Year of projects (wk11)

This week has taken me rather by surprise, it being the half-term holidays and with no school runs to do, I made myself a big to-do list.

I'm quite big on lists, and being able to tick off even a few jobs gives me a great sense of satisfaction.  At the beginning of the week, between other things I saw the tape measure and got oldest boy on measuring my granny stripe and my bed.  Not so long ago, it was a good way off being finished, but this time when measured it was about three stripes off..........totally do-able!

So first things first I have a finished item on my Year of projects........drum rolls please...............

This is already in full use with three boys snuggled under it on any given opportunity!

So onto another project, I've been carrying on with the flower motifs for a shawl/scarf as a Christmas present.

After asking advice from you clever, fellow bloggers about joining these flowers I was given a great idea from Marie at Underground Crafter so when I think I have made enough I will plan my layout and begin to join.!

Staying with the flowers, I bought a ball of Rico Creative about a week ago and after looking at this link here

suggested by goodpurlgonebad (don't you just love the blogging community!) I decided that I would give it a whirl.  I must admit, I haven't stuck to the pattern really as I liked the look of the flowers when I got to round three so rather than carrying on, I stopped there.

This yarn is absolutely beautiful and the colours (not shown well here!) are glorious.  This will definitely do well from blocking I'm sure.  I had in mind that this would make a shawl too, but hubby says he thinks it should be something less showey like a cushion.............hhhmmmmm, not sure.  The person who I have in mind for it, likes cheerful......... so why not wear it........what d'ya think?

So all in all a good week on lots of fronts........crochet........fun........housework..........sorting......... lots of ticks on my list!!

Before I forget, I would like to point you all in the direction of Fee at Chipper Nelly who is giving away some of her gorgeous handmade wooden blocks........take a look

As others have said before me.......never entirely sure why you want to alert any one's attention to these things when it clearly makes your own chance of winning less........hhhhhmmmmmm.........

Anyway, it's all go in my house today as it is Hubby's birthday ('And you're sat here blogging?' I hear you ask incredulously). I have a roast in the oven, although after the amount of chocolate coconut cake we've all eaten I'm not sure there will be anyone much interested in supper!  There are veg that need doing and batter for Yorkshire puds.....so must go!

I'm looking forward to having a good nosey about later at all your blogs too........thanks as ever for all the lovely comments and ideas.........always appreciated!

To check out other Year of projects work - please look here.



Reasons to be cheerful

I'm linking in with Planet Penny today on three reasons that I am cheerful!

Actually I have a lot to be thankful for, but here are just three..............

Days out during the school half-term holidays

(this particular garden centre had some really strange garden gnomes!)

Feeding the swans.........and appreciating our wonderful surroundings.

It's finished!

Please check out Planet Penny's blog to see other peoples' Reasons to be cheerful posts.

One-a-day Tuesday's tallie (wk7)

I'm feeling very cheery today!

• Its the school holidays..........

• I'm actually finding time for some proper sorting through the chaos this week......

• I've nearly finished my stripe (I can't believe it, I think the crochet elves must have be working on it at night, as it was nowhere near big enough, and now it nearly is!)

• I found two balls of cotton for my one-a-day that I somehow misplaced, and all is right with the world again! (I am officially not going mad!!)

That is 48 squares!

I went into my LYS on Saturday and I bought their last ball of the cotton that I've been using, and resigned myself to a re-think.  Last night I decided that I would do one more row of six and call it a day at 54, to make sure I had enough cotton to do the border...........but today..................I have been given a gift in the shape of two more balls hiding upstairs.  Therefore the (now) plan is to carry on to the 64 squares intended in the pattern, knowing I will have enough for those and the border...................pheeewww!

I must be a simple girl, as it is the simple things that make me feel like I'm going to burst with happiness!

I am so excited at the prospect of finishing my stripe this week that I am having difficulty containing myself!

Anyway.......enough about me........to see other peoples' one-a-day work, check out Gingerbreadgirl's blog

P.S. A friend sent me this link to the British Sun newspaper yesterday and my liking for crocheted stripes has just been reaffirmed..............check it out

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3881573/Brighton-hotel-is-knitty-gritty.html

Year of projects (wk10)

Are you thinking about Christmas gifts yet? My list is in the making!

My hubby said 'So is this going to be well organised so you can get it all done, or are you going to have some sort of crochet meltdown, where everything else is neglected (think housework, cooking, running kids to school)?'

I'm going for being well organised AND having a crochet meltdown!

This week, I have gone off list kinda, when someone expecting their third child, had their baby four weeks early.  Baby and Mum are both home now, but I guess it will take some time to settle when they weren't quite expecting him yet!

Anyway, as previously mentioned, I was looking at all the limp, straggledy bits left from my first Lucy pack, which were not enough to make a whole stripe (and having not even tackled the ends on the colour changes yet, I didn't want to add any more in the mix).  So from a big tangledy-mess, I made this..........

This was 'fly by the seat of my pants' crochet, and I think it paid off.  I passed the pressie on to the Grandmother after really only spending one evening and a morning on it, so it was super quick (although, I should add it is a small blanket)

I've been wanting to have a go at a ripple for a while, so it has got it out of my system, although I think next time I may try a different yarn to the stylecraft, but I'm guessing that acrylic is a good way to go when it comes to baby things that will be hurled in the machine regularly.

So......Christmas...........

Added to my YOP list are..........

1. Sunnyspread throw (which is my current one-a-day piece)
2. Hot water bottle cover (I am not grabbed by any of the patterns I've seen on Ravelry so far, so I may make it up)
3. Moogly's Blackberry Salad Striped baby blanket (I should have until just after Christmas to complete this)
4. Caity Cat from the super clever  The Green Dragonfly
5. Owl Bag

This is definitely not where the list ends..........just where it all begins!

I bought this on a complete whim yesterday as I loved the colours and feel.

...................Any inspired ideas what I could make with it? 
(It is Rico Creative Micro DK, 100g 100% micro-fibre (which I'm not sure I even understand what that is?))

Thankyou as ever for all the advice and encouragement.  I'm looking forward after our Sunday roast chatting with a very excited eight-year old about his first cub camp, to looking at all your lovely blogs

To follow other peoples' progress on their Year of Projects please check out this.



Camping, crochet and cars.........

I know I live in the most beautiful place in the world............starting the morning with this can't help but make you smile!

I'm feeling a little......well, I'm not quite sure.

My biggest boy is out on his first cub camp. We dropped him off to do a night hike this evening and we don't collect him until Sunday. He's never been away before and although I feel excited for him, I'm also a bit nervous too.

He's only been going for a few weeks and on Wednesday he was enrolled in readiness for the camp this weekend. This evening I was frantically trying to sew on his badges and was very aware that the badges didn't look like they had been sewn on by fairies with gossamer silk.....rather more like they were sewn on with one of those huge plastic darning needles and wool that you get in kids'craft sets.

The inspiration

I've started and completed and delivered a crochet project this week, which in normal Faith style was a last minute idea, being made into the eleventh hour. One of the babies that I planned to make a blanket for, made an early appearance and ooooppps here we go again

Anyway, I took what was little scraps of my style craft which weren't long enough to make a whole stripe ( I already have more ends than I care to think of) and I made.......well, that would be telling.........but it is also stripy!

The leftovers

In other news......my darling hubby........who I wouldn't dare question his sanity (while others may) is making an epic journey to Scotland tomorrow, to collect his latest car acquisition. He has a need for 'big old boat' cars.....we have owned many......anyway, he has discovered a car which he couldn't pass up and after many failed attempts (including the one when the owner broke down shortly after leaving home) to get it, tomorrow is the day and I will be saying goodbye at 2am and trying to get back to sleep.

I will be back on Sunday to blog about my Year of Projects progress..........in the meantime, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

One-a-day Tuesday's tallies (wk6)

I know I am not alone in thinking 'where are the weeks going?'...........but where are they going?

How good is your maths? 

Five up, eight across.......this week I am up to 40 squares, and they are all sewn together........do I sound smug .........

I had a parents' evening at my oldest boy's school last night, and the maths teacher was talking about finding maths in every situation, getting comfortable with numbers, seeing patterns, finding numbers fun.......I must admit I quite liked maths in school and went on to do A-level maths (although since having children my brain has turned to mush!) but I've always been nervous about my 6,7 and 8 times tables.  Maybe now my son is having to learn, so should I. 

Funny, I have not lost the fear of being picked on, in front of others!  I was sitting squirming last night and I am a 'grown-up' (whether I feel like it or not!!).

Anyway.......... I ramble!

The throw is shaping up well, if only just a bit small, but as ever, in my indecisiveness I'm not sure what to do........hhhmmm.........

If you would like to catch up on other people's One-a-day progress, check out gingerbreadgirl's blog here



Year of projects (wk9)

If there was ever a week that was shorter than previous weeks, last week was it!

We've done it all, seen it all and bought all the relevant t-shirts......first teeth out, birthday cakes, selling cows, nose bleeds, selling cars, meals out, fish and chips, friends for supper, table-top sales where we made -£3 (yes.....I know!)................life in this household is never dull!

In amongst all this, very few new projects have been thought about, but a few stripes have occurred.

I have been uummming and aaahhhhing about whether I should finish my blanket now, as it is heavy and more than big enough for the sofa.  So I figured I would get to the end of the next batch of stripes and call it a day, however on putting it on our bed to take a picture, I figured it is neither here nor there, so I will press on until it reaches the end of our kingsize bed.  So another Lucy pack will be on order tomorrow I think!

I will this week, commit to actually deciding what needs to be added to my list for Christmas, I had a slight wobble this morning when I thought it was only six weeks until Christmas, I am fairly sure that is not right, but let's face it, it won't be long until it is! 

I have said I will take part in the local school's Christmas fayre, which means I will have lots of sewing to do before long, leaving me less crochet time.............I think I may need to make a timetable all in different colours to decide what to do first!

On another note, please check out the fab giveaway at Annaboo's House I love the concept of Pay it Forward and to have something made by the creative Annaboo herself would be fab, so I'm definitely in!

Anyway, time is ticking on and I have reading, uniforms, supper and baths still to do.........I could just hide, but I figure I would soon be discovered.

Looking forward as ever to reading every one's Year of Projects progress later, when littlest, middle and big are safely tucked up, if you would like to see what everyone else is doing too......see here.

I should also say, I am so amazed at all the encouragement and words of wisdom I constantly receive when needed........you really all are a very clever lot, and without you...........I'd be a miserable blogger with lots of unfinished rubbish crochet projects.......so......ahem.......Thanks.........I am constantly blessed by you all!

One-a-day Tuesday's tallies - wk5

Well, here it is wk5 which is really confusing me as I seem to have the wrong number, neither a multiple of five or seven!  (Trying to recall how many I started with would probably be the answer, but that is too much for my addled brain to cope with!)

A quick tot up tells me I have 31, which is a little odd, as it should be 32, but one has wondered!

I had trouble taking a picture as the light in the house isn't great, and as you can see I am overspilling the toybox!

Just before starting this post I weighed a square again, which came out at 13g. I say 'again' as I weighed a square at the beginning of the project to calculate how much cotton I would use.  Problem is, that as I have crocheted, the cotton has been running out faster than I thought it would.  The original weight was 10g (work that one out!) so this extra 3g explains how things have been going a little topsy-turvy!

I ventured to the yarn shop and bought another couple of balls, so I wouldn't run out............. now, I am back to square one (well, no I am on 33........but...well, you know what I mean!) so I fear another yarn shop visit is called for.........the only thing that scares me is, that I may get drawn into other things whilst there!!

Anyway, please note that (even with my fuzzy brain), I have 32 squares and the pattern calls for 64, so I am (almost) half way there! And by the end of November I should will have a Christmas present ticked off my list (haven't really got a plan how I do all of the others on time too!)

Anyway, hi to all my fellow one-a-dayers, hope you have all had a successful week! 

To check out other peoples' progress, please check out gingerbreadgirl's blog here

Year of projects (wk8)

Well, I picked some of you good people's brains this week and decided to put hook to yarn and  get on with it.  Thank you for all the useful suggestions, the most helpful suggestion was that I need to change the habit of a lifetime and ..........plan...........

As part of my YOP list I want to do a flower scarf.

I love the beautiful Japanese scarves I have seen on so many other blogs.  The bit I don't get is that the book that a lot of other crocheters have used is obviously in Japanese, and not being able to read charts that well, I wasn't confident I would get anywhere.

Anyhoo........I bought a book about motifs and was very inspired, but still unsure about working all the shapes together.  I asked about tessellating, but actually it probably isn't the word I was looking for.  If I choose a geometric shape they will fit together and I could join-as-I-go, but with flowers, I guess I had in mind that I could pick a few different designs and join each one by slip-stitching into previous flowers as I go. 

I tried this design first that I found in Rowan's Vintage Knits book from the local library.  This would overcome the joining problem, but it wasn't exactly what I envisaged.

So I used my new crochet book and tried out three different flower motifs.

I want to be able to randomly put them together to make a scarf or shawl, but as of yet, I haven't figured out how.  If I join as I go, I will have to select the design and colours carefully  and I feel that it won't fit into my haphazard style of doing things!

I have also been working on my one-a-day sunnyspread throw and my Attic 24 inspired granny stripe.  The stripe is very comforting to do now, as it is keeping me warm while I work on it. 

I have done 4 repeats, that is 68 colours or 136 rows.  I chained 240 to begin, so it is wide enough hopefully to go on a bed, and I have read somewhere, that with that width I should get 7 repeats out of each ball, so I am over half way! 

I think I will buy another Lucy pack so I have the option to add a bit more, as I'm not sure if the border is included in the one pack with 7 repeats.  I also have two friends expecting babies in the next few months so would like to make a couple of cot blankets, maybe a ripple?  Maybe a round ripple as I have seen some beautiful examples recently.

I love, love, love this project!

Anyway, I am whizzing off to watch Johnny English with the boys while probably doing a little more striping. 

Looking forward to seeing all your great progress with a cup of tea when all the littlest members of this family are tucked up in bed.

Hope you all have a very successful week!



One-a-day - Tuesday's tallies (wk4)

Well, as ever I seem to be squeezing this post in before my food shop and picking up the boys from school.

My tally this week is 25.

This week I haven't got round to sewing in ends and sewing the squares together hence why the new squares look a little bigger.

I am pleased on how this blanket is going and really have to say it is no trouble, I tend to have a look in my 'chuck it all in' hidey-hole in the car at the end of Monday, and generally the week's work is completed as I do it all on the school runs.............effortless.......... just about!

Haven't yet figured out what I will do about the shortfall in cotton, although I'm pretty sure I want it to be all one colour for the person I am making it for.  I know how much a square weighs, but am not really sure how much I will need to make the border which looks very pretty on the pattern......hhhhmmmm, can you tell I am not the best at making decisions!!

(Just spent ages trying to arrange three silly pictures and now everything is slowly unfolding, so I give up)

(now as soon as I type it got worse!! To cap it all off, I got to the end of the post and one of the pictures has gone!!)

Try again..........I want to make a Christmas present for my mother-in-law and  was thinking to make a flower scarf, rather like the beautiful Japanese scarves which so many are blogging about at the moment.

Anyway...........taking a look at my newly acquired crochet and knitting book, there are a number of flower motifs which are really pretty, so I hope to give some of them a go this week.

My question is...........you knew there was one coming didn't you?!

Has anyone any tips in designing shapes to tessellate (gosh, that's dredging up some memories from junior school) planning is not my strong point, but planning would probably help with this, as then I could join as I go?  Any advise gladly accepted!

Back on subject, to check out other peoples one-a-day work check out gingerbread girls blog here.

Year of projects (wk7)

.................And there was another week and we're now into October.......................

Today we have had a braai  in the sunshine with my in-laws..........not bad going for the UK in October.  It is my Father-in-law's birthday today, so we have all well and truly filled ourselves with good food.  My poor hubby in the meanwhile is hauling our straw bales in before the rain comes and missed the whole thing.....ah, well we can all tell him how nice it was and he has a plate piled high with food when he turns in for the night.

This week, among lots of other things, I took my boys to a local newsagent, where they have a rack of acrylic at the back of the shop, and let them pick out some colours for a hat each.

Then when they chose their colours I made them change their minds to something more suitable!

The littlest's hat is unfinished, but he was itching to try it on.  It is supposed to have more scales and a few spots, so we'll see what gets added on.

It seems like it could do with another couple of rounds, but then all my boys have good sized heads, so I should have thought to increase it a little when I was doing it.

Now there's a cheeky face eh!

Both hats were super-quick, although the dinosaur one probably needs a few extra bits, and middle's hat may well end up with a bobble on it.  Both were Ravelry patterns which you can find here and here.

My granny stripe is growing well and looks more wonderfully stripey everyday.

So what does this week hold? 

Well I treated myself when I was out with the boys yesterday to two new books, I never buy crochet books, and even now I am amazed I did, but sometimes it is nice to actually see something in print isn't it? 

I am still feeling I was a little frivolous, but I could not resist the Christmas one and the other one came along for the ride

Anyway, I have a tonne of housework, washing, clearing...etc...etc...etc... to do and here I am rambling on again.  I am looking forward to my Sunday evening of browsing through other people's blogs with a cup of tea in hand. 

To find out about other Year of Projects updates, look here.