DIY - Wrist warmers

I started playing yesterday with some of my stash in an effort to "wash my hands" of a particularly nasty acrylic I am currently working with.

I had managed to collect some lovely Alpacas ...

From the top: Artesano 100% Alpaca DK in 8774 Ecuador
Drops Alpaca in 2925 Rust
Hjertegarn Alpaca Silk in 1890 Deep Pink
Drops Alpaca in 2921 Pink
Classic Elite Yarns Alpaca Sox in 1850 Fruit Salad
Drops Alpaca in 8120 Denim/Green

 ... and thought I would have a go at this lovely image from a Korean blog 

I started with 40 chains and followed her pattern ... the main trick is that you are crocheting 2 rows at a time before you turn your work.

I misread the pattern and crocheted a dc in between the fans instead of a deep sc but I really liked the effect. I have to say I wasn't happy with the fact that I had to seam it. Not the best photo in the world ... 

For the second arm, I decided to crochet in the round and closed the Chain 40 and just work my way up the pattern that way. Once I had finished the fit was a bit loose so I decided to add a cuff.

I chained 280 chains and then did 5 rows of this ... [10 chains, miss 10 stitches, 1 sc] repeat. After 5 rows, I did one more row where the sc joined the first row and last row to make a 6 strand tube which I wrapped around and sewed together.

I then attached it to the bottom of the fan pattern with a whip stitch.

 

Not perfect - look at the third image above  - I don't like how the strip crosses my wrist

So ...

... I am starting a new one ... I am really liking the Artesano yarn and will actually use the Turkish Knot tutorial found by Beau Baby for the cuff. Watch this space ...

 

November Round-up

November has been busy, busy which I have to admit is just how I like it. I am not an autumn/winter kinda gal. I find the dark mornings, grey days and dark nights tip me into a low, gloomy mood if I'm not careful so the busy is always good especially since the weather has been absolute pants recently.

So what have I been up to ...

... crochet ...

I was obsessively crocheting this month in preparation for the Made-It-Market which I blogged about. One of the main things I have learnt this month is that, for me, the quality of the wool I use is everything!

I have been working on a project which requires 10 inch squares so I thought I would use up my stash of acrylics. I have made 5 so far ... and I have to say I am hating the acrylic I am using. It feels absolutely disgusting ... It was a cone of gifted pink acrylic and the colour is really nice so I have kept it all this time but after this project is finished, I'll take it a charity shop.   

So I've started a little in-between project using 2 different Alpacas and a 4mm hook.

 Last Christmas, I received a skein of Classic Elite Yarns Alpaca Sox in Fruit Salad from my sisters and recently my mother gave me a ball of Hjertegarn Alpaca Silk in 1890 a deep pink.

I had seen this image on Pinterest and loved the pattern ... I got it slightly wrong in that I did a dc instead of a deep sc in between the fans but I still like it. 

 

... lectures ...

Work had a People Matter week this month so I went along to a lunchtime lecture by Dr Jan Van Niekerk called Positive Thinking, Positive Action: from Stress to Strength. It was a very interesting lecture and two specific points intrigued me. 

The first was when he discussed the negative thought distortions that often accompany feelings of stress. He highlighted the need to question the negative thinking .. and, most importantly, to articulate an alternative perspective. He quite rightly said you can't replace something with nothing. Obvious really when you think of it ...

The second point was about the importance of Social Support and crucially that it has to be perceived as supportive.  

All in all not the best lecture I have been to but it did make me think. I love it when someone makes me think :)

... watched ...

Oh my lordy lord, have I been watching this month.

A friend of mine recently introduced me to Breaking Bad. Without doubt one of the best television series I have ever seen!

I managed to work my way through the entire box set while crocheting this month. I think this is the first time I ever watched episodes back to back like this and it was a joy. I could completely immerse myself in the Breaking Bad world and watch the characters develop - it was fascinating ... and there was crochet in it! The White family sofa has a crocheted blanket on it! Sarah London has created a pattern for it.

I genuinely can't wait until the next episodes come out. Roll on Summer 2013!   

I would be far more upset if it weren't for the fact that this has now started ... another absolute joy of a programme. Saturday nights are sorted ...

 

What's coming up in December?

I have to admit I don't usually invest too much in Christmas, I usually volunteer for Crisis at Christmas. This year I'm doing all 8 days at one of the residential centres and the Kid goes off to her Dad's. A few weeks ago, the Kid told me she wanted to have a cosy Christmas this year. So Operation Koselig starts today ...

What kind of crafter are you? ...

A recent post by Claireabellemakes about what kind of crafter she was set me thinking about why I have started down this journey of blogging about my crochet and even trying to sell my stuff ...


... creativity ...

There is a deep rooted satisfaction that I get from making something with my own hands which almost defies description.

First of all there is the physical aspect of the wool or cotton that you use - I love to feel, stroke and touch my crochet work. I kid you not, I stroke my work on a daily basis. I think it's the joy that I get from the consistency and symmetry of the stitches and the genuine visual pleasure of getting the right combination of colours.

The flip side of this is that I feel so discombobulated when I don't get it right. If I show anyone a design in progress while it is still too "fresh" I can be too easily discouraged. Sometimes that's a little heartbreaking. Which makes me think of this ...

Found on twistedsifter.com

It recently took me 10 months to give 2 cushions to a friend mainly because they just weren't "right"?! They were pretty and all and I do love them. I was happy with the execution of them ... they just weren't the cushions I had in my head. All that meant was that they sat around my house for a good 2 months before I summoned up the "courage" to give them to my friend. I'm slightly ashamed to admit it wasn't the most gracious of gift giving ceremonies. I genuinely hadn't realised that giving away my "babies" would be so hard!

J's Cushions

The joy, however, when I do get it right is very gratifying. This image makes me very, very happy! It's the wallpaper on my phone and I can't deny I get a ripple of pleasure every time I look at it.

The Made-it Market cushions

 ... meditation ...

Crocheting is my way of practicing mindful meditation. I do it on the bus every morning and most afternoons - I'm not ashamed :)

The dance of the hook as you create is mesmerising. If I'm making an amigurumi, I find myself counting over and over again which is quite soothing in and of itself or if it's someting easy like a granny square, I take the opportunity to ruminate on things that are happening in my life. I find that once I get to the end of a project I have usually made peace with whatever issues are rattling round my brain. 

The image of my Made-it Market cushions constitutes about 75 hours of "therapy" - that would have set me back £3k's worth of counselling at current market rates. 

... social support ...

I am an enthusiastic type. As surprising as it is, people are just not that interested in talking crochet. It really was quite exhilarating to join the CamCity WI and find myself surrounded by a whole load of people who didn't bat an eyelid when I got my crochet out. There is something inherently soothing about being surrounded by your own "tribe". 

So to come back to Claireabellemakes's post - I enjoy crafting alone when I'm coming up with an idea but I really love the support and encouragement you get from surrounding yourself with enthusiastic, creative people.

The Made-It Market - the debrief

Now that I've had a whole day to recover I thought I would jot down some of my thoughts on my first ever craft market experience.

I'd been aware of the Made-it Market since a friend started having a stall there years ago and have always loved the styling and quality of the stalls. So when I decided in April to do my first craft fair, I thought I would aim high. I don't regret it one bit - admittedly the run up was painful. I really can't recommend sorting out your first craft fair in two months. However here goes my debrief ...


... the stalls ...

I was already quite aware of which stall holders were going to come and had earmarked a few that I wanted to visit. In no particular order some of the stall holders that had that extra wow factor for me were: 

Tokyo Textiles - I just love Bethany's style. I was also very impressed with her being there - she was heavily pregnant and looked amazing! This was her stall with some amazingly pretty baby dresses. I loved her little purses.  

 

Sew Me Happy - I have been lurking on the Sew Me Happy blog and shop  for a while now. I ogled her stall and lusted after a really pretty travel sewing kit she had made. I didn't take a picture unfortunately, but it was very similar to one that she blogged about ... one day one will be mine.

Emma Wood Textiles - Ooh, this stall was very satisfying to look at. I stalked her website today. Yet again, I didn't take any photos but you can see her fabrics here. Her fabrics were very striking in rich colours and almost Islamic geometric patterns.

 ... the haul ...

I had given myself a very strict talking to before going about purchases (basically DON'T!) and I was very good.

Luckily Mum came to the rescue and bought me a luh.huh.ver.ly skein from the The Sheep Shop stall: 100g of the scrumptious merino blend that is Sparkleduck Figgy Pudding Galaxy. She really couldn't have made a better choice. I think I will be using it to make a scarf for the Kid - who really deserves a massive dose of TLC for putting up with me during the preparations.

My Mum also splashed out at the one of the glassware stalls (stall name to follow) and bought some glass snowflake Christmas decorations. My sister indulged herself with a spindle kit from Boo's Attic and my niece bought a fab tartan skirt from one of the upcycling stalls (stall name to follow).

  ... my stall ...

I was really pleased with the way the stall turned out. In October, I had eyed up the window dressing props in New Look of all places and popped in to see whether they would be willing to give me any of the props once they had finished with them. Amazingly I was allowed to just have these two cardboard boxes and some "flooring" as well as some brick paper. I was really pleased with the look of it. 

As for my stock, I loved it all ... there just wasn't enough of the small stuff. Hey ho, lesson learnt.

 

I could have sold masses of the Christmas baubles and will be making a whole batch over the next week both for myself and the Etsy shop. Once I've done, I'll put up a step by step post of how to make them - so many crocheters came up to ask how they were made.

I had so many lovely, lovely people come to visit - some bought and some just for moral support. I felt much love for them all!!

The Made-It Market

I hang my head in shame with my Blogtoberfest effort.

Hey ho - it was for a good reason. I have been a very busy bee making this for the Made It Market which is ... today!

... orange ...

I love looking at this colour ...

 

 ... green ...

... pink ...

I have loved making these ... who knew some bright colours and a hook could bring so much happiness.

I have opened up an Etsy shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/GertieLeighCrochet - to sell everything I make. Not so much profit as cost recovery ...

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 ...