Bloomin’ CAL and Happy Halloween!

I’m afraid my hexies have gathered a few cobwebs this week...

A combination of half term and Halloween meant that I only got three more hexies completed. Oh, but I did manage to finish this lovely project:

My snood is finished! I tend to finish a scarf or cowl-type project by trying it on partway through and not by following the pattern. Usually the pattern is designed for someone a bit taller than five feet, so unless I measure it to me as I make, I’ll end up with a scarf that could double as a blanket...

So I pinned the snood last night and tried it on and it just seemed to be the right size for me. Ta dah! And now that I know it’s a very easy project and turns out well, I can make some for gifts. (Luckily, I still have enough of that gorgeous Drops yarn to make a pair of mittens or a hat!)

In the meantime, we’ve just come back from the first Halloween party of the day, for the little ones...

Talk about a feast! They dined on witch’s broomsticks, pumpkin-shaped sandwiches and cheesy puff pastry bats, amongst other goodies. A friend and I joined up to throw a party for our young ones – thankfully she offered her home as I have a trick-or-treat party and sleepover happening here later...

We both had lots of decorations to share. I was in charge of some veggie snacks, which took the shape of a pumpkin head

...and lots of sugar cookies to decorate and gobble up! There were cats, rats, bats and creepy spiders!

I also made larger pumpkin cookies and a few ghosts for the children to decorate with orange icing and all sorts of sweets!

Now I’m off to prep the food for the next party, a decidedly scarier affair for the older kids! Happy Halloween everyone! Please share your latest hooky WIPs below, I’ll enjoy reading them when I’m up late tonight listening to sleepover giggles down the hall...

Tomorrow I’m dusting off that pink hook and getting back to hexies!

Chrissie x

Bloomin’ CAL: How do you hook?

Hello hello hello to the newest members of the Bloomin’ Crochet-A-Long! Ladybird Diaries and I are so happy to have you with us, whether you are following along quietly or are posting and linking up with our endeavours.

This week I’m curious to know how you go about projects involving numerous hexies, flowers, granny squares, etc. Do you crochet one at a time, changing colours as necessary, or do you crochet a bunch of centres, then proceed to do a wave of second colours on each one, like a hooky assembly line?

I’ve been following a few bloggers who do different methods, and I’m curious why you choose to work the way you do!

So far, I’ve been content to work one hexie blossom at a time. I like watching the little sweeties build up the petals and the lovely cream edge. I like snipping the yarn of each finished one and laying it down flat and admiring it. A teeny project complete.

However, I have a sneaking suspicion that this is because it is still very early days with this blanket. I am in the honeymoon period, where I am still enchanted by the candy colours. I find every round a joy. Ask me how I’m feeling at hexie 47 of 114...

Which prompts me to ask if you ever change your method partway through a project? Or perhaps shove the lot in a basket and leave it for a bit? I find I’m constantly seduced by new patterns. Hence this CAL, to keep my focus! Are you a fickle hooker?

And speaking of fickle, the little snowflake in the latest Simply Crochet magazine caught my eye...

I spotted this very pretty sparkly thread at a haberdashery earlier this week, and I knew straight away that I wanted it for snowflakes. The shimmer in it is from a clear, plastic-like thin thread woven into the shiny cotton strand, so it sparkles without having an actual metallic thread that is obvious to the eye. I used a size 2 hook, it is quite delicate going, but I’m pleased with the result. I’ve blocked it, but I might play around with starching or something to make it a bit stiffer. Garland is the obvious use, but I am considering making more and sticking them to plain brown gift tags as Christmas labels. This one is smaller and more fragile than the snowflake in the magazine, which was worked in proper yarn.

And I just couldn’t end a crochet post without showing you the progress with the snood:

mmmmm...

Welcome to my new followers, and a huge thank you to everyone joining in the CAL, I am so happy to have so many enthusiastic, lovely people happily hooking up with us! Link up below...

Chrissie x