I've Made a Sidewalk Shawl!!

Hello!  Well, thank you so much for all the lovely comments on my Waterlily blanket.  It is my most commented-on post ever!!  (Apart from giveaway posts, which don't count!)  It has been much used - I snuggle under it at every opportunity!

I've been a bit quiet since... but I have not been resting on my crocheting laurels... I've made a shawl!

Because I've always been a girl to wear a shawl... oh, wait... hmmm!  Well, despite never wearing shawls, I saw this pattern and couldn't resist making it!!  I even ordered the exact yarn the pattern says to use, which is very unusual for me - usually I find a cheap version somewhere!

And here are a series of photos of me modelling it for you - how very exciting for us all!  (Excuse my eye-bags, by the way - my face wasn't really cooperating that day - most inconvenient!  But we're here to look at the shawl...)

What do you reckon - does it look reasonably trendy, or completely granny-like??  I mean, when am I going to wear it?!?!

I am really pleased with it, though - I love the pattern.  I'd better wear it, as I started the damn thing three times!!!  The pattern says to make it with a 5mm crochet hook, so I obediently did what it said.  After 15 or 16 rows (there are 50 rows in total) I realised that the pineapple shapes were WAY too small, and that it was going to end up as a very small tight rigid little shawl.  This was already hours of work at this point, but I thought that I had to get this right.  So... let's try a bigger hook - 6.5mm this time.  After about 36 rows (YES, 36!!!!!) - let's not even think how many hours of my life that was - I realised it was still going to be too small!  I'd had suspicions earlier, but I'd already started again once.  I kept thinking, "it'll be alright, it's got to be alright".  But suddenly, I knew... I was never going to be happy with it like this!

Out came the 8mm hook, and I started all over again!!!!!!  This time the size was right.  Here is a picture of the three different attempts:

In the middle we have the 15/16 rows with the 5mm hook.  Underneath it, is the same number of rows with the 8mm hook - what a difference!  At the top is what I made with the 6.5mm hook.

The pattern is fantastic and easy to do.  You do need to concentrate, though, and you do need to keep using the pattern - it's not one that you can memorise after a few rows.

It's a design that definitely benefits from some blocking (again, something I very rarely bother with, but it was worth it)

The Facts:
Pattern: Sidewalk Shawl by Redheart.
Yarn: Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller - Bamboo Ewe: 5410 Mercury
Number of Balls:  Pattern says 6 balls, I used 5 complete balls.
Hook Size:  8mm (pattern says 5mm - I am quite a tight crocheter, but that is a ridiculous variance!)

Waterlily Blanket Ta-Dah!!!!!

Wooohooooo!!  It's finally finished and here it is for all to see!

I started it about a year ago - I take forever with these big projects!  (And you've been hearing me banging on about it for all this time, sorry!)  I'm so glad it's now finished and ready for snuggling under!

Here it is with the finished border...

I did five rows of cream, followed by two rows of the pomegranate as I thought it would finish the blanket off nicely.

Two of the corners

I made this using Stylecraft Special DK yarn.  Great value and nice and soft!  I used nine colours for the squares, with cream to edge and join them.

Colours are:

Top row, left to right:  Pomegranate, Fondant, Candyfloss, Lemon, Spring Green

Bottom row, left to right:  Wisteria, Bluebell, Sherbert, Aspen

This is an 'in progress' photo of the squares being crocheted together.  I used the cream yarn (also used to edge each square) to crochet them together.  I joined them with a slip-stitch and was really pleased with the effect.  It gives a nice little ridge between squares, but not as much as a ridge as you get with a single crochet join, which I've used before.  I think I'll go with the slip-stitch in future, as it is quicker and I prefer the look (win win!)

Here it is, all laid out...  (The border is a tad wavy - but you can only really tell when it's laid out flat like this)...

I am so pleased with it, and really amazed that I actually finished it!

Ta-Dah!!!  :o)

2013 Goals

This year's funky diary - very 70s!

So, it's February... but I've only just got round to posting about my goals for this year.  I want to post them so that at the end of the year I can look back and see if I've achieved any of them!  Only three, so not too many... but one is pretty major!  Here they are...

Buy a House

Declutter

Become Mega Organised

Buy a House

(This is the major one!)  I've been living in my one-bedroom flat for almost seven years now!  It is definitely time to move to somewhere bigger.  The Lumberjack and I are gonna set up home together!!!  It'll be great to have more space... and you know what more space means....... a craft room!!  (Fingers crossed!!)

I've now got my flat on the market, so that is the first step towards achieving this goal.  We'll see what happens!

Declutter

Well, loads of that has already happened ready to get my flat ready for sale!  But there is a lot more to go.  This goal will go hand in hand with moving.  (Although, a new house may well cause me to start re-cluttering!!)

Become Mega Organised

I want to become irritatingly organised!  I think this one might have to happen after the house move (if it happens and all goes to plan), as things will be a bit up-in-the-air until then.  Or maybe I'm just trying to put it off!

In other news the waterlily blanket is finally finished!!  Last stitches done today - so my next post will hopefully be showing it off, if I can get some decent light for pictures!  There is a peak above!

Until next time.....

January

Well, thank you so much for the lovely comments about Sammy the Snake!  Much appreciated, as always!

What have I been up to in January?  Well...

... I am now on the border of the Waterlily Blanket!!  It's been a long time coming!  Nearly there now - I hope to show it off fully before long!  (All ends from the squares are sewn in, which was NOT a fun job!  There were soooooo many!)

My new Christmas funky wellies got their first trip out in the snow last weekend!  That was a walk out to the local shop to get a few snacks - during which we found some daffodils reduced to 40p...

I plonked them in a jar, and tied some ribbon round - simple but pretty.  They lasted for days as well, not bad for 40p!  (I didn't leave them on the floor - was just trying to get a picture with some decent light on them, and no junk in the background, ha!)

I baked some cookies while it snowed outside...

Cookies and tea - yum!

I used this recipe and they came out really well!

I must also show off this mug, which was a Christmas present from my Gran.  I love it!

It's a Dunoon one, fine bone china.  It's just so pretty!

Bye for now... better carry on with that border!!!

Knitted Stripy Snake - Ta Dah!!

Hello!  Here is something I finished in December, for my nephew for Christmas...

A huge long snake!!  I am sooo pleased with it!

He's got two buttons for each eye, and a red felt tongue.  Around his neck is a knitted red bow-tie... what a smart snake!

And here is the star picture of the snake.... with the little angel....!!

I love that picture!  Gorgeous!

That gives a better idea of the size.  And this shows it off even more, around my brother's neck...

And... oh no!!  Maybe Sammy isn't such a nice snake after all... he's attacking my Dad!!!

(I wonder how many Christmas drinks had been consumed at that point?!?!  We know how to have fun with craft!!)

By the way, thanks for the comments on my Zebra Hat - I am working on writing the pattern for it!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  Thanks for all the lovely comments during 2012 - I always love to read them.  Thanks also to anyone who follows or reads my blog, whether you comment or not!

Here is a post of bits and bobs from Christmas...

Ornamental bowls - so pretty.

One is missing as it's in my bedroom with some jewellery in it...

In there is a gorgeous button bracelet made for me by my friend Anna... thanks again!

Picture taken from Number Eleven Blog.

Mine is the aqua one.  I stole that picture from her blog post here.  (I hope you don't mind, Anna - it was a better picture than I could have taken!)  Check out her post - there are some very cute crochet owls too!  Oh, and she's just finished the Yummy Blanket - so have a look here - it's lovely.  (We all love crochet blankets!)

What else... lovely East of India Buttons and Ribbons...

And some PiP Studio china!  A combination of birthday and Christmas presents are below...

That's all for now!

Zebra!

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas!!  I am pleased to report that the Lumberjack and I were finally recovered from our mega cold bugs and able to enjoy our two Christmas Days!  (One with his family and one with mine).

We were spoilt with great food, company and presents.  I will probably share some of my presents at some point - but for now, I wanted to show you my December monthly make!  A zebra hat for my nephew!!

This was one of his Christmas presents.  My sister-in-law calls him her little zebra, as he had a cute zebra patterned baby-grow coat when he was born.  She loves zebra things for him - so I thought she would love this!  There are various other ones similar to this on the internet, crocheted and knitted.  I ended up making this pattern up myself, though - I'm quite surprised I managed it actually!!!!  (It took me four attempts to work out a way to do the ears!)

It is a bit big, but at least that means he won't grow out of it straight away!  I had tried it on him a couple of times during the making, but it wasn't easy.  I'd popped round, made my brother and sister-in-law leave the room, then attempted to get what I had on his head and work out how much more I needed to do, where the ear-flaps should go etc, while he tried to get it off, wondering why his mad Auntie was fiddling about with his head!  So, it wasn't exactly simple to work out the measurements!

Getting him to keep it on and pose for photos was very tricky, but I did my best!

Cute little angel boy!!!!

It is his 1st birthday today - so HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUTTON!!  One of his presents I gave him today was also following the zebra theme, for his nursery:

It's a Caroline Rose print, from one of her collages, from here.  Caroline was so helpful - the print wasn't for sale in her shop, but it had been there months ago.  I emailed and told her about it, and asked if there was any way I could get one.  She emailed back in no time, knew exactly which print I meant, and had it listed in her Etsy shop in minutes for me!  Thank you so much Caroline, my sister-in-law was delighted!

I'm thinking of writing up the pattern for the hat, and putting it on my blog in case anyone wants to have a go.  Not sure if anyone would be interested, but I might do it anyway!  It would be my first pattern!

This is a bit wordy today - so bye for now.....!

33 Yesterday!

Hello!  It was my birthday yesterday - 33 years old... how the time flies!

The Lumberjack and I had booked the day off work, but unfortunately we were both ill with a nasty cold virus we'd had all weekend.  We'd planned to do something nice, along the lines of the Winchester Christmas Market and an afternoon tea.  Instead we stayed in sipping hot honey and lemon drinks - venturing out to the chemist for more cough medicine!

We're still ill today - it really is a horrible virus.  But, on a more positive note I was spoiled with lovely presents from him, his family and my family... so here is a selection to show you...

Lovely bunting wrapping paper and butterfly tag from the Lumberjack - I didn't get a picture of the parcels, as I was too impatient to open them!

These are some of my presents.  Kirstie Allsopp Craft, socks, lots of ribbon, a big traditional ceramic mixing bowl, a jewellery/craft box (so pretty, with bunting on!)... and look at the PiP Studio tea plate and matching cup and saucer - picked by the Lumberjack!

I'd not even ever seen the Vintage Knits book before - the clever fella found it himself - it was a nice surprise present!  Here's one of the projects I'm going to try to make:

Lovely wrapping paper from my brother and sister-in-law.

Here's one of the lovely presents from them - gorgeous pretty stitch markers!  I love them!

This fleece and fabric scarf is another present from them - I've got it on now to keep me warm!

And these lovely fabrics are one of the presents from my parents.  Gorgeous!

I won't bore you with any more, but I was very lucky!  I just wish we had been well, but we'll have to have a nice day out in January to make up for it.