More Rows completed.....

This one?

Well I have been crocheting like mad, and I am now adding rows and rows and rows!

I also thought that I would take a few pictures, but I didn't know if you'd like

...Or this one?

Best so I thought I would put them both on!


Remember the Granny Blanket?  Well that is hanging on the balcony to "stretch" it a little, and now that the wool shop has called me to say more stocks are now in, I can get back to making some more squares!












All I need to do now is wait for my lovely husband to take me down to the shop!

Too big for the camera

He did take me to the Garden Centre today, so that I could buy some seed pods (the larger type) for planting on my Tomatoes, which I will blog about later on http://www.alithefrog.blogspot.com/

5 colours x 6 rows =

= alot of time!!

I have now crocheted 6 full rows:  a row to me is a block of all the colours so Fuschia, Yellow, Lilac, Green & Beige.

Each colour takes 20 minutes to do, so a row takes 100 minutes or an hour and 40 minutes.

That amounts to 600 minutes = 10 hours!!  It just looks like a very wide scarf at th moment!

I won't bore you with another photo!!  I am enjoying the simplicity of working in TC all the time as it doesn't take alot of concentration.

Vintage Throw update

As you can see, the Vintage throw / blanket has grown quite considerably since I started work on it again yesterday, and I am particularly pleased with how neat the edges are.....

I think I am getting the hang of edging now

Oh, and I have already found my next project for when I finish the Vintage Throw (or in between as the case may be)  If you like this Sea Breeze Top and would like the FREE pattern, just click here. I have just made the necessary hook conversion from US to UK size and ordered the hooks I need from eBaY - the wool - 50% acrylic and 50% cotton, I already have as this is exactly the wool I am using for my Granny Squares Blanket - I just need to choose a colour!!

Blog Makeover

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell me if it's too "Pink" and if you like the new look.

Your feedback will be much appreciated as always

XX

My new project!

Since I have been incapacitated, I have decided to start a new project, one that I could put down and pick up easily, with no pattern to follow as such, so this is what I found

http://belladia.typepad.com/bella_dia/2006/11/vintage_vertica.html

Thank you Bella Dia, for keeping me sane at this time and giving me a new project to work on!

The foundation chain was 250 chains!!  I kept a safety pin handy and "pinned" every 50 chains as I didn't fancy counting that lot in one go.  Can you imagine?  198, 199, "Yes sweetie, I am fine thanks, no I don't need anything, but thanks for asking," "oh pants,"  1, 2, 3.....

I soon realised that a DC in the USA is a TC here - silly me, so I changed from UK DC to UK TC after a couple of rows - no one will notice & I wasn't going to unpick that lot!!

Can you see the first pink, yellow and lilac rows are in DC and then from the Green I have changed to TC?

This is how far I got on it yesterday.  I sowed in the tail ends on one side, but now I have started again today and my needle is downstairs.  It's too much effor to go down there now, so it will have to wait.

I will just start another Fuschia row and see how much it grows today!

No Crochet yesterday....

Due to the fact that I had my Toe operated on!

I went to Sutton Hospital and happened to bump into the Registrar and the Surgeon/Consultant in the corridor, who whipped me straight into the ward and got to work!  I bearly had time to kiss my husband goodbye! (probably a good thing, or I might have blubbered), so the next thing I knew I was sitting on this bed and Mr B had his pen out!!

The next bit was more painful as he injected my ankle 3 times - OUCH! and I waited for the stuff to kick in and for my foot to go numb.

In the meantime the nurses, one trainee, Michelle & one senior nurse Lynne took my blood pressure, filled out forms and said reassuring things!

The next thing I know I was asked to put on my gown and I was whipped off down the ward and into the operating theatre.

It was very strange being awake during the procedure, chatting away whilst Mr B did what he had to do.  Towards the end he said "would you like to see?"  So the little curtain was pulled down and he showed me my toe bone and let me watch him stitching me up!! 

After wrapping me in what they call a comedy bandage - being called so because it looks like something out of  a cartoon, I was whisked back to the ward and brought a cup of tea.

The nurse came to say that I couldn't go home until Mr B had come to see me.  I asked if this was usual, she said no!  Mr B arrived, told me not to worry, and that all had gone well, and that my recovery may be sooner than the 4 weeks that they put on paper - more likely to be 2 weeks, so fingers crossed that that is the case!!

Half an hour later, my darling Hubby arrived and I was taken home.

As you can see, I have a lovely "boot" to wear.  I had to sit like this all night and for the next 3 days. Oh Er!  Hubby has to go to a meeting today, so I have neighbours coming in to check on me during the day. Isn't that kind?

To end this post I would like to say thanks to the Doctors and Nurses that looked after me yesterday.

Flowers!

I didn't fancy making any squares yesterday as I had a busy day!  I spent 2 hours at the allotment getting rained on, brought home the last parsnip harvest, made parsnip soup, made a slow cooker chilli con carne even though it was hubby's turn to cook, but he had gone to play golf!!

I then had to go to Brownies, and on my return, I had to serve dinner!!  Hmmmm something has gone wrong here, but when I think about it, he will have to wait on me hand and foot for a few weeks to come - haha

Anyway I was pooped so I made some crochet flowers instead

The pattern was a little complicated at first, but it's a case of try, try & try again.

p.s. does anyone know what a double row is??  Do you repeat the same row again???

I conquered the Willow!

Yes, I did it, I managed to sort out where I was going wrong!

I started again, right from the begining, counted and re counted how may trebles I was supposed to have at the end of each round and it just went "click"

It was saying, 5ch then 1dc into 5th chain from hook. I was putting my hook into the 5th chain on the round, not the 5th from the hook!  PING

So as you can see, I finished the square!

And here is a detailed photo of my work!

And I finished off the evening with a Bright Flower Square

Doggy news

 I took her to the vets and even though the vet saw her walk, which is badly and I told her she was having trouble getting up the stairs, she said it was because the groomer had cut to close to her little bottom and it was sore, so she gave me some cream!

Well she's no better this morning - still having trouble with stairs, so I asked an online vet (cost $15) and he said that she might have slipped a disc or similar to bed rest is needed for a few days.

So that's what we will do and see if she improves, if not she's going to have to go back, but probably to a new vets!!

Not a good start to the week

Our little cocker spaniel Perdita, was a bit out of sorts this morning, off her food and walking funny, plus she was having trouble getting up one step, let alone the whole staircase to upstairs!

Perdie is on the left and Scooby is on the right

After a little while, I thought she might have pulled a muscle, so I felt her back legs gently in the hope that she would give me a sign, however I found a huge lump in her groin.

I immediately phoned the vets and have an appointment this afternoon, so I am fearing the worst.

I had a quick trip down the allotment (http://www.alithefrog.blogspot.com/) to put in my first earlies with a little help from our allotment angel, but came straight back home after as I was so worried about her.  She's settled down now with her little pig, who you can see in the middle of the bed!

Now, I have to declare that as far as my crochet is concerned, I am stumped on the Willow!!

This is the Arcadia, which was easy &

The Marigold was a joy to make

but

The Willow, which is only a level 2 pattern, has me stumped.

I have tried and tried 2 times now, getting as far as the middle flower petals, but I only end up with 3 and not 4!!  I have checked and double checked that I have the right amount of chain spaces etc. to continue, but it's not to be!

Could there be an error in the pattern?

I will give it another go and come back to you

Lots going on this week!

I am getting a bit lost on which ones I have and haven't made from the book, so that's a job for today

I started by joining another row of 9 squares, so the blanket now weighs a ton and is 9 by 10 squares!

I find it easier to do this job on floor level.  Fortunately I am lucky enough to be able to still get up from a floor sitting position without too much difficulty!

I had to buy a new wool called marble something, as the wool shop has run out of Cocoa and I only have 2 balls of that left - it's ok but it's not a 100% like from me.  I have made a few squares with this in, and I will have to dot them around

This one is called Christmas Rose and I loved putting this one together

This is Snowflake

A traditional granny incorporating the new wool

I think I have made this pattern before, but I have used different colours here

I can't remember the name of this square but I like the finished article.

I have crocheted a load more granny squares, but I didn't want to bore you with all their photo's.

It's raining again outside so the planned trip to the allotment will have to be put on hold - where's my crochet hook?

It's me, I'm back!

Hello everyone, sorry I have not posted for a few days, but I can assure you that I have been busy.

Since the weekend I have made another good start at the allotment http://www.alithefrog.blogspot.com/ and I have been crocheting too!

I did spend a lot of time joining this weekend, as I am now on to 9 squares by 9 squares so I thought I better knuckle down and get that job done.

I have also ordered another book on Crochet Flowers & I went shopping - yes I know - shock horror, I actually got in a car, got driven to Croydon and physically went into M&S to spend some of my £135 worth of vouchers!

So, I have been a busy bee.....

I am now trying to make a few "blocks" as mentioned in my last post...

However I cant' resist the round and rounds...

Or the Granny's

and Granny's are so easy to whizz up....

However sometimes you need a challenge!

Or two

Or three

and they do say that variety is the spice of life!

The Countryside.....

We took a little ride in the Countryside, we did.

We came across a large farm,

that raised little pigs!

I said "they're cute," and he agreed

'twas a lovely site we saw,

but we're not wanting, or indeed craving,

bacon sandwiches any more!!

2 weeks today.....

...Yes, it's been two weeks already, and I can't believe where the time has gone!

I have been so busy

• cooking
• cycling
• gardening
• leaf clearing
• allotment - ing (http://www.alithefrog.blogspot.com/)
• hospital appointments
• hairdressers
• food shopping
• cleaning
• dog walking &
• crocheting!!

Just to mention a few things!

Back to Crochet - I attempted a few squares last night and this is the result

I started with a simple granny square as there was something good on the T.V.

I then progressed to a difficultly level 2  This is called the Willow

This is called Patriotic and in the book it's in Red, White & Blue

Difficulty level 3

Then I decided to do a left to right square, not a round and round one (for a change)

I stupidly chose a difficulty rating of 3 which is not good to start with, but I made it to the end.

I must admit, I prefer the round and round ones, but I think I should start to make a few more

left to right ones.

The hardest crochet square yet....

The one that has pushed me to the top of my limits is the

Waterlilly

Difficulty rating 3 - yes 3!!

This one has been a challenge.

Rows 1 to 5 were fine, but adding the square to the back of the flower proved challenging.

Yes, this little flower in a square had me frustrated, confused, re reading the pattern, re reading the re read pattern, undo-ing a row, and another, re reading the pattern again and then it clicked into place!

Phew!!

I also spent alot of time joining squares yesterday (on top of digging etc. at the allotment see http://www.alithefrog.blogspot.com/) and my blanket is now 9 squares by 8 squares with another 7 ready to go!

Also, I received this FAB parcel of hearts yesterday.....

 

Which were intended for presents, but when I opened the parcel and peeled off the lovely tissue (very beautifully presented) and saw what was inside, i couldn't bear to part with them, so I have hung them around my house!

If you would like to see more beautifully made hearts, 

 go to

Crafts & Recipes from Allotment Heaven

Day 11 - Already!!

I can't believe how quickly the days go when you have all day to do what you have to do! I am feeding my neighbours lovely cats Poppy & Jack this week, as they have gone to Dartmouth on holidays and the cat feeder that they used to pay a fortune too, who I thrice watched going into their house, and out again in 2 minutes flat, shocked me when I was told their charges.

I put the telly on, watch Egg Heads on BBC2, play with them once they have finished their food and wash up their bowls each evening.

I might take my crochet tonight - oh maybe not as I have Brownies tonight.

Crochet - yesterday I managed these squares......

This is called the Framed Flower

And this is the Lacy Cross

The Big Round &

below is

The big pile up!

Yes, I have all these squares to join together.

Time for another joining session I think, but I need to go to the wools shop for supplies of Brown, Parchment, Terracotta & Ivory - better get my purse out!!