Hello! Is there anybody there?

 Well lots of things have changed here on blogger and a lot has also changed for me.  Just wondering if anyone still looks at Blogs any more

The Stats for this blog suggests that people are visiting, over 30 today....so if you are visiting can you say hello in the comments because I will need to decide over the coming days whether to delete this blog or not and explain what I have been doing during the past 3 years!

Owl Amigurumi - Latest project.

Sadly I just missed the June OPAM with this project but it did take me quite a long time to make.  I knew what I wanted to do so made it up as I went along.

I knew what I wanted to do so cut out a few paper templates and then crochet the size and shape to match those templates.  I have put a bit of beany filling in the base to help keep him upright.  My daughter thinks I should tweak the ear corners so that his head is not quite so flat looking but I am still having a think about it.

I really enjoyed the crocodile stitch for his feathers which looked just right and it is in one piece and I was wondering how I was going to achieve a feathery look.

Really pleased but I am a little sad as I do not have another project on my hook!  Need to find a project and quick.

Best wishes

xx

Community Pom Pom World Record Challenge and The Big Lunch 2017

The reason for all of the Pom Pom making is that my local community were trying to break the world record for the longest Pom Pom garland which was held by Australia.

This was in conjunction with The Big Lunch 2017.

In the end a total of 8,200 pom poms were made and strung together for display on the day of the Big Lunch.  Unfortunately was not able to go but if you are on Facebook there are lots and lots of pictures to see.  HERE The pictures are not mine from the day so not posting here even though they are on FB.  If I can then I will add them.

It was great fun and an excellent way for me to recuperated from my operation.

Wonder what we will do next year?

Many thanks for the recent comments on this blog as well.

xx

OPAM 2017 May roundup

I am not sure if anyone really visits this blog anymore but all the while I am a parrt of OPAM 2017 I will keep posting here.  If you do visit then do please say hello as so many blogs are falling by the wayside which is a shame.  Anyway..........

OPAM MAY

I have been extending my crochet skills further this month and much of my spare time has been taken up with making loads of these.......

I shall blog exactly why after the weekend as I need an important piece of information first.

So since April I have been trying to extend my crochet skills in terms of stitches but also trying to work out what on earth the patterns mean!

Above is a SHELL pattern which I have made using 100% cotton yarn and after unpicking it three times I eventually got there and I only had enough yarn to make this....

Next came a much needed cat blanket for Toffy to go inside his little hut that we bought him for when we are out at work and the weather is foul.

He did not seem too sure at first.

However that did not last long.  Just need to try and get in it inside his hut!

By now I was in full Pom Pom making mode but after making the owl and the octopus Sophie asked if I would make a turtle to go with her ever growing collection.  So after looking on the Internet I mixed three patterns together to make "Squirt"

I am quite pleased with this as it is the most complicated Amigurumi project that I have tried so far.  He turned out larger than I expected but at least he does look like a turtle!

This week I saw an idea that I thought might make a nice present was this little coin purse.  I used small amounts of wool for this and I think I shall be making some more as December gradually creeps closer as this would also be ideal to put money or a gift card inside.

So up to today, Sophie and I are having one last go at the pom poms and will be delivering them to the organiser this afternoon.

Then we would have made about 90 odd.

Hopefully next month there will be more fabric based makes but to be honest whilst recovering from my hip operation and then battling post op sciatica crochet has been the most comfortable and rewarding pastime just lately.

Best wishes all.

xx

More Amigurumi crochet - Meet Tufty.

I have been trying to extend my crochet skills and understanding of patterns whilst I am off work recuperating from a hip operation.

This it Tufty who is about 3 inches high and even though the beak looks a little wonky, I am quite pleased with how she turned out.

I learnt a lot about shaping to create the wings and main body shape.

It did start to get a little bit fiddly as I needed to decrease towards the top of the head to then shape the top and beak.  I did really enjoy watching his little character take shape and I definitely want to make a much bigger version with more colour.

I found this tutorial on Youtube and then added the wings from another pattern and the tufts because I felt the head lacked a little something.

I am now in the process of learning the shell stitch so I shall post that once I have something to show.

Take care and keep smiling.

xx

Crochet Blue Bag finish.

To continue my crochet education I felt that I needed to extend my crochet skills by making a bag that was not created using just Granny Squares and simply a front and back panel.

I found the above bag on Youtube with a tutorial to follow and spent quite a few evenings crocheting ( and unpicking it repeatedly) creating the front and back panels as well as the strap.  I made up the strap differently and added a shaped edging instead of the fringing that was shown on the Youtube example.

I also added a lining and I hope that the video above is working, if not then I shall take additional pictures instead.

The flower is hiding the back of a magnetic snap.

The handle can be adjusted to make it longer and I really learnt so much from making this bag including how to creating shaping, increasing and keeping the pattern going as well as decreasing.  Also how it is possible to add your own twist to projects.

Took a little while to complete it but I did have my hospital visit in the middle but I am sticking to my goal of using my time off to finish WIP's but to also try new skills as well.

I have already finished another mini project but I shall save that for next time.

XX

Crochet Octopus Amigurumi - OPAM April

On a bit of a crochet role at the moment.  I do have another project to post about but need to sort out some pictures.

So while I am in-between projects I just grabbed some scrap wool without really aiming to actually make anything.  

Found a small pattern to follow as I am trying to improve my pattern reading, and I ended up with a cute little Octopus.

Please meet Olive...........

I have made curley cues before but creating a ball shape with increasing and decreasing stitches.

I have since made another for Sophie in blue which I have not been able to get my hands on to photograph!  I shall try again tomorrow.

As for my next project, well I am still looking.

Take care all

xx

OPAM- Crochet Granny Square Blanket

After goodness knows how long I have finally completed my 1970's inspired crochet Granny  Square blanket.  I decided to add a 3 row edging but other than that kept it quite plain.  It is not intended to go on the bed but it enabled a decent photograph and I was surprised at how big it had in fact become.

It does, however, roll up quite well but it will now go on the fabric stool in the living room along with the other two that I have made over the years.

We know have one each for the winter or if we get caught out and run out of gas for the fire!

Really pleased with how this turned out but it might be my last blanket for a while.

2 OPAM finishes for March.  This one was quite a biggie.

xx

OPAM March: A finish at last!

 May seem like a daft crochet make but needs must!  Elbow crutches were issued ages ago but 2weeks ago today I under went a total left hip replacement and needed these blasted things to actually get around.
However, elbow crutches + sore hands = desperate crochet project.

So 2 evenings ago I grabbed a small ball of thick wool, not even sure where this came from, and just made up these two covers.  Underneath I have added some spare wadding  wrapped round and round.  The crochet covers are nicer on the hands and to look at.

I do have three other "nearly there" projects and even though I have been off work for two weeks I am only just feeling up to doing anything. I seem to have slept for most of the first week.

 We did venture out for a Mothhers Day Lunch (in the UK) and the pudding was scrummy.  It all was and we were sat by the window over looking Carlyon Bay in  Cornwall.

Sophie bought me a book as a gift so this will be started this afternoon as well.  Got so much time on my hands I want to use it wisely over the coming weeks.

Anyway, I have finally got OPAM off the ground  in my little sewing room.  Next is a bag and a blanket.

xx

OPAM 2017

I have signed up for Opam 2017 and I hope that during my hip operation recovery in a few weeks time that I will be able to complete a few more projects than I usually do.

Watch this space!

So there will be a break in my workshop dates but it does give me time to make teaching samples which I shall pop here.

At the moment I am working on the following bag.

I have had this wool kicking around for some time and it was always intended to be a bag.......just not this bag.

xx

Crochet Jelly Fish

I did promise myself that in 2016 I would try and extend my crochet skills but sometimes I am not exactly sure what to make!

So a homework at school for the students to make a jelly fish  in any material of their choice sounded like a an ideal challenge.  Here is my outcome.  I crochet a small bowl like shape and then a range of chains in different yarns such as string, wool etc.  I also cut ip some nylon chiffon type fabric and added this to the inside centre of the bowl shape with hand stitching.

The curley spirals were a new area for me so I went and had a look on Youtube for anything that might resemble the shapes of a jelly fish and very quickly I ended up with three spirals.  Very easy to make and quite good fun.  Would love to make some more but not sure what for?

Anyway, my students were suitably impressed with this and since I took it in I have had many jelly fish brought in having been made from a wide variety of materials.

My crochet crusade continues in to 2017 but first I need to complete my Granny stitch blanket.

What do you think?

XX

December OPAM 2016

Goodness i am back again in the same week!

I did miss posting for a couple of months for OPAM but thought I could put December here and slip in a few pictures from previous months.

So...........

December is a very hectic time at work, (it always it but students have deadlines and I have marking coming out of my ears!)

One of the UFO's that has been bugging me is trying to get these curtains finished!!  It was really the sheer size that made it hard but by using various venues and tables I finally got them done for my birthday on 23rd.

Next up is rahter an odd one.............

a crochet jelly fish.  This is to inspire my Year 7 students who will have a homework after the holidays to create their own jellyfish in any material that they have or can get hold of.

I have since made one out of a plastic bag and I have a plastic bottle waiting to be turned in to a third version tomorrow.  I actually really enjoyed making this and someone has asked about me making one for them already!

OPAM makes for previous months.............................

November

A different take on the granny square cushion cover by rotating it slightly.

fleece bag which was an example for an after school club project.

Christmas stocking.

October:

Story sack for a trainee primary school teacher.  (who was once one of my GCSE students, how old do I feel!)

I do not have any more pictures for some reason but still a decent range here considering my sewiing time has been really limited these past few months.

Looking forwaard to what 2017 brings.

Happy New Year everyone!

My Swap items from Kim

After having spent ages looking on my phone for these pictures I discovered that they were actually on my camera!

Kim managed to "stuff" an amazing amount in her cracker swap and put me to shame really.  I will need to brush up on this skill for 2017!

Several handmade felt tree decorations which will be added to my special box of felt decorations that i have collected over the years through blog swaps such as this.

Sewing needles which I am in need of .  A candle which we have have already used and it smelt lovely. Some sewing threads which I shall keep for a special project.

Great polar bear fabric, ribbon to wrap it all up in and a knitted cowl/snood in lilac.  Lovely gifts all in a kitchen roll!

Many thanks Kim and this is definitely a swap that I shall do again. 

XX

Merry Christmas! 2016

Merry Christmas everyone!  For some around the world it might even be Boxing Day!  Hope you  have all had a lovely time and I hope to be around more in 2017.

I will be taking some time off work which will hopefully give me some timme to create and blog about it!

More on that another time.

Take care all.

XX

Cracker swap 2016 - My Swap to Kim.

Cracker Swap 2016

This year I decided to sign up for just one swap and thought this one would be a fun one to try and I hadd not done it before.

Firstly I needed to intercept a kitchen roll before it was squashed in to the recycling!

I was then pair up with Kim and set about making and finding some lovely Christmas items to fill the kitchen roll.

I do not seem to have any other pictures but the one below of the items that I sent.  However, it inlcuded a stocking, felt decoration, book mark, ribbon, tissue holder, mini torch keyring, chocolate, Eden keyring, Eden pencil and some festive bell earrings!

I manged to keep all of the contents together by wrapping round some fabric which I hope Kim will be able to use next year!
 It has since arrived and if you would like to pop over and seee Kim's blog then click on the link
HERE.http://thishappyhomemadelife.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/christmas-cracker-swap.html#comment-form

Next post will show what Kim sent me.
Take care and Merry Christmas everyone!
xx

Locked Out.....But back again.

Typical......had time over the summer to blog more so I get locked out of my blog and have to try and fin the original passwrod etc.

Got it done and thought you might like to see a little video that I took at the beach in Seaford this summer.

First time I have added a video from my phone to not sure if it will actually wwork properly but lets give it a go!

xx