Beanie Fest!

I mentioned in my last post that I was making little Valentine beanie hats for premature babies around the UK. I make and store items so I can send a box full rather than just a few to save on postage costs. I have had a snaffle through my made stock items and have come up with a box to go today (if the rain stops) to the lovely Janet who runs Crafted with love - donation group Facebook group.  I have updated my charity totals too and so far I have made and donated 373 items. I would love to reach my 1000 makes goal by 31st December 2017. Gonna be busy busy busy but it makes me happy. If you would also like to help the group, just click on the link above or maybe find a group nearer to you and jump on board and make something for charity even if it's just one small beanie. The free pattern for the beanie is in my Ravelry store, just click on the link. Happy crafting on this wet and miserably Monday x

My Ravelry Store

Happy Mother's Day

Just a quickie to say Happy Mother's Day to all us lovely mums. I hope you have all had breakfast in bed, lots of lovely gifts and going to be pampered for the rest of the day.

I have been spoilt today with a very nice Cath Kidston bag and a lovely bunch of flowers. Sorry no pics but I will take some when the sun comes out to play. Now for a lazy day with my new project which I will share on my next post.

Mad Day at the Beach

We have a tendency in our house to have mad moments and just doing something, anything on a whim. Due to hubby not being well we don't plan anything specific so when he's feeling up to it we just go with the flow and see where the day takes us. Except yesterday was a definite mad moment. Kids on school holidays, eldest out with her boyfriend and the youngest 'bored' already, so hubby decided lets take the dogs for a walk on the beach at Mappleton over on the East Coast. We visited Mappleton last year and it was beautiful, lovely huge beach, you could walk for miles.

I thought it was a good idea so suggested that he check the weather for the area and times of the tide. It is approximately 80 miles from where we live and I was thinking it's a tad too far if the tide is in. I was assured that we were up for light showers and the tide was not an issue, so of we go. Car packed, Daughter in the back with a long face because we are dragging her away from her iPad which she is on FaceTime all day with her best friend and off we go. On route we decided fish and chips for lunch from Hornsea then on to Mappleton for the beach. Well I'm sure you won't be surprised if I told you that as we approached Hornsea the so called light showers were persistent rain. We parked up, found a fish and chip shop then sat soaked in the car while we ate them. Car completely steamed up and I suggested lets turn around and go home. It had taken us 2 hours to get to Hornsea. Hubby said we are already wet so why not just pop to the beach and see what it's like. So 6 miles down the road later we park up and yes you guessed it the tide was well and truly in. I had to ask myself what weather and tide information had hubby looked at because it was or he was wrong on all counts. Still there was a small patch of beach that we were able to get on and it stopped raining. Down to the beach we go, the dogs loved chasing the pebbles and getting their feet wet. Youngest though was not impressed.

Even though it was wet and the tide was in we and the dogs did enjoy ourselves. Daughter maybe not so much. A four hour round trip for a bag of chips and 30 minutes on the beach is a bit mad but thats who we are. Next time though I think will check the weather and tide reports.

I just had to buy!

Morning everyone, yet another dark and nasty stormy day here in West Yorkshire. I need the weather to play nice and let the sun come out just for 1 day so I can take photos. Last weekend I found out about a garden centre not too far from me that was selling wool. I thought two of my favourite things in one place, wool and plants. I told hubby who said we will pop along and see what its like. Well, I then found out that the wool was 50% off. Forget the plants get in the car we're off, I told him. So with a view to 'just having a look' off we went on Wednesday. I was like a kid in a sweet shop, shelf after shelf of lovely squishy wool and yes half price. As you do when confronted with such a bargain I filled up two baskets and carried more to the checkout. Seen as it was lunchtime we decided to stop for lunch when finished at the garden centre. While re-fuelling I looked on a couple of websites and discovered that most of the wool I had bought was much better than half price. So after lunch we went back this time with a trolley and I filled that up too. There is a chance I just might be going back again soon with my friend Dawn too. Here is photo of my lovely haul.

I came across another blog called Repeat Crafter Me where I found a pattern for a lovely little jacket, I adapted the pattern slightly which I will post hopefully tomorrow, but in the meantime here is a photo  of my version made using the fabulous Stylecraft Vision in Lagoon. The wool is 80% acrylic / 20% wool and is lovely and soft.

Morning everyone, well we have a wet and miserable day here today which means no photos of my latest makes. I like to take my photos in the morning when the sun is coming through the studio window, so I suppose I shall have to wait for the sun to come out and play. I tried a light box but I only have small studio and it just didn't work for me.

On Sunday I should have stayed in taking my photos but it was a such a lovely day and we really needed to blow away the cobwebs so we went for a walk instead to our favourite place. Tingley reservoir near Leeds is approximately 1.25 miles, its flat with a pathway all the way around and it doesn't seem to matter what time of year you go its beautiful. There is a sandbank at the beginning of the walk which allows the dogs to paddle a little before the walk. Penny our big dog was so excited that she didn't want to come home.

The end of the rainbow

Yeah! I have finished my latest rainbow blanket and it shall be winging its way to my customer later today.  Although my arms are aching a little today after a mammoth weekend of crochet to get this loveliness finished I really enjoyed making it again. The simplicity of the V stitch gives a soft textured finish especially when using Stylecraft Special DK yarn. It's funny though how you just don't realise how long it takes to make a blanket this large until you are making it for someone else. When its a gift for a loved one you just hook away and don't think of the time aspect, when making to order you realise just how much love and effort goes into making something that is going to be loved for many years to come by someone you haven't even met. I hope a special little girl in Bristol is going to love her new blanket.

Rainbow on a wet and dreary day

Afternoon everyone. I wanted to show you how my rainbow blanket is coming along. So far I am only 7 stripes in but I hope to make that 20 (ish) by the end of the day. Working with these lovely colours really cheers up on a wet and dreary day. We have had fog all day with rain mixed in just because thats what the British weather can do. I suppose we shouldn't complain, after all it has been a very mild Autumn.  So the plan is to complete another 13 rows tonight, not sure if I shall succeed but I shall give it ago.

So far I think the blanket is looking lovely (even I do say so myself) and I am sure its going to make one little girl very happy.

Happy Happy Happy!!

Well you could've blown me down with a feather yesterday when hubby called in the morning and said they were sending him home. I picked him up yesterday afternoon and he his now safe and sound tucked up at home resting. A few more hospital visits for check-ups etc but by mid January he should be back to full health. Has per my previous post regarding the Take Heart charity, I had a good sort out and donated 3 scarves, 2 baby blankets, 10 children's hats plus a few other little bits and my plan is to keep on crocheting and drop off a few more in 6 weeks time when is check-up time.  It made me feel happy to create and donate and for people to be so appreciative of my work. To top of my week I received an email today with a 20% discount from Hobbycraft, well it would be rude not to accept such a generous discount so I have treated myself to the new Cricut explore machine which I have been wanting since its launch in the summer and 12 balls of the lovely Women's Institute soft and silky yarn.  Roll on the postman coming with my treat.

Below is a photo of my donation to Take Heart.

Decision Made

Well it's been a bit of a stressful time at my house this last few weeks but with crochet to keep me sane I'm sure all will work out well. Mick (my hubby) had a heart bypass yesterday and due to rheumatoid arthritis complications he shall be in intensive care for 2 weeks instead of 2-3 days. Then up to the main ward for a week or so. We are hoping to have him home by the end of November. From here on in it shall be around 6 months until he is fit enough to lift anything heavier than his cup of tea. I have to praise the staff at both Bradford Royal Infirmary and Leeds General Infirmary all have been brilliant. Between the two hospitals I have seen at 1st hand the dedication all the nurses and doctors put into looking after not just my husband but all patients. I'm now thinking of creating a new card design to raise funds for the Take Heart Charity. I shall be looking into that soon. So this post was a just little update and now its time to put the kettle on and have maybe an hour with my hook and yarn.

Rainbow Blanket

Happy Friday everyone.

I have not blogged for a little while due to family illness but while its been a stressful time at home I have still been hooking. My youngest requested a blanket for her bed in rainbow colours so I looked through my stash and came up with this beautiful blanket. I wanted something that would make up in one go with minimal weaving in of ends ( I loath that bit) and here it is HOTH (hot of the hook). I had to finish it today because Rebecca said she really needs to sleep with it TONIGHT!.

Although this blanket now belongs to Rebecca and I will probably never see it again, I am putting it in my crochet shop to have made to order. If anyone would like me to make them one then just drop me a message. To make takes approximately 50 hours, this one took me four weeks to complete so please remember that if placing an order. I do have an order book and all large blanket orders are completed on date placed basis. I hope that makes sense.  Anyway here it is and I hope you like it.

I can make this blanket in pram, cot, single bed or double bed size and also in various colours, this version is rainbow but I have other colours too which shall be in my shop soon. Any questions or commissions please drop me a message.

This is the pattern.

I choose 13 different colours of Stylecraft Special DK and a 4mm hook.

2 x 100g for the stripes and border colour choice and 12 x 100g for the stripes.

I used the following stitches - tr, htr, V stitch, ch

V st = tr1, ch1, tr1 in same chain.

To begin chain 163, work 1tr into the 3rd ch from the hook, *skip 2 ch's and work a V st into next ch* continue from * to * to last 4 ch's, skip 2 ch's, tr1, tr1.

Row 2: Ch2 (counts as 1st treble), tr1, then work a V st into each ch1 space along the row to last 4 ch's, skip 2, tr1, tr1.

Row 3: repeat row 2 until desired length achieved.

Border - change colour and work 1htr stitches all around the blanket, I worked 1 in each ch along the top and bottom and two in gaps down the sides.

Change colour again and work 1htr into each ch, in the corners make a ch1 to continue around.

I worked two rows for the border but you can make it as thick as you prefer.

I worked 3 rows of pattern per colour but you can work as many as you prefer.

I hope all of that makes sense but please message me if I have made a mistake and I shall update the pattern, I have written the above from memory because I forgot to write it down as I went.

Happy hooking Friday on International Crochet Day 2014.

Crochet Cushion Cover

Earlier this year I started to use up my stash bits and make a crochet blanket intended to go on my Daughter's bed. I used DK in any colour to create a blanket joining as I went, after 45 squares it became apparent that by the time I would be half way through it would be too heavy for me to work with and then knowing me I would put it in a bag and forget about it. Well I decided to start another blanket for Abi creating 180 squares in different colours then I shall crochet them together at the end, I think this will be workable for me.

So I looked at what I already created and couldn't bring myself to completely unravel it, so I removed a few squares and came up with 2 panels each with 16 squares. I crocheted a hot pink border around each panel then a single crochet stitch to join them together. I wanted to add buttons so added a few more rows at the top of one panel to create a flap with button holes, the whole thing was then finished off with different coloured buttons to tie in with the rest of the cushion cover.  I have already started to create another blanket for Abi and I also have one going in rainbow stripes for my youngest Daughter Bex. I am sure when they see the cushion they'll want one too. I love it and it is now pride of place in my office chair.

So who doesn't like a surprise? Yesterday My hubby and I were just going out for a touch of lunch and pick up a few bits from here and there that we needed. I needed a new keyboard for my pc has the key on the old kept sticking and it was super annoying, so of we popped to Currys for a look and to my extreme surprise came home with a fabulous gift. I have always been a windows pc girl, but when I got my iPad a couple of years ago and my iPhone i was hooked on apple products, so yesterday a cheap and cheerful keyboard for my pc turned into the most beautiful iMac instead. Now I have lots of playing to do to get to grip with a new operating system but so far so good. All I need to do now is convert all of my designs so they work on the iMac.

I am one happy woman I love my hubby x