Treasures Made From Yarn: Mobius Ripple Cowl Pattern

I love this cowl think I need to get some yarn and get busy.


Treasures Made From Yarn: Mobius Ripple Cowl Pattern: So I did write up a pattern for the ripple mobius ripple cowl.  For the first cowl I used a plastic crochet hook and don't know the exact si...

crochet a granny a day

Whilst browsing on Twitter yesterday I noticed that there were some people who had started making a granny square a day with the aim of making a big blanket (or two smaller ones) by the end of the year. I think this is a fantastic idea - especially with my new found love of granny squares, so I contacted Ali (@CrochetAli) and told her that I would be joining. I looked on her blog and website and was very inspired by this lady's work. I got to work straight away and now have 6 little squares to sew together. My only fear is that the colours in my stash won't all go together but I have been assured that this does not matter, and to be honest after looking at other peoples work, this is true. I will have to go around the outside when the squares are all completed though to tie it all together, so hopefully this colour will be in the squares somewhere!
some of my grannys

 This one is a bigger square for a project for a friend - We are making a blanket but the squares are donated from lots of different people.

Granny Squares

I have decided that as I have no requests for goods at the moment that I would make a start on some stuff for me and the family. My mum has expressed an interest in a granny square throw or afghan. I have an endless supply of scraps of wool - it is taking over a room in my house! So I thought that this would be a useful project and possible present for my mother.
Yesterday I made 10 granny squares, they are fairly easy to make and quite pretty. This morning I got to thinking where on earth does the name granny square come from?? I looked on wikepidia - as this is the fountain of all modern day knowledge but after reading their page I was still left wondering.

Further web based searching I found out this:-

According to a 1946 article attributed to the Oregon Worsted Company, the thrifty women of early America would carefully save scraps of yarn and fibre unravelled from old sweaters and socks.  As these scraps accumulated, they were crocheted into small squares; the colours combined on the whim of the craftsman.  The squares were then sewn together to make a blanket which was both functional and colourful.  Because grandma was no longer up for manual labour, she was often the one to sew the squares together, thus they became GRANNY SQUARES

and so now I know!!! 

New Year's Eve Doodles

I have spent the day at home with my littles ones today, we have been busy making cakes and playing. I thought I would try out my new BAM stencils and so took my latest copy of illusion magazine for some inspiration. I decided to try out a snake face on my youngest son. I have greens, gold and some wicked new liquid gold bing which I have been dying to use. I did this face in a few minutes - probably about 5 or 6 and am quite pleased with it, however, next time I would use a darker green for the outlines.

After finishing this I decided to practice my unicorns - I had been watching Lisa Joy Young on YouTube this morning so thought I would give it another go.
I need more split cakes in unicorn / rainbow colours but not a bad little doodle.

Glove season

I have made my first pair of fingerless mittens. I got the pattern out of "The Art of Crochet" which I have delivered to my home every month. Its the first thing I have made (been subscribed for 2 months now!) and it incorporated a new stitch for me. The ribbing in made using relief treble back - which I had never even heard of until yesterday. But it looks quite nice. Was a bit tricky to get my head around it initially and will probably look neater the more I practice. The main pattern was a "v" stitch and the completed item is quite pretty.

They only took me a day to make the pair. These are for a very good friend of mine who spends a lot of her time outdoors, so I hope they keep her warm. I have used double knitting acrylic yarn in a mustard / honey colour.
I think if I make any more I will make the ribbing longer and the sleeve a bit shorter.

I'm pleased with my first attempt though.

Painting Christmas Smiles

Today I had a job at The Teddy Workshop in Quay Street, Haverfordwest. It is a lovely shop where children (and adults) can go and build a bear and dress it up. They also sell all sorts of other lovely things including wooden crafts, nappy cakes and decorative bags.

I set up shop there and painted some Christmas faces, I took my two little ones along and they had fun making toys while I painted. I also got to try out my new BAM stencils - even got a couple of glitter tattoos in.

Here are the pics of the day

Face painting for Christmas

Yesterday I helped out at the town's Christmas parade. I offered face painting services free of charge along with three other ladies for a local charity. We were so busy I never had any time to take any pictures but all the children appeared very happy (even some of the mums got painted too, which was nice).

I am hoping to be invited back again next year as I really enjoyed myself and even got to see Santa. We were provided with refreshments and even had an invite to the Mayor's Christmas party in the town hall, which I had to decline as I had to go home to the kids. Was a worthy cause and a true test of working under pressure and the lines were so long for the face painting I didn't think we were ever going to get home.

 My cousin's daughter was one of the happy customers (she is the beautiful young lady on the right), who I had the pleasure of painting. The other young lady was painted by someone else.

This is me working at the Christmas parade.