Feeling special

I got an email from one of the editors at Craft Corners the other day saying that they like my blog and offering to give me a little blog widget.

Craft Corners recognizes you!

I was flattered by their kind words so now it is on display at the side of my blog

FO Friday - A Knitted Cowl

After I made my crocheted snood cowl I still had a lot of autumn coloured bulky wool left and didn't know what to do with it.  I just put it in my stash basket ans ignored it.  However, after I had made the little knitted bear toy last week I decided I would knit myself a cowl with the remaining wool.

I just improvised the pattern - 70 stitches for 41 rows, mostly stocking stitch but starting and ending with 6 rows of garter stitch.

So here is the finished cowl:

A lovely thank you

The friend who I made the bunny disguised as a zebra for was thrilled when she got it.

Today, when I saw her, she gave me a card to say thank you:

She was also wearing a dress with rabbits on -  how adorable!!!

Something a bit different

As everyone knows, I love to crochet.  However, yesterday evening I felt like making something a bit different.  I felt like knitting something for a change.  So after some careful browsing of (very) easy Ravelry patterns I found Anything Animals by Rachel Borello Carroll

I loved that it was such a basic design but could be adapted into a variety of animals so I immediately set out to make one:

He's so cute!!! I used 3mm needles rather than the 4.5 recommended in the pattern.  I can't wait to make more now.

Also you can probably just about see in the photo that I've dyed my hair a bright red colour which I absolutely love

FO’s 2012 =  23+1=24

WIP’s = 6 + 2 = 8

Queued = 8

A Very Generous Friend

One of my uni friends asked me if I wanted some wool the other day.  She had been given it by her Auntie but had nothing to do with it so she offeref it to me instead.  I was just expecting a few balls of wool but instead I got an amazing amount of wool.

I've grouped it by weight - the red 4ply at the start, then it's double knit, then aran, then the denim super chunky stuff at the end.

I love the colour of the Aran wool below.  I've now got 450g of it.

Included was also a set of handles and a stitch holder.

Overall I think I am very lucky with what I got.  The DK colours are all ones I didn't have before.

In other news, my uni project is going well - we've got to present it to the supervisor and assessor on Tuesday so we've been busy all day every day this week trying to get it working and complete our poster.

Still Here!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while but I was at a wedding over the weekend and I've got project deadlines coming up next week.

Not much to report in terms of crafts.  I was having a geeky day the other day so I sat and watched The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and made myself a bracelet:

That's my diary/ planner in the second photo (with all the colourful robots on it)

I'll try and blog again soon!

WIP Wednesday: Same old projects

I'm still working on my Tetris blanket and my present for my best friend.   Today I'll make the 100th granny square for the Tetris blanket.  That does mean I will be 26 days ahead of where I'm supposed to be but when I get back to uni next week I won't be able to crochet as much.

I realised that I never photographed my cogs phone cosy so here is the finished project.

I also found that where I thought I had made 18 things in 2012 I had actually made 22 so now I have a list in a notebook (my Mum will be pleased I'm making lists).

Anyways I'm off to do some dishes and tidying up now as we may have a friend staying over (the one I made the red football for).

Happy Easter!

The Boy and I are off for a roast dinner at a friend's soon so I just wanted to wish you all a Happy Easter  before I go.

I also made a pie to take with us for dessert:

I found the cookie cutters in the cupboard otherwise I would have had to cut out the shapes by hand

It's not too late for Easter making!

Did you see my cute bunny disguised as a zebra last week?  I decided that, because it is Easter this weekend, I should make another bunny in disguise.  This time I wanted to make a rainbow bunny.

The design is really simple and just uses scraps of double knit or worsted weight wool.  It took me less than an hour to make it.

Download it here

Simple Striped Bunny: (english terms used)
the first 12 rows use alternating colours for the stripes
1. dc 6 in a magic ring slip stitch to close              (6)
2. ch 1, inc around slip stitch to close                    (12)
3. ch 1, (dc, inc) around slip stitch to close            (18)
4. ch 1, (dc, dc, inc) around slip stitch to close      (24)
5-13. ch 1, dc around, slip stitch  to close.             (24)
change to colour of bunny
14. ch1, in back loops only (dc, dc, dec) around, slip stitch to close. (18)
15. ch1, dc around, slip stitch to close.                   (18)
16. ch1, (dc, dec) around, slip stitch to close          (12)
17. ch1, dc around, slip stitch to close                    (12)  stuff body
18. ch1, dec around, slip stitch and fasten off          (6)
Sew hole closed

Ears:  (make 2)
ch 6, dc in  2nd chain from hook and along chain. dc 2 in last chain and dc down along other side of chain.  Fasten off and sew to head.

Tail:
dc 4 in magic ring.  dc 4 around, fasten off and sew to body.

I sewed a little pink nose and sewed on the eyes as well.

FO Friday - It's Titus!

I've finally got around to finishing off the barn owl I started during Design Week.  I love how he turned out - he's so cute!

The pattern will be posted as soon as I've typed it up and checked it.  Hopefully won't be too long!

FO’s 2012 = 20 + 1 =21

WIP’s =  5 + 1 = 6

Queued =7

WIP Wednesday - The Tetris Blanket

I've still got a long way to go on this project but I've been sewing and crocheting it every day (or trying to) but I'm still on target to finish on my predicted date.

So far I've crocheted and sewn 68 squares so only 132 to go.  I've got 3 complete rows but mostly it's pretty random - a big splodge in the middle with squares coming out in all directions.  The most important thing is that it's making progress!

Doesn't it look pretty good!  I can't wait for it to be complete now.

I also tried out a square of Crochet Lego Blanket Tutorial.  It does look like Lego and it is so simple - just using bobbles to create the blobs (technical term) on a Lego brick.

Sorry the pictures look so dark but otherwise it's hard to see the bobbles.

My parents brought my stuff back to the flat today as I stayed with them for just over a week so I've been watching cricket this afternoon (while I unpack) as the Indian Premier League started today *does happy dance*.  Last year I watched almost every match while I was revising for my exams.

FO Friday - Getting Stuff Done

This week I've been trying to catch up on some crocheting that I have sadly been neglecting.

Firstly is a pretty random request that I received on a night out - my friend asking was just a tad tipsy!  She asked me if I could make 'aaaanything' and so I hesitantly enquired what she had in mind and was met with -  a bunny disguised as a zebra with one ear up and one ear down.  Random, I know!  After checking that she still wanted it the next day, I set out making it.  I only wanted to make a simple shape so the stripes would be more effective so here is my finished bunny-disguised-as-a-zebra.

Next is the pattern I was testing for Lucy In The Sky - 'Granny Chic 'Granny Stripe' Wrist Warmers'.  Sadly, I didn't make it quickly enough to give feedback about it - I was kicking myself for that!  So I let it hibernate for a bit but I've been crocheting it madly for the last couple of days as the temperatures have dropped again and I am rather chilly.  The pattern is really easy to follow and I think they look great and fit really well too.  The hardest part for me was choosing the colours.  I decided to make it symmetrical from the centre and I chose 2 colours that worked with the main colour and 2 that clashed with it.

I also want to say "Hi!" to my Best Friend who is off work ill at the moment - I hope you feel a bit better today.

He's in the middle of buying his own place so I'm planning to make a housewarming present.  I'm going to need to start making it soon as I don't know when he's likely to move.

And, finally, because I saw this idea on Kittens With Mittens and it looked like a good way to keep track of projects:

FO’s 2012 =  18 + 2 =20

WIP’s =  6

Queued = 8 

That wasn't as many as I thought it would be actually so I'm quite pleased!

Mothering Sunday

I know it just looks like I've forgotten to post since last week but we decided to put off Mothering Sunday for a week so it wasn't the same day as Eve's birthday.

As I have been feeling rather creative with my card-making recently I decided to make my card for Mum:

I love the little buttons and I have to admit I'm still surprised by how symmetrical the heart looks

We had a lovely day and watched the F1 (what an exciting race it was!!!) and generally made Mum feel special.