Here comes summer!

A snapshot of my weekend, 

 glorious sunshine, spectacular green pastures, 

riverside walks, strawberries & cream, hooky heaven......

Happy.....xx

Tinkering

Tinkering. I like that word. I've spent a lot of time tinkering lately, fiddling, pottering, playing around with ideas for a new hooky project. I acquired a couple of balls of Rowan Pure Wool DK on my birthday last year, and ever since they've been sitting idle in my little craft cubby waiting to be put to good use.

I decided on a whim to create a simple circle within a square motif. There are hundreds of variants of this sort of pattern out there, but I have decided to call my wee version the Isobel motif. I don't have enough yarn for anything bigger than a cushion cover, so a cushion cover it shall be. It should sit nicely on my bed once finished. 

I've happily hooked up a few of these squares this week, whilst watching some of the French Open Tennis on TV. I'm really looking forward to the match up between Gael Monfils and Andy Murray tomorrow! Then it's onwards to Wimbledon, hurrah. Can't wait.....

Thank you for keeping me company here...

x x x x

Snippets

May is whizzing by, and I'm looking forward to the sunshine and warmer temperatures promised toward the weekend. I've been a bit of a home bod these last few weeks. Trying to get on top of all the little jobs that need doing. I seem to spend my life sorting laundry, elbow deep in a bowl of washing up, or with a duster and can of Mr Sheen in hand. Exciting life I lead.....

Vintage Fair

Northampton Guildhall

Though I did manage to escape the humdrum for a day out with my Sister recently, to the Vintage Fair held at the rather spectacular Northampton Guildhall. We had a good nose amongst the stalls, and marvelled at the ladies from the vintage hair lounge offering the cutest up dos for both young and old. 

After working up an appetite wandering around the fair, we decided to grab some dinner at Buddies. The menu was vast, but we both opted for a burger with everything. To say we were fit to burst afterwards was an understatement. Thoroughly enjoyed.....

I'm still working on my big granny blanket. I haven't bought any new yarn for months, as I need to concentrate on the wips I have yet to complete. The temptation is always there though. That nagging urge to treat yourself, especially when you're trawling Pinterest, exposing yourself to SO many gorgeous pics. It's impossible not to get drawn in & seduced by the endless possibilities, of potential new hooky projects.

Before I go, I know many of you are often on the look out for new yarn stockists. Well I have a wee treat for you today as the Big Wool Shop would like to offer my readers a 10% discount on their first order using the code BLOG10, valid until 07/06/2014. Worth a look......xx

Reversible Crochet Cushion Version 2

Hello my dear crochet fiends, oops I mean friends. I'm back to share with you a project that I finished up just yesterday. It's another reversible cushion cover using an adaptation of both the Sunburst Pattern by Priscilla Hewitt and Jan Eaton's Square Target. 

On my last post I showed you the pile of little target squares I'd crocheted up. I decided to frame each 3 round motif in white dc's (UK double crochet stitches), just to give them a nice neat finish, and to help those colours pop a bit more.

I then used a htr (UK Half Treble Stitch) seam to join each square together. When using this method I tend to connect single blocks into rows first, then once I have the right configuration seam each row together (if that makes sense?)

The Half Treble seam gives a nice raised join, which adds dimension. I then moved on to prepping the other side to match for size. I had to add a couple of rows of htr's around my Sunburst Squares to make everything even. Both sides ending up 18" x 12".

I was now firmly onto the home straight and loving every minute of assembling this colourful hooky creation. Putting wrong sides together I crocheted the 2 panels using a htr seam once again. Happily it gave me a lovely piped look to the edge. 

Ta-Dah Moment!!!!!

Happy x

A Colourful Convalescence

Germs, germs, awful germs! Cough, splutter, sneeze! Well I finally succumbed to the nasty cold virus that seems to be doing the rounds, hence my absence this past few weeks. Urgh what a horrible thing to have to endure. I'm relieved and happy to report my head is finally feeling less cotton wool like, so I thought it was high time I bobbed by to say hello.

Needless to say I spent a lot of time in bed, feeling sorry for myself. Paracetamol and fluids my only friends. As the fever and unrelenting headache wore off, I took solace in my basket of yarn. I didn't have the strength for anything too taxing, so I hooked up some easy peasy squares in a jolly kaleidoscope of colours.

Never underestimate the power of crochet therapy.  I took full advantage of those duvet days  I can tell you. The worst thing about having a stinking cold is the inability to function properly. The lovely spring sunshine has been wasted on me for the most part. Until today that is, when I finally ventured out into the fresh air.  

Time for another walk in the countryside, to blow off the cobwebs. Those fields you see pictured there, all golden and gorgeous are the very same fields I pictured in my last post. What a difference a few weeks make. The Rapeseed now in full bloom. Isn't it a wonderful sight against the blue sky and wispy white clouds?!

Back soon to show you what I plan to make 

with those cutesy crochet squares....

x x x x x x x