Mandatory Crochet...

So crochet is awesome, well to me anyway. I love working with colour and different yarns. I love spending hours putting colours together and planning projects(projects that sometimes remain in the WIP pile for a long time) but sometimes there is what I call mandatory crochet. This is crochet that you HAVE to do whether you want to or not. Why? Because your children tell you so. 

Obviously I love the fact that I can create hats, scarves and toys to order for my children but having 3 boys, 3 boys who are all into the same things and who know what they want this crochet can be a little Meh :/

When it comes to their items I ALWAYS let them pic the designs and colours. It is them that has to wear it after all. When they are small you can get away with making cute things and they adore them...

Even some older kids stuff can be quite cool

But at the moment we are in just plain old colour stage and I have to say it bores me, but like I said at the start, it is mandatory lol. 

Yesterday was spent making biggest Bug his very basic scarf to order. I use Stylecraft special dk for nearly all my crochet these days unless I really can't get the colours I want(or they want)

Not the greatest pictures as I finished it at night, but you can see what I mean about yawnsville!

We are massive Harry Potter fans in this crazy house and recently went to Harry Potter studios. Biggest Bug got a knitted Gryffindor scarf(which took forever as I am the worlds slowest knitter) then at the last minute the middle one decides he wants a Hufflepuff scarf...THE DAY BEFORE...but it was done

I thought that middle bug only wanted the scarf so that he could wear it to this day out but he hasn't taken it off. It goes everywhere with him, and the consequence of that was...

 Thankfully with crochet you can easily just frog and replace, which, after completing boring blue scarf I did. I had two very happy Bugs this morning:)

But after all that boring boys stuff was out of the way I got to pick some colours out and because there are lots of baby girls heading my way with friends and family I get to make pretty things. YAY! 

Ready, Set, Crochet...

Happy Tuesday x

An Inconsiderate Illness...

Such a sad story video link x

Even though this is in America and we are lucky to have an NHS we still have ALL of these issues in the UK. It is unbelievable that in this day and age when we can look back through history and up to present day, know all that we do about the devastation mental illness causes and not just to the patient, we still do not do enough to help, support and protect. 

After a recent trip to A&E and being left vulnerable for hours with no support or even someone to talk to for hours and hours I, as an adult was emotionally and mentally let down. I remembered being a teenager in the same situation and the feeling was 10x worse! How we treat young patients can determine how respond to doctors and treatment as they grow. People with mental illness are the most vulnerable patients and yet they are the most ignored, let down and patronised. If your child has a bad dream you automatically comfort them, mentally ill children need more than a hug to escape the nightmare.

Blanket Love

Some of 2013 efforts :)

Happy Monday x

Scraps of Love

So, I am not sure about anyone else(this is a lie as I know so many crocheters who find it unbearable to part with even the tiniest scraps of yarn) but I don't like throwing away any amount of yarn at the end of a project that can be used in something else, even if it is a tiny ball. 

When I get these ends of balls or oddments I make small, sometimes tiny balls and I put them all safely in a basket. 

Then what to do with them???

Sometimes they come in handy for small granny squares or body parts of toys, but I am in the process of creating a colourful, warm, cheery scrapghan and I LOVE it.

All these small bits of yarn crocheted randomly together to create a mish mash blanket to snuggle under.

I adore perfection, especially gazing at others work, lovingly and perfectly put together, but deep down I am a Mrs Weasley kind of person. If it's made with Love and it does the job then that in itself is perfect(I have actually crocheted some Mrs Weasley sleeves...got to love all the crochet in the HP films)

I love it. No planning, no co-ordination just grab a ball of yarn and join it on, perfect for days when I am too poorly to concentrate or when there is no other project that needs my attention.

 I use the invisible join method with this blanket so no endless amount of ends to sew in which with this kind of blanket is important.

So! On this miserable, rainy day I am snuggled underneath it, adding to it and with a silly grin on my face, adoring it.

Happy Sunday x

Day 2 of Blogging Again

Hello again. I have started blogging at a pretty rubbish time in all honesty. I am currently having a bipolar relapse and have been struck down with acute tonsillitis, so not very cheery in the household lately. A plus side to all this is a lot of bed rest and some short bursts of organising. Today I have been finishing off a baby blanket for a friend. I LOVE Granny Squares. LOVE them. I make them as often as I can, big or small. There has been many a time I have absent mindedly crocheted little squares for absolutely no purpose.

Soft baby wool. White with rounds of soft peach. These work up so quickly and the fact that they will be wrapped around someones little bundle of joy makes them so much more precious.

Finished it off with a very simple shell border and it will be delivered in time for her princess on Monday :)

Oh and I also mentioned a little organising didn't I? Well as anyone who is a crafter, crocheter, knitter etc will know mountains of supplies(in this case yarn) build up and up ALL around the home. The struggle is always finding spaces to store it...Not everyone in the household appreciates it and shockingly they don't want to gaze at it lovingly in every room!!! I know, strange right? 

I worked my fingers to the bone before Christmas and I actually made a huge dent in my yarn stock which made organising today a lot easier...even with the sneaky yarn splurge a few days ago...

I bought a really useful and very cheap yarn storage solution. A canvas shoe holder. It fits into my small space perfectly. Even managed to squeeze in a couple of baskets :)

I actually feel very accomplished today and feel I absolutely deserve the nap that I am about to take :)

Happy Saturday x

So we begin...

Well the first post is always the hardest as you are basically talking to yourself. I have had a blog before and yet I have completely forgotten how the whole process works. I am officially a new beginner, then again I am the person who actually forgot how to ride a bike.
Aim with the blog: Somewhere to talk and show what I like and dislike. Something to keep this crazy mind occupied which is very important for me having a mental illness. I need to be involved in something other than the mundane so here I am. I craft, crochet, sew, sorta knit etc and I am nosey and I love seeing other peoples work. So here we go. I am a blogger x