a touch of Halloween...

Oops I started another project! Only a small one and it's finished so it doesn't really count right? Just a few granny triangles in orange and black. The holes make out two eyes and a mouth but that was accidental.

Yes it's a few weeks away yet, just getting in the mood!

just doodling in wool...

Not starting another project, noooo! Honest! Just doodling in wool, seeing how these big flowery motifs work up in big wool. A truly, madly, wonderfully fun cardigan made up using different sizes and styles of crochet flowers; from Erika Knight's Crochet Workshop.

I just happened to have a bargain pack of 10 x Rowan Big Wool in my stash, bought years ago for £10 waaaay before I realised what 10 balls of this fabulous wool would normally cost! I would have bought the entire lot if I'd known!

So it is either going to become this mad cardigan thing which in all honesty would only get worn within these four walls or something from the Big Wool book of patterns which are all knits....

...but since I'm not starting another project it's a decision I don't have to make right now!

It's a fabulously mild autumn day with a strong whiff of bonfire smoke in the air, which reminds us that we still have lots of stuff to burn... If only we weren't all worn out or full of cold!

a splash of red...

I did a spot of charity shop browsing this morning and didn't find very much but it was a lovely long walk into town from where I left the car and fabulous warm sunshine!

This table cloth caught my eye even though it would normally be too much decoration for my taste. I talked myself into it with thoughts of Christmas! A splash of red for only £2.

It's such a hassle getting the decorations down from the loft and usually by the time we have done so I have rustled up some homemade decorations anyway. I like the quick and effective type that you can just throw away afterwards - paper snowflakes, simple garlands, foliage from the garden.

A couple of crochet ideas are planned for this year... crochet bunting, nightlight jars and maybe some snowflakes. Not too ambitious eh?

book addict...

I confess to having a bit of an addiction when it comes to books. It doesn't help that MrH and *E* both love books too. Though *J* doesn't read as much he never complains if we find ourselves spending time in a large Oxfam book shop and always manages to find himself something.

So, whilst messing about with blog surfing yesterday and updating my blog a little I thought it would be a nice idea to become an Amazon affiliate and create a little book shop which you can access from my blog!

My proviso is that I only list titles that I own myself, or in the case of the novels, have actually read (some are still on the shelf but most of these get passed on). This will enable me to answer any questions you might have, particularly about the knitting and crochet books, when considering a purchase - I know from experience that Amazon's 'look inside' feature doesn't always tell you enough.

(Knitting books to be listed soon!)

For those worried about the technical aspect of it (and I am barely up to date myself) the page is put up by Amazon so I don't take any account details or money or anything like that. They offer a small percentage of the cover price for books bought through my blog and I get paid in Amazon gift vouchers. Not being a high volume blog I don't anticipate that being very much but it's fun to share my love of books!

Click on 'Amazon Shop' in the navigation bar just under my header to have a look. :-)

simple crochet...

I've now got a few 'simple' projects on the go: my granny stripe blanket, several napkins left to edge and now this chunky cowl. I saw something similar on my blog hopping travels but forgot to bookmark it. There was no pattern reference so I am just winging it and using the dimensions of the cowl I made from Erika Knight's Crochet Workshop (my favourite crochet book to date).

I like to flit from one thing to another and eventually things do get finished but feel free to leave a nagging comment if I publish a post about starting yet another project before I have finished any of these!

Oh and hope you like the header update! I had to dig out my netbook to update all the widgets and gadgets because I have been using blogger on iPad for posting which is very limiting (but quick).

size matters...

Yesterday was one of those restless days where far more housework got done than anything more pleasurable (like crochet).

Picking random leftover balls of wool that appeal to me at this time of year and considering what I could make with them finally produced a conclusion... size really does matter!

I could make countless random scarves or wrist warmers with odd 100g balls but if I want a generous winter cowl in one type of wool I'd run the risk of being caught short.

So in future, when I add to my wool supplies I think I'm going to go for those whopping 400-500g balls, they are much better value too. A lot of my projects this year have used these larger balls.

See the large ecru ball in yesterday's photo? I've doubled it up (it was only DK) and I've started a simple chunky cowl; 'cause a girl's gotta have one in every colour right? Looks like being a 2 or 3 evening type project.

a quiet day...

I'm having a soundless day thanks to a nasty blister in my ear. I quite days like these if I'm honest; it gives my brain a rest from trying to decipher what a certain sound is and where it is coming from.

Technically I could hear a jumbo jet taking off if I was standing on the runway. This example on posters in ENT departments always makes me laugh, such a useful thing, look left, look right, listen for jumbo jets, yes it's ok to cross the runway. Jeez good job I can hear jumbo jets taking off. I'm safe.

I don't find it relaxing to walk the dog without sound though. Fellow dog walkers have a habit of exchanging words whilst walking on by. 'Lovely day isn't it?' for example requires a 'yes isn't it' kind of answer. Whereas 'you wouldn't think it was October would you?' requires a 'no, I agree' type answer. You can see the nature of the problem; a bit of a gamble to try and bluff with a yes or no, and quite frankly just giving a friendly chuckle probably comes over as being a bit strange!

Luckily I got away with it this morning and didn't bump into anyone. The leaves have changed colour so quickly and prompted a dig through my wool supplies...

I'm thinking cowls, mittens, wrist warmers, simple scarves, hot water bottle covers. None of these should require a pattern should they? No just make it up as you go along!