A Christmas window

Growing up in a mixed-race household was a privilege and one I did not really appreciate until I was much older.  As with all things in life, much from my childhood has seeped into who I am as an adult.  The December days and the joy I feel about them most certainly come from my mother and her mother too.  

Long before it was trendy to dress the windows my mother added crocheted snowflakes to ours and although I have not asked her, I wonder if that was to bring a piece of her winter homeland back to an often wet and windy December in the UK.  When I began this blog seven years ago, one of the first blog posts was all about snowflakes on the window and I shared many patterns as well as for those who could not crochet an alternative, see here.  Most years thereafter I have thought of other ways to also treat a window at home to some Christmas dressing.                                                              This year is no exception and my French windows in the study have been subjected to their quickest makeover to date, all I needed was a white chalk marker.  So quick and so effective.  I am not nor have ever been someone who could draw but if I can do this then I am sure you can and those of you who do have an artistic flair I am sure can come up with some wonderful creations.  Below are my efforts, it was like giving myself permission to Christmas graffiti all over the windows.  It felt naughty but was so much fun and we are really enjoying it.

And for those of you worrying or wondering, I bought markers that wipe off very easily with water and a gentle rub with a cloth, I tested it out before I let my Christmas artistic streak loose...

A quick test to make sure the markers clean off ok

All it needed was a damp cloth
and it wiped away quickly

I used these markers but you can, of course, use 
any you like, just make sure they will clean off easily

A Christmas Window

♥  Do you get excited for Christmas?   ♥

Photo a day Crochet

April 15th

Today is the last day of the photo a day challenge set by the wonderful Ashley from Lazy Daisy Jones blog  in partnership with the new UK magazine called Crochet Now.  I have really enjoyed it and as always the IG community are generous with their comments, kind and some very funny too.   I shall share more on this with you another day.

My last five days of entries are below:


Day 11:  YARN STORAGE

I love this small corner in our house,
it's my place of colour

I have written a couple of posts about the paint I use on my furniture, in case you are interested you can find them Yarn storage and table and Outdoor painted furniture

Day 12: BORDER

I have crochet borders in many places but I adore
sleeping with this pillow case that I edged,
makes me feel decadent in bed

Day 13:  FINALLY FINISHED

This bunting was one of the first things I ever crocheted, it is
just over 5m long.  I love it and use it at any opportunity,
but was very glad when I had completed it.

Day 14:  BRIGHTS OR PASTELS

I'm a bright girl through and through with
only the odd pastel colours here and there

Day 15:  BAG

A while back there was a phase when all I seemed to make
were bags, this little one has proved to be very useful

Previous photo a day challenge round ups can be found here at  Week 1 and Week 2

Joining in with  Amy sharing my five crochet creations from

IG this week.  Pop over and see what others are sharing too.

 

 

♥  Have a wonderful weekend whatever you have planned  ♥

A month of crochet

27th October

I love Instagram, its all about the visual, the photos, the insta post and response.  There is nothing (so far) that I do not love about it as a social media platform.  This month I have been fortunate enough to be part of an ever growing number of crochet addicts that have joined in with Ashley from the great blog lasydaisyjones, here is her post about the setting up the crochet a photo a day for a month post: A photo a day

So without further ado, grab yourself a coffee as this may take a while here is my month of photos posting all about crochet.  I will add in the extra four days not shown below,  post October 31st.   Got your beverage?  Then let's begin...

This was the post on Instagram that made me excited and want to join in...

Day 1
Say 'hi'

How to introduce oneself?  In the end I opted for a large and small hook and a simple written 'hi'.  What would you have done?  It was interesting from Day 1 to see how each person interpreted the same idea in a different way.  The rest of the month was no exception.

Day 2
Current WIP

I have several works in progress, some have been sitting there for months, umm, actually one for almost two years now...

Day 3
A colour combo

I love this blanket combo, I'm not usually a pink person, but I love these muted colours and somewhere in there is what we call in Norway, gamle rosa, which is old fashioned pink and I do so like that, a chalky pink.

Day 4
A blanket

I had several to choose from but I love reds and this was made at the beginning of the year on my first ever crochet course that I taught, this will be it's first Christmas outing and I am excited to be snuggling down under it soon.

Day 5
Chunky or lace

It had to be chunky for me as I have not yet branched out into the world of lace, but one day.  Making my own t-shirt yarn was fun, this was written as a guest post for the very talented Phil at The Twisted Yarn, T-shirt yarn, guest post

Day 6
Preferred hook

I have far too many crochet hooks, but I do seem to return to this very simple hook made in Norway which used to belong to my grandmother, then mother and now me.  I love it.  All that hooking(?!?!) that has been produced by this little hook...

Day 7
Square or circle?

These past 12 months have seen an enormous number of mandalas being made, but I still love a granny square best.

Day 8
Future project

The littlebeenz, has so many beautiful patterns and I loved making her Sunday shawl, I've bought this Monsoon stole pattern too, so sometime after Christmas this will be my go to make, can't wait.

Day 9
Fave stitch

In UK terms, I love a treble stitch, it's so fast and you can hook up something so quick with it.

Day 10
Cushion

I could not choose between these two as they were made to compliment each other.  I love these as they are only crocheted on one side and the other I used oilcloth, so they can be used outside even on damp furniture or grass and not be ruined.  We use these ALL the time outside.

Day 11
Fringe or border?

I love a good fringe me, but it's borders all the way in crocheted items that I make.

Day 12
Fave book

I do not actually have a favourite crochet book as I dip in and out of so many, but his has perhaps been the most useful for me.  I would not want to be without it.

Day 13
Scarf

As with many who crochet there have been numerous scarves made along the way, this was made a couple of years ago, but I still am in love with the colour combination of this variegated yarn.

Day 14
Fave make

Despite  being made three years ago now, this 5 metre long heart bunting line is still my favourite.  It's so colourful and jolly and is brought out on many happy occasions that just seeing it now brings a smile to my face.

Day 15
Yarn storage

I was lucky enough some years ago to acquire old staff room pigeon holes.  Using chalk paint one sunny day I created my yarn storage, see post here... Yarn storage

Day 16
Where u crochet

There is no set place where I crochet, I crochet, wherever and when ever I can...

Day 17
Fave yarn

At present my favourite yarn is a toss up between cotton yarn and the chunky Rowan alpaca, it's soooo soft.

Day 18
Christmas make

This was hard for me to choose as there are so many, but in the end I opted for my Christmas cork trees, just love their cuteness.

Day 19
Who taught you?

Originally I was taught by mamma as a child, but soon fell out of love for crochet and became more interested in sewing, spinning and weaving.  More latterly after spending a long summer with mamma, she reminded me of crochet and with her help and you tube, I have not looked back.

Day 20
Vintage pattern

I did not have anything for this, but turned to mamma's crochet and this cardigan brings back many memories.  Mamma crocheted this sitting at her mother's hospital bedside...

Day 21
Pastel or brights

I love the feel of pastels but I am always drawn to brights.  

Day 22
Amigurumi
 

This was my commissioned piece for a large UK company to help them in their environmental week.  Meet Eric the Green Champion.

Day 23
A crochet blog

To choose just one?  This was so hard.  In the end I opted for the great blog of Annette, whose Nordic shawl I have made and love to wear.

Day 24
Flowers

Most who crochet will eventually crochet flowers but what to do with them all?  I hit upon the solution of making some into rings, here is a small selection.  See post here... Crochet rings

Day 25
Yarn stash

As well as having a great yarn storage, current WIP's are often stored in bags all over the house in each room, so should I have a spare minute or two, I can just pick up and squirrel away a few minutes or hours...

Day 26
A gift idea

I was supposed to wait until December to reveal any gift ideas, so here is a sneak view of one completed gift.  I find men not only hard to buy for but very hard to make for too.  There are only so many hat, scarves and mittens one can wear!  So a mittened ice scraper it will be this year...

And finally today...

Day 27
Stitch markers

I tend to use whatever is to hand from safety pins, paper clips, odd pieces of yarn in a contrasting colour to that which I am working on, the odd homemade stitch marker and I have a few bought ones too.  Never next to me when I need one though!!


We still have four days left of the month and you can see the themes in the top photo from Lazy Daisy Jones.  I shall not spoil the surprise and add them in now, but will come back to this post, post Oct 31st and add them in.

Hope you have enjoyed my journey of my crochet life through these photographs, it sure was fun putting them together.

  ♥  What's your month been like?  ♥