Tag Archives: crochet pattern

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Happy New Year, Crochet a Mood Blanket!

Beste Wensen!

That’s me wishing you best wishes for the new year.  Usually I would be expected to do a lap of the office kissing my colleagues giving them my best wishes, but as I now work from home, consider this my virtual smooch.

2014 is already off to a great start.  I look out the window and it is glorious.  The sun is shining and the temperatures haven’t properly dropped yet, so I’ve never been in such a good mood for the middle of winter, ever!

I’m not usually one for resolutions, as I never keep them, but I decided to have a crack at a few this year.  But instead of starting them on the first of January, I kicked off early.  I started running before Christmas.  Actually, I’ve been going to the gym with a group twice a week and we were on holidays over the Christmas period, so I had to do something to keep active.  Not ever being a runner, I surprised myself by getting out there and doing it.  My husband has been coming with me and although he’s a natural athlete and is nearly walking beside me, he’s amazing.

I’ve also decided to look for more things to be grateful in my life.  I’m a pessimist by nature, so it’s easy for me to find negatives everywhere, especially during the colder months, but that’s not the person I want to be any more so I’m making a change!  Each day I’m going to share something with the world (via FB, Twitter or Instagram) that I’m grateful for.  Perhaps I’ll do a weekly round up here, but we’ll have to see how my motivation and time goes!

In the Crochet world, it’s as busy as ever!  I have orders in the queue for Owl hats, a lion doggie sweater, a pippi longstocking doll, plus slippers that I’ve designed:

I used Sheepjeswol Roma big, and they’re lovely and snuggly. Not only that, because they’re so chunky, the stitches act like a masseur. So massaged, warm feet. What more could a girl ask for?!

Aside from the orders, I’ve picked up a project for myself this year, it’s the #crochetmoodblanket2014 crochet along that I discovered on New Year’s Eve on Instagram. There are more than 1000 people taking part, it’s amazing. I’ve been looking for a community to join that is filled with like-minded souls, and I’ve found it!

This is my mood palette:

And here is my progress for the first couple of days:

And day two:

I’m making a hexagon blanket inspired by my grandmother who makes the most beautiful hexagon quilts. Here’s one she made for my daughter, it’s one of her favourite things:

I found the pattern via Baby Love Brand, it’s a paid pattern, but well worth the (very small) investment. I’m using Drops Cotton Light to make it, and the colours are a mix of my favourites.

What’s inspiring you on these first few days of 2014? If you’re looking for a wonderful project, the crochet a mood blanket group is open to all comers, experts and newbies alike!
 

 

A dog and a monkey walked into a bar…

Well, they didn’t.  But could you imagine where that might lead..?

These are two little guys that I finished last night and are ready to head off to their new homes today.

Johnny the Monkey from #Zoomigurumi on missneriss.com

 

This is Johhny the Monkey from the Zoomigurumi book, produced by amigurumipatterns.net.  It, and it’s sequel Zoomigurumi 2 are my absolute favourite pattern books.  I love the photographs and I LOVE the patterns inside.  All my favourite designers are in there!

And this one I found on Craftsy (or it could have been Ravelry or Etsy, it’s for sale there too) – Pudge the Pup.  Isn’t he just adorable?  My daughter is in love with him.  So much so that there will be arguments soon when it’s time for me to send him off to his new home.

Pudge the Pup - pattern on Craftsy.  Seen on missneriss.com #amigurumi #crochet

 

Both animals were made with wool this time.  Usually I use cotton yarn, but I wanted them to be extra snuggly and fuzzy and they look great.

Johnny the Monkey was made with Drops Merino Extra fine, and Pudge the Pup with Drops Big Merino.

My first paid pattern listing!

Several months ago I took my first steps into listing patterns that I have designed on Craftsy and Ravelry, starting with my baby Yoda hat, and they’ve been really successful, into the hundreds of downloads, so I decided that the time has come to see how a paid pattern download will go.

And here it is. My first paid pattern, the Merry Mini Christmas Hat! Right now you can find it on Craftsy and Ravelry. Now, on to world domination!

On Craftsy:

On Ravelry:

Merry Mini Christmas Santa Hat pattern

And just for fun, I’ve linked this one up with Moogly and My Merry Messy Life and Hookin’ on Hump Day

Pinspiration #5

The last few weeks have been flat out.  Ridiculous.  I lost a weekend making Roary 1.0, running out of yarn and having to start from scratch on Roary 2.0 in time for Monday (the yarn to finish Roary 1.0 is coming home today!), I’ve been busy making multiple Yoda and Rupsje hats (info and patterns to come on those soon) to send to Australia, plus the neon bug has bitten hard.  I’ve been churning out owls and whales like nobody’s business!

Here are the whales that I posted on Pinterest yesterday:

amigurumi whales - free patternAren’t they adorable?

So what have I been doing on Pinterest this week?  Well, to be honest, not a whole lot.  You see, about a month ago my daughter somehow managed to crack my iPad screen (also known as my extra limb).  It was still usable, until my lovely husband stepped on it early one morning after my daughter had been playing with it on the floor beside our bed.  In his defence, early one morning actually equals the middle of the night (that’s how early she gets us up) and it was still quite dark.  He couldn’t possibly have seen it.

So, off to the insurance it has gone to have the screen replaced.  My iPad is my main connection to the world outside my home, so I’m feeling a bit lost without it.  What a shock to my system to actually browse the Internet using a PC!

However.  The yarn that I have grown to love over time and have found a use for almost every variety is from Drops.  I use Paris and Cotton Light religiously for amigurumi projects, and the Big Merino is fast becoming my favourite for lovely warm hats.  I’ve also found a fabulous supplier here in the Netherlands: Hobbydoos.nl.  Well, to be honest, there are loads of great suppliers here (remind me to write about on my faves soon), but this one is fabulously reliable and most importantly: fast.

Here are some of the Drops patterns I’ve been inspired to make lately.

DROPS shoulder piece with crochet edges

This one is actually for a project I’m starting very soon, I can’t wait to get started.

Crochet DROPS bag in 2 strands Safran

I’ve been looking at this bag for quite a long time actually. I love the colours.

Crochet blanket from Drops (Paris)

Blankets are historically not my most favourite project, but this one looks great to have in the car or over my lap on cold evenings…

Crochet DROPS pig slippers in Paris

How cute are these piggy slippers. I love all things piggy. In fact Peppa Pig is our family favourite.

Crochet DROPS pot holder in Paris.

Pot-holders don’t usually light my fire, but these could convert me…

What I also love about Drops is that the site is international and multilingual and has about a gazillion free patterns for knitters and crocheters.  They’re all well written and easy to follow.

What’s your favourite yarn?  I’m becoming a yarn hoarder, so the more tips the better!

 

 

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Bring on the Summer!

Bring on the Summer!

I made this lovely sun hat for the mother of a friend of mine and when I gave it to my friend, she loved it so much she has decided to keep it for herself and now I’m commissioned to make a second for her mum.

I found the inspiration on Pinterest (of course!) and it comes from the Japanese site for Pierrot Yarns.  The chart pattern left me scratching my head for a while, but I figured it out (mostly) in the end.

I only followed the pattern very loosely.  I used a bulkier yarn than the pattern called for and then when I was almost finished I realised it was too floppy and I hated it.  There was no way I could allow my friend to take it.  By this stage it had become a bit of a monster project.  Who knew so many single crochet stitches would take so long!

I kept pushing the project to the bottom of the pile to be looked at much, much later.  When I couldn’t put it off any longer I decided to re-evaluate.  My solution was to rip the entire brim out and start it again.

I’m so glad I did!  The second time around I just seemed to get how to do it. and make the brim lovely and firm.  I worked some leather chord into the last three or four rows to add just a little bit more strength, but I’m not sure if that really helped or not, but I like to think it will.

To finish off I added three flowers, which complement the hat perfectly.  I found the pattern for those on The Party Artisan and added beaded embellishments to the centre of each one.  It was pure luck that I had the same colour beads lying around.  It must be because I’m so in love with pink…

Here’s the hat with the edges rolled up.

Sunhat

Now I want one for myself, it’s one of the projects I’m the most happy with so far and one that will only improve the more I do it.

Materials used

Hat:  Drops Paris 26, 5mm hook for the hat and 4mm for the brim
Flowers: Drops Paris, 33, 59, 60, 5 mm hook
Leather chord from a craft store worked into the final three rounds for some added stiffness

Today I’m linking this post over at Hookin’ on Hump Day on Moogly and My Merry Messy Life, hosted by Tamara and Sara, go check out all the fabulous projects linked this week.

Moogly