Crochet fun

I love to knit and crochet during winter down here. I first learned to crochet in Mitchell, small country town in QLD where i did my country teaching service. I made the traditional granny square blanket that everyone has. YOu know the type that goes around and around that you add to every year.

Making things for the kids while Emily is in hospital calms me. I sit beside her and knit, I knit or crochet during her operations, something mindless that keeps me from pacing a hole in the floor of the parent waiting room.

After emilys stay eariler this year I walked away with a poncho for Em, and a shawl for myself as well as something for Dan that isn't quite finished yet. Its nearly done. BUt I also started a blanket for lilly to use at night in front of the TV. It tends to go to bed with her as well..:)

So I started my crocheting in long lines and then edged it, it is so very warm. She now wants a bigger blanket for her bed and im inclined to agree that it would make her bed toasty warm during the winter months so its on the list for nextu years winter projects.

Not to be left out of course is miss emily who wanted a blanket as well.

I found this pattern
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/60689AD.html?noImages=&r=1

i love the colours in that pattern, but do you think i could get the pattern to work, no way. but i also couldn't get the hook they used or the wool. im guessing that had something to do with it heh!

so the pattern wouldn't leave me alone and so i went searching on google, gotta love that thing and found a how to video on crocheting an octagon and off I went. 4mm hook and regular 8 ply wool and here you have it.

it could do with another two rows added to the width, but right now im calling it done, i am sick to death of crocheting around eight sides. it has taken weeks and weeks, but emily loves it and i have to say it is warm as. so i figure in a few weeks i might look at it again and feel like adding the extra rows to it.

if you have never crochet before and you want to learn google how to crochet in a square and video a million will turn up. With easy to follow steps to watch. Start with a granny square which is the traditional round and round blanket and go from there. They grow pretty quickly and are super warm.

home made

So ive been one of santas elves this season, by choice, making my kids some of their gifts.


this is for emily. a fairy dress up. Its a mccalls pattern this one. it also has a gown that im going to make for lilly. Both of them will get wings. new wings for lilly and first wings for emily. im going to go and buy them a cheap clothes horse so they can hang up their dress ups. u know the ones with the tray at the bottom, which they can put all the other bits that seem to go with the growing pile of dress ups they have collected.

next is my version of a tutu. a ballet skirt really. i made it out of soft material on purpose because my two tend to dress up for hours and play other things while still in their dress ups so i wanted something that was soft and wouldnt scratch up their skin like tulle might. no pattern for this...2 metres of material cut in half lenght ways. Half for each child. I then halved lillys again and started to gather it up.

Emilys tutu. I made it shorter and smaller of course, but with the same idea as lillys in mind.

next some nappies for their dollies
for these i used the pattern off the link from mel goodsells blog. its easy to follow.

next the crowns

heres the link

http://juicy-bits.typepad.com/juicy_bits/2008/09/32-felt-birthday-crown-tutorial.html

i find this blog can take a while to load...but its so worth the effort.

i do wish my crowns looked just like hers...but alas no.

we r hoping they last longer than store bought ones. my girls got new crowns last year and they were broken in seconds.

and finally a new lunch bag for lilly for school next year.

heres the tutorial link

http://blissfulbyquenna.blogspot.com/2008/09/tutorial-zippered-top-lunch-bags.html
this was pretty easy to do. its insulated with the inside of a plastic insulated bag, u know the kind u would use a few times and then throw out. i pulled it apart and recycled the insulation. zippers im still learning thats for sure...but its functional.

thats it for the photos

but we r also working on a tent and hopscotch mat

and i may tackle a material dolls house too. we will see.

i also have a summer shirt on my knitting needles for emily made from a sock yarn i got from http://www.onefatslug.esty.com/ NICE YARN, hand dyed.

ornament swap

just thought i would share what ive been up too this week

ive been taking part in a christmas ornament swap

and this is what i made to send to my partner. actually everything that was in the i have to post u basket went this morning. woohoo!!!!

the ideas for everything came from martha stewart website, i would love to give a link...but i dont think i could find some of it again if my life depended on it, i know i was on the site for ages looking around at her crafts for christmas section. lots of clever things.

i also made the box. makes everything look so cute

i visit daily this site

http://www.oneprettything.com/ its a link to all sorts of handmade craft instructions. its a must visit site! this is where i found the box link.

whatelse

lots of rain, lots of trying to keep the kids entertained in the last 48 hours. the rain is good but.

my vegies r loving it all

i have some awards to give out

thanks to those that awarded me

i will get onto it tomorrow i promise