drawing in, and it's getting a bit chilly-er of an evening I hope to make a bit more of an effort to get it finished.  Ah well, I've got till Christmas and that's aaages off yet!

Taking the Plunge.

I'm not the most sociable of people.  I like my own company, and to be honest I don't always share a lot of interests with people, especially those my own age. I find it hard to walk into a place where I don't know anyone.  I hover on the sidelines, then slink away un-noticed.  I've spent the last 9 weeks avoiding the Sure Start people who are desperate to get me to join in with their "Mums and Babies" groups, but apart from the "Baby" bit, I can't see myself having much in common with everyone else (I have met most of the mums with similarly aged babies already. I can tell we're not going to find much common ground).
There is, however one group I've been thinking of visiting.  The "Knit and Natter" held once a week at a local cafe.
So, I lured the 2 daughters along with the promise of a plate of chips, strapped baby in his pram and off we went.  As I said, I'm not really good at "this sort of thing", so I selected a nearby table and decided to just observe for the time being.
They looked a nice enough bunch.  All of the older, retired age group, and they were knitting and crocheting away over cups of coffee.
Not wishing to impose myself I decided to come back another day, maybe when the kids are back at school...but oh...what's that on the floor under the pram....
I picked up a stray crochet hook, grabbed the baby and tentatively announced "erm...excuse me...I think this belongs to one of you..."

A stray crochet hook, earlier today.

Both baby and baby blanket were seized by enthusiastic knitters, questions were asked, and compliments paid.  I ended up staying another half an hour while blanket and baby were passed round the group.

I am going back when the kids are back at school, but the hard bit has been done.  I've said hello.

Cases for kindles

I love gadgets.  Things with buttons that I can press and fiddle around with.  Time savers and time wasters.  Either or, I love them!
My best Christmas present last year was a kindle.  I like to read, and often take the kids to play centres, you know the type, indoor slides and ball pools.  Great opportunity for me to catch up with a book.  Trouble is, I've always got a nearly finished book, so do I just take the one book, or do I take another in case I finish the first one... I want to read this book, but it won't fit in my bag...etc.   And so the Kindle solves your problems.  Small, light and lovely!

Obviously new gadgets, need a cover or a case, and there's nothing so simple as a crocheted Kindle case.

Isn't it pretty?!  

Simply make a chain just long enough to go round your kindle, (I tend to make it a tight fit as the finished article usually has a bit of give) join your ends, then single crochet round and round and round until it's big enough.  Sew up your bottom, weave in your ends and you're finished!