roman sock

love is all around

I hope you all had a simply marvelous valentines day!! Look what landed on my doorstep this morning:

I ordered them from Soto Softies and they arrived just in time! Aren't they the most darling things in the world! Ever!

I also got this adorable crocheted and felted bowl from Monika. It's great for my keys and phone, and finally stops the scratches.

I am working on two very time consuming projects...sigh... I am working double time on them - especially as one is for a baby that's on the way!

a ripple baby blanket ...

and this scarf! Inspired by Wisteria and Moonstitches' famous rhubarb scarf.

Well, over and out!

A lobster, Nefoundland yarn and some blogs

I have been using the gorgeous Newfoundland yarn that Monika sent me to knit up this little scarf. I paired it with a broach I made from a fossil bead I bought on etsy. It's the perfect accompaniment to the pouring rain that has been soaking Edinburgh for days. A little warm snuggly scarf guards against the cold and makes even the torrential rain seem fun!

I have also started this alpaca scarf. I love the fan pattern, its a bit lighter than the traditional fan and in this lace weigh alpaca is very soft and flowy. It is inspired by Moonstitches' Rhubarb scarf

In the spirit of the great blog show and tell, I thought I would share some of mine. I really enjoy reading everyones' and have added so many to my google reader that I'm struggling to get through them each day!

So here they are... Just a small selection (I love so many!) I have tried to give a wide variety not just my crochet crushes...

Kinoko : This young lady is making simply stunning things. What an eye! I think her Charlotte is just about the most ethereal thing ever crocheted. She has also introduced me to all sorts of new baking!

Moonstitches : I am in awe of this blog. Everything about it is just so beautiful. Her color combinations are just astounding, and the whole blog has the most glorious look and feel.

Queer Joe's Knitting Blog : This blog always makes me laugh! What amazing projects. I am not a knitter, but every post makes me want to learn!

Q.D Patooties: Just about the cutest bears known to man, and now crocheted sock monkeys! Who could want more.

Soto Softies : I am a bonfide fan of Maritza's work. It is just sheer joy. I have also been enjoying her new blog  Inside the Softie Machine that gives an insight into the world behind the amazing softies. 

Owlishly: I am also a long time Owly fan. Her new softie Lana is just adorable. A little girl dressed as a sheep. How astoundingly cute is that.

Figs with Bri: Every post from Bri just makes me drool. I wish I could have her eating experiences or one day try her food a single time. Even her photographs are good enough to eat.

Living the Simple Life I Want: I have a dream to live the simple life, and I am learning how to save and spend less from this blog. It really is an inspiration. As is Irish Sally Garden; although sometimes it makes me hurt, I just want that life so badly. 

Lucky Beans: This blog reminds me of my childhood. I grew up in Africa, amongst other places, and with every post I can even smell it when I read. It's amazingly evocative for me.

Craftybits: June's blog was the first I started to read. It has a wealth of knowledge on it, and is great for the beginner crocheter.

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As some of you may know... I have a new job and will soon move to a new city - though Glasgow isn't really that far away. I am going to really miss my old job and my colleagues, but I have this amazing photo to remember them all by. It was taken many years ago and no one can remember by who or where, but it is of a baby lobster just before it is released from a hatchery. How cute is that! Can crustaceans be cute? I think so. I guess it is a bit like me! Heading into the unknown.

The Munro

I am sorry for not posting....but I have been obsessed.... totally obsessed.... with making this bag. The design is scarily simple but I am really pleased with the results. I think it is more of a wip project bag rather than a everyday handbag but still... I think it was worth the night and day devotion.

 

I have long been an admirer of the gorgeous ripple afghans that everybody is making, but I just don't have that sort of commitment, and I wanted something that I could see all the time that captured a little bit of that feel. If anyone is interested in a quick tutorial let me know. It was seriously the simplest thing to make.

Christmas this year will be a cozy small affair...and I even have presents which are a total surprise. I am so excited!!

When I was little, my mum put our filled stocking on our doors, so when we woke up in the morning we could open that, and then later when the adults were thoroughly awake (After a busy night wrapping - I guess) we would all be allowed in the living room.

I always thought it was a great idea, and the memories of those small presents opened in total silence in my room with all the excitement of the day are just the best. She would also leave a little present under our pillows so there was a little something at the end of the day too. Although I have to confess I was one of those kids that always succumbed to too much birthday or too much Christmas... Oh well!!

Bad things come in threes

1. Laptop fan started malfunctioning

2. Boiler stopped working, so no hot water or central heating (Can't be fixed until Monday)

3. Postie pretended to deliver a package with the wool that I need for the Robin and Giraffe on Friday (He just put a card through the door saying that I wasn't in - and then when I called after him he ran away!!!!) and when I went to the post office on Saturday I was told I couldn't get it until Monday... and when I explained what happened the Manager said 'Posties are bad for that' ( Does this count?? Or is another bad thing coming?)

So trying to keep warm I have been crocheting my scarf furiously. Cold seems to sap my creativity so couldn't come up with anything else.

I am quite happy with it though, and when I wore it out this afternoon nobody looked at me like I was entirely off my head ( It still needs to be blocked - the freezing cold is stopping me)

 

I love the stitch, It reminds me of Greek and Roman columns - very structural, yet elegant. I was lucky enough to go to high school in Athens, Greece and my favorite museum was the Cycladic Museum. Somehow this scarf reminds of it. http://www.cycladic-m.gr/.

The yarn is Debbie Bliss Cathay, very beautifully, but a tad splitty for me.

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Broomstick Lace Instructions

Multiples of 4 stitches

Chain however many you want (Multiple of 4) I used a 3.5 crochet hook and chained on 60 + 1 for a turning chain

(Using a turning chain to retain same number of stitches on each row)

2 rows of single crochet

*Chain 1, Draw the loop through until you have a loop of two to three centimeters (keep this loop on bar of hook)

Insert hook through next stitch, yarn over and draw loop up to the same height as the first (Now you should have two loops on bar of hook)

Do this for each stitch

You should have one loop for each stitch.Yep you just leave them there! At the end you will have 60 or so loops (How ever many you decided to chain on initially) on your hook. Once you have finished the row you just take your hook out.

Turn the work

Put hook through the first 4 loops, then single crochet around all 4 loops with 4 single crochet stitches, do the same for each consecutive set of four stitches.

Chain 1 ( a turning chain) Single crochet the next row.

Repeat from * until you are finished.

( I learned from 300 crochet stitches - but this is my interpretation)

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I have the next week off work and my nose will be firmly at the crochet grindstone! I will show you what I come up with!

lament of the granny square

I am working hard on the meerkat pattern and it should be ready extremely soon. I am loathe to say tomorrow because I keep saying that, but really I promise...very soon...probably tomorrow. See I have wrestled him down already!

I had a grand idea for a carpet-bag-inspired, granny-square bag and now I have the wool and have started. I am just not sure about the colours or the design!

This is the carpet it was inspired by.

And this is what I have come up with! They just don't feel right. I am not sure if I should just give it up now and frog it or if I should try to make the whole bag and see if it works...I am so confused.

It is starting to feel more wintery now, and at the weekend we went for a winter walk. It was muddy but gorgeous with high pine trees and falling leaves, but me being me..I slipped in the mud and fell flat on back! The mud was just so muddy that I kind of sunk... and I couldn't get up because I was laughing so hard. I love it when that happens, it makes me feel...real, somehow, if that makes sense. More alive.

the amelia bag

Here is a bag design I have been working on for a long time. This is the third trial and I am finally happy with it. I like bags that have some shape rather than flat bags and I love the look of carpet bags and textured wool mixed with leather. It is made with blue faced Leicester wool which is variegated ( Next time I will try with a dark red - not variegated I am not sure I like the effect) This is the simplest version. I am going to work on ones with ruffles and patterns.I am writing up the pattern and as soon as I have finished I will bung it in the side bar.

 

This bag is named after Amelia Peabody from the Elisabeth Peters books which I am totally obsessed with (Currently on Children of the Storm) and I guess I think it is both a bit different but ultimate extremely practical. I found a really good interview with Barbara Mertz ( Elisabeth Peters) here http://www.loc.gov/locvideo/peters/ which shed a lot of light on the writing process.

The flower:

from the side:

on my computer table:

   

scarf mohair thistle stitch

I have finally finished this scarf. I wanted it to be a shawl initially but didn't have enough wool. I really like the way it came out! The stitch is thistle stitch and is so easy and makes a fab effect. I will put together a little tutorial.

Even though its holey its still nice and warm!

I love the stitch!

 

Owl by night

Ms Sock likes to sleep in total darkness and after a couple of prototypes I made her these.

She has been using a prototype for months and is now happy I have finally finished it.

I have far to many projects on the go at the moment and wish I could concentrate on them rather than work but hey ho.

We have been thinking about buying a house and are debating whether we could build are own. Ms Sock discovered cob houses. They are amazing check them out here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cob_(building)

and here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/garyzuker/127537666/

I am in love!

Crocheted Bag

At last my bag is finished, I feel like I have been making it for ages. Its crocheted out of pure wool and the contrast fabric was bought when I still lived in Hong Kong over 17 years ago now.

I am really proud of it. I made some crocheted flowers out of sari silk yarn but decided not to use them on it because I wanted to keep it quite simple.

 

I made up the pattern which I think I might write up because it was so easy to make. Just a monkey and some moomins to go, and then I can think of some new projects.

Download Tutorial: Download DesireeBagTutorial.pdf

Lovers Knot

This was supposed to be a lovely shrug but to be honest after I had made it, blocked it, stitched it and put it on - it made my arms look like they were cottage cheese poured into a pair of lacy tights…

…so thought I had better rework it. I think I am going to make it in to a bit of a shawl/scarf combination. I am really pleased with the effect though. The stitch (Solomon Knot or Lovers Knot) was really simple to learn and looks really delicate - a very desirable combination. Its made out of lovely alpaca, stunning wool!

Learn the lovers knot here: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art4830.asp