Life begins...

...Or so they say!

Off the hook :: Baby ripple blanket

I really enjoyed making this little blanket.  Choosing the colour order as I went along and altering the width of the stripes.  Only the navy blue follows a regular pattern.   

The blanket came out a little bit narrower than I'd have liked so I added 3 rows of (UK) treble crochet up each sides (2tr in each row end, in case you're interested).  I then decided to finish it off with a row of crab stitch (also known as reverse dc (or sc if you're in the US)) - each side having a different colour.  The finished size is now 63cmx83cm - just right for a pram blanket I reckon.

Yarn: Rico baby classic dk - 6 balls
Hook: 4mm
Pattern: adapted from a chevron pattern in Jan Eaton's 'The Encyclopedia of Crochet Techniques'

I hope my friend and her baby boy like it.

Off the hook :: String bag

I don't think there can have been anyone so pleased to find a ball of string in their stash as I was on Saturday afternoon!  I thought I'd run out and B&M bargains had sold out, so I thought this little bag was never going to be finished.

I modified the pattern, making the bag round bottomed instead of seamed, and the handles are made of a double (single for US peeps) crochet foundation chain threaded through the top loops.

The bag is in use already toting lots of the new season English apples!

Yarn - kitchen string (£1 for 3 balls)

Hook - 4mm

Pattern - Corde Market Bag from 'Uncommon Crochet'

Just a note about this pattern - it is one of those that makes no sense what-so-ever until you begin to make it.  So if you fancy having a go at one of these bags, please don't be put off.  It's easy once you get going! 

p.s. thank you for all the comments on my last post - I think I have the pattern translated correctly now, so more on that soon.

Swedish crochet pattern - translator required!

I recently came across this pattern for a little Scandinavian style heart and I really want to make some.  I'm imagining lots of little red hearts made with fine crochet cotton.  Wouldn't they make lovely Christmas decorations?

But I am finding the Swedish crochet instructions a little bit unintelligible!  And, you know, because I worked for an Anglo-Swedish company I do actually understand, and speak, a little  Swedish - very, very basic stuff like 'I'm sorry I don't understand' and 'Hello, my name is Victoria'!  Now I am thinking my 10 week course in basic conversational Swedish was missing an important component.


Google translate results in hilarious instructions such as these for round 3:  "Row 3: Crochet 3lm, skip 6x, 1st in the 7th st, * 1st + 1lm *, repeat * to * an amazing 10gms = 12pcs, 2lm skip the 2x and the third pc crochet * 1st + 2lm *, repeat * to * once more, the previous shipyard (!!!) ^ 3lm crochet * 1st + 2lm * repeat 3gånger = 4st with 2m between. * Skip over 2x the previous lap and in the third pc crochet 1st 2lm + *, repeat * to * once = 2gånger. 1st in 3rd st of the previous lap. * 1lm + 1st * repeat * to * to * * 9ggr = 11st with 1lm States, black liquor from the yard (WHAT??!!) ^ with 1sm in 3rd ch of the beginning of the yard."  
^ the exclamation marks are my own addition!


Here's my first attempt at the heart, but if anyone could translate this pattern I'd be ever so grateful!

In which I reach the limit of my sewing skills

I finally got around to making the little bag that comes with the Cath Kidston book 'Sew!'.

I cannot tell you just how much making this little bag tested my patience - I have, as the title of this post says, tested my sewing skills to the limit. With a button loop.

No. 1 lesson learned from making this bag? Never, ever, again sew something that requires the turning inside out of a tiny tube of fabric. Never. Ever. Again.

Cookies and crochet

Please believe me when I say that you have got to try these cookies....

blueberry and chocolate chip. So, so good although I must say I think the magic ingredient is neither the dried blueberries nor the chocolate chips. No - it is the almond extract. Just a sniff of the bottle transports you straight to Christmas and the treat of scoffing the marzipan off-cuts from the ritual decorating of the Christmas cake! Oooohhh, I love Christmas - is anyone else beginning to think it time to make the Christmas cake?

Anyway, back to the cookies....the recipe can be found here - I saved it from the Guardian magazine and pasted into my recipe notebook. You all have one of these, right? A collection of recipes cut from magazines or copied down from recipe books flicked through at other people's houses?

As far as the crochet is concerned I have run out of yarn for both the string bag and the granny rectangle. I know, I know, it is just a matter of ordering more yarn on t'internet - I just can't seem to get around to it. Luckily, a friend of mine has obligingly had a baby giving me an excuse to visit my LYS for 5 balls of Rico baby dk with which to make a baby blanket.

The colours are ecru, ice blue, grass green, turquoise and navy. Another ripple but I've used a different stitch pattern that results in little eyelets in the troughs - an effect I like very much. I think I'll choose the colours as I go along and I have an urge to vary the width of the stripes too. I'm quite excited about this little blanket...I just need to remember not to neglect my other WIPs for too long.

Heirlooms

Well, perhaps not heirlooms exactly, but treasures none-the-less. We had a trip up to my parents at the weekend and I had a look at some of the stuff Mum had been clearing out of Grandad's house. I came away with a Johnson Brother's coffee pot...

and a Richmond China cake plate. So pretty and dainty...

There is a china tea set coming my way too when we can get out hands on enough bubble wrap to transport it safely. China that only came out at Christmas and that was my Great-Granny's wedding present to my Grandparents. Precious treasures, indeed.

p.s. sorry about the quality of the photographs, but the light here is terrible at the moment.

Off the hook :: Amigurumi Penguin

For #1...

I first made one of these for #1 about 18 months ago, but my mil took a shine to it and #1 agreed she could take it home. Ever since, the first thing #1 does on arriving at Granny's house is to attempt a penguin kidnapping! I thought it was about time I made another one.

Pattern free from Lion Brand.

On the hook

In progress...

A string shopping bag made of 3-round motifs, joined as you go.

Yarn - kitchen string

Hook - 4mm

Pattern - Corde Market Bag from 'Uncommon Crochet'

Sunshine, paddling and a bit of crochet

I have been away again - this time to stay with my mother-in-law in the Lake District. I got lucky with my mil - I get on well enough with her that I'll take the children up to stay while Mr yrh stays at home. The fact that she lives in one of the most beautiful areas of the country is an added bonus! We had a lovely couple of days doing little more than visiting the local playground and spending afternoons paddling in Windermere.

It's back to school tomorrow and although I'm ready for it, I am not looking forward to having to be out of the house by 8:40am! It's been a long 7 weeks despite (or maybe because of) not spending a full week at home in the last 5. Anyway, this morning I have resorted to a DVD (Disney's Robin Hood) while Mr yrh is out doing a 100 mile bike ride and I ought to be tidying up and searching for PE kit. Instead I'm blogging and crocheting and, if truth be told, rather enjoying Robin Hood!

On the crocheting front, the granny rectangle is growing more slowly now, 54 rounds done but it needs to be a fair bit bigger. I'm aiming for double bed size at least.