crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers...
Not really a lot more to say, I have been crocheting flowers!
crochet flowers, crochet flowers, crochet flowers...
When I woke up this morning, I have to admit I was a little despondent, not having anything crochet related to tell you about. For the second time (and likely not the last) in this blog's short life there has not been much time for crochet
Yesterday was taken up with a guided tour round York Minster. I should point out that I was the tour guide, not having a look round my local cathedral - although I am prone to that! After that it was a quick dash to my dad's village to help out on the book stall at the street fair. Needless to say there has not been much time for crochet.
I turned on my computer to check emails and post this. In my in-box there was an email from Sharon at Bolsita Bags. Just to let me know that she has sold one of my brooches!
It is official I am a real life crocheter!!! :-)
Coupled with that this was flowering in our yard this morning...
All-in-all life is good.
I've just got home from dropping off some of these:
At Bolsita bags, in York where the owner Sharon has agreed to stock my flower brooches. Guess that makes me a real life crocheter! So if you are in York, walking down Micklegate: be sure to pop -in and take a look.
Yesterday I popped into town and brought this...
The magazine is published by the same lovely people who bring us the monthly Inside Crochet.
In the shop I didn't have time to flick though the magazine, so when I got home, settled down with a cup of tea, I sat down to a treat. The magazine is great. I would recommend it. In fact - it looks like that is what I am doing at this very moment in time.
There are some brilliant patterns in there. Ok - I should quantify: given that I have told you about my dislike of patterns: there are some brilliant designs inside the magazine. A good mixture of clothing, toys, accessorise and things for the home.
The magazine brings together designs from the brilliant Irene Strange she has kindly included Noodle the Elephant which I made a few weeks ago . There are also designs by the amazing Melody Griffiths. And the equally fabulous Lesley Stanfield. And many many more!
The only down side to the magazine is, if you avidly buy Inside Crochet, there is some repeat designs and interviews. However, if you are like me: this is good news: some of the designs that are in The Crochet Collection feature in copies of the magazine which are now out of print.
There are some terrific things in this magazine. Well worth the money.
The only major issue with the magazine is where to start. As ever so much crochet, so little time!
Why does life get in the way of crochet? Simple answer because I let it. I shouldn't! I know but sometimes...Hay-ho.
Remember the Lazy Daisy I crocheted a few weeks ago? Remember in my how to crochet a chain post I said that I would share the pattern with you?
It really is very simple, which is a good thing as sometimes the most simplest of things are the most effective. Why try and over-complicate a daisy? It doesn't need it, it speaks for itself.
Normally I post my crochet through photogrpahs, but this time I thought I would share direct from my notepad.
Let me know how you get on. This is the first time I have shared a pattern.
Happy crocheting!
at risk of becoming a groupie...
Ok, so this posting does make me an official reeneegurumi crochet critters groupie. But I love her crochet designs! She makes the cutest creatures. What is more she writes the most amazing patterns. Trust me, this is quite a thing for me to say. I am not a fan of patterns. I tend to view them more as guidelines than as absolutes. Especially given the freedom crochet gives you.
Irene's patterns are on the very verge of converting me. The patterns have it all. Written instructions, yes! Photographs, yes! Charts, yes! Annotations, yes!
And at the end of it all you make yourself something very lovely indeed. See crochet time at last for example.
So here is another of her patterns that I followed. I'm so very proud to introduce to you Percy The Elephant
Go on give her patterns ago. The only thing you need to remember is that crochet stitches are American. So convert them first!
Happy crocheting!
I thought I would do a “how to” I’ve been teaching some of the girls at work how to crochet. Truthfully I am trying to convert them. I am the only crocheter in our knitting group.
The teaching went quite well. But then I was there telling them what to do and sorting out any problems. Writing the how to is proving more of a challenge. So you will have to let me know what you think..?
Holding the hook is definitely the trickiest bit of crocheting. This is how I hold mine
The hook is in one hand, usually the one you write with. The other hand holds the yarn and controls the tension. So it has quite a lot to do. I use my little finger to do this.
You need to just play around with it, until you find what works for you. Some books suggest holding the hook like you would a spoon or a pen. But I don’t hold those normally (so I am told and whatever that might be), so am not really best placed to comment. I am a great believer in if it works for you...
So once you have got the hang of holding the hook and yarn you are ready to start crocheting.
We are going to make a chain.
1. First make a slip knot. and slip the knot over the hook.
2. Now wrap the yarn round the hook. The hook should be in front of the yarn..
3. The hook then draws a new loop though the loop on the hook. So that there is only one loop on the hook.
Assuming you have just the one loop left on the hook, you have completed your first chain stitch.
Now you are crocheting!!!! :-)
This is one of the great things about crochet. If you think you have finished a stitch, and there is more than one loop on the hook – the stitch isn’t finished!
The chain stitch is really useful in crochet, as it is the start of most projects. You can either start rows, rounds or foundation chains. All of these I hope to post at some point.
Now that you can chain stitch. You could make a Lazy Daisy I will post that pattern very soon.
Let me know what you think?
With the lovely weather came the opportunity to do one of my very favourite things. Crochet in the garden. Yes, I love to snuggle under the makings of a large afghan with the cooler months. But there is something about crocheting outside, with the warmth of the summer sun. So here is what I made...
Completly insipred by reeneegurumi crochet critters' Noodle the Elephant and my last post I think that it works quite well.
The only question that remains, and has divided opinion in our house-hold is: is it a turtle or tortoise. I think it is a tortoise.
But while I was in the garden Si took this...
He said that it remined him of Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic where the wold is supported on the back of a giant turtle. I have to confess I have never read one of Terry Pratchett's books (sorry Terry - they are on my list of things to read), by Si's thoughts did get me thinking...
Well the weekend didn't turn out too bad after-all (aside from having to hot-wire the car into action). We made it to the garden centre, bought lots of lovely new plants. Hopefully I will plant them in the garden this weekend: fingers-crossed that the scaffolding has gone!
More importantly I sat down for some much needed crochet time. I had a pattern from reeneegurumi crochet critters! that I had wanted to try out for a while. So that is exactly what I did.
Here it is...
What do you think? Not bad for a first time at amigurumi!
I love to create beautiful things out of yarn. I love textile crafts, especailly crochet.
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