New softie......

I seem to have lost the plot with the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week posting, sorry about that chief! I did try, but I have been kind of preoccupied with things and just haven't got to posting the 'proper' topics! My normal old life posts will have to do I'm afraid.....I really wanted to show you something I've been finishing off.....

soooo...... here is the newest addition to my softie clan.
She is a kind of cat/bear creature, I think.
I was trying a different type of construction with a skinnier body and bigger head, I think I need to practise my increases and decreases a bit more to make her head shape a little rounder, but I guess she is still quite cute with the longer head.


Also decided to do a stripey body instead of a granny square like the other ones I've made, I think she looks a bit plain and under dressed compared to my other super colourful guys.
What do you reckon? My boys don't like her much.



I think she needs a mini version of this granny flower necklace to dress her up a bit, I think I'll make one tomorrow!
Maybe a new friend for her with a flower granny square tummy? Hmmmm....... ideas!

Hope you all have a great weekend, see you soon!!

Day 3 - Stash storage, or lack of.... KCBWDAY3

OK....today (tonight) it is all about stash organization and storage I think.
I don't actually have any system or special space for all my yarn. I do have a lot of yarn, it seems to be breeding in bags and behind the couch!! It is in baskets under my work bench and in big plastic zip up bags that used to have doonas in them.

I tend to keep my favourite colours in the baskets, and the bags have wool I've bought and then forgotten what I intended to do with it. I don't have that many books or patterns yet, but I keep the few I have on the coffee table so I can look at them whenever I want.

I am quite the impulse shopper, so often come home with way more wool than I need/or have ideas for, and this is allocated to some future point when I have a great idea for just that type of beautiful wool! (Quite often I find I have already got lots of the same yarn squirrelled away, because I was thinking the same way 6 months ago, and have forgotten all about it!!haha)

I have decided for this reason to get out my stash and look at all the beautiful wool and get reinspired and reacquainted with what I have, I am sure there are plenty of projects to keep me going for ages!!

Sorry there are no photos today, I've left it too late to take any but I will take some of my stash and show you another day.
Have a great day!!

Skill +1up 2KCBWDAY2

I think the most challenging technique I have tried to master to date is fairisle colour work. I made this owl with the patterned tummy and it was my first attempt at fairisle. I think I learnt a lot from the experience, and having read more about it, I realise that things I thought I was doing wrong, like creating a huge tangle of threads at the back that had to be untangled every few rows, was actually quite common and part of the whole experience. Next time, I will make my pattern less complicated, and hopefully won't get in such a mess!


This time last year I did not know how to crochet at all, so I am pretty happy with how my crochet skills are developing, I am giving pretty much anything a go, and it seems to be working out ok. There are lots of techniques I haven't tried, but I tend to be more project driven, rather than technically driven, so if I see something I want to make I will learn a new technique if necesary to complete the item.

I find I tend to stick to projects that are quite small or done in multiple modules and then put together into a finished piece, like blankets, toys, garlands and buntings. I think I should give some clothing a go soon, as I have found some nice patterns to try. The commitment needed for clothing scares me off a bit, I have so many unfinished projects on the go, but I think it would be good to try and complete something to wear.


Hope that wasn't too boring for you all! I am making a couple of softies at the moment and hope to have pictures soon to show you all!
See you tomorrow

Cotton, lots of cotton....

A Tale of 2 Yarns.... ok, this was supposed to be posted yesterday on the first day of the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week, but the computer threw a tanty and I couldn't use it at all! We have made up now and everything is sweet again, so I'll just have to cram yesterdays topic in with today's.

Sooo...one of my fav yarns at the moment is the lovely 8ply pure cotton from Bendigo Woollen Mills, it is lovely to use and has a nice drape to it. I know it's nothing fancy, but so useful and soft, my only problem is the colour choices are a bit limiting, nothing too bright and there are a few shades that are definitely a little nana-ish.


Having said that, there are still some nice colours to choose from, and I am always on the look out for bright colours in pure cotton that is 8ply, sometimes I buy two balls of 4ply and use them together, which works ok.


I also really like Colorworks 8ply merino wool, it is really soft and pleasant to use and has some great colours! (Colour is often a first requirement for me in my yarn choosing!!) I am happy when I have a nice little stash of Colorworks, because it is often my 'go to' yarn, so I try to keep a few balls of my fav colours on hand most of the time. ( Unfortunately they have just discontinued my fav green, so am stockpiling this colour when I come across it in the shops)

I don't really like using acrylic yarns as I find my hands get clammy and hot and then knitting and crochet are no fun at all!!

Knitting and Crochet Love Fest .........

I was having a little surf around blogland the other day and came across 'The 2nd Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week' launch page here.
Sounded right up my alley, being the complete knitting and crochet tragic that I have become, I couldn't resist joining in, and, guess what, it starts tomorrow!!

So from the 28th March till the 3rd April, each day there is a topic to talk about on our blogs, relating to knitting and crochet, of course, (so if it all starts to sound a bit too nana-ery, feel free to skip me for a week haha !) but I think it will be fun, and hopefully, maybe, entertaining and inspiring and interesting, etc!! I know I will look forward to see what other yarny people are blogging about!
Having said that, I don't really know what I'm going to say tomorrow!

I went on a bit of a yarn shopping spree on Friday, so I might show you what I bought, lots of potential for gorgeous things !!

I have been busy making a few things in between the usual family life things, so I hope to have some new finished projects to ta dah soon.

See you tomorrow for Day 1 of 'Knit and Crochet' love fest!!

My Creative Space........

....still finishing this crochet edge on my Pippi Scarf!!
You must all be sick of seeing the same WIP! I promise I won't show it again till it is completely finished. haha!
Did sit down this morning, no boys, no TV and got a fair chunk done, so it shouldn't take too much longer if I just get on with it!


Probably one of the reasons it takes me so long to finish off is that I start other fun things along the way, like these little flower squares, pattern from the lovely Rosehips blog here.
Planning to make 16 and then granny them together and make a little cushion cover.



Check out more creative places at Kirstys place here.

Have a lovely creative day!

New books and inspiration.....

Hi there!
How is your day going, I have been home today looking after my little niece who was sick and not at school, while my sister worked. ( I think my niece may have just been sick of school, because she perked up miraculously once we had done the morning school run!! hehe)
Anyway, we had a nice day together. I showed her my new knitting and crochet books 'Dream Toys' by Claire Garland and "Amigurumi Animals" by Annie Obaachan, and she found a few new favourite things for me to make!


"Dream Toys" is a great book, I have borrowed it from the library before and made this gorgeous mermaid for my niece's birthday last year. It turned out really well and looked a lot like the one in the book (different colours of course!).There are a lot of other lovely toys though, so I have been trying to find it in bookshops for ages. I couldn't believe it when I'm browsing through Lincraft, who were having a big book sale, and there is was, a pile of "Dream Toys' just waiting for me!! It was meant to be! So happy with my shopping!


How cute is this unicorn! This is what Bianca wants for her birthday this year, I think it will be fun to knit. I had better add this to my 'to do' list, which is getting longer by the day!


This is a cute little amigurumi bear, from the other book. It is another nice book, with some cute little animals, but is a bit less special than Dream Toys. I thought it might give me some good tips on improving my toy crocheting and it does have a nice amigurumi gallery at the back, also might give a few of the little guys a go, and see how hard they are to whip up!


Just about finished my new softie, sewing up hopefully tomorrow or the next day! Show you later in the week!

Do you have a lot on this week, are you flat out running around catching your tail, or is it going to unfold in a lovely civilised manner to be savoured and enjoyed?
I think my week is going to be nice and cruisey for a change! hehe.