Sorry about my absence...............

I don't know why, but everything has been going wrong lately. For some reason the laptop stopped working and had to be sent back to the manufacturer (which is why I haven't been around of late).

To top that off we have a dishwasher that isn't washing properly, a boiler that is leaking, the shower broke (and is now replaced thankfully) and lights on the hob cover which have a life of their own. All in all not a great start to 2011.

We are also trying to get Evie to go to sleep on her own at night, and a week on it's still as hard as ever. She screams so much, I'm hoping soon it will take less time, less effort and less stress!

I have been able to do some knitting despite less time in the evenings (due to the sleep - or lack of it - training).

I've started to make up the crochet hexagon blanket I have been working on, to see how the colours work out. I am running low on the cream for the outer hexagons, so will have to continue making the inners until my LYS has some more in stock, else I will have to resort to t'internet.

I made a slip over vest/tank top for Evie, but once it was finished I've realised that the 56cm chest will fit Leah, so she has adopted it instead. I'll make Evie some other kind of vest I think.

I made this cardigan for Evie and although it was for 3ply yarn I used 4ply and it turned out ok. I was running quite short when it came to the button border, so I used some cream yarn for it and knitted the last row and cast off in the main body colour instead. I think it turned out ok and I really like the little vintage shank buttons.

Lastly I finished off this bolero that I started when Leah was just two! I'm not over keen on the yarn but as it was such a bargain I thought I would use it up anyway as this only took 2 balls. it will fit Evie in a few months time, so she may be able to wear it in the summer.

That's about all for now, I am going to try and catch up on all my favourite blogs now - I may be some time!

Another 'Lucy' bag

I just wanted to show you the other bag I made from the lovely pattern over on Attic24's blog. It is so named the 'Lucy bag' after the wonderful creator.

This time I chose just four colours and I think the effect is much better than the last one. I also decided not to make it quite so big, as I don't know how to line bags, and without doing this it isn't so strong. That's one thing I wish I knew how to do!

As before the little crocheted flowers and buttons really set it off nicely. I just have to make sure Leah doesn't pinch it.

Thanks Lucy for the great pattern, it is much appreciated.

Finished a Granny Blanket

I finished the granny blanket I have been making for my sister in law and I am pleased with the result.

Hubby has been fiddling with the computer so I have so far been unable to rotate my photos as I used to. I hate it when he installs different programs.


So this photo was taken the other way, but I couldn't figure how to turn it. I am but a novice when it comes to things like that!

The edging is courtesy of Lucy at Attic24 - very lovely I must say...

.....not bad colours for an acrylic bought at Aldi!!!

My baby blanket - now I want to make one for Evie :o)

Beyond the square.......

have always dabbled in crochet and have had a few books sitting on the shelf for a while which I had never used - until now.

I really wanted to learn to make hexagons so I can turn into a blanket or something for Leah.

At the beginning of the week I took one of the books off the shelf and had a little go with some yarn I had left over from a few projects.

This is the result.

The book is Beyond the square crochet motifs by Edie Eckman. Although it is an American book I did manage to adjust to the terms quite easily. It is well worth a look!

My Lucy Bag

After a month or so of crochet I have finished by crochet bag courtesy of Lucy at Attic24

It is a lovely simple pattern but I still mananged to make it with plenty of mistakes, hence the humungous size it turned out! I am still happy with it and my Mum has called first dibbs, so I will be dropping it of later to her.


What I liked were the easy embellishments to make the bag your own. These little flowers really add a lovely finishing touch.

I like the pattern so much I have already started another smaller one for Leah, but in a much more subltle colourway!

Knitting and hooking fun with Mr. Dinosaur!?!!

Mr. Dinosaur has ben going everywhere lately and even managed to sneak his way into my photos this morning.

I wanted to show the granny blanket I made Leah, not a very difficult project to do but something that she likes to snuggle up with in bed.


She chose the colours when we were in Cornwall last year - very bright aren't they? I also have a few other crochet projects in process and am also trying out lots of different shape motifs. I think they are going to look better blocked so will photograph those as soon as I get around to doing that.

I also finished this cardigan in Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk and it is adorable. I went all the way into town on Saturday just to get a button! I really like the yoke on this and already have the yarn to make another for Evie in the next size up. Unfortunately there isn't a pattern big enough for Leah and I don't have the skill to upsize the pattern.

This is more a true likeness the colour, quite a nice lilacy - mauve (?) - pretty anywhoo!

I was having a bit of help taking the photos today as you can see and couldn't really leave this one out.

Playing hooky too!

I have been meaning to start this crochet pattern for a while, but after seeing quite a few blog I read taking a break (even if briefly) from knitting, I thought I would do the same for a little while and have a go at the neat ripple pattern from Attic24.

I foulnd the foundation chain really fiddly to crochet into and ended up losing stitches and with a piece of crochet a lot smaller than I had inticipated. I decided to use this as my practice run and ended with this:-

It isn't too bad for my first attempt. As I wanted to make a small cot blanket for Evie (who just decided to sick up all over my hand!), I thought I'd use a larger hook for the foundation chain, that way it would be easier for me to crochet into the chain. Ta da! It worked! I made a chain of 101 (you need a multiple of 14 +3 for the pattern) and I didn't mess up once. it also cut my time down as on first attept it took me over an hour for a very poor result!

This is my progress so far and I am really pleased with the result. I'm not totally coverted yet, but it does make a nice change.

My latest purchases...

Today the postman had some great mail for me (see the next post for the other items).


He bought me this lovely book 'Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs' which will give me some great ideas for blankets and throws. So far all I have managed to do are some Granny Square blankets so a change in shape of motif will make things a bit more interesting.

I also received my two skeins of hand dyed yarn by Babylonglegs which I bought from Folksy.com and I can't wait to use them. I really love the selection of sock yarns you can buy at the moment, the problem is knowing what pattern to use them on.

I am interested to see what they will knit up like.

Cute Amigurumi patterns...

While searching the internet for various things as you do, I came across the blog of Ana Paula Rimoli, the author of a very cute amigurumi crochet book.

For those of you who love this, she has a whole section of free patterns which look great. I'm sure I will try some of these out at some point, just not sure when!