Too early to start talking about a Christmas/Holidays' Swap?

Hello my dear For-The-Love of Crochet Alongers, I've been thinking about this for a while now but I'm not sure if it's too early to start talking about it... What you think girls, shall we have a Christmas/Holidays' (for the non Chrismassy members) Swap??????

I remember being part of the swaps on the Granny Along and they were so much fun! One thing I know about swaps is that I appreciate having lots of time in advance to get stuff done. If I gave everyone interested a month to show interest that takes us to September then we can make stuff by end of Novemeber and then send early December. How does that sound? That would give us 3 months to make something, is that long enough?

I thought since everyone is in a potholder frenzy at the moment maybe the theme can be Christmas/Holiday Pot Holder Swap! They don't take too long to make like an afghan and you will always need them for the Chrissy/ Holiday feast!

Anyhooo let me know if this is a good idea and if you would be interested. If people show interest I will then officially get your details and organise partners etc.

P.S. did I mention how much I LOOOVE the support you are all giving each other? What a lovely community we have here! Keep it up!

Pot holder display

I finished crocheting and hanging the pot holder display in my kitchen nook last week and I'm really pleased with the way it turned out!  My kitchen is darkish without a speck of natural light, so these little lovelies brighten it up...

I loooove Dawn's post and her cute watermelon - be sure to check it out if you missed it! 

Crocheting Disaster

I've been crocheting a baby jacket but the whole thing went to poo when I realised the neck wasn't wide enough for the body. Have to start the WHOLE thing again. It was almost finished when I realised. (Mind you I had already undone half of it when the arms were not the right size) I have a pattern now to work from, no more making it up myself!

Here are some photos of the disaster!

I tried to cut a bit of the top to make a larger neck opening but of course you cannot undo crochet from the opposite way that it's been worked... found that out the hard way.

It was looking cute, there was a bit more blue on the end and then a red edging all around. The sleeves also had a few read stripes on them. I will try again at a later point with the pattern found.

Has anyone else had such crocheting disasters or had to undo and redo parts of a project??

sweet peas & watermelon

Thank you, Rachel for sharing your delicious, crochet potholders here. You also shared a book that inspired you when making the potholders and I thank you -- again! -- because I too, have that same book.

And with summertime at our door & the eating of watermelon and seeing the sweet peas in the garden....

well, it's a perfect time to make those summery, crochet cotton potholders.

~~~~

Thank you for the inspiration, Rachel!

Jewel Colour scarf

Several posts back I blogged about making about 18 granny squares and not really knowing what to do with them. Several suggestions were made and I thank those who commented to help. I also posted about on my blog too and got some more ideas. Finally I settled for a scarf. I do not usually go for black but I was thinking of showing up the colours a little bit like a stained glass window.

It was also suggested that I add an edging to each square and then do a picot edging to finish. The edging on each square I could just about handle but the picot edging I was not sure what that was. By googling the stitch and finding a video tutorial I was then able to have a practice of the stitch and then try and add it to the scarf. I usually make bags most of the time and to be able to crochet something that I can wear is a big move forward for me. I am now thinking of the next item I can make once I have stitched a few items that I have already cut out.

I Made Another! My doily has a friend

I just finished another one of those leafy doilies. The plan now is to make 3 of them and use them in the kitchen as kind of coasters for the sugar, coffe and tea jars.

Hope everyone is having a lovely week, fitting in some crochet time and all.

prayer shawl

prayer shawl
Originally uploaded by rubylulu

hope this goes through, its my first time posting a pic..
this prayer shawl is for a friend going through a hard journey right now..

Edgery Doo

I finally got an Edgery Doo. Then it sat in it's box for a couple of months before I decided what to do with it. I was in Hobby Lobby on Monday and they had a piece of fleece on the clearance/remnants cart. I thought the tag said 1/2 yd but once I got it home and looked a little closer it said 1/4 yd. Fortunately it was just over 12 in. wide. I had enough to cut 4 squares using the 12 in. template. (I ordered the 12 and 6 in. templates.) This is what I came up with. It doesn't look too bad considering it's my first. Also, it's the first time I've joined squares and the first time I've done a shell border. It measures 26 x 26 inches and will be added to my box for NICU babies.

A Virtual Bookshelf has Been Added

I was looking at another blog and stumbled across this little widget that lets you put a virtual bookshelf on your blog. I thought it would be a good idea to add it to our blog and we could fill it with crochet titles we like and recommend. I have already put my favourite crochet book 200 Crochet Blocks for Blankents, Throws and Afghans by Jan Eaton on the bookshelf. I also added another, Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs: 144 circles, hexagons, triangles, squares and other uneypected shapes by Edie Eckman, that I think would be interesting but do not yet own. If you have a favourite crochet book please let me know and I can add it to our bookshelf. You can let me know by email or by commenting on this post.

Hope you all like this new little widget, I personally think it's quite cute, and I look forward to your suggestions!

I love crochet!

Having just learnt to crochet (a lifelong knitter) I am loving it! It's so quick, and has totally taken over from knitting for me.

Just thought I'd share my 2 current projects with you guys. My inspiration from them is from looking at Ravelry.

A gift for a friend of mine

Last year my friend Simona was married. We have never met in person, we are blogging friends, but we are really good friends and I thought to make a surprise making her a gift with my hands. In an Italian crochet-magazine I saw these beautiful square, very simple but very elegant. I packed as a sort of doily to put on her chest of drawers in the bedroom. She liked it, and I like the idea that there is a piece of me in her house :)

Charity weekend

It is charity weekend over at Crochetville. I am working on a couple of preemie sized blankets. This one I started yesterday evening and finished up this morning. I should have just enough yarn left over to make a hat to match.

The pattern I used was free from Lion Brand's website called Crochet V-Stitch Blankie. I did not do the border it called for.

Granny Style

I've been in a pot holder frenzy for the last few days - ever since I saw this gorgeous photo on Flickr!  I'm snagging the idea to brighten up my windowless kitchen...

Some of the patterns I'm using came from this craft store booklet and others I am making up as I go.  

Crochet Necklace

I just completed a new necklace made from a bunch of crocheted medallions.  I saw something similar in a Japanese craft book and modified it a little to suit my wardrobe!  

It was very simple, just a bunch of crochet circles chained together and buttons on top!

All bright and beautiful....

All things and bright and beautiful is a hymn that brings back lots of happy memories at primary school and it sorts of describes what I have been busy doing lately.

It all started with a childrens kit in an attempt to recap on what I can do and to hopefully take my crochet skills a little further.

I decided to stick to the granny squares and keep going until I had used up all of the wool!! Daring or what?

For some reason blogger has tipped this picture, oh well. So I kept going and I know have 18 brightly coloured squares.

Know here is the million dollar question......what do I do with them? I might be lucky and find some wool similar in colour and make some more but at the time of starting just having a go was the main aim. Any ideas or suggestions? I had lots of relaxing fun making these and I am now ready to tackle the next page in the kiddie crochet book! Flowers or circles?

xx

granny square lap'ghan

My great-aunt has found her self wheel-chair bound and being the proper lady that she is --she will only wear dresses...never pants! -- she still feels the need to cover her legs. But wants to do it in a lady-like manner.



What better way to solve her dilemma than to make a lap afghan -- or lap'ghan.
.
I found a beautiful pattern in this book:

Favorite Throws & Table Toppers to Crochet

from Annie's Attic

Just by joining simple white granny squares with buttery-yellowed flower granny squares and she will have a simple, but elegant lap-ghan.

Yarn by Caron & Bernat

Clover bamboo crochet hook, size I

pattern: Hospitality Garden

Little Leafy Doily

Here's another little doily I made with a free pattern from the net. I am loving the maroon thread, a nice change from the white and cream doilies that I've grown up with.

P.S can anyone tell me how to make the photos I post go the right way. This is not supposed to be this way. I have no idea how or why this is happening lately.

Patriotic Granny - Finished!!

Happy 4th of July!  The patriotic granny lap afghan is finished.  As you can see I did have to add some of my stash of red, white and blue but managed to use up all the variegated yarn.  It's a fun granny!!