Bloomin' CAL: Progress report and a book review

It will come as no surprise to many of you that I haven’t made progress on my hexie blanket this week, as my crochet energies were devoted to the Knitting & Stitching Show and getting to know my new yarn purchases...

The colours seem to change with every photo, sometimes bright, sometimes smoky...

*sigh* Ain’t she just a beauty? This type of project is just so portable; I’ve been tucking the yarn and hook in my bag this week as I zipped to a meeting, to a get together with friends...I even completed four rows as I waited the half hour of Bunny’s harp lesson (yes, harp. Her second lesson. Because obviously a piano isn’t big enough...). I do love the social aspect of it, the other musical mums waiting at the school were keen to talk about the snood and seemed quite interested in my crochet (perhaps next week I’ll let them know I’m teaching some more classes in a few weeks, drum up some more business!).

Do you take your crochet out and about? Have you struck up a conversation about a project?

I had some queries about the book from which this snood pattern originates, so I thought I could show you a bit more.

Erika Knight is one of my crochet heroes. I have a few of her books – this one is aimed primarily at beginners, but it is so gorgeous that the more experienced might well want to add it to their collection. It is an excellent reference book to have on the shelf.

Here is what’s on offer inside. Erika Knight offers some of the best tutorials for crochet that I’ve seen. Her stitch descriptions and illustrations are crystal clear, and she goes a step further to show detailed hook sizes and swatches of stitches so the reader has a visual guide.

The book features page after page of these types of swatches, as well as a multitude of yarns and textures that lend themselves beautifully to crochet. I love Knight’s books for the contemporary use of materials. She specializes in earthy, smoky palettes, with the texture of the fibres enhancing the appearance of the crochet.

The projects in this book could easily be adapted to pastels or brights, like I’m doing with the snood, but it is lovely to see them in these more neutral tones, and they would suit those of you with more male-dominated homes (stripy cushions for your boys’ rooms!).

What’s on your hook this week? Check out the links below and join in the fun! I hope to have a gang of hexies invading the CAL post next week...

Chrissie x

PS Thank you so much to everyone who commented on my last post, I loved reading what the season has offered you! 

Book review: Cute & Easy Crochet with Flowers

Here’s one you’ll want to put on your wish list, my dears...

Nicki Trench has done it again, a beautiful, easy-to-follow, fun craft book. This time it’s all about blossoms.

I simply must have this blanket!

This lovely book is full of sweet crochet projects, grouped according to level of difficulty. The photographs are pretty, colourful and tempting, so I have a long list of flowery makes on my To-Do list!

Chapter 1 includes an easy Kindle Cover pattern, a gorgeous Tote Bag that I know I’ll make, hats and gloves – and the beautiful Hexagon Flower Throw pictured above is in this ‘Starting Out’ section, so even beginners can have a big project to work on.

The next chapter features some more complicated flowers in garlands and delicate accessories. There is a beautiful tablecloth that I would actually throw over my shoulders and wear as a shawl, it’s that pretty...gosh that makes me sound a bit mad, doesn’t it?

The placemats I’m making are from this section. I’m nearly finished, I just have to sew on a few more flowers (each one took about five minutes to crochet).

The final chapter features a vintage-style brooch, the outrageously stunning bag that I will have to make, someday (ignoring the fact that it takes 207 flowers which are sewn together at the end...perhaps when Little Flower is in big school!),

as well as delicate scarves and doily-like coasters.

I found the instructions for the placemat very easy to follow, and reading through other patterns, they all feature similar clarity. Some of the projects include some simple sewing, such as a lining for a bag, but the instructions are clearly explained.  

The Know-How section showcases all the stitches used in the book, with good, clear illustrations and descriptions, including adding beads and using popcorn stitches.

All in all, another terrific crochet book from Nicki Trench, which I recommend to those of you who like girlie floral things!

And speaking of all things girlie and floral, would you be interested in a crochet-a-long of the blossoming nature? Marianne of Ladybird Diaries and I are organising a CAL to start in October...details coming next week! Time to get out the hooks and get ahead on gift-giving season...

Happy crafting!

Chrissie x

Book review: Granny Squares

I bought this book a little while ago, simply because it looked so happy and colourful! Let me tell you about it...

Granny Squares by Susan Pinner includes 20 granny square projects, and unlike many books which feature a collection on a theme, I could actually see myself making every project! No duds!

I have an old stool which is screaming for a cover like this

And this beauty of a cushion would be great in Little Flower’s room...though I’m not sure I’d allow the pretty picnic blanket to be tossed on the ground!

And one day, when I have my own craft room (a gal can dream!), I will have a lampshade like this

While most of the projects feature very colourful yarns, there are a few pictured in one colour, a simple ivory, which shows off the beauty of the texture. I like all the rainbow brights, but part of me would love to do one of these projects in neutral shades...and these projects would be perfect opportunities to try out some of the colour schemes from my Colour Palettes Pinterest board.

Granny Squares is full of gorgeous photos that definitely add the chic to granny chic! The book is printed on the beautiful, matte, quality paper that I love. Dotted throughout are super ‘Granny’s Tips’, which offer sage bits of advice that are useful for beginner and advanced crocheters alike.

Anyway, I don’t like reviewing a book without actually having tried at least one project, so here’s what I’ve started

This bold, bright bathmat is perfect for the girls’ bathroom – their current one, which I crocheted a while ago, is getting quite worn. If I make this one then we can alternate between the two mats.

Now to the nitty gritty: How is the pattern? Well, for the most part, it was easy to follow and made a fun little hexie

But I was wishing for a little more explanation with certain elements. It assumes knowledge of cluster stitches, or you have to refer back to the beginning of the book for a full explanation. Sometimes I prefer everything to be laid out in one pattern, to save flipping back and forth (I know how to do clusters, I’m speaking here for beginner crocheters or for anyone working on a new technique). How do you feel about this? Do you like the pattern in detail, or do you prefer to get on with it and have a reference page if you need more explanation? I’m curious...

Also, the yarn requirements call for equal amounts of merino DK and acrylic DK, and the hexagons are worked with one strand of each yarn together – but no explanation as to why. Does the acrylic help the merino wear better underfoot? I’m not sure. And heaven knows I don’t have the same colours in both merino and acrylic, so I know I won’t be working it up this way.

In fact, I tested this with some of the yarn I used on the original bathmat, which was a very silly garden meadow mat that was perfect for a child’s bathroom

The girls love this mat, and the bright flowers match the colours I painted on the cupboards and walls. So I might use the leftovers to do some hexies and buy more of the same yarn. It is a chunky acrylic, so I don’t have to bother hooking two strands of DK together.

I need to rummage through the craft cupboard to see if I can dig up the original wrappers for this yarn, because I can’t remember what it is! And here’s where I heed a useful tip found on page 33 of Granny Squares: “I keep extensive notes and file all my ball bands with a small sample of the yarn. It might seem a bit of a hassle to do this but in the long run you will find it extremely useful.”

Indeed. There’s my New Year’s Resolution!

Chrissie x

Doodle stitching

Thank you all so much for your comments on my last post! I am currently stitching another little heart, a teacher gift, which I will unveil in a few days. These are highly addictive little stitchies!

My very first project with embroidery, after a bit of experimenting on scrap bits of fabric, was a trio of nursery songs for my girls.

I first showed these on my blog way back when (you can see them in situ there!). The idea for the trio started with the birds’ nest, featured in Aimee Ray’s Doodle Stitching: The Motif Collection, the second in her beginner’s guides to embroidery. I took her designs, then added the titles of songs we like to sing.

Can you spot the bird’s nest? And the bunny gazing up?

Each picture allowed me to practice a basic embroidery stitch on a small scale.

Some chain stitches, stem stitches, back stitches...

The “Rain, rain, go away” picture was based on a cloud and raindrop design, but I added the rainbow running stitch to brighten it up.

 

And my little bunnies had to be gazing up at stars (the stars that, obviously, you can see I doodled in myself!), because I have sung “Twinkle, twinkle” to both of them nightly since birth. Special memories. 

 

These little pictures are my no means perfect, but they were a lot of fun and got me hooked on embroidery. The girls love them. I mounted them quite sloppily in the hoops, and don't even ask me to flip them over - the backs are a real mess of threads! Back then I didn't even know how to transfer properly - I just took a pencil and copied what I saw in the book, no tracing on a window or with a light box. And the words were just me 'writing' with the thread, I tried to write with pencil on one of them and got fed up. Ah, it's the thought that counts, right?

Here is Aimee Ray’s first book, by the way, which I highly recommend to anyone wanting to dabble with the art of needle and thread. It is playful but instructive, fun and unintimidating (sometimes the beauty of embroidery overwhelms me and I can’t imagine being able to do something so fine and detailed. This book contradicts that mindset.)

She illustrates and explains the stitches thoroughly, with illustrations and photographs, making it far easier to attempt stitches and compare what you’ve done with the photo.

Have you ever tried embroidery? Are you interested but have yet to try? I’m thinking of creating some of my own designs – I do a bit of drawing, and I have some ideas in my head for simple projects, but I might need to call on some volunteers to try them out...

Chrissie x

PS A special "thank you" and warm welcome to my new followers!

Quiet stitching...

Following last week’s craft anxiety, this week I’m settling down to some embroidery.

I find embroidery incredibly calming. Perhaps it’s the attention to fine detail that necessitates a calm, quiet atmosphere. Perhaps it’s the rhythm of stitching, or the soft textures of the linen I tend to use...and my latest little project features such natural shades of floss...whatever it is, I just find myself happily more relaxed and taking everything in my stride. The recent sunshine doesn’t hurt, either!

 

This is the teeny make I finished yesterday afternoon, sitting in the garden while Bunny and Little Flower frolicked about in the paddling pool. I used a vintage linen tea towel to make the little heart. One strand of floss for the stitching: two colours of brown for the bark, one lovely shade of green for the leaves. That’s it! And because it is so dinky, it was a very speedy project.

It is a key fob, from my latest – and already beloved – craft book: The Hand-Stitched Home by Caroline Zoob.

I bought this book last week after umm-ing and ahhh-ing about it for a bit, and I am so glad I have it. It is one of those books that has a definite mood to it – I opened the cover and I swear a hush came over my home as I turned page after page of elegant embroidery and linen loveliness. Beautiful photographs.

The book is divided into six chapters, including ‘Making pictures’ for small embroideries in interesting frames, and ‘The soft stuff’ for cushions, blankets and the like.

 

There are a lot of useful, practical projects here, but all of them have such delicate, beautiful stitching that everything seems a bit more special. Which is interesting, because honestly, the projects all seem very manageable, and some, like the heart key fob, are in the easy category. Back stitch, stem stitch...a bit of sewing, but the projects, when made with subtle colours and interesting textures, seem much more graceful and chic. Perfect for gifts!

 

Just look at those bookends! Are they not gorgeous? I want to make these for my mother-in-law, who loves sheep and all things woolly. And I already thought of other designs using the same bookend template – fairies for a child’s room, ribbon embroidery initials...ooo I’m digressing...

The Hand-Stitched Home would be an ideal addition to an embroiderer’s library. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for a complete beginner to embroidery - it assumes some stitch and sewing experience and knowledge. The guide at the back of the book is not as comprehensive as a beginner’s reference book, or more funky/naïve-design books such as Aneela Hoey’s Little Stitches or Aimee Ray’s Doodle Stitching. That being said, the stitch guide is a good reminder for those who have done a bit of embroidery, and I absolutely love Caroline Zoob’s description of the knot stitch:

“I confess I cannot make sense out of all those pictures of French knots. So I had to invent my own sort of knot.”

Is this fantastic or what!? She continues to explain her easy-peasy technique that looks just as wonderful as the French knot, a stitch that often makes me want to tear my hair out!

Caroline Zoob encourages the reader to look around and be inspired by natural surroundings. She offers good advice on choosing materials, floss colours and tools. Her gentle, casual attitude towards the stitching means that the projects are far more accessible and enjoyable to create than the finished look suggests.

This book also would make a beautiful gift for someone who enjoys embroidery. I plan to make a few more hearts then move on to the very appealing napkin rings and placemats. Must avoid more craft anxiety, after all!

Happy crafting!

Chrissie x

Off the hook: Ice Cream Scarf

A quick post to show you my quick WIP completed!

The colours of Neopolitan ice cream...

I first wrote about this scarf in my book review of Crochet One-Skein Wonders. This was a lovely little project, very simple stitch pattern and very fast to crochet. And it used only one ball of yarn.

That being said, if I make this as a gift for someone, I will buy two balls of yarn. This is a short scarf, it crosses over in the front to tuck into coat lapels but is not long enough to wrap right around the neck (I have a sneaking suspicion that one of my girls will be sporting this with a winter coat next December...). Perhaps it was the yarn I used; a finer strand might come out longer. But I loved this yarn, so if I buy similar I will buy double.

One more modification depending on the wearer: a wider scarf. This pattern chained 26, which is perfect for me, but someone taller might prefer a wider scarf. I would play around with a 40 chain for a few rows to see how it looks.

But all in all, a successful project that I plan to do again, making minor adjustments as necessary. And I would recommend it to others – it would be a great project for learners, too. I’m actually considering using the stitch for a table runner or placemats, with a solid-colour cotton or string or something interesting...watch this space!

Have a happy, crafty weekend!

Chrissie x

Book review: Crochet One-Skein Wonders

As my collection of craft books grows, I thought a review now and then might prove helpful to those of you in search of a new read. One of my recent purchases was Crochet One-Skein Wonders, edited by Judith Durant and Edie Eckman and published by Storey Publishing. It is written in US terms.

 

This was a complete impulse buy, but as I leaf through it and try a few patterns, I have a feeling it will become a well-used and much-loved book. It features dozens of speedy patterns using one skein of yarn or less – perfect for all those leftover scraps from various projects.

I love how it is organised, by yarn weight, so if I find myself with an extra ball of yarn, I just look up the section that corresponds with my scraps.

The book pages are even colour-coded, so the lace-weight section page edges are green, the medium-weight chapter has red edges, etc. A little detail that is actually quite clever if I’m searching through half a dozen books and just want to jump to a relevant section rather than peruse an index.

I wanted to try a couple projects to justify a book review, so I chose JoAnn’s Scarf, in the super-fine-weight category.

I'm in a pink mood today, so I photographed on Little Flower's pink table

I am *addicted* to this pattern already, and I only started it yesterday! It crochets up so beautifully, the yarn and stitch feel so nice in the hand. It lays flat and is super-quick. I used a baby fine 4-ply, which actually uses a 3-3.5mm hook, so it works like super-fine yarn.

I love this yarn! The colours are just perfection to me; if I could colour the world shades of pink and cream...Bunny noted immediately that it looks like the triple-flavour ice cream tubs (so I suppose ice cream makes me happy, I won’t argue that!). The stitch is interesting, a sc and dc together in one stitch (UK dc and tr), then ch 1 and go into the next sc stitch and work the two together again. It makes for an interesting texture without being too lacy.

yum!

I can’t emphasise how quickly this works up, and the pattern simply indicates work until you’re satisfied with the length! A few skeins in various shades and I could potentially get some Christmas gifts done early (remind me that I wrote this when I’m panicking in November...).

I had a ball of the Sirdar Crofter chunky yarn leftover from this project, so I thought I’d start a bulky weight pattern.

I love bulky weight yarn because you blink your eyes and you’re halfway done with a project. I have done maybe half a dozen rows on this and it’s already a good size.

The looseness of the stitch make it look a bit bumpy on the sides, but it blocks evenly at the end.

This is big, soft, snuggly yarn that crochets loosely in a dc (UK tr) throughout. This will make a lovely Christmas gift for someone...

Crochet One-Skein Wonders has a lot of scarves, gloves and hats, which are of course perfect for using a small amount of yarn. The patterns are contemporary and photographed in beautiful colours, making me actually want to try a lot of them! Some amigurumi cuties, cushion covers, handbags and kitchen accessories round out the book.

The one criticism that I have is that, because the patterns are submitted by a number of designers, there is a bit of inconsistency with the instructions. Some patterns include the number of stitches in each row, i.e. ‘You now have 12 stitches’, but others, like JoAnn’s Scarf, don’t provide a number, which is fine if you know are a confident crocheter, but if you’re rather new to the craft, it might leave you wondering if you’re doing it right. This inconsistency is not so bad as to put me off recommending the book, absolutely not, I just wish that there was a standard for *all* patterns that would include even the most basic information so that everyone felt comfortable crocheting (and don't get me started on the US-UK stitch lingo). I know it takes more time and testing to make it all read the same, I know it’s pedantic, but I guarantee more people would be crocheting because they would build confidence much more quickly!

There, I’ve had my say. I am going to go work on that pretty pink ice-cream scarf now before I have to go pick up Little Flower from pre-school. Happy crafting!

Chrissie x