I haven't disappeared!

Sorry for the lack of posts in the last week. The more pregnant I get the more tired I am, and with Little H being my focus in the day the evening times seem to be spent curled up on the sofa crocheting!

Blanket number 6 was finished off the other day, and blanket number 7 is *almost* finished, possibly another inch and a half to go. I haven't done as much this week because my right index finger has been a bit bruised right in the spot where I rest my hook so I've been doing bits when I can but not much.
I have a feeling its down to the weird way I hold my hook & wool. I do everything with my right hand and my left hand only holds my work. Which is the way my Nanna taught me, and is the way she works too but I just can't crochet like everyone else, its weird because my mum crochets normally (with the left hand working the wool and the right doing the hook etc)

I like to be different!

Right I should go and get dressed, I'm off to the hospital with a suspected UTI, have been in agony for the past 24 hours and after a night of little sleep I'm conceding and getting checked out. I have a feeling the midwives on the AnteNatal Day Unit think I'm crazy/attention seeking but Mr Me said I should ring them if I'm worried, and after 24 hours of struggling with the pain I'm off.
You can almost guarantee it'll be a mild infection like last time and they'll roll their eyes at me but best to be safe!
x

My mini Tah-da moment!

I am so claiming this as my mini "Tah-da!" moment.

Yesterday we had round 2 of looking for new shoes for me to spend my birthday money on, and whilst on the lookout I wandered into Hobbycraft (wanted to see if they did stylecraft wool) and stumbled across a book that gave me an instant case of the "do wants"

So naturally I brought it. Totally inspired and in love. It was this one.. Crochet to Go! by Ellen Gormley.

I took it into the bath with me so I could have a look at all of the pretty patterns leisurely with no interruptions and fell in love with one called Rasberry Tart and just had to have a go. Naturally it was one of the ones that said it was "advanced difficulty" but I *had* to try!

As my bamboo hook is tied up with a Neonatal blanket and I was worried my attempt at the Rasberry Tart would take longer than I'd want the hook absent from the blanket (I get all worried that it'll just magically unravel!) I started with one of my original hooks (not sure what its made out of but its just one of the £1 hooks I had picked up years ago before I got my bamboo hooks)

So here are my pictures, on my hook on round 3....

And tah-da!! I love it so much!

I've got this idea to try and make a scarf out of it, joining as I go at the points of the octagon. Not sure how it'd work but I'd love to try!
The book has most of the patterns written for worsted weight yarn (which I believe is aran weight) and for 6.5mm hooks I wanted to try playing around, and did it in DK and was just some old balls that are upstairs in the bag with the hexagon blanket that I've never finished (doh!) but I didn't like that wool and I didn't like using my old hook, my bamboo hooks are a bit more pointy at the end so it makes it easier to get through the teensy holes and do slip stitches and stuff. I don't know how I didn't throw more projects out of the window with the old hooks.

The other thing I struggled with was the patterns are written in US terms, so I've been scribbling on the page in pencil to remind myself what's what!

I have a lot of love for my bamboo hooks and today have ordered a new 4.5mm bamboo hook, its my most used size. Now all I need to find some blocking blocks, does anyone know where does them that aren't hugely expensive?

Right off to go and finish Neonatal blanket number 6! Hugs & hooks to all! :P
x

Woolyness

Right, so I wasn't going to do two posts today.. but Mr. Me will be off work for the next few nights so I probably won't be on the laptop in the evenings (hopefully we'll be off to the Trafford Centre on Saturday night yay!)

So once I put Little H to bed I got out my "downstairs stash" not a rude stash, but the wool that is currently living in a box next to the sofa downstairs. & I wanted to do a run through what I have, and what I'm hoping to do, and hopefully in a few months I'll actually have done some of what I have in my head right now!

First.. the most expensive wool that I have brought "for myself" Sirdar Snuggly Smiley Stripes

I normally only buy the more expensive stuff when I'm making for other people as new baby presents. I'm really hoping it works when crocheted, I'm not 100% what I want to do with it yet, but I'm thinking maybe Attic24 Granny Stripe. Will have to see if it works!

Then my "bargain" that I just can't resist picking up when I see it. BlackSheepWools have had it in-store for £1.50 a ball (off the top of my head) but its not listed on their website. Its Rowan Luxury Cotton DK, and it makes me smile.

I think that I will turn it into a Hexagon blanket, I'm sure thats what was going through my head when I picked the first few balls up, and I've added a few more since then! I just love how it looks and feels. I just hope I can do it justice!!

Now.. the wool I forgot that I had. Its so snuggly! Rico Baby DK



Its so yummy and soft. I've made a 2 coloured Attic24 Ripple Blanket out of this, and I've just finished another blanket in this wool too and they're the softest snuggliest blankets ever. I picked these 4 balls up at the same time as I picked up the wool for the blanket I've just finished and only re-discovered them whilst on this photo taking mission.

Next my mixed bundle of acrylics which is what is being used for my neonatal blankets...



There's 4ply in there that was given to me by one of my mums friends who had bags of wool from when her mum passed away and she gave loads to me (literally 2 bin bags full) and the 4ply out of that is in amongst this. Sounds silly but I figured that the lady would like to know that her wool had been passed on and was being used for good. (I just hope she likes them if she's watching how they turn out!) The DK that is in there is stuff that I've picked up at the local market just stuff that I've liked how it feels. There's something re-assuring about me working with acrylic wool, if I mess up I don't feel so bad!

And finally, the 2 balls of wool that made me smile.

These were brought for me by my brother and his girlfriend for my birthday earlier this month, they were so chuffed with their purchase. I didn't have the heart to tell them that you don't have to go to John Lewis to buy nice wool. But I have great plans for these 2 little balls. Hopefully I will manage to turn them into a wee hat for baby #2 who is currently cooking away in my tummy! I just need to feel brave and do it!

& yes, that is a white plastic bag I have used as my backdrop.

You can buy yarn, but you just can't buy class!! =P
x

The kindness of strangers

Obviously you already know about the blanket project for the Neonatal Unit. (if not see previous blog entries)

It wouldn't be taking place without the kindness of strangers. And everyday that kindness amazes me as it grows.
A few of the girls on the pregnancy/parenting forum are making blankets to help me, they were my first stop on asking for help and have been amazing. My nanna who recently had a mastectomy has done a few blankets for me (and has added in cardigans and other bits) because she actually cannot *not* crochet despite being one boob down (and making jokes about it!) And then I posted on Ravelry, not even asking for help (unless I missed the point of the thread) and a lady has sent me a message offering to make a blanket. It really took me by suprise and I'm so happy that so many kind people are in the world.

Other people are also sending oddend balls of wool (you know those dinky bits you get left with at the end of a ball) so I can do a "guess how many mini balls of wool are in the jar" to help raise a bit more money for the unit. And people are also helping me out with a prize for that. The lovely lady who runs "Home Baked" wax melts is putting together a set of melts & a burner for a prize (she's closed for a house move at the moment but seriously bookmark her, I've never smelt anything so delicious!) One of the members of the parenting/pregnancy forum has offered to make a pram/carseat sized granny stripe blanket for me, and my local hairdresser is also donating a prize for me.

I can't believe how kind and helpful people are! Why is the world in such a state when lovely people are out there!

& to the kind people in the world. A massive thank you <3
x

The blanket stash

Well, its not so much of a proper stash considering 5 of them aren't actually for us.
But as I can't blog about how many stitches I've done on the Neonatal blankets everyday I dug out Little H's blankets for a bit of a stash session.

I love his blankets so much. There are only 3 that I have made, he does have more, but they weren't made by me (they were made by my much more experienced Nanna and no way am I putting my work next to hers! haha)

First of all we have my shell blanket (left). I *think* I made this in 2007, when being a mummy felt like such a pipe dream but I discovered youtube & "The Art of Crochet by Theresa" (as it was then!) and her shell tutorial (that I can't actually find the video for, but it was kind of like this one) And I just made it into a blanket by working out the multiples and going from there.
It was the first time I'd actually "followed" a pattern, even though it was more watching the video, rewinding it and watching some more to make sure I did it right. And then I made up the ruffly edging by chaining 6, doing a slip stitch back in the blanket and chaining 6 again to give it a wee ruffly effect.

Then on the right is my first attempt at Attic24's Ripple Blanket I saw the link to her blog on a parenting/pregnancy forum I go on in the home & hobbies section. I think my eyes popped out of my head all cartoon like when I saw the pattern. And it truly was the first time I'd seen a written pattern (the pictures at the bottom with the 2tr's etc totally freaked me out)
So I bookmarked it and went back to it when I was feeling brave, and that was the result.

Since then I have made 3 more Ripple Blankets. One for a craft swap on the parenting/pregnancy forum for my recipients little girl (the wool is my blog background, Rico Baby DK) and 2 were custom made for members of the forum, they picked the colours and I just got to work. I also sent the link for the pattern to my Nanna, and much to her annoyance she can't do it, *but* she's insanely proud of me that I've taught myself to read the patterns as she never did and can now only crochet her way!

Next up is the only blanket I made when I was pregnant with Little H. I started it with the colours I had laying around the house (amazing how much my wool stash has grown since then!) and I said at the time "Now I've put pink in a blanket Flo (bump) will be a boy!" and of course, bump was a boy!




Unfortunately I can't remember where I got the pattern for the edging from, it was probably from youtube but I have no idea, and the laptop that I was using back then broke shortly after Little H's arrival so I have none of my bookmarks. But it was easy to do and I still have it written on a scrap of paper somewhere!
& I must find a "proper" pattern for a granny square, the off-square-ness of it bugs me when I see it but its my "totally made up way to do a granny square"

And finally a quick picture of all of the blankets that are made by me and are in the house all together.... Cheese! :)

Number 6

So, blanket number 5 was completed last night, and blanket number 6 is underway.

I'm enjoying the ease at which I'm managing to do these diddy blankets, but I find my eyes wandering onto pretty patterns and the desire to do bright colourful blankets.
I spent far too long last night procrastinating looking at lots of pretty blogs, and peoples Ravelry pages, so many new favourites on there now. So much I want to do!

Must stay focussed, especially once the book I ordered arrives that was inspired by Attic24's snake post. Only have to last until September and then I can start making bright colourful things again.

Although I do feel like I'm doing something good by making these blankets for the Neonatal Unit.

Ooo & look at the colour difference between yesterdays picture and todays! Todays was taken on the camera! Must keep that battery charged!!

Diddy Blankets

So this probably isn't the best image to start my blog off with, I took it on my phone in my rush to get the blog set up and running, as I can't find the charger for the camera battery.

These are the blankets I've made so far for the local hospital Neonatal Fundraising Funday that is in September. 4 are completed and the blue one at the bottom isn't too far off.
I've quite enjoyed making them, as they're only basic blankets ranging from 19inch squares to I think 24inches is about the biggest so far, and I've only been doing half treble crochet stitches. The top two are in 4ply with 3.5mm hooks and have taken much longer than the double knit wool ones with 4.5mm hooks, but the 4ply ones are so soft and pretty!

I've got a few people helping me out knitting or crocheting the odd blanket for me to try and build up the numbers as the stall that I will be running is a "buy a blanket/donate a blanket" stall. So people will have the choice to either buy one for themselves to use as a car seat/pram/snuggle blanket or buy a blanket and donate it straight to the Neonatal Unit. So either way the unit will benefit.

I came up with the idea after thinking about last years fundraiser I "struggled" spending the money I'd taken with me, I brought some raffle tickets and had a play on some of the stalls and brought afew items off of one of the ladies craft stalls, but before leaving to go home I ended up buying a load of tickets for the gunge a dad stall but not using them (I had to leave to feed Little H) So I figured with the blanket stall if people had money left over they can donate the money & a blanket and go home feeling proud that they've done their bit (if that makes sense!)

Right, best get back to crocheting whilst Little H is having a nap.