Crochet 'Happy Colours' Cushion

Using up the last few circles from my happy colours blanket, I made a cushion. 

Another delve into the cupboard brought up some more bright colours left over from other projects. A ball here, half a ball there.

The back is made in stripes using up the smallest amounts of yarn scraps. The down side is there are lots of ends to weave in. The dog has since eaten my beautifully light wooden DMC crochet hook. Aggh!

This is going to be a birthday gift for someone.

six months into 2017 and I still have not bought any yarn. 
Staying Power!

Jo xx

WATG What's Love Vest Top

Summer is here and I have finished a real summer knit - something I have never done before. I always knit for winter but this Tina Tape made a beautiful fabric for a summer top.

The What's Love Top kit consists of 4 balls of Tina Tape, rosewood needles, label, sewing up needle and the pattern book. Tina Tape is a tencel yarn made from sustainable Eucalyptus trees and is suitable for vegans.

The top has a nice summer neckline but I have added a sharper armhole to avoid showing my chewing gum grey bra. I can't go without one, the world is a nicer place when I wear a bra!

I started knitting it on holiday, the sturdy paper bag it came in acted as the perfect lightweight knitting container. It was a quick knit in garter stitch with both the front and back the same shape.

There was a heart stopping moment when I thought the dog had chewed up and buried my last ball but it was just the ball band out of the bag under the deckchair I was knitting in. Phew!

As mentioned I just changed the armhole slightly by casting off 2 stitches at the beginning of two rows when I started the arm hole shaping then continued on with the pattern as designed. 

The fabric weave hangs really well and is a pleasure to wear against your skin.

Wool and the Gang Tina Tape is available in kits or in individual balls if you have something already in mind. 

Thanks Wool and the Gang for your kind sponsorship.

Jo xx

Crochet Raffia Hat

I would hate to just make blankets, or just knit socks or just make scarves. For me, crafting is about trying everything out there.

 Here's a new one - crocheting with raffia. Not just any old raffia this is a strong material made specially for crochet because it does not break. For my Minerva make this month, I thought I would try it out.

I am making a summer hat. I am not good at wearing a hat in the summer, I have thick hair, but one with a good brim would be fabulous for sitting in the garden to read, stitch or crochet.

I got stuck on row 24 but realised I had a pattern reading error with brackets and sorted the problem by searching Ravelry and finding out that somebody else had done exactly the same thing!

As I made it I kept trying it on. It looked like a floppy, wobbly, child's hat. I was getting disheartened but persevered.

I tied it off and decided I needed to really block it well.

I blocked it and sprayed it with laundry starch. It was better but still not right. As a last resort I painted it in PVA glue and put it in the sun to dry. YAY! it worked...

I made a plaited braid to add a finishing touch. I am really pleased with the final result even though it required some problem solving to get it to the shape I wanted. 

My Three Top Tips

Crochet one or two rows at a time - the raffia is hard on your hand muscles to pull it through the crochet loops.

Stiffen the hat with PVA glue on the upper and lower brim only not the crown which remains soft and comfortable

Add a plaited braid to complete the hat.

 I love to learn new things and crochet with raffia was a useful skill to learn. It even traveled well inside my suitcase to take on holiday, popping back into shape on arrival.

Jo xxx

Scrap busting Annie Blanket

The girls have a wonderful Brownie Leader who plans fantastic activities every week for the group of girls. Sadly for us but happily for her. She is leaving to have a baby so I thought it was another great chance to get at those yarn scraps, especially the 'brownie' inspired ones. I pooled some from my mum too.

There was a bit of a varied range of thickness but I thought I could make it work with the Annie Blanket pattern from Boho Crochet using a 4mm hook.

I cast on 150 chains and started working the pattern. It was looking a little dull and needed an injection of colour.

One evening I had a rare Gin and Tonic which inspired a hint of mustard yellow to lift the colours.

The largest ball of blue was an aran or chunky so I used this solely for the border on a 4.5mm hook. It framed it really well.

It is not huge but will make a great car seat or pram blanket. The pattern calls for 100 chains but others on ravelry said it was too small that is why I went for 150 as a start (any number divisible by 3 would work)

So a small blanket inspired by the colours of Brownies and Guides in the UK. I have hardly made a dent in my yarn stash although the pile in the first picture is pretty much gone. I have not bought any yarn this year but I have so much left to play with. My pledge to not buy materials is going well. Woohoo!

Jo x

Ps: 29/06/17 She is having a boy. YAY!

Wonderful Weekend

We have had a wonderful packed weekend. Sheep, camp out, den building, wild food, sunshine, a festival, dancing and relaxing.

On Friday we went straight up to the cabin to meet a guy to shear the hebridian sheep. Bloke caught them, Ben sheared them and I wrapped the fleece. It was hot. 

I sloped off and got a meal together in the cabin and we settled down to our usual evening cabin activities: eat, clear up, watch the fire, chat, go on the rope swing and crochet (thats's just me obviously!)

In the morning I crocheted some more sat in the field listening to radio 4 while the girls continued to work on their den building. Our dog was enjoying his first time off the lead at the farm. He did not disturb the sheep, he was just curious.

Big Sis picked elderflowers for making cordial

For someone who has made most things in life including jam, wine and faggots, it seems strange that I have never made Elderflower cordial. It was very easy to make.

At night our town had its annual music festival. We met friends, went to the fair on the waltzers, drank beer, watched fireworks and danced to a fantastic Oasis tribute band called Definitely Might Be.

On Sunday we returned to the festival where Big Sis was dancing with her class mates.

Sunday afternoon was definitely a time for relaxing in our deckchairs in the garden playing cards. This is how Little M holds her cards, in a bulldog clip, it works really well if you have little ones.

What a weekend! 

Hope you had a good weekend too. 
Jo xxxxx

Denim Jacket Stitching

You may recall I said I do not do a lot of stitching but when I do, I fall in love with it and with this project I fell in love, bought new tea towels and moved in with the guy.

This is my daughter in case you think I have lost a terrific amount of weight! She is over the moon with her jacket upcycle I did a few weeks back. 

I used the rest of the magic sheet from DMC to mark out the dream catcher design which I can not claim as my own. It is from Craftsy here. I got stitching and couldn't stop. It was finished in three days.

I did a loft rummage last month to swap the girls clothes over. The older sisters clothes were passed down to the younger sibling and in a bag I found lots of clothes aged 9-10 years which I had forgotten about. They were from my friend with three older girls. They were perfect for Big Sis (good job I found them in time)and in it was this virtually new denim jacket from Zara Kids.

I did use a few more stitch techniques than in the original design. I used some gold threads to make chains to hang the feathers from and I remembered how to do french knots. You've gotta LOVE it.

She wore it to a birthday party. Nine girls all going out for Pizza. Oooh, she is getting a big girl.

My own sixteen year old denim jacket beckons... now where are those threads.

Jo xxx