Crochet Sunny Shawlette

I found a lovely pattern on Ravelry that I fancied having a go at. So on Sunday I took the following ingredients



and by Monday night they had become



Ta-da!!
It's a gorgeous little 'Sunny shawlette' made from King Cole Glitz yarn so it has sparkle all through it. I chose black for 2 reasons really 1. It'll go with loads of things and is perfect for taking on my hols (which are fast approaching yay!) and 2. I already had one ball of the black in my stash.




You can find the pattern here sunny shawlette by Vicarno's mama on Ravelry. The pattern was super easy to follow and I can see me making more of these. Perfect for a little shoulder coverage at a wedding perhaps? And although a reasonably simple pattern it could look completely different when made up in different colours and yarns.



I've still to block mine which i think will bring out the shell pattern more but I was so pleased with it I wanted to show it off.






The fact that it buttons is what I loved because my problem with shawls most of the time is getting them to sit right and half the time I take them off before leaving the house because I don't think it looks right.

If you make this pattern for yourself I'd love to see
Louise x

(FO) Still crafting away

The last couple of weeks have been crazy busy. We've been having our kitchen disaster put right and the end of term run of events and things seem to have been endless but I've still been crafting away any spare minute i can find. I currently have 2 knitting and one crochet project on the go but I'll save them and show them off on wednesday as I've 3 finished projects from the last few weeks today.
I had been working on another cross stitch as a gift. This time it was for a wedding gift and I started it just about early enough to avoid having to pull a late night crafting session again. My sister had picked the kit and asked me to stitch it up for her to gift to her good friend on her wedding day. It is a lovely design and I love the finished piece (wish I had one myself). The vines and flowers did get a bit tedious but totally worth it

It's been washed and pressed since this pic but have left it for my sister to deal with the framing.
Once I'd got that finished I had time to pick up my crochet beach bag again.


It's big, very roomy but perfect for towel, book, sunnies, suncream, etc.. all the beach essentials. I should probably line it but haven't got round to that yet.
And finally a quick project I hooked up for my youngest daughter last week

It now hangs at the top of her bookshelf.
I'm off for a quick look around everyone else's finished projects you should go check some out too

Summer Top Off the Hook

FO Friday and I've my crochet vest/tank summer top that I was working on in this post to show you. I really enjoyed making this and it worked up super quickly. This was my first time using RICO cotton. It has a nice feel to it but a bit of a shine and i think it worked perfectly. As I mentioned in the previous post the pattern was from July/August 2012 issue of Crochet today! I'm sure they have an app with this back issue available to download if you fancy giving the pattern a go yourself. Pattern wise it took a bit of concentration to begin with. The front straps were worked first and then the back was added on to these but eventually, once past the neckline, the rest of the top was worked it the round.
So here is the finished item



The detail from the back


View from the back with 3 lines of the pattern repeat (so hard to take a picture of it on while home alone)





Have quite enjoyed making clothes for myself. I've finished both this and a striped jumper in the last month. The thing I liked most with this one was I could add a few extra rows at the bottom to the perfect length I wanted. Custom sizing in a way. Anyway I keep finding myself browsing Ravelry for more clothing patterns I fancy but have a few other things to get on with first and I haven't knitted anything in a while. Must rectify that

Louise x

Crochet Holiday/beach bag

I have finished my crochet vest/tank top and I mean completely finished, sewn in the ends AND blocked! The last two of these usually take me a while to get round to. I shall hopefully find time to blog on friday and show it to you. I've been working away on my cross stitch wedding sampler but find I can't cope without a crochet project on the go at the same time. So I have started on a crochet holiday/beach bag. The pattern is Slouch Bag from Nicki Trench's book Geek Chic Crochet




My sister got me the book for christmas but this is the first pattern I've made from it. I'm quite enjoying using the Catherine wheel stitch as something a bit different.



First side is already finished so shouldn't take too long to do although everything seems to be going crazily busy right now. Be sure to pop by everyone else's blogs and see what they've been making there's loads of lovely things in some delicious colours Tami's Amis

Wip Wednesday- Crochet tank top

After finally finishing my striped jumper, that i started away back here , at the weekend I have jumped straight onto another piece of clothing for myself. The pattern is called Kerala Tank and is from the July/August 2012 issue of Crochet Today!
I've had it on my list of want to makes since I got the mag and had originally planned on making it using some King Cole Smooth from my stash but I had recently purchased this gorgeous mint Rico Cotton from the lovely Emma's Yarn and Craft shop and thought it'd be perfect



Started it on Sunday and am making quick progress. The pattern is taking a bit of concentrating but I'm quite enjoying that. Hopefully have the finished top to show you soon



Remember and head on over to check out what everyone else is up to WIP wednesday

FO- I Love This Blanket!

7 weeks ago on a bit of a whim I started crocheting a new blanket. I blame Instagram! The pattern was in the then current issue of Mollie Makes magazine and quite a few people from my feed had been having a go at the squares. The centre of each square is made using Sirdar crofter yarn which is a gorgeous variated yarn that knits up to a fair isle effect. I just so happened to have 3/4 of a ball left from a previous project so i raided the stash for it and jumped right on that bandwagon



That was it I was hooked (pardon the pun!) I got 9 squares from what I had but I knew they stocked it in my local yarn shop so off I went. They didn't have a huge range of shades in stock but I purchased 4 different ones and thought that'd do me for a bit (I still had plenty other projects on the go)



I not really sure why but I became obsessed with making these. I played about with the bordering yarn and ended up using a different one from the pattern. I used Paton's Smoothie DK in cream mostly because I had a least 3 balls left over from my last blanket project



I began to really love it when the cream was added. It seemed to make the colour variations really pop! The squares soon stacked up



Time to decide exactly how big this blanket was going to be and how much more yarn I needed to order



I patiently waited for the delivery of 3 more shades, checking for the postman far too many times (you do that too right???) Dropped everything as soon as it did and raced to get them finished. I have to thank the lovely Lululovescrochet for spurring me on to the end as she was working on the same pattern and finished hers first. It was so beautiful I was desperate to finish mine.

And so in 7 weeks-165 squares, approx 11 balls of the sirdar crofter yarn and I don't really know how much of the Paton's Smoothie and it was done.
Big Ta-da










I think it might just be my most favourite crochet project ever! I completely love it and I'm keeping it all for myself x

Late night crafting

Today I feel very drained and tired. It's my own fault and can all be blamed on late night crafting. I had started a crossstitch baby sampler as a gift for a friends daughter. I knew they were having a Naming ceremony for her so had started working on it a good while ago although I thought probably not early enough so in my head i had planned to just give her it whenever I got round to finishing it off.



The design is a DMC disney baby kit. I think I picked it up at the craft fair in Glasgow last March at a reduced price. By the beginning of last week I had done quite a bit of the stitching and was also planning on missing out a few bits and jiggling things about a bit just so I could fit it in a standard picture frame. The naming ceremony was yesterday and when Thursday came around I was at that point of weighing up if it was going to be feasible to finish it in time.



On friday I think I stitched for maybe about 6 hours with only short breaks for more tea and on Saturday I decided I was close enough to finishing that I was just gonna go for it. By midnight on Saturday this is what I had



Almost done, all the important information was on but the sand across the bottom was still missing. Dilema! Missing it out just wasn't going to work. I could just admit defeat and post it out next week when it was finished or I could just pull a late night and get it done. So thats what I did. Almost 3 hours of yellow half cross stitches but it was worth it to just get it done and delivered yesterday



Feel like I've got a bit of a crafting hangover today but the sun is shining so off to the park for some fresh air. Hope you all had a lovely weekend x


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WIP wednesday

Near the beginning of January I decided I had far too many half finished projects, or yarn for projects I hadn't started yet or plans in my head for things I really wanted to make. And so I knew it was time....time for a list!
A crafty things to do list



It started out with the first 8 and then as you can see it grew a bit but just look at all the ticks already! I'm so pleased to have finished off all these things in this month alone.

So back to wip wednesday and the one I'm currently working the most on this week is my Castling SnoodI bought the pattern from A Stash Addict website after admiring it on Instagram. I'm not the best knitter but I'm trying to improve and this is my first ever time using circular needles. I'm knitting with Araucania 100% cotton which feels lovely and I'm hoping it'll be great for wearing early spring when it's still a bit chilly. Think I'm about 2/3 of the way there now and hopefully there's a chance I can finish it for Friday.



Remember and check out what everyone else has been working on wip wednesday

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Pretty Crochet Frames

Thought I'd share with you a great little crafty project I've been doing. It's pretty quick to do the longest part being waiting for the glue to dry.

Pretty little crochet picture frames



This was my first one I tried. It's quite dinky and only about 16cm tall but i loved how it turned out. I came across the pattern on facebook I think and it has 5 different designs which are all equally gorgeous and I plan on making at least one of each but for now I have done 2 of this same pattern and thought I'd do a little how to post on how I put mine all together.

First of all click here for the crochet pattern for the frame itself. This pattern I have done is for Frame 1. Grab yourself some DK yarn in a colour of your choice and a crochet hook size suitable for your yarn (I used a 3.5mm hook just so it was nice and tight)



The pattern is really easy and in no time at all you'll have yourself a pretty little oval frame. Sew in the 2 ends to finish it off and then just lye it on the table, flatten it out and give it a little shape



So pretty!

For the next bit you'll need a small 15cm square piece of nice paper (I have used a piece of a sheet of Cath Kidston wrapping paper that i have been using for lots of my kitchen projects) OR a special picture or postcard that you want framing.
You'll also need a piece of cardboard about the same size. I surprisingly didn't have any cardboard lying around waiting to get recycled, like i usually do, so I stole a bit of a cereal box.

Lay your crocheted frame on top of your piece of cardboard and draw round the inner oval of the frame. Lift off the frame and draw an outer oval about 1.5cm out from the one you've just drawn so it looks a bit like this



Cut around the outside shape then place it on the back of your gorgeous paper that you've picked out, draw around it and then cut that out too (if your using a photograph or picture make sure your image is centred exactly how you want it in the frame at this point)
Next you will need some glue and a small brush. Any craft glue or PVA will do


Simply cover the back of your paper with glue and smooth it onto your cardboard and then paint a 1cm border of glue around the edge of your paper and stick your crocheted frame in place. Be quite generous with the glue, especially if it's craft glue that will dry in clear, so that your yarn properly sticks. I then placed a chopping board on the top of it all to hold it down and keep it flat until the glue dried. If you feel your frame is too heavy and your glue won't hold it enough you could always use some double sided sticky tape.
Wait patiently for the glue to dry and then hang your lovely picture somewhere nice where everyone can admire it. Ta-da



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Work in progress Wednesday-just a little late

Almost completely forgot this week! Had such a busy birthday weekend and then this week I've been very busy trying to make sure I'm organised for my daughter's carnival themed birthday sleepover on Friday.  Between drawing up carnival signs and planning/making games and activities I haven't had much crochet time.

I've 2 current wip this week. The first one is a jumper I have started for my sister for Christmas. Well I think it'll be for my sister. I've wanted to make the jumper since I came across it in Inside Crochet magazine in August my sister was home for the weekend so she was flicking through and said if I made it could i make her one too. When I was at my local yarn shop (where I now work on a Sunday!  Dream job that I keep meaning to do a post on) they had King Cole gentle touch acrylic on special offer so I picked up 4 balls in navy and have teamed it with a lovely red I had bought during the summer

   

Sorry the pictures a bit dark was too late at night for picture taking really. As you can see I've only done one pattern repeat so far.

My second wip hasn't made it on to the hook yet. My friend has asked me to make an amigurumi of a tv character for her daughter for Christmas. I've sketched it out and have an idea of what all the parts need to be liked and have even picked out the yarn I just haven't got round to starting yet

Got a few crochet books as birthday pressies but haven't managed to try out any patterns yet but I'm thinking of doing a little book review on here when I get the chance x

FO Friday-Finishing a decade

Poppy coasters are done! Just in the nick of time too. I'm really pleased with how they turned out with the felt and embroidery added and they are already packaged up ready for the next time I manage to get to the post office.

I also finished off a couple of other projects this week before posting WIPW. Back in April I crocheted a 'Bullseye' from Toy Story for a second birthday present and was asked to make another. It's a really great pattern which doesn't take too long. You can find it here brown pony pattern

The other project was a beret. Again this is a pattern I've used before from an issue of Inside Crochet. I initially made one for my mum for christmas last year but it was a bit big so I made her another one shortly after. The great thing about this pattern is that you can use any type of yarn so this week I tried it out with a chunky yarn.

My first finish off Friday seems to be quite appropriately timed since today I am finishing off my twenties. I'm not a big celebrator of birthdays and although I thought I might be more concerned with turning the big 3-0 I'm actually not too bothered. I was thinking today about when I turned 20. About a week after my twentieth birthday I left to go backpacking around the world for year after dropping out of uni and working till I had enough money to pay for my trip. It seems so strange to think that this was 10 whole years ago but then so much has happened in that time.

 I was trying to remember what, if anything I had hoped back then to achieved by the time I reached 30. I don't think I really knew where I wanted my life to go then hence the leaving uni and travelling but looking at it now I feel a great deal of contentment with what I have achieved.
By the time I was 21 I was 10 days away from giving birth to my first child. At 22 I was a full time university student and single parent. By 23 I graduated from uni and was going out with my now husband. Age 24 I decided to be a full time mum for a while after all the studying and the next year I moved in with my then boyfriend. At 26 I got engaged and had my second child, 27 I got married and 28 seems to be the only year I can't remember a milestone event for! This year we have managed to get ourselves on the property ladder and purchased our first flat and in doing this I feel I have completed quite a lot of life's major accomplishments within the last 10 years.

Yeah at age 20 I would never have planned things out this way but I am more than happy with what I got-a bit of travelling, 2 gorgeous kids, a wonderful husband, a perfect wedding and a happy little home x



For more FO Fridays head over to Tami's Amis

Work In progress Wednesday-it's been a while

Well i didn't manage to keep up with the blogging very long did I???
But I'm hoping to make a come back. Far too many things have happened in the past few months for me to even remember so I'm starting a fresh and maybe a few of the last months projects will make an appearance somewhere down the line.

Thought I'd take a stab a joining in with work in progress wednesday to get me started with blogging again. Have finished a few projects over the last week but my current wip is a little gift I'm working on for a new home gift.

They will be a set of 4 poppy coasters once finished. Have done the main part but they need some embroidered details and then sewn onto felt.
Once finished they shall find a new home at Poppy cottage x

Check out a whole load of amazing other amazing wip's on Tami's Amis blog

2 Years Already

Today is my second wedding anniversary. How two years have passed already I do not know it has gone so unbelievably quick. This is the small cross stitch I made as a gift for my other half. 'All you need is love' is the song which i walked down the aisle to (well when i say aisle I really mean across the pitch)

Typically one of the things I must have packed in a random box last week ready for moving is the disc with the wedding photographs but here are a few i came across on the computer

Ah the memories! It's been a quick but very happy two years and here's to many more x