Crochet Happy

I started this week with a Crochet Clinic on Monday evening. I came up with this title during my last Crochet Workshop series – the lovely ladies of the group wanted to meet up again following the workshop, so I suggested a monthly crochet evening, where they can bring their projects and I’ll be on hand to offer advice, assistance and cake. Not just a craft group, but a place where these beginners can learn more, share experiences and advance their technique.

I managed a few more rows on my purple scarf that evening, but I’m afraid I suffered a crochet-related injury. Yes, I explained to Darling Husband, there is such a thing (he, who is veteran of marathons, cycle races, mountain marathons, even an Ironman, cannot believe that the quiet craft can result in a terrible strained shoulder!).

I’ll be fine in a few days; I was being careless. I followed up the crocheting Monday evening by walking home with a huge pile of books in a bag on my shoulder. As soon as I set the bag down, a sharp pain shot along my shoulder and into my back. What a donut!

Luckily, I know a massage therapist and a physiotherapist (craft groups bring people together from all sorts of backgrounds!), so I’m getting advice and treatments and will be back to normal soon. In the meantime, here’s some bits of crochet happy:

Remember Little Red?

A fabric and wool shop in a nearby town has approached me to teach crochet workshops for them! It’s a wonderful shop, in a beautiful setting (anyone know Petworth? So lovely...) and we’re planning dates to teach daytime classes. The owner wants to put some of my crochet makes in her big window display, she especially loves Little Red...so I need to get the Wolf finished!

I won’t bore you with yet more photos of stacks of hexies, but I am loving this floral blanket project again! For my new followers, you can see the beginnings of this project here and here. You are welcome to join me and make one too!

I try to resist the Cath Kidston catalogue, telling myself that the ubiquitous brand lacks its early, truly English-made allure, but then I am faced with pages like this

*gulp* that pink spotty bag...

And this

the weighing scales...

Oh but this, I can do this much better!

Granny square blanket – I’ve seen so many prettier examples of this blanket here in Blogland - we are just so on trend!

I leave you with a gratuitous photo of chocolate cake.

I have dubbed this the “Life-Saving Cake”, because I was having a one of “those days” with the kiddos, they were bickering and whining and being generally horrid...I was about to run screaming from the house forever, but instead I rummaged through the cupboards for ingredients and made us all stand together and bake. By the end we were giggling and licking batter off spatulas and generally all in love with each other again. The power of cake.

Share what’s on your hook below, and don’t forget to stretch those arms and shoulders!

Chrissie x