Saturday 29 November 2014

Fairy Toadstool Houses - pattern

I've been busy making another toadstool - but this is allowed because it's not a distraction, it's to help me write out the pattern.


So I now have four little toadstools and a new pattern to share with you.


The PDF can be downloaded here, or you can go to the Ravelry pattern page for more information, here.

I hope you enjoy the pattern.  Happy crocheting.

Thursday 27 November 2014

Toadstools

Why am I making toadstools?  I have no idea - it's just something I suddenly felt like making.


A sudden urge swept over me and there I was with my first toadstool.


But you can't have just one toadstool, so I made another two - three toadstools is about the right amount.  I shouldn't make any more for the time being - they are very definitely a distraction.





But they look so cute.


I think I'll attach some thread and hang them from the Christmas tree - then I can justify the distraction!

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Freesias

My lovely next-door neighbour gave me some freesias.


So generous, so thoughtful.



They make me smile and I feel so grateful to have such a good friend.

Monday 24 November 2014

Christmas Dove

My Christmas makes are progressing well.  I'm working my way through the list of things I want to make.  Unfortunately, I keep adding to the list.  Not a day goes by without me seeing something inspiring on Pinterest or Ravelry, and so my list grows ever longer.

Most of my makes are totally hush hush - not to be revealed until Christmas Day, but I thought I would share this crocheted project with you.


Isn't it just so cute?




I thought it would make a lovely Christmas decoration.  The pattern is called Amigurumi Doves and it's by Karla Fitch.  It's not a free pattern but very reasonably priced and very well explained.  You can see details of the pattern on Ravelry, here.


It would be fun to make the bird in interesting colours - I'll add that to my after-Christmas-making-list.  Meanwhile it's back to the Christmas-making-list.  I do love lists - but I've a feeling mine are getting out of hand!

Monday 17 November 2014

Putting Christmas to One Side (for the weekend only!)

Confession time - yes I've started knitting a new cardigan, even though I have a mound of Christmas knitting and crocheting to be getting on with.


Look at the gorgeous colour - "heather" - it's so beautiful (the third and fourth photos are a more accurate representation of the colour).


The wool is Shetland 4 ply.  Grace bought me 2 skeins from one of the craft fairs she attended recently.



I don't have enough of the wool to knit a plain cardigan so I'm going to knit plain sleeves and see how much wool I have left and then work a Fair Isle pattern for the body piece.

I've missed Fair Isle knitting and I'm so looking forward to having a play with colours again.

Now, I do have a reason for why I started knitting this cardigan and I shouldn't feel guilty.  We went down to Cambridge at the weekend to see Eve.  Obviously I couldn't take my Christmas knitting with me and, for car journeys, plain knitting is always easiest, so casting on with the new wool gave me something to do on the long drive down.  Now that we're back home, I'm afraid this project will be put away until such time as the Christmas stuff is all done (the night before Christmas probably!)

Anyway, we had a wonderful time in Cambridge.  On Friday when we first arrived we stopped off at the American Cemetery.  This is the only American World War II cemetery in Britain.  It holds the remains of 3812 soldiers, airmen and sailors including 32 civilians.  A further 5127 individuals are remembered on Wall of the Missing.



It was a very peaceful and thought provoking place with an excellent and informative visitors centre.

On Saturday we walked across the meadows to the village of Grantchester.


Excuse me!  I think you're blocking the path.





Virginia Woolf and her friends used to come to Grantchester for afternoon tea, sitting in the deck chairs in the garden at The Orchard.


It was a bit cold for us to sit outside so we made ourselves comfortable in the pavilion and had our own afternoon tea.


We found a lovely old pub in Cambridge with a great atmosphere for a relaxing drink in the evening.

It was wonderful to see Eve again.  The weekend went so quickly but we will be seeing her again soon when she comes home for the Christmas break.

This thought sets me panicking!  I'd better get on with the Christmas knitting, crocheting and over-ambitious making before she gets back.

I hope you had a lovely weekend and that Christmas isn't creeping up on you too quickly.

Friday 14 November 2014

Imagining

Relaxing Autumn days.

A walk along the promenade watching the waves crashing in at high tide.




Watching the Isle of Man ferry about to enter the port of Liverpool and imagining a boat trip to somewhere warm and exotic.


Where shall we go?

Wednesday 12 November 2014

Lucky Me

I've never won anything from other people's giveaways, mind you, I don't really enter that many.  So it was a wonderful surprise to find out I had won the giveaway organised by Ginny at Ginx Craft.

In the post today I received this lovely package.



And inside were these beautiful knitted hearts (my favourite shape) with snowflakes embroidered on them.


The blue yarn has a lovely metallic thread in it so the hearts have a bit of a sparkle.



Our Christmas tree will be going up shortly and I look forward to hanging these up.

Thank you, Ginny for your lovely gift.

Tuesday 11 November 2014

A Need for Colour

My Christmas knitting and crafting is coming along nicely.  I've made great advances and I'm really pleased with my progress.  I have, however, felt the need for some colourful crochet diversion.

There's something about colour and crocheting that make them ideal as a pick-me-up when you're feeling a bit down.  So I grabbed a basketful of colours, a crochet hook and de-stressed for a while.


This has been great fun to work on as I'm making it up as I go along - always stimulating and challenging.


There's still quite a way to go and I've put it to one side again now whilst I get back to Christmas makes, but it is destined to be something big and hopefully I'll be able to show you shortly.

Do you have a favourite way to de-stress?  Reading other people's blogs, I think that crochet is a popular way with lots of you.

Tuesday 4 November 2014

Fabric Frame

November here already - it's one of my favourite months because it means I'm busy getting stuck into Christmas planning and making.

The only problem is that I like to be very secretive about my Christmas makes - I love the "SURPRISE" element - so I can't share with you what I'm making at the moment as Grace and Eve will read all about them.

[Don't worry Eve, I'm not knitting any more Nativity figures!]

Fortunately, I had a break from Christmas crafts, a small diversion (I do so love a diversion!), so I do have something I can share with you today.

Here it is, inspired by something seen on Pinterest, a fabric covered frame.


I started by finding an old framed print that was no longer wanted.


I stripped it down to basics (I kept the print - it might come in useful the some other project - you never know).


I cut lots of strips of fabric from my rag bag collection.


Then I got really and truly sticky with the PVA glue.  I just wound the strips around the frame, being very liberal with the glue.



Some of the fabric strips had a decorative lace edging which I retained and I think it looks good.



All finished - but what to put inside it?  I thought about suspending something but I haven't found anything suitable yet.


For the time being I've propped it up against the window.


And maybe it doesn't need anything in it - I can just enjoy the view.


I hope you are having a jolly time crafting, whether it's for Christmas or not.  I'm back to my secret stuff but I'll try and find more things to share with you before too long.