Annaboo's house

Crochet your very own Scottie Dog Brooch

2013-05-15T20:13:00.001+01:00

So I've down-sized my little Scottie Dog pattern.

You see, I had some peeps asking me for something a bit smaller.

They wanted a doggie who was just a tad more lapel/ cardigan/ coat/ hat/ bag friendly.

And so, may I present to you: The Scottie Brooch Pattern.

Ok, same as before- you need to make 2 of each and single crochet them together. Stuff lightly and add a brooch pin to the back.

Job done. Be ready to receive your compliments.

You'll need:

Yarn and hook to match (I used Rico Creative Cotton and a 4mm hook)

Polyester toy filling

A cute ribbon for the neck (mine measured 6mm wide)

Stitches and Abbreviations:

I use US terms, so single crochet= same as UK double crochet here.

Chain (ch)

Single crochet (sc)

Stitches (sts)

Single Crochet 2 Together (sc2tog)

To single crochet 2 together:

Insert hook into next stitch.

Yarn over, pull up a loop. (2 loops on hook)

Insert hook into next stitch.

Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)

Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.

Pattern (make 2)

[At the end of every row, chain 1 and turn.]

1. Ch 8

2. Sc 7, 2scs in next st (9 sts)

3. Sc 7 (7)

4-7. Sc 5 (5)

8. Sc 5, ch 2 (7)

9. Sc 6, 2scs in next st, ch 2 (10)

10. Sc 10. Fasten off

Head

Turn. Attach new yarn to hook.

In 6th chain from left side and working right-left:

11. Sc 5 (5)

12. Sc2tog, sc 3, ch 1 (5)

13. Sc 4

14. Sc 4

Now finish off and wear your doggy brooch with pride!

Don't forget to attach a natty ribbon to its neck to finish off your ensemble perfectly.

Enjoy making!

Quick tutorial 1: Chainless Foundation Stitch

2013-05-11T15:47:00.001+01:00

(Single crochet US/Double Crochet UK)

Grrrrrr. I HATE working the foundation row into a starting chain.

Sometimes it twists, or I miss a chain completely, or the tension's wrong and often it looks a bit odd.

Well not any more.

Not since discovering the Chainless Foundation Stitch.

With this stitch, you make the chain AND the first foundation row together.

I find it quicker, neater and less prone to buggering up. It also gives a good edge to your work and can be easily worked into if you want to add a border.

Saying that, it won't be suitable for everything you make, but do try it.

This stitch works on making a mock-'chain' stitch and then a mock-'single crochet' on top of it.

1. Slip stitch on hook

2. Chain 2

3. Hook through 2nd chain from hook [see pointy finger in pic 2] making sure you hook through 2 strands. Yarn over, pull up loop. (2 loops on hook)

4. Yarn over, pull through loop ('chain' made)

5. Yarn over, pull through loop ('single crochet' made)

6. Hook through 2 strands of previous 'chain' stitch [see pointy finger in pic 5] . Yarn over, pull up a loop.

7. Yarn over, pull through loop ('chain' made)

8. Yarn over, pull through loop ('single crochet' made)

9. Continue from 6-8 until desired length achieved.

It takes a bit of practise to get the hang of it - there are some great video tutorials on YouTube too.

Scottie Dog

2013-04-19T21:13:00.001+01:00

It doesn't really need an introduction, but here's a little pattern to make a Scottie dog.

It's made in the same way as my Matryoshka (see here) worked in 2 identical flat pieces and single crocheted together.

It would make a cute keyring, a bold brooch, or just a plain old heartfelt (and handmade) gift.

You could also scent the stuffing with a few drops of your favourite essential oil / perfume, or instead fill with oats or rice etc.

You'll need:

Yarn and hook to match (I used Rico Creative Cotton and a 4mm hook)

Polyester toy filling

Essential oil if you fancy making yours smell nice

A pretty ribbon for the neck (mine measured 6mm wide)

Stitches and Abbreviations:

I use US terms, so single crochet= same as UK double crochet here.

Chain (ch)

Single crochet (sc)

Stitches (sts)

Single Crochet 2 Together (sc2tog)

To single crochet 2 together:

Insert hook into next stitch.

Yarn over, pull up a loop. (2 loops on hook)

Insert hook into next stitch.

Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)

Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.

Pattern (make 2)

Ok, so this pattern works back and forards in rows.

Don' t count the slip stitches. They are blanks.

1. Ch 14 (=chain 13+ turning ch)

2. Turn, sl st, sl st, sc 10, 2sc in next st (12)

3-4. Ch1, turn, sc 10 (10)

5. Ch1, turn, sl st, sl st, sc 8 (8)

6-10. Ch1, turn, sc 8 (8)

11. Ch1, turn, 2scs in next st, sc 6, 2scs in next st (10)

12. Ch1, turn, 2scs in next st, sc 8, 2scs in next st (12)

13. Ch1, turn, sc 11, 2scs in next st (13)

14. Ch4, turn, sc 16 (starting in second chain from hook) (16)

15. Ch1, turn, sc 2

Fasten off (2nd leg made)

HEAD (make slip knot and put on hook)

16. Make sure your work is facing you with the beginning tail at the bottom left (starting in 9th stitch from top, and working from right to left, sc 8

17. Ch1, turn, sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog (6)

18. Ch2, turn, sc 6 (starting in second chain from hook) (6)

19. Ch1, turn, sl st, sc 4, 2scs in next st (6)

20. Ch2, turn, sc 6 (starting in second chain from hook) (6)

21. Ch1, turn, Sc 6

Fasten off ends

Now use your third colour and single crochet around both pieces to join together. Make sure you work in anti-clockwise direction so your stitches face forwards. Before you completely close, stuff with toy stuffing, sew in the remaining ends and then complete your stitching and fasten off.

Attach a ribbon to the neck et voila!

Isn't that cute?!!!

Now, go.

Make many cute doggies and give them to all your friends .....

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The one where she makes a Matryoshka

2013-04-12T09:50:00.001+01:00

I love little Russian nesting dolls.

How can anyone resist taking them apart to find the tiny baby and then putting them back together (after carefully matching the patterns on their dresses of course)

Picture from here

At home we have three traditional sets; one which actually comes from Russia and is very good quality, so my Russian house-buyer informed me many years ago, and a few bonkers Christmas ones too.

And so, I fancied making one.

Not in amigurumi style, as is my norm, but flat. It took quite a bit of faffing around to get the pattern right, let me tell you, but it is actually very simple to make.

Wanna try?

You'll need:

3 different colours of yarn and hook to match. (I used Rico Creative Cotton and 4 mm hook)

Polyester toy stuffing

Felt for the face, hair and cheeks

Fabric for the skirt

Fabric marker pen for the eyes (or you could stitch them)

Ribbon

Stitches and Abbreviations:

I use US terms, so single crochet= same as UK double crochet here.

Chain (ch)

Single crochet (sc)

Stitches (sts)

Single Crochet 2 Together (sc2tog)

To single crochet 2 together:

Insert hook into next stitch.

Yarn over, pull up a loop. (2 loops on hook)

Insert hook into next stitch.

Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)

Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.

Pattern (make 2)

[Starting from bottom and working up]

At the end of each row you need to turn and ch 1

1. Sc 9

2. Sc 8, 2scs in next st (10)

3. Sc 9, 2scs in next st (11)

4. Sc 10, 2scs in next st (12)

5. Sc 11, 2scs in next st (13)

6. Sc 12, 2scs in next st (14)

7. Sc 13, 2scs in next st (15)

8. Sc 14, 2scs in next st (16)

9. Sc 15, 2scs in next st (17)

10-12. Sc 17

13. Sc 15, sc2tog (16)

14. Sc 16

15. Sc2tog, sc 14 (15)

16. Sc 15

17. Sc2tog, sc 13 (14)

18. Sc2tog, sc 12 (13)

19. Sc 13

Change colour

20. Sc2tog, sc 11 (12)

21. Sc2tog, sc 10 (11)

22. 2scs in next st, sc 10 (12)

23. 2scs in next st, sc 11 (13)

24-26. Sc 13

27. Sc2tog, sc 11 (12)

28. Sc2tog, sc 10 (11)

29. Sc2tog, sc 9 (10)

30. Sc2tog, sc 8 (9)

31. Sc2tog, sc 5, Sc2tog (7)

32. Sc2tog, sc 3, Sc2tog (5)

Fasten off

Now to decorate the front of your Matryoshka:

Choose one of your pieces of crochet and ensure that the tail from the beginning chain is hanging to the bottom right. Sew in all the tails, except this tail so you know which is the 'right' way round.

Cut a circle of felt for the face (I found a spice jar lid to be the perfect template) and cut hair and cheek shapes. Use PVA glue to stick the pieces together and to stick the face onto your crochet.

I added the eyes using a fabric marker pen (the one I use to label the kid's school uniforms).

Now cut the shape for the skirt using pinking shears. This took me a few goes to get right. You could stick this onto the crochet, or like me, you could stitch it on. Up to you.

Let the glue dry.

Put the two pieces of crochet together so that both the tails from your starting chain hang down at the right side. This means that the stitches will match exactly and make life easier when crocheting together.

Now use your third colour and single crochet around both pieces to join together. Make sure you work in anti-clockwise direction so your stitches face forwards.

Before you completely close, stuff with toy stuffing, sew in the remaining ends and then complete your stitching and fasten off.

Attach a ribbon to the back.

Tadaaaaah!

Did you know?

Matryoshka derives from the Russian for 'maternity' and the dolls within them are a symbol of fertility.

They are sometimes wrongly referred to as Baboushka (which means 'grandmother'

Happy making everyone!

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Crochet a bracelet

2013-03-16T08:25:00.001Z

After making my huge knitted floor cushion, I was left with a few odds and ends of Hooplayarn.

It seemed perfect for making jewellery, so I thought I'd have a go at a bracelet of sorts. With some beads.

Pretty, huh?

This was so unbelievably easy to make, and all you need to be able to do is crochet a chain.

Yep, seriously that is all.

Here's what to do:

Gather supplies.

You'll need what ever yarn you have to spare and a hook to match.

I used Hooplayarn and a 15mm hook.

Beads of choice.

I had bought these glass beads verrrrry cheaply on eBay. Find similar here.

Ok.

To start, you'll need to cut a length of yarn. This will depend on how many times you want your chain to wrap around your wrist. Try starting with a metre, this should give you plenty.

Next, thread the beads onto one end. I used 15 beads here, but you might need more or less, depending on sizes. (you can always add more)

With the other end of the yarn, make a slip knot and put it on yer hook.

Right, this is soooo easy.

Pull your first bead right up to your hook, nice and snug.

Now make a chain stitch (yarn over, pull up a loop).

You have crocheted a bead.

Repeat with the next bead and the next until you have a length you're happy with.

Knot the end and tie both ends together.

Bracelet made.

This would work with all sorts of yarn and beads. Make it longer and you'd have a well-lush necklace, too.

See ya

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The one where she knits a really big thing

2013-03-05T21:39:00.001Z

Alrighty. Knitting is a new skill for me. And not one I've mastered yet either, but I felt the need to actually make something and have a project to call my own.

I'd seen these floor cushions on the web here and recently on the high street. 'I can make that!' I thought to myself.

(and a lot blimmin' cheaper, too).

So I armed myself with some of my Hooplayarn and some mahoooooosive needles and set about finding a pattern to work with.....

This is what I used:

Pattern from Drops Design here (free, yay!)
20mm needles
3 skeins of Hooplayarn [T-shirt yarn] (I bought mine aaaages ago online. Don't worry -the pattern suggests other yarns you could use, too)
Bean bag filling (I bought mine from this great seller here on eBay)
Lining material to match your yarn choice (details below)

This is what I did:

I worked with doubled yarn, cast on 24 stitches and followed the instructions to make the cushion.

It grew quite quickly as the pattern is very easy.

I made mine until it measured 120 cms in length and boy, did it weigh a tonne to work with by the end.

I followed the instructions for how to assemble the cushion: you'll need to gather up the stitches around the bottom first..

PAC-man's knitted cousin

...sew up the sides and insert the filling.

Now, the pattern suggests you could use feather duvets. Not something I have going spare in my house, so I opted for bean bag filling. Luckily, the beanbag I bought came with an internal bag o'beans, so I stripped it of its outer cover and attempted to stuff it into the cushion.

Hehehe. Comedy failure.

Too many beans and the white material showed in a not-good way through the stitches.

So I bought lining material. No I didn't. I bought a £4 grey jersey snood from Primark, which happened to be the exact size I needed.

I used elastic bands to secure the bottom of the lining, added my beans (having removed a fair few first), stuffed the bean-filled grey snood into the cushion cover and secured the top with another elastic band.

I then gathered the stitches around the top of the knitted cushion and voila!

One floor cushion-y thing!

And my kids have already sat on it.

(I admit to holding my breath in case it all came unravelled, but so far, so good)

These would look great in different colours, and you can easily adapt the number of stitches/ rows to make bigger or smaller sizes.

Have a try. It really was a nice beginner's project.

Enjoy your week. Xx

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Wubberducky Crochet Duck: A free pattern

2013-02-23T21:36:00.001Z

This was a really quick little make and uses only a small amount of yarn.

The pattern is worked amigurumi-style in continuous spirals, so you'll need to mark the beginning of each round.

You will need:

Yarn of your choice and a hook to match

(I used RICO Creative Cotton, main colour 63 [light yellow] and bill colour 74 [orange] and a 4mm hook)

Stitch Marker

Toy stuffing

Embroidery thread (to coordinate with face and bill colours) and needle

Tapestry (blunt needle)

Felt (for face, optional)

2x 9mm black safety eyes

1x 12mm safety eye if you want a moving head (optional)

Stitches and Abbreviations:

I use US terms, so single crochet is the same as UK double crochet here.

Chain (ch)

Single crochet (sc)

Stitches (sts)

Single Crochet 2 Together (sc2tog)

To single crochet 2 together:

Insert hook into next stitch.

Yarn over, pull up a loop. (2 loops on hook)

Insert hook into next stitch.

Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)

Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.

PATTERN

Head (beginning with neck and working up)

1. 5sc in magic ring OR

ch2, 5sc in 2nd chain from hook.

2. 2sc in each sc (10)

3. 2sc in each sc (20)

4. Sc 20

5. (3sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (25)

6. Sc 25

7. (4sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (30)

8-9. Sc 30

10. (4sc, sc2tog) repeat around (25)

11. (3sc, sc2tog) repeat around (20)

12. Sc 20

Measure 2 arm lengths of yarn and cut. You'll finish the head in a bit...

Body (neck down)

1. 5sc in magic ring OR

ch2, 5sc in 2nd chain from hook.

2. 2sc in each sc (10)

3. 2sc in each sc (20)

4. Sc 20

5. (1sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (30)

6. Sc 30

7. (5sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (35)

8-11. Sc 35

12. Sc 10, 2sc in each of next 5 stitches, sc10, sc2tog over next 10 stitches (35 sts)

13. Sc 35

14. (3sc, sc2tog) repeat around (28)

15. Sc2tog around (14)

Attach the body to the head (if using safety eye): push the eye shank into the bottom of the head and into the neck of the body and attach the collar tightly.

Stuff firmly.

16. Sc2tog around (7)

Sew closed.

Bill:

1. 6sc

2. (2scs in each of next 2 sts, Sc, 2scs in each of next 2scs, Sc) (10sts)

3. Sc 10

4. Sc 10

Fasten off

Finish Head:

Make small slits in the felt 'face' and push safety eyes through. Push eye shanks into crochet face and attach collars behind.

Sew on felt face

Attach beak

Stuff firmly

13. Sc2tog around (10)

14. Sc2tog around (5)

Sew closed.

And that should be it!

Enjoy making

Xxx

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The one where she learns to knit ...

2013-02-17T20:32:00.001Z

I still consider myself relatively new to the whole world of yarn. I taught myself to crochet just over 2 years ago and I am still learning.

And I love it, I really do.

But I felt the urge to learn something new. A challenge. Something to keep the ol' cerebral pistons and cogs turning and stop the rust from taking hold. Feeling reassured by the whole adventures-in-yarn so far, I decided knitting would be the way to go.

Knitting?

I recall that childhood memory of squeaky yarn on needles and triangle-shaped pieces of 'knitting', no matter how hard I tried to make rectangles.

But I had been reassured by the well-lush ShabbyChicSarah (on our recent Instagrannies knit-and-stitch meet-up) that I would, indeed be able to knit. Sarah told me matter-of-fact that not only would I be able to knit, but that I would love it.

Game on, I thought.

And so, armed with some freebie needles (thanks to the also well-lush County Rose) and a book (see below) I began my knitty journey:

Lesson 1: Casting on

Hey, I can do it!

Lesson 2: Making the knit stitch

Oh, blinkin' 'eck! MAJOR disaster.

This is actually terrible. I felt a terrible sense of doom and disappointment.

(Naturally I blamed the glass(es) of wine which accompanied me on this lesson.)

Lesson 3: Try again with bigger needles, chunkier yarn and TEA, not wine.

Ahhh, a bit more successfull and I have something which actually resembles knitting.

A bit more and I'm trying the purl stitch too.

Buoyed by my new-found yarn-confidence, I try this:

And this:

And I feel genuinely chuffed with my efforts.

I don't really know what to make for real yet; I'm searching out Ravelry and Pinterest for something very easy to get me started (any suggestions gladly appreciated) but I'm really pleased that I've tried.

It may come to nothing and I may decide that it's not really for me, but who knows, eh?

Have a great week!

PS the book I learned to crochet with was this:

'Stitch and Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker' by Debbie Stoller:

And for knitting:

'Stitch and Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook' also by Debbie Stoller

I would recommend them both! And I bought them from Amazon.

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Random crochet

2013-01-17T20:09:00.001Z

We have two children. Eldest aged 6, youngest, 3.

And a pushchair, also 6 years old.

To be fair, it's done rather well considering the years of punishment it has suffered; you know the sort of thing- overloaded with shopping, thrown into the boot of the car, holidaying on airplanes, and the everyday abuse subjected by small people and all their muck.

Oh, and being run over by my 4x4. No kidding - I'd forgotten that I'd left it folded up on the ground and reversed right over it. This was recently too.

Sturdy old thing, really.

But not pretty.

No, not pretty. Look at the handles...

Yeuuuck.

They have totally perished and become grossly sticky.

What to do.....?

What would any yarn-y gal do in this situation?

Why, crochet of course!!

(Actually, this was the Mister's suggestion 'like, why don't you crochet something to cover it?' he says.)

Tadaaa!

Hehehe!

These make me laugh.

And they certainly do cheer up my travels.

Random, I know.

But good fun, eh?

Have a great week, everyone!

Xxx

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Wabbiting around

2013-01-08T12:19:00.001Z

Hello to you all in 2013!

I cannot believe that Christmas has come and gone (as have all the icky bugs) and that the New Year is upon us (and has already settled in and got its feet well and truly under the table).

I have so much to share with you. I really have been a most busy bunny.

Ahhhh, bunnies. Let's start there.

Last year I made little rabbits from a pattern I found here on the Internet. And very cute they were too.

But I wanted more: Bigger. Longer. Leaner.

And I wanted to use my pompom maker (onto that later).

So I had an idea.

Some people have asked how I develop a pattern.

I begin with a sketch (and not always a good one at that) one which gets the dimensions right.

I then muck around with the yarn a bit; I sort of know how to make sphere and cone and tube shapes, so I try different things.

There is a lot of frogging at this stage.

And swearing.

And cups of tea.

Sometimes I draw an actual sized sketch. This helps with shaping a lot.

I try things out for size and try to imagine what the whole piece will look like.

The most important thing is to keep a track of exactly what I've done, writing down every round of stitches. Every increase and decrease.

And then I get to a point where I'm happy and the Wabbit is finished.

This one is going to be a newborn baby's gift.

Nice. I like it when people buy my little toys and there is a story to tell.

And once I've made one, I set about making another, straight away (and then another and another) to test the pattern and check for inaccuracies.

This one worked out rather well. I love the Peruvian colour print in this yarn.

Here he is, finished.

This one was bought by a lovely lady who gave it to her little girl. She was then kind enough to send me some photos. So I could see my Peruvian Wabbit being hugged and cuddled, taken for a trip in the buggy and fast asleep with his new owner.

It made my heart sing to know he has a story.

Fancy making your own Wabbit?

There's patterns a-plenty for everyone in my Etsy shop.

Oh and the pompom maker?

Not a necessity, but such fun!!

(Incidentally mine is made by Clover and I bought it on eBay)

Have a lovely week.

Xxx

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Married

2012-12-10T11:35:00.001Z

It was truly the most magical day.

The sun shone, the wind blew (a lot) and everybody smiled from start to finish.

Even my 3 year old wore her bridesmaid dress (having refused to even try it on for months).

The church was decorated in a unique Christmassy style (imagine something out of the Vicar of Dibley and you'll be close) with life-size Nativity figures and snowman. And a badger. Yes. Badger.

In contrast, the reception venue at Amberley Castle was amazing. Beautiful and elegant and everything I could have hoped for.

And I laughed like I have never laughed and smiled throughout, happy to be married to my wonderful man.

Xx

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Busy ....

2012-12-04T20:29:00.001Z

I love this time of year but boy, is it bonkers!

My Instagram network of buddies has bought in lots of commissions and so I've been up to my eyeballs in Imps: brown ones, red ones, lilac and pink ones...

I've made Imps for adults and Imps for children (and enjoyed every minute, I must say).

[If you fancy making your own little Imp, you can buy the pattern from my Etsy shop here]

And then, I had a wabbitty-kind-of-idea....

And Ooooooo, I LOVES a pompom maker!

What a genius little device!

Perfect for Wabbits:

Oh and there's another thing keeping me rather busy at the moment...

... I get married this Friday.

And I cannot wait....

Best wishes to you all for this festive time of year. And do enjoy the bonkerness of it all.

Xx

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Crochet Imps

2012-11-13T13:56:00.001Z

I had an Imp-ish idea.

So I played around with some Rico Cotton and a 4mm hook

and came up with one of these:

A festive Imp

And, well you know how these things tend to multiply once you start making them ...

Fancy making one or two?

The pattern is in my Etsy shop here.

Have a great week!

Xx

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Cosy Granny or a Granny cosy

2012-10-31T21:39:00.001Z

I was rather pleased with my first foray into granny-square-making.

(You may recall the white edged circle-squares from the tutorial here which I made into a cushion.)

So I decided to make some darker edged ones to make a wintry cushion.

("Why do you need a winter cushion?" was the Mister's response. Grrrrrrr! Honestly. Does he know nothing?!!

Anyhoo I was rather pleased with the grey border. Hmmmm a nice cushion this will indeed make.

Well that was the plan.

And then I started doing other things- you know how it is. And the little stack of grey-edged squares remained a disappointingly small affair.

And then I was struck by a new idea.

A better idea.

A quicker idea.

Much more my-kinda-idea:

A granny cup cosy.

I've made cup cosies before, but this was something different.

This was very simple.

I joined 3 squares together and then edged around the whole rectangle twice with some single crochet. To make it reach around to the handle I did a couple of extra rows of sc along the short edges. I then added buttons on one edge and made two chain stitch loops on the other edge.

And that, as they say, is that.

Perfect for Christmas pressies, methinks.

And now for something completely different:

A lovely bloggy gal's luncheon at the beach!

Starring the gorgeous Gem from Treasures from the Cherry Tree, the sensational Sarah from Shabby Chic Sarah, the adorable Ashley (accompanied by her little Rose) from Country Rose, and me (with my little Annaboo too).

What a fabulous time we had at the Sea Lane Cafe!!

Beautiful sunshine, scampi and chips to die for, great company, a good giggle and a catch-up. Oh, and Rose, entertaining us with her splashy wet antics!

We have already scheduled another meeting (can't wait!!) for a mammoth charity shop session and another luncheon.

Right, am off to whip up some more granny cosies for the shop...

Enjoy the rest of the week!

xxx

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The Ultimate Cowl/Snood Pattern

2012-10-03T14:32:00.001+01:00

I think I made my first cowls/snoods about a year ago. See here. They are just brilliant. A scarf without the ends. You know- those ends that get caught in doors/ disappear up sleeves/ get pulled by toddlers.

They were an easy project using some chunky acrylic and an 8mm hook. If memory serves me correctly I even made one in the Noro I found in that amazing charity shop stash.

Well, they were ok.

But all of them had one problem: too clunky (that's a technical crochet term, right?)

You know what I mean - crochet produces quite a dense stitch and these snood/cowls could almost stand up on their own.

Warm? Yes. The most comfortable? Not really. The Noro one was duly frogged for this reason.

So I tried different stitches and patterns until I found one which produced a nicer open texture, based on a V stitch. But still, it was too clunky.

Then it struck me. A larger hook was needed. A big hook would work more air into the pattern.

How big? I hear you ask.

MAAAAAAASIVE. Is my answer.

And so, ladies and gents, may I present The Ultimate Snood Pattern:

I use US crochet terms, so my Double Crochet (dc) here is the same as a UK Treble stitch. We will work from the bottom of the snood upwards in rows. You'll need a tapestry (blunt) needle to hide any ends and to sew the piece together.

You need some super-chunky yarn (about 100g) - anything that recommends you use a 8-10mm hook (try Sirdar Indie or Big Softie) and a 15mm hook (I bought mine online) don't worry, it's made of plastic, so is light to manoeuvre and you soon get used to it.
Chain 42. Now I use the chainless foundation stitch as I think it gives a good structure to the bottom of the snood, but a simple chain will do. Your chain needs to measure just over 22 inches/ 57cms and its total number should be a multiple of 3.
[We are going to work in rows, turning at the end of each.] Chain 3 (counts as a dc) Turn. Make a dc in the 6th stitch from the hook. Chain 1. Dc in the same stitch. Skip 2 stitches, (dc, chain-1, dc) in the next stitch. Repeat along the row. Make a dc in the top of the 3rd chain from the previous row.
Chain 3. Turn. (dc, chain-1, dc) in the chain-1 space from the previous row (the V) Repeat along the row. Make a dc in the 3rd chain from the previous row.

Repeat 4 until your snood reaches the desired height- anything from 33 - 40 cms seems good to me, or until you run out of yarn
Fold the two edges together and stitch up!

(Technically, this pattern shouldn't work as you begin with more stitches in the first row, but somehow, it does)

That's it. It really is very easy and super-quick, too.

And on a complete tangent, I met up with the lush Gem from Treasures From the Cherry Tree this week. We had a spot of coffee and a charity shop dash! And we both did rather well, I must say. Look at what I found for £1:

Is it ever too early for a cocktail, I ask you?

Have a great week.

Xx

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Feeling Smug

2012-09-17T14:54:00.001+01:00

Yes, I am feeling super-smug at the moment, for I have actually completed a project.

It's been a nice little school-holiday-kinda-thing - you know the sort you can pick up, make stitch, put down, wipe small person's nose, feed cat, wipe cat food off small person (who has insisted on 'helping' to feed aforementioned feline), pick up again and make next stitch.

No counting of rows, no masses of yarn to carry around, no complicated new techniques to learn.

And so, my very first crochet cushion is made:

I have to admit to feeling very pleased with myself and was surprised by how easily it came together. I love the pattern (available here), with its circle in the centre and the white edging looks very summery (I'd like to do another surrounded in dark grey for the winter, I think).

I like the buttons which close the back too (two small people + feline = wash-ability).

Here it is in situ . On the chair where it will live:

I have had a slight crisis where a few of the stitches have come undone. I suspect the problem is the knotting coming unravelled somehow - I blame the small people and the feline for actually using the cushion, rather than moving it off the chair when they sit down (do they know nothing??!!!). Anyhoos, all has been rescued and swiftly mended before too much unravelling has occurred.

I think for my next cushion I will use something a bit more acrylic or wool-based- my only criteria is that it must be affordable and washable. Any suggestions great fully received, as always.

On a complete change of subject, can I say how marvellous Instagram is. I have fallen for its simplicity. I love to see what other people are up to and share my photos too. It's like mini-blogging. And if I like what someone has posted, I can click 'like' so they know, or I can write a comment if I have something to say.

As much as I like blogging, I am finding I have less time to comment on as many posts as I would like, which I don't feel is fair on you all. Really, I'd like to be able to press a little 'like' button to let you know that I've read and appreciated your post- that all your hard work and creativity is acknowledged and that you are very much a part of my blogging journey.

So a big thank you for taking your time to be here.

I really, really appreciate it.

Have a great week.

Xx

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Japanese Kokeshi Crochet

2012-09-06T22:00:00.001+01:00

Am trying to get back to normal. Whatever that is.

Child number one has returned to school and routines are being re-established.

My crochet cushion is coming on a-nicely, too.

But I love the little projects in-between; you know, the small, quick-fixes. The 'only-takes-an-hour-ish' instant fix.

And so, as many of you know, I love the little Korknisse or Norwegian cork-gnomes.

Traditionally these little fellas sport pointed hats. Other versions are adorned with witches hats, or dressed as knights or blacked out as ninjas.

And so my deviations lead me here:

A Japanese Kokeshi cork creation (adapted from Lucy Ravenscar's knight pattern). [Kokeshi are wooden Japanese dolls. Their history is a little ambiguous, but they were essentially sold to tourists as souvenirs.]

Here's my original doll. Found in a charity shop if I remember correctly:

And so followed this:

And this:

The best bit was decorating them. Such fun!!

Right, back to the cushion for me.

Have a great weekend!

Xx

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Of Knights and Ninjas

2012-08-24T22:01:00.001+01:00

Finally.

I have managed to wrestle the iPad from the kid's grubby mitts for long enough to actually write a post!

[I am totally looking forward to a return to routine. Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays- but things just get a little, well, bonkers.]

Wait a sec.... What's that? I can hear the sound of marching feet...

Hey! It's the crochet Korknisse Knights, or Korknightsse, as they like to call themselves.

Hello, fellas! How are you?

What, you haven't got any weapons yet? Well, be careful, won't you?

But who's that?

Watch out, Korknightsse! Behind you...

.... it's the Korknisse NINJAs!

They're a deadly and dastardly duo..

You naughty little blighters.

Ok, so the knights and ninjas are free patterns from the lovely Lucy Ravenscar's blog. The knights were made for my nephew, who is doing something 'knight-ish' at school in Sept and the Ninjas for my son, who has demanded 'hundreds more'.

Good excuse to drink more wine, methinks.

Mwaaa haaaaa haaaaa!

Oh, and the crochet cushion cover (pattern from here) is coming along nicely...

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

X

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Dabbling with Grannies

2012-08-13T14:40:00.001+01:00

So, I've been crocheting for about 18 months now and decided that the time has come for a grown-up project.

Something with Granny squares, I decided.

I've admired their simplicity and their diversity.

I've been ogling lots of lovely blankets and cushion covers for ages and have bookmarked lots of amazing pictures and projects to inspire me.

And then I saw this over at Wisecraft's blog and I was smitten:

Love the pattern.

Love the colours.

Love the styling of the photo, too.

And I thought, THAT's my project.

So, after mastering the pattern (easy-peasy) I am off in a world of granny-goodness.

At the moment I am planning a cushion cover. But who knows...?

One thing is for sure, I am addicted to these little beauties, they are blissfully therapeutic to make, and I love seeing them grow into a little stack.

Wish me luck...

Oh, and one more thing, here's something else I've been enjoying making:

Handmade fabric-covered rings.

Available now in my Etsy shop.

Happy week to you all!

X

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I am LOVING...

2012-08-06T13:23:00.001+01:00

...Red Clogs

Clippity Clog

Aren't they just lush?
Less than £10 from my good friend, eBay.
I must admit, it's taken me a while to pluck up the courage and the right look to wear them, but now tis done and clog-wearing is my new thang. Comfy and quirky. (And you can hear me coming a mile off)
Which colour to buy next, I wonder?

....Crochet shoes:

Oooo, much quieter

These little beauts were reduced to £2 in Primark. What's not to love here?
I thought they needed a little button to cuten them up even more.

...More bargains from le high street:

Two super-snuggly wool hats from Monsoon.
Reduced from £15 to ONE POUND each. I kid you not. It would have been criminal to leave them in the shop, methinks.

....And my newest addiction.
Instagram.

Oh dear, the housework will never be done again, I fear.

So cool.
Do come and play along! Click on the Instagram linky over there on the side bar and say hello.

Have a great week!
xx
PS Don't forget the 10% discount code HAPPY1 for my Etsy shop....

x

Tatsy bear does Etsy

2012-08-03T11:25:00.000+01:00

Hello, good people of the world.

A couple of you had asked me about a pattern for my little Tatsy Bear.

So I've worked on it and practised it and written in down.

The Tatsy Bear Pattern is now for sale in my Etsy shop. Available as a PDF, which will be emailed to you.

And remember that 10% discount code? HAPPY1
It's still valid until the 9th August.
Quick, quick....!

Happy week to you all
Xx

PS am having HUGE probs posting and commenting on the iPad at the mo, so massive apologies to you all. (Have ~~stolen~~ borrowed Dad's laptop to quickly get this done today!)

PPS iPad users - where do you upload your photos from? i've been using Flickr so far, but can't do it at the mo??!!! heeeeelp!

Sent from my iPad

Etsy Shop + discount code = happy!

2012-07-26T09:36:00.000+01:00

Hello lovely peeps!
I hope you're all well.
Good, good.
What? You're tired of all your jewellery and wish you had something new?
And affordable?

Now, let me see what I can find for you in my new Etsy shop...

How about some new earrings?

Maybe a necklace?

A ring, or two?

What about something to grace your beautiful locks?

If you like what you see, then do come and visit my Etsy shop to view my full range - just click on the box over there on the left, grab yourself a cuppa and take a leisurely stroll through my aisles.

And so, dear reader to thank you for visiting me, I would love to offer you a special discount code: HAPPY1
It entitles you to a 10% discount on ALL items in my shop and is valid until the 9th August.
You can use the code as many times as you like, so pass it on to your friends and other bloggy readers too.

Thanks for reading and I hope to see you at the checkout soon!
Have a super week.
X

Tatsy Bear (a tale of brushing your ami)

2012-07-18T21:37:00.000+01:00

You can tell I have kids.
I wanted to make a Teddy bear (a bit like the one Peppa Pig has) - you know, big head, little body and teeny tiny arms and legs.

So I did.
I found a ball of random mohair-ish stuff in my stash and played around a bit.

Then I thought I'd brush it.
(I even made a special trip to the pet shop buy a special pet slicker brush)

But let me warn you, brushing is a no-return affair.
Once you start, there's no going back.
You must persevere.
(Scratching your fingers as you go, I found)

And then?
You wonder if you did the right thing.
If perhaps, you preferred it before you attacked it with the dog brush....?

Much fun, anyhows.

And before I go lovely peeps, I must apologise to many of you for not being able to comment on your smashing blogs.
It seems that Blogger, combined with my iPad (which is in need of an update) have decided that I cannot comment on those of you with an embedded comment box. (If you have a commenty pop-up-box like me, then I can)
So sorry.
Hope to catch up with you all soon.

Xx

Still with the stripes

2012-07-09T20:59:00.001+01:00

I have FINALLY finished my stripy monkey.
I used Rico Creative Cotton and the CAL monkey pattern (with a couple of tweaks).

It was an enjoyable project to work on, especially once I'd mastered Jogless Stripes but blimey, it took ages to make all those colour changes on every round.

So it got me thinking.... There must be an easier way... (I am such a lazy crocheter, after all)

..... And then it struck me. Of course - self-striping yarn.

Now I've had a go with a few dodgy yarns in the past, where there are only short runs of colour and the results are, quite frankly, pants.

I had seen this stuff (Red Heart Economy Super Saver) on t'interweb and so, after not finding anything quite so chunky or cheap here, ordered myself some from the USA.

top to bottom:
Peruvian Print, Primary, Stars and Stripes, Heartfelt, French Country.

[Even with shipping, 10 balls of this lovely stuff still only cost me just over £30. Not bad, methinks.]

It has good long runs of colour and as it's worsted weight, makes a nice chunky monkey. And being acrylic, not as bright as the Rico Cotton, but still ok.

Oooo, they look very serious, don't they?
And so, from left to right you have:
Heartfelt, French Country, the Rico Monk, Stars and Stripes, Peruvian Print.
(I'm working on a Primary one right now)

I love that Peruvian Print. Reeeeeally long colour runs here. And I like the effect. Very, erm, Peruvian.

So my wonderful bloggy friends- do any of you know of any good striping yarns? Do let me know. I'd love to try them.

Have a great week.
Xx

Jogless Stripes

2012-07-02T16:22:00.000+01:00

Ok, so my last post lamented the unsightly problem I had with 'stepping' when making colour changes on my stripy monkey.

Not any more!

Many of you suggested the Jogless Stripes tutorial at NeedleNoodles.com, so I tried it and BINGO!
No more stepping. (And it's so easy, too)

I began my jogless striping method from the yellow round (see arrow) downwards and look! Virtually seamless colour changes.
Genius, I tell you.

Thanks to all of you who made comments and suggestions- you peeps really make my day.

Xx