Too Much to do...

WOW! 

It has been a while hasn't it? Doesn't the time fly when life gets hectic???

Well even now as I am writing this I am in a hurry as I HAVE to get to sleep soon for another busy day tomorrow, but I had to pop on and say hello. I have missed the blogging world so very much lately and all the gorgeous, inspiring posts but I promise as soon as I am more organised I will be back with vengeance :)

For now I will share with you the exciting news that my friend has had her baby girl.

Ruby-Mae made her entrance into the world on May 25th.

She is beautiful. I am totally in love already.

Becky is never quite organised...Late announcement hehe!

ooooo and I can show you the blankets that I had to keep hushed about...

I love the vintage look of this blanket. I used the old candy stripe bedding as inspiration. It was so lovely using other colours than just pink and white for a girl blanket and still having the same cute baby girl effect.

I even have one of her very first photographs and you can just see it peeking through...

Isn't she just ADORABLE?!?! How I didn't bungle her home with me I don't know.

So beautiful x

So I will be back soon and hopefully will start to become much more organised :)

Happy Sunday xx

A is for Attempt...

A is for Attempt

B is for Brave

C is for Colour.

This is my motto this week. I am scared by bold colours. I go from blog to blog and see so many gorgeous makes with so many bright and bold colours and when I go to my mountainous yarn storage I can never quite find the right green, the perfect shade of pink etc...

I have decided though that I can have no more excuses and I have to just bite the bullet and what will be will be. I need to get on the colour train!

So, I apprehensively and thoughtfully picked out the colours I am going to use for a new project. My Summer Patchwork Throw.

I deliberated for aaaaaages, I kept putting colours back, picking them up, putting them back until my basket was full. I am still not happy with them, especially the yellow, but we will see what it looks like when complete.

I think adding the red was fine but maybe not next to the yellow. I am not going to undo it now as I need to be braver. I need to stop being afraid of colour and recognise that the only way to master it is to practise and be bolder.

This is where I am up to. I have gone for large granny squares on a 4mm hook. I LOVE granny squares and as this throw is for me I wanted it to work up quickly, be very easy as I want it large enough to fill my bed. Fingers crossed it will have a nice patchwork feel to it.

I was so pleased that in less than 4hrs I managed to get the first row of squares finished(only another 9 to go!)

I think that was only because the children were taken swimming and were all gone until early evening.

Later on last night(around 10pm) I decided that I wanted to start something else...this is a curse for many crafters out there I know. Something I hadn't done before...A shawl. After seeing so many beautiful ones around blogland and on Pinterest I really felt inspired and my fingers were itching.

A the beginning of last year I did my usually trick of seeing pretty yarn and impulse buying, this is a really bad habit of mine. I saw this yarn on a totally unrelated shopping trip to John Lewis. I got distracted from Grandparent present buying and ended up, as I so often do, in the haberdashery section. I loved the soft feel of the balls and the stunning warm but lifting colours.

It is Rowan Kid Classic, a mixture of lambs wool and kid mohair, so you can imagine how lovely and soft and natural it feels.

Problem with it was, when I got home and looked at it some more and felt it and cuddled it, I had absolutely no idea what to make with it. It isn't the right weight for a blanket or cushion and I was in no way attempting clothing, so it got put away, out of site and I gave myself a smack on the hand for once again jumping head first into an unnecessary purchase.

Last night however, it became the PERFECT yarn for my shawl.

It says to use 5.5mm hooks...it has a weight more of a 4ply than a dk so I can only assume the large hook recommendation is to get a really lacy look.

I didn't want a lacy look. I want a light but warm shawl so I opted for 3.5mm and so far it is really working out well.

I have gone for a very basic granny stripe pattern. It is easy and as most of you know with my constant health moans easy is about all I can manage...

There is a superb tutorial at this lovely blog

You can see all those natural fibres bursting out. It is so perfect for warmth on Summer nights. 

I have again been quite brave I think with the layout of the colours. I was tempted to mix the light and dark colours but I actually really like the contrast. 

I could be making a huge mistake and kick myself later, but for now I am happily hooking with this sumptuous yarn.

I am hoping to have this finished for a dear friend. Fingers crossed.

What WIPs have you got on the go?

Happy Thursday xx

Hexagons...

Remember when I bought some yarn? Well if you don't it was this post. Well I knew I wanted to use the linen for the sofa. Initially it was just going to be for an arm cover but I love the colours so much it wasn't long before I wanted it to be a sofa blanket.

There are a couple of problems I faced though. The first was more of a dilemma that required some internal conversation. What pattern do I want to use? Initially I thought granny stripe as I really want a granny stripe blanket for the sofas but then I thought no, it wouldn't show off the colours. Ripple? no...and so it went on.

Then I had it. Hexagons! It was obvious really. They are something I haven't done and really wanted to try and the individual blocks would show the colours brilliantly.

So I went looking for the right hexagon pattern that would easy and fast(I like simple when it comes to crochet. Too much brain work and it loses its charm).

I really liked the look of Lucys over at the attic.

But there was a little problem with this...

I followed the instructions to the letter(and picture) but they were popping up in the centre. No matter how I played with them I couldn't get them flat. Maybe it was the yarn I am using or maybe it is because I am only using one colour in a hexagon, but whatever it was it wasn't working for me.

After trying these I was getting tired(the pics are dark because it was late at night). I wanted something a lot simpler than all the hexagons I was finding, so I decided I would just make it up as I went along.

Now. The thing with this is, you think you have created a whole new pattern and you are pleased as punch but I bet you a penny it is already out there in some book, on some site, but I haven't found it and so I made it. I am sorry if you are mr/s pattern creator but this is a genuine top of the head moment.

I call it the Flat Wagon Wheel Hexagon...I like short names ;)

TA DAAAH!!!

See how lovely and flat they are? All sitting neatly side by side. I was so happy.

This was as far as I got though as I was too exhausted to continue.

I have been working on it a little here and there, squeezing in these easy, peasy hexagons whenever I can. They are a delight to work up as each one takes less than 10 mins. Can you imagine the possibilities??? 

It is recently I have come to my second snag. Remember at the beginning of the post when I said I wanted a sofa blanket? Scroll up I definitely said it ^^^

Well I need a LOT more yarn to make that happen and at £9 a ball it might be a while...I can see this being a looooong time project, but I am confident that each time I do pick it up I am going to be thrilled to bits :)

These are better pictures showing the colours and textures of this lovely yarn.

I am going to attempt to write a pattern for the Flat Wagon Wheel Hexagon. Please take a gander and let me know what you think. It will be my first pattern and I will probably make a pigs ear of it so I will need tips and tricks...

Hugs Emma x

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