Crochet Work Basket

Crochet Work Basket.

I love it, I get so much pleasure from putting away my latest project in it’s special work basket.

It was hard work on my wrists using yarn this thick, well cotton actually, but it was worth it.

It started with a simple circle to create the base, this image doesn’t actually show quite how thick the cotton is but the hook is a size 11 so that may give you an idea!

With perseverance and regular breaks for my wrist it grew taller, I love the pattern created by simple switches from single crochet to half treble crochet and working into back loops only. So effective.

When I felt it was tall enough it was time to break for the handles by replacing the stitches with a chain ready to stitch over on the following round.

I have wanted to make myself a work basket for ages and finally got around to it!

You can make your own work basket using this link to the pattern.

Happy hooking my friends.

 

 

Pretty Little Flower Garland

This gorgeous creation has joined our yarn bombing project from afar, Singapore no less, it has been sent from Pretty Little Things in a Box. This is a multi national exhibition that conveys so much thought, kindness and goodwill from all our blogging friends, we cannot thank you all enough.

Each flower has a little pearl in the centre and all the way along the garland are cute little picot leaves. I will have a hard time giving this beauty up, I might even put a bid in to buy it myself.

Have I told you about that?

We are putting all the displays out and our visitors will be able to put in a bid to purchase any of the items then at the end of the week we will contact the highest bidders to collect and pay for their pieces and the money raised will be added to the charity pot.

I love all the bright colours, it makes me so happy just to look at it.

Potted Sunflower

This project was one of those things that just developed along the way. I have crafted mini plants using pipe cleaners many years ago and when I had finished making the sunflower head I thought it would be interesting to try and do a similar thing.

There are quite a few sunflower patterns available online but the one I used here is by Meladora’s Creations and is available as a video tutorial, it is really easy to follow and the beauty of a video is you can stop and start it as you move through the project.

I tried a couple of different patterns but this was the one that worked the best, the flower head really does look like a sunflower, I made a larger version too but I will show you that one later. The leaves were very quick and simple to make, each leaf is 2 joined together back to back to give them some body, using florist wire I attached them to a plant cane.  With the same yarn as the leaves I covered the cane from 2cm from the top to about 5 cm’s from the base.

I filled the terracotta pot to approximately a third of the way up with decorators filler and set the cane in the centre. I had use some card to keep it upright while it set. Then with brown yarn made a cover to serve as the soil.

Once fully set I stitched the sunflower head at the top of the cane.

The potted sunflower looks really at home in the garden with all the other foliage.

Do you remember the Sweetie Tree? This was made using the same principle apart from using the help of a friend to set the sticks in concrete as the flower heads of sweets were quite heavy. The possibilities are endless, go let your imagination run wild.

Another Crochet Fairy Doll

Well here she is my second attempt at making a dolly/fairy. In my excitement to introduce her to you I realised I haven’t made her wings yet! But she has been christened, the family voted for Imogen, I think it quite suits her too.

She follows the same principles as Freya but hopefully is a little more refined. I took Freya in to show colleagues and the main comment was on the colour choice I had used for her face, legs and arms, I went for pale pink this time and I think that works much better. I also used a smaller hook to get a tighter finish.

You may be able to make out from the photo that I made the arms and legs a bit thicker too which has made her feel more substantial.

I added a little white collar to the top of the dress and a neck, this has worked well apart from the hair…………….

………….which I love but all those curls are actually quite heavy and it is  teeny bit of a stain on the neck. I will reduce the row count on the neck next time and see if that works.

My favourite bit has to be her shoes, Freya’s shoes were flat but Imogen’s are 3D, more like actual shoes. I am so pleased with how they look and with the little bit of stuffing in them adding weight the legs hang really well.

How hard is writing a pattern? After making Freya I had a couple of  ideas for improvement but I didn’t take enough account on the effect these would have on other parts. So, I have to say that Imogen is part II in my first doll making, pattern writing journey.

 

Charity Blanket Squares Are On Their Way

Well thanks to Mama H there were many more squares on their way to Best of Crochet.

I got a phone call to say that she was going to join in but when the parcel arrived look how busy she was!

This really boosted our little stash so now I feel that we have made a good contribution that am pleased to report is winging it’s way to Best of Crochet to join up with all the other lovely squares that I have been reading about.

It has been quite hectic here at the Grange these last few weeks so regrettably crafting has taken a bit of a back seat. I am hoping to be back to it soon and have more to share with you all.

The Christmas Charity Blanket Project – So Far

It has been so busy at work lately I have been doing extra hours so have not had as much time as I would have liked to make squares. I have promised myself that this Sunday will be dedicated to squares. These are the squares so far. I have stuck mostly to stripy granny squares.

But I was thought I would do some in single colours too just to mix things up a bit. I think they look so fresh and bright.

Then I had some bits and pieces that I managed to extend to the specified 13cm size.

Also, I had a call from my lovely Mama H who has also pledged some squares for this great project. So we are both busy in our different corners of the UK but it feels as though we are creating our colourful contributions for the Charity Blanket project together. Thank to Best of Crochet for bringing so many people together to join into this seasonal project.

How is everyone else getting on in between all these gorgeous Christmas creating I keep reading about on your blogs?

Related articles

• Calling all granny squares (lovelucie1.wordpress.com)

Directions for The Christmas Charity Blanket Project – Join in!

It appears that this fine project had gone global with pledges from a host of countries so thanks for spreading the word and don’t stop, the more squares, the more blankets.

Please find below a snippet of the details for the Christmas Charity blanket Project. For even more details and ideas go to Best of Crochet where you will find more links and images to help create the perfect blanket.

On November 11, 2013 by bestofcrochet.com

1. What squares?

If you prefer to go with the basic granny square, that is great! You can find a nice

• video tutorial on how to crochet a granny square here
• here is a graph of granny square and instructions how to read it.

If you would like a challenge or some variety, I’ve found some beautiful granny square variations with great tutorials here, here, here and here.

If there are some knitters out there who are excited to join, please do! Knit squares go just as perfectly!

2. How big squares?

I propose to stick to squares around 13 cm x 13 cm (5,2 x 5,2 inches). This is around the size I get when I crochet 4 dc rows with size 7/4,55 mm hook.

If your square is slightly different in size, don’t worry, I will do my best to fit it in.

3. What type of yarn?

Granny squares are awesome because you get to use up your left over yarn and combine different yarns. We will have different granny squares from around the world, so I am sure we will also have different types of yarn in our blanket. I am not a yarn expert, but would recommend you stick to fingering (if not too thin) to worsted yarns as shown in the pic here. Feel free to mix!

If you would like to contribute to the cohesiveness of the blanket, and if you have the chance, you may add a row of white in your square so it would be a repeating color.

This is a wonderful way to give something in this season of goodwill so a huge thanks to Best of Crochet in sweden for inviting us to join in.

Please also spread the word so that we can reach more people and make an even greater blanket!

Another Cushion Cover Project Finished

You may remember that I had some squares left over from making a blanket for my lovely Miss L and I decided to use them to make a cushion.

Well here it is.

And as I still had a few squares to use I worked them in along with the stripes for the back.

I originally started this project a few weeks ago when I discovered the Apache Tears pattern by Sara London which ended up being a cushion in it’s own right. It made sense to make them into a pair so the stripy back matches the apache tears cushion.

And to keep the pairing I used a similar pattern to make the flower buttons.

And finished with a simple edging.

I am very happy with how this pair work together.

Or using the face of the stripy backs.

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Innocent Smoothie Bottle Hats for Age UK

Did you answer the call?

I did but unfortunately I saw the request a little late so have only had time to make 3 hats.

It is such a wonderful idea, the Innocent Drinks company will donate 25p to Age UK for every little hat they receive. Isn’t that great? It is called The Big Knit, I would have loved to make more but sadly have run out of time.

There were even links to patterns. I made the Tortoise and the Owl.

I did try to make my own Frog but I think I will work on the pattern as there is room for improvement.

I was so inspired by this post on Love Lucie enticing we crafters to make hats for smoothie bottles in return for the 25p donation. Now I have the link to the patterns I will make them throughout the year in readiness for next time (I hope there is a next time). They do seem to have done it for a few years now according to some of the other posts I have read.

Check out some of the links below, so many cute little hats!

Related articles

• Hats for smoothies! (lovelucie1.wordpress.com)
• Task Learn a New Skill (sophiekirk77.wordpress.com)
• The BIG Knit (widgewatch.wordpress.com)
• innocent little hats 2013 (elainemcnulty.wordpress.com)
• The Big Knit 2013 (thegiftshed.wordpress.com)
• Knitting: The Innocent Big Knit (purplekatie.wordpress.com)
• Lily Cole joins forces with Innocent for the Big Knit (fashion.telegraph.co.uk)
• The Innocent Big Knit 2013 (loobyloucreations.wordpress.com)

Elephant Amish Puzzle Toy (but not quite a ball)!

Here he is at last the finished Elephant!

I have to admit that I have rather mixed feelings about him, he certainly has not been the easiest of makes. I found the pattern quite tricky to follow but I am not sure if some of this was in the translation. Has anyone else made him? If so I would be interested to hear how you found it. Maybe I was just having a bad week!!

Anyhow he is done now and I thought you might like to see all the bits that make him. The principles are the same as the other Amish ball puzzles, made up of three rings. Two leg section.

And the third section hosts the head and tail.

Here are all the parts together in a collapsed heap.

I got a little disheartened and confess that he stood eyeless and without his tail on my mantlepiece for a week until my eldest daughter came home at the weekend for a visit. She was rather taken with him and gave me the encouragement to spend the required 10 minutes to finish him off, so on went the eyes and the all important tail.

He has started to grow on me and I love the idea of a crochet toy that has an interactive measurement to him, kiddies can take him apart and build him up again. I have thought about making a couple more, maybe a hippo and a giraffe so you could mix them up and make a giraffaphant an elippo or a hipporaffe.

If you fancy having a go you can buy the pattern for £2.00 on Ravelry, it is another from the Dedri Uys collection.

Related articles

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