By Helen

the crochet collection

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!

crochet a daisy

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...

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!

how to...

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? 

turtle or tortoise?

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...

crochet time at last!

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!

didn't go quite to plan!

I haven't sold a single piece of braid.  I should take heart, that this is not because people didn't love them.  I am quite sure that they would have, if they had the opportunity to see them. 

It is because of (that wonderful phrase) circumstances outside of our control.

I am back home - well have been at home since Saturday evening.  This meant that our weekend re-enactment lasted less than twenty-four hours.

We got there, set up camp, had a lovely pub tea and settled round the fire of an evening of song, chat and beer.  Follwing this bed.  Sleeping under canvas is never going to be great, especially on the first night, especially when Skipton's church has a newly restored clock which chines every quarter.

Well it rained, and some how the rain found its way in to our tent and under our palliasse (beds).  So we set about drying them. Not a problem.  The call came to move cars.  Problem.  Mine refused to do anything other than play the radio! 

So, while I called the AA (who were ABSOLUTELY wonderful) Si packed the tent et al back  into the car.  Thought we should in case it turned out to be terminal and needed to be toed home.  Or if the car started, really didn't want to stop it until getting home. 

Car now only starts by lifting the bonnet, and placing a wire on part of the battery!  Going to call garage tomorrow - for proper fix.

So, spent yesterday watching the grand-prix - the irony of that isn't lost on me!

Now I am going to console myself with some much needed crochet time.  There is a pattern that I have been waiting to try out.  Now I have the time.

See not all bad.  Could always be worst.

Ps - if you know anyone who wants to buy sixty friendship braids...

Not much time for crochet

Over the past few days, I am afraid to say that, crochet has had to take a back-seat.  With the builders in re-roofing the house, my desire to decorate (unbelievable the builders have been so good - I have managed to paint the stairs while they work), work, life, etc.  Crochet has had to take second (or third, fourth or fifth place) for a while.

However, while I had the paint brushes out, I thought that I would paint some box frames which I bought a while ago, and frame some of my previous projects.  Remember the crochet Tiny Hearts and the Lazy Daisy ?

Well they have been crochet up-cycled!

 

 

he loves me, he loves me not...

So, I thought that I would carry on the daisy theme...

 

Lazy daisy

The grass is looking a lot greener now that we have had some rain.  Daises are beginning to appear everywhere: all over the banks of the City Walls,  the ramparts of Clifford's Tower and through the parks (or at least where the geese haven't eaten them).  So simple, so elegant.  I love the cleannessof the white against the yellow of the centre. 

 

They are full of summer fun.  Lazy days laying on the grass, staring up at the white fluffy clouds as they drift over head, making creatures that dance across the sky.  I type this as the sky darkens and the clouds do, quite literally, burst with the heaviest rain.  So much for those lazy, hazy days! 

Anyhow, I was inspired to make this...

 
Think I will go and make some more, while the rain passes.  Then out into the garden to plant the lavender.