Moving!

Yep, you got it - I'm buying a house!

Contracts were exchanged during the week, on the sale of my flat and the purchase of the new house, and this Friday (17th) the move will hopefully happen!!  (Unless anything goes horribly wrong...)

There is some work to be done on the new house, including the installation of gas central heating and lots of redecoration - I will be sure to show before and after shots as things progress!

Here is a little taster of one of the rooms needing a transformation...

Wow!

I'm going to miss my little flat, it has been a lovely home for the last 7 years, but I'm very excited about the new house!

Well, can't sit around blogging all day - I've got a flat to pack up!  See you on the flip side!!!!

Busy!

Hi everyone, and thanks as always for the lovely comments!

Things have been very busy lately, and I've not had much time for crafting.  Although, I have been fitting in some wedding stuff for my sister-in-law's sister's upcoming wedding.  Here is a glimpse of one thing...

I'll show you the finished item after the wedding at the end of this month!

Last weekend I was in Marbella for the hen do... here is a shot of my sis-in-law and me enjoying some delicious cocktails!

Much fun was had!  (And that white dress was dyed pink by the end of the night - courtesy of the feather boa...!!!)

And for a touch more crafting, here is a little practical something I did the other month...

These are ribbon (and button) hanging loops I added to the two hand towels I use in the kitchen, so they could be hung up more easily.  I know... thrilling stuff!  ;o)

Changes are afoot in my life at the moment (well, one big change) - related to my 2013 goals.  I'm sure you can figure out which one it is!  I'll let you know more when things are definite, but this is why my crafting and blogging have been suffering lately.

Until next time...

Blanket Squares - Get The Random Look - Sudoku Method

Hello!  Thanks for the lovely comments recently!

Ok... I thought it was time I let you in on my method of arranging the squares in my Waterlily Blanket.

I wanted a random look, but I also needed a plan.  I couldn't just crochet squares willy nilly, not knowing what was going to happen when I tried to put them all together - my nerves couldn't have stood it!  (I am rubbish at random!!)

So, I came up with an idea.  It so happened that I had picked 9 different colours to use (plus the cream for the edges) - so I thought... Sudoku!

I decided that I would create a 9 squares x 9 squares blanket, and use the Sudoku rules.  This meant that in each row there would be one of each colour, in each column there would be one of each colour, and in each of the 9 clusters of 3 x 3 squares, there would be one of each colour.  I came up with this:

I tried using some existing Sudoku puzzles - so that I could just assign a colour to each number and away I'd go.  However, I had another requirement that Sudoku puzzles don't have.  In Soduku, you can have the same number touching diagonally, between the 3 x 3 clusters, but I didn't want to have the same colour touching diagonally!  So, I just had to work it out myself.  Took a fair bit of fiddling about - some may wonder if it was worth it - but I was finally happy with the result!

In the end, I started to run out of yarn - and didn't think I'd make it to the end of 9 rows, so I just did the first 7 rows, making a 9 x 7 squares blanket (but I was safe in the knowledge that there was no repetition of colour in any of the rows or columns!)

If you happen to be making a blanket using 9 colours, then feel free to use this method.  Below I've created the same chart, but using numbers, so you could assign a colour to each number.  You can even print it out and colour it in if you like!

Who would have thought you could combine Sudoku and crochet?!

Zipped Make-Up Pouch

Hello!  I've finally got round to making a zipped make-up pouch - I've been planning to do it for ages.  I carry a little pouch in my handbag for lipstick, lipbalm, etc - and the old one was in desperate need of replacement...

It had been disintegrating into my bag!  So, I (eventually) got to work...

I used the big spotty material for the lining as well, and added buttons.  Here is the finished item:

I love how colourful it is!

I think it is a big improvement, don't you?!

Thanks for all the lovely comments lately - they are always really appreciated.

I've added a button in my sidebar, to enable followers through bloglovin'.  It seems to be the thing everyone is moving to, so I thought I'd make it easier.

Until next time!

Easter Crochet

Happy Easter to you all!

We had our family Easter celebration on Friday; my parents, my brother, sister-in-law and nephew, the Lumberjack and me.

For my nephew, I decided to crochet some baby balls - from the book 'Cute and Easy Crochet' by Nicki Trench.  He likes throwing, so I thought he'd enjoy them!

Oh look, here they are surrounded by Easter bunnies for the family!

(I hadn't made the red one at that point)

The gorgeous fella wasted no time in throwing the balls and getting his little mitts on a couple of the chocolate bunnies... 

"Hmmm, which one to choose... I know, both of them!"

And look at my lovely Easter gift from my brother and sister-in-law...

I absolutely love it - thanks Roon and Numps!!

Happy Easter everyone - have a lovely day!

Pink Owl!

Hello!

What's the news?!  Well, I've made my sister-in-law a pink owl, using the fantastic pattern by Bunny Mummy here.  (Thanks Jacquie)  It was part of her birthday present - I (naturally!) had to include something handmade, and I knew she'd love it as much as I do!

It's such a great pattern - detailed and easy to follow - and makes a very cute owl!  The light wasn't ideal for these photos, but you get the idea...

Here is the happy recipient (excuse the grainy shot - it was taken on my phone):

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROON!!

It was a bit of a struggle to give it away to be honest, and I'm planning to make another one for myself.  I've had requests from my team at work to make a team owl!  (Which is funny as my team consists of me and three p***-taking blokes who laugh at my crochet and crafting habits!  They'd rather it wasn't pink though... one mentioned brown, but that ain't gonna happen - gotta make it colourful!!)

Quick Makes

Hello!  Things have been incredibly busy for me in the last couple of weeks.  I have been working on one of this year's goals!  I will tell you more in time, if all goes to plan.  Let's just say that it's not the "become mega organised" one - I'm going the other way on that, like barely knowing what day of the week it is and realising I've run out of toilet paper and having to use kitchen roll!!!

I have managed to fit in a couple of quick makes, though, to try to switch my brain off and unwind a bit.

Using an empty condensed milk tin that I've been clinging onto, I've made a little pencil/crochet hook/whatever-you-like pot.  I covered in in pretty paper, sticky ribbon and adhesive buttons, and I'm very pleased with it!

And I've improved on a crocheted tealight holder thingy I made over a year ago...

I wove the gingham ribbon through the crochet and tied in a bow - quick and easy, but definitely adds the finishing touch!

Then for Mother's Day I baked some cookies for my Mum and the Lumberjack's Mum, wrapped them in cellophane and added a pink riboon...

I've just made them now - I hope my Mum doesn't check out my blog between now and when I see her tomorrow!!

Nice to have something handmade as a little extra present!

Thanks for all the lovely positive comments on the shawl - always appreciated!

Until next time...

I've Made a Sidewalk Shawl!!

Hello!  Well, thank you so much for all the lovely comments on my Waterlily blanket.  It is my most commented-on post ever!!  (Apart from giveaway posts, which don't count!)  It has been much used - I snuggle under it at every opportunity!

I've been a bit quiet since... but I have not been resting on my crocheting laurels... I've made a shawl!

Because I've always been a girl to wear a shawl... oh, wait... hmmm!  Well, despite never wearing shawls, I saw this pattern and couldn't resist making it!!  I even ordered the exact yarn the pattern says to use, which is very unusual for me - usually I find a cheap version somewhere!

And here are a series of photos of me modelling it for you - how very exciting for us all!  (Excuse my eye-bags, by the way - my face wasn't really cooperating that day - most inconvenient!  But we're here to look at the shawl...)

What do you reckon - does it look reasonably trendy, or completely granny-like??  I mean, when am I going to wear it?!?!

I am really pleased with it, though - I love the pattern.  I'd better wear it, as I started the damn thing three times!!!  The pattern says to make it with a 5mm crochet hook, so I obediently did what it said.  After 15 or 16 rows (there are 50 rows in total) I realised that the pineapple shapes were WAY too small, and that it was going to end up as a very small tight rigid little shawl.  This was already hours of work at this point, but I thought that I had to get this right.  So... let's try a bigger hook - 6.5mm this time.  After about 36 rows (YES, 36!!!!!) - let's not even think how many hours of my life that was - I realised it was still going to be too small!  I'd had suspicions earlier, but I'd already started again once.  I kept thinking, "it'll be alright, it's got to be alright".  But suddenly, I knew... I was never going to be happy with it like this!

Out came the 8mm hook, and I started all over again!!!!!!  This time the size was right.  Here is a picture of the three different attempts:

In the middle we have the 15/16 rows with the 5mm hook.  Underneath it, is the same number of rows with the 8mm hook - what a difference!  At the top is what I made with the 6.5mm hook.

The pattern is fantastic and easy to do.  You do need to concentrate, though, and you do need to keep using the pattern - it's not one that you can memorise after a few rows.

It's a design that definitely benefits from some blocking (again, something I very rarely bother with, but it was worth it)

The Facts:
Pattern: Sidewalk Shawl by Redheart.
Yarn: Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller - Bamboo Ewe: 5410 Mercury
Number of Balls:  Pattern says 6 balls, I used 5 complete balls.
Hook Size:  8mm (pattern says 5mm - I am quite a tight crocheter, but that is a ridiculous variance!)

Waterlily Blanket Ta-Dah!!!!!

Wooohooooo!!  It's finally finished and here it is for all to see!

I started it about a year ago - I take forever with these big projects!  (And you've been hearing me banging on about it for all this time, sorry!)  I'm so glad it's now finished and ready for snuggling under!

Here it is with the finished border...

I did five rows of cream, followed by two rows of the pomegranate as I thought it would finish the blanket off nicely.

Two of the corners

I made this using Stylecraft Special DK yarn.  Great value and nice and soft!  I used nine colours for the squares, with cream to edge and join them.

Colours are:

Top row, left to right:  Pomegranate, Fondant, Candyfloss, Lemon, Spring Green

Bottom row, left to right:  Wisteria, Bluebell, Sherbert, Aspen

This is an 'in progress' photo of the squares being crocheted together.  I used the cream yarn (also used to edge each square) to crochet them together.  I joined them with a slip-stitch and was really pleased with the effect.  It gives a nice little ridge between squares, but not as much as a ridge as you get with a single crochet join, which I've used before.  I think I'll go with the slip-stitch in future, as it is quicker and I prefer the look (win win!)

Here it is, all laid out...  (The border is a tad wavy - but you can only really tell when it's laid out flat like this)...

I am so pleased with it, and really amazed that I actually finished it!

Ta-Dah!!!  :o)

2013 Goals

This year's funky diary - very 70s!

So, it's February... but I've only just got round to posting about my goals for this year.  I want to post them so that at the end of the year I can look back and see if I've achieved any of them!  Only three, so not too many... but one is pretty major!  Here they are...

Buy a House

Declutter

Become Mega Organised

Buy a House

(This is the major one!)  I've been living in my one-bedroom flat for almost seven years now!  It is definitely time to move to somewhere bigger.  The Lumberjack and I are gonna set up home together!!!  It'll be great to have more space... and you know what more space means....... a craft room!!  (Fingers crossed!!)

I've now got my flat on the market, so that is the first step towards achieving this goal.  We'll see what happens!

Declutter

Well, loads of that has already happened ready to get my flat ready for sale!  But there is a lot more to go.  This goal will go hand in hand with moving.  (Although, a new house may well cause me to start re-cluttering!!)

Become Mega Organised

I want to become irritatingly organised!  I think this one might have to happen after the house move (if it happens and all goes to plan), as things will be a bit up-in-the-air until then.  Or maybe I'm just trying to put it off!

In other news the waterlily blanket is finally finished!!  Last stitches done today - so my next post will hopefully be showing it off, if I can get some decent light for pictures!  There is a peak above!

Until next time.....

January

Well, thank you so much for the lovely comments about Sammy the Snake!  Much appreciated, as always!

What have I been up to in January?  Well...

... I am now on the border of the Waterlily Blanket!!  It's been a long time coming!  Nearly there now - I hope to show it off fully before long!  (All ends from the squares are sewn in, which was NOT a fun job!  There were soooooo many!)

My new Christmas funky wellies got their first trip out in the snow last weekend!  That was a walk out to the local shop to get a few snacks - during which we found some daffodils reduced to 40p...

I plonked them in a jar, and tied some ribbon round - simple but pretty.  They lasted for days as well, not bad for 40p!  (I didn't leave them on the floor - was just trying to get a picture with some decent light on them, and no junk in the background, ha!)

I baked some cookies while it snowed outside...

Cookies and tea - yum!

I used this recipe and they came out really well!

I must also show off this mug, which was a Christmas present from my Gran.  I love it!

It's a Dunoon one, fine bone china.  It's just so pretty!

Bye for now... better carry on with that border!!!