Pretty Bits and a Crochet Workshop!

Hello All

Well here we are at another Handmade Monday! Don't the weeks just fly by?  We've had a bit of rain for the garden and a few lovely bits of warm sunshine in the sheltered spots, so hopefully you all got the bit you wanted when you wanted!  I hope this next week turns out to be a really good one for everyone, not just weather wise!

I was really pleased to be a Friday Guest Blogger over at Christmas Pie Crafts last week so if you haven't already why not pop over and have a look.  You'll be able to see what Chester and Taffy cooked up between them!  Ooh and I was also awarded the Versatile Blogger Award, very exciting as I have never been awarded anything like this before!

I meant to share this make with you for a while now but kept forgetting, so before I tell you about the workshop I ran on Saturday, have a quick peek at this!

I used a pattern from Attic24.  She makes some lovely things!  I don't think this one is quite as pretty as Lucy's but it was using carpet yarn and the colours aren't quite so bright.  I made it just after I finished Chester as I wanted something quick to do.

I've just started making Lucy's Blooming Flower Cushion, this is as far as I've done but I'll keep you posted on progress!

Ok now to the workshop.  It was a one day workshop at Countess Wear Village Hall.  A lovely group of ladies who used a tremendous amount of concentration, punctuated by chocolate mini rolls to keep the blood sugar levels up!

Here's the hall set up ready for the students

And of course, Chester had to come along to supervise again!

Very busy!  Not a chocolate mini roll in sight - just a healthy looking apple!

Just a few of the projects completed by some of the ladies.

(Wonky photo - can't get it to turn around!)

I was really pleased with what all the ladies achieved, a couple really struggled with wrapping the yarn around their fingers (something I remember finding difficult when I first started) and during the morning I was beginning to wonder whether they would ever crack it.  They had a lot of information to take in, all in one day.  But fear not!  Everyone managed a granny square and some even went on to do a little bag and a flower. 

I had lovely comments from some of the ladies and thought I would like to share them with you.  It makes it all worthwhile!!

Excellent day!

I learnt absolutely loads and made 2 items!

Thrilled I could even read a pattern!

Very enjoyable course.

Clear instructions.

Thank you.

Great class!

Very interesting and informative!

Very patient teacher.

Would come again!

I think you'll agree I couldn't ask for better comments. 

Thank you to all the ladies who attended for making this a very enjoyable workshop!

Hope you have managed to take a look at what Taffy and Chester cooked up for me, they really did get in a bit of a mess!  I have a few other photos of Chester I know you're going to love but that's for another blog.  Hope you all have a really good week!

See you soon!

x

Experimenting with Extreme Crochet

Hello everyone

Hope you've all had a relaxing weekend.  We have had a lovely time, family 80th birthday celebration yesterday, short walk and a look round the 'Blue' exhibition at The Devon Guild of Craftsmen this morning  http://www.crafts.org.uk/ and a bit of extreme crochet this afternoon (the real reason for this blog!). Perfect!

I thought it would be great to link this post with Handmade Monday over at 1st Unique gifts http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/blog/about-handmade-monday/ as I know you all enjoyed the blog post about Chester.   This project, whilst smaller, is created on an even bigger hook than Chester!  Think what size Chester could turn out if I used the hook and yarn I used for these projects!  Wowee!  I'd have a job to get him in the house, let alone the car!  Anyway, I'll stop waffling.  I know you want to find out about these projects!

Well as I have already said, the projects are quite small but the hook and yarn is not!  You may or may not know that I run workshops from time to time and I have an Extreme Crochet one coming up soon at the end of April and hopefully another one coming up in June, so I am starting to think of projects which can be achieved in one day.  Remembering of course it also takes a while to sort out all the yarn!  Anyway have a look at the first one and see what you think.

It is difficult to tell the scale in this photograph but the next one may be more helpful.  I used a 25mm hook and 20 strands of dk yarn at a time.  I thought this would look rather nice on the wall of a conservatory maybe.  I did think it would look even better if I edged it in the same yellow as the centre but I haven't got enough!

Does this show the scale a little better?  I hung it on the wall in place of one of the pictures and held up a bottle of wine next to it so you could see how big it actually is.

A close-up of the flower shows the stitches in this photo.  Counting sewing in the ends it took about 1.5 - 2 hrs to complete.  So, may be possible to make a couple in a one day workshop depending how much chat and eating cake is going on!

This next project, a Granny Square seat pad cushion for a garden chair (or a kitchen chair for that matter) or a kneeling pad for gardening, was suggested by In the Sky http://inthesky1.blogspot.co.uk/ so I thought I'd give it a go.

You would not believe it, but this is only 2 rounds of a granny square!  It probably took a similar amount of time to work up as the flower - perhaps nearer the 1 - 1.5 hours.  It's the sewing in of the ends that take the time.

Here it is on a chair!  Unfortunately we have no square chairs in the house, this was the nearest I could find, but at least it gives it some perspective.  No stuffing needed for this cushion!

If you would like a few statistics, the flower took 28m of 20 strand yarn and the seat pad took about 32m.  The flower is actually the same distance across as the seat pad.  Accidental not planned!

If you have any other simple ideas for 'small' projects I would love to hear them and if any of you would be interested in a workshop please email me at www.alisonjoyw@hotmail.co.uk I will get back to you then with a price and let you know what dates are available. If you have a group of like minded friends you could get together, I would be willing to travel a reasonable distance from Devon and could arrange a date to suit you all.
Oh! One last thing, some people have been having problems commenting on my blog. If you do experience any problems could you please email me (as above) instead and explain the problem you're having and then I can try and sort it out.
Thanks for reading! I'll have a look at some of the other lovely blogs at Handmade Monday over the next few days.
Catch you soon! Alison x

Taffy and the Crochet Cat

Yay it's Friday!  Day off today.  Housework squeezed in yesterday, Tesco later but whenever!

I'll start with a couple of odd things.  Look at these two pictures!  I just popped out in the garden because I was convinced I could see a spot of yellow from the kitchen window and there it was - our first primrose and in January!  The rose has amazed me too, not a fantastic specimen I'll grant you, but a rose in January all the same!!!  This rose used to belong to my husband's, father who I never knew as he passed away just after I met my husband.  It must be somewhere between 35 and 40 years old, my husband can remember it in his garden when he was young.  Not doing bad considering it gets cut back annually and neglected all year!

Introducing Taffy

As promised, I'd like to introduce you to Taffy.  He is the first bear I've ever crocheted so is rather special.  His name was chosen by myself and a few friends on New Year's day.   I was looking for a welsh name as he is made from proper welsh wool (written in welsh on the label even!) so I thought it would be rather fitting!  He has been exploring our garden for the first time.

"I like being outside" said Taffy :)

I'm making new friends too.  I wonder who he is?  Doesn't move much!

Look at me I've been climbing.  Hold on tight Taffy!

Need a rest after all that climbing!  Look at this, a fuchsia in November!  Who'd have thought it?

Oooh errr! Looks cold in there, hope I don't fall in!

Hang on a minute, who's that looking at me?

Oooh!! It's my reflection!  Hope the birds don't come down for a drink!

Taffy is looking forward to Saturday as he is going to the Eden Project http://www.edenproject.com/ I wonder what he will get up to there? Note to self! Remember to come back and have a look next week!

Crochet Cat

Well my crochet cat is growing well. My elbow is beginning to ache and our lounge looks like a woollen mill but apart from that everything is just fine.

I've tried to give you an idea of size in this picture.  I have completed 46 rounds so far. 

I've just stuffed him with some skeins of yarn for the purpose of this photo, so he looks a bit lumpy!  But by taking a photo of him on the sofa I thought it would give you some idea of scale.  I am just about to start decreasing for the shoulders now, so his body will be even taller when I've finished.

Look at this! Without his stuffing he has a 42" waist!!!

And look how much he weighs!  1391g - over a kilo already!

Shall need to start thinking of a name for him, can't keep calling him Crochet Cat! Got any ideas?  Drop me a line!

Right that's it!  Washing machine has stopped and cup of tea needs replacing.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend, here's to lots of crafting and lots of fun!  Would love to hear about any of your creations.  See you soon, byeee! x