Friday 21 October 2011

Work in Progress! Yuk!

Why is it when you have lots of ideas about a project, just because you have set yourself a deadline or put it out there that you will achieve something, it just doesn't plan out like it should?  I posted that I would be joining in with the KAL with shannon from luvinthemommyhood on monday, and since then the cowl that I have been crocheting has been pulled apart 4 times as it's just not what I wanted!  Prior to monday I had just finished 2 cowls and felt like I was on a roll and that making my own design would be a breeze!  Now, believe me I am not a designer, by any means. I am learning and will have the confidence to get there one day.  I find free patterns or buy them from various sources.  I may adapt them to fit the yarn or if I need a different size, but I will always give credit where it is due.  But for this project I wanted it to be just mine, my idea, my design.  Well I am just not ready!


I wanted a large, squishy, cuddly cowl that drapes well and could also go over your head.  I wanted it to have some colour woven into it to show off the grey Rowan cocoon yarn that I had in the house.  I wanted it to be a little feminine, but not too frilly. I think I wanted too much.  The picture above shows my dreaded WIP.  It has been pulled apart and restarted 4 times in my desperate attempt to finish it this week.  I hate it! It looks too masculine.  I am afraid its never going to be finished,  I certainly don't want to waste the wool on something I will never use.  My husband suggested that I give it as a gift.  No way!  If I don't like it, I'm certainly not giving it to someone else, who would politely tell me they love it!  I have to love the outcome of very project, that's the point of making things yourself.  He didn't get it!

So here are the 2 other cowls that I finished last weekend.  I love them, but they are not for me!

This is a thick chunky cowl using Rowan big wool, beautiful colour. The pictures where taken in evening so are not the best. Sorry.  I followed this pattern found on ravelry.  I think I may enter this for Octobers Celebrate color.

This one I love.  I want it for myself, but twice the width.  It wraps around twice and is so snuggly.  It uses 2 skeins of Rowan cocoon and hangs beautifully.  I used this pattern here and just loved making it!

I think I may have realised my problem.  When I make gifts, lots of time and effort goes into making the choices about the style, yarn, and colours that I think that person may like.  Time goes in to making the item and the thought and anticipation of if they will enjoy it spurs me on.  But when making things for me, I must just think, "that will do", "its only for me". Perhaps that's why its not coming out as I would like.  Less love is going in.

Join shannon and all the other knitters in the KAL.  The ravelry thread has lots of good inspiration if, like me, you feel lost!
luvinthemommyhood

Monday 17 October 2011

KAL with luvinthemommyhood!

I am really excited to take part in the current KAL with the lovely shannon from luvinthemommyhood.  I followed the summer sweater KAL with some envy, wishing I could knit a sweater too.  The inspiration boards that shannon put together were gorgeous!  Sign up to take part here!
                                                             luvinthemommyhood
I have tried knitting but get bored when using thin wool as it seems to take forever to see results.  I am far too impatient!  Big chunky wool is fine, but crocheting is even better.  That's the beauty of this KAL it can be crocheted too and its a cozy cowl so it will work up fast!  I have signed up and am busy thinking of what to do.  I am going to design my own cowl and its going to be big!  These last few weeks I have made two cowls, one for my shop and the other for a family members gift. can't say too much.  I also made a red one for the September Celebrate colour entry with matching mits!  I think I love cowls more than scarfs as they can just dangle round your neck and not drag on the floor and get covered in mud when your playing with your kids in the park!

                                                               Source: peoplewebs.blogspot.com via Lucy on Pinterest

                                                                              Source: etsy.com via Lucy on Pinterest

                                                                               Source: colorful-stitches.com via Lucy on Pinterest


The nights are getting dark now, I have a craving for hot chocolate with cinnamon mmmmmm! So its time to get comfy and cozy on the sofa and crochet the night away!  (ummm, isn't it supposed to be dancing!) ;)

                                                                                  Source: bhg.com via Lucy on Pinterest

P.S. I have made a promise to myself to try out some recipes again soon, just busy figuring out how to make my brother's wedding cake! it's in less than two weeks! eeeek! Don't panic it's just a sponge one! But i'm sure whatever can go wrong , will go wrong!

Thursday 13 October 2011

Crochet blanket

I have not posted much these last few weeks as I have been busy at work.  So to relax I have been busy making stuff in the evening and photographing things for my shop.  I must try to get quicker at these things and learn how to use my camera properly so I don't have to edit as much!

Here is my lovely crochet blanket that I have finished.  This project helped me to learn to crochet.  It is lots of granny squares in single colours, all joined together with grey borders then single crochet edged lots of times!  I love how it turned out and love sitting under it in the evening while working on a new project.



As you can see the granny square are in single colours, this is because at the time I didn't know how to join on a new colour!  I also went for a grey border around each square and the full blanket as I thought that a white one might be too girly.  It was supposed to be given to bear for his bedroom, but I have kept it on the sofa instead!


I used a flat seam joining method that I repinned on Pinterest here.  because the join is really flat it helps the whole blanket keep its movement, if you know what I mean!  The teal and pink colours on this pic are my favourite combination in the set.  If I had known what I was setting out to make I would have just bought these two colours!



Because I was making this up as I went along I decided to use just a simple border around the edge of the blanket. Inspired by this.  I now know how to crochet many different techniques but I thought that this would keep the minimalist look and be more suitable for the boy's room.

I really love this blanket, mostly because it was the first complete crochet project I have done, but also because it took me sooooo long! I started it in February and finished in September!  It was one of these that I kept chipping away at.  I hope the boys quilts don't turn out that way!

Saturday 8 October 2011

Space boy quick quilt

What a week! Eldest boy got the stomach bug at the beginning of the week, both husband and I had open evenings on separate days and then we had the School Inspectors in my school! This is the first time since last saturday that I've managed to sit down and write. Phew!

I just had to show you this cute little quilt that I made for bear.  I had never attempted to quilt before. I had aways been inspired to, but just couldn't take the plunge.  I think its because quilts are such large projects that I was scared to try.  I had seen this link on Pinterest and thought I would give it a go.  I bought the Michael Miller space boy fabric last year but never ever wanted to cut into it.  Is it just me or does anyone else just like having pretty fabric and wish they could decorate the walls with it or something!  I was so desperate to use this print but keep it as one big piece that I just very nearly framed it!  So this was the ideal project, I didn't have to cut into it and I figured that if I messed up I would just unpick and get my piece back!



The tutorial was easy to follow, but because it was late at night and I just had to do it  (or else it would never happen!) I used a fleece blanket for an alternative to batting that I had got from IKEA.  It worked great too.  I decided to do wavy random lines as the quilting lines, like the space boys zooming all over the place!  I even had a go at mitered corners. One is done wrong, I chopped off too much fabric so had to botch it but you can't tell.


I am pretty proud that I have completed my first quilt, although a simple one. But hey, you have to start somewhere!  My aim is to make 2 patchwork quilts for the little boys for christmas.  There I've said it so I will have to do it now!

Have a great weekend!

Sunday 2 October 2011

Friday night toast!

Ok, so I know I'm late with this post, we have been recovering from the gross stomach bug that has swept through us since last week.  So when it came to friday night I just wanted pizza!  Well technically that is something on toast ;)

Pesto pizza


Spread really thin ciabbatta with some store bought pesto sauce, tom with slide tomatoes and small mozzarella balls, halved.  Place under a hot grill until cheese has melted.
Easy!
Yes I know this is not really a recipe. I promise to get my butt into gear and try some real cooking for once. I am a busy woman! :)
Here are some cute pics of the boys from our walk this weekend after we had all recovered, just to make up for the lack of post!





Had a lovely day.  Bear is sooo cute at the minute, chit chatting away to himself, letting you know what he wants.  I wish this time lasted longer :(

P.S You know when you look through pictures and when you thought your outfit looked ok, then you notice on the pics that you can see all your wobbly bits? Yeah, well thats what I have just done! Eeeek! must do something about the mummy tummy! Not enough hours in the day!