My latest projects

I've been a bit busy lately so struggled to fit in writing blog posts. With going back to work next week (well, officially three days ago but it's half term so a week off for me!), posts will probably be less regular. Over the last couple of weeks we have had a hospital stay for Miss S due to her fairly severe asthma and the husband has been in a play for the last week. This hasn't left me with much free time for crafting or blogging! Hopefully I'll catch up with myself this week.

I finished the poncho, which I loved making. It worked up fairly quickly, think it was about 7 hours in total and I enjoyed making the granny stripes. It's a good pattern for watching TV to as doesn't require much concentration. Here is the finished article:

The colour was chosen by the lady who ordered it for her toddler. I think it is a fab choice and the colours look so lovely together. I really love colourful crochet!

With the leftover yarn, I finally got round to making the unicorn. Once I got going I enjoyed it and couldn't wait to complete it. I find working with a small hook (3mm) and having to focus on tiny stitches quite tiring though, so it took me a good 7-8 hours. I'm not so keen on the putting together stage either. I've had a few requests to order the unicorn but I'm not sure I'll make amigurumi to sell. I'm not sure I would enjoy it and there are issues regarding safety certificates when selling toys.

Some pics...the first few rows took me forever. Then I found this youtube video which made doing the inital magic ring a bit easier.

I followed the pattern in the order it was written, so legs first, then body.

I posted this picture on my facebook page and got some funny suggestions as to what I might be making...toes, clangers, and russian dolls!

I expect once the head was made it might have been more obvious...

Here she is, all finished. I think she is so incredibly cute! My daughter nabbed her and my 8 year old son wants a "storm" unicorn. I have no idea what one of those is! Very satisfying when amigurumi is complete but hard work and patience to get to that point!

Can't remember if I shared a photo of the slouchy hat in my last post...

My daughter requested it and loves it. I made it from the lovely Caron simply soft yarn. The only place I have found that stocks it is Wool Warehouse, who I have now ordered from a number of times! Their delivery is pretty quick and their prices very competitive.

Once all those items were finished I was daydreaming about creating a beautiful rainbow blanket for baby S. I have been lusting over an Attic24 pack of yarn for ages so bit the bullet and invested in one. It's good value with the yarn costing slightly less than buying individual skeins. Think it works out that one skein is free.

Isn't it beautiful! I bought a couple of additional skeins, the bright orange and bright yellow which are next to each other aren't part of the Lucy pack.

With my daughter's input, I decided to make a granny stripe blanket with a ROYGBIV rainbow colour scheme and with alternate white stripes.

These were the colours we selected, they look even more gorgeous in real life! I made a foundation chain of 120 in red and set off making the blanket. It took me about two hours to get going and hook 10 rows of granny stripes plus the foundation chain and a starting single crochet row. Each row is taking on average 10 minutes.

Can't wait to crack on with the other colours and see it grow but it will have to take a back seat to my Betty's Bells orders and my proper job!

From knitter to hooker...

I have been a knitter ever since my lovely Mam taught me when I was about seven. I remember making knitted dolls as gifts when I was a teenager. I even had to make a replacement for my friend's toddler cousin as he was devastated at losing the original!

However, as an adult, I always struggled with completing items. I managed to make ONE mitten for my precious first born. Parenting fail indeed. I didn't do much knitting until a few years later when I was expecting #3. I managed to make a blanket AND a cardigan before he was born!

(We won't discuss the lack of buttons on the cardi...)

I made this hat when he was a few months old and got a good way through the matching jumper. I still have a beautiful fair isle tank top in my knitting bag. By the time I finished it (although the loose ends STILL need to be weaved in, two years later!), it didn't fit over his head! *sob*

So, knitting. I enjoy it, but it takes me so long and for some reason, I only have a 40% completion rate.

Fast forward a couple of years...I was very heavily pregnant, it was the middle of August and I couldn't move much. So I thought I'd give crochet a go. Again. I had tried it a year or so before but struggled. Probably because I only had a 2.5mm hook which is very, very tiny and probably meant for elves or something. I watched a few YouTube videos, bought some more hooks and gave it a go. And it just clicked! I was hooked ;-)

The first item I made was a simple headband, followed by a baby hat, then I started on the novelty hats. The rest, as they say, is history.

My first project

Excuse the creepy doll...

A week later I completed this!

I have a lovely friend who knits for me now!