Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 - Irish beauties!

Good morning afternoon!  

Time is flying here on my trolley (I have a trolley for a work space).. which means that when I'm not here I am 'off my trolley'...which is very apt as crochet/blogging definitely helps me stay sane- ish!

Last Thursday morning a little package 

arrived for me from Ireland...

An envelope from Niamh at The Craft Giraffe

Inside were 6 beautiful granny squares... 

Prepare to be 'wowed' !

Beautifully packaged..

The promise of beautiful colour blends...

All 6 of Niamh's squares are crocheted from

 a pattern which she was taught in school 

(are children still taught crochet in schools)?

I may invade my local primary and start classes...

Niamh says the pattern is similar to one 

found in Jan Eaton's book, '200 Squares'

Niamh used Debbie Bliss 100% cotton 

Double Knit for all of these squares.

Each one measures 11cm x 11 cm

Debbie Bliss DK cotton comes in 

20 different shades 

Niamh has a great eye for colour and has 

chosen bright, gem-like colours

Thank you Niamh.. they are gorgeous.

6 squares = 6 entries to win the whole blanket... 

Good Luck! 

Crochet Competition Entry at the last minute!

Two months ago Elisabeth Andree of About Crochet set a challenge for 20 crocheters to create an item (scarf, shawl, fingerless gloves, mittens, or cushion cover) using 3 stitch patterns or a combination of the 3.  

I blogged about my first attempt here.  This is a close up:

The pattern is called 'Chain Single-Crochet', the details are here.

When I was trying patterns and yarns out I drove myself mad with different colour combinations, and threw far too many in!  The pattern created by the stitch pattern I used was fascinating, and I'm sure could be used to create some brilliant colour effect.

I decided to make something that I could use... and in the end 

the design for a cushion cover emerged.. plain, simple, 

a little feminine maybe... 

Two colours - Grey and flecked cream.

My cushion cover measures 40 x 40cm and has a concealed 

slit opening a the back, fastened by crocheted bows....

The yarn I used for the body of the cushion is a wool, 

acrylic and fine alpaca mix. The cream for the embellishments

 is an oddment from my stash, probably an alpaca/silk mix.  

Both are aran weight. 

I used a size 6 (UK) crochet hook .  The yarn suggested 

size 5 - 5.5 (UK)  but I wanted a softer, looser fabric.

The body of the cushion cover and all the embellishments 

are made entirely using Chain Single Crochet (ch.sc), and is 

'variation 1' of the 3 that Elisabeth gave us.  

Method: 

• I cast on 57 base chain and just continued until the main piece measured 40cm.  
• I then began 2 pieces for the back in the same way, continuing one until it measured 34cm and the other for 12cm.  This allowed for a 2cm overlap when the 2 pieces were sewn together. 
• Before assembling the cover, I crocheted 1 row of ch. sc all around the edges of the 3 pieces.  This gave me a more uniform edge to sew.
• Sliding the 2 back pieces over each other - the largest over the smallest, I pinned them when they measured 40cm.  With wrong sides together I used over-sewing to sew the 2 sides together.

• To form the 3 bows - 2 small for the back, and 1 larger to embellish the front, I cast on base rows of 50 x 2, (100 for the larger) chain and crochet 1 row of ch.sc.

• The 'ribbon' for the front edge of the cushion was made in the same way but I cast on 250 base chain.

• To fasten the back of the cover, there was no need to create button holes as the woven effect of the main stitch forms many holes.  I selected an appropriate position for the bows and threaded them through.

• Finally I threaded the longest 'ribbon' in and out around the front edge of the cover and stitched it in place. 
• I formed a bow with the last 'ribbon' and attached it to the top right corner with a few stitches.

Ta-dah!  

We can talk back and more squares for the BBB 2012

Have you seen?  Am I the last to know (I usually am)! 

We now have 2 little buttons below each comment that we receive... 

one is DELETE and the best one...so precious... is REPLY!  

A great big Blogspot Ta-Dah....Well done Blogspot !

Yesterday my postman brought me this...

An envelope all the way from New South Wales, Australia!

Lovely Karisma from Karisma's Kraft sent me 4 squares for the 

Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012! 

Here they are:

Aren't they beautiful? They are crocheted in a lovely dark purple cotton.  

Karisma has sent 4 squares all the same which is lovely.  

Here are some close-ups..

Karisma also sent a card...

" Outback Sunset" 

Thanks so much Karisma... 

it is so lovely to know that you took the trouble and time to 

make them so beautifully and send them half way round the world!

I had another lovely surprise yesterday when Laura from 

My House in Africa  sent me this: 

My fourth Liebster Blog Award! This is what Laura wrote:

 "http://www.stocki.blogspot.com/ - here you'll find Jill from the UK 

who is funny, generous to a fault and very creative. She has some great pattern links on her site and, of course, you'll meet the delightful Fred......"

Thanks Laura! It means so much to be given these awards by such lovely people.  


Now before I pop off to take my Mum shopping I must confess to joining in yet another challenge for 2012... this time I really couldn't resist the gauntlet laid down by Barbara over at Made in K-Town 

Barbara set herself a personal 2012 Crochet Challenge which is 
to make at least 100 motifs from Edie Eckman's book, 
"Beyond the Square - Crochet Motifs" 


....and then Barbara invited her blog readers to join in... maybe you would like to join us? If so pop over and tell Barbara


I was looking for inspiration when we went into 2012 and now I have masses of it.... 


So far I am:

1.  Organising the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012 

2.  Taking part in Gingerbread Girl's One-A-Day project.

3.  Taking part in Lynda's Blanket Squares Swap 2012 at HookinwithLaalaa

4.  Taking part in Barbara's 100 Motifs in 2012 project.

5.  Taking part in Lynda's Travelling Craft box at HookinwithLaalaa



PHEW! Wish me luck.....

Tuesday Tallies have begun for 2012.. and look what I got in the post!

Yesterday Gingerbread Girl kicked off the Tuesday Tallies again for 2012 and I was shocked to find that I have only made 14 squares since  13th December..  I should have 134 squares in all and I have only got 114.  However, to find the silver lining in this particular little cloud I have found something to motivate me to shift my shizzle (I have heard my children say that...I hope it isn't rude!)!  I PROMISE... yes, PROMISE myself (and you) to catch up by... ummm...next Tuesday.... Tuesday 31st January!

This morning the post came earlier than usual... 


Oh how fondly I remember the days of post being guaranteed to plop onto the doormat by 7am.... the milk would be there on the doorstep too, with holes pecked in the foil by the birds, and all before Mum came down the stairs.  Even earlier than this Dad would have completed his kitchen sink shave and have popped off on his 'Pop-pop' to work... 


I must ask Dad why we called it a 'Pop-pop'**.... Hmmm....

So today I found this on the doormat...

An envelope from Elisabeth of About Crochet  and inside these...

2 Beautiful Blogger Blanket Squares from Elisabeth

BY -   Elisabeth About Crochet

                           PATTERN -  Can be found on Elisabeth's blog here 

                                YARN -  Cotton 8, double thread, main colour vanilla;   

                                            other colours -orange, green, pink and 2 

                shades of blue.

                               BY -   Elisabeth About Crochet

                               PATTERN - Can be found on Elisabeth's blog here 

                               YARN -  Cotton 8, double thread, main colour vanilla; 

                                           other colours; pink and 2 shades of blue.

Elisabeth also sent a postcard of 'Interieur Gemeentemuseum Den Haag'...

Here are some close-up details of the squares...

Thank you so much Elisabeth - they are gorgeous and 2 squares gives you 2 entries to win the whole blanket all for yourself!  

To everyone else who wants to take part in the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012... getting stitching those squares, text me for my email, send your squares to get to me by the 31st January, and keep watching to see what other people have sent me.. .

** Addendum...I asked Dad why it was called a 'pop-pop'... apparently it was a two-stroke engine, and if it was standing idle the engine noise sounded like, "Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop!"

Monday catch-up...

Well how exciting!  There is another blanket swap going on... this time Lynda from Hookin' With Laalaa  is organising a blanket....  

Lynda has invited crocheters to sign up, then within a certain amount of time, everyone crochets a square for everyone else on the list... a bit more work than the Beautiful Blogger Blanket, but everyone gets a blanket so it will be worth it.  I've signed up!

(Blanket photos taken from Google search - origins unknown)

Laurinda from Remembering Rowan  got in touch and asked for her link to be included on the Beautiful Blogger Blanket list of links for patterns etc. so I decided to have a look at her blog... Please go over there and have a look too - after the loss of her daughter Rowan, Laurinda decided to inspire other crafters to make blankets, hats etc. to donate to local baby care units in memory of baby Rowan.  

The site includes patterns, tutorials and links to support for parents who have suffered the devastating pain of losing a baby. 

Back to the BBB2012 - I have had a couple of questions about what weight DK or Double Knit yarn is as other countries refer to DK weight under other names.  Try this link to Dummies.com for information on all sorts of problems like this.

Dummies.com

This weekend I worked a lot on my design for the crochet contest over at About Crochet - the following photos aren't of the design I have decided on as a final piece, but they are of one of the stitch pattern variations that Elisabeth specified.. this was a practise piece....

The stitch is called chain double-crochet(ch.dc) in the UK and chain single-crochet (ch.sc) is the American term.  You can see that the front view of the stitch is quite different from the back view. 

The pattern goes like this (using the English terms): 


Make a chain of 15 and add 2 for turning.  If you want a longer piece of work you need to multiply the 15, and then add 2 on, so for example:  15 + 2 = 17, 30 + 2 = 32, 45 + 2 = 47...etc....


Make 17 chain.


Row 1. 
Make 1 chain in the 3rd chain from hook, 1 chain, *skip 1 chain, 1 chain double-crochet in the next chain, 1 chain*, repeat from * to * until the end of the row, end with 1 chain double-crochet in the last chain, make 2 chain, turn.


Row 2. 
1 chain double-crochet into the first 1 chain space, 1 chain, *1 chain double-crochet in the next 1 chain space, 1 chain*, repeat from* to * until the end of the row, end with 1 chain double-crochet into the top of the turning chain, 2 chain, turn


Row 3 and further. repeat row 2.

Elisabeth got the pattern description from Mypicot.com , she also gives 3 variations of this stitch in the competition rules.  

Mypicot.com is a lovely site for stitch patterns (crochet and knitting) and tutorials - especially if you would like to try crochet with thread.

I am off to do some house work and walk Fred... he's a bit bored...

BBB 2012 -Squares from The Netherlands and FILET CROCHET at last!

On Tuesday this week a post popped into my 'reader' from Elisabeth of About Crochet  - Elisabeth has crocheted 2 beautiful squares for the Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012.. lovely pastel shades! They are winging their way to me now from the Netherlands!

Elisabeth is also organising a crochet competition which I blogged about here in November.  The rules are that, using one stitch pattern with 3 variations, participants should design a scarf, shawl, fingerless gloves or a cushion cover.  


Easy I thought.. but with one stitch pattern it is somewhat challenging... I've spent a long time starting a few projects and then starting again.. the end project has to be published on our blogs by 14th January....


There are 20 of us in the competition - I am the only one from the UK! Watch this bloggy space...

Have you seen the lovely idea that Lynda from hookinwithlalaa has had to start the new year off with a bloggy bang? Lynda is going to set up a Craft Box that will travel the country (Uk blogs only)....if you join the project by January 20th you can have a turn at the having the box arrive at your door - then you can take 2 things out of the box and replace them with 2 other things.. I'm not explaining it very well - pop over and have a look..... I'm in....


Right then, before I go to bed I want to show you something which I am tres proud of... I couldn't show you before as this was something I started for the Avent Swap (also organised by Lynda from Hookinwtihlaalaa).. and sent to Madison of Madison Makes. 

Madison blogged about them today here.

I conquered FILET CROCHET! Well, I say conquered... it was more of a picking up the sword to begin the battle really - but I did manage to make an 'M' for Madison - and sewed it into a very wobbly pin-cushion...

I also made a pot cover... this was also my fist attempt at adding beads to crochet which I loved.  I shall definitely be taking up the sword again as filet crochet is no-where near as complicated as I thought.. in fact it is VERY simple, kind of mathematical, but oh so fiddly at first!  It goes a bit like this... chain, chain, chain...treble, treble, treble...chain, chain, chain....Once you have been doing it for a while, as with everything in life, it gets easier...


My Mum's sister has a picture on her wall, of a little girl done in filet crochet which my lovely cousin made years ago..... Every-time we see it Mum asks me to make her something similar... I can't find a pattern anything like that, but I am looking... and I think it would be a great challenge for 2012....

Square inspiration and a lovely competition...

Christmas stars... no I haven't gone mad.. I forgot to blog them and completely forgot to give them to my Mum and sisters!  Ah well.... only  358 days until Christmas 2012! It's true... look here !

(Photos from Google search on Granny Squares... origin unknown)

Have you found Adaiha's blog called 'Things to make and do'?   

Basically Adaiha pledged to crochet a square a day in 2011... and not the easy way as I have been doing with the One-a-Day group led by Gingerbread Girl... 

No, Adaiha is sourcing and using a different PATTERN every day! Amazing!  

In her blog there are links to patterns, books, tutorials all based around the crochet square and what to do to /with it..  I have a feeling I may be spending some time there in the next month!

I popped over to Scarlet Dash this afternoon and found a lovely Giveaway going on.. The book "Interlocking Crochet by Tanis Galik " will be given away next Sunday (8th Jan)...all you have to do is pop over to Scarlet Dash's  blog, leave a comment and wait with fingers and toes crossed...good luck! 

No reason for this Photo of Freddie... It's just to make you smile.... 

I hope you are all able to enjoy your Bank Holiday Monday tomorrow... I don't think it is going to be a hot sunny one (not in the UK anyway)!