One month later and Tuesday Tallies

                                    

It's been a whole month since I've last posted. That's shocking! Where does the time go? Work has been manic (and not in a fun way) I also got to go on holiday last week to Norfolk so that was lovely.

I have a confession to make though.....
You know my Realta blanket I was making? The one I said I was going to finish and I was NOT going to start any other project befor I HAD finished? Weeeeellllll.........
I haven't done any of it since the last Tuesday tally over a month ago. I also started a few other bits as well.
I made this cowl/infinity scarf/snood for my youngest DD. It's made from James C.Brett Monsoon yarn and I love the colours in it. It's so autumnal and is very snuggly. Pattern is on Ravelry here http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/calm-cowl

 I started making another but decided to make it longer. This was not so successful. It was so long it was a trip hazard and the although I used the same yarn in a different colourway it just didn't look right. It's in the frogging pile!

I started a scard for myself using crocodile stitch using this pattern and Chenille gold yarn and this pattern on Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/crocodile-stitch

It feels so luxurious and is incredibly heavy. It's long enough to be worn but I'm going to make it a little longer I think.

And finally...

I wanted a project to work on while I was away. If I were sensible I would have continued with the Realta. I've been accused of many things in the past but being sensible isn't one of them. I started on the Wool Eater blanket on Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-wool-eater-blanket
It's a very easy pattern to work with once you get the hang of it and makes a lovely, thick material.
I'm enjoying it a lot but will it be a blanket or a cushion cover....it's at cushion size already so the question is, do I continue?

I look at all your lovely blogs and see your finished projects and wish I had the patience and dedication to finish something like a blanket but I think I'm a cross between a goldfish and a magpie. I have the attention span of about 5 seconds and am easily distracted by anything bright or shiny.
Has anyone got any blinkers? Maybe if I don't look I might get somewhere!

Please don't forget to check out all the other lovely "One a Day" projects via Gingerbread Girl's blog.

Peacock scarf pattern

This scarf is a real pleasure to make. I crochets up very quickly and I love the colour change I got by using the James C. Brett Monsoon yarn. I used Shade S3 as it reminded me very much of the colours found in a peacock feather but here's a link to see all the colours in the range http://www.jamescbrett.co.uk/yarns_monsoon.php. It's an aran wool so the scarf is nice and snuggly in these cooler autumn days.

I used a 5.00mm hook
3 balls of James C. Brett Monsoon in shade S3

I will be using UK terms throughout the pattern

Ch - Chain
DC - Double Stitch
DTR - Double Treble Stitch

The pattern is crocheted over 10 stitches (+1 for the foundation chain) I made mine over 50 stitches (+1) but it is up to you how wide you want it to be.

Row 1: Ch 51. Turn
Row 2: 1DC in 2nd Ch from hook. *skip 4 Ch, 9DTR in next Ch, skip 4 Ch, 1DC in next Ch.  Repeat from * to end. Turn.
Row 3: 4 C, 1DTR in first DC. *3 Ch, Skip 4 DTR, 1 DC in next DTR (the centre DTR of 9), 3 Ch, skip 4 DTR, 2 DTR in next DC. Repeat from *, ending 2 DTR in last  DC. Turn.
Row 4: 1 Ch, 1 DC in the space between first 2 DTR, *skip 3 Ch, 9 DTR in next DC, skip 3 Ch, 1 DC in space between2 DTR. Repeat from * ending 1DC in space between last DTR and turning Ch. Turn.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 for as long and necessary.

I didn't give the scarf an edge but I did consider using peacock stitch as a scallop. I ended up not using it as I was happy as it was.

I think my favourite silver peacock brooch looks lovely on the scarf.

Tuesdays Tallies and 2 scarf da-dahs

Another week gone! I didn't even have time for a blog post. What on Earth was I doing?
Not much.

I actually managed to go out on a date with my husband last week. It doesn't sound too out of the ordinary but trust me, it is. The last time we went out anywhere (that wasn't a holiday) was about 2 years ago. We decided to go to the cinema to see the Sweeny (his choice) and ending up in the local Wetherspoons for an evening meal. Nothing special but very enjoyable.

On the crochet front I've got a few ta-dahs.
I finished both scarves I was making last week and both have been used too.
N. loves hers and she has kindly agreed to model it (somewhat of a miracle)

Here's mine and NO. I'm not going to model it :) I was going to write up the pattern.... not done that either. Maybe later in the week.

A couple of weeks ago I made an octopus for my Eldest daughter, E. She went back to Manchester taking it with her. I now seem to have orders for a whole load of them in different colours from her fiance, his sister and her boyfriend. This one is ready to be posted off later this week. I've been promised regular updates of his adventures :D

Not too much progress on the Realta blanket I'm afraid. I finished another 2 octagons. Here it is laid on the dining room floor with me trying to place the finished octagons. N helped me after listening to me whimper for 15 minutes because I couldn't make a decision. I need to make 5 squares so I can attach them to the main blanket.

I bought myself a lovely vintage wicker basket from ebay to keep the blanket in. It's from the 1950's and looks so much nicer than leaving a carrier bag about the place.

My target for the week is to try NOT to starts anything else and concentrate on the blanket.
Lets see if I can do it :)

Please don't forget to check out all the other lovely "One a Day" projects via Gingerbread Girl's blog.

Tuesday's Tallies and others

I'm a One a Day first timer but I really, REALLY need the motivation to keep going on my Realta afghan. Don't get me wrong, I love it. I love the pattern and the yarn (Debbie Bliss Prima) but I'm a bit daunted into the sheer amount of work needed to finish it. I seriously underestimated the amount of octagons I'd need. I though 56.....it's closer to 90 ish.
So..... this week I managed 2 more octagons and 4 squares. I'm counting the fact that I started joining them together as one of my one a day!

In between times I made an octopus for my oldest daughter who was down on a visit as it was hubbys 50th yesterday. It's not something I'd usually make but she fell in love with the pattern.

She calls him Stanley Pickleson!

I've also started 2 scarves. One, made from James C Brett's Monsoon yarn. I loved the colours as they reminded me of peacock feathers so what better stich to use than Peacock stitch?
I've run out of yarn so I'm waiting patiently (not) for some more. If anyone's interested I'll write up the pattern whaen it's complete. It's very simple and I hope to finish it by the end of the week (posty hurry up!)

The second scarf is made from some recycled yarn. Youngest daughter bought a scarf from Primark at the end of last year discounted from £8 to £3. She wore it once and kept tripping over it. It was honestly over 8 feet in length. Sunday night saw me frogging it! It ended up being made from 2 strands of aran weight yarn and there must be at about 1kg of yarn. What a bargain?
I'm using the same ripple pattern as Lucy's ripple blanket using a size 10mm hook and both strands of yarn. This is another one that won't take too long.

It's got me thinking though, what else can be recycled for use again? I'll be hitting charity shops and bootsales I think.

Please don't forget to check out all the other lovely "One a Day" projects via Gingerbread Girl's blog.

Sue's Door Snake Draught Excluder

My first time making something from scratch!
I have a cold living room. In the winter we have the fire going, the door closed and the heating on at the same time some nights. Anyway, a couple of nights ago I had the living room door closed as my youngest was watching something on YouTube or Netflix or something....It was loud, whatever it was! I shut the door and sat back down to read. After a few moments I was aware of the indoor equivalent of a tornado blowing around my ankles. Considering it was a warm night it was pretty cold too. No wonder the room was freezing in the winter. I had no idea I had a gap under the door that a limbo dancer could get under!
The idea of the snake draght excluder was born.
I had a look for a pattern but was very uninspired with what I saw. Then I realised that it was basically a tube! How hard could it be?
Not very!

I thought I'd write out the pattern in case anyone wanted it.

Time to make - approx 5 hours

Yarn used: 100g (1 ball)James C. Brett Marble D.K Shade MT26
Crochet hook: 4.00mm
Kapok ( I used the stuffing from an old pillow)

I'm using UK terms so when I say treble stitch (tr) this is US double stitch (d)

Abbreviations used:

CH chain

TC treble crochet


sl st slip stitch
st stitch
yo yarn over
2TCtog 2 Treble crochet together = * yo, insert hook in first st, yo, draw yarn through st, yo, draw yarn through 2 loops on hook repeat (*…) in next stitch. Then yo and draw yarn through 3 loops on hook. 

Row 1 - 4 CH. Join with ss in first chain to form a loop

Row 2 - Ch 3 (counts as 1st TC) 11 more TC into loop. Join with a ss into top of 3 chain (12 st)

Row 3 - Ch 3 (counts as 1st TC) 1 TC into same stitch as 3 chain. *2 TC in next st**. Repeat * to end. ss into top of 3 chain (24 st)

Row 4 -  Ch 3 (counts as 1st TC) 1 TC into same stitch as 3 chain. *1 TC in next st, 2 TC into following st**. Repeat * to end. ss into top of 3 chain (36 st)
Row 5 to Row 53 - Chain 3. 1 TC into each st. ss into top of 3 chain (36 st)

Stuff the snake as you go along

Row 54 (start of decrease) Ch 3 *2TCtog 2** Repeat * to last st. TC in last st. ss into top of 3 chain. (18 st)

Stuff if needed

Row 55 Ch 3 *2TCtog 2** Repeat * to last st. TC in last st. ss into top of 3 chain. (9 st)

Stuff if needed

Row 56 Ch 3 *2TCtog 2** Repeat * to last st. TC in last st. ss into top of 3 chain. (7 st)

If you can decrease for another row then do so.  If there is not enough room and the snake is nearly closed then decrease as much as you can then ch 1 and cut yarn pulling tightly. This should have closed the snake completly.

Weave yarn end in.

Sew on eyes and add a material tongue if required.

My snake measures 29 inches (74 cm) and its girth is about 10 inches (26 cm)
Add more treble rows for a longer snake. If you want a wider snake then add another increase row (of course you'll need additional decrease rows too)

What's his name????

Severus Snake :)

 

 

 

 

 

Old and new

Where does the time go?
I'm back at work now after the summer holidays. Why can't I win the lottery? I certainly wouldn't be one of those people who say they wouldn't know what to do with themselves. I have so many things I'd like to do that I'd be busy for the next 40 years!

I finished the ripple blanket...sort of.

Hubby decided it was quite big enough, thank you, and stole it. It is fit for what he wanted it for (to cover him on the sofa) but I still have visions of it fitting my bed. I may have to steal it and work on the odd row here and there when he's not looking.

 

Because he stole this one I've started another just for me and it IS going to be for me! I'm making the Realta afghan pattern http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/realta-afghan
I'm making it in Debbie Bliss Prima yarn which is on special offer from Black Sheep Wool.
I'm using these colours and cream as a base colour

 

I'm going to have to buy at least 7 more balls of cream, more if I decide to make the connecting squares all cream instead of coloured.
I'm going to have to do a minimum of 56 octagons. I've got 10 done so it's going pretty well.

The yarn is 20% wool and 80% bamboo. It has a lovely matte look that resembles cotton.

I'm not going to think of all the weaving in of the ends....not yet anyway :)

Monday Musing

I've had a bit of a change with the look of my blog. I was getting fed up with the way it looked before. After a coiuple of hours work I'm liking it much more.

The blanket is progressing nicely.....

 I'm just about to go back into blue again. It is about 4 colour changes off being big enough for a single bed.

I've also completed the front of the cushion. I'm liking it more as time goes on.....

Just the back to do which shouldn't take too long at all.

I was going through my stash to find a pink for the cushion when I unearthed 2 WIP. I was convinced I'd thrown them all out.......

I can't honestly see me completing either project. I'll probably unpick the granny square one as the yarn is quite nice. It's a shame there's not a site for abandoned projects in need of adoption.

Enjoy the rest of the bank holiday :)

Friday Buy and Try

I've been meaning to do something with my ever growing jewellery collection for what seems like ages. I had visions of highly organised racks and displays so I could easily see what I had. These, of course, would be colour coded. In reality I had bowls, trays and piles of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and pendants all over the bedroom. I decided that although the grand organisation thing was a brilliant idea, the likelyhood of it actually happening was somewhere around 0%. My best bet was to stash it in something that looked pretty. So that's just what I did.
One trip to TK Maxx later and I am the proud owner of these storage/accent boxes (actual TK Maxx descriptions!)

They look so nice (as long as you don't open them up)

Disaster in a box!

I'm having a bit of a rethink on my blanket. Ever since DH has claimed it he has been pestering me to finish it. He wants it to cover himself up with on the sofa (bless) This means it doesn't have to be king-sized like I origonally planned. The width is the perfect length for the sofa so instead of the ripples running width-wise I'm turning the blanket though 45 degrees so the width is now the length (are you with me?) So....I only have to make the new width single bed size which means I estimete I have to do another 5ish colour changes to finish. (It make sense to me :D)

I found the Something Pretty pattern on Millie Makes blog http://millemakes.wordpress.com/2011/05/22/something-pretty-the-pattern/
I fell in love with it but I must be a little thick because I just didn't get the pattern at all. I followed other peoples advice and watched you-tube videos of popcorn stitch for, what seems like, hours. I finally got it after the 3rd attempt. Now I understand it, it's pretty easy to do.

I'm kind of planning to make a cushion for oldest DD if she likes it......

WIP=2 :D

Wednesday blankey update

Things are almost back to normal here. We are all on a low cholesteral diet and I am so proud of DH. He's continuing to lengthen the amount of time between cigarettes. He's now up to 2 hours between them and each day he adds another 15 minutes to the time.

My Deramore order turned up on Monday. I got Stylecraft Special DK in Aspen, Spring Green, Grape, Magenta, Plum, Turquoise, Wisteria, Green, Bright Green and Violet. I also got a 10% voucher off my next order. I'm so tempted but I'd better use some of the yarn I got first I suppose.

I was trying to plan the next few colours ahead of time and I realised that red just didn't fit so I went with shades of pink, fading into lilac to get to purple.



I'm guessing I'm about 20% of the way through now.

I'm at the point where I just keep looking at all the pretty colours!

There's been a bit of a scuffle as to who will get the blanket when it's done. I originally planned for it to be on my bed but both DDs wanted it. Then DH trumped them and claimed it for him (for falling asleep in the sofa) He WAS a little put off when I told him it could take about 2 months to finish!

So.....2 more blankets for DDs, 2 for 2 friends who want them and not forgetting 1 for me.....I'll be blanketing for the next year!

Sunday round-up

This week has been a week of extreme lows and highs.
My DH had a heart attack on Monday and was taken to hospital by ambulance. After waiting in casualty for 7 hours he was finally given a bed on a ward at just gone midnight on Tuesday morning. Our eldest DD got on the first train down from Manchester to offer support. He was given a stent on Thursday and he was home on Friday.
We are trying to look at it in a positve light. He was a very heavy smoker who didn't want to give up. He used to say to me that he probably already had lung cancer anyway so what was the point (we lost his mum and dad and my mum to lung cancer) The hospital gave him a chest xray and his lungs were clear. Since coming home he's been brilliant. He's gone from over 60 a day to under 20 a day and is making the gaps in between cigarettes longer each day.
We are all so thankful to have him home safe and sound.

It will come as no surprise at all when I tell you I didn't work on my blanket during this time. I picked it up again yesterday though and made great progress.

Nearly finished with orange!

I'm just about to start with the red section. I'm going to use Stylecraft yarn in Shrimp as a transition colour.

I am beginning to question the sense in making a blanket when it is over 30 degrees though. It's so muggy in London.

DH must be grateful to be home. He didn't even blink when I told him I'd ordered more wool last night. I usually get a small whinge ou of him but I just got 'alright love' I feel vaguely cheated somehow! I've never ordered from Deramore before but I've heard good things so I'll be looking out for a package on Tuesday. That will be my purples and more blues and greens.
Cant wait!

I'm such a girl!

I know it shouldn't be a big shock to the system but for some reason it is! I've never been a 'girl' It's fairly obvious I'm female (yep....definitely female) but I've never been a girl. Maybe it's an age thing.....hmmm.. ..Anyway.......
There I was minding my own business, shopping for stash when I came across these colours.

Pwetty.....

I swear I squealed like a 5 year old (fortunately I squealed in my mind. I do have some control!) So, am I turning into a princess? I wander round thinking 'ohhh pretty, shiny, it's all glittery' etc. I NEVER used to do that. Honest!
I blame my youngest. She infested the house with Cath Kidston and after initially loathing it, I'm now drawn to it.....even the little sweet polka dots. Ohhhh kill me now!
The blanket is growing nicely. I got through nearly 2 colour changes yesterday. I should be set for yellow today (does the happy dance)

It covers my feet now :)

There is one bright hope in my decent towards all things girly. I came home from shopping and found the biggest moth on my window. By all accounts if I wass 100% princess then I should have screamed and legged it. I'm proud to say my first thought was 'wow' and my second thought was' where's my camera?

Ohhh look at him. He's such a pretty yellow and he's got fluffy, feathery bits.
Awww......nuts!

Sunday, Sunday

All is peaceful here. I'm taking advantage of the quiet to catch up with some reading and a little photography...oh and some washing :(

My lack of yellow yarn was preying on my mind yesterday until I couldn't take it any more. Hubby kindly drove me into Welling and I had a mooch around the homeware stores there in search of lemony relief. I came away with these...

Happiness in a ball!

The orange is quite a bit brighter than it looks in the photo. In fact I'm looking at it now (it's peeking over the top of my stash bag) and I'm wondering what on earth I was thinking (I know what I was thinking. I was thinking "ohhh I don't have that colour!")
I have a few more days before I'm at the 'orange' stage so maybe I can come up with other alternatives.
Progress was fairly slow yesterday but I stuck by my target of a colour change per day.

For some reason my cat seems to be scared of the blanket.....she legged it in the house when I put it on the table. Most odd!

 I ended up feeling bad so I came back inside!
 I STILL can't get the colours to photograph true. I may have to get the photography lamps from the loft (well, hubby can anyway) Maybe not today though :)