quick crochet beanie...

I've been looking for our winter hats and gloves this last week and boy, wherever I stashed them would make a good place for the family silver!

No hats or gloves meant I had the perfect excuse to crochet something! (I'm thinking ahead to bracing walks along the promenade!)

This beanie worked up very quickly on an 8mm hook using just one 100g ball of Superchunky (Patons Shadow Tweed). I used double crochet throughout. I couldn't find a simple enough pattern so I just increased from a circle until I had about fifty stitches and then stopped increasing, doing just double crochets until it reached just past my ears (ie. I kept trying it on!)

I found a new app for photo editing this morning. Fun eh?

upcycled t-shirt...

If you haven't tried making one of these upcycled t shirt cowl thingies... grab an old t shirt now!

Mr H and I filled two charity sacks with old clothes from his wardrobe at the weekend including half a dozen old t-shirts.

I took a plain beige one and cut off the hem. I then snipped the rest of the t-shirt into similar loops of about two inches / 5 cm wide. One tug width ways and they curl up at the edges nicely. Group together and secure with a spare piece of t shirt (there are tutorials all over the internet). Voila!

The length varies according to the size of the t-shirt. You can plait the loops, use multi colours, chain small loops from sleeves, the sky's the limit!

I never knew how much fun it was to cut up your husband's clothes!

cool stuff...

I've been on a mammoth tidying up mission these last few days. Call it a pre-Christmas clear out if you like. This year I think we'll be keeping it simple. I thought I'd share with you some of the things that have been a big hit with us...

These have all now been added to my Amazon Shop pages under 'cool stuff'.

room for a little one...

I've been wanting to try out the simplest form of crochet shawl ever since I managed my very first granny square; the treble cluster variety that is. Back then, coming up with a triangular shape was beyond me!

Today I looked at a couple of patterns and found mistakes in both so decided on a trial and error approach. A chain 1 in between side treble clusters and a chain 2 for the 'turning' clusters seems to work just fine.

It could turn out to be mind numbingly boring but on the other hand it might be just the thing to alternate with while I have the puff stitch snood on the go. I like alternating! (OK I may have a short concentration span!)

I'm finally using up some gorgeous Manos del Uruguay yarn I've had for ages. It looks like one and a half skeins worth so I will treble cluster away until the first whole skein runs out and save the half skein for some kind of border.

I love these variegated yarns but I've found that in crochet it's tricky to show it off without losing the crochet detail (if you know what I mean!)

I'm not really the shawl wearing kind but this pattern/ yarn should make a decent sized triangular scarf type thing.

...and the project is so small I could fit it in my coat pocket!

crochet on the go...

I'm going on a little trip in two weeks time. Homeward bound! Sussex here I come! I can't wait. I'm taking Mr H's proper DSLR camera this time so hopefully I will be able to take some proper photographs.

I dug out my little brown suitcase, which you can just about see in this photograph. I bought it at a boot sale about twenty years ago, long before all the vintage buzz. My grandfather couldn't believe I parted with three whole pounds for 'that old thing' but it has been in constant use ever since. It's such a good size for one or two nights away, or as an additional case for books, crochet, netbook, etc. I like its 'boxiness' if that's a word; so much easier to find things than in a holdall.

I'm so excited about going away (minus kids and husband) that I've already packed a few clothes. It's not that I don't love them of course, it's just nice to be just me for a few days. No doubt when I return they will appreciate how quickly and efficiently the washing gets done, the floors get hoovered, things get magically put away, the dishwasher gets loaded and so on. Either that or it will all be waiting for me on my return!

So with the trip in mind I have started a nice simple crochet project to take with me. It's the puff stitch snood from Erika Knight's Crochet Workshop. This will be my second one but this time as a gift.

It's such a reliable pattern and seems to hold my interest despite the rows being largely the same. There's a lot of wrist twisting for each puff stitch but on the plus side the rows are short and you can easily pick it up and put it down in between other things (like washing, making lunch, etc.)

I'd forgotten how addictive this pattern is and I am half way through the project already but I have a cunning plan for if I finish before my trip... I'll simply start another one! I have several good candidates for a puff stitch snood this Christmas!

I just need to find the male equivalent and I'll have the whole family wrapped up in wool this Christmas!

a crochet cushion for a VSP...

A VSP (very special person) has had a bedroom makeover just recently and needed a new, more manly bedroom cushion (grandad look away now). It's been impossible to photograph this subtle duck egg blue accurately but take it from me, it's a lovely colour!

If you're thinking of quick Christmas gifts cushions have got to be a winner. I have leisurely crocheted a square or two a day and less than a week later the 9 squares are ready to sew together.

I think I will try a new type of back this time; two panels that slightly overlap with button holes. Last time I just sewed the whole thing closed which isn't ideal if it needs washing.

The design looked a bit of a jumble before joining the squares but they are ever forgiving and look ok now. In fact this colour scheme goes quite well on our sofa!

postcards from the cat...