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.

- a crochet cardigan for me

- a crochet baby blanket for soon to be parents

- A sewn top for me, that fits

- a mosaic bowl from shards found at Loch Fyne

- I’ve decorated Toms new bedroom (the old guest room/work room, in fact I could dedicate a whole post to where I have secretred all my bits over the house…) and the decoration includes decorated waredrobe doors and 3 fab picture frames that I will share

- I’ve finally finished the lamp that I have been coveringfor the past 3 years and it looks fab

- I made up the 4 patchworked seat pads from the fabric swap over on Ali’s blog.

Now for pictures.  Starting with my fabulous cardie.  The pattern is a lionbrand pattern, click for a link, using 7 balls of Twilleys freedom gorgeous.  I love this pattern, it is easy to follow and I love the way you crochet it in one piece and the gorgous yoke type neckline.  I was a bit worried that it was going to be too tight, I did keep checking it, but with blocking it fits beautifully.  The only change I made was to make the sleeves a bit longer and the cardie one row longer before the side splits.  I am so happy with this, it was easy to do, I did it all on our 10 day holiday the other week at Gower, bits here and there, the beach, round our fire… and I love the colour, its just perfect!

When we got back I was browsing some favourite blogs and saw this on Gone to Earth.  A link to make a fab little summer top called sorbetto from Colettes pattern blog.  Well I’d finished my crochet and it said easy, which it needs to be as my sewing skills aren’t very good.  Well I can highly recommend this pattern too!   You print it off in about 25 pages, stick them all together, then cut out your size and follow the instructions.  The only thing I would say, as indeed she recommends is to print the 4″ square first to make sure you are printing at the correct size, I had to adjust my printer settings to get it right.  The instructions are really clear, especially the binding ones, I’ve never know how to finish off binding and have always sort of muddled it till it looks ok, the way she says is great, it works and is easy.  Before I made it i checked out her link to  to see what others had done.  I liked the front pleat inverted so I changed that, and I used 3 buttons to both hold the pleat down a little so it fitted better, also for decoration.  I used an old duvet bought from a charity shops years ago (with the aim of making some pajama bottoms, I will) so all it cost was the binding and the buttons.  It is so nice to make things that work out and fit and you actually like when finished.  I do have to state that this is not a common occurence, but when it happens – bliss!

More pics in the next few days, all this blogging is making me light headed!

I did use that ‘free’ time wisely though.  While I am still working my way through my wool stash (summer blanket on the way, pictures soon) I thought I should use up some of my jewellery bits too.  Not only do I have a few beads, I also have a largeish collection of broken necklaces, odd earrings and general shiney bits from, well, all over really.

So I got playing, sorry, I mean working

And a matching pair of earrings too

I’ve even listed them in my folksy shop too, so if you fancy some vintage glamour pop over and have a look!

However

 I read it as having the luxury of time to make the home comfortable using traditional female skills and what’s wrong with that, I’m playing to my strengths here.  While I can’t be the breadwinner I might as well utilise the time I have to make things nice for my family.  So while it may not be dust free I have made the utility part of the dining room a little nicer,

from this

to this

at no cost at all. 

While this was baking in the oven

Nigel Slaters carrot cake.  Of course, If I’m being honest here today I should be using my ‘gentle domestic skills’ on the bathroom.  Mind you, living with 3 males its less of the gently domestic more of the industrial work (wo)man required.  I maybe some time…

So a nice piccie

Crocheted flowers waiting to go onto hairslides

and a bit of shameless promotion

I’ve put my Vintage Lace bracelet that I made for February’s issue of Beads and Beyond in my folksy shop – its a good Valentines day present!

Okay, so no one has a green neck but it was the best thing I could display it on, and It doesn’t work so well on the clear vase.

I crocheted 8 flowers in wire, using 2 beads for each stitch on the petals and used the tail ends to stitch them together.  It is so light and soft and molds to your neck shape perfectly.  I love it – can you tell!

Ta-daa!

My latest tutorial – Vintage  Lace, a bracelet worked in wire with freshwater pearls, and on the front cover too!  (If you squint!)  I love this bracelet, it looks complicated but like all good things, is actually quite simple.

So if you fancy a go get the latest Beads and Beyond Magazine, and if you do, let me know, i’d love to see how you get on!