Weekend Crochet efforts

I did spend alot of time at the allotment this weekend, so my crochet suffered a little!

This is the Queen Anne Square that I made in one colour as you can see (sorry to point out the bleedin' obvious)

And this one is called Dahlia

I had to teach myself (from the book - there's all the stitches in the back) how to work clusters!

Here is a close up of the work, however it doesn't give you the full effect of the texture created on the square.  It does look very Dahlia like though!

A cluster is 3 or 4 or even 5 treble crochets together - you have to leave one of the loops on the hook, so you could end up with 3, 4 or 5, then you yarn over hook and pull through!

I think that's right anyway!

A week later!

I spent Friday, a week since my last day at work, having a very active day! I cycled to the Garden Centre through the smallholdings, taking in the country air, sun shining the horses neighing and birds singing along the way

Once home I decided to cancel my hair appointment (shock horror) and go to the allotment instead

see http://www.alithefrog.blogspot.com/ for the rest of the epic about my 2 and a half hours of digging!

That left me pooped, and once home, I took the dogs Scooby & Perdie out of for their walk, had a Radox bath, cooked dinner and just sat in front of the telly fearing that I would be all achey and stiff tomorrow.  I didn't even have the energy to make even one Granny Square!!

However on Saturday, I got up, didn't feel any aches and pains, and got crocheting again!

Yippeee!

As the Green or Pampas had arrived, I thought I better get some green squares done,

so here's one of them - difficulty = level 1

I felt as though I had enough Granny Squares to be getting on with, so out came the Crochet Squares Bible

And I got all excited at the thought of having 200 squares (well not quite as I have already made a few) to choose from!

So I gave the book to my husband and he chose Wisteria, difficulty = level 2

Next I chose this one which is called Lacy Wheel - it will need a bit of stretching or pining out

difficulty = level 1

And my final effort was the King Pin which is a level 3!!

I added the terrocotta edging to the flower petals myself, as I thought that it would make the flower stand out more, due to my colour combination.  I like the way this one has turned out!

Day 4

Woof! 

Bet you didn't expect that!

This is Scooby Doo

 I got around to joining another 7 squares to the blanket - my husband kindly took this picutre to show me in action!

And this is the blanket to date....

Its growing!

I solved the green or Stylecraft Pampas wool problem by looking on EbaY and finding a very nice lady with a whole lot in stock, so I ordered 5 balls from her as my wool shop said that their order should be with them by next Thursday, so I feel duty bound to buy some from them as well.

I also finished 5 more "normal" granny squares yesterday too!

Day 3

Had an early morning alarm call this morning as my other half had to get up to go to the office - so the alarm was set for 6.15!  ARRRGGGHHH - whilst he stumbled out of bed, I offered to go and make him a cuppa.

That meant that I had an extra long morning to myself!

This is what happened next:

• Out came the bike
• Cycled to the smallholdings and back
• Put bike away in shed
• Got chopping carrots (see allotment blog for full story)
• Went to utility room to organise for an afternoon of sowing seeds
• Couldn't find the gravel trays
• Went up to the bathroom to check what the chitting potatoes were put in (also see allotment blog)
• Not there
• Must be at allotment
• Got bike out
• Cycled to allotment
• Eventually found trays
• Cycled home
• Put bike away again
• Put trays in the utility room
• Came upstairs to update Crochet Blog whilst eating Brunch!

Phew!

Now that I have caught my breath again, these are the two (sorry only two) that I made yesterday...

This is called the Star Flower Square

And this is called the Edwardian Fancy

And here is the pile of squares that is yet to be added to the blanket!

I might do that next actually to see what's next to do.  I don't want to go and make all fancy squares now, as the middle bit is mainly granny squares, so best to have a tally up!

Also, I am waiting for the wool shop to call me to say that my green wool has arrived.  At the moment I am having to work without green!

My First day of retirement.....

Yes, I am a very lucky girl, and I finished work at the ripe old age of XX on Friday 26th February 2010, so that made Monday 1st March 2010 my first official day off forever!

What did I do?  Well I road my bike to the garden centre, on the way I discovered a new bedding plant nursery, said hello to a horse and then cycled home through the smallholdings to tidy up the garden and then I decided to...

CROCHET!

Above is the Danish Square that I completed.  I had to add an extra row at the edge so it would fit in with my current squares.  This is the text book finish....

Next is the Chocolate Box Square....

& the Mini Granny Square

Front of and

Back of

And finally I attempted the Sunray

Phew!

I have started another one, so keep "hooked" to this blog

Meet "The Crocheted Character" (or the knitted character as on T.V.)

Yesterday, I decided to down "squares" and make something different with my crochet hook for a change.

A week or two ago, I purchased this pattern that "jumped out and caught my eye" on EbaY

Yes it's the Crocheted Character from

Harry Hill's TV Burp Fame!

So out came the white wool & my trusty 3.5mm hook....

And the Crocheted Character had begun using Double Crochet.....

The patter was very easy to follow & the "character" soon came to life!

I didn't use the pink as the pattern recommended, simply because I didn't have any, so my one is plain white instead, with a blue scarf as you can see below

And here he is in the luxury of his new home!

If you would like a copy of this pattern, the please email:

Janet Taylor at Stichykits

Pattern Ref: KCB/09

janet@lilacmoon.plus.com 

and tell her I sent you!

Thank You Lady Julie Jools!

Yes this is the book that I have seached HIGH and LOW for.

I was begining to despare

I had tried everyone...

• Amazon
• EbaY
• WHSmiths
• Waterstones
• The local Wool shop
• Abebooks &

many many more

If you go online you will find loads of books available, but when you place your order, you get an email back to say "sorry out of stock"

ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH

As a last ditch attempt, and short of starting a charity shop search, I posted a "tweet" appeal on Twitter

&

Yes you've guessed it!

A fellow Twitter & Crochet Blog follower

LadyJulieJools

came to the rescue!

She sent me a message to say that she had this very book & that she would part with it if I REALLY wanted her too.  I obviously said yes, bowing and on bended knee at the same time, and before you could say "Double Treble Crochet" the book was in the post to me. 

Well it arrived yesterday morning, and in between chores, I have not been able to put it down (as I am sure all you fellow Crocheters can imagine!

Here is an example of the inside of the book - pages and pages of many (well 200 to be precise) squares......

With a detailed picture of what the finished square should look like (very helpful A. to choose the square you want to make in the first place and B. to see if you have indeed followed the pattern correctly)

And you also get a guide as to which colours to use (you can obviously make up your own colour combinations) the difficulty guide (2 crochet hooks means some experience required) and how the square is worked e.g in rounds as in the example below or in rows!

So it's everything you need as a novice or even an experienced (I am not sure where I fall into on those two catagories) Crocheter

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

Thank You

to

Lady Julie Jools

I can't tell you how excited I am to have this book

&

I will dedicate the first square to you!