Merry Christmas Everyone

I can’t believe how close Christmas is now!  I spent all of yesterday reminding people that it was Christmas Grace (it didn’t seem fair that Eve had a day and I didn’t so the 23^rd of December is officially Christmas Grace).

I wasn’t well for a couple of days so I couldn’t go and visit my best friend so he posted me my present which was so nice of him – THANK YOU!

So here is what I got:

Ok the little graduate minifig I bought myself but the rest was all off my best friend - the Christmas tree, the mini R2D2 and the racing car.

Also, my friend sent me a picture of the R2D2 that I made, sitting in his Christmas Tree:

Have a great Christmas everyone!

Christmassy-ness!

I haven't blogged in so long due to courseworks and project work but I have still been crocheting!

I've also been away this weekend with The Boy's family having a Christmas together.  As everyone lives scattered over the country, it was great to have everyone in one place to celebrate an early Christmas.  I also got some presents which was lovely including a wind-up pair of mini spacehoppers off The Boy's little brother which Eve and I were racing today.

They are so much fun!

I decided to make one if my Mum's patterns - Patchwork Ball in Celtic colours as a present for The Boy's brother as he is a huge Celtic fan (I blame his Dad for corrupting him).

You can't really see the colours in the picture though - it's white and dark green.

Oh also, thank you to everyone who has made my Christmas Tree Angel or who plans to.  It has kindly been translated into French for me by Particules so there is now a French pdf pattern on ravelry or available from her blog here.

FO Friday - My first present finished

I was working on wednesday at the place I did my summer work and it was great to see everyone.  I figured it would probably be the last time I'd see my Best Friend before Christmas so I had to rush to complete my present for him.

He's been making me watch Star Wars because apparently it's such a crime that I haven't seen them already so I had to make him a Star Wars present.

I chose to make R2D2 by Penelope Senior (pattern here)

The colour-work looks really effective and I was thrilled by the way it looked when I finished it.

I think I'll be making myself one! My Best Friend loved it too.

Weekend Pie

Yup I baked a pie.  Well I love baking and The Boy has wanted to make a pie between us for a while now (he'd make the filling and I'd make the pastry).

It was so tasty!  I managed to kill the top part a bit though as I tried to lift it over the pie so spent a fair amount of time with a glass of water and any spare pastry pieces trying to patch it up again,

I cut out the little heart by hand and it really confused Boy as I didn't let him see it until after it had been baked.

 

It also meant I got to use my cookery book I got for my birthday for only about the second time (last time was scrambled eggs I think).  We'll definitely be making another pie again soon!

December!!!

As it's the first of December today I am finally allowed to put my Christmas Tree up - and guess who is on top of it:

I got a 5ft tree as it's just the cheapest I could find (students!) and just got some simple baubles for it.  I need to crochet some decorations but I've been so busy with my uni project presentation that I haven't got much done.

As you can see my teddy bear is supervising me while I decorate the tree.

Also when I met up with my Mum in town last week-ish she gave me a lovely owl decoration for the tree:

It's so cute and it has a bell in it so when she gave it to me in a plastic bag I was so confused by the jangling.

Brewing Review

The day of beer tasting finally arrived and the one of the bottles was opened.  However, we didn't realise that you're not supposed to tip up the bottles but to keep the yeast settled at the bottom so the first couple that were opened were undrinkable.

We were then told by a friend who has done this before that it's best to pour it into a glass and leave the yeast in the bottle so it's now drinkable apparently.  Well, drinkable enough for The Boy to take a box of 20 around to a friend's to split between a few of them.

So overall it was a success (although we all though it wouldn't work) and no doubt there will be more beer brewing in the flat again soon.

Om nom nom Crumble!

I decided to bake an apple and mixed berry crumble the other day and it was DELICIOUS!!!

We actually haven't finished it all off yet.

Here is the recipe I used:
http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/516845

Although I used tinned mixed berries rather than fresh or frozen.

Christmas Tree Angel

I've finished my lovely little Christmas Tree Angel and typed up the pattern.  She turned out exactly how I wanted her to.

Let me know if there's any problems with the pattern.

It's also available to download as a PDF here 

The finished size is about 4 inches (10 cm) tall
Notes: inc = dc 2 in same stitch, dec = dc 2 together (dc2tog)

 
Need:

• 3.0 mm or 3.5mm crochet hook.
• Double Knitting or Worsted wool in the following colours:
• White
• Skin Tone
• Hair Coloured
• Black (for eyes – or you can use toy eyes)
• Stitch Markers.
• Tapestry needle
• Stuffing.
• Black cotton for the mouth.

Pattern: (English terms used)
Head
Skin Tone WoolRow 1: 6 dc in a magic ring                               (6 stitches)
Row 2: inc around                                             (12 stitches)
Row 3: (inc, dc 1) around                                  (18 stitches)
Rows 4-6: dc around                                          (18 stitches)
Row 7: (dec, dc 1) around and stuff head.         (12 stitches)
Row 8: (dec) around until hole is closed. Slip stitch and finish off leaving long tail to sew.

Body
White Wool
Row 1: chain 6 and slip stitch into first to create a loop.
Row 2: dc 8 into the ring (8 stitches)
Row 3: (inc, dc 1) around (12 stitches)
Row 4: Dc in every stitch around (12 stitches)
Row 5: Dc 1 in every stitch around (12 stitches)
Row 6: (inc, dc 2) around (16 stitches)
Row 7: Ch 1, tr in every stitch around (16 stitches)
Row 8: (dc 2 in the same stitch, dc 3) around (20 stitches)
Row 9: Ch 1, tr in every stitch around (20 stitches)
Row 10: (dc 2 in the same stitch, dc 4) around (24 stitches)
Row 11: Ch 1, tr in every stitch around (24 stitches)
Row 12: tr 1, (ch 2, miss 1 tr, tr in next stitch) around (24 stitches)
Row 13: (tr 2 in ch space, ch 1) around slip stitch into first stitch (24 stitches)
Row 14: ch 4, ss into ch space. Finish off and sew in tail.

Arms (make 2)
Skin Colour and White wool (start with skin colour)
Row 1: 6 dc in a magic ring. (6 stitches)
Row 2-3: dc around. change to white (6 stitches)
Row 4-5: dc around. (6 stitches)
Row 6: (inc, dc 2) around. (8 stitches)
Row 7-8: dc around. (8 stitches)
Fasten off leaving tail to sew to body.


Wings (make 2)
White wool
Row 1: chain 6 and slip stitch into first to create a loop.
Row 2: dc 8 in ring (8 stitches)
Row 3: inc around. (16 stitches)
Row 4: ch 1, tr in same stitch, (ch 2, miss 1 dc, tr) twice, double treble.
Fasten off leaving tail to sew to body

Halo
White wool
Chain 20, ss into first stitch to create a loop.
 
Hair
Hair Coloured wool
Cut several pieces of wool of the same length (I cut them about 8 cm long)
Tie together and sew onto the top of the head in the centre
 
Making Up
Stuff the arms – I didn’t stuff them firmly.
Sew the halo onto the head (over the hair).
Sew the head, wings, and arms onto the body.
Sew the facial features onto the face
To make the cheeks pinkish I coloured them in with a red coloured pencil.

  

Updated WIP Logo

I've adjusted the image so it is now clearer.

Here it is:

The miracles of photo editing software!

A New Project

I realised that I don't have an angel for my tree and it's not worth buying one as they're either cheap and nasty or horrendously expensive so I decided to see what Ravelry had to offer.

The angels don't have hair or a proper face so I'm making my own one.  So far I've only made the head (with hair) and started on the body but it looks pretty good.  Only got: arms, wings, and halo to do after that!  I'm writing up a pattern as I go along so hopefully it'ss be done so I can post it soon.

Also it means I get to debut my 'WIP' logo on Ravelry!

A WIP logo and a request

Typically as soon as The Boy saw my apple cosy he said he'd like one too.  He did say that he didn't want it to be the same 'girly' colours so it will be red, two shades of blue and black.

I also need to get planning what I'm making for Christmas so I've started a list and it's already scary!  However Eve and I started Christmas shopping yesterday (mostly just buying stuff for each other).

Last night I decided to draw a WIP symbol to put on Ravelry rather than a picture of a half-made object.

I wasn't sure if the writing is visible enough or in the right place (comments welcome) but it's quite cute.

A Finished Project and a Haircut

Today I went to the hairdressers for the first time since I was about 5 and was a bridesmaid (my Mum has always cut my hair).  Naturally I was very nervous but I chose to go to a place called Janet's Hair Design in Liverpool because my Mum is also called Janet.  The staff were so friendly and I was chatting away to them for ages.  £9 for a dry cut - I will definitely be going back there!

So here is my lovely hair:

It's nice and short so I shouldn't accidentally eat it any more!

I also finished a crochet project today.  I made one of Mum's patterns:
Jolly Little Goody Bags by Yellow, Pink and Sparkly 
I made this bag to protect my apples in my bag for uni. It was really quick to make and a simple pattern as it just depends on the basic motif for each side.  I made the large size bag as I only own DK wool and the middle size for 4ply would have been a bit too small.

I love the colours of the bag.  I chose to just use white, lilac, purple and black.

The Ladykillers

Last night I went with my Mum and Eve to see The Ladykillers at the Liverpool Playhouse Theatre.  As the Playhouse is in its 100th year it premiered the play ahead of it being shown a

It was so funny - I knew it was a comedy but I wasn't expecting anything as good.  It's the stage version of the 1955 Ealing Comedy of the same name (not the 2004 film).

The cast were mostly people I'd heard of: Peter Capaldi, Ben Miller, James Fleet, Clive Rowe, Stephen Wight, and Marcia Warren.

Here is the official website: http://www.theladykillers.co.uk/