cosy kindle

After finishing my parrot I took plunge and pulled out my pointy sticks. Not only gave I not inoffensive a year but never done colour work so the kindle project I fell in love with was always going to be a challenge

BUT I rose to it

The charts were the clearest I seen in any magazine so I started Saturday night by the end on night half of it was finished


Sunday I did the other  half and today did endless sewing in  and here is the result.

I love everything about it the colour the changing pattern and especially the bow tie . 

The bow tie special for two reason  one booties are cool and two it crocheted lol I couldn't resist adding a bit of hooky

this is is it in action ....

 Ok I confess it far to big and probably  more iPad  size but I won't tell if you don't

ruffled feathers

Ruffled feathers described how I feel about my subscription to simply crochet . I have been looking around for something else. Then by chance I won a set of knitting needles . They are knit pro and very posh and I planned to give to my mum but I do miss knitting but I love crochet and not touched needles since I learned my first chain . Then I found a new magazine

Let's get crafting it does both knitting and crochet. Each issue you get needles and hook and wool. So I have it a go. I loved it .the projects are small and quick and quirky everything I like so I set about on the cover project

Diago the parrot

I love the detail the ruffles on his wings were a nightmare but the effect is really nice

the wool came with the mag and I love the colour and the shine it has although I could have done with more of the blue 

Looks like I have found answer to my subscription problem and by signing up I get some free hooks to match needles I won  so it was meant to be lol

meet Gerald

I needed break from blanket and wanted something bright  and after flicking through my books I found a giraffe which the cutest face

 I enjoyed making something so cheerful

Do you want to meet him

  I think it's his eyes I like best

 

they were really fiddly . I cut white felt  and used black buttons . It's meant to be safety eyes but I find them really tough 

If any of you have any tips please share with me.

Anyway hope you like him as much as I do best do some of my blankets especially as part three out this week. 

public hooky

Have you ever croched in public ?

I haven't before but not picked up hook for a few days so took the young one to karate  and settled down to make squares

At first I felt awkward but was glad as it filled any awkward silences  but I noticed one mother looking at me oddly. I have seen postings on fave book where people claim people looked at them.funny and never believed it but it definitely was there


Any way not a waste of. Time got three more squares done. Have you got any crochet in public pic stories to share ?

small closed granny pattern

 As I have said my blanket is going to be a long project  so   I don't forget how to make mini squares I have decided to put it here . I originally found this on a blog . So it's not my.pattern  but it's useful for so many projects.

 Make a magic circle
Chain.3  ,11 trebled in the circle
2tr in each stitch
Chain 1 3dc ,1htr 3trb in same stitch ,1htr , repeat three more time

Simple isn't it ?

wild weather

We are being battered by some pretty fierce wind . So I camped out on my sofa  with my.hook and the walking dead.

My magazine finally came in and it's fair to say was little disappointed  so I carried on with my blanket . I know my enthusiasm will dwindle so might as well make as much progress as I charge result is another large square and twenty four little ones

 The picture changes the colours

 however I am loving how bright and cheerful it is which is needed during this weather . 

It going to be huge !!!  I set out the small squares as part of formation and it will be big without the large squares surrounding them . Wish I could see next two parts so exciting !!

the year of the square

 After yesterday's rant I treated myself to a new magazine. So today I bought inside crochet. I have to say it's very nice. I have fallen in love with a mystery blanket pattern.

I have always been jealous of people blankets . I can't even fave the changing involved to start. This year I decided I wanted a motif one. I signed up for a cal and when first pattern.came it was well beyond me . It doesn't I spire me to try rest. So was really happy to see this little beauty

However this is part two !

Part was the little motif in middle . I searched all over and couldn't find pattern. Then I had brain.wave remember my bag project ??

 the squares are perfect  size. 

So although I have a long way to go I have a start of a blanket

My news resolution is to finish it lol

It's in.four parts so will be two more no.the just to get whole pattern. I have decided to make it a long project and will.update the blog on my progress as I confess am also still making the waist coat lol

simply ranting

I love crochet magazines. There us a real.lack of decent modern mags in the UK. My opinion is simply crochet is one of the best
 I subscribed a year ago and I look forward to flitting through its glossy pics

But lately is got later and later and now after four months of being messed around it is due to arrive a week after its been in sale. The customer service is terrible . You say you may leave they say sorry to hear that. The face book page a joke. I don't doubt they work hard but surely there job security rides with us buying. So when we ask what the problem.is .do we not deserve a answer . In age of social media subscribers will gather and compare notes .no longer can we be fobbed  off with royal mail have a issue.

The annoying thing is I could just stop membership but when they get it right . The magazine is a joy. Last month the was best for ages .And the poncho craze seems to have taken internet by storm if I leave am I cutting of nose to spite face. Do I find new mag and just use ravelry or just except that simply crochet cares nothing for its readers.

To help me decide. I have looked back at my.makes this year from.the magazine

 some of these projects were my favourite makes  . I can't bring myself to leave to angry to stay lol I think this is what it means to be British we are good at moaning  but nit so keen to act .

waist not want not

Last year I won.project of the month at my favourite wool shop . I had not been crocheting long so was really excited. And even better got twenty pounds.

My winning entry was this

The wool shop is in Wales 

They have  other shop but the Wales one is like alladins  cave. If you have never been I urge you to try. Here is a link http://www.abakhan.co.uk/ they cater to every type of craft each separated into barns.  And rest of the family not neglected  there is cafe and a park. Plus it only short drive to sea side but sadly for us weather was not on outlets side so we just went to the shop. I bought  one of there discount packs . Just over 12 pounds for ten balls of sidar click chunky  I chose  black cherry it looks like this. 

It's lovely to crochet with  this is it so far 

Can you guess what it is yet? 

Some might not like the humble granny but it remains one of my favourites . It looking lovely so far and think it will look good when finished . If it's nice may be good few getting them.as presents lol .

gifts of Christmas past

 Before we say a fond farewell to Christmas I thought I would show you a couple of gifts I got


 Firstly

This bag  was actually designed for me by a really talented designer

  It made of cotton and don't think the picture does justice to her work . It's beautifully lined. Something I vow to try this year.

My second gift is 

This is a yarn.box from the love of yarn . You can find her on face book

In the box I got 200g merino silk sparkle dk some chocolate a tree decoration a snowman hook and snow man stitch marker and a button . I love this and am actually making my self something that I hope to share with you soon

I will be buying more of these   why is mother's day so far away lol

Did any of you get anything good ?

new year new projects

 Many of you would have seen.the new year in at a party but for me it was a quiet night with a box set and my hooks.


My friends daughter is soon to have a 5th!!!!! Baby so I decided  to make a gift. She has made a daughter a gorgeous blanket as has a mutual friend so I decided it needed to be something else.

 But more important than.what to make was issue of what to use . I am acrylic girl usually and have nothing soft enough  then I remembered my cotton from.wool ware house I bought in summer.

As you can see I have gorgeous colours but I had heard it hard to work with and splitting and the project never seemed right. But hey it's new year time for a challenge so I set to work 

Here is the result 

I really pleased with it . I have only boys and it was a joy to make such a girly  piece . The cotton was harder  but it was ok  . The booties are not perfect and one seems better than the other but we are our own worse critics and I am.sure the baby will forgive me