I thought I should have a sort of talisman and doing what I do, I thought I’d make a scarf to go with my smart coat.  I bought a reel of grey yarn from a charity shop ages ago, loads of it for 50p.  Its a lovely silvery grey colour and quite fine, laceweight I’d guess,  Idon’t know what it is, but its soft and fairly firm.  I tryed a couple of different patterns, I knew I wanted it lacy and not straight.  Nothing really looked right, so I frogged it several times and just sort of made it up as I went along, got to a point I liked and repeated it several times, then just increased stitch size on the edges, and added a picot to make the triangles.

I’m pleased with it, I used a 4mm hook and blocked it to show the pattern off.

While browsing ravelry to find a nice scarf pattern, I found this, from lionbrand and really liked it.  With Rich working away now I tend to go to bed earlier, the telly is full of dross, It’s so cold too.  But I’d just finished my last book, then I remembered we had a spare radio now Tom is in the spare room, so I got a signal in our room and I listen to 4 extra now, its great!  But my hands were itching…and that pattern was calling me, perfect for a bit of late night crocheting, simple, chunky, warm…

I had 4 and a bit balls of King Cole Aero in my stash – a week later and hey presto

I had to alter the edging a bit as I knew I didn’t have enough yarn to finish it as written, also I had added an extra repeat of the pattern as I wanted it nice and big, but I think its turned out great!  It is so warm with a nice weight to it and with my new scarf pin (whittled this weekend at the woods by my eldest!) it sits perfect.I love how it sits up like a collar, elegant and warm too.

I worked it all in a number 3mm hook with gorgeous lace weight yarn from fyberspates.  I made it up as I went along really.  I knew I wanted a sampler so I choose stitches I liked or wanted to try and just worked them together.

So I started off with Offset Scallops then several rows of Hdc’s.  But it was too wide so I turned it sideways and worked 3 motifs from Beyond the Square, Crochet Motifs book, then a Picot Arch Mesh onto the end, my new favourite stitch, isn’t it gorgeous!

Then it was rope stitch, broken up with 3 more motifs from the same book that I altered slightly so they would fit, then back to rope stitch.  But I worked this seperately then joined it on as I wanted the rope stitch to be a different direction so this section is actually side to side.

Then I worked a Fan Trellis Stitch, finishing off with 3 traditional granny squares.  I finished it off with a couple of rows of Dc then a large picot edging.

It is so soft (though that is due to the wool!) and I love the variety of stitches.  It was also really enjoyable to make and it could have ended up like a Dr Who scarf as you don’t get bored with the pattern, you just change it!  Definately an idea to work with again.

 The pattern is lovely and I got a vision of me looking all glamorous on the beach with it draped around my shoulders (I know, I know, the reality is far, far removed from my vision but its my vision ok).  Looking at the pattern from lionbrand found here I wasn’t inspired, but seeing all the other gorgeous versions on ravelry convinced me.  So I found 4 balls of Regia sock yarn in this varigated denim blue on sale and started!  Then I unpicked it all, as it was too thick and not soft or lacy, and I am reworking it with a 5.5mm hook instead of a 4mm.   It is perfect, so much softer and lacier and will be even better when blocked. 

The pattern is really nice to work, simple but quite effective I think, I can’t wait to see it finished!

Crocheted cable snood, I hate the word snood, it sounds well, silly, but there we are, all-in-one-neckwarmer doesn’t sound much better either really

I’ve been wanting to use this gorgeous cocoshell button for a while and I think it goes quite well with the chunky aran

This is my favourite, you can wear it so many different ways with all those gorgeous loops, I’ve got one lined up for me, well, its on the ‘pile’…

And another snood, light and lacey

Again, please let me know what you think, beavering away in my room upstairs you can sometimes become apart from everything and have no idea whats going on in the real world!

update: I’m also having a sale in my folksy shop right now so have a peek for some Christmas gift ideas!

We have ’scarf with pockets’, gorgeously chunky, warm and perfect for those with cold hands like me (just need to create one that goes down to my feet and I’m sorted)

The Wrap Scarf, depending on how you wear it

there are many more examples, I won’t bore you!

and some new cable fingerless gloves too, perfect for driving and shopping as you don’t have to take them off!

More bits in my shops, please look and let me know what you think!

Jane x

First up is the shocking pink, organic, fair trade scarf.  I saw this on Ruffles And Stuff’s blog, from a link on crafteroo and fell in love immediately with it.  So simple, so recycled and plain fab!  I used an old top of mine that I’d ear marked for this exact project ages ago and seeing as Emma likes bright colours, and I have like a gazillion scarves, I thought I should make it for her instead!

What do you think?  (excuse the face, It was 7.30am and Rich was rushing to work, the boys were trying to sort out their breakfasts, mornings aren’t generally good etc etc…)

It is such a simple pattern, and coming in at 158 inches makes for lots of drape!

Second up is a little pot I crocheted, from an old music tape from my long and distant carefree youth (the Prodigy if you were interested!), no pattern, just sort of made it up as I went along.  Although a little squeaky to work with, it is so soft when crocheted and has a fabulous sheen to it so it almost looks like woven metal.  Topped off with a button from my stash.  Look at the gorgeous shadows it makes

I also added some buttons in an upcycled paper bag ( an idea I complety pinched from Rachel of contented who I did the pincushion swap with and will use again and again as it was fab!), some ribbon and a lush bar of fairtrade chocolate.  With it being a completely green swap I made a couple of boxes from a cereal box to pack everything in that were very bright and quirky and I like them!

Luckily Emma loves her scarf and pot and I’m sure the chocolate has gone down a treat!  For this swap I was organised for a change and sent it early, with us being away last week, so when Emma sends her bits through I’ll let you have a peek!

What do you think?

I added little purple beads to the lengths to give it a little sparkle.  Its quite delicate as its crocheted in a gorgeous varigated sock wool, beautiful to work with.

THough not as beautiful to work with as this, a kid merino, felt like silk in my hands and that why I’ve called it Angel Scarf, it is so light and soft to wear.  I’ve crocheted tiny bronze beads on this one just at the ends.

I’m really glad I persevered with the Sunshine Scarf, I love it now, so much so I’m going to do one in purple for me!

Before I do that though, I going to join in in this, looks fab doesn’t it!  Stitch London have teamed up with The London Science Museum to create an exhibition for the re-opening of their gallery ‘Who am I?’.  I’m going to make a mini me, well, It’ll probably look nothing like me but I’m up for a challange!

Finally, update on the round robin necklace swap – Kella has worked her magic and is now sending them on to Victoria, then they’ll come to me and I’ll finish them off and send them back to the original makers.  I love what Kella has done to mine, this was such a good idea as I’d never have thought of doing what she has, have a look at her blog and see – fab ideas!

The other one I’m working on is in a gorgeous kid merino, so soft to work with it is an absolute delight in my hands.

Do you remember those gorgeous balls of varigated sock yarn Rachel sent me in the pincushion swap?  Well I’ve bought 3 balls of 3 ply cotton  in dreamy shades of aubergine, heather and a sea green and am planning a wavy scarf with them.

Finally I need to get on with my latest Art Trading Card, Aprils theme is songs which is very inspiring, I’m thinking of doing something influenced by Corinne Bailey Rae’s new album which I’m loving at the minute.

Along with the ATC group I’ve also joined the Round Robin one over at UKHandmade.  We are making a necklace, well, 3 in fact.  We all start a section, then send it on, the next person completes a bit more and sends it on to someone else.  Its very exciting as I have no idea what mine is going to turn out like, I didn’t put too many requirements on mine, I’d like to see what the others come up with.  I’ve done a pendant and will keep you updated with what they do to it, and I’ll also post pictures of who sends me what to work on and what I do to enhance/ruin them!

Obviously, not with life in general, that’s an entirely different blog, if I rambled on about that question I’d be here for ever…

I mean I’m being super efficient and have finished several things off and have nothing in particular lined up for next week – scary and exciting!  Right, bragging first, here is my wonderful scarf

isn’t it gorgeous!  Its soft to touch, vibrant to look at.

And I finally took a picture of a jumper I was working on from ‘Inside Crochet’ magazine.  I don’t know which aspect I love most, that it fits, I like it, it cost £6, the sleeves, it fits (did I say that already?)

Well, tomorrow I’m busy at school, but unbelievably, yes, really, I’m going out - at night!  So I’m going to make a pair of earrings, strangely I don’t possess any black ones, but after that, oh, and I finished and posted my button jewellery swap, so I’ll post some pictures when I know Gemma’s received it.  I also posted my 6″ squares for the CrafterooStitch It project I’m doing.  Its a fab idea, we, that’s the royal we, (I’m too far away) are creating a sort of blanket, to be used as a back drop at craft fairs.  Each person works 2 squares in any practical medium, 1 with their name, the other decorative.  What do you think?

So, back to the ‘big’ question.  If I’m being practical, which isn’t a word often associated with me, I’d remember that I have a few partially started projects.  If I’m being honest, I’d say I want to work on the idea I got at the beach the other day from those mussel shells.

Procrastinate – vacillate, shilly-shally, me.

A couple of weeks ago we had the Tall Ships festival in Barry and this year they had a craft fair alongside it, which meant we were all happy!  And joy of joy, there was this wonderful stall selling wool, what are the chances!  Its this small business called Bulldog Krafts based in Bargoed, run by a lady called Carolyn who has knitted all her life, and sells what she produces, including a beautiful range of shawls.  During a holiday in Greece she found this glorious wool and cotton, long story short, she is the only supplier in this country for these products and being the polite lady I am, I had to get a hank to try…

Look at the glorious radience of the colour

Its beautiful to work with, 100% cotton, and is begging to be a scarf

What do you think?