Crochet in a spin!!

 I have fond a new Blog!

Made in K Town and it is great for helping me to move on with my crochet learning.

The blog is run by Barbara and along the top of her blog are tabs including one for her Etsy shop.  There is also a patterns and tutorial tab which I clicked on more out of interest than actually looking for anything in particular.  

I found a very clear tutorial for making crochet Mandalas and in my quest for learning how to follow patterns and understanding the symbols I found some scrap wool and a 4.5mm hook and had a go.

Below is my first attempt............

I was not really thinking about the colour combination as I just grabbed any scrap wool before I lost the thread of where I was.  This tutorial also had great pictures to let you know what your own work should look like at key stages.

The top picture is my second attempt the following day and this time I decided to think about the colours and limit it to see how much of the pattern would still show through.

It was interesting to see how different the pattern looked by just changing the colours used.  This simple combination I like very much but the first version if enlarged would look good and a scatter cushion.

They even turned out the same size.

If I add these to the other new crochet ventures that I tried over Christmas, my crochet skills have moved on a little.

I am really glad that I have been able to actually stick to a New Year Target rather than a resolution) and I am building my way up to making actual items, but at the moment I am happy to simply experiment with shape, colour, different stitches and how to link the pattern sections together.

Pop over and take a look at her blog.

I have a deadline for my evening class coursework so I must get back to it but once it is handed in I shall be having a go at the African Flower square tutorial and see how I get on.

Take care!

x

Followers...please stick with me.

Dear All,

I think everyone with a blog now knows that Google reader is shutting.  I am able to stay with all of  the blogs and websites I follow via blogger.  

Just in case it is an issue to keep following me I have signed up with bloglovin.

I have been blogging for nearly 6 years in September and I treasure all 239 followers ( and hopefully more in the future).

So if blogger stills shows the blogs you follow great if not then click on the new Bloglovin button at the top of my blog so that you can keep viewing my posts etc.

I think this posts needs a picture.................

Taken by me at the Eden Project earlier this year.

Back tomorrow hopefully with a longer crafting related post.

Any compact collectors out there?  

What did you think of the compact in my previous post?  Lovely eh?

Take care.

x

100th Follower is..............

Today I reached 100 followers!! I am really quite speechless (and a bit surprised) that so many have signed up since I added the button and I thank each and every one of you.

Quiltygal left a comment on my Felty friends post and signed up.

Do pop over and take a look at her blog. I pinched one of her recent quilt pictures I hope that is ok. I am fairly new to quilting and I have learnt a lot over the past year but the quilt above really has my admiration. All that measuring, cutting and working out. it is such a lovely design as well.

Best wishes to all of my followers. I do try and say thank you individually but blogger sometimes will not let me use the link. Has anyone else found that to be a problem too?

Have a great weekend.

Tonight I thought that I would pay a little attention to my Etsy and Folksy shops. Got quite a bit of listing to try and do.

xx

Some of my Fav blogs 1... Joanna Bags

Recently I did some features on my sketch books and the kind responses were wonderful. It has given me a push to do more of my sketch books which have taken a back seat for some time. Now I would like to feature some of my fav blogs over the next few weeks. There are loads and loads and all in my side bar are my favourites but this particular blog was one of the reasons why I started blogging and it caught my eye.

Joanna Bags caught my eye because... guess what?.. yes because of my love of bags ( I have far too many) and my love of making them too.

Bags such as these:

Joanna makes different types of bags but her basket bags are particulalry nice and I would love to know how she stiffens them so well. Her choice of handles are also inspirational. I tend to make slightly more softer bags although I do have a stiffened shape bag waiting to be started but only after Sophie's quilt and I have summoned up the courage!

Also Joanna uses little details like this. I like making Yo Yo's for lots of things and clustering them adds an interesting touch.

Plus bright and bold fabrics such as the above are used in her designs. Joanna has recently moved from blogger to wordpress and has opened and Etsy shop.

Last week I was lucky enough to be a winner her give-away competition because this lady can also make items of jewellery too! I recieved a lovely ring in shades of blue which is featured a couple of posts back.

Joanna also has two lovely children who she often writes about which are fun to read at the end of a long day.

So do pop over to her blog, say I sent you and have a good look round and say Hi !

XXX

PS Just had to show you what I found .. Meet my new virtual pet Purl the sheep. Find this and more here for free. Bunny Hero.

Opps, link did not work!

For some reason the link to the pincushion challenge will not work. When I tried it I ended up with something else, so I removed the link. Will have to think again although you can view the pincushion entries via Flickr:

www.flickr.com/groups/pincushion_challenge.

Taken photo's of quilt in progress, will load tomorrow as things need to be organised for work and the week ahead. (don't you just love the 'oh its Monday tomorrow' feeling?).

So I have added a lovely photo of some sweet peas given to me by my mum-in-law.