Blogtoberfest #2 - Popular Craft Strawberry Craft Swap

Pre-Craft-Fair-Acceptance, I had signed up for the Strawberry Craft Swap. I came across it when reading Crafty Painter lovely blog post about the Polka Dot Craft Swap and just loved the idea of getting a random parcel of loveliness through the mail.

I decided to make a Strawberry inspired potholder after seeing this image on Pinterest.

Source: design-seeds.com via Marie on Pinterest

I made up the pattern and - after boring my work colleague with colour choices -  decided on using Rico Design Cotton Essentials DK which was a bargain from Country Crafts at £1.99 per ball. I do like the sheen and stitch definition of this wool and made it with a 3mm hook.

I also made a small strawberry handwarmer based on this lovely pattern by Rhythm of the Home and bought some lovely green and pink beads from The Bead Shop in Cambridge. The final touch was to hand-stitch a little "hi" card and then wrap it up in some tissue wrapped up in strawberry ribbon.

I had been paired with Jane Cameron and received a lovely notebook wrapped in a painted silk cover and a ribbon brooch card.

(Photos coming soon) 

It really was lovely to get something sent through the post - a real pleasure.

Some of the other blog posts from people who have joined in ...

• CraftyPainter
• Hannah Ackroyd
• bakingaitch
• The Diary of a Novice Crafter
• The Ducking Fabulous Diary

September Round Up

I genuinely thought I would be able to write more than I actually did in September. When you start a new blog you don't realise how much effort it takes. One of the main problems has been the photographs!

When I look at the blogs I go back to again and again, its the the look and feel of it that keeps me interested. A major part of that is the photography and other visuals. The fact that I have misplaced my camera hasn't helped at all! My poor little mobile phone just isn't up to the task and my photography skills are point, click & hope  ...

In an effort to develop the blogging habit, I have decided to join in with Blogtoberfest 2012 as a way of trying to blog every day. 

You can find the moderator here.  Blogtoberfest 2012 is hosted by I saw you dancing and I just love the concept. It has introduced me to so many new blogs (more later ...) I will fire off several blog posts today to catch up and then stick to the one a day for the rest of the month.

So first off, a quick round-up of September ...

... crochet ...

I'm in a bit of a crochet panic :) ... I signed up for a beautiful local craft fair - The Made-it Market - at the beginning of July but hadn't heard anything so didn't think I had managed to secure a stall!

I was OK with that, I thought I could improve my blog, maybe open an Etsy shop, build up some stock and reapply next year.

Then I got an email to say that I had a space!! GAK?! To say that I have been man.i.a.cally crocheting is an understatement.

This is my first craft fair so, in no particular order, I have also been consumed by: marketing :: stall layout :: labelling and packaging :: costing :: designing :: stock amounts

I am enjoying it ... as long as I don't think about it too much. 

... read...

I really haven't been reading much lately - the Great Crochet Panic means I just don't have time. The last book I did read was for a new book club I have joined called The Cambridge Wine & Dine Club. The book was The Debt to Pleasure by John Lancaster. It really was a chore to read but strangely worth it ... and the discussion made it even more worth while. I will definitely try to attend the November meeting. 

... watched ...

The Hunger Games with the Kid - I was a wreck! 

Jeff Who Lives at Home 

Batten down the hatches for a flurry of posts and i catch up with Blogtoberfest 2012 ...

Monday's? Pah!

You can always tell how anxious I am by the amount of crochet projects I start ... and not finish.

At the moment I have several WIPs

... J's Blue & red cushions ...

I have been working on these over the summer and all I need to do if finish the buttons ... 

 ... R's Purple & Green cushion ...

I started this the other day - one of those situations when you just look at your stash and think "Ah, I know ..." It's loosely based on a 1970s crochet book I have but I'm making it up as I go along. I'll write it up once I've finished it. I ran out of the Good Fortune Cotton from Texere Yarns which I have to admit to being in love with. Some lovely colours and very reasonably priced if you get the cones.

And guess what has just arrived in the mail ...

... Orange Circle of Friends ...

I have to admit to loving this pattern - Priscilla's Crochet -  but really not liking the colours I have chosen. I'll persevere and see how it goes.

 

 ... Blue Hotel Mixed Stripe CAL ...

To add to all that I have decided to join in with little woolies blanket CAL. Her blankets are just gorgeous and she is putting the instructions up on this page  I bought some Monaco Cotton in the sale from Texere Yarns.

Why so anxious you ask? Just feeling a bit dragged down by what life is throwing me at the moment. I am genuinely hoping that all this luvverly jubbly stuff will boost my spirits. 

GLx

  

August Round-up

Summer is always quite a disjointed time for me; the Kid goes away for long periods of time (miss her keenly) and work colleagues are out of the office a lot so I generally spend quite a few hours on my own.

Obviously I have filled my time :) with ...

... crochet ...

Some of the things I have been working on this summer ...

I spent time with some lovely people at the Etsy Craft Party on Jesus Green - really should have brought a coat or jacket with me though, I was freezing by the end of it.  Claireabellemakes blogged about it on her lovely blog.

I'm currently working on something which isn't making me happy mainly because I have realised that I am just not very good at picking out colours. My Mum and sister can do it without even thinking ... me, not so much! Once I've finished it, I'll do a Giveaway ...

 

 ... the Olympics ...

Have just loved watching the Olympics and am very happy the Paralympics are here. I was lucky enough to get to see the Norwegian Women's semi-final match against South Korea which we won. Made me very, very happy ... as it did this man, Camilla Herrem's very proud Dad as snapped by my sister.

 ... trips...

I made a very short, supposedly cheap trip up to Edinburgh with some very funny Crisis friends. We hardly saw any of the Fringe but I laughed so much all weekend. 

... watched ...

I went down to London and sat on these for an evening of lectures where I learnt about microadventures from the amazingly inspirational Alastair Humphreys, the lovelife of a seahorse from Helen Scales, was introduced to the addictive world of The Retronaut where I have fallen in love with a post called TIPS FOR SINGLE WOMEN, 1938

A few days earlier I went to the cinema to watch Ted which, I have to say, is one of the worst films I have ever seen. 

Real life resumes next week so expect more interaction then ...

Wednesday WIP

This is my Wednesday WIP. 

Trying to create a pleasing monkey face ... it's harder than it looks.

Trying to design it ...

Monkey B v1

Monkey B v2

Bunny B

Am creating a little family of animals for a colleague who is going off on maternity leave using this fantastic pattern on Craftzine here. It's by Stephanie Jessica Lau who has a great blog called All About Ami.

I always find it fascinating to see how people come up with their designs and to see who inspires who ... Stephanie was inspired by Cary Bates who has another lovely blog called Lue and Sue.

I've taken a stall at a craft fair in November and am obviously looking at what I can and can't make to sell. I've decided to carry around a little design book to make sure I can prove provenance on all of my own designs - just in case.

This particular pattern was really quick to work up. I predict it will be another go to for baby gifts. I used Patons 100% 4ply Cotton and a 3.5mm hook.

O's Octopus

It's time ... time to unleash my musings on the world.

I will  mainly be showcasing my crochet but will, no doubt, share my attempts to bring up The Kid, my singing efforts and whatever else is pre-occupying my mind. If anyone is reading this, feel free to say hello.

This gorgeous little thing is from a fab pattern by an amazing woman called Yan Schenkel on the  pica-pau blog. Her blog is incredible with lots of tutorials and free patterns.  I really like her work.

The Octopus was really quick to work up & am loving the simplicity of it. I can imagine this will be one of my go-to baby gifts. I made it for the 1yr old daughter of my colleague V. I used Good Fortune Cotton and a 2.5mm hook.