Quilt Love

I thought I'd just give a quick update on the craft swap with FromTwelveToTwoFifteen... well as planned last Sunday I quickly popped over to where she was staying, dodging rain showers and traffic in town and we happily swapped blankets! Very happily! I was so eager to see the patchwork quilt she had made for Little P after seeing photos of it on her blog... It did not disappoint!

It's so bright and cheerful and each and every fabric is lovely - I like just sitting and looking at them all and how well they work together! 

It certainly is a feast for the eyes. It's so soft and squishy too. My favourite part is the edging...

and how it works so well with the fabric on the back. Amazing. I wouldn't know where to start when making one of these but I'm so glad Maddy does! Little P also loves it too. She spotted it as soon as she walked in and promptly made herself a bed on the floor with it and asked it she could sleep under it all night. I like it because it is just the right amount of 'girl'... It's not covered in pink, pink, pink, but it's definitely a little girl's blanket! Love it! So glad we did the swap! Here's a look at some of the fabrics...

It will definitely be a Forever Quilt... so thank you so much FromTwelveToTwoFifteen! 

I've been getting on with new crochet projects since the completion of the big granny square blanket. It didn't take long at all to get inspired for new things, and with plenty of babies on the way again (not my own!) why not start with a baby project? Something not quite so big as the last project!

I'm not usually a fan of baby yarns. Don't get me wrong, I love the softness and squishiness, but it's the colour palette available that gets me. Pale pink. Pale blue. Yellow. White. That's it. I like bright and vibrant colours usually. But it just so happens that the idea I had for my latest yarny venture called for these colours. After looking at my own stash and realising I did not have the correct colour combination available, it seemed only natural to order more yarn. What else? After scouting about the internet for various colour combinations and yarn weights, I settled on Lion Brand Baby's First - a chunky weight cotton blend yarn in just the right colours for what I wanted. I do love cotton and cotton blends! 

So it is essentially pink, blue and yellow - traditional baby colours, but the blue is more 'teal-ish' and the pink is a bit stronger than many baby pinks. It's so lovely and squishy and nice to work with - it can split a bit but as long as you pay attention it's fine. Also being chunky weight, it works up really quickly, and I'm almost done! The only downside of this yarn is that it is only available in 9 colours - all quite pale and babyish. It would be awesome if it was available in a range of bright colours too, I would use it loads.

It's been a dull rainy week here in my part of the world. Except yesterday which was a scorcher. I've been papping in the garden again whilst Little P runs around playing. I soon know when she gets bored of me taking pictures as she tries to put her hand in every picture! Loads more daylilies out in the garden, but one of my fave plants, my Pineapple Lily (Eucomis bicolour) is in flower and looking great...

I have also had a stamp carving session but will show more of that when I finish the rest of it, but now I'm going to head off and try and squeeze in a bit of crochet before Little Lady returns, so until next time...

The Crafty Swap

You may remember that once upon a time I mentioned a craft swap I'm doing with Maddy of From Twelve to Two Fifteen... well the time is almost upon us to complete the task and swap creations. Tomorrow is the day, I'll venture over to see her whilst she is back in the UK and present her with what has been a mammoth project over the last few months... the giant granny square blanket.
Firstly I was building up piles and piles of brightly coloured granny squares made from lovely yarn - Mostly Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran with some RICO Essentials Soft Merino Aran thrown in to complete the colour palette.
This...

Became this...

which have eventually become this...

I have to admit I love it, and this picture doesn't really do it justice at all. There are 100 granny squares (made using Attic 24's Summer Garden Granny Square pattern) and they are all joined in one continuous motion using this method  by Babylove Brand which I found very easy to follow! It actually all joined together quicker than I thought, and I will definitely be joining future granny square blankets in this way. Revelation. I have really enjoyed this project, and will miss it somewhat. I've had endless evenings of crocheting random colour squares and then the privilege of combining them to make a blanket which I hope will be greatly received. I have already had a preview of the quilt made for Little P, as Maddy finished a while back and posted about it here... I have 'borrowed' a pic off her blog to show it off, but will no doubt take more photos when we receive it tomorrow!

Isn't it super lovely? Sewing is really not a craft I know a lot about, so I can't even imagine the work that went into this, but I know it will be huge amounts since it has been dubbed 'the forever quilt'! I know Little Lady will love it and spend many hours using it in her games and snuggling under it... as will I.

Here's a few more pics of the blanket, before I part with it... I think it deserved a montage...

and another full-body shot...

and a little look at it all packaged up...

and a close-up of that super little detail...

Yep, personalised wooden buttons bought for me by my trusty friend Curly Girl Coop... the perfect detailing to finish it off!

So there was an enormous cavern left where the blanket once filled my evenings... but not for long. It seems it's baby time again... it always seems to come in gluts, 3 babies due close together, then none for months! So I'll be back on baby crafting for a bit, and see what else takes my fancy. I also still have the 'As We Go Stripy Blanket' which I started work on months ago but it went on the back-burner when the BIG granny blanket came along. I did find time last weekend to figure out and type up a pattern for a square I created last year (or maybe actually the year before that) as I have been asked a couple of times recently for a pattern for it. I have titled it 'The Popcorn Flower Square' and it can be found from a link at the top of the page or by simply clicking here.

I've also been enjoying the glorious sunshine over the last week, and have had lots of lovely days with my Little P, including trips to the park and beach. We took a day trip to Southwold earlier this week, which was great fun. Always such a lovely place to visit. I particularly love the shot of Little Lady wandering along the pier...

I've had great fun also playing with my camera, and trying to snap some nice shots of the nature around me. There are plenty of flowers in the garden to practice on, since I went overboard on my daylily collection a few years back! They are great plants, the flowers may only last a day but there are so many of them, staggered throughout the summer months. Here are a few of my faves...

I also found myself a teeny weeny baby cactus from a local exotic plant nursey, and look forward to watching him grow!

My cacti and succulent collection is coming along nicely... Now I realise I do have a few collections going on... ooops.

I also made it out into the countryside again with the Little One and spotted a few more of those Six-Spotted Burnet moths I took a photo of before. I managed to get close up this time and I am pretty proud of the photo I got...

Look at him drinking! I love it!

Right, got to go, I'm continuing on a new project and having a well deserved cup of tea. I shall update you all on the craft swap in due course! So until next time...

What a Difference a Day Makes

In typical British fashion, I'm going to kick off with the weather - what an absolutely glorious Spring day! We've had a very mild Winter here in these parts, not really any frosts or anything as yet. And we've also been lucky enough to escape most of the deluge of rain that has battered our country... so it seems very strange that Spring might be on it's way without having a real Winter. I told Little P we could play in the snow, and get the sledge out... no such luck as yet, but to be honest I'm glad about that. I hate cold weather. Give me hot weather and clear sunny skies any day. California dreamin' at the moment!
Today, was an absolutely lovely day here. Considering it's early March, I found myself sitting in the garden, hook in hand, crocheting away with a t-shirt on. And I even have small 'tan lines' on my arms to prove it! I still doubt the weather though - I think Winter will suddenly hit us just as all the plants have budded up and then destroy all nature's good work. But hey, I'll enjoy the good stuff whilst it is here!
It felt so good to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin whilst I crocheted away. And to see tiny snippets of life bursting up around the garden was lovely. I also made the most of the opportunity to get outside with my camera and snap some of my recent makes.
First up is the ongoing blanket project - the 'As We Go Stripy Blanket' (pattern here). It's a slow burner, but then was always intended to be - a relaxed evening project, perfect for watching TV and getting on with. It is intended for my Little P when complete, and she has already had the work in progress out several times to snuggle under.

I do love how it working up... The colours compliment each other lovely, and I'm loving testing out new stitches...

This will definitely be on the back burner at the moment though, as I have some more 'important' projects on the horizon. A couple of bits of amigurumi which must be kept under wraps right now, but here's a little green hand saying 'hi!'

The most exciting thing coming up for me is a 'blog swap' with the oh-so-talented Maddy - the creative mastermind behind From Twelve to Two Fifteen. A while back we decided on making something for each other (or more likely each other's children!) and blogging all about it at the same time. Maddy makes super amazing patchwork quilts using funky fabrics and modern geometrical patterns... ticks all my boxes! She has already shown a sneak peak of what she has been working on here - take a look at those chevrons! So exciting!
In return, Maddy will receive a crocheted gift from me, and she told me she would quite like another granny square blanket in a bright, cheerful colour scheme... also ticks all my boxes. I decided that for such a special occasion I would order some new yarn (don't need much excuse!) I have wanted to make a blanket using 'nicer' wool for a while now, so I ordered a bundle of merino based wools - Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, topped up with a few colours of RICO Design Essentials Soft Merino Aran. The two yarns actually look and feel very similar, so I'm sure they will work well together...

Look at that squishiness...

I'm so excited to get started!

On the non-woolly front, there has been stamp carving by the bucket-load. I will get round to taking some pictures and showing my adventures in stamping, but you can always take a look at my Instagram feed. I ordered some rubber from Hong Kong a while back, and it took an age to arrive (serves me right for ordering just as everything stops for Chinese New Year!) It was pretty good value (even with the enormous shipping bill) and looked great too...

I had some extra large A4 sized sheets and some smaller ones - I was particularly looking forward to using the orange sandwich block. First impressions were that they weren't quite as thick as I'd hoped - the previous ones I bought were super thick and yummy blocks. I started by trying the blue block - it wasn't quite what I had hoped for though. It was quite tough and a bit crumbly. I moved onto the orange sandwich block - this carved better but was still not a patch on the previous ones I tried. So I was a little disappointed - the lesson I took from that cheap was not always cheerful. If I'm going to bother to order premium Japanese rubber blocks, then I will make sure I order the proper ones!

I have also bought a couple of other little bits and bobs to brighten up my space. I've started a mini 'gallery' on my bedroom wall - a few prints here and there. The first one that has arrived and is framed is one by an artist called Eloise Renouf. I love her work and it was hard to choose just one, but I'm so chuffed with it hanging on my wall...

The empty little frame to the right is waiting for a small print from Mexico from the amazing Gennine Zlatkis.  More on that when it arrives!

I'm also rediscovering my love of plants, especially cacti and succulents, and I'm gradually creeping them back into the home...

I found this little beauty in a local garden centre - I love the wooden tray, and the 3 little pots, and plan to fill them with some succulents I am currently propagating. Until then, this little cactus can rest there! I also found a Lithops (living stone) which I have wanted for ages, so picked him up and brought him to a good home. He must be liking it as I can see a new pair of leaves emerging in there...

My Dad was having a clear out and found this old Californian vehicle licence plate he didn't want - guess who had it and cleaned it up?! Fits perfectly in a space on my gallery wall!

I'm still California dreamin'. But now it is time to do some real dreaming, in bed! Goodnight all, until next time...

Better Late Than Never...

Well, it's been a while (43 days to be precise) since I last sat down and typed up a post. In that time, Christmas has been and gone, and 2014 is in full swing It's been a busy period... but also very enjoyable. Having a little one about the place certainly brings out the festivity in yourself! It feels too late to be talking too much about Christmas, as things are just getting back to normal and into the usual routine, but I have a few photos to show of some of my festive makes - I took these pics way back before Christmas, but haven't had a chance to do much with them!
First up are the cards I made. It's the first time I have made my Christmas cards, and I am pleased to say I will be doing so again. I don't have a huge amount to make so it is pretty manageable. The hardest part is deciding what to do... crochet motifs? stamping? embellishments? I went mainly for printing with lino block shapes, but did have a handful adorned with buttons and pretty papers...

The lino printed selection made from a simple triangle and snowflake shape...

And some fancy button work...

I was pleased with both types of card - I love the low-tech effect of the printing, and the fact it's imperfect... but I also rather like the simplicity and neatness of the paper/button ones. Who knows what I'll create next year?!

I also decided to make some of my tags and wrapping paper (by make, I mean decorate!) I bought a roll of brown wrapping paper and some plain tags in red and brown and a few supplies from The Homemakery to pretty them up. The tags were a mix of washi tapes, stamps and fabric tape. Here's a few of my favourites...

And then there is the wrapping paper... I have discovered a great new creative outlet for myself - stamp carving. Yep, taking blocks of rubber and carving my own stamps ready to print with inks. The possibilities are endless, and I really love it, from the designing phase and carving, right through to the end product. I have been doing a lot of this recently and will write more about it at some point soon. To start with, I carved simple shapes - a Christmas tree was used for the wrapping paper. The rubber used for carving stamps is so much easier than cutting lino blocks. It's more expensive obviously, but well worth it, and normal stamp pads work great, whereas lino blocks need a proper printing ink.
Lino block printing definitely still has a place for certain things, but at the moment rubber stamp carving is where it's at for me! So here is my first attempt at carving a Speedball Speedycarve block (the pink stuff) to make wrapping paper...

I was chuffed with it, and it has sparked a whole new line of interest, bordering obsession, but like I said, more to come another day.

Things have been quiet on the crochet front since Christmas, but the build up was fairly full of it. I promised a picture of my Christmas bunting and star garland in situ - the light is rather poor in the lounge and it never gets better, so I took the best ones I could and brightened them up on my laptop to try and make them look more true to life...

I got quite a few nice comments on the bunting, and have already started on a 'Merry' to hang above it next year. I thought I better start it now so that I have yarn from the same batch and don't forget exactly how I made it, although I'm not exactly into crocheting Christmas things in January!

The stars also looked rather sweet on the fireplace...

It's been a grey few days here, and it's getting colder too... but I did manage to get out and take a couple of photos in the garden. I absolutely love the pinky-white flowers on the Viburnum bushes at this time of year... a little bit of fresh colour in an otherwise bleak garden...

And a couple of others just because...

After a busy Christmas period, it's quite nice to get back into routine. Little P is so much better when she has familiar routine, and everything goes back to functioning that little bit better. I am also back to limited crafting time now, but any time I've had I have been busy designing and making stamps to make some Thank You cards for Little Lady's Christmas presents. They are all made now, and just need writing up at some point! Then I'll probably get back to crocheting (Little P wants a Hello Kitty toy) and showing my stamp carving efforts. But until next time, I must be off - I'm watching Sherlock and it's getting interesting!



Garden Politics

It's been a while again since I last got a chance to write on here, as usual there are many reasons. Little P was a poorly thing for a whole week, and only her Mummy would do - she did not leave my side poor thing. It was sad seeing the usually bubbly little thing so lethargic and miserable. She tried her best to be happy but it wasn't easy! It was a tiring week for us both, and I was so happy when her antibiotics kicked in and she perked up. Now she's back to bouncing around and wearing me out in a completely different way, but one I much prefer!

I'm enjoying this 'free-time' while she is out and about, to sit down in the sun in the garden. Yes, sun. Yesterday it felt like winter again, today it is beautiful. Crazy English weather! But on a nice English summer's day there's nowhere else I'd rather be (well, almost!) 

I've been quite taken by the garden and nature lately, I must be mellowing in my old age. For weeks and weeks, I've watched a pair of blackbirds (dubbed Mr and Mrs B) build a nest in a clematis in the garden. They then disappeared for a few days, and I felt sad that they weren't going to nest in our garden. But then they returned, and she laid eggs and the pair took it in turns to sit on them and guard the nest. It was lovely to see them so close up. Then there were frantic trips in and out of the nest with food, all day long. The chicks had hatched! She continued guarding her territory, dive-bombing and large birds thats entered the vicinity. Yesterday, I came downstairs and opened the blinds, to see two young fluffy blackbirds hopping along after Mrs B in the border at the back of the garden. Wow! They are super cute and  just bundles of fluff really. I then sat and crocheted by the window watching the young fledglings explore their new world. It was amazing to watch, I don't think I've ever really seen baby birds just out of the nest like that before. I did get a little bit obsessed with watching them, but I'm glad I did. Later I went into the garden and heard a bit of a commotion - and then I saw a seagull with a baby bird in it's beak. I was horrified and thought 'nooo, not my babies please?!' 

It turned out to be a baby starling - we have a lot of them nesting in the gutters here. But I was then on fierce seagull/crow patrol. I swear, if one landed near my babies I was going to scare it sooo bad! So, that took up yesterday. I'm happy to be sitting in the garden now, and I can hear them chirping away in the bush. Poor Mr and Mrs B are still working tirelessly to bring them food, and I thought I was a busy mum! In fact, as I've been sitting here typing, one baby has flown right past me on his maiden test flight and landed a couple of metres away from me. Dad was close behing telling him to get back to the nest! He was escorted back promptly, but I can hear him flapping his wings in the bush now - he's eager to be off! The other one doesn't seem quite so adventurous, he's quite happy to be perched up high in the bush and be fed.

I've tried to get photos but I haven't had much luck yet! I have been taking snapshots of the garden springing into life, albeit a bit later this year! I love playing around with my camera and will showcase a few of my faves...

An Erythronium pagoda (Dog's Tooth Violet)...

A special daffodil called 'Pheasant's Eye'...

A type of Muscari (grape hyacinth)...

And a montage of some others I took...

On the crochet front, I'm afraid I don't have too much to show. It's not that I haven't been crocheting my spare time away, it's just all the things I'm making still seem to be gifts and I can't show them yet! There's a big project, a designing project, and as usual, lot's of baby things - why so many babies all at once? 

I can show a couple of the things I've made and given as gifts, as they have been received now (gratefully I hope!) First up was a little fox, made for Little Lady's bestest friend's second birthday. I trawled the internet for something I hadn't made before and that I really wanted to, and came up with foxy - the KISS series Fox by K4TT.

I made him using Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo and a 3.5mm hook, and he worked out quite well I think! He was a bit tricky around his face (constant colour changes) but I love how he turned out. The level of detail in the pattern is amazing, I love the shape of the tail, how it swishes round.

Next up, was a gift for my brother's girlfriend, an avid West Ham United fan. I put my football rivalry to the side and made her a Hammers monster in claret and blue. He is cool, I rather like him! It was the FreshStitches Mr Toothy pattern again - I just love that monster so much!

And a couple of baby gifts to finish up - the 'Chubby Teddy Rattle', a lovely free pattern I found on Ravelry - it's very quick and easy to whip up (I have in fact made 3 as I like them so much!). I used the trusty Baby Bamboo again, it's just so soft for toys and easy to work with. I also purchased a few 'rattles' to put inside. They are little plastic discs which rattle nicely, as I found the bells just don't work - the sound gets muffled and they don't sound too great (if they do sound at all).

I also made a rabbit snuggler for a little lady born in February. Another free, quick and easy pattern I found on Ravelry. It's quite sweet and I like the other choices of animal to make - the owl is very nice!

Finally, another FreshStitches pattern... it's that Alastair the Caterpillar. A very quick and easy project, but very cute. I used Rico Creative Cotton for this as FreshStitches uses Aran (worsted) weight yarn for most of her things, and I didn't want him to turn out tiny!

So that's that for now, I'm going to get back to the sun (it really is quite warm now) and maybe crochet a bit until my little Lady returns, so until next time...