Crochet poppies and randon musings

30th October

Wearing my poppy with pride

We are nearing remembrance day and I decided I would like to make myself a crocheted poppy.  Last year I made myself a crocheted ring ( crochet ring ) but this year I wanted to wear a poppy on my coat with pride.  My husband pointed out that I was missing the point of not buying one as it was all to help our heroes.  What he didn't realise or understand was that I was going to be donating anyway and  not taking one of the paper poppies, so the charity would still get my money but I would not be using their resources but still promoting the cause by wearing mine.  Asked if he wanted a crocheted poppy, he replied with a resounding, "No!"  Those that follow this blog will remember that he struggles with  my crochet addiction and thinks it is my form of cocaine!

A quick search on line produced what I thought was one of the best looking poppies out there, why try to reinvent the wheel when there is already a great (and free) pattern out there.  I give you my preferred poppy from blog and internet land...

lest-we-forget-poppy

I did not have the teddy bear/doll's eye for the centre of the poppy as suggested so instead this is what I did.

Rough idea about how to roll the crochet

Using black yarn, its a tricky colour to work with, but necessary for the poppy.

Chain 12
Into the second chain from the hook dc and then dc into each chain till the end. 
fasten off leaving a long tail.
Roll up the crochet into a tight roll, see drawing
Then sew in the loose threads, it almost forms a ball, I think it works well.

Sew the black centre onto the poppy and leaf and attach a brooch fastening onto the back, et voila.

After posting on my eclectichomelife facebook page, someone said I should sell them.  Well for me that's not ticket, but I mentioned that if anyone wanted one and would donate money to the British Legion then I would make them one.  Within the hour, I had 10 requests...

Breakfast and my production line

All made and ready to wear

Wool from the Shetland islands

What else has been going on here in the eclectic house, well as said my husband is a tad exasperated by my crafting, he's a gentle tease with a grain of truth behind it and I do not often make him anything.   However this past summer whilst sailing the boat to the Shetland islands he purchased a new boat jumper.  In fact he loves it so much he wears it almost all the time when not at work.  The only issue he has with it is that the neckline is lower than he is used to and as he is a man who feels the cold asked for a neck warmer to match.  Could I find matching yarn anywhere, I could not, but then in honestly, I did not try very hard.  He mentioned I should get in touch with the Shetland island company and see if they could help.  What a great place Shetland knitwear is.  Each time I rang or emailed, there was immediate response, they did what they said and were helpful and efficient.  I so wish all companies were like this.  So now I have matching yarn and the snood has begun.  My home life will be calm and the teasing may stop just for a while....hehehe    Should you be interested,  the webpage is here, it's not the best or most modern, but what a helpful company with wonderfully hand knitted wear. shetlandknitwear


It's half term here, school holidays are my favourite time of the year.  It means we are no longer ruled by that silly clock and I am no longer that banshi woman with hair flaying wildly from the wind that I produce from running round after the children ensuring they have completed all the school tasks, music practice, and rushing from one training session to the other.  I metamorph back into the person I once was pre children into a calmer gentler person who can laugh and have fun, in essence, I am a much nicer person in the holidays.  You hear of these women who cannot wait for their children to go back to school who drag their children kicking and screaming to plonk them by the school gates, me, NO!  I'm the opposite, I barricade the door and do not want to let my children return on the Monday morning.   They in essence  turn into the adults on Monday and remind me that by law they must leave my house and return to the educational establishment that creates in me this nagging monster... ohh noooo, I'm not looking forward to Monday...

This holiday we have stayed at home at the bequest of the children, who wanted lazy home days and to see friends, so we have stayed even more chilled than usual and took in the lovey Windsor Great Park and that especially of Saville Gardens.  Autumnal leaves were played with, kicked about and thrown in the air, trees were climbed and a walk and talk with friends ended the day extremely well, ahh the holidays...

The queen's swans, all swans in the
UK belong to the queen

Autumn sun and fabulous shadows

These swans were really teasing each other

Fun in the gardens

Spectacular autumnal colours

In other news it was my birthday and my wonderful family bought me a microwave glass fusing kiln, I shall be inundating you all with glass, if I haven't already...

Removing the kiln from the microwave you can see
the hot glow from the melted glass inside

Each kiln will fire slightly differently, this was
my first piece and was not quite fired enough, I am learning

And finally my fifth thing to share with you is there is always hope.  I planted these bulbs back in the beginning of September and was almost ready to give up on them, but this morning whilst making my coffee, I spotted the first peak of the green shoot, yeah!

Can you spot what made me jump whilst
choosing my bulbs at the garden centre?

Finally after 8 weeks there are shoots...

For those that missed it I also posted this week about my month of crochet, photos from everyday this month, all in one post, do click the link to see:  Photo a day crochet




Sharing my five things with you this week along with  Amy and all the others for Five on Friday.

♥  Hope your week is full of hope  ♥