By Helen

crochet for Halloween...

I thought that I would have a go at crocheting something seasonal for Halloween.  So after a, not so quick, browse on Ravelry getting distracted by all the other lovely crochet projects that are out there - my project queue is now very very long.  I settled on a pattern for an amigurumi kitty witch by Armina Parnagian. 

This is how it turned out...

If you decide to crochet this pattern yourself, just remember that it is written using American stitches, so covert them first.  Other than that it is a really great pattern, easy to follow and quick to make!  Perfect!

Happy Halloween!

baking for Christmas...

Baking for Christmas starts early in our home.  There is a family rumour, one which I follow, that your Christmas cakes must be made before Halloween.  Now I don't think that this is because cakes made after Halloween will have ghosty and witchiness in them: I think it is so that you have sufficient time to feed your cakes before the big day.  Christmas cake makers seem to be split into two distinct camps: those that feed and those that soak.  Me, I am a feeder!

I love how the fruit mixes together: and that the cherries look like glistening red jewels...

Mixing everything together, calls for another family tradition: as the fruit is mixed with the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, ground almonds and spice - you make a wish for yourself and for those who will eat the cake.  I also follow by this tradition, no-one can have too many wishes...

Cake ready for the oven, calls for (you guessed it) more family tradition.  The cake needs to be cooked for one hour for every egg you use.  This is genius (though did make my twelve egg wedding cake a bit of an epic) and never fails - so must be followed.  The next tradition is a little more unusual, but never-the-less is followed - oh and has never caused anyone to come down with anything nasty as a result of eating the cake.  The cake tin should not be washed between cake baking: wipe with a cloth, yes, wash with water and soap out no.  The tin I use has been passed down from at least my great-grandmother, as has the cake recipe, and to my knowledge has never washed...

Following all of that you have a beautiful cake, ready for feeding, ready for eating on Christmas day with a good big wedge of cheese...

Yummmmm....

crochet cushion complete...

Do you remember the house warming gift I started to make, ages ago, for my friend who was moving into her new home?  Well it did get finished.  It has been finished for quite a while: I just haven't got round to sharing it with you yet.  So here is it...

 
I am really rather proud of it.  So proud that I had to be persuaded not to keep it for my-self: but in the interests of keeping the Good Karma Fairy happy, I did give it away.

I love the yarn,  King Cole Riot, which was left over from making a scarf.  I like the way the yarn works with the traditional granny square, giving it a more up-to-date look.

I think that I will make myself one..!

colours for inspiration...

Have I mentioned how much I love this time of year?  The cold crisp days, the sun which still gives warmth, the bright blue sky and the colours Mother Nature gives us.

Last weekend my friend and I decided to visit Thorp Perrow, so that we could look at the beautiful colours and so her little girl could see the birds and animals.

Here is a hint of what we saw...

So next time you are putting yarn together for a new crochet project, don't work too hard.  Look around you: Mother Nature has done all the hard work for us!

 

knitting (or crocheting) for a REALLY good cause...

Calling all knitters.  Calling all crocheters.   Your skills are needed for a really, really, really good cause...

Last year the call went out to knit the length of York's city walls this years aim, as the poster suggests, is to knit the length of York's race course all for raising money, and awareness, for Cancer Research UK.

Here's how it works. Pop into Ramshambles to buy a bag which contains two balls of King Cole wool and four (yes four) knitting patterns.  You knit until you run out of wool then take the finished scarf back to Ramshambles.  The scarfs  will then be sold on the 22nd October at York's Marriott Hotel . 

So it really is a win win situation.  Cancer Research UK gets two lots of money  and you get four lovely patterns.  Plus the yarn is really chunky and lovely to work with, so you get the scarf finished in no time...

Don't worry that the 22nd is less than a week away.  Katie at Ramshambles mentioned that they will keep selling the wool and taking in the scarfs for some time after that.

Alternatively you can donate at this link.

So, come on get down to Ramshambles, get your needles and hooks out and knit, or crochet...

happy birthday cake...

Last weekend it was Si's birthday, so in the true tradition of birthdays, I downed crochet hook in favour of spatula and created cake!

I couldn't decide what flavour cake to make Si, as he likes ALL cake: and he couldn't decide what flavour he wanted, because he likes ALL cake.  So I  set out to make a coffee, chocolate, vanilla cake.  Loosely based on the Victoria Sponge, with added umpf: I am not sure the WI would approve.

I went for a divide and rule approach, splitting the batter in to three, and then adding the flavour.  To be quite truthful; I couldn't be bothered with the faff of making three small batters.  So to one third I added coffee, very strong instant coffee.  To one third I added cocoa powder mixed with water - thank you L for that tip. To the last third I added milk so that I would have the same consistency of batter.  Told you the WI would not approve!

I decided not to be all arty and try and swirl the batter around into interesting and creative shapes, opting for something which rather resembled a football.  Ironic as Si hates football: but useful as my friend's small child loves it...

It worked well...

...even if I do say so myself.

All that was left to do was decorate it...

...and eat :-)

Si was more than happy with the cake, and I was happyish with the make. 

Note to self: more cocoa powder next time.

Note to Si: remember this cake in March.

Now back to the hook...

ta-dah moment...

...my crochet blanket is finished..!

It is one of those projects that you could keep adding to and adding to, but I have decided to officially declare the blanket done, complete, fin-ito! 

It is quite small: the perfect size for pulling over your lap while reading a book and sipping hot chocolate on a cold Autumnal day - rather like today! 

It is also the perfect size for throwing over the back of the sofa...

 

The making-up , as predicted, did lead to lots and lots and lots of ends, which needed to be fasten off and woven in.  After getting a bit fed-up with all of the ends, I decided to change technique: once I had double crocheted two sides together I slip-stitched back along the double crochet to get to the point where I could make the next join.  This technique worked really really well.  No ends to weave in and a really strong steam. 

I will definately used this technique next time...

 

making up crochet...

I am sure some of you will remember the blanket which I started making AGES ago.  Well it is progressing very well...

 

Since this photograph was taken I have made another complete circle of the green and white flowers and enough pink, white and green flowers to go around that!  All I have to do is join them altogether!  Fortunately I can double crochet the hexagons together: so no sewing involved, plus this gives a really lovely finish. 

Either looking like this...

 
Or it looking like this...

 
I hope that you can see the difference? One side has a flat join, the other a slight (but I think attractive) ridge.

Now all I have to do is attach this lot...

 
and job done!  If I am really really clever I will see a logical path (think Blockbusters here) though the joins, so I wont have numerous ends to weave in!

Will let you know...:-)

hello October...

October!  How did that happen?  I don't feel like I am done with September, yet I find myself turning the calendar.  Still the beautiful sun-shine does help.  Who would have thought on the first weekend of October we would be sat out in the garden having afternoon tea...

 
I made some of my very favourite oaty, chewy biscuits and settled down with a cup of tea and hook in hand ready to complete , yes complete, some of those unfinished crochet projects that I need to get done.  Aim by the end of today is...

• finish the house gift for my friend before she moves into said home
• join together as many hexagons of my blanket as possible
• may be start, or think about starting, some of the other projects I had in mind...

Here's to crochet, to sun-shine and to October...

Happy crocheting