Reveal...

Hi There,

Finally I can introduce to you the finished pink blanket.

DONE!

I am glad it is finished.  I think it has been a challenge more than the other crocheted things I have made.  I really wanted it to be right as I want to sell it in my 'little shop'.

Where I left this project I had just put all the squares together and the blanket began to bunch up and it looked awful.  At this point I was starting to stress that it wouldn't work.

After much discussion with my Mum and other crocheters I decided to just keep going and see what happened.  If it ended up looking awful I wouldn't sell it.

So... once all the squares were all together I started the process of trying to figure out what border to do.  Do I make a frilly border or a practical straight border?  The border always takes me a long time to decide on as it is the part of the blanket that really finishes it off.  I should have taken photos of ALL the ideas that I tried and there were a few. It would have been interesting to see the process.  I must remember that for next time. In the end I opted for a nice simple border.  

So there you have it after many months I give you...

THE PINK COT BLANKET

I must say after all the stress and challenge of making it has passed I do really like it.  It is just so snuggly and delicious.  I now can't wait to pass it on to a little girl who will find it just as snuggly and delicious.  

Fingers crossed someone else falls in love with it.

Lxx

The cat loves it!

A Little Slower Pace PLEASE!

Hi There,

So sorry I haven't been here for awhile.  Life got a little busy there for a bit.  I have been working full time these past two weeks.  Which was nice as it will help pay for more yarn.  HA!!  Don't tell the hubby. 

Today was the last day so now I am back to being MUM.  I am quite looking forward to the slower pace.  More crocheting, more baking, more gardening, more of everything that is GOOD!

I can stop and rest for a bit.

AHHH...

But before I go and rest, I must share with you what I did manage to squeeze in last weekend.  

The 5000 poppies project that I have talked about in previous posts is starting to gain momentum.  I have managed to make 20!  A slow start but I think it will start to pick up with the Facebook page going live now (go to 5000 Poppies NZ).  It will be a great place for people to get involved and post their poppy making efforts.  

Back to last weekend...I taught three of my lovely friends how to crochet a poppy. This was a huge deal for me as I am a self taught crocheter and I didn't think I would have it in me to teach people (even though I am a school teacher!)  However I surprised myself.  It seems I can teach people to crochet.  My friends had a great time and they all went home very pleased with themselves with a poppy in hand. They have all gone on to making more since.  I'm so pleased.  I don't feel so alone in this huge endeavour now.

First lovely friend - Amazing first poppy

Second lovely Friend  - Almost there!

Third lovely Friend - Incredible first poppy

If you are reading this and think - "That doesn't look too hard, I could do that".  Well you are right it isn't too hard and you could do it, here is how.

Go to 5000 Poppies and click on the poppy pattern link and it will show you how to crochet and knit a poppy and once you have made one, why not two, three, four...? You will love it.

Then take photos and upload them to the Facebook page (5000 Poppies NZ) for us all to see.

Then courier your amazingly made poppies to:

ITAV

1 Saunders Place

Avondale 1026

Auckland

NEW ZEALAND

Go on give it a go. I can't wait to see...

Lxx

Lazy Sunday

Hi There,

Well the day started out lazy enough with a wee little lie in while the little lovelies watched Sunday morning cartoons.  Bliss!  

But once up, it was full steam ahead.

Washing on and scrambled eggs on toast and pancakes for breakfast (a Sunday tradition here in the cupboard).

Once eating was all done, Little Assistant decided it was time to do some Sunday baking (another tradition) ready for school tomorrow.  On the menu, afghans and Anzac biscuits.  Yummy!  More eating!

Then I decided the day was too nice to sit inside so off I went outside and pulled out a few cabbage trees.  What a job!  My two little lovelies were so eager to help (now that they have their own gardening gloves) I got them to cart bits of cabbage tree to the garden bin.  They were fantastic helpers too.  After the trees were out we had to relocate hundreds of peebles.  THIS TOOK AGES!  Now I am left with this...

Oh what shall I plant here?  The little lovelies have decided "it will be a vege patch mum with an apple tree, pear tree, lettuce, tomatoes, green stuff...OH and some delicious watermelon."  Right! Me thinks that might be a tad too much in a very small space but I do love their enthusiasm.  We will see.

And as always when I am out in the garden I then start to see other things that need to be done. Weeding, trimming of passionfruit vine that has seen better days, digging...etc.  Hours of fun.  While I was trimming (more like pulling out with force) the passionfruit vine I spotted this...

For the past two years this grape vine has done NOTHING! But today it surprised me with what I am hoping is the beginning of grapes.  Please, please, please let it be scrummy purple grapes.  I will keep you posted on its progress.  So exciting!

By mid afternoon it was time to call it quits on the garden and head in for a much earned cuppa and maybe some crocheting.

As usual (again) I got distracted and decided to write this post.  So little has been done on this new project I better finish off here and get crocheting.  Christmas will be here and they won't be done.  More on what I am up to here in the cupboard later. I have a few things to share...  I can't wait!

Phew!  

Lxx

Bagged it!

Hi There,

I have finally finished my crocheted craft bag which I have been making in order to avoid working on the pink cot blanket (it is becoming a cursed project!)

Overall it was a nice project to make.  The large granny squares were quite therapeutic. Sometimes it is quite nice to crochet with very little thought.











I found the bag idea from Ali Campbell via Slugs on the Refrigerator.  I thought this would make a great crochet bag as the bag I was using was a little on the small side.

Old crochet bag

And boring...I needed some colour.

So I collected up all my scrap colours of yarn and went for it.  Happily crocheting squares until I had them all.  I was tempted to continue on and make a blanket.  I was having soo much fun.  But no I stopped myself and stuck to the plan.

Such pretty colours

Once the squares were crocheted together I crocheted the handles.  I made them a lot longer and wider than the pattern as they were going to have to carry a big load of yarn and hooks.  I attached them then decided to add flowers to hide where the straps joined.  I got a little carried away.  And even now it is finished I am thinking it may need more.  I will mull this over.

Now the tricky part.  What to line my new yummy bag with?  After spending an hour in Spotlight, (my favourite craft, fabric and stuff shop) I found it.  Nice and bright, just the way I like it.

Inner 

I think making the inner bag was the hardest part of the whole project.  The first one I made was too small then the second was too big until I realised that my measurements were right with the first, I just needed to squish the yarn of the bag to fit the inner bag.

I hope this is making sense.

I then added a zip so I wouldn't lose any of my crafty creations.  Now, I am still a novice when it comes to sewing in a zip.  But I am pleased with the results.  Just one thing I should have thought about though is the colour of the thread I used.  I should have used pink to match the zip not white.  My Mum would have a fit if she saw the state of my zip sewing.  Oh well...

Pocket

Once the zip was in, I stitched the inner bag to the outer on the sewing machine.  I know...I was taking a MASSIVE risk.  I was worried the machine would hook up with the wool and make a complete mess of it all and my lovely crocheting would be ruined.  But I went slowly and amazingly it worked.  Holy Moly it worked!

And after a little bit of hand stitching behind the flowers my scrummy, very colourful large crochet craft bag was DONE!!

And that is about it I think.  I have used it a few times and LOVE IT!!  It is very large but that is good because I never travel light!

It makes me smile every time I use it too.  It is just so bright and HAPPY!

I hope you have been inspired to maybe have a go at making your own crochet craft bag.  You won't regret it.  Let me know how you go.

Lxx

Upgrade II...

Hi There,

SQUEALS!!!

After 17 goes at colour and font combinations I think I have found the header I like for my blog.

For now anyway.

Doesn't it look pretty?  

I love it!

I must admit I did enjoy it.  Getting all creative using a photo editing website (picmonkey) is something I haven't really dabbled in before. FUN! I wonder though how I can make the font a little clearer?  Something to ponder later.

I also managed to put a wallpaper background in too.  Oh look at me getting all clever on the computer. FUN!

Now to finish that pink cot blanket...remember...It is almost ready for it's reveal. Give me a few days...

Lxx