Current Projects

I've been a bit quiet lately, but that doesn't mean I've not been a-hooking.

My current works in progress are a granny square cushion cover, yet another stash basket and this gorgeous fluffy scarf, using Sirdar Fizz yarn.

I recently finished another headband , which I haven't blogged about, but which I wear every time I go jogging - it keeps my ears warm (and my earphones in!!).  I get over-heated and ratty if I run in a woolly hat, so this is perfect for me.

Experimentals

Whilst I was lurking in my local yarn shop last week, in search of inspiration, I came across some Sirdar Crofter Fair Isle effect yarn, According to the shop owner, it knits (as if by magic) into a Fair Isle pattern, although he had no idea how it crocheted.  Never one to pass up a challenge, or more to sate my curiosity I bought a couple of balls to see what I could do with them.

First of all I decided to make some fingerless gloves - and found this perfect wristers pattern on Ravelry.  I made one glove according to the pattern, using the crofters yarn, and this is how it came out...

I really like the way it works up into an uneven striped pattern.  I decided to adapt the 2nd wrister to my own pattern - I made it slightly looser and longer, with double crochet instead of single crochet, so it would work up quicker and feel less tight.  This is it:

The question now is, do I wear a mismatched pair or do the job correctly and make a matching pair?  I suspect the answer is to leave them as they are as I've moved onto something else now and really can't bear repeating previous work - a slight problem I suppose when you're making a pair of anything...ho hum.

As I had plenty of yarn left over I had a go at a granny square, to see how that looked, and ended up with a very pleasing one-half of a cushion cover.  I love the way this has self-patterned with no need to keep changing yarn.

My current project...

.... is a snood or is it a cowl? One of those snuggly warm things that can be used as a scarf, or pulled over your head when your ears start to go blue.  They always remind me of Meryl Streep standing on the Cobb at Lyme Regis in The French Lieutenant's Woman. Read the book if you can - it's much better (in my opinion) than the film.

Anyway, all that waffle is to try and distract my friend from seeing the picture - it's a gift for her. She probably will see it, but I suspect she won't mind a sneaky peak!

And.....here....it is....

It's made with 2 threads of yarn on a 10mm hook - so as you can imagine it's very thick.  The wool itself is extremely soft Wendy Skye Chunky.  Lovely!

....and another slouchy hat

Following my previous post about a slouchy  hat I made from a free pattern, here is a slightly larger version of the hat.

It's made with a size 6 mm hook as opposed to 5 mm, which really makes the difference.  It's considerably bigger, yet it still fits snug to the head, so no danger of it slipping off.

Rear View

And here is the same hat modelled by my (just turned) 7 year old...cute!

A new slouchy hat

A while ago I did a thorough online search for free slouchy hat patterns, and this one at Gleeful Things is by far my favourite.  Not only does it look fantastic, but it's so easy to do and grows quickly....and as you join at the end of each round there's no need for stitch markers, and it is easy to check your stitch count as you go.

Also......did I mention, it's FREE??!

I made this hat out of Wendy Skye Chunky yarn on a 5mm hook.  It's turned out a LOT smaller, than the images on the blog, so I'm experimenting further with different sized hooks...watch this space for the results!

No more nippy ears!

My interest in crochet first began 2 years ago upon the launch of a new magazine called The Art of Crochet.  It was one of those which you collect each month, along with the ring binders and eventually you end up with an empty purse and a veritable encyclopaedia!  That's the theory - but in reality I bought the first issue, which armed me with a small ball of yarn, my very first crochet hook, and a keen determination to master this new skill.

I soon gave up on the magazine in favour of the far more user friendly You Tube video.  Mikeyssmail videos, to be exact.  That's not to say I don't use the odd written pattern, and when a Facebook friend sent me a huge pile of The Art of Crochet magazines I was, to say the least, very thankful!

One of the first projects I've tried from the pile is this cable stitch headband.

Making slow progress

 Let me tell you, it took me a long while to get the hang of the cable stitching, but after a few days and plenty of unpicking, the odd foot stamp,  it finally clicked, and I ended up with a very satisfactory head band.

The Elastic

Extreme Close Up

Having very fine, wispy hair, I look ridiculous if I try to wear it like the woman in the picture, so I tired it with my hair tied back, and I "think" it looks OK.....at the very least it will keep my ears very toasty when I go jogging in the winter!  Nothing worse than throbbing, frozen ears on a frosty run.