Remember This

Time to finish some projects. Started the sleeve of the jumper after some confusion over the needles. The pattern says to do it on 3.5mm whereas the back and front are on 4mm. For starters we don't have 3.5mm. Anyway going with the same as the back so that it doesn't look different.
It has been unpicked several times already to try and sort the pattern and the increases :-(So must get back to it so it looks like I have made some progress this weekend.

Yet More Purchases

Here is one of my purchases from the Bakewell Wool Gathering last weekend. For beginner to intermediate crochet skills - I think the lady was too kind - I can't imagine that I am anywhere near intermediate, but we'll see.
So far I have resisted the temptation to start them as I am going to practice first.The picture is a bit small but it is Owl Bunting - quite cute. The plan is to hang them underneath my map of 100 Aker Wood - yes really.
It seems ages ago since I finished a project so I'll keep this post short so that I can continue with a project - the other purchase from last week which I did not resist from starting.

Crochet Progress

Ok so I got a little bored just going backwards and forwards with double and treble crochet so I decided to tackle a Granny Square - after all there seems to be so many things to do with them. 

A few weeks ago when I was down in my home town I just happened to wander into the wool shop, as you do, and decided to buy some bright coloured wool - and here it is. Just 3 balls  - the photograph does not do the brightness justice but it has been dull most of the weekend and I left it a little late to get the camera out.

So here are the 3 squares I have managed to complete so far  in order starting top left, then right and bottom. I thought the first attempt was ok - following the book, then second, well not too good - maybe I should have followed the book more although it is simple once you get going but I think I have mis-counted and just been too lazy to go back and correct it hence the wonky shape And finally the third one which I think is reasonable and probably makes the first one look a little poor.

This weekend I have been to the Bakewell Wool Gathering with a friend and made a couple of purchases -one to do more crochet - more of that another day.

Hardly a new Skill!

Well some time ago I decided I would like to learn to crochet, which is a brave decision considered my mother described my previous attempts as hopeless :-(
Also a friend bought me the beautiful "Knitting and Crochet Bible" along with wool and crochet hook to make a lovely rabbit, so if ever there was inspiration that is it!
So here is my latest attempt to learn this new skill - it might be unrecognisable but the above consists of double and I think treble crochet - I have certainly done some trebles but can't tell whether this photo includes the trebles - that's how bad I am. On the positive side, it looks like I have mastered the art of shaping although this might not be a plus when I was just trying to a straight piece for practice.
I have got a little bored just going backwards and forwards so I have moved onto to something else but more of that another time.
Today I have been cleaning out the physical "corner-by-the-sofa" - not sure it looks a great deal better but at least it has been vacuumed and the projects I am not currently working on - yes there are some, honest! - have been moved to a room upstairs - probably the are now trying to create their own projects corner-by-the-bed!

New Toys

Many months ago a dear friend gave me a gift voucher for my birthday to spend at Hobbycraft and since then I have been eyeing up various items for some time. Occasionally they appeared on offer, but never all at the same time - until recently.

So a few weeks ago I went and purchased all the above goodies plus a guillotine paper cutter for my card making.

The above includes a felting kit which I must say looks really good value. I expected purple fleece but there is purple, two shades of pink, green and cream so it looks as if might be able to make more than one.

The fat quarter is to make something from the Patchwork Bags book but \I am not sure there is enough to make any complete bag just so I may have to buy more fabric in a main colour. Well what else is a girl supposed to do???

Hmm I really ought to think about completing something to post on here - it must be about time. Talking of time, as Zebedee said - It's time for bed!

Cake!

Here is Sid's last port of call with me at Peak. You can see him a little better here without his attempts at crotchet and taking a rest. He requested a visit to the leader's cafe for tea and cake and I could hardly refuse him could I? It looks like his eyes might have been bigger than his belly as he couldn't eat all his cake - so I had to help him :-) I can't exactly remember what the cake was - some sort of chocolate cake but he had very good taste as it was delicious.
It has occurred to me this week that the New Year's resolution to finish a project a month fell by the wayside very early on in the year so I have been thinking of maybe addressing that.....but then I do have a lot of new projects to do :-) - more of them in the near future.

It's so Exhausting

Here are some photos of the Guides' and Scouts' knitting and crotchet done at Peak. In the Craft Tent the children could have a go at Knitting and Crotchet - this was a bit like a drop-in session where Scouts and Guides could come along and do as much or as little as they liked. Some had never done any knitting or crotchet before and help was at hand to teach them. Others were quite competent and would sit for quite a while doing rows and leaving when they decided that was enough for a while and possibly coming back at another time. I watched one girl on Friday afternoon crotchet - I was quite envious as she was like lightening.

I only worked there on the Friday and initially I found it quite relaxing after working on Junior Peak for 5 days - it was a little like a Knit and Natter to start with then children started dropping by and some needed teaching. I did teach a few how to do a row or two during the day so I did feel as if I had contributed in some way and wasn't just having hiding in the safety of the craft tent!

Over the week they had produced squares or occasionally rectangles to make into blankets for an animal rescue shelter. Alas no-one seemed to know which one but hopefully some animals are snuggling up in them tonight as it has turned chilly after what has been a beautiful day. It has given me an idea as to what our Guides can do this term. :-)

As you can see in the first picture Sid had had an exhausting time learning to crotchet himself so decided to take a rest and test out some of the blankets.