Wrist Warmers

 Wrist Warmers ... wrist warmers ... where have you been?

 I've been in the cupboard awaiting the queen....

and now she has risen ...                  
                                       I may finally get done...
                                                                                  soon to be worn by my cold mum.....

Travels over!

Travelling and touring with family members from Oz for three weeks has put my crochet and knitting on the back burner...

way back...

feels like the handcrafter in me existed in another life...

so for now...


I am in R E C O V E R Y mode...


from all the touring and sightseeing....

and the warmer weather (stinking hot weather)...

in London, Paris and Cambridge...


which basically did not help our touring days...


and now just able... just slightly able to start contemplating a small crocheting project....

thinking of some mohair wrist warmers maybe....

I know it is summer....

but whilst in Scotland I remembered how much I like the cooler weather...

and how invigorating it is....

and of course....

I have a few odd balls of mohair in varying colours so will start out with a trial pattern ....


have a few ideas just can't seem to decide which one to go for....???

wish me "creative inspiration"...

Final adornments!

I have finally managed to finish embellishing my summer crochet hat and the lime head band .......

needed to leave them be for a while ......

brain ticking away...

decisions, decisions.........

sometimes the creative juices need to brew on the back burner.....







well it's always a challenge creating with what you have in your stash.....

or not even knowing what it's going to be when you start.....


playing around with the idea......

trying something out.....

letting your fingers create as you go...

never knowing where it will end....


and the surprise of the finished product....

I love following where the crochet takes me....

sometimes it flows....
and sometimes it stops abruptly....

but every now and then it just takes over...

stitches come from the heavens....

creation with feeling...

Summer Cotton Crochet

It must be summer.........

I am crocheting more and more with cotton......

feeling a bit fidgety lately due to an annoying lower back
(I prefer not to talk about it).....

simply put I am unable to sit at all sometimes....

which means sometimes I am so over lying flat on my back....

I insist on sitting even if it's with the aid of anti-inflammatory pill poppin.....

and sometimes just sometimes.... .a girl needs to crochet no matter what..... even if it means standing..... to do it.........

playing with my Patons 100% cotton yarns 4ply and DK .... making up my own patterns....

making myself a summertime DK sleeping hat....
(yes, I sleep in hats)...

and a summertime 4ply sun hat....

of course this is not happening all at the same time...

sleeping hat I made last week....

this week it's the sun hat...


relax ... relax...
I can't even sit at the computer when my back is this bad...

still have a bit to go on my sun hat...

now making the drawstring and then thinking of some adornments....
daisies or something.....????

TODDLER Keyhole Scarf

TODDLER KEYHOLE SCARF CROCHET PATTERN

Here in the UK and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere we are going into summer and I could take the opportunity to talk about summer crochet projects, however, I am thinking of my fellow Australians down-under going into winter, so instead I've decided to release my latest crochet pattern TODDLER KEYHOLE SCARF, which is a simple, yet practical scarf for toddlers and children.

It is the perfect solution for your little one. A crochet scarf which stays in place without you having to tie a knot in it. It is safe for your precious little toddler, the scarf is short and neat, with no stray long ends getting trodden on or caught in all kind of places.

PATTERN DETAILS:

DIFFICULTY: Easy

SIZES: One (1) size

MEASUREMENTS: Length 68.5cm (27in); width 10.5cm (4in)

YARN USED: Rowan Belle Organic DK 50% Wool 50% Cotton

YARN SUBSTITUTE: Rowan Wool Cotton or any other similar DK yarn

NOTIONS: 4mm (G-6) hook, Yarn needle

This pattern is written in USA - AMERICAN crochet terms. 

TODDLER KEYHOLE SCARF CROCHET PATTERN

is available from my online shops

CRAFTSY       RAVELRY

CROCHET SCARVES from TODDLER TO ADULT 

Of course if you would like a bit more of a challenge then you could try this gorgeous RAINBOW Keyhole Scarf pictured below. Make it as colourful as you like, you can use five (5), four (4), three (3) or two (2) colours or make it monochrome. Make more than one scarf and colour coordinate or match your winter coats and jackets.

MIX AND MATCH CROCHET PATTERNS

Make sure your little toddler is cosy and coordinated in a matching Accessory Set – you can mix and match the Keyhole Scarf with some Mittens and/or a cute Pixie Hat. 

The simple Baby Mittens are part of crochet pattern Newborn Hat and Mittens SIMPLICITY. The hat and mittens set has been very popular with my customers as a simply elegant Baby Shower Gift, and I always made them using soft Australian cotton from Bendigo Woollen Mills.

This hat and mittens crochet pattern will give you the basics to creating your own baby hats and mittens using just single crochet. You will find this pattern available from my online shops:

CRAFTSY       RAVELRY

ACCESSORY SET for TODDLER

Here is an example of a matching Accessory Set I made for a customer in Australia. I combined the TODDLER Keyhole Scarf with the SIMPLICITY Mittens and with the PIXIE BABE Hat, which has been the most popular hat for newborns and toddlers. Only takes 3 x 50g balls (MC x 2; CC x 1) to make the set which includes: scarf, mittens and hat.

PIXIE BABE Hat Crochet Pattern

This simply perfect pixie elf hat crochet pattern also includes instructions for three (3) embellishments: Heart, Flower and Star/Starfish. 

PIXIE BABE HAT PATTERN is available from my online shops:

 RAVELRY         CRAFTSY

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It's Here - Rowan Belle Organic DK Yarn

Just thought I'd check Rowan again to see if they are listing the new yarn I have been using....
surprise !!
yes it's now listed on their website.... and you can download a colour chart.... woo hoo!

Here is their website:  Rowan Yarns

I feel in love with this yarn as soon as I started crocheting with it.... so soft and a nice warm feel to it....
a blend of 50% organic wool and 50% organic cotton.....

I used it to make a hat, mittens and scarf set for a one year old !

and enjoyed working with the yarn so much made a second set.

See my blog about it....  Baby Scarf Set

Anyway I am very excited we can now all look at the colours available in this new yarn.  It is available in ARAN and DK.

Check your local stockists here:  Rowan stockists

Hope you all try it out and enjoy it as much as I am... still crocheting with it...... think I am addicted..... Doh!

My Favourite Yarns

Are you looking for some great natural fibre yarns? at a great price?
Well, my all time favourite has always been Bendigo Woollen Mills in Australia.
They are Australia's largest hand knitting yarn mail order manufacturer, with a huge variety of different yarns and colours to choose from.

I still have a major stash of their yarn back in storage in Australia - and lately have been keen to get my hands on it.  Must convince my family I really can't live without out and they just must get themselves down to the storage sheds, dig it out for me, and post it to me here in the UK.  It will be way cheaper than me going out and buying more here!  Wonder if it will work...... convincing them I can't live without out????
I use the 100% Cotton yarn for making baby hats, mittens and booties - and the best offer from Bendigo Woollen Mills it comes in 200g balls - which is equivalent to 4 x 50g balls.  No annoying joins if you need to make larger items..... and oh so soft and also available in 4ply and 8ply.

Do check it out Bendigo Woollen Mills in Australia - no I am not getting a commission for this plug - I just LOVE the yarn.!!!!!!!!!!!

Sirdar Bamboo Wool

Here is a trial pattern pixie hat I made with Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo ............

Specially developed to be incredibly soft, gentle and smooth for Baby, this yarn is a new blend with natural bamboo and wool fibres.

Great colours and really nice to crochet with........

I am working on making the pattern available soon.

Rowan by Amy Butler

A quick word on Rowan yarns - and what's new - I found their new yarn accidentally in John Lewis in Milton Keynes whilst travelling north to visit family for the weekend.
Apparently, this yarn just hit the store shelves that week - and I am surprised - it is now a couple weeks since I bought the yarn and Rowan still don't have the new yarn listed on their website - was hoping to view the colour chart etc.
Here is a page which gives us an intro to what is coming..........
http://www.knitrowan.com/amybutler.html
I love the yarn a blend of 50% merino wool and 50% cotton - beautiful colours and perfect for my project.
It is definitely my favourite new yarn - soft and warm and perfect for toddler hats, scarves and mittens (see previous post)........ and I think will be perfect for grown ups as well.
So....... I am hoping their colour charts will be available soon.......
Here is a snapshot sample of some of the colours I bought....... and finished hat and mitten (see previous post)

my focus was finding an olive green in a natural fibre yarn...... and then a contrast in purple/lilac....... the best colour combination luckily was the Rowan by Amy Butler and Rowan Wool Cotton -  both are delightful and work well together........ so happy !

Baby Scarf Set

I am always amazed at where some crochet requests lead me.........
now I am crocheting keyhole scarves for one (1) year olds......
I really enjoyed making this set - a request from a special customer.......

My standard pixie hat and mittens and a keyhole scarf.

Finding the right colour was a bit of a challenge and then making sure a natural fibre yarn carried the colour.............

After some disappointing searching - colour charts on internet not matching the yarn etc. and then even the colour charts with yarn seemed to be a different dye lot and just wouldn't do at all......
patience is a virtue..... they say..........
and yes I managed to find the right yarn .........
I was just searching too soon..... the yarn had just arrived on the shop shelf.......... thank you Rowan by Amy Butler and Rowan Wool Cotton............ a perfect match.

Divine colours and both yarns crochet together perfectly - same tension and weight.
A soft and smooth DK weight yarn - providing warmth and comfort with 50% merino wool and 50% cotton blend.  Definitely my new favourite yarn.

As I started crocheting I knew straight away I love this so much........
I must get a couple balls more of a few other colours..........

and yes when I finished the scarf set - I just loved the way it came together - so I made a second set - with a different contrast colour.  Just couldn't help myself............

How perfect is that???  now where is that grandchild?