Rainbow Daisy Blanket and Hat Set

It’s been fun getting back to a bit of crocheting and the fact that I was using chunky yarn meant that the project grew quickly and was finished with just 6 days of work. 

Because I had enough yarn left, I made three little hats, so as baby grows she will still have one that fits, for a while at least.

I also got it some stitching during the past week.

I added a few strands of floss on ‘ Palace of the Winds’ Wednesday.

This is where I left it

And this is where it is now.

Not a lot of progress I know, but every little helps, right!

Thursday and Friday I work on one of my NYE 12 x 12 starts ‘Hello Winter’ from Plum Street.

And then I joined in with the Chatelaine Weekender but only stitched on Butterfly Lace on Sunday.

This is where she was when I left her last Sunday,

And this is her now.

Again it doesn’t look like a lot of progress but I finished one of the 1 over 1 small butterflys and made a little start on the next big one.

It’s turned a little warmer here in the UK today, but instead of the freezing cold , we high winds and rain, so what better excuse to stay in and stitch.

Have a great week and ………..

  

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Rainbow Daisies Blanket & Hat

Designer - Kerry Jayne Designs

Yarn - James C Brett Flutterby Chunky  &  Stylecraft Special DK

Purchased from – The Wool Warehouse

Palace of the Winds

Designer - Jan Hicks Designs

Fabric – 36ct Evenweave – Light Grey

Threads – Cottage Garden  Threads

Hello Winter

Designer – Plum Street Samplers – Paulette Stewart

Fabric – 36ct Edinburgh Linen – X JuDesigns – Grey Sand

Threads – Called for Weeks Dye Works & DMC (sub Driftwood for DMC 3790)

Butterfly Lace Mandala

Started 9^th September 2021

Designer -  Martina Rosenberg - Chatelaine

Fabric – 28ct Jobelan Evenweave – Antique White

Threads – Called for Silks, DMC and Petite Treasure Braid

Beads – Swarovski Crystals and Delica Beads

  

Butterfly Lace Mandala - Chatelaine

 I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t put a single stitch in this since 8^th January last year and as my oldest Wip, it need to be finished.

For that reason I’ve decided to join  in with the Chatelaine Support groups  ‘Chatelaine Weekender’ on Facebook again, in an effort to have some progress.

So, this past weekend and every weekend from now on, assuming I’m free, I’ll be stitching on it every evening from Friday to Sunday.

I worked on the left hand side and finished another of the I over 1 butterflies, all be it one of the smaller ones.

I then worked on the background and added some of the Rhodes and Algerian Eye stitches to the border.

Whenever I've had some time spare in the afternoons, I’ve been picking up my crochet and putting a few rows into the Rainbow Daisy blanket.

 Happy Stitching and Crocheting!

Sue

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Butterfly Lace Mandala

Started 9^th September 2021

Designer -  Martina Rosenberg - Chatelaine

Fabric – 28ct Jobelan Evenweave – Antique White

Threads – Called for Silks, DMC and Petite Treasure Braid

Beads – Swarovski Crystals and Delica Beads

 

Rainbow Daisies Blanket & Hat

Designer - Kerry Jayne Designs

Yarn - James C Brett Flutterby Chunky  &  Stylecraft Special DK

Purchased from – The Wool Warehouse

Welcome to ‘Palace of the Winds’ Wednesday!

Some people like to have structure to their stitching and know what they will be working on and when.

Now that definitely doesn’t apply to me because I don’t usually have many wips on the go and unless I’m working on something that has a deadline, I tend to pick up whatever takes my fancy and quite often stitch on it until it’s finished.

That’s all changing this year though because I've created ‘Palace of the Winds Wednesday’ for myself, in an effort to get the first of my two oldest wips finished this year.

I started 'Palace of the Winds' from Jan Hicks almost a year ago, January 14^th to be precise and I only worked on it for 19 days in all, so it’s time to get a wiggle on and get it finished.

This is where I left it

And yesterday I worked on the left-hand side.

Today I had a lovely colourful delivery and a new start on this sweet crocheted pram/cot cover to get underway this evening.

 

Happy Stitching and Crocheting!

Sue

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Palace of the Winds

Designer - Jan Hicks Designs

Fabric – 36ct Evenweave – Light Grey

Threads – Cottage Garden  Threads

A New Year and a New Start…….. All be it a little late!

 Here we are, half way through January and here I am wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and yes, like many of you I was pleased to see the back of 2020 for more reasons than one.

Firstly the pandemic which is affecting everyone –

I’m fortunate that up to now no one that I know and love has been taken by it, but a few did actually catch the virus which was worrying.  At least we have the vaccine now, so my fingers are well and truly crossed that we can soon get back to some sort or normality pretty soon.

The next reason 2020 was a crap year for me was the loss of my sweet companion BoJangles back in November –

It’s so sad and strange not to have his little paws on my lap when I crafting.  I miss him so much.

And lastly, it was the problem with my eyes that made 2020 a bit challenging.

I won’t go over it all again, as I’ve mentioned it on here before but I’ve had various problems since my detached retina but in 2010, culminating in a cataract operation that didn’t go to plan and left me with bad double vision, but the good news is that back in September I had laser treatment on it and it’s virtually back to normal now and I can finally get back to my first love……cross stitch!

So, onto the ‘crafty’ stuff!!

Up until now, because I was unable to stitch, I’ve been filling my time with knitting and crochet.  So when a friend of my was clearing out her loft and came across a Tiny Tears doll that her Grandmother brought for her when she was a child(She’s 60 now!) and told me she would never get rid of her but her clothes were looking tied after all those years, I decided to made some for her as part of her Christmas present.

As you will see from the photos, I had a small problem because they made two different sized Tiny Tears and not knowing what size hers was I had to guess……and got it wrong, Lol.  Mind you, she was still pleased with them.

So are you ready for the Tiny Tears Fashion Show?

The next thing I worked on was a disaster too.

Back in 2019 I decided to knit myself this jacket in a Deep Plum yarn. 

I finished it but felt that because it was knitted on 10mm needles, the stitched were very loose and it didn’t hang right.  So it sat in a bag in the bottom of the cupboard until December last year, when I decided to unpick it and knit it again, this time on smaller needles. 

Now fully finished for a second time, I’m still not happy with it.

I don’t know what it is, may be the fact it has no neck shaping, I just don’t know, but what I do know is that it’s going to be unpicked again and next time I’m going to knit a jumper instead.

 

My last project was crocheted.

I’ve been using up some of the many odd balls of wool to crochet lap blankets that will go to one of the many projects on the Helping Hands Facebook Group.

The one I’ve finished was using the mile a minute pattern, where you crochet strips and join them together.

And the second one, which I am still working on will be made with granny squares.

 Well that’s it from me for now.  Join me next time to find out what my new discovery has been during lockdown.

 

Please stay safe in these uncertain times and

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

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Please feel free to leave a comment if you stop by.

No Excuses!

Having had so much time on my hands over the last few months, I’ve absolutely no excuse for not updating my blog.

Unfortunately I’ve been unable to do any cross stitch. (my first love). 

Because of complications during an operation to remove a cataract back in 2018, I was left with double vision in my Left eye and awful glaring from any bright lights.

I did try to work on ‘A Heart Full Of Gratitude’ from The Songbirds Garden series, which I started back in May, but it's worked on 36 count linen and I have to work with a magnifier and lamp.

You can guess where this is going!

The glare from the lamp and the tiny stitches were proving to much of a strain on my eye, so I finally had to give in and put it away, but the good news is that last week I finally got to see a consultant and they are going to do laser treatment, which hopefully will improve things.  Fingers crossed I don’t have to wait too long for the appointment, although, with another lockdown starting next week, who knows.

Anyway, on the upside, I’ve still been able to knit and crochet and have been continuing to keep busy.

Firstly I wanted to use up the oddments of wool left over from making the rainbows at the start of the first lockdown back in March………I hate waste!

I made a bunting to hang in my window, consisting of crochet, padded hearts and pompoms. 

Then it was back to knitted and crocheted items for the NICU at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow and I was able to send them a largish parcel of clothes, a bunny, 3 blankets, and some Octopi (or Octopuses if you prefer) back in August.

I’ve still more to catch up with, so don’t forget to pop back.

 

Please stay safe in these uncertain times and

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

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Please feel free to leave a comment if you stop by. 

Crochet Till The Cows Come Home

 Like many little girls, it was my mum that showed me how to knit when I was a child but crocheting was something that she never managed to master.  I actually taught myself with the help of a library book when I was around 6 years old.  

Back then I was making clothes and blankets for my dolls, later progressing to Granny Squares and my first full sized blanket at around the age of 7 or 8.  That one has long gone but I still have the second one I made a year of two later, the pattern coming for a monthly part work.

I find it hard to believe this is more than 50 years old!

I’ve always preferred crochet to knitting, probably because it grows much quicker, and many items from cotton doilies to jumpers have passed off my hook over the last 50 odd years.

So back to today and my latest commission.

While browsing on Ravelry.com (somewhere I love to frequent far too often)  I came across a wonderful patterns for a baby blanket/cuddly toy but at the time I had no one to make it for, so forgot all about it.

Then out of the blue I had a call from a friend asking if I wanted a ‘little’ job.

Her friends Goddaughter was expecting twin boys in August.  She had seen the same pattern as I had and wanted two of them as special gifts for the boys, but she doesn't crochet and was looking for someone to make them for her.  I can't tell you how happy I was to have the change to make them.

I purchased the pattern, you can find it  Here  in the Crochet Arcade's

Ravelry Store and there were four options to choose from, a Pig, Sheep, Cow

or an Elephant.

The decision was made to make two the same and the Cow fitted the bill perfectly…..one pattern, two different contrast colours! 

Then, just to use up the left over wool, I made a couple of Octopuses.

i

Fortunately I started making these straight away because the two boys decided to make an early appearance and are here already.

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

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Please feel free to leave a comment if you stop by. 

Princess Blankets

Finally,  I have finished my first two projects of the year and they are now with their new owners.

Around about the middle of last year I came across the pattern for a crocheted princess blanket on a great resource for knitting and crochet patterns, Ravelry . Com  and immediately knew two little munchkins ( my Goddaughters two girls) who would just love to snuggle under them.

I purchased Carol Hladik’s Pattern from the site and started work on them but after having a couple goes I gave up.  I was getting confused, trying to convert the US crochet terms into UK ones, and struggled to find a suitable thickness of wool.

In the end, I decided to do my own thing, using double knit yarn and only using the pattern for inspiration.

This is how they finished up.

The Blue blanket is based on Cinderella and the Yellow one on Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

I made mine on a full yoke and added sleeves, so they can slip over their heads, keeping their arms and shoulders warm when snuggled under their blankets.

Another difference is my embellishments around the skirt were made separately and attached to the blanket.

And finally, who ever heard of a princess without a crown.

I adorned these two with little pearls.

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

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Please feel free to leave a comment if you stop by.