Wednesday 30 November 2011

Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 – Crochet Competition – Part Three


Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 – Crochet Competition – Part Three


How do I help with The Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012? I hear you ask...

All you need to do is CROCHET ONE SQUARE! 
(You may want to make more when you have read to the end of the instructions, the choice is yours!)

The rules of the square:

Rule 1:

It MUST be made in DOUBLE KNIT 100% COTTON. This is because some bloggers or their family members are allergic to wool...so to make the blanket suitable for all, it shall be cotton. This also means that it can be washed without worrying whether some bits will shrink and some stretch......

Rule 2:

It must be made using the APPROPRIATE HOOK for your yarn.

Rule 3:

The square can be ANY SIZE - but maybe we need to set a few limits, so let say smallest:  5 x 5 cm, and largest:  20 x 20cm.  It can also be any size in between.

Rule 4:

The square can be ANY COLOUR OR COLOURS.  I love jewel colours, but you might not... use whatever you like best to represent you.

Rule 5:

The square can be CROCHETED using ANY PATTERN. I have put links to a few lovely ones below, but you can use your own if you want.

The Beautiful Bloggers Blanket of 2012 will not mind if you are a beginner, or an advanced crocheter.. it will not mind if the square is simple or complicated, lacy or plain... it does not judge....

Rule 6:

Please sew all ends in!



So, 6 rules so far, more to follow tomorrow....... 



Pattern ideas for your square if you don’t have your own:




Easy to follow instructions for a basic Granny Square can be found here at Bunny Mummy’s blog.

Tiny Square example at: Sarahs Sweethearts Blog


Book examples:

200 Crochet blocks for Blankets, Throws & Afghans by Jan Eaton

Cute & Easy Crochet by Nicki Trench (contains 3 squares – the Springtime Throw square, The Patchwork Bag square and The Camellia Blanket Square.


Do you have any you would like to suggest? 

Tuesday 29 November 2011

Tuesday Tally and 'Beautiful Bloggers Blanket of 2012' – Crochet Competition – Part Two


First up today is the Tuesday Tallies Total.. 

I popped over to Gingerbread Girl's Blog to check on everyone else's progress this week (of course I am last to post as usual)...and most of us seem to be suffering from overload.  This week I made 4 squares.. well, it has been a week to forget, and until last night I hadn't made any... zero....zilch... nada! 

I whipped these 4 up last night and they are still wet!


What a beautifully posed photo... chucked on the trolley (yep, my craft space IS a trolley)... c'est la vie... my count is now 90.


Secondly... the next part of my plan to get us all to work together on a project...did you see my button over there on the right..... read on:

Beautiful Bloggers Blanket of 2012 – Crochet Competition – Part Two

This time last year I didn’t know any of you... but I have spent 2011 learning to blog, discovering fantastic, inspiring blogs from all over the world, and finding friends who I have never met, but feel I know...Now it is time to celebrate!

This idea came to me recently when I was making my list of things to look forward to in the next year, a kind of ‘One year plan of loveliness’......

Knowing how lovely you all are, and how we ALL love a beautiful blanket and can’t EVER have enough of them....just look at Lucy’s pile here:


or Heather’s pile here: 


or these at Serendipity Patch:


I hope that you will want to join me in making 

The Beautiful Bloggers Blanket of 2012



Our blanket is an ethereal thing... 


No-one knows what it will look like... 


No-one knows what colour it will be....


No-one knows the pattern that will be used... 

No-one even knows how big it will be! 

But it IS coming.... 

Monday 28 November 2011

Beautiful Blogger Blanket 2012 - A 'Make It Together' project Coming Soon!

First of all I want to say, "THANK YOU SO MUCH" to everyone who sent me such lovely messages after our little Molly passed away last week... enough said.....

I need to do something positive... something which involves thinking and planning for the future and I have come up with an idea for a Make It Together project.  

Now I don't know if anything like this has been tried before (if you know could you tell me), but I thought it would be a great way to bring us all together to do something nice for one of us over Christmas and the New Year... and that one could be any of us!  

I spent this afternoon trying to design a button for the project, and hopefully, with a little luck, this is what it looks like....


Ummm... that is meant to look like a patchwork crochet blanket! 

Watch this space for more information! 

Friday 25 November 2011

Lovely Little Molly...

Lovely little Molly - our 12 1/2 year old black poodle passed away this morning... she was intelligent, loving, loyal, clever, playful, funny, a constant companion, wonderful substitute Mother to Fred, and most of all... 
......she was loved.....


Tuesday 22 November 2011

Let's hope today isn't groundhog day!


Only a very quick update for Gingerbread Girl' s Tuesday's Tallies today, 
with a photo that looks like it was taken on a Box Brownie! 
86 squares...


Sorry- it's dark outside already and this day has been one of those you prefer not to repeat - 
I didn't get a job I wanted, and my little poodle, Molly, has gone into the vets for big surgery ...


Crochet therapy is much needed... and that is all I plan to do this evening... 
so on with the slippers, the tea is in the pot, and I am off to hooky-land... 
I'll be back with better photos I promise....


Wednesday 16 November 2011

I did it... finally!

Well this may seem  like a tiny, insignificant achievement to those 
hook worn Crochet Masters amongst you... but I just made a 
chainless foundation row!  
Hurrah for me! You have no idea how much this small challenge has been annoying me - chainless faoundations are popping up in all kinds of patterns.. but thanks to Lazytcrochet and her simple explanation, I have done it... 
Here is proof:


and guess what?  It is easy peasy lemon squeesy!  

Tuesday 15 November 2011

One-a-day Tuesday Tallies - Week 11?

I'm getting confused...I think this is Tuesday Tallies Week 11 on the One-a-day project... time is flying far too fast! I am usually late for the tally, but this week I am determined to be on time....My current tally is 81 squares for my Sunny Spread... I should have 76, so obviously I am still a bit too keen....now I have sewn up a big square, a middle-sized square and a baby square...
it sounds like a Goldilocks episode.  




I think I am going to aim for 4 of the big squares sewn together to achieve anywhere near the size my daughter would like... I know I'll have to stop somewhere... so I will aim for a total of 256 squares, minus the 81 I have already...oh my goodness that is another 175 to make.... if I continue making one a day I would finish on 21st May 2012!  Oh wait... the border..  I think the 'Ta-Dah' will be sometime in June 2012.  Phew... 




I have been busy looking for presents to go in the Advent Swap over at Lynda's blog: Hookinwithlaalaa... I have been paired up with Madison from Madison Makes.   I think I have 20 gifts ready to go... of course I can't show you any of them as it will spoil the surprise.. I'll give you a little peak at the one I was working on yesterday...




The idea is that I send Madison little 24 presents - one to be opened each day of Advent... and she sends me the same... It's a lovely idea isn't it.. a little bit of 'something for me' in amongst the Christmas preparations... I'm getting excited!  It is harder than I thought though...choosing presents for someone you have ever met... 


Last Saturday Hubby & I went to Blackthorpe Barn in Rougham, which is near Bury St. Edmunds.  There is a huge barn full of craft stalls.. including jewellery, china, prints, wood carving, metal work, textile art.. oh and my absolute favourite of the day.. Herbert.  Okay, this is Herbert...





Isn't he gorgeous! He was made by a lovely lady sculptor called Sally Dunham.  You should see the antics Herbert gets up to... rock climbing, shelf sitting, reading and of course...cuddling! My little Herbert has angel wings for Christmas... and the reason I find him so funny is that he reminds me of my hubby... Hmmm... must be that bald head!


Happy Tuesday everyone.. 
Don't forget to check out everyone else's progress in the One-a-Day group at Carole's blog:  Gingerbreadgirl

Friday 11 November 2011

A smile, an 'Oooo' and a competition link

A lovely bloggy update popped into my Google reader this morning which made me giggle on this otherwise sad Armistice day... have you seen Crafts From The Cwtch yet? 


Sarah's sense of humour must be similar to mine, because her update today made me giggle so much! Go and meet 'Pixie Moon' there and see if she doesn't make you smile too? I'm sure Sarah won't mind me giving you a little peak to encourage you...




Whilst on Pinterest last night I found something that made me say, "Oooo" outload... sparking raised eyebrows from the Hubby...


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This is Newspaper Yarn! I have seen paper yarns before, and love working with Katia Paper, but this article by Doug Gunzleman from the website, Green Upgrader at greenupgrader.com introduces Greetje van Tiem's tutorial: 

"With enough time, patience, and newspapers you can create newspaper yarn. From the design studios of Greetje van Tiem and her “Indruk” project she can purportedly spins 20yds of “yarn” from a sheet of old newspaper".

It looks easy! I'm dying to have a go... just need a spinner tool.......




There is space for 20 entrants in all and there are only 3 stitches involved! 
You need to sign up by December 10th... 

I'm in :)x

Tuesday 8 November 2011

One-A-Day Update 9... Can you pretend it is still Tuesday please?

Can you just pretend it is still Tuesday please? I'm late for the One-a-Day Tuesday Tallies at Gingerbread Girl's blog... do you think she will notice? I have just sneaked this awful photo before I go to bed...


8 more little squares for the blanket takes me up to a total of 76 now. The original pattern calls for 64, but this is going to be a mega-version...  

Pop over to Carole's blog and see how the rest of the One-a-Dayers are getting along... and be prepared to swoon at Carole's own project... 

Night night ladies x

Friday 4 November 2011

Down Came The Rain (Mister Murray)

I don't usually post music links, in fact I never have before... but for everyone in the UK today... and anywhere else if it is raining there... 

(listen past the first 10 seconds for the full effect)...



And if you still need a smile pop over to Jenny Arnott Textiles: Giveaway time!: Jenny is giving away some lovely Christmas goodies to celebrate her new Etsy shop. You have until Sunday 13th November x

Tuesday 1 November 2011

It's been a while...

How on earth did so many weeks go by since I last blogged? Life is just whizzing by... I pick hubby up from the airport on a Friday, take him back to the airport on Sunday.. and in between life just - disappears.  

I have been keeping up with my one-a-day... I love doing it, could probably make a square with my eyes closed, and am really enjoying the sewn-up effect.  This project comes with me everywhere... it has done thousands of miles up and down (more like side to side) the country, and has spent many hours in hospital waiting rooms with Mum & Dad. 

It is becoming my comfort blanket... I actually don't want to finish it, so when my daughter said she wanted it to be king-sized I was secretly delighted! I don't think it will go that far though..the cotton would cost a fortune!  Anyway, here it is this afternoon, sunning itself in Dad's garden...


See that beautiful Japanese Maple turning the kind of autumnal red that takes your breath away?


Phew...64 squares all sewn up, and 5 more ready to go.. so 69 altogether.  I'm ahead of myself... I could have a couple of days off... but you know how it is... oh my goodness, you can't be addicted to a blanket can you?!

Behind the blanket, is my Dad's garden.. actually Mum & Dad's garden, but I always think of it as Dad's garden as he used to spend all day every day out there loving it into perfection.. it is immaculate.  Now though Dad can't spend much time out there... and Mum has become chief gardener... with help from family to mow the lawn, the garden is still immaculate.... it scares me that it might not be one day.....my Dad is 88, my Mum is 87... life is precious. 


Don't miss the wonderful progress going on in the 'One-a-day' challenge over at Gingerbreadgirl's blog......