Magic Knot

I was shown how to do a ‘Magic Knot’ a while ago but couldn’t remember how to do it.

I have found this video which I am posting here, mainly so that I can find it easily, but hopefully some of you will find it useful as well.

I will try it in the Scrappy Blanket I wrote about in the last post.

It’s growing.

 

 

 

Scrap Happy: Magic Balls

Don’t blame me -That’s what they are called on Instagram.

#magicballs #magicyarnball #scrappyyarnballs #scrappyyarnball

I have started another Scrap Happy Blanket, this time using the stitch used in the Rainbow Dash Baby Blanket, which is a free pattern.

I just love the way this stitch blends colours together, looks a bit like weaving and provides a really thick, warm blanket.

I am joining with reef knots and leaving all the ends at the back.

This one is mainly greens and blues with a bit of black and grey

Using a 4.5mm hook, the yarns are mainly double knit, but other thicknesses are added in small pieces.

I’m joining in with Kate on her monthly Scrap Happy Day.

Here are links to the other Happy Scrappers

Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, 
Jan, Moira, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Jon, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, Edith
 Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Debbierose, Nóilin, Viv, Karrin,
Amo, Alissa, Lynn, Tierney and Hannah

Inspired by Lichen

I have started a fourth version of the pattern Virtue by Helen Shrimpton

This comes as a free pattern with full video tutorial.

I love the texture Helen creates.

Her patterns are super reliable and this is becoming my favourite, because of how the corners are built up, without masses of ends to sew in.

I am making this for a friend who has asked for colours inspired by lichen and bark. Tricky to get right when one is restricted to the colour palette of the yarn.

In order to get some blending in the colour order, for the first time I am mixing 12 colours from Stylcraft Special DK:

Hint of Silver, Warm Grey, Mustard, Silver, Meadow, Pistachio, Sandstone, Lime, Lincoln, Khaki, Mocha and Walnut

with 2 colours from Stylecraft Batik

Mint and Silver

The Batik yarn has some wool content but the same washing instructions, so I hope it will be ok.  It is working up well so far.

Yesterday I met my daughter and niece for a coffee and a catch up at Fables and Food, a lovely friendly new Cafe in Dorchester, which delicious food.

It was the perfect spot to sit, in the sun, listening to the fountain and sewing in some ends while I waited for the others to arrive

Autumn Virtue

This is becoming my favourite Helen Shrimpton pattern (And it’s free!)

I like it because the corners are built up in the round, which means there are a lot fewer ends to sew in than on other patterns where the corners are built up separately.

I have made this Throw for the daughter of one of my closest friends.

Lucy is the same age as my first born and her Mum and I lived in the same village. We became friends when we had our babies together in 1976.

Lucy has a Podcast: Spinsterhood Reimagined, which celebrates the positives and discusses the challenges of a single, child-free life.

She had seen my blankets and throws on Instagram and remarked ‘I want one!’.

I had wanted to make another ‘Virtue’, so when she said she would choose Autumnal colours, I was thrilled and started immediately. I just love this colour combination.

So cosy!

Stylecraft Special DK, 10 colours:

Tomato, Spice, Gold, Dark Brown, Burgundy, Claret, Copper, Walnut, Khaki and Bottle.

The pattern comes with Video Tutorials and is lovely to make.

I stopped short by a few rows and edged the throw with Helen’s Knot Stitch, from another free pattern – Sacred Space, Part 9. Penultimate row.

🙂 Haggis (f) likes it. 🙂

A Crochet Along called ‘Virtue’

I do love to join in with a crochet along, and Helen Shrimpton patterns are always so trustworthy and easy to follow with brilliant video tutorials.

You get a new part to follow each week.

This is Part 3 completed

I am making it for my niece. I absolutely love choosing colours with the person whom the blanket is for. It means I use colour combinations I would never have chosen otherwise.

S sent me a photo of her sitting room and I noticed this cushion on the sofa. We decided to base our colour palette loosely on the flamingoes and foliage.

Using Stylecraft Special DK and a 4.5mm hook the circle currently measures 27.5 inches or 70 cm diameter.

In Round 36 made each of the last popcorns independently in Spice (orange) so that the zigzag pattern in Spice and Tomato was more defined.

You can see a list of the colours in this post and I have now added Petrol and Cypress.

In a Vase on Monday: Snapdragons, Eucalyptus & Crochet

Hello!!

It’s been a while hasn’t it.

I have been wihout my computer since 22.August which has been pretty stressful! I have had a shocking time with Apple, which I won’t go into now, as it will raise my blood pressure.

So to celebrate being back, here is a two-for-the-price-of-one post.

I am joining Cathy and her merry band of gardeners with In a Vase on Monday today. Her post is gloriously autumnal. Mine looks more like summer, but my late sown antirrhinums have been such good value from late summer til now – and the colours go so beautifully with my latest crochet project.

I am following Helen Shrimpton’s 2022 Crochet Along (CAL). The pattern is called Virtue. I love her patterns as they are so well tested and totally reliable. They come with video tutorials and there is a supportive Facebook group as well.

The colours have been inspired by flamingoes, a favourite of my niece whom the blanket is for.

The snapdragons in the vase have been teamed with fronds of eucalyptus.I love this combination of shapes and colours.

In both projects.

I am using a 4.5mm hook and Stylecraft Special DK

Starting from the centre:

Spice, Tomato, Vintage Peach, Blush, Parchment, Lincoln, Storm, Duck Egg, Cream, White, Clematis, Soft Peach, Buttermilk, Stone.

Gosh – 14 colours!  I didn’t realise I had used so many.

I will be adding more in future rounds.

The photo shows Part 1 and Part2 of the CAL.

❤ It’s good to be back! ❤

 

Friends of Attic24: Dorset

It was a glorious sunny day here last Sunday, just the day for a visit to the seaside

I am a member of a group of crocheters, who live in Dorset and all like and follow Attic24.

Lucy, of Attic24, runs an annual Crochet Along (CAL) and this year the inspiration for her blanket design is harbours.

Lucy used to live near West Bay so our group often meets at West Bay. Just 3 of us on Sunday

We took our blankets down to the harbour for a photo, but it was so packed with people, it was hard to find a place to get a good shot. So we turned to the beach and found an upturned boat

The blanket on the left is following Lucy’s colours. I am going a bit brighter and making a stash-busting blanket for the granddaughter of a friend, Miss P, who loves bright colours.It is such a relaxing pattern to make, I can recommend it for a crochet beginner.

Bonfire on the Beach at Sunset

The Coastal Crochet Cal (crochet along), Picnic on the Beach, has finished and it was a joy to take part. The pace was just right and although it is not a race it is nice to keep up and be part of seeing all the amazing blankets that are being created at the same time, all over the world. I do love the sense of community that builds through the Facebook page, and by Eleonora sharing picture collages on her Instagram pages and on Facebook.

Eleonora’s video tutorials are excellent. I am excited to see what she comes up with next.

My colours were inspired by the colours I used in Attic24’s Dahlia Blanket and the sunsets I see from my west-facing sitting room window.

One was from last week

A painting in the sky.

I used Stylecraft Special DK  and a 4.5mm hook.

Colours: Lipstick, Spice, Matador, Claret, Burgundy, Clementine, Sunshine, Pomegranate, Blush, Duck Egg, Dandelion, Tomato, Storm Blue, Petrol.

In my last post about this blanket I showed you the horror of all the ends to sew in. Eleonora did provide a tutorial on how to weave them in as the Tunisian Entrlac was being worked, but there were still a LOT of ends to sew in for this blanket. Worth it though, and amazingly they are all sewn in. Sometimes it takes me months to do that job.

The blanket has been designed as a picnic blanket and so is not too big to carry around, and works very nicely as a blanket to snuggle up in on cool evenings.

Rainbow for Big Bro

The last of the 8 blankets I have crocheted for my Grandchildren. It is quite a relief to know they all have one now.

I am following in the footsteps of my paternal Grandmother who crocheted a blanket for each of her 14 grandchildren, luckily, I only have 8.

The brief: Big Bro wanted ripples like his brother’s blanket, but different.

He wanted bright rainbow colours and lots of blues. I made a sample in all Stylecraft Special DK yarn, but the purple, orange and some of the blues were not quite right, so we scoured the internet to find the colours he liked.

I always really enjoy the design process with my Grandchildren. They have very clear ideas about what they want and I like to encourage them. I believe it is important to give children opportunities to make creative decisions – a life skill worth having which encourages them to develop their own style.

The pattern is Attic24’s Neat Ripple Blanket using Acrylic DK and 4.5mm hook

I did a starting Chain of 213

It measures 1m 34cm x 1m 94cm

Each row of colour (2 rows of crochet) takes about 15 gms of SSDK yarn.

The mix of repeating colour orders and random mixes makes the blanket more interesting – well I think so. Do you agree? Or would you prefer a strict repeating pattern?

Colour Order:

You can find the colour order for the first 30 rows in this post.

Rows 31 onwards

Geraardsbergen (2011).  Scheepjes Colour Crafter

Saxe           Cygnet DK

Petrol   James C Brett Top Value Shade 846

Hayfield Bonus Extra Value Shade 0824

Turquoise SSDK (Stylecraft Special Double Knit)

Empire SSDK

Petrol SSDK

Green SSDK

Grass Green SSDK

Sunshine SSDK

Bright Orange – James C Brett

Matador SSDK

Fuchsia Purple SSDK

Orchid – King Cole Pricewise DK

Purple – King Cole Pricewise DK

Lobelia – SSDK

Royal – SSDK

Lapis – SSDK

Aster – SSDK

Turquoise – SSDK

Azure –  Hayfield Bonus DK, Extra Value (0824)

Petrol – James C Brett

Empire – SSDK

Petrol – SSDK

Bottle – SSDK

Green – SSDK

Grass – SSDK

Sunshine SSDK

Bright Orange – James C Brett

Matador  – SSDK

Raspberry – SSDK

Fuchsia Purple – SSDK

Orchid – King Cole Pricewise DK

Purple – King Cole Pricewise DK

Royal SSDK

Geraardsbergen (2011).  Scheepjes Colour Crafter

Aster – SSDK

Lapis – SSDK

Empire – SSDK

Azure –  Hayfield Bonus DK, Extra Value (0824)

Turquoise – SSDK

Petrol   James C Brett Top Value Shade 846

Petrol – SSDK

Bottle – SSDK

Green – SSDK

Grass – SSDK

Sunshine SSDK

Bright Orange – James C Brett

Matador  – SSDK

Fuchsia Purple – SSDK

Orchid – King Cole Pricewise DK

Purple – King Cole Pricewise DK

Lobelia – SSDK

Royal – SSDK

Saxe           Cygnet DK

Geraardsbergen (2011).  Scheepjes Colour Crafter

Aster – SSDK

Turquoise – SSDK

Azure –  Hayfield Bonus DK, Extra Value (0824)

Petrol – James C. Brett

Empire – SSDK

Petrol – SSDK

 

THE BORDER

The first row in Petrol – James C. Brett,  filled in the troughs of the waves, following the instructions onAttic24’s website.

The second row of single crochet (US) is in the same yarn.

Third row in Azure –  Hayfield Bonus DK, Extra Value (0824) is double crochet (US)

Fourth and last row is in Turquoise SSDK in Crab Stitch.

~~~

Ta Dah!!!

~~~~

For other crocheted blankets go to my THROWS page

 

In a Vase on Monday: Pink, White and Grey

The colour combination that is floating my creative boat at the moment is pink, white and grey.

In the vases (two jam jars and an old Victorian ink pot) are Stacchys, a white perennial wallflower with a delicious scent, red campions and a pink geranium.

The crocheted doily is from a pattern by Zoya Matyushenko – oh I do love her patterns – but oh boy! you do have to concentrate very hard when making them. This one is Birgitta and has yet to be blocked. I am thinking of putting it on a wire hoop to hang on the wall.

I used a 3mm hook and Junaluna gradient yarn, which is a 3ply cotton and not the easiest to work with, but it looks fabulous and it so wonderfully soft, it would be gorgeous for a shawl.

I am joining Cathy as she gathers lilacs from her gardentoday, with lots of other locked down gardeners from all over the world – and what a wonderfully colourful lot we all are, to be sure.

Is it a Hat, is it a Wig?

My latest variation of one of my basic hat/wig patterns.

Here is the original

I have added rows of DK yarn in between the main rows of the chunky yarn.

I’m thinking I might make another with multicolured yarns of all different weights – it could be a great stash-buster.

The hat/wigs have been worn for fancy dress:  a multi-coloured one, modelled here by my lovely daughter-in-law

They have been bought for wearing in college plays, as fun chemo wigs, by my nephew and his mates on a zany night out and of course Halloween

Cruella Deville anyone

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along

The book I am re-reading and the moment is  

An oldie but goodie.

In a Nest on Monday

Hellebore and Hebe in a Lost Garden.

This little hebe is the star of the show in my garden at the moment, I just love it’s pink tips.

The hellebore sits in one of last year’s blackbird’s nest found in the loganberry which is trained against a wooden fence.

The crochet mandala is a pattern by Helen Shrimpton, called Lost Garden and inspired by the Lost Gardens of Helligan. It will be a blanket.

I had a play with the photo to create a more vintage look

Which do you prefer?

Do you think either would make a good greetings card?

Pop along over to Cathy’s Garden blog and see what gardeners all over the world are putting in a Vase this Monday.

Edit:

I’m adding a close up for Cee’s Flower of the Day

Scrap Happy February

I am having a serious sort out of all my yarny WIPs and UFOs.

In 2016 I made a blanket to send to Syria for refugees, inspired by Mrs Snail’s method of joining oddments of yarn with a knot and leaving the knots as texture in the work – with no ends to sew in!

My daughter, asked for another to throw over an armchair for her farmer husband to sit in when he came in during the day covered in all manner of mess and muck. In the box where all the UFOs are stored I found these

I can’t remember what they were for – maybe I was going to make cushion covers, anyway, I decided to unravel them and make another blanket for myself. I have been unravelling lots and lots of abandoned bits – it was such a relief to come to this decision.

The yarns are a mixture of cotton, wool, and acrylic. some is from my Mum’s stash, but mostly it is from old abandoned projects of mine. Plus oddments left over from finished projects.

All are tied together with reef knots (left over right, right over left).

What a haul ….

and there’s plenty more to come!

I’m using a 5mm hook and started with a few rows of chunky weight turquoise

I have been keeping my bits and pieces, left over from sewing in ends a bag in a drawer

but when we met in West Bay for our Sweet Pea Gathering, one of our group told us she is storing her ends in a glass jar and then posted a photo on FB – oh they did look pretty – so now ….

I’m sorting my ends into colour jars – it makes sewing in ends much more fun!

A friend I met on the Collage Workshop in November, says she uses ends like these when she makes paper out of fabric off cuts. I’m not sure what I will do with mine yet – but for now I’m enjoying them brightening up the windowsil.

Joining in with Kate and her happy band of scrappers in her regular Scrap Happy post.

Yarn Along with Ginny

A peek at the corner of the Rainbow Amanzi Throw I’m making for my 8 year old granddaughter. Her birthday is in April, I think I will have it finished by then.  Anyone who knows the pattern will see that I have made some modifications – Jen Tyler’s designs encourage experimentation!

I’m enjoying these lively colours in the depths of Winter amd to offset the ‘noise’, I’m enjoying revisiting the book “Returning to Silence”.

It was published in 1988, I first read it, and loved it, in 1998 and now I’m enjoying it again. Like so many similar books, it is about coming back to the self, being present in the moment, knowing your peaceful centre, no matter what you are doing. I like the way it soothes me and takes me there again.

Meanwhile I keep crocheting these bright zingy colours!

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along

Windows

Here we are again at the first Tuesday of the month and time to share our WINDOW photos.

We had snow here, in the South of England, last Friday and this was the view from my bedroom window

It is really difficult to adequately describe the joy of sitting in my cosy bed, crocheting rainbows for my granddaughter (Big Sis, aged 8 – yes she chose the Rainbow Amanzi) with Radio 4 playing The Book of the Week: Silence

I still get a warm fuzzy glow remembering the sheer pleasure, delight and gratitude for all that has brought me to this place of peace and joy.

Life has had it’s tumultuous ups and downs and in the darkest times I used to dream of a scene like this, a feeling like this. Dreams really do come true, feels good to acknowledge that and know that if things go wambly again in the future, I can always look back to this for comfort and to realign those dreams.

~~~

I’m really looking forward to seeing the WINDOWS you have captured with your camera this month and perhaps the thoughts or stories that go with them.

Just leave a link in the Comments below.

A window on your world – or keeping the curtains cosily drawn; one photo, a group of photos, current or archive – all are welcome!

Edit:

If you would also like to join in with Jenn’s Photo Challenge : Comfortable and Cozy, pop on over to Travelling at Wit’s End.

 

There’s a Whole Lot of Crochet Going On

Hello everyone!

I have been a bit quiet in blogland for a while – I’m in hibernation mode and loving it. Warm fires, stews bubbling away on the woodburner and plenty of dark evening time for crochet and doodling.

For the 4th time I’m joining in with Attic24’s January Crochet Along. The first was the Cosy Cal, second the Moorland, Third was last year’s Woodland and now I am making this year’s Sweet Pea Blanket – oh what a joy it is to be part of this wonderfully supportive cosy crochet community. The Facebook Group Attic24 Moorland and More is a great place to spend some time for crochet chat.

I love the colours Lucy has chosen, I would never have put Magenta and Pomegranate together, but she is a genius when it comes to mixing 15 colours in a blanket design. In the past I have substituted some of the colours but this year I’m sticking to her colours …. but not her order! My creative mind just has to have a play.

Part 1 completed in Stylecraft Special DK and using a 4.5mm hook

Lucy gives three options for the colour order: Posy which is what she calls organised random, Colourwash, which blends blocks of colours and Repeat which is all the colours in a repeating sequence of 15 rows. I could not decide which one I liked best so I am making a Baby Blanket size and am mixing up the Posy and Colourwash styles and hope it works.

I’m not quite sure I like the above order, so I did a sample doll’s blanket with a slight adjustment

Here is the Doll’s Blanket order, going from bottom to top:

1. Violet (foundation chain, sc (US) row and row 2)
2. Lavender (row 3)
3. Violet (row 4)
4. Lavender (row 5)
5. Plum (row 6)
6. Magenta (rows 7 and 8)
7. Pistachio (row 9)
8. Magenta (row 10)
9. Meadow (row 11)
10. Cypress (row 12)
11. Pomegranate (rows 13 and 14)
12. Blush (rows 15 and 16)
13. Candyfloss (row 17)
14. Blush (row 18)
15. Candyfloss (rows 19 and 20)
16. Cream (row 21)
17. Pistachio (row 22)
18. Cream (row 23)
19. Meadow (row 24)
20. Fuschia Purple (25 and 26)
21. Magenta (27)
22. Fuchsia Purpke (28)
23. Magenta (29)
24. Wisteria (30 and 31)
25. Soft Peach (32)
26. Wisteria (33)
27. Pistachio (34 and 35)

The Sweet Pea blanket has caused such a buzz! It is exciting to be part of it.

Over 5,000 – yes FIVE THOUSAND, Sweet Pea Packs have been sold by Wool Warehouse!

It makes my heart sing to know that the world is being wrapped in Sweet Pea blankets!

I am hosting a Sweet Pea Gathering for anyone making the blanket, so on Sunday 3rd. February I will be somewhere in Bridport at 10.15am for coffee and crochet, with anyone who wants to join me! When I know how many would like to come along I will fix a venue – I have a couple in mind.

I chose Bridport as it is my old stamping ground and where Lucy grew up. She still visits and blogs about the area, so I thought it would be fun and a nice link to meet there. I’m very excited to see who turns up.

Have any of you been tempted to join in with Lucy’s Crochet Along this year?

Joining in with Ginny’s January Yarn Along

Yarn Along: Land, Sea and Sky

I have SO enjoyed making this blanket.

I usually have 3 main projects on the go at any one time.

One that is Work, one for Rest and one for Play.

This has been my ‘Rest’ blanket that I have been making when I need a break from complicated patterns that require focus and concentration like the Karoo Vintage Mystery Along (a Play project) and the Dreamcatchers. (Work projects as they had to be done by a certain date).

I have made this ‘Land, Sea and Sky Blanket’ in odd moments, in the evenings, whilst waiting for appointments, when I have felt too tired to do anything else and when I’m out and about with the grandchildren.

Lucy’s Cosy Stripe Pattern is the most relaxing pattern to make, with just enough interest so that it does not become boring and stitches (double crochet -US) I can do without looking at it for a lot of the time.

From the left the stripes start with sky, then go to sea, sand, land, sky, sea, sand, land, sky.

I made up the sequence and colour choices as I went along.

Mostly made in Stylecraft Special DK yarn with a 4.5mm hook.

Colours: Cloud Blue, Sherbert, Denim, Teal, Storm, Aster, Cream, Buttermilk, Camel, Silver, Grey, Cypress, Sage, Meadow, Mocha, Pale Rose, Soft Peach,

and a variegated yarn and pale turquoise from my stash that I had used in this blanket.

This is the sort of project I make when doing other things, so it takes no time at all and is using yarn from the stockpile in my loft. I’m sad to see it come to an end as now I have to do the edging and finish sewing in the ends, so it will briefly fall into the ‘Work’ category.

It has been a delight.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along .

Ginny asks us to include a book we are reading. I rarely read nowadays but I do listen to a lot of Comedy and Drama on Radio 4 Extra which I believe is possible to access from other countries. This is a nice bit of silliness: Revolting People by Andy Hamilton.

Cosmic Bedspread Complete

Tah Dah!!!       Drum roll please!

At last it is finished

This has been a really fun project to make. The journey began back in April when Helen Shrimpton’s Crochet Along started and I finished the CAL back in June, but I wanted to do a few more rows to make it bigger and work out how to make a scalloped edge.

The bedspread, shown here on a 5′ wide double bed, had to wait patiently in the background whilst I made a couple of dreamcatchers for birthday presents, and then it was hard to pick it up again.

But I did it!!

I can highly recommend Helen’s patterns and this one is FREE and comes with a video tutorial.

To see other amazing Cosmics, join Helen’s Hookaholics on FB and go to the Photo Albums. If you ever need inspiration for colour combinations there is surely no better place to go.

I made this Bedspread with Scheepjes Whirl and Whirlettes and a 3mm hook:

2 x Rosewater Cocktail Whirl

1 x Jumping Jelly Whirl

1 x Citrus Whirlette

1x Blueberry Whirlette

I really enjoyed mixing up the Whirls and playing with the gradients in the colours to get the effect I wanted.

It measures 1m 41cm – 1m 35cm.           or             4’6.5″ x 4’5″

Blog posts showing progress:

Making a start. Parts 1 and 2

Parts 3 and 4

Parts 5 and 6

Parts 7 and 8

Part 9 and beyond

I am so happy with my zingy bedspread!

Karoo Vintage Mystery Along

Jen Tyler of Hooks ‘n’ Tails is another fabulously creative crochet designer.

Her style takes a bit of getting used to

but so worth it if you can cast pre-conceived ideas to the wind and go with her!

This pattern is a Mystery even to Jen herself, she is making it up as she goes along and each week gives us another few rows to work on. The pattern starts with a flower and then We’re OFF! on a voyage of discovery.

Texture, overlay and all sorts of avant garde instructions follow.

If it were not for the videos, I don’t think I would ever be able to follow the patterns. They are clear and well written but the stitches and methods of achieving them are unconventional, often taking a bit of working out and it makes my head spin.

Even the videos are not easy to follow.

They are not tutorial videos, but more Jen racing along with her crochet hook and me scampering behind trying hard to keep up! Sometimes I re-play the video 4 or five times to work things out.

I have just arrived at the end of Part 3 and it measures 67cm (26″)  square.

This project is like going on a Crochet Safari – you have to keep your wits about you and you never know what exciting new experience is round the next corner.

It is fun! And I have to concentrate so hard that all other worries melt away for hours on end – so therefore it also gets to be relaxing.

If you want a crochet adventure, this is definitely the right pattern for you!

There are plenty of other brave explorers who have picked up the challenge and you can see all their amazing work on Instagram, Facebook and Ravelry.

Details:

Karoo Vintage Mystery along by Jen Tyler

4.5mm hook and Stylecraft Special DK in woodland colours.

I loved working with Woodland colours for my Woodland Ripple so much, I was just waiting for another project in which I could use them again.

Joining in with Ginny’s monthly Yarn Along.

I rarely read books nowadays but I do listen to stories and dramas on the Radio whilst I crochet and The Little Ottleys has been a delight to listen to whilst going on safari in the Karoo.

 

Happy 6th Birthday

I finished the Dreamcatcher in time for Little Miss M’s birthday!

Hurray!

She loves it, especially as her big sister has one, she seemed especially pleased about that. I love it so much I am going to have to make one for myself as well.

It fits perfectly on a 40cm coated metal hoop which I got from Glitterwitch.

The 2ply crochet thread used is Rico Essentials with the turquoise (Tropic) from Scheepjes Sweet Treat. I used a 2mm hook.

The pattern is Tuuli by Zoya Matyushenko, a free pattern if you join her Facebook Group

Zoya’s patterns are a delight to work, at almost every row you could stop and have a finished design

I’m tempted to try one in DK to see what size it would be, but just at the moment it is so hot here I don’t even feel like crocheting – now that is seriously hot!!!

Little Miss M’s birthday party was yesterday – on the hottest day so far this summer in the UK (according to the News) – the theme was ‘The Greatest Showman’, there was a bouncy castle, dressing-up, a Mum brought a rainbow coloured parachute for parachute games, circus skills eqipment to play with… it was fun! It was HOT! I got out my little indoor watering cans and sprinkled the children on their heads, wrists and the backs of necks to keep them cool.

Rain is forecast for Sunday – yes please!!!