Love to all

xx

Today I’m going to share a little something.  It’s really pretty too; I’m going to give you a pattern for the baby bonnet above. Now I have to state straight away this is not my original pattern, I have tweaked 2 freebie patterns to make this little bonnet. There is just no way I could sit down and work out a lace pattern, those people must be like rocket scientists or something, it takes enough brain power to follow a lace pattern let alone write one. That being said the lace in this bonnet is not really that hard just a bit of concentration and you can have a very pretty bonnet. I used Moda Vera Willowy it’s a 4ply viscose yarn and is lovely and shiny though can be very splitty, so I think any 4 ply yarn will work if you would like to use something different.

Size 3 – 6 months

Gauge 28st and 32 rows = 10cm in stocking stitch

Needles 3 ¾: or needles required to obtain gauge (I am a tight knitter and in most cases need to go up a size to obtain gauge if you’re an average knitter I suggest trying 3 ¼ needles first for your gauge swatch)

Cast on 94 sts

In stst work 2 rows

Next Row: (rs) K5,* yf, k1, k2tog, k2* repeat till last 4 sts, yf, k1 k2tog, k1

Stst for 3 more rows

Now begin the lace portion of the bonnet, work pattern as set below 2.5 times (bonnet should measure 5inches don’t worry if you’re a little off) Ending on with row 6

Row 1:  k5*k2, yo, k1, yo, k1, sl1-k1-psso, k3, k2tog, k1, p2*. Repeat * *  till last 5 sts k5

Row 2: p5 *k2, p12* repeat ** till last 5 sts  p5

Row 3: k5 *k2, yo, k3, yo, k1, sl1-k1-psso, k1, k2tog, k1, p2*. Repeat * * till last 5 sts, k5

Row 4: p5 *k2, p12**. Repeat * * till last 5 sts, p5

Row 5: k5 * k2, yo, k5, yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, p2*. Repeat * * till last 5 sts, k5

Row 6: p5 *k2, p12* Repeat * * till last 5 sts, p5

Row 7: k5 *sl1-k1-psso, k3, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, yo, k3, p2*. Repeat * * till last 5 sts, k5

Row8: p5 *k2, p12* Repeat * * till last 5 sts, p5

Row 9: k5 *sl1-k1-psso, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, yo, k3, p2*. Repeat * * till last 5 sts, k5

Row 10: p5 *k2, p12* Repeat * * till last 5 sts, p5

Row 11:  k5* sl1-k2 tog-psso, k1, yo, k5, yo, k3, p2*. Repeat * * till last 5 sts, k5

Row 12: p5  *k2, p12

Back shaping

Continuing in pattern cast off 33 sts beg of nxt 2 rows

Continue in pattern as below

Row 9: *sl1-k1-psso, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, yo, k3, p2*. Repeat * *x2

Row 10: *k2, p12* Repeat * * x2

Row 11: * sl1-k2 tog-psso, k1, yo, k5, yo, k3, p2*. Repeat * * x2

Row 12: *k2, p12* Repeat * * x2

Complete this set x2

Row 1: *k2, yo, k1, yo, k1, sl1-k1-psso, k3, k2tog, k1, p2*. Repeat * * x2

Row 2: *k2, p12*. Repeat * * x2

Row 3: *k2, yo, k3, yo, k1, sl1-k1-psso, k1, k2tog, k1, p2*. Repeat * * x2

Row 4: *k2, p12**. Repeat * * x2

Row 5: * k2, yo, k5, yo, k1, sl1-k2tog-psso, k1, p2*. Repeat * * x2

Row 6: *k2, p12* Repeat * * x2

Row 7: *sl1-k1-psso, k3, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, yo, k3, p2*. Repeat * x2

Row8: *k2, p12* Repeat * * x2

Row 9: *sl1-k1-psso, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, yo, k3, p2*. Repeat * * x2

Row 10:*k2, p12* Repeat * * x2

Row 11: * sl1-k2 tog-psso, k1, yo, k5, yo, k3, p2*. Repeat * * x2

Row 12: *k2, p12*. Repeat * * x2

Next Row: k to end

Continue in st st for 3 more rows

Next row k2tog, (k4, k2tog) x4 k2tog

Cast off purl wise

With 3.5mm crochet hook and wrong side facing join in yarn on right corner of cast on edge. Ch1

Dc in same st as ch, inc, dc in each st across till 2^nd last st, inc, dc. (96dc)

*Dc, skip 2 sts, 5dtr, skip 2 sts* x 16 (16 shells)

To make up,

Block your bonnet using a method suitable for your yarn. I pinned out my bonnet and spritz it with the spray bottle making it lightly damp I then left it to dry.

Once your bonnet had been blocked, sew each side of back panel to 33 cast off stitches, then thread your ribbon through the eyelets made in row 5 of beginning stst. And wellah you have an oh so pretty bonnet.

Now to let you know as this stands this pattern has not been tested by anyone but me, yet I have knitted it twice now from these instructions and succeeded, if however you do run into a problem I’m happy to help if I can. As I have said this lovely lace pattern is not mine I just incorporated it into a bonnet so you should be all good there.

Love to all

xx

Do you remember way back here I began these. Well somewhere along the way I got distracted, probably by hexipuffs (which I am still slogging away at). Well they were always in the back of my mind, but deep down I knew I was never going to finish a bed runner of them. The turning point came when I started a whole new crochet blanket for our bed and the bed runner became obsolete. So instead I had the brilliant idea (tooting my own trumpet) of beautifying our very sad and old looking letter box. I think it does the job (somewhat) and I hope it makes the postie smile.

Love to all

xx

This blanket was a true joy to work on. It is the first thing I have crocheted for a while now that was for pure love, and there’s something about that kind of crochet that just makes me so much joyful. I finished it quiet quickly probably because I enjoyed it so much.

The mummy to be loved the colours and I was given the best complement ever when giving something hand made which was ‘It is something I would of chosen myself’. That was music to my ears it made this blanket even more special. I hope she gets lots of use out of it and baby loves all the cuddles he will receive in it.

Love to all

xx

P.S. Pattern will be published soon.

I found this lace pattern No.23 and this bonnet pattern and decided to use them both. I used the lace pattern to create the effect I wanted and the gauge and sizing from the  bonnet pattern and ta-dah!!!

It worked, It bloody worked. And not only did it work I’m smitten with it. I think I might need to do another little dance. The lace wasn’t too hard to memorize the rows, but it required serious concentration. No children and no tele in the background. I already want to make another one. The yarn I used  was Moda Vera Willowy  and it was  simply delicious even if a little difficult to knit with. It’s a little splitty, but it has a beautiful shine to it that gives the whole bonnet that vintage feel. It was also the first time I have knit whit 4ply and I had always thought 4ply would be hard and take forever to knit with, but I loved it. It’s so delicate and gives the whole thing an air of sophistication. All in all I think you can tell I love this bonnet and I do hope Esme’s friends likes it too.

Love to all

xx

It took some coaxing for little princess to actually pop it on her head. Both of the boys had to ‘try’ it first. And of course she is also not a very co-operative model. My eldest son B will gladly pose all day long to have his photo taken and his very photogenic if I do say so myself. However little princess wants to be looking at the back of the camera not having her picture taken. Which normally means I get a picture up close of her nose. I’ve also started knitting this cardigan for little princess too. I’ve already had to frog it once after knitting it on the recommended needle size but not doing gauge swatch. Well after knitting 2/3 a cardigan and it neraly fitting me I have learned my lessong and have a knit a gauge swatch so hopefully in a week I’ll be able to show you a finished cardigan on a not so eager model and more of those blankets too.

Love to all

xx

After that it was out little princess’  2nd bday. We celebrated with a low key family event and a princess birthday cake of course. Shortly followed was the eldest’s B’s 7th Birthday. So we headed off to laser tag with 9 of his school friends and of course Mr C played as well. Straight after B’s birthday it’s Mr C’s birthday and I gifted him with a coffee machince which is AWESOME. I also gave him the newest book in his favourite series The Dark Towers.  And now I’m working on gifts for my bf’s baby shower next weekend. And all these things seem to happen within a couple of weeks of each other. But I will get on to those thank-you’s it’s driving me crazy. But now I will show you some crochet. Of course

As I was saying back in feb over on the facebook page (do pop by if you haven’t done so before) I recieved a message with a special request. To make this little guy into a amugurumi gift for her partner for valentines Day. Aww how sweet. I’d love to gift Mr C with a crochet gift for valentines or any occassion actually but I can never think of anything to make. So I jumped at the chance to make this little guy and for a romantic occassion too ohlala.  His from a playstation game called Ni No Kuni. I’ve never done a gaming character before but the way my partner loves to game I really should have made many. But I’m not a gamer and have no idea of any of the characters in any of the games he plays. Though I do know that a mirror dropped for him today and that’s a very rare drop. So it’s super exciting. All you gaming WAGS out there will be able to have a little laugh at that one. 

  I do hope her partner had an awesome valentines day. Maybe him and his new toy even play the playstation together now. Aww how cute.

Love to all

xx

“STARBUCK’

She was about 4 months when she came to live with us. She is incredibly gentle with the kids, prefers the boys over the little princess who has been caught a number of times pulling her tail. But Starbuck is happy to just walk away from her. Though when it’s little princess’ bedtime you can find Starbuck on one side of the door and Little Princess on the other side both meowing to each other and trying to reach each other under the door. Its all very cute. I think it may be a bit of a love/hate relationship at the moment though.

And of course Starbuck also likes to help me crochet I can’t say this ‘help’ is very productive, it may in fact be even less productive then the help little princess gives. But it is cute none the less.  She is very much still a kitten and can be seen running through the house climbing the walls and bouncing about. We recently popped her collar and bell on to get her used them for when it’s time to venture outside. So she can now be heard jingling around the house with her little bell on. Which I believe may just be driving Mr C up the wall but amazingly isn’t bothering me at all. Maybe because I’m home all the time I have gotten use to it very quickly.

Though she does like to come and have a cuddle at night, though she usually waits for all the kiddies to be in bed the other night, she popped up on one side of me and little princess was on the other side and they held paws/hands while we watched the tele.

Can you say aww

She also likes to sew. This was the view I got when I removed me sewing the other night. She really is adorable and most nights now she sleeps on my side of the bed and so does little princess so you can imagine I don’t get much bed With all the help Starbuck has been giving I also have some new crochet just finished yesterday.

I was asked by a customer to make a Minnie Mouse set in classic red and black with polka dots of course. I used this pattern though I heavily improvised and the hat doesn’t follow the pattern at all. The little booties are a pattern from here, but I made them bigger as the 6 – 12 months didn’t work out to the size I thought I would need. All the buttons were inherited from my mums button stash. I love it!! It is too adorable. It think I might need to make my little princess something very similiar.

Well I still have so much going on at the moment. It never seems to end around here with the craft that needs to be done and of course you know the running of the house and looking after the kiddies. I just don’t know how other mummies do it . For me I’m off now.

Love to all xx

(and yes she is hiding in there)

But today is freezing and cold and wet. Right now the wind is howling outside. But on the plus the cooler weather has seen me in the mood to do a little cleaning. I feel like I have been spring cleaning the last 2 days. But we are in autumn with weather like who the bloody hell knows so I feel I shouldn’t say I’ve been springing cleaning. I have however been cleaning up a storm. Our house is now sparkling a little bit more and the carpet feels oh so nice under foot and all the kiddies mess has been cleaned organised and put away. Oh and of course all of my crafty mess has been cleaned, organised and put away. Except of course the baskets with projects I have on the go. I must show you my new basket. You will not believe where I got it. ‘Hard rubbish’ and I didn’t just get one I got 2 perfectly good baskets that would go for around $30+ in my local op shop (thrift store). Yes our op shops have cottoned on to the bargain hunters and are now aiming at the middle class and as such prices are through the roof.

But anywho I love this basket!! I gave it a fresh coat of stain and made a liner out of what else but red and white polka dot fabric. It’s the first time I’ve ever made a basket liner and I really just winged it so I was pretty happy with out this turned out. A basket with yarn makes me so happy, I love going to my crafty cupboard and collecting all the bits and bobs I need for the next project and packing them all nice and neatly in my basket and heading in to the lounge to create and relax. This one above contains all my supplies to start on the next order for a hoot and hootabelle which is due after the easter weekend. My other basket has a secret blanket in it, So I can’t show it to you just yet.  But the blanket is a very special one. I have absolutely loved working on it and one more row of a border and it’s done! It’s for one of my besties. She is having her 1st baby “YIPEE” and if you can’t tell I am just a little excited. The baby shower is in april and I plan on making a few more goodies to go with the blankie so I will reveal all after the big day.

I’ve also been playing with fabric. Mr C was busy a few weekends ago with Karate business so I took the boys and little princess with me along to a Quilt show organised by the lovely people at Mrs Martins’s. Surprisingly the boys had a ball. The kind ladies let them also vote for a quilt and they loved wandering about looking at all the quilts and I think the felt very special choosing their favourite to go in the draw. But the most exciting bit for me was when a wonderfully amazing lady showed me how to do english paper piecing.  Something I have spotted about but never thought I could do it. Well after discovering it is all done by hand I was very keen to give it a go.  I headed down to Gail B’s (if you haven’t been, and live in the area you must go!) as soon as I could and purchased all of my supplies and began straight away. After sewing 3 hexagon flowers and not liking some of my combinations. I decided maybe I was a little eager and decided a plan was to be made. So in msword I came up with this

following a wonderful tutorial I found here. So with a plan I restarted and so far I’m liking what I have and loving stitching them together. This is definitely going to be a long term project and by long term I’m talking years. I’m not sure how big it will be, maybe it will be little, maybe it will grow and grow over time but for now it’s an in between project when I can fit some stitching in.

I’ve also been designing lately, mainly new toys of course but a few other little things here and there. My latest design is  Raggedy Piglet. I’ve had an idea for an old fashioned style piglet wondering around my head for a while.

I really like her. I love how she has such a flat square bottom like the old floppy dolls my mum used to make. I’ve popped her pattern up on Etsy and Raverly . I want to make a bunny next and then maybe a whole series of fat bottom animals and dolls.  ‘The fat bottom Gang’ maybe we’ll just stick with the ‘Raggedy gang’. Do you see that blanket in the background you will not believe this but I got that blanket for $5. It’s quiet a large blanket made with really nice wool and when the lady in the shop said $5 I have never whipped out $5 faster and handed it over. It is now B’s blanket and he adores it. Most mornings when we get up you can find him cuddled in it on the couch watching cartoons. And I love it as I no longer feel as guilty about not finding the time to make him his very own blanket. So a great blanket and it eased a little mummy guilt all for $5 now thats a bargain. I have a few other little crochet projects to show you but not today, dinner time is fast approaching and I have just typed this up on a computer with Microsoft Office 2013 and I’m feeling a little lost. I think they changed EVERYTHING not one bloody thing is in the place it used to be. Well I’m to cook dinner.

Love to all

xx

So while planning for our wedding I was busy hooking away too. But mostly just the same characters over and over again. That’s what happens when you begin to sell your creations. And for the most part I find joy in each character I make but there is a few fiddly little bits that I wish didn’t come with it. Like sewing toes together or weaving in ends, but on the whole it’s still enjoyable to crochet orders. But what is even more enjoyable is getting a new character to make and I have had a couple in the last few months. I love when someone asks for a new character. I’m not someone who can draw, the best I can manage is a pretty ghastly looking stick figure so my design process comes straight from my head to the my hook. This sometimes means getting proportions right can be a struggle but the more I design my own toys the more I’m getting better at it. This new character was simply a delight to work on. I even got to learn a new stitch – Loop stitch. Which I used to create his fur, did you know when you work this stitch in the round it actually ends up on the inside and you need to turn him inside out, see learning new things all the time.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday where ever you are, it’s coffee for me this monday

Love to all

xx