Mobile Phone Cosies

Trying to use up small odds of left-over wool. These are going on our stall next week and I hope at least one goes. I have made 3 so far. They're really simple, just 34 stitches in rib for 4 or 5 rows, then garter or stocking stitch until the right length for my mobile phone. I have reduced the stitches before casting off to give it a slightly rounded finish to the bottom, instead of pointie corners. I included a row of holes on mine, but it's not necessary. I could have used ribbon to thread through, but chose to twist some wool into a rope and make a bow of it.

You could follow a baby mittens pattern, and just make sure big enough for your mobile. You would really need to experiment, depending on wool and needles used.

Clearing My Clutter 10

I am a follower of Clutter Clearing introduced to me by Karen Kingston. I have made this link to her website, so that we may share some of her wisdom and knowledge. I hope you like it, please return to my blog again.

Mottainai

Space Clearing, Clutter Clearing, and Feng Shui by Karen Kingston - Saturday, 16 August 2008

Crocheted Blanket 3 - Alias: Pansy Afghan

The finished article, and very nice too, if I do say so myself. It's bold, it's colourful and I made it. Brag brag brag!!!

Approximately 100 hours of hand crochet work over 4 weeks in my own, so called 'spare time', 81 crocheted squares and measures roughly 115cm (45") square.



And here it is; draped over the sofa.

I like this Afghan so much I don't want to part with it! I have a friend who likes pansies and I wonder whether she might like it as a gift. Although her colour scheme is more neutral and light. So I might have a go at making another one with the pansy theme, but in her colours: Neutral with a splash of Red maybe?

Anyway, I think I will be asking more money for our stall on this one compared to the others. We'll see.

Can you see the pansy effect?

Crocheted Blanket 3 - Alias: Pansy Afghan

I have discovered that the blankets I am crocheting are known as Afghan's. Not sure, but think this refers to knee or lap blankets, or small throws. Anyone with more knowledge on this; please comment.


Two weeks down the line and I have nearly finished crocheting all the squares for my Pansy Afghan. As I said before, I decided to do different coloured squares, because the red pansies were looking too Christmassie. Here are some pictures of the colours I am using.





I have crocheted 17 squares in each colour. I will have 4 squares left over, of which I intend to make a Tea Cosy with some plain black or maybe striped in all the colours on the reverse side. I will post the results.

Double Bedspread 1970's

More from Auntie Vera's treasure chest of fabrics. Large squares and long strips of beautiful roses on a white background.

This swatch is the only remaining evidence of the actual fabric used.















I designed the layout before sewing together.

The article complete and on Mum and Dad's bed, plus cushion for bedroom chair, no it was not a commode!

Don't you just love the clashing wallpaper?

When my Mum and Dad no longer wanted this bedspread it went to a friend of mine, who loved it too.

Teenager's Bedspread

Here I am at the young age of 19 years, with a collection of left over fabric; given to me by my Auntie Vera, who was an avid craftster.

I found some useful squares and designed a pattern to suit.

I was very pleased with the finished article, which adorned my bed along with Teddy Tail.

Clearing My Clutter 9

Clearing my clutter has gone down the tubes of late. I had a brief interest last week, but this just helped me get all sorts of things out of cupboards, drawers and boxes. They now lie strewn over my office; spare bed room to most folk! Him indoors is struggling to keep his cool about it. I am trying to keep within my space. However, I do have my manicure table on e-bay, which will be up tomorrow, so let's hope it sells.
Gone to the Girl Guides, Yeeeee Haaa!

Crocheted Blanket 3

I have decided to use more colours as well as the red because with the red and green together it looked a bit too Christmassie. So I have chosen: Dark blue, light blue, violet and cream. I am hoping this will help my blanket to look like a collection of Pansies more than just odd shapes. We'll see.

Crocheted Blanket 3

With my next blanket I want to give the impression of Pansies. The main colours I have chosen are Black for the background and the black of the Pansy. Yellow for the central area; Red for the coloured part and green to represent leaves. These have all come from the oddments bins.

First I designed my pattern using AutoShapes in Word 2003. Once I had copied, pasted, rotated and flipped my shapes to achieve the effect of a crocheted square, I used another AutoShape as a border & background and grouped them together. I was then ready to play about with the colouring of the shapes to produce the impression of a pansy.

Although it is not a clear image of a Pansy, if you don't look too closely it is kinda like one.

I enjoyed routing about in the wool bins, even tidying up some of the unravelled balls.

I made one complete square so I could test my pattern. Then I decided to make all the yellow centres, and instead of cutting the thread, I kept them together. This saved time in constantly picking up the scissors and meant I did not loose any.



They made a pleasant daisy like chain, which has given me some ideas for future projects.

I am still at the stage of making the centres and will keep you posted.

Crocheted Blanket 2

Here's my 2nd crocheted blanket.


Blues and lilacs were chosen for this peice of work. It took me longer, as I started from scratch. It is also bigger and I did not have as much spare time to devote to it. Once again it was bought by one of our ladies before reaching the stall. I made the mistake of taking it into the art department one day to do some work with the group and it was spotted! After which I was nagged into submission to complete quickly.

Trigonos

I spent a lovely week-end with a group of like minded people early in July 2008. Trigonos is a residential education centre in Nantlle, Caernarfon, Gwynedd. For further information see http://www.trigonos.org/ or phone 01286 882388.

The following 5 photos show off Trigonos garden flowers, where there is a relaxed combination of man's intervention and nature.

The next 5 photos are views from and around Trigonos.

Above is a view from Trigonos

A view from the back of the meeting rooms.

The lakes formed from slate mining.

Trigonos horticulture

Above is a view of the Horticultural Fields of Trigonos

Ancestoral Home

Here we have my Ancestoral Home in Sussex. The current occupiers were most kind in allowing my family and I to visit last October (2007). This is where my Mother's Father (1895) and his Father (1853) were born.

My Great Great Grandfather lived next door.

GG Grandfather and G Grandfather were Underbailey and Bailey for the local Estate and these properties would have been tied accomodation attached to their jobs.

GG Grandfather spent his last working years catching rats and other odd jobs suitable for a man in his 70's with failing health. When he retired he remained in his house until he died.

Crocheted Blanket 1

Here is my 1st crocheted blanket, made from oddments of wool, crocheted together with some bought-in wool to give it continuity. This blanket was started by my predecessor so the colour scheme and tension were already decided. My task was to continue in the same style. Some of the pieces were more round than square so I had to give them corners. I also needed to choose more wool to complement what I had. I enjoyed making this and have already started my next one.

My blanket sold before going to our stall, as one of the ladies in our Art & Craft group bought it as a present for a friend.

Hayfever - Apple Cider Vinegar

Yes my fellow hayfeverers. The time has come for handkerchiefs and Vaseline, snuffling and sneezing. The time has come for puffy eyes and runny noses. The time has come for hiding from the sun and being miserable. Summer is upon us. Whoopee! Yes we wish we could enjoy it like normal mortals, but we are super mortals and hide behind our disguises.

There is some relief to be found and some do find it. I have a little tip to ease those itching eyes, but it is only temporary, but a relief still. Dab a little Apple Cider Vinegar onto a folded tissue and wipe around closed eyes. It is most cooling and I believe the acid effect helps to reduce mucus for a little while. It can sting a little if you have already allowed yourself the pleasure of a good rub and made the surrounding skin raw, but hey, that's life.

Crocheted Bag

I asked for some wool that had been difficult to make into anything. I was given this lovely Aqua coloured Paton's Big Ben Knitting wool. I think it is a left over from the 1980's; at least that's all I was getting from searching the net. I crocheted it into this handy drawstring bag and added a few flower sequins, which are just barley visible in the flesh. I used a size 7mm crochet hook and made the pattern up as I went along. I am in the process of knitting a pink one with some chunky wool I bought from The Bridge End Centre last year. With the second one I am trying to write down the pattern. I might post it at a later date. It only took me one day to make up, though it was Bank Holiday Monday and I was up at 7am. I managed to nearly complete the pink one the same day, but ran out of steam.

Fluted Tea Cosy 1

I'm please with this knit, as it is the first cosy I have made for many years. I bought the wool in a charity shop in Buxton last year, not knowing quite what I was going to do with it. I though about making a bag and matching hat at one time. Then we had our kitchen refitted and the colours seemed to match, so a Tea Cosy it became. I made another similar for the sales stall and have yet another half done. I know the colours are not bright, but not everyone wants bright colours in their kitchen, do they? I would like to do some more in this pattern and will probably go for wacky colours then.....

On Wed 7 May; my tea cosy sold on our craft stall. I'm rather chuffed.

The 2 Year Scarf!

I knitted this scarf in the mid 1980's and it took me around 2 years to complete! It is a basic knit 3, pearl 3 using whole balls of wool for each block of colour, with a bit of fringing. Dead simple, but one of those pick me up; put me down jobs. Put down more than anything else. I think it was meant to be a great big long scarf, like the one Dr Who was wearing around that time, but I got fed up. So there you have it. I have worn this scarf quite a lot over the years and I hold on to it in case it comes in to fashion again!

New Job

I've recently been promoted to a temporary post as Technical Instructor over my normal work area of IT and a new area for me in Art & Crafts. This is a very exciting time and my contract is to take me up to March 2009. I am always very busy, and I now have extra areas to attend. I have always enjoyed crafty things so have been busy producing a few items to add to our sales stock. I am rather proud of my creations and am happy to display them here for you to see. The first is my paper folded butterflies. I used some spare wrapping paper and oddments of gold cord. I found the pattern on http://www.craftster.org/