Cute Baby Beret

I offered my services this week to a lady who needed a baby beret making for a new born baby gift. I set about researching a pattern that would fit the bill, I was unable to find just the right one so had to create one. I think it looks lovely in baby pink finished with silver bow.

Another Week Another Blanket

I feel I am becoming the blanket lady. I have been feeling sorry for myself this week suffering with a stinking cold that is only just going away so it gave me plenty of time to create my lovely new baby blanket. I want and have so many ideas to create and make but somehow recently get side tracked into yet another blanket. I justify it in that everyone needs a blanket. Well I joined a Facebook crochet group the other week, we just post photos of our makes and share tips and hints etc. Lots of people in the group were talking about C2C blankets. I knew what they were just never made one. So after a bit of research I found a tutorial which you can find here and the thats it I'm hooked (pardon the pun). I had recently bought some lovely Patons baby 4ply in a mixed baby colours and cream. So off I went with my 3.5mm hook and came up with this lovely baby blanket. It is sized to fit a pram or moses basket and it feels so soft.

I am now going to use the same principles of this pattern and make lots of other goodies. I have a single bed sized blanket to make and I am going to make some lap rugs for charity. I am also thinking  of scarves and cowls too, this pattern is so easy that my mind is a whirl with possibilities. I am finding that my crochet and card orders are keeping me almost sane while I silently worry for my hubby who is going back into hospital in October.  He has already had two heart attacks in the last 14 months and is having symptoms again, hence back into hospital on the 13th for another angiogram and possible extra stents. Because we are almost house bound, he can't walk very far I am getting lots of crochet time.

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.

Enjoying a rare but welcome child free week this week, so we put the dogs in the car and headed to our new favourite spot on the East Coast. Mappleton Sands is a tiny village right next door to Hornsea.

There is a small FREE car park and clean toilets located at the top of a small hill but my hubby made it and he's not well. When you first get down to the beach there is quiet a few pebbles and rocks but if you keep to the let its easier to access. Finding the car park was very easy there is an ice cream parlour and sign post saying viewing point and your there.

The dogs were allowed to go on the beach with no restrictions other than you must clean up after them but thats it. I have been going to the East Coast since I was a little girl and have never come across this hidden gem.

There is no shops so you need a picnic or you can eat in Hornsea village. The nice surprise was the beach is so long and you could spend many an happy hour there. There was lots of families on the beach but being so big you hardly noticed anyone.

The dogs and us had a fab time and are hoping to return with the girls in a couple of weeks time.

Penny waiting expectantly for another pebble to be thrown, wouldn't mind but she doesn't even pick them up and bring them back

Lacey looking like she owns the beach, she be small but she thinks she's a great dane

Mini Crochet Innocence Hat

I have written my crochet pattern for the little innocence hats and you can find it here. I find these little hats quite relaxing to make and if using just one colour they can be made within about 10 minutes. I made 36 with little pom poms then decided to make more with little flowers. These little beauties shall be mailed on to the Age Uk shortly to be included in this years The Big Knit event (even if mine are crocheted there will still be a new home out there somewhere for it).

If you are interested in taking part please follow this link http://www.ageuk.org.uk/get-involved/ev ... -big-knit/

I have designed this new wedding anniversary card using Pink Petticoat lilac blossom papers. I print onto luxury 300gsm linen finish card then layer up onto a linen finish base card, which I feel gives it a touch of luxury. This design is for a 'Wonderful Wife' but can be altered for partner or wording changed completely to send a s a birthday card.

I like to personalise all of my cards that way they become more of a keepsake than just a card. I also like to keep things simple and not to over the top with bells and whistles.