One W.I.P down, many more to go

At last! I have finished a cushion cover that has been sitting around since ….

May (!) waiting to be sewn up – here it is back then with two other projects waiting for the finishing touches

 

My d-i-l asked if I could cover one of her cushions to go with the one on the left so that the twins could have a cushion each.

 

 

 

Of the colours I had with me when I was staying with them, we came up with this combination in Stylecraft Special DK: Aspen, Magenta, Cream, Citron, Bright Pink, and Soft Peach

 

A palette which I think has a Cath Kidston kind of look

And will go so beautifully in the twin’s bedroom

Cute?

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn along.

Ginny asks us to mention a book we are reading, but I listen whilst crocheting rather than read and am loving the comedy ‘Bird Island’   on BBC Radio 4Extra a “New comedy by Katy Wix. Ben, a young scientist working in the sub-Antarctic, tries to adapt to the loneliness by keeping a cheery audio diary on his Dictaphone. With Reece Shearsmith” and Julian Rhind-Tutt.

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A Cushion for Big Sister

Big Sister chose the colours she wanted

Stylecraft Special DK: Bright Pink, Magenta, Lavender, Soft Peach, & Sunshine.

We found a cushion, no longer in use, to cover.

I got busy with the ripples.

To make a neat seam, I did a row of single crochet along each side

And then sewed up using mattress stitch, worked from the right side. 

I was lucky to find some sweet heart-shaped buttons with flowers on them in just the right colours

And Big Sister was delighted to have a new cushion for her bedroom

Coming downstairs I noticed the shoes in the hall and couldn’t resist a photo … my son and his girls …. aaaah …
Linking in with Ginny’s Yarn Along where you can see over a 100 other fabulous yarn projects on the go.

 

Spotty Cushion

My D-i-l (daughter-in-law) loves spots on fabric, crockery, all sorts of things and she wanted an old cushion recovered, so I set out to make a cover I hoped she would like.

When I think of her and colour, soft blues come to mind so I hoped she would like the combination:

Cloud Blue, White, Silver, Meadow, Pale Rose, and Aster

in Stylecraft Special DK from the Wool Warehouse, and you can also get this yarn from Deramores by mail order.

When the crochet was lying flat, I misjudged the amount spots needed and needed to add more – very tricky once the sides had been sewn up

Note to self: always check the design of appliqué objects before sewing up!

And …….. I do believe she really did like it!

For the first time I am joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along at Small Things and I’m particularly excited as I have finally worked out how to put the proper link in a post! Now to work out how to put one in a widget in the side bar – still so much to learn!

Big Bro’s cushion, part 2

In Big Bro’s Cushion Part 1 you saw the cushion I made in bright zingy colours

Big Bro (then aged 4) was delighted at first, but then he started big school and somehow these bright colours lost their appeal and now his favourite colour is ……………. BLACK!

He told me quite clearly and honestly that he didn’t like his cushion any more and would like one in black. I really didn’t think I could bear to crochet one all in black, so we negotiated. And I started out with Midnight, a very dark blue.

When I was crocheting along: Cosy Cal blanket with Lucy at Attic 24, I noticed the width of the blanket would wrap nicely round a 20″ cushion pad

(Oh boy! Those colours! I will have to return to that combination again some time.)

So I started with a chain of 198, for a width of 120cm. in Stylcraft Special DK, ‘Midnight’ and a 4.5mm hook. (you could do Ch170 as a foundation, and have a smaller overlap, if you were going to use buttons to fasten). The pattern is very relaxing to work, being two rows of double crochet (DC, US style) and then 2 rows of  ‘granny ‘ groups of 3 dc in one stitch. (For the pattern and Lucy’s excellent tutorial, click on the link to the Cosy Cal above.)

I started this cushion on my few days away in Beer, continuing it over a pub lunch and discovered that this length would make a great scarf – what a versatile pattern Lucy’s Cosy Cal Blanket is turning out to be.

I managed to sneak in some other colours with Big Bro’s approval: Lipstick, Royal and Teal. (of course he must never know the red is called Lipstick!!! because at 5 he would definitely reject the cushion on that basis! It saddens me a little that this happens – but it does.)

But Royal Blue and Red are Superman colours – right?

I make a cover for the cushion pad, with an overlap like on pillows (the ones you sleep on) because I don’t like fitting zips and this is quick and easy. I just cut a strip of fabric, measured by laying the pad on the fabric. Then I put pins in where it is to fold, take out the pad and sew directly – a cinch!

In this case the overlap that seemed to fit best was about 14cm.

It is important that the width of the crochet is quite a bit smaller than the width of the cushion pad so that it stretches nicely over the inside, otherwise it goes all saggy and baggy very quickly.

Crochet along the edge that will be seen. I make small gaps for buttonholes, in case I might want to do a fastening later.

And here it is!All ready to replace the one with PINK in it!

And phew – Big Bro loved it!

Until the next time fashions change, in his 5 year old world, that is!

Crochet cushion for Big Bro, part 1

The Big Bro cushion journey started back in March 2014 with my huge order of yarn for my Summer Flight throw.

I played around with colour combos and the zingy colours I love: Jaffa, Turquoise, Bright Pink, Magenta, Sunshine. All in Stylecraft Special DK acrylic.

and trying out yet another ripple/zig-zag style

Zing!

One evening whilst babysitting with Big Bro (then just 3, nearly 4) and Little Bro and rattling along with the zingy colours, Big Bro said ‘Granny, what are you making?’                    ‘A cushion’, I said

‘For my bed?’ he said in such a sweet enquiring voice, I just had to say ‘YES!’

But then of course I had to make 2 cushions – one for Little Bro as well, so I made them in tandem.

I take my crochet with me everywhere – here is Big Bro’s WIP (work in progress) acting as a tea cosy whilst I work on Little Bros cover, over a tea time snack in a cafe garden. Sitting in a cafe or a pub with a friend chatting and knitting or crocheting is one of my very favourite things to do! (anyone else with me on this???)

 

 

I finished both covers together

 

and the boys were delighted with them

Big Bro was particularly fascinated with the buttons and that he could take the cover off

Little Bro decided it made a good table when enjoying a snack

The boys seemed very happy with their cushions and placed them on their beds

 

Mission accomplished!

 

Or so you would think ………. there is more to this tale of two cushions, which I will tell you another day.

One day I also hope to do a round up of all the crocheted cushions I’ve made with tutorials, but wow that takes so much time to do – I SO admire and appreciate everyone who does brilliant tutorials – they are a lot of work! Fun to do, but a lot of work!

Happy hooking! And Happy Easter!

GARDEN DIARY

First cut of the lawn today. I’ve been itching to cut it for a couple of weeks, but just could not rouse the mower from hibernation. Luckily a kind neighbour stepped in with a magic touch and Brrrrm! I was Off! Keeping it plain for now, but you can click on the links to see the designs from other years. This was last year.  And here are the waves of 2013. And the grass spirals of years past. Grass Art I like to call it! The picture below is from 2009.Do you play around with patterns in the garden?