Embellishments

February 28th

Crocheted gift ribbon and embellishments

I am rubbish at wrapping gifts, years ago before children I spent ages making my gifts look beautiful but over the years that has fallen by the wayside until recently.  I am a yarn addict and am happy with either a crochet hook or knitting needles in my hand, so along came the idea to embellish my gift in yarn adorned mini makes.

It began with making the gift ribbon and then having fun with the little motives.  This can be personalised to the recipient, from bottles of wine to work tools, cars, diggers and more girlie items such as flowers and hearts.  Your imagination is your only limit when it comes to this. Below are some of mine that I have made recently.

Puff flower - crochet embellsiment

With Easter just around the corner, make some
cute bunnies to add to the crochet gift ribbon

This month's Little Box of Crochet, I could not
resist embellishing this rainbow addition too!

To make the gift ribbon I ensure I have the box or wrapped package to hand and then chain enough to cover once around with maybe 3 chains spare as the overlap and for connecting.  Depending on the size of the gift determines for me the stitch used, the smaller the gift the smaller the stitch, this is so it does not overpower.  I then crochet whichever stitch I have decided upon into each chain.  Once that is complete I take a contrasting colour and dc (UK) sc (US) on each side so that the ribbon effectively has 3 stripes.  Sometimes as with the Little Box of Crochet I actually slip stitched along either edge, just depends on the look you want.   To complete the ribbon itself I either sew the ends together or crochet them with slip stitches.  I tend to then place the ribbon on the package and then sew the motives onto the ribbon in situ making sure I have them placed on the gift exactly where I want.

Choosing the motives is fun and there are so many to be found on the internet, I will let you find your own.  Hope I have given you an idea or a spark, let me know if you give this a try.


♥  How do you gift wrap your presents?

Blanket of Hugs

July 19th

I have mentioned the  Little Box of Crochet   subscription before, many of you know I am a huge fan and have watched this grow from an idea on IG to become a growing business with such a warm hearted open woman called Amanda.  We have never met but somehow she and her daughter have crept into my heart and many other yarny lovers across the globe.

Amanda has been very open about the fight her daughter has against cancer, and after receiving the great news that there was no longer any signs of tumours by her heart a week later another new tumour was found again in Jenny's brain.  These two inspirational women are dealing with this news in the most admirable way.  We all deal with things differently and never know how we will deal with difficult news until such experiences touch us.  There is no right or wrong, but I do find Amanda and Jenny inspirational, have I used that word already about them?

Another person I have followed and admired for some time and who is a crochet designer extraordinaire and so generous with her work and patterns is the fun loving , or so I feel she is, as again we have not ever met either, is Kate from Just Pootling She took it upon herself to start a crochet blanket for Jenny to wrap her up with hugs from crocheters from all around the world and the response has been immense.  In fact today Kate is anticipating the first squares for the blanket to arrive on her door mat.  I am hoping that mine will arrive with her tomorrow, fingers crossed. 

Each square is a 11cm x 12cm and there are three designs.  Kate has asked for a maximum of 3 per person and it's looking like there will be a blanket for mum, Amanda too as well as enough squares to make one to be auctioned for a cancer charity.  Kate is happy to receive squares up to the middle of August, but please not after so there is plenty of time should you wish to get involved, all details can be found at the end of this post.

Deramores came up trumps this time
and my yarn arrived withIn 36 hours of ordering

Quick and easy designs, made in an evening

Practicing my flat lay shots,
this one did not cut the mustard

I found this to be the better flat lay photo

For full details on patterns, yarn colour and makes and where to send the squares to click on the link:

Jenny's blanket of hugs

 

 

 

 

   ♥   As we approach the school summer holidays my hands could be tied up with children's activities, I will endeavour to blog a bit, but it could be few and far between,

please do keep popping back to say hello, would hate to miss you ;)

 

 

EDIT:  Kate has just confirmed that the first squares have indeed arrived today, want to see...

 

 

 

Cruising through the week

March 18th 

Apologies for absence, time has flown and I have been caught up in it all.  Hoping you are well my dear reader and that you have too been occupied and happy.  Can you smell Spring around the corner, I can and it fills my heart with joy.

My very quick five to share with you to day may explain a little of my prolonged silence.  Here goes...

This year my father turns 80 and I accompanied him as his travelling companion on a cruise.  Yes, you did read that correctly, this small boat sailing girl did step foot and lived on a cruise ship for a week.  Will wonders never cease.  John, my husband, exclaimed to the children that I was 'taking one for the team', we small boaters have always scoffed at cruising on such large ships and here I was going willingly...

18 stories high!

As you can see from the photograph she was no small boat.  In fact to be honest with you I had to pretend that I was in a hotel rather than on a boat, she was just too big for comfort for me.  Despite the type of sea faring I was doing, it was fun and good to spend quality uninterrupted time with pappa.

Have cruise will crochet...

Of course I needed my space from him too and along came my crochet.  I brought along with me, one of the Little Box of Crochet subscriptions, which packed up neatly and took very little space in the luggage, it was actually perfect for travelling with.  I will be writing a post just about this subscription next week, look out for it.

International Ted came along for the ride

Some of you may remember that I was given charge to look after International Ted by my colleagues at work, so of course he came along in the hand luggage with me so he could experience it all.  Many people commented on a grown woman with a Teddy bear, more on this in my next post, but I merrily photographed and Ted accompanied me everywhere.

We may have sampled nearly
ALL of the cocktails!

I was told before embarking on the cruise to enjoy the cocktails and what great advice that was, each night pappa and I sampled two or three different ones.  In a week we managed to almost sample the lot, hic.

Sleeves have now been added to the jumper

And on returning home this week I knew I had to crack on with making the surprise jumper for John as his birthday draws ever nearer.  I am now ready to begin the fair isle pattern on the yoke, wish me luck.

Joining in as often as I can with  Amy over at Love Made My Home, to bring you five things from my week.  Pop along and see what others are sharing today.

 

 

♥  Hope Spring is springing with you or that the summer nights are still keeping you warm  ♥

Travelling Ted and a month of crochet

Daffodils the flowers of Wales and St David

March 1st ~
Happy St David's Day
This post has been edited as of 04/03/16 with much added towards the end of the post so if you have already read it, skip down and see lots more...

Having two teenage children in the house I had thought my days were over having to write imaginary diaries of a teddy bear but no, today at work I was presented with International Ted and asked if I could accompany him on his travels for the next week or so!  Let me introduce you...

International Ted

He even has his own webpage and twitter account,
pop over and see here and here

Now so far this post has had nothing to do with knitting, crocheting, sailing baking or my own little corner of the world, so why would I blog about this?  Well my friends  I'm thinking that as an International Ted, surely he needs a wardrobe fit for one to travel the world.  I see he has already travelled from the UK to Canada and brrr he was seen in the snow wearing just his lovely blue school top, but how can that keep him warm? These days my life is wildly busy but I am going to try and sneak in some clothes making time, obviously either knitted or crocheted, what should I make first? Suggestions please... or better still if you fancy lending a hand and are interested in kitting this fine fellow up with a wardrobe that other bears would growl for, drop me a comment below and I can give you his personal body dimensions (he asked ever so politely that I do not post his measurements on the www for all to see, but I can direct message you back; he said that would be ok.)  Let's try and get International Ted looking uber cosmopolitan, better still, thinking out loud, national clothes would be great too...

What clothes should be made for International Ted?

Did you also know that today heralded the beginning of national crochet month?

I admit I did not until this morning, infact previous years of national crochet month have passed me by.  The joys of following fellow crochet geeks on Instagram alerted me to the fact this morning...

Nallieradloff always has such joyful images on IG

I needed to delve further and found that it all began with a national crochet week in 1998 in the USA and has led to it becoming a whole month, for more information and on the history of crochet itself see    here and  Crochet History    Continuing to scroll through Instagram I came across not one but TWO different crochet photo a day challenges for March in celebration of national crochet month.  My creative juices flowing with ideas... which to follow... have I time to post every day and then the realisation that it doesn't matter if I don't, I can delve in and out and still be having fun with crochet...  are you interested... are you tempted to have a go?

So in honour of it being the first of the month I give you a photo to fit each of the above challenges...

Last week I happened to stumble upon a fantastic yarn shop
and may have purchased a rather unhealthy
number of skeins... including this set of pastels in 100% cotton

Can't show you the whole WIP as it's my own design
and so far it needs tweaking, but I'm enjoying the
challenge of crocheting with yarn that requires a 8mm hook

♥  Wishing you a creative month of crochet

or whatever takes your fancy  ♥

Let me know if you can help out with Ted's wardrobe

 

I really wanted to join in on Five on Friday this week as I missed last week and I know I shall not be able to post next week either.  Life is wildly busy, think I may have mentioned that already.  Do you find that?  The older I am getting the busier I seem to be.  I am taking on several new things at present and not relinquishing others and so it all has to be squeezed into the same amount of time...roll on retirement, oh hang  on, that's still a couple of decades away... I really need to sort myself out... 

 

So to allow this post to qualify  for 5 on Friday I need to give you three more snippets of life in the eclectic home, are your ready, you haven't dozed off yet have you?

 

International Ted now has his first item of clothing, albeit a quickly rustled up hat.  there have been suggestions so far to make him, dungarees, a ruck sack, pants, not sure if that was undergarments or trousers as we Brits like to call them.  And some clever clogs who shall remain anonymous suggested gloves!  Can you imagine making a pair of gloves this small?!!?  Am still hoping and waiting for someone to offer to knit, sew, crochet or anything to make this wardrobe of clothing come about... anyone?

 

International Ted complete with crocheted hat

 

I wish to also share with you something that I have finally managed to secure for myself.  As an avid IG addict I had come across this darling subscription called a Little Box of Crochet but the mean streak in me decided when it began in November to not go for it.  What a mistake that was and each month when wonderful creations have been posted I have been green with envy.  Each month I tried to subscribe thereafter but to no avail as there are limited numbers.  Amanda and her daughter Jenny have set up this exclusive and extremely well thought put package deal that they compile from their Victorian home here in the Uk.  They ship world wide by the way.  And finally last month I managed to sneak in a subscription and have not been disappointed.  I signed on only for 3 months but can tell already I shall be extending it, want to see...

 

Great quality from start to finish, it's the little details, isn't it?

 

 

Beautifully packaged and thought out

 

Look closely and you will see everything that is needed for that months make is included in the box: crochet hook, yarn , stitch market, needle, button, instructions.  The instructions are clear and introducing it Amanda gives a monthly update on her and Jenny, so that you feel you belong to a wonderfully exclusive homey community.  Each month a new designer, often someone we follow or know has made and designed something just for this little box!  I'm loving it.  There is even a tea bag provided each month too!

 

Inside the Little Box of Crochet

 

And finally, thank you to Phil over at the Twisted Yarn for sharing her ridiculously quick and easy beer bread a few blog posts ago, see   Beer Bread  I have never made bread so quickly and so far each time I've had 100% success.  This is now a firm new family favourite.

 

From this to...

 

...to this

 

 

Joining in with Amy and sharing with you my Five from this week.  Hope you have enjoyed my blabbering on , I really appreciate you patience with me X