Mixed stitch blanket update

2012 is almost over!

I have loved reading about all the fab projects that have been completed during the year. It has made me realise that I really want to be able to do a 'projects I completed in 2013' post next year. I can't do one this year because I just haven't been taking enough photos! I also have no idea when a lot of my projects were started and finished. But that is all going to change in 2013! I'm going to make more time for crafting, and make sure I keep a record (and photos) of all my projects.

 

So, over the next week or so I WILL blog about the projects I have on the go already. I will take photos as they progress. And I will make sure that they get ta-dah posts when they are finished.

 

Today is all about my mixed stitch blanket. My first crochet-along, with little woollie. I do know when I started this one! I put it on Ravelry! It was 24th August, so has been on the go for 4 months. And I have to say, looking at it now, that it is not much of a blanket! To be fair I have worked on a lot of other projects at the same time, and the blanket was pretty much shoved into a corner in October to make way for Christmas crafting. But it is back out, and I am loving it :)

 

So here it is, my mixed stitch stripey blanket.

 

 

Wishing you all a happy, and crafty, New Year!

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Handmade Christmas gifts

Hello lovely people! Have you all had a smashing Christmas?

I do hope so.

 

A little owl that I managed to crochet up from the lovely hopscotch lane

 

Today I would like to talk about handmade gifts.

Because this year I properly got my knickers in a twist.

I had so many ideas - and so little time! 2 weeks before Christmas I abandoned several ideas and bought presents instead. And Miss M's gift was given to her unfinished! (Not that she minded, she's a good girl like that!)

 

Has this happened to you? Please tell me I am not just hopelessly unorganised! I want to make gifts, they are so much more personal, and I have SO many ideas. But then I have to go to work, and cook the dinner, and do the ironing, and all the other mummy jobs. And crafting time gets less and less...

 

Anyway, I did manage to finish gifts for my mum and dad, which I would like to show you if that's ok?

I used my new quilting skills (quilt update coming soon!) to make them each a Kindle case. And I am really please with them. Wanted to keep them for myself in fact!

 

 This one is my dad's.
Took a long time choosing 'manly' fabric!!
LOVE this button :)

And this one is mum's.
Red and elephants. 2 of her favourite things!
And I covered this button myself.
Easy peasy and looks pretty good I think.

I'm so pleased I managed to finish them.

 

And now crafting is much more relaxed. I still have A LOT of things on the go, but without the pressure of Christmas Day I can enjoy them a bit more!

Mixed stitch stripey blanket has been worked on quite a bit since Christmas Eve

 

 

This is an old photo, I haven't taken any in the last few days but I will! Really soon!
I am still really loving it, I'm terribly behind with the crochet-along but I'm sure I can catch up!!

I also have my other 'secret' project to share with you now Christmas Day has been and gone! More on that very soon :)

I hope your Christmas crafting wasn't quite as frantic as mine!

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I love my Christmas Tree!

Today we put up our Christmas tree!

 

I love Christmas-tree-going-up day, the choosing, the decorating, the Christmas music that just HAS to be on while the tree goes up!

And the smell!

I LOVE the smell of Christmas tree!

 

Miss M made a very speedy choice of tree today. Usually we look at LOADS. Twirl them. Dismiss them for being too big. Too small. Too wonky. Too skinny. I find one I like that is too big. We look at more trees. I end up buying the one that is too big!!

 

This year I had decided that too big just doesn't matter.

It's only there a couple of weeks so it doesn't matter that I can't get in the cupboard or open and close the curtains easily.

What matters is the loveliness of it all, and so bigger certainly means better!!

 

So this is the tree that Miss M choose for us.

 

This is (I'm ashamed to say) the best photo I could manage. I tried to take close up shots of some of my handmade decorations, but they are all blurry. Mr T is at work and he is my technical adviser :) I will get another camera lesson soon and take some photos of the decorations to share with you!!

 

Well, I'm feeling very festive now so I think it's time for a glass of wine and a little crochet (whilst gazing lovingly at my tree!)

Hope you all had a lovely weekend

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ETA - more pictures!!
These are the pictures I was trying to take last night, and failed!
Mr T very kindly took them while I was at work :)

These were all made last year.
This year all my hand made decorations got sold!!!
But I have a few ideas for new ones, it's not too late!!

Felt Christmas tree

Felt star with an insane number of beads stitched on!!!

 

This little angel was a first draft. I used her to test out a few ideas, then I made 2 more for my sister's Christmas tree using the little lace cap sleeves from her wedding dress. Now every year she gets to hang a little bit of her wedding dress on her tree. And I get to hang up little my first-draft!

 

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New crochet hooks!

I treated myself to an early Christmas present! - new crochet hooks :-)

 

 

These lovely hooks came all the way from China (via ebay!) and have the most lovely bamboo handles.

 

 

I have had a little play with one of them and it is lovely to work with.

 

I'm looking forward to many hours of happy crochet with these :-)

 

I also managed to sneak into the picture the beginnings of a little dolly blanket, worked in granny squares using 2 colours of stylecraft. I do love making granny squares!

 

 

And a sweet little dolly dress too! A friend asked if I could make her daughter some dolly clothes as a Christmas present. Such fun knitting such teeny tiny things! I have another little outfit on my needles at the moment. Will post pictures soon.

 

Hope you have all had a lovely weekend!

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Pretty in pink

I do love it when one of my friends has a new baby - so many sweet little things to make!

 

This simple card was quickly stitched (once I had finished all the Christmasy stuff!)

and I think looks lovely!

 

Pretty in pink!

 

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