Crochet - A Granny Square Story

Learning to Crochet,

My Journey

So one of my new year resolution this year was to finally learn how to crochet, I have always wanted to learn, but my mother refused to teach me :(. so I decided it was about time I learnt, and if she wouldn't teach me then I would have to teach myself!
So I bought some Crochet hooks from eBay and had bits of wool scattered around my house, and I gave it a go.

Well I tried and tried to do it. The results were not so good.  As you can see I appear to have made a funnel, it was supposed to be the start of a granny square :s

1st try at crochet in the flat and round.

I kept trying but I just couldn't seem to get it, I tried to follow instruction from a beginners book and Youtube, to no avail.  So I basically gave up. :( figuring that I couldn't do it as it was just too fiddly.

But then I started going to my local Stitch 'n' Bitch group (highly recommend joining one if you can),  a lovely lady there said she would teach me how to make a granny square.  So on Tuesday (26/03/13) I took my hooks and some wool to the group.

 She taught me to do Treble Crochet stitch and to be able to create a granny square.

The first try didn't really form a square, I got the tension all wrong and its very out of shape but I was so pleased with how well I had done.

2nd attempt with a little help from my friend :)

So the next day with the basic stitch sorted and committed to memory, I tried again, but this time with chunky wool and a bigger hook, I found this much easier to try with as I could see it better.  I was thrilled with the outcome :D

Single colour in chunky wool.

But I wanted some colour in it so I had another look at Youtube and found a video for a traditional granny square.  It showed how to add colour.  I rocketed through this one in no time at all.

Getting confident, adding colours.

But now I just can't stop :s 

Just can't stop now.

I'm planning on making a crocheted blanket :) I have always wanted to make one.

I'm so pleased I have mastered this technique, I know there is so much more to learn but I'm on the right track :)

Cant wait to try more crochet. My children want to learn as well now so I best get practising.

Craft - Knitting Dolly

Knitting Dolly/Knitting Nancy/French Knitting

So I found a knitting dolly in a local craft shop and I decided to relive my childhood and buy it :)

when I got home I started to 'knit' with it.

So many memories of doing it when I was a child, I had one when I was about 10 years old, that my father made me from a cotton real and some nails, plus a nail for doing the knitting part :) I loved it. I would make little rugs for my dolls house and necklaces for me and my friends to wear. It was great fun and fairly relaxing. (Still is by the way)

A Knitting Dolly

So I spent about 30 mins doing some, but that time came again, when I had to go and get the tribe from school.

Upon arrival home my eldest daughter saw it on the table and asked what I was doing, so like a good mum I showed her, where upon she popped it out of my hands and started to do it herself. I was really pleased that she took to it so quickly. Until she announced that I should go and buy myself another knitting dolly as the one she was using was now hers :(

Molly (11) Knitting on a Knitting Dolly

So I did, I went out and bought another one for myself.

Then my boy wanted to do it.

Daniel (9) Knitting on a Knitting Dolly

So off I went to the shop again for the third time, for another one, but this time I was sensible and bought 2 as I had a hunch that my youngest daughter would want to have a go aswell.

Well I was right.

Rose (6) Knitting on a Knitting Dolly

I showed her how to do it before school this morning and she has taking to it very fast. She has even taken it to school to show her teacher and friends.

I have finally got round to doing some for myself :D

Mine!

Very proud of my children for taking an interest and actually managing to do it so well. Don't know how long the interest will last but for £3 each plus some old wool, I have had a lovely time teaching them something that I did when I was little.

Happy Proud Mummy :D

Knitting Project - Fair Isle Cardigan

My New Knitting Project - Fair Isle Cardigan 

I haven't completed much on this cardigan over the past couple of weeks but im now powering on with it.
Doing well on the fair isle cardigan for my daughter.
I finished the back within a week of starting, but the fronts were a different story :s took me a week to do them EACH!!! maybe more I don't know I lost interest at one point!

The back completed :)

But I have now finished both of the fronts, but boy was that difficult.  I had to pull it back 4 times at the shaping due to it going wrong, no idea why it went wrong, could have been the pattern? could have been me? who knows but it was hard to finish the fronts.

Both fronts completed :)

I am now onto the sleeves and getting a bit distracted by other things, also I am a bit tired of doing the fair isle pattern, but I shall persist and hopefully I will finish it before my daughter out grows it :s
I really want to start something new but I know if I do I probably wont come back to this and I know its going to look great on her.

Well of I go to do some knitting - chat soon

Craft - Positivity Jar

So I have found Pinterest and I'm hooked, I can not stop pinning things, I'm loving it.
There is so much great stuff on there, I love the craft section and have found some interesting projects that I will make (at some point).
There was an idea on the site for a children's reward system Jar, that I liked, so I decided to make it myself.  Its called 'Caught Ya'

Front of the Jar

I bought some glass paints and made some cute little creatures and then added googly eyes (so cute). I also added some stickers for the letters on the front. I also wrote my kidlets names on the bottom and the date the jar was completed :)

Back of the Jar

I bought some little pompoms from the works, and I reward the kidlets them when they have been good.  When the jar is full we will have a special day out, all together.

Pompoms

I loved doing this project and im delighted with the outcome, my kidlets love it too :)
lets hope we get some pompoms in it now :s

Gillian Becker

01/02/1950 - 23/02/2013

Hello, I'm back :)

 

Over the past couple of weeks I haven't done much in the way of knitting 

(or anything else, I may add.)

As I have been helping to organise a funeral for my late mother-in-law. 

Gillian Becker

Gillian Becker and my daughter Rose

It was a truly beautiful service and a great party to celebrate the

 life of an amazing, inspirational woman. 

Would like to thank the wonderful Marie Curie Cancer Care nurses

 for making her last few weeks happy and pain free.

She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. 

Sleep tight, Gilly, See you in the Stars.

xxx