A bit quiet ...

Aaah, it's lovely to be back spending some time on the computer!  I have been a bit under the weather recently but am feeling more like myself again now and bursting to get stuck into some new projects.  I have missed reading all my favourite blogs and will have to start a serious catch up!  

I know it sounds mad but I was beginning to wonder if my crochet hook had the power to change the weather .... because it seems as soon as I start a warm, woolly project when we're having freezing cold southerlies, the weather instantly improves!  On Sunday Miss 4 requested a mini version of my wristwarmers and sure enough Monday was sunny and warm.  The same goes for the woolly hats I made last week, the sun came out almost instantly.  If only that were true, I'd walk around with a ball of wool and a crochet hook constantly just to enjoy every last scrap of sunshine before the dreary weather kicks in for Winter.  Daylight savings finishes here this weekend which is always so depressing.  Dark evenings - blah!!  

So even though it is a gorgeous day, madam is wearing her wee gloves and asked me to put mine on too for the pic.  I think these look absolutely adorable in a mini size!  Miss 4 was very specific about which rainbow colours she wanted - I think she chose well.  I just made the foundation chain long enough to fit her wee wrist which was 21ch from memory with a 4mm hook and DK wool.

And a few more hats have been made, this one was a test run of a new pattern I was trying.  I love adding all these wee pretty bits to girls hats.  Boys hats are bit more limited aren't they?  I usually add my little teddy bear design (the tutorial is here) to the newborn ones to jazz them up a bit and I'm starting to play around with some stripes to make the older boys hats look a bit cooler.  Now I just have to get myself organised and pop them in my little shop.

I was hugely excited this morning when the library called to say they'd got in a book I'd requested.  I love Kirstie (and Phil too in their other series!!!) and am really, really enjoying her latest series which has been running here for a few weeks.  So I'm very eager to sit down tomorrow with a large cup of tea and read through this gorgeous book for more inspiration.

I know I should be spending all my time trying to finish my whopper blanket but sometimes you just need a little diversion.  So another tea cosy has been planned, wool chosen and pot selected.  For the first time I am going to use some darker colours and I'm really looking forward to it.  You can see from my little obsession below that rainbow colours are my usual thing!!  I will hopefully have it finished to show you next week.  I also have a story to share with you then about one of my jet-setting tea cosies!!

Well that's about it from me for now.  Miss 4 is sitting across the table from me making jewellery with paper and glittery jewels so I'm going to join her.

Have a fabulous week everyone, see you again soon.
Leah
xxxx

What a weird week!

Yes it has been a completely weird week, absolutely freezing cold one day with fires lit and woollies dug out from drawers that haven't been used for months.  Then within a day or so it has been super hot and we're all in need of sunscreen again!!  So on those cold nights it has been so nice to add a few more squares to my blanket as it can keep me warm while I work.  For this pic, I had draped it over the sofa and it looked fantastic in a very retro kind of way.  But it's still a long way off being finished.  I think I've calculated that I need a total of 48 squares to cover a queen size bed.  Eeek - I hope I've bought enough wool to do the job!

I just about went nuts this week trying to make some wristwarmers from a pattern I've had for ages.  I spent last Sunday afternoon having a go at this pattern, then unravelling and doing it again.  Over and over - I think I wasted 3 hours before I gave up completely.  I just couldn't get it to work, I still don't know what the heck I was doing wrong.  So I decided to make something up myself and it worked first time!!  Thank goodness I had decided to scribble down what I was doing so I could remember when it came to making the second one!

They fit really well and will be a snuggly addition to my winter wardrobe.  I had loads of this deep navy coloured wool so a matching cowl was made too.  So if by chance you are as blonde as me and want a nice easy wristwarmer pattern - here's one to try.  It's in US terms and I used a 4.25mm hook with 8ply wool.  This fits a smallish sized hand, so just use a larger hook for larger sizes.

Ch27 and join with slip stitch to form circle.  Or if you're like me and always get this twisted, then don't join it up until the end of Round 1, then stitch in the tail when you're finished (soooo much easier!!).

Rd 1:  Ch2 then 1HDC in each stitch around.  Join with slip stitch.

Rd 2:  From this round onwards you will work into the spaces rather than the stitches.
Ch2 then 1HDC in each space around.  Join with sl st.  Repeat Rd 2 until required length from arm to wrist, then join with sl st.

Next round: Ch3 then in the same space 1DC, Ch1, 2DC.  *Skip 3 chain spaces then in the next space 2DC, Ch1, 2DC*.  Repeat from * to * around then join with sl st.

Next round:  Slip Stitch into next stitch then Ch3, 1DC into Ch1 space from previous round, Ch1, 2DC into same space.  From here on you will be making your stitches into the Ch1 space from the previous round,  *2DC, Ch1, 2DC*, repeat *to* to end of round, joining with a sl st.  repeat this round until you reach your desired length and fasten off.

For my smallish hand I made a total of 12 rows of HDC and then 5 rounds of the fan pattern.  I wanted the wrist part to be nice and snug.  The fan pattern gives it a bit of stretch so you're hand won't feel restricted.

10 more pairs of earrings almost ready to add to my little shop!  I love every single pair, so it's difficult not to keep them all.  The sooner I get them listed the better really!  Otherwise they might find their way into my jewellery box. 

Miss 4 and I had fun on Friday decorating hair clips with ribbon and sparkly bits and pieces.  She gave me a lesson on how to use a glue gun properly as they have them on their craft table at kindy.  How cute are these??  I think she did a fabulous job attaching all the sparkles.  My favourites are the red ones with the big purple glittery discs.  We might have to make some more of these, they'll make brilliant gifts for her little friends.

A few op shop treasures were found this week also.  My favourite being a black merino wrap dress (which just wouldn't co-operate for a picture!).  But these fabulous books were also a lovely find.  My brother used to read Beano when he was little so even though this is from 1989, my wee guy is loving it.  The Rupert book is gorgeous - it looks brand new and my small folk are loving having it read to them.

Caterpillar update .... this wee guy had us worried all afternoon on Thursday because we couldn't find him on the swan plant.  We came to the conclusion that a hungry bird must have spotted him and grabbed him for a meal.  But a few hours later we spotted him, a very long way from his original spot.  He had crawled all along my vege garden then found his way to our solar powered fairy lights.  Yes that's a light right beside him.  So before he disappeared into his little cocoon, he was just dangling there uncovered.  He must have got a heck of fright when the lights came on that evening!!  He seems happy enough thank goodness.  We have to wait patiently now and hopefully we won't miss him on his grand exit.  We missed him turning into this little beauty - it happened so quickly!

And to end my week, I had some lovely news from Karen telling me that I had won her fantastic giveaway!! I couldn't believe my luck.  Thank you Karen - it really made my day.

Well that's me for now.  Have a fabulous week, see you again soon.
Leah
xxxx