Blue Skies and Breezy Days

 More photo heavy than word heavy today. Tonight I have finished my one skein shawl scarf - it just flew off the hook!

It is one of those patterns that is a real boon because you just keep crocheting until the yarn runs out. You start at the narrow end and then make the rows longer and longer to make a big sort of sword shape. 

I wondered how it would work when wearing it but it is very versatile making a range of neck shapes.

It has an air of Spring about it - light and breezy with hues of blue skies to come.

It was well blocked and stretched to open up the texture of trebles.

If you have been 'hooked' by the photos, the pattern was from here.

Thanks for popping in as always. Jo xxx

Easy Peasy Presents

I am spending my evenings making some gifts using what I already have. The sock yarn scraps are a little lighter after making these cowls. I don't like a saggy cowl but a neck warmer is much more cosy I think.

I chained just enough to go over my head (about 68 I think) and then crocheted rows of granny stitch to my hearts content.

The pink and coloured yarn is drops fabel which I have made a pair of socks from. I have no idea where the the fawn colour has come from...

...but they made a good mix.

Next up I tried a blue version to wear with a denim jacket. 

These are ready to wrap for a couple of young ladies at Uni.

Little M saw me crocheting them and said can you make me a purple one so I made her one too which she loves wearing. It is a bit long for her because I used my own head to measure the initial chains. Duh!

My sock yarn has not disappeared completely, there is still a little pile to play with.

Here is the link to the gift wraps that I use. You might find it useful if you make things.

Are you making any gifts? Jo xx

All of the colours

My knitting mojo has left me and wandered off some place else. I have tried five times to start a new sweater and I have just had to put it away for a while before I totally loose the plot and bury the wool and the pattern in the garden. After each knitting failure, I made a few crochet motifs to cheer myself up. The scarf became more enjoyable than the sweater so it came together quickly 24 flowers later.

The pattern is called Summer Palace by Jane Crowfoot. I bought it at wonderwool in Wales in the Spring after seeing a beautiful sample shawl on a mannequin. My friend Chantal said she loved it but she can't crochet. I sneakily bought the pattern while she wasn't looking therefore this scarf is her surprise Christmas present.

This is it before blocking. It looks better after blocking but I have a feeling that I might have a few too many stitches around the edges because I went off pattern for the border.

I did make some changes. I used acrylic DK leftovers instead of 4ply for a 'brights' version to stash bust some leftovers. I made two rows of motifs to get a chunky scarf rather than an ethereal shawl. I think she would get more wear out of this style.

The edges were better after blocking and the 3D flower motifs pulled out some spaces which gave them better definition and allowed for the border to have some room.

Tied as a scarf it is really nice and chunky around the neck.

These tags are new. They were 40p from the Minerva Crafts sale. I just popped them on the end of an order I was making so it seemed a good buy. They are lovely quality and a real finishing touch to a homemade gift.

First of my making presents done ready for December. Whooo!

Thank you for all the dress love you expressed on my last post, it really was appreciated.

Thanks for calling in. Any making plans? Jo xxxx

Crochet Jewel Cowl

I have been working on an easy crochet project to use up some cotton yarn: Drops Muskat from a baby blanket and Rowan glace from my crochet top. I had a flick through my crochet books for some inspiration. 

This beautiful cowl was in Granny Squares and Flower Motifs by Nicki Trench. I started to make the grey squares but knew I would run out of grey before the end so I began to incorporate some of the other colours on the second round. I also knew I would have to scale mine down too - I couldn't make 111.

 

They were easy to make, if not a little addictive. There was always time to make at least one every day.

I managed to make 62 before the grey ran out meaning the cowl would consist of 3 rows of 20 squares (the mathematicians among you will have worked out I had two left over!) I left long tails on them for sewing up and weaving in all at the same time. A good early move.

I sewed them into long strips spreading out the colours and then joined the strips along the long edge. I wasn't quite satisfied with the overall look; it definitely needed a border.

One row of double crochet finished it off really well. It is a snug fit which will keep me warm. Luckily, I don't really like cowls that just hang like a long necklace. This will be my new playground duty scarf for my new job at school.

That is not an intended sultry look but the gaze of a woman trying to work out if the cowl would be in the photo frame while pointing it at a mirror!

A great stash buster. I have a bit of yarn left over so it is not all done yet and you know me, I couldn't throw away those two odd squares. Thinking caps on for a complete stash buster...

Thanks for dropping in. Jo xx

All Done #23 Silky Scarf

My All Done posts feature a project that finishes off a fabric or material that would otherwise get hoarded or unused. I have achieved this heady outcome 23 times! Today I found six squares of crochet from my Summer dress make. 

After I made the dress, and whilst on holiday, I found it to be too long so I removed three squares from the front and three from the back. The length was much better on me but this double run of three squares was hiding in the bottom of my knitting bag. I decided to make a quick Christmas present by joining them.

There were two remaining balls from Wool and the Gang. I made three more squares, added it to the run, then double crocheted two rows to neaten the edges. There was still nearly a whole ball left so I embarked upon a subtle shell border to use it all up. 

The yarn is 100% Tencel, this is a super soft sustainable yarn made from eucalyptus trees which is perfect for use around your neck because it creates a silky delicious drape. It is lovely and long.

This gift is for my next door neighbour. She is so good to me with babysitting when I want to go to my dance class when bloke is on a night shift. I taught her to crochet about four years ago and she threw herself into it but she had to stop because she had problems with her dexterity. She really deserves this.

I added a label printed on velum which you might find useful to bookmark from here or here.

I love seeing what everyone is making for Christmas presents. Let the making begin... 

Jo xxxx

Are you Stroking it or Knitting it?

Do you save yarn and stroke it or are you inclined to use it up? I used to save craft materials for some sort of epiphany project but I soon learnt that the best way to showcase the materials I enjoyed buying was to wear them and show them off to everybody, not just the inside of my cupboard.

I bought this skein in Buxton at Easter. It was a treat - a treat to myself for getting through such a dreary wet Easter holiday - but I wanted to knit with it straight away.

I went on Ravelry to find a project worthy of the yarn and 365m of it. In the end, I thought the most sensible thing to do was to do a yarn search for Peak District Yarns in Ravelry and behold one of the dyers patterns came up and I thought that was an ideal way of knowing that one skein would make something wonderful. I ordered the shawl pattern called 'The Torrs'

This was my holiday knitting project, a one weeker. I got it going before I went to ensure it was all going to be OK and then I sat in the sunshine, and once in the rain under a brolly, knitting away. It grew quickly because every other row increases by four stitches so a flexible needle was a must.

I was surprised by the size of it considering it was one skein.

I completed the last five rows at home, it took over an hour to do the Russian cast off on so many stitches. It used the yarn up to the very end which was a joy. I missed the last two knit rows to ensure I had enough for the cast off - glad I did! On completion it looked like a screwed up tea towel but blocking is an essential part of this make where the piece comes alive.

I didn't even know I had two chins, that's selfies for you!

Hooray! a draping shawl/scarf made from wool off a sheep and dyed by a human hand. I really like it - it is for me of course!

Do you have a special skein you are stroking?

Jo xxxx

All Done #17 - Victoria Shawl

This is my 17th All Done post. These posts will hopefully inspire you to use up some kind of craft stash all the way to the very end - no saving a bit for later, hiding it under the bed or stuffing it in a cupboard.  With nearly four balls of Drops Alpaca in this beautiful shade Golden Rod, I have made two scarves. It was given to me by my good friend Christina. 

I seem to be linking Christina in many of my posts in 2018 but I am using her free sock patterns at the moment and she is often kind enough to lighten her own load by sending me spare materials as happy post. 

This is my second go at the the Victoria Shawl by Cherry Heart.I made the first one in a highly patterned sock yarn and you could not really see the little puff details or the spaces that create little butterfly shapes. I always said if I did this again, I would do it in a plain colour. 

I ran out before the border was complete so I used grey sock yarn to complete it. The border isn't quite as the pattern but it is similar and met my yarn requirements. I would have preferred a lighter grey but I didn't have any however, this alternative is actually quite striking.

As with many a crochet project, wet blocking is what makes this shawl special. The holes open up and the border becomes pinpoint perfect. This one is for my friends birthday in March.

Victoria uses up the rest of the yarn after my previous scarf, One and Done by Casapinka which I have kept for myself and worn quite a few times already.

What wonderful yarn but it is all done now and has made me very happy. Thanks for dropping by.

Jo xx