Wow! I can hardly believe it, my little blog is three years old! Three years: that is 229 (yes two hundred and twenty-nine) posts. All I can say is thank you so much to sharing this journey of crafting highs and lows with me. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I really do appreciate it. It was touch and go, as to whether I’d get to three years. For about five days Typepad has endured to cyber-nasties: taking down all their blogs. Sorry, if any of you called by over the last few days and got an error message. The lovely people at Typepad have been working very hard and fingers (and everything else) crossed – all is well! Back to happier things: I thought (in true blog style) I’d share with you my highlights from the last twelve months. Enjoy!
Happy Easter to you all! I really hope that you have a lovely long weekend, enjoy the sunshine and see the opportunities for new beginnings. Do you remember a few weeks ago, when I was preparing my Easter crochet project, and I didn’t quite know what to do? Well, inspiration hit: and I ended up combining two of my favourite crafts – crochet and embroidery. I am very new to embroidery; I have dabbled in it a little and been to a couple of classes, but as yet I haven’t really found my way of doing it. I think that this may be about to change. I know myself and know there is little point in aiming for fine embroidery, maybe one day…but not yet. For me it needs to be slightly more instant, that’s way I love crochet – that instant hit. Somehow combining crochet and embroidery, seemed less daunting and more natural, and I can’t tell you how happy I am with the result. I hope you know that very special feeling that you get (occasionally) when you are soooo pleased with what you have made – it actually makes you glow? Glow: without being smug, because you know the amount of projects you are less pleased with greatly out-numbers the ones you love. That is how I feel about my Easter crochet. Are you ready? Ta-dah…
They were inspired by the AMAZING chocolate eggs, which Bettys (the famous Bett’s tea-room in York) has in their window each Easter…
I was also inspired by these which I came across on Ravelry. On each of my crochet egg, I embroidered a different stitch. I wonder if that makes them contemporary embroidery samplers?
There is whipped wheel stitch (sometimes known as spider’s wheel stitch)…
Detached chain stitch (also known as lazy daisy stitch)…
French knots…
Running stitch…
And pistil stitch…
I hope that you all have a wonderful Easter…
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Ps – if you feel like crocheting the daffodil (in the foreground of the pictures) the pattern can be found HERE andHERE.
I love crochet. I know that I have told you that over and over and over again. But I really do, love, love, l-o-v-e, it. I love the simplicity of the stitches, the soothing rhythm of treble crochet blanket, the speed at which a crochet flower appears, the endless possibility and versatility that crochet can give you. I love the sharing, recycling and passing-on of the love of crochet. Recently I came across the most amazing crocheted covered chair…
Isn’t it brilliant? I love the idea of taking something un-loved and ugly and up-cycling it into something fabulous. Right there and then I wanted it: I wanted to crochet me one. I just had to convince Si, that we needed to give a crochet chair house-space. Si, was less convinced. I think, he thinks that our home is already been overtaken by crochet and a crochet chair might be a step too far. But something smaller, something I could sneak in, something that would get passed his crochet-radar! Then few weeks ago, I had a lovely day out with my friend C and her gorgeous daughter I (who could forget I and those crochet hats), we spent a happy few hours mooching around charity shops near where we live. In one of the shops I found this…
Isn’t it awful? I wish I had taken a photo of Si’s face when he saw what I had brought home! I had an idea in mind. If a whole crochet chair was too much: then why not start small - with a foot-stool? I could up-cycle the stool. Pass on something unloved and unwanted and make it lovely. I got to work, removing the (very synthetic) velvet and fringe…
Painted the legs and re-covered the foam with a plain white cotton…
Then the real fun began: crocheting granny-squares! I love a granny-square and really need to crochet more of them. A granny square really does sum-up crochet brilliantly, in one (well) square. One little (or large) square: so many possibilities. Slippers, cushions, blankets, the list could go on…Back to the stool. Using some lovely style-craft yarn, which you can get from Deramores, in my favourite colours of purple, teal, burnt orange and a neutral called oat-meal, I got to work. Very soon I had my granny squares, ready to be double crocheted together…
All that was left was to sure the granny-squares to the stool...
And ta-dah…
My very own up-cycled crochet foot-stool. Not quite to OTT (Si’s words not mine) as the chair: but definitely in the style of! I’ve started small, but you know what they say out of small acorns n’all-that…one day I might have the chair.
So, go on have ago at up-cycling, start small: re-love and make pretty something un-loved and ugly. Pass on the love of crochet…
Happy hooking!
xxx
This blog entry is my submission to the Deramores Blog Awards 2014. Deramores is the UK’s number one online retailer of knitting and crochet supplies.
I love making my crochet seasonal: and try really hard with the flowers that I share with you (nearly) each month. This time last year I loved crocheting my Spring wreath, I am still so happy with it, it is back hanging on the door of my living room. I loved crafting for Christmas, only four months ago – but seems like much longer. I loved crocheting the Valentine's Day wreath. I am looking forward to crocheting for Easter. I have yarn, hooks and polystyrene eggs…
But I’m not too sure what to crochet creation to turn this into. Any ideas…?
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