weekly stills

1. My end of the couch, must tidy it up a bit I think.

2. Freezing winter morning, best place to be, cosy under the blankets.

3. New beginnings, I'm doing a skinny stripe blanket in blues and greens, I think it will be nice.

4. Deep in thought at the footy.

5. Flinders pier on a very brisk day.  I do love a winter sea.

How was your week?

Joining in with the other weekly stillers over at The  Beetle Shack.

5 Friday Finds #5

Hello! Wow, thanks for all the lovely comments and support regarding the tapestry washcloth pattern, I so appreciate it, I have been so happy and surprised by the great reaction, it has spurred me onto thinking about writing up some other patterns I have floating around in my head.  

Thank you so much, you are all so kind!

Okay, onto today's business, it is Friday again and that means 5 finds on Etsy.

I have to say I am rather enjoying the structure of a regular post each week, it seems to have motivated me to get my blogging act together and I have a lot more post ideas in general too!

So today's finds in no particular order:   

1.  storiebrooke  make these lovely twig pencils and colour dipped utensils.  I love these colours in particular, but there are lots of other great combinations in Jessica's shop too.

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2. Intres makes these beautiful miniature felt houses and trees and other fibre art.  So cute!  I can see a little village of these in my future somewhere, I would have loved playing with these when I was little, I loved setting up tiny worlds, maybe I'm still not too old!   (The baobab tree is beautiful too.)

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3. DanitaArt is the shop of a gorgeous mixed media artist who has beautiful prints jewellery and other lovely things for sale. I love this fairy bunting!( there is a gorgeous mermaid one too!)

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4. saracarr makes very cute and cuddly knitted soft toys, isn't this wolf lovely! I really like Sara's quirky style and the fact they are made from soft lambswool with there own interesting personalities.

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5.skinnylaminx is a lovely shop from South Africa that designs and makes gorgeous homewares and fabrics. I really like Heather Moore's bold style, this teacup tea towel is for all you tea lovers out there, I know there are a lot of you!!

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So that is my 5 for today, there is so much to choose from, I have a backlog of shops I want to share with you all!  They will just have to wait their turn patiently!

What have you got planned for the weekend?  Doing any thing fun?

We are going to the football tomorrow and probably going to freeze!  It is certainly chilly round these parts at the moment! 

Have a great weekend whatever you get up to!

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Tapestry washcloth patterns are go!

So, a bit of a milestone today, I have published my first pattern for sale on Ravelry! 

It has been a long time coming.  I have been procrastinating for ages over going down this path, I kept putting it off and putting it off, I don't really know why, maybe it just seems like such a professional thing to do and I don't really see myself in that light.  Maybe it's time to readjust my looking glass.   I am kind of apprehensive about it though, kind of scared and excited and jittery at the same time.  I didn't realise how much it would feel like I am 

putting myself out there, not just a pattern. Dumb I know.  

Don't get me wrong, I am soooo happy to get this out there, it's quite exhilarating  getting out of your comfort zone every now and again.  It is a bit like when I first started this blog,  I felt soooo self conscious, but excited and proud too,  then as I posted more that self conscious feeling lessened.  Now it's back in a big way!  I have to get a grip, it's just a crochet pattern!

So onto the pattern, it is called Tapestry Crochet Washcloths - So Hip!

I wonder if you remember my little love affair with tapestry crochet washcloths a while ago?  This pattern includes all the four washcloths I have made in tapestry crochet: the harlequin pattern, the polka dot pattern, the nine of hearts pattern and the more recent cloud pattern.  they are in chart form so I hope they are easy for people to follow and make their own very hip washcloths!! :)

So I'd like to thank you all for your constant support and encouragement, you crochet chicks are ace!

I really hope you like these chart patterns, remember I made a tutorial for tapestry crochet over here if you'd like to have a go at this great way of crocheting with colour. Crochet on, peeps! 

It is getting late here and I am off to bed, tomorrow I am going to have a play around and see if I can add a Patterns Page to this blog, apparently it is not really that hard to do!  Do you think it would be nice to be able to buy it straight from this site?  I think I could collate all my patterns in one place for easy viewing.......

Have you done anything recently that pushed you out of your comfort zone, but totally made you feel great too? 

PS. You can check out my pattern here.  Only if you want to, no pressure!  :)

Ok nighty night!   xxxxxxxx

Wheels Within Wheels Blanket - Finished!

Wow it's a wild and wooly day here.  We have been without power for four hours and it has just gone back on so I can get on here and post this!

Anyway, I thought I'd show you this blanket that I finished recently while I was on my finishing off drive.  I think this was started well over a year ago, and then sat on a shelf in pieces for a long time.

I am so glad I have finished it!  I really love the random coloured rings and the way they pop against the grey, it was a lovely way to use up lots of half balls and left overs from other blankets.

Sorry about the overkill of photos, but it has been very grey here and the lighting hasn't been great for such a colourful blanket.  So I have taken quite a lot!

These two shots are before I blocked and shaped it properly, it was quite puffy and didn't lie flat.  You can see the difference in the top pictures where it is lying much flatter and draping quite nicely over the back of the couch.  This blanket really benefitted from a good blocking I think.

So here are a few facts about this blanket:

Pattern: Wheels within Wheels by Frankie Brown  (Great pattern!!)

(I did change a few things, made the wheels bigger and the squares bigger too.)

Yarn: For the centres, scraps of 8ply from other projects, mainly Heirloom Colorworks, Babywool 8ply and Loyal DK.  The backgrounds where in a medium grey, but I can't remember which yarn exactly.

Size: 30 squares, 75 x 90cm, roughly a cot size blanket.

This was a really fun blanket to make, and I think I will be making a few more of these later in the year.  

What do you think? Do you like the grey?  I think you could have a big play with colours in this blanket and come up with lots of beautiful schemes....

Anyway, I've gotta run, talk soon!

 (I'm off to see if I can add my tapestry washcloth patterns to the Ravelry site, I think that will be the easiest way to do instant downloads.....learning new things every day round here!!)  :)

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Creativity Blog Hop...

Hello!

I am taking part in a Blog Hop today, and talking about creativity.  I was tagged by the lovely Kate from Just Pootling, hi Kate!

There are four questions to answer, and hopefully they will shed some light on my creative process! So here goes.

1. What am I working on?

Crochet in general, and more specifically at the moment I am working on a tapestry crochet washcloth in a new pattern. And I am also making little knitted hearts for a new dangly thing for our bedroom. I am finding that these small projects that I can complete in a few days are giving me a lot of pleasure.  Not to say I don't like a big time consuming project, but I was having trouble deciding what to make next , so small projects are great for the interim.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Um, this is a hard question, I am not sure my work is all that different from others in the crochet world!  Maybe I have a distinctive colour palette?  I love to play with colour and pattern, and am drawn to stripes and things that have the potential for lots of layering of colour.  I also like 'solid' crochet, I am not into lacy, gappy patterns, so I think there is chunkiness to my work that might be a little different to others, maybe it feels more contemporary than traditional?   I like making big slabs of crocheted fabric in lovely wools and calling them blankets!  But then I like making little pretty frivolous things too!  I also like the tapestry crochet technique at the moment, and I don't see too many people using that in a big way, so maybe that's a little different too.

3. Why do I write/create what I do?

I crochet because it brings me enjoyment and I like to see my ideas come to life.  I love making things, and find I am never bored or wondering what to do, as there is always another idea to try out.  I also like making things just to prove that I can!  I get a lot of satisfaction out of making something to the best of my current abilities, and there is still so much to learn!  I am also quite surprised how good it feels to see someone else appreciate something I have made with my own hands, it gets a bit addictive this making caper!  I love crochet because there are so many creative possibilities with this craft.

4. How does my writing/creating process work?

I seem to always be doodling or writing little ideas.  My creative process seems to start with an idea, or a technique, stitch or colour combination, and then I will do a bit of drawing to see if I can sketch out how it might look in the end, and then I really just have a go!  I love trying new things out and learning new techniques to broaden my creative choices. I tend to figure out the details as I work, this means an idea can change as it  grows and becomes a real thing.  Something that looks good on paper might not actually work in reality, so I am always open to changing things when I am crocheting.  Or I might have an idea for something and do a little drawing, but not have the skills to bring it to life yet, so I like to revisit old ideas every once in a while as my skill base grows, I often have moments of ' oh I do know how I can make that now' when my skills have caught up to my ideas!  One of the best things about crochet,  it is very easy to pull stitches out and try again! 

So there you have it, a little insight into me and what makes me tick creatively speaking.

Here are 3 other lovely bloggers to pass the baton onto and continue the hop for next week -

*Heike over at Made with Loops

*Butterfly Sparkles over at Butterfly Sparkles Designs

*Emm over at Crochet.Reading.Travels.Stories.Life.Love.Me

So what are you up to today, creative wise?  

5 Friday Finds #4

Hello!

Another week has rolled by and it's Friday again, this week has been busy, hence the lack of posting over here, but I have lots to share with you all, so I'm hoping next week I'll be around a bit more.

Anyhoo, my 5 Etsy finds for this week are:

1.This gorgeous blanket! The pattern is available from SweetCrochetier,  so many lovely crochet patterns in this shop, I think this would be really nice in a fluffy yarn, maybe mohair.....

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2. I love the hoop art and cushions at CaboPickles,  and all the profits from this shop support the charity Foundation 18 which runs an orphanage in Bali. Cate Bolt does an awesome job!  A good cause and beautiful things, what's not to love!

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3. The needle felted animals at healoom are just so beautiful!  Such a shop of cute! I really want one of her beautiful bunny mobiles, in fact I'd like everything in her gorgeous shop!

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3. Aren't these noodle bowls lovely, vesselsandwares has lots of beautiful pottery with lovely detailing.  I like all the colours that these are made in......I do have a soft spot for kitchenware!

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5. Another beautiful illustrator! Yelena at ybryksenkova has beautiful prints and cards, what a talented artist!

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So that is my 5,  have you found anything interesting on your travels this week?

Talk soon!

PS. Anyone like to take part in a Blog Hop next week? I am doing my post on Monday and need 3 other blogs to introduce and link to for the following week. It is about your creative process and there are 4 questions to answer, its really easy and should be fun and a good way to get new people to find your blog. If you are interested just drop me an email! Thanks!

(Edited to add: Thanks ladies I now have my 3 blog hoppers! )

This post contains affiliate links.

weekly stills...

1.  Finally got these sewn together over the weekend, I've nearly finished the edge and then I'll show you all, I actually really love it!

2. Colour pop.

3. Franklin has taken to spending the chilly days curled up on Max's bed.  

Wish I could do that sometimes!

4. Bit the bullet this morning and joined Weight Watchers, half a day in and so far so good!  Just had these as a treat after lunch instead of a Tim Tam (or 3)!  Baby steps....   I have been feeling pretty crappy recently so I hope getting a bit of routine into my eating and shedding the extra kilos will give me a bit of a lift.

5. Weekend reading, magazines are always a welcome treat.  Must get the new Frankie soon too.

6. My new washi tapes , so cute!

7. Quite exciting, I have been busy making my first PDF pattern!!  It has been a bit of a learning curve but it's nearly ready to put out there!  Eek!  It is a pattern for the 4 tapestry washcloths I made a while ago.  Remember the harlequin one, the spotty one, the heart one and the cloud one?  Well they are all on this pattern, so I hope people will like it.

What have you been up to this week? Any highlights?

Joining up with the other Stillers over on The Beetle Shack 

5 Friday Finds...

Hello.  How are you going? 

Feel like some crafty eye candy loveliness? 

 Look what I have found this week!

1. Have you heard of Dandelyne?  Sonia makes beautiful embroidery mini hoop jewellery and DIY kits for all the stitchers out there to have a go at their own. Her custom embroidered portraits are just wonderful!

2.  This fabulous felt birdie mobile is by moloco, they say they are for baby nurseries,  but I think they would look gorgeous dangling in any part of the house. (Especially in mine!)  Marina makes lots of felt loveliness in this shop.

3.  These cute little harem pants are made by Macaroon Kids, ( a fellow Blog with Pip graduate!) and a Victorian as well!  They make beautiful children's wear and other quirky things.  It's such a pity I don't have any little girls to dress, there are so many lovely options these days!

4.  I love these little stud earrings from littlebirdyshop, so cute!  Natalie has so many to choose from in this lovely shop, I could have put 10 different pairs on here!

5.  I  love the illustrations by LilyMoon, isn't this postcard lovely?  I'd love to receive some snail mail like this!  Maybe I'd send more letters if I had beautiful cards like this to write on.......

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So there you have it, any other Friday 5 all wrapped up!  Since I have started doing these posts, I am noticing how many bloggers have Etsy shops selling their wares!  It is so nice being able to share a bit of shop love and finding lovely blogs to follow as well!

Have a great weekend!  Hope you do something fun, or maybe a bit relaxing?  I think I'm going to have a quiet one and try and get rid of this pesky cold!  Bye!

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Crafty heart(s)

Hello!  I'd like to thank you all for the lovely comments on  my last post with the blue/green harlequin blanket, it really is so nice being part of this bloggy world, even if Facebook and Twitter and Instagram have moved in and changed things up a bit, blogging is still the way I like to communicate best and is still my first love!  I fear my stint at responding to each comment on my blog didn't last long, sorry about that,  I will keep trying to improve on this side of things, and to comment more on all your lovely blogs too, I am trying to fight my reclusive tendencies and get interacting!

I thought these little knitted hearts were kind of appropriate for sharing the love back to everyone who reads this blog, aren't they kind of cute?

When we were in the city last weekend I visited one of my favourite book shops and bought a couple of new crafty books, one of them was 'The Ultimate Book Of Baby Knits" by Debbie Bliss, and these little hearts were one of the patterns in it.  ( lots of lovely patterns in this book!) 

 They are supposed to become parts of a mobile, but I am planning to make quite a few of them and make a dangly heart garland thingy for my bedroom wall.

I have a picture in my head, so we will see if it turns out how I imagine.

I love how I can practice my very basic fairisle skills on these little hearts.  There is also a pattern for some gorgeous fairisle hangers that I am working up to having a go at.  They are really pretty!

It was nice to pick up the knitting needles for a change, I am quite inspired to knit at the moment, it is really cold here and the fire is going, and knitting just finishes off the picture of cosiness. 

I think a tiny knitted heart with little spots of colour would be pretty cute 

for a homespun brooch, don't you?  Just have to find my tiny knitting needles....maybe 2mm? 

Anyway, I'd better go and help with the dishes, talk soon!  

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Crochet Harlequin Blanket #4

Hello.

I seem to be on a bit of a roll recently and have a finished blanket to show for it!  This is another Harlequin blanket in a lovely cool colours.  I like how this one turned out.  I think these diamond blankets would make good cot blankets and have tried to make them around that size, although I don't have a cot in the house anymore to test them out!

This one was made using the tapestry crochet technique again, I really love crocheting this way! 

So heres a little bit of info if anyone is interested,  the yarn I used and the colours:

Loyal DK:

Spearmint 915

Mid green 928

Teal green 936

Duck egg blue 945

Pale blue green 932

Aqua 931

Mid blue 924

dark grey 905 

Colorworks:

Lime 408

BabyWool 8ply:

Light aqua 456

Some colours I used for one row and some I repeated for a bit of balance.

( These are some of the wools I stock in my shop)

Anyway, on to the next thing now.  I think I'd like to make another skinny stripe blanket, I have some colours picked out that I think would look great all striped together.  We'll see.  Or these blues and greens would be good for a skinny stripe too.  Hmmmm......

Have you finished anything recently?

What are you making now?

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