What have I been doing with my time?!

I *have* been knitting, in amongst the working, driving and toddler-wrangling! I'm writing this in a precious, free moment while Small is at nursery. This is my latest project:

I usually avoid any yarn that is variegated or flecked, but this is just gorgeous-it's a tight cotton and the colours go so well together. I had worried that this kind of mercerised cotton would be too shiny for knitting a garment, but the shop where I bought it had a top knitted up in the 4-ply version and it was beautiful and not too shiny at all. This is going to be a tunic dress for Small, the "Rosina" tunic dress from Ravelry by Libby Summers. I've already put some notes on Ravelry in case anyone is thinking of knitting this.

I also managed a quick Easter basket which I finished on, er, Easter Saturday!

This is from a free pattern from the Let's Knit website and it was a quick crochet project in double crochet and DK yarn.

It's been so hard to find time for blogging, though I've kept up with reading other people's blogs! Still, I'm hoping that now I've got a bit more time to myself, I'll feel like it's a 'current' blog. So, thank you for reading, and more very soon!

 

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A Pot of Bulbs can only be improved with Crochet

Spring is here! Well, it is if you're in my kitchen next to the radiator:

These snowdrops are in a shallow, 7" diameter bowl, with compost and some bits of moss on the top. I crocheted the edging for the pot as follows:

Materials: a size 3mm hook and about a third of a ball of Sublime Egyptian Cotton DK in Shade 322.

To make: measure the circumference of your pot. Mine is 55cm. For this size pot, make 96 chain. Check your sizing by putting the chain, quite tightly, round the pot until it only just meets. Err on the tight side, because with crochet, it's relatively easy to add a bit on at the end if need be!

Then, do two rows of double crochet (dc) missing the first stitch each time. Then, for row 3, do one DC in second stitch from hook, then 3 chain (ch). After the 3ch, miss one stitch and do one dc into next stitch along. Continue this to the end of the row, ending units a couple of dcs next to each other if need be. Your 3chs will make the little loops and your dcs will be joining the loops to your rows of dc.

Turn so that you are working across the short end of the strip to make the button loop: make 3 chain then make a dc into the other corner to make a button loop like a bracket across the end of the strip. (If your strip is too short st this stage, you could do a quick row of dc across the short end first).

Sew button onto the other end to match button hole (If your strip is a little long, just sew the button a bit further up the end).

Enjoy!

 

 

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Good Books and A Good Cup of Coffee

This week has been a very good week for coffee, books and crochet! First: I've finished the excellent novel, Night Waking, by Sarah Moss.

I've been very lucky with my book choices recently. It wasn't my plan only to review books I like - but that has been what's happened, and this book is no exception. Sarah Moss wittily depicts family life on the remote Scottish island of Colsay through the voice of Anna Bennett, an academic who is supposed to be writing a book. Her husband is also an academic as well as the owner of the island. Anna's struggle with the competing demands of looking after her two boys and writing her book is brilliantly written; Moss creates a believable portrait of twenty-first century family life where Anna's husband automatically assumes his 'work' is outside the home while hers is inside - despite the fact, as she tells him, that her maternity leave ended some time ago. A discovery in the garden of their house, as well as some Victorian letters, give this novel a page-turning mysterious element, too. Every character is well drawn and the sometimes weary, sometimes incredulous commentary by Anna on her life in the rainy, lonely landscape of the island is amusing and completely convincing. This is Moss' second novel - I'm going to search now for her first!

I've also been enjoying Nicki Trench's book, Cute and Easy Crochet. I personally don't like the word, 'cute' so I can reassure you, if you have a similar dislike for it, that many things in this book are lovely, and not too 'girlie'. There are some really good present-projects in here, like mug cosies and baby gifts. There are also bags and scarves - I like the Chunky Seashell Scarf in particular. I'm currently adapting the Floral Purse into a pencil case - the instructions are clear and there is a really good number of pictures to help you make sure your project is on track. Much as I love the granny square, I was pleased to see in here that there are plenty of projects which don't rely on it! So, for quick gifts for babies and adults, I would recommend this book - pictures of the purse/pencil case soon!

And, to close - a picture of my lovely flat white coffee at Baker and Barista in Ipswich on Saturday - Heaven!

This was my treat before going to teach a Beginners' Knitting class at the wonderful Jenny Wren's Yarns. It was a great afternoon: a lively, fun group of people who really enjoyed getting to grips with their needles. Looking forward to Improvers' Knitting in November, now!

 

 

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#FO Friday! In which crochet trim turns jar into vase...

For once, a Finished Object! Here's Wednesday's WIP crochet trim, now adorning a jam jar. This was very easy and I'll post the pattern up over this weekend. I have great plans, now, to make lots more of these this weekend and to decorate many more jars with them ... #looksformorethingstocoverwithcrochet ... But for now, it's time for a drink and a rest.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

 

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#WIP Wednesday - little, easy crochet trim...

I'd been trying to think of a nice, easy crochet item to make which I could use when I start my crochet classes later this month. Although I've rummaged in Pinterest a bit, I've ended up making my own pattern for this, which I'll post up on here once it's done.

I'm trying, trying, trying not to just cover our house in crochet ... but this edging would look lovely round a jam jar which you could then put flowers in. I've used cotton 4 ply but you could easily adjust it to use up DK if you have more of that left over. Possibly I'll only be allowed to make one of these for our house, but they'd look great round jars in a row, in different heights - anyway, this is what I have so far:

 

More to come, when I've finished ... What's everyone else making today?

 

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