Monday, April 30, 2012

Krista Throw

Here are some more closeup shots of the squares I have completed for the Krista Throw Rug that Spotlight has running via Facebook at the moment. They release one square each Friday. Each of my blocks are done in a 6.5mm or 6.0mm hook and come out at approx 18cm square.

If you are looking for something to help you learn more stitches, I would recommend giving this throw a go.

**The photos dont really do the colours any justice**

Block 11: Another flower centered one.
Block 10 - basket weave, using 'front post' and 'back post' trebles. Must say I'm glad I conquered it, I now know how to do this stitch and once I had it figured out it wasn't so hard as it looks!

Block 9:


Block 8:


Block 7: clusters again.

A lady from our crochet group has made up some extra squares to join in with the blanket for those interested. Hoping to make mine a little bigger then just the 25 squares.

Extra Square #1:


Extra Block #2:

Spotlights completed throw in white:
Don't think I am going with their big edge border though....
Enjoy your week.
L.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Saturday with a difference

Today was a Saturday with a difference. 

Firstly it started raining. We haven't had a wet Saturday for a long time so it was great to feel the raindrops! 
Secondly inbetween washing I was crocheting on Saturday morning, normally unheard of, but it was just a bit, finishing of Block 11 (post later date). 
Thirdly, we normally do 'house and property stuff', eg mowing, gardening, maintenance, but we gave these things up and took our 4 children in the car and went go for a drive into Perth city to Central's Showcase Gallery. 

A Gallery isn't something that we have ever really scheduled into our famiy outings, but this was kind of special. It was an exhibition of our dear friend's beautiful, talented handi-work of two years - to be a child. She has captured children from all angles, involved in all sorts of activities.
Click on the link to go to her website.

Kimberley took her 3megapixel camera along and kindly took a few photos. The photos do not do the quilts justice. There are so many more details you can see close up,  and these are only a couple out of the 17 quilts she had on display. 

School children hard at work

Children and reading

Toddlers

Personally I could have spent more time there looking at each individual quilt, but with four young children and their attention span, we did well considering!

Oh and it isn't every day that your youngest will sit on the exhibitionist's lap... :)

Still on in Perth for another week and then also going to Albany in the next couple of weeks. (see her website for more details.)

Thank you Ruth, a family outing we all enjoyed!

L.

Friday, April 27, 2012

miss K's blocks

In the last few days of the school holidays after seeing my effort at blocking my squares, Kimberley found her crochet hook again and was re-invigorated to start something.

Its been a while since she set her first crocheting attempt to the side.There was an afternoon last week where I was joined in the lounge by Kimberley crocheting, and then Jord's wanted to try it (but gave up after 30 seconds...!) and Emma - 4yrs. Emma sat with her 5 chains that I started her with, twirling and whirling her yarn over and around her hook for about half an hour telling us that she was making a blanket for Zac, and also a hat for Nadia. Her ball of yarn still sits to the side with her hook and 5 chain! :)

A simple granny square was made, and she thoroughly enjoyed blocking her square on some cork board. Then another square was made and blocked, and hung up near my board with squares, and last night she got started on the third one.


Ok, I change colours for her, but by the third block she has made a slip knot at the beginning and has started her self off, and she quite happily finishes all her ends in too! A few 'whoopsies' with counting of trebles, but that is all part of learning.


 Her two main colours are white edges with the pink somewhere in the block, and any other 'off-cuts' of my yarn stash she can use for the other two rows.

What a pity school has started again...

Back to crocheting by myself during 'quiet time'.

L.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Hexagon Bag

I came across this too-cute bag from Craft Passion based on the African Flower design and have decided to give Hexagons a go, and see if I can get it made in time for a 5year olds birthday in July. The colours I have chosen are to go with her winter Sunday skirt. It comes with a great tutorial on how to even line the bag.


2 Hex's done, 26 to go plus 4 squares, then joining them, and finally making the lining!

L.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

back on track

Sorry about the 'no photo posts' from last week. We managed to escape for a week just as family to catch up and we just happened to be enjoying this:


and playing hopscotch complete with stones:


But inbetween all the family time, I managed to work thru some of my crochet to-do list. My afghan got a few more repeats done, until I ran out of my sandy colour. Four repeats done, five to go. I also managed to finish off all the ends so far, on the road trip home. One less job that needs to be done at the end.


And I caught up with the Spotlight 'Krista Rug' blocks. 10 of the 25 blocks completed!
15 weeks to go.  
Back at home I have actually re-done the white edging of all of them in a smaller hook which gives the edges of each block a nice firm edge and helps pull them square. I have now blocked these squares by the simple procedure of slightly spraying the blocks with a fine mist of water, and pinning them out to a 17cm square grid on a pin-up board, which now hangs on the side of my pantry drying. I can now appreciate the lacy blocks.




And the little girls gumboots are completed too, and seeing we had a bit of rain this morning (YAY!!)  I couldn't resist taking them near some water pooled on our deck.


And as promised a better shot of the colour of the boys gumboots:


And finally so far these holidays is the promised 0-3months pink cowboy hat that was ordered.


Now to get on with some extra squares, another George, and some ordered school colour headbands. Then we are nearly thru with my school holiday to-do list!

Monday, April 9, 2012

granny square SOS

for a special reader with a problem granny square: I know you were waiting for a post so I thought I would do one for you! Hope this helps a bit.

I enquired in my facebook crochet group for you re the buckling of your granny square blanket. Other then them saying to use same amount ply, same hook, and even tension, they haven't had a problem. Another suggestion is to decrease your corners eg instead of doing [3tr 2ch 3tr] in each corner try doing (2tr 2ch 2tr) and see if that helps.

If there are any readers that can help with another suggestion, feel free to leave your comments!

school holidays

Yay, with the pressure of term 1 now behind us we can now relax and enjoy the school holidays. With the first weekend dedicated to remembering our Lord's death and resurection and then keeping the children entertained, reading Anne of Green Gables together, catching up with our youngest nephew and cousin, there plans to be a bit of catch up crocheting done.

With falling behind in the last blocks-of-the-week from Spotlight, that's my first on the list.The girls gumboots were suppose to be finished the last week of school, but they didn't happen so they too are high on my list, then a clone of George the Monkey as beloved George has taken up residence elsewhere after being sold at a fundraiser auction, a couple of ordered flower headbands and another pink cowboy hat size 0-3 and lastly more progress on my Afghan. 

Wishing you a good week. Till next time with photos.

L