Christmas is coming

I have finished another lapghan for Christmas (for my grandfather) and part way with the matching one for my grandmother, then only one more left for my cousin (I think). I still have to decide what to make for the other members of my family, maybe turkish slippers or faceclothes? Who knows? :) Here are the pics anyway.

Own picture

At last, I have finished a blanket I have been working on as a gift for a family member. I didn't make anything for the baby as she had a lot and the parents didn't find out if they were having a boy or girl, they wanted a surprise. So when we found out she had a girl and the name, I decided to make this for her. As usual, my phototaking isn't very good. The pink is a bit lighter and the dark bits are actually a dark pink, not red! The purple is also a bit lighter. I am trying to think of something to hide the gap in the R, maybe a flower?

Ta-daaa

I have finished my first cuddle ghan (I still have 2 more bus ones to do and a few other little ones). It is the bus I have been reporting progress on for a few weeks now. I haven't done much more than that as I moved this week as well. I have added a few more things to my WIM list, just not sure if I will get around to doing everything before Christmas :(.

Some progress

I have become addicted to crocheting little squares for quiltghans!!!! I have worked on my Bus Ghan most of the week, but looking at the picture it doesn't look like I have done much. I can't wait to start on some of the other projects I want to make as christmas presents. I have the colours and yarn all sorted for them, they have been staring at me since Sunday. And the addiction is contagious. My mom started making a quiltghan for herself, and has now bought the yarn and started making one for my daughter as well, in the process using the design that I found for my cousin and was considering making for my daughter!! Anyway, I decided (almost) that I would be making the Love letters one for her from Happy Yellow House website.

I went to the market today to get yarn for a cardigan I am going to knit for a friend and I was good, mostly. I only ended up buying two extra balls of wool from a charity shop, a bargain at 50p each, now I just need to decide what to make with it.

Well, the pictures are the progress of my Bus Ghan, the yarn and pattern of the cardigan I am going to start (if I can tear myself away from Crochetville) and the yarn from the charity shop.

Some sort of normality

We finally got back from visiting my cousin and school has started. I haven't done as much as I would have liked over the last two weeks, but here is some of the progress I have made. I finished the baby shawl that is a gift for somebody, it is in pale blue and I have left the ribbons out as it is for a boy. I have made 4 hats for my sister, 2 brown, 1 grey and one multicoloured (she wanted it made from leftovers, so that is kind of what she got). The other project I am working on is a cuddle afghan, I am hoping to get a few done as christmas presents for all the younger children in my family. The picture shows the progress on the School Bus cuddle for one of the boys.

Busy days

This has been a busy week and a bit for us. Last week we went to Rochester Castel on the Friday and on Sunday we went to Deal Castle near Dover. But guess what I had in my bag each time? That's right, my yarn and hook went with each time. Not that I got to do any at Rochester Castle, but I did get to work on the baby shawl while watching the children at the seafront in Deal (photo compliments of my daughter). Then later on in the week I taught my cousin to crochet, he got the hang of it really quickly and is impressed with himself for crocheting a square to go with my next Iggle Piggle. Today was Crochet Group meetup, and I couldn't go to join them, I do miss chatting to my fellow hookers (you know what I mean). So instead today I made a homemade chicken pie. Came out a bit darker than I wanted, but we will be eating them soon. I have attached a photo of the baby shawl at 26 rounds, coming along nicely, and one of the Bus Cuddles from http://www.happyyellowhouse.com/bus.html I have started in the top left hand corner. Can't wait to see what the rest of it is going to look like! I am having fun with this pattern and can't wait to try some of the others on this website. The designer is really talented.

Knitting and crochet

I have had a busy few days while waiting for the weather to improve. I knitted the children each a jelly baby, which they enjoyed playing with. Then my cousin suggested that I make an Iggle Piggle from "In the Night Garden" as his son is a big fan, I was nagged into designing one for him. I am quite pleased with the result, it does need a bit of tweaking, but the first try wasn't too far off. My cousin's son seemed impressed with his Iggle Piggle and I am impressed with myself for designing him! I have started typing up the pattern for future use. I have also started crocheting a baby shawl to send to my stepsister in South Africa for her baby son. I have also a few new projects that I will be starting for Christmas presents, will be putting pictures up once I do start them. The first two are blankets from http://www.happyyellowhouse.com/ website which has some stunning quilt blanket patterns on it. I will be making the school bus blankets for my nephew and cousin's son. Will keep updated on the other projects to be started.

Holiday and hobbies

We have been visiting with my cousin in Kent for a little while, so lovely and peaceful here. We went camping last week and enjoyed that, too. Not the best weather for camping, but we did have fun. The children had a ball and of course I had my crocheting with me (can't go anywhere without that!)

I decided to venture out into the high street on the bus this afternoon with the children and (surprise, surprise) I ended up with more patterns and yarns. Well, what is visiting new places for if you can't get some things that make you happy? I had a peep around a charity shop to see what they had (and apart from the children getting a doll and a train) I got a book of knitting patterns to knit my daughter and cousin's son some mini toys, they have decided on the jelly babies. I might go back to buy some more of the patterns as they had a few Jean Greenhowe patterns and I only bought the one booklet (what was I thinking of!) So of course, I had to get the yarn to make them with as well as I hadn't brought a lot of yarn with me, figuring I could just get some more if I needed it, which I always do. I also got a lovely old booklet with crochet doilies, etc in it. I got the crochet cotton on my last holiday in Great Yarmouth, so now I can complete a project with bits bought at different places during the holidays, it will be a real holiday project :).

Yippeeee!

I am feeling a bit pleased with myself, sold my first two crochet hats on ebay. I have only ever sold knitted scarves and knitted baby doll outfits, so this is a first for me. I hope the customer likes them, I posted them to her today. I bought the pattern intending to make a hat for my brother, ended up making hats for my daughter and then decided to try selling them. My sister in South Africa has placed an order for two hats as well, so will be quite busy crocheting hats for a little while.

Innocent village fete

We had a lovely time at the innocent village fete, can't wait to be able to go again. There was something for everyone and the weather was perfect. The best part was, of course, the knitting tent. We went to have a look and stayed for about 2 hours! We made some hats for the big knit and my daughter found out she wasn't the only child that could knit! She looked around at the other children, looked at me and said (in shock) "So I am not the only child that can knit?" She was so happy that she immediately started knitting and didn't want to leave!!! There was good music to listen to while we were knitting and the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly.

The village fete gets my vote. We will be visiting more parks with needles and crochet hooks and enjoy ourselves.

Latest

I had a good week away in Great Yarmouth visiting family and relaxing, but I could not resist looking at and buying more yarns!!! I got some lovely fun yarns and a bag full of crochet cotton which I am hoping to use to make potpourri bags with. I also got a crochet jewellery kit to try my hand at crocheting jewellery.

And I did make some things while I was on holiday, too. I finished the vest top for my daughter and I made a matching hat, but haven't photographed it, yet. Here is a picture of the first one I made for her, she loves modelling the things when she is in the mood to do it.

I am supposed to be going to visit again later in the school holidays, but I don't know if I can trust myself in the shops there! I also made a mobile phone cover, a nintendo ds cover and some flowers, will take more photos when I have put the press studs on them. Did I say earlier I was on holiday? Well, it must have been a good holiday if I got time to do my favourite things, like knitting and crocheting.

Made a few things this week and got some new supplies (oops). Heard that John Lewis was having a sale, so went to have a look and ended up buying a lot. I really should not take my debit card when I go out!!

Here are some pics of the things I was busy with this week. I crocheted a box (pattern from Simply crochet) and knitted two cloths to put in it for my daughter's teacher as a end of year gift. My daughter loved it (she is still waiting for her socks, though).

And of course, a picture of my new stash of yarn.

There is also a picture of my other new hobby, making ring slings for babies. I loved this material when I saw it and makes the slings look so lovely.

This week has been busy, but have managed to finish some things. Here is a picture of the dolls dress I have finished.

I have also been trying patterns in a new book I bought, my mom has the slippers now.

I have started knitting some barbie furniture and going to crochet a box to fill with goodies for my daughters teacher as an end of school year gift, so got my new projects all sorted. Apart from the sewing and embroidery I have been playing around with on my new machine. It took me a few tries but I finally managed to embroider a picture that actually looked like something (well, to me anyway.) I might take a photo of something and post it soon.

The beginning

This is my spot where I can show off (mmm) the things I have been working on and letting everyone know what is happening in my life.