Infinity scarf

This is my latest make, an infinity scarf for hubby - and he is actually wearing it! The pattern is a free one from Little Monkeys Crochet, which was done originally in pure Marino wool, mine is made with Stylecraft Life which is 25% wool and 75% acrylic and the colour is Denim. After making this I really understand the third loop thing that I didn't quite get right on the Rustic scarf a couple of posts back!

We have had a couple of walks down to Barton Farm again and I've been lucky to get some great photos of swans, a cormorant catching fish, moorhens, the robin, canoeists and a grey heron really close. On top of the Kingfisher the other day this has made me really happy. I can't understand the people who throw sticks and balls into the water for their dogs to fetch (or in one case a small boy was just throwing stones while his carer watched) when it contains ducks, swans and a heron! The swans were threatening dogs that went near them, the heron seemed to put up with it, and one day a dog was chasing the ducks across the river!

Unfortunately Sooty seems to have picked up a tummy bug, he was running loose and Alfie was on his lead, so Sooty got to stick his nose in more places than Alfie and maybe even found something he shouldn't eat! Lets hope it doesn't last long or spread to Alfie!

C2C for the dog!

I made a small C2C (corner to corner) blanket for the dog, it isn't perfect but it will do. I made the border up - do you want to know how to do it? I used Marriner Aran in grey and navy blue.

You can get an idea of size.

Not the blanket, just Sooty looking cute!

I think Alfie likes it!

Sooty gets a turn with the blanket and he is so loving it!

Finally my blanket order arrives - and I realise I ordered the wrong dark blue! Denim isn't dark enough, so have ordered navy and will use the denim on something else.

Rustic set, hat and infinity scarf.

It has turned cold here in Wiltshire, and the rest of the UK, and I had lost my only hat last year. It was a bought one anyway. I had stored these free patterns meaning to make them and I had left over yarn from my crochet jacket, and these were made just in time to keep me toasty on some crispy cold Winter walks!

The pattern was intended to be worked in plain yarn really, but I am happy with the results using James C Brett Lakeland which is a chained chunky yarn lovely to work with because there is no splitting.

The patterns are from Little Monkeys Crochet, Rustic Fringe Infinity Scarf and Rustic slouch hat. I had a few issues with the pattern, maybe it is me, it is an American pattern. I have asked the designer a lot of questions, maybe I have made wrong assumptions here!

I found that the repeat rows needed one more row to bring the rib to the same side, or maybe it shouldn't be - that is one of my questions. The tension is given just for width, my tension worked out exactly, so my scarf (worked sideways) was the right length, but when I had completed the requisite number of rows it was not the width stated so I need to do an additional repeat, which is why mine has 4 buttons not three.

Then the fringe, I wrapped the suggested number of times, and cut the fringe yarn but didn't have anywhere near enough to finish, even before I carried it on along the end. Maybe I threaded too many, but going by the written instruction and the photo I didn't think I had, and I had the exact number of stitches.

Then I got to the hat, of course the height should be correct as my stitch width was perfect remember, but the hat width, well measurements were only given for the finished hat at the brim so it was a bit of guesswork. I have asked the designer if the size of the first piece could be given, it would help a lot! My hat seems a little big, which is better than a little small!

I bought these buttons at a show ages ago, decided now was the time to use them! Maybe they are a bit big for the scarf but they are the best I could do without going shopping.

First time wearing the set, this is the Tythe Barn at Barton Farm Bradford on Avon, where we went for a short walk with the dogs. Alfie has got too old to do long walks, but we were all pleased to get out, and I got a Kingfisher photo or several - this made me very happy!

Oh my new coat (well new last Summer when I forgot to take one to Torquay and it was due to rain) looks very tight, well I have got my crocheted jacket in the same yarn on underneath, and it makes it very tight to get on. The set would look weird if I showed it with the matching jacket! Now what I really need is leg warmers, don't think I have enough of it left for those.

 I was so happy to see a Kingfisher on Thursday but I didn't have my camera, went back with it on Friday and I was ecstatic to find this beautiful bird still in the area and in good light to get these photos!

The ducks seemed to be getting fed lots of bread....

 .....the robin got some too!

 Sooty made a new friend.....

 ....three new friends then....

...he even got his paws wet in the river, and he hates water usually!

Finally I am not at all happy with Deramores, who sent an email advertising 80% of Stylecraft Allsorts super chunky yarn, it was an amazing offer and I could finally afford to make the chunky cardigan from Simply Crochet so I ordered 3 packs immediately. That was on Dec 30th, then after waiting and hoping I recieved notification on the 13th Jan that the order had been refunded. They said there had been an administrative error, also the yarn was discontinued and they were having problems getting it from Stylecraft. I suspect they put it on sale to hook us in so we would also buy something else. They don't seem to realise (or care) that us hookers talk to each other on Facebook groups, where many people were reporting the same, apart from one who said she was first told her order was cancelled, then told that it was still on order but would be delayed! 

So I am back on the hunt for some super chunky that is at a reasonable price to make my cardigan.

I also ordered enough yarn to make a blanket from Deramores, not in the kit form, but individually as it worked out a little cheaper to use all the same yarn at the sale prices. I had a MyHermes delivery of - drum roll dudududududududududududududududududuuu -

ONE BALL OF DAFFODIL YELLOW! Yes one ball at £2.45 arrived by courier with notes saying it was a part order and the rest was to follow! I have since complained about the refunded order, and at the same time mentioned that I would be even more unhappy if the same was to happen to my second order, and that I cannot think it is cost effective to send just one ball of yarn by courier! Since then I had a notification that my other order was being processed - funny that!

Sweet baby bun bun.

The yarn is King Cole Cherish baby yarn, which comes in wonderful colours. The pattern for the dress and bolero is a free one by Just Crochet, I think I got this and another pattern free for signing up to the newsletter on the site.

The applique bunny is a pattern from Repeat Crafter Me,isn't it cute! The smiley face buttons in the perfect colour were from Fabric Magic in Trowbridge, they are also on the back of the dress which I haven't photographed, I will do it and add it!

Now the pattern is only for 0 - 3 months, and baby Lily is already 9 weeks, so not sure if she will wear it or her baby cousin not yet born as far as I know but was due yesterday! Or someone else - I have already been asked to make another set for someone!

I intend to make some slippers and maybe a headband as I have a little of the yarn left, I used two balls of the teal and one of the pebble shade to make this and it is DK thickness.

This was sitting waiting to be finished while I completed the star blanket, but I had a bit of a health scare yesterday and thought I was going to be hospitalised so I finished it quickly and started another project which I could take with me - if I had to go. Luckily all was well and I didn't need to go after all. I am sitting here wearing the next project, it is too warm to wear indoors, and I can't get the webcam to work and take a photo - which is why I am wearing it!

Another star is born!

A star blanket that is! This one is for my new Granddaughter's baby cousin who is due any day now. It had to be similar colours to the one I made for Lily. This time I kept the centre plain using a pale mint baby yarn from Aldi, then the Stripes yarn from Wilkinsons, the shimmer pink is from Aldi and the dark teal is Wilkinsons. The edge is crab stitch (known as reverse SC in the USA because they couldn't think of anything else to rename it to)! This is the first blanket that I have added the edging to, it wasn't in the pattern - which is in issue 47 of Inside Crochet, although there are plenty of free patterns about for 12 star blankets too. I didn't like the variegated centre of the last one, now I think I prefer it to the plain!

I ordered the yarn to make the Persian Tile blanket by Jane Crow, but instead of buying the kit I bought the individual yarns all in Stylecraft Life, and Deramores sent me a part order - just one ball of daffodil via courier! Why bother I wonder, why not send it all together?

Confessions of a hoarder!

In the garage "loft" I have 4 large wheeled boxes of yarn on cones which I acquired when I was machine knitting. Apart from belonging to a machine knitting club where I often bought yarn from others, I sent off for yarn and bought yarn from a local textile mill which is no longer there!

The following photos show some inside shots from these 4 boxes.

 This is the train layout I need to crawl under to get to the boxes, I was up there looking for something else and thought I better visit my long neglected stash of yarn!

 See the boxes peeping through?

 Ah there they are, under the trains!

Then there are two shelves in my tiny built in wardrobe..... here be my bestest yarns, pure silk and just some I like!

 Then the airing cupboard where I have a (previously secret) stash of cones of Shetland wool.....

 ... well it was secret but then himself was decorating! Have you wondered why it is in a charity bag? Did he really think I would part with my treasure?

All of the cones are 4 ply or thinner, most of them thinner. There was a time when I knew exactly what the labels meant, the ply/count, the yarn composition, but now I would have to revisit it all and some of the labels have faded to white I noticed so I have no chance! The 4 ply would be easy to use for crochet, the rest not so easy. Maybe I need to get the machine out (I'm only "allowed" to put it up in my craft room, and there isn't enough space to move let alone set up a large machine!) or get rid of some of it!

These are more recent boxes, they are next to me right now and under my card crafting table, bit overflowing! In front are some patterns, and the last thing to come off the knitting machine that I never finished but have thoughts of making into a shoulder tote.

This is also more recently acquired yarn, new big box too, and bags and the green bin and pink bin and purple basket full!

Lurking next to the underbed boxes next to me are two crates and some bags, there are more cones in here, one cardigan minus one sleeve, and some material and fine crochet cottons.

One of my current WIPs, nearly finished.

 Today I filled that empty yarn tote to take with me to the hospital and start a star blanket. Sheep Amigurumi also in progress - in the purple basket.

New yarn as per last post.

Random purchase shot.

There is more on the way too, 3 packs of super chunky at an unbelievable sale price, a pack of yarn to make a Moroccan Tile blanket, and some more handpainted DK!