Using what you have in your yarn stash.

As well as projects that we have recently purchased yarn for we are really enjoying using yarn from our stash. It helps you to think outside the square. Leftover yarn from a finished project takes on a new life, as you start to look at the yarn differently and find new and interesting ways to use it.

Finished Objects - Crochet:

This week I completed the Little Stories Cowl, that has been on my wish list for awhile. The pattern was very enjoyable and I learnt a new stitch along the way. I am thrilled with the colour - Biggan Design merino yarn in Royal Purple, which was lovely to work with.  A future project will be a hat from a new book I recently purchased with the leftover yarn.

My Courtship Shawl is now complete. A lovely easy to follow pattern. Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 10 ply in the "Navy" colourway. I have never worried about gauge on shawls before as the size hasn't been important. If you like this pattern, it would be best to do a gauge swatch as mine ended up much smaller than the picture so I needed to do more repeats and buy more yarn.

What's On Our Hooks:

Samantha:

Whilst looking for a pattern to sew a basket to use on my mums walker, I stumbled upon a cute crochet pattern for a Project arm bag/basket by Jayda In Stitches. Again using stash, I have begun work on a test one first to see how it goes and whether it will be big enough for her needs. I am really enjoying working on it as it is quick and easy, using two strands of yarn held together.

Some crochet projects are a dream to work on and others a nightmare! I have been working on the Screwball Ice Cream shawl out of a book that Miss C received for Christmas. I would consider myself an advanced beginner crocheter, having made quite a wide variety of projects. I have found this pattern confusing to read and it has caused me quite a lot of grief. After finally deciphering the pattern so that I could move forward it was still not looking right. A discovery of a mistake much earlier on, sadly  involved unpicking from row 33 back to row 19.😞 Hopefully now I will be back on track and able to make some progress as it is looking really pretty.                                                                                                                                                                              

My Winter Wishes Scarf is coming along nicely and I am loving the pattern. The different stitches create a lovely texture. 

Miss C:

Inspired by Mum's Little Stories Cowl, I decided to start one for myself. I found some yarn leftover from a blanket and although it is not a colour that I would normally purchase, I started looking at it differently and realised that it is a wonderful colour that will go with so many things.

Future Projects:

Samantha:

I have not made a cardigan before and have decided to make the Up North Cardigan using Bendigo Woollen Mills Bloom 8 ply - Marble Statue

Miss C: 

I recently made a Gorse Sweater and loved it so much that I am making another using Hobbii Tweed Delight - Chai Latte

I have never done colour work before and found these two lovely patterns that I am really looking forward to making.

Prim Sweater - Using Multicoloured 4 ply sock yarn - Pastel Dream as the main colour and Lux 4 ply - Navy as the contrast.

 Quill Cardigan- Using Lux 4 ply - Navy as the main colour and Multicoloured sock yarn - Pot Pourri as the contrast.

Until next week 

Samantha & Miss C XX

A very productive crafty week!

It has been a very satisfying week where I have completed some crochet and sewing projects and made progress on others.  I am really motivated to finish things and it feels so good to be able to put them to use.

Finished Objects - Crochet:

My first finished object is my latest basket. I absolutely love making crochet baskets, they are so handy for storing yarn and so many other things. I only had a few rows to do and now have completed it and filled it with yarn!

I made myself a very useful Cake Cozy using stash yarn to hold my yarn to stop it rolling around. I have made some for others in my family but never for myself!  I made it smaller than the original and think it is the perfect size.

Finished Objects - Sewing:

I am extremely excited to have finished my Ironing Board Organiser and can't wait to use it. The fabrics are so bright and colourful and make me smile. I made a slight change,by putting velcro on the bottom of my pincushion so that I can take it with me over to the sewing machine.

What's On Our Hooks:

Samantha:

My Courtship Shawl has come out of hibernation, I started crocheting it a few months ago, but I ran out of yarn. I now have enough to finish the project and have started working on it again. Using Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 10 ply in the "Navy" colourway.

I am really enjoying working on my Winter Wishes Scarf, a pattern by Sweet Potato 3. I am using Hobbii yarn Tweed Delight in the "Ivory Neon" colourway. I am not enjoying the yarn,it is very inconsistent. Some parts are quite thick and then others are incredibly thin.

Miss C:

The Key Largo Lace Wrap is another item that Miss C is trying to complete for the Year Of the Finishing. Using Hobbii Yarn Sultan in the "Pink Dragon Agate" colourway.

This is a shawl from the "Romantic Crochet" book written by Emma Escott of Lulu Loves Crochet. Loving the pattern and can't wait to work on it some more. Using Hobbii Yarn Metallico Fine, and the colourways are (from left to right) "Night Blue", "White", "Powder" and "Rose Pearl"

My Lacy Cocoon Cardigan is also from the Romantic Crochet book. Using Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4 in the "Delicate Light Blue" colourway.

I have also started crocheting a Granny Stripes Blanket using all of my fingering weight scraps. The original pattern is written for DK weight, but I used Knitty Natty's Project Page for the amount to chain etc. for fingering weight yarn. Also, I wanted to use every scrap of my yarn, so I am not tying off the yarn every 2 rows as the pattern specifies, I have just altered it a little to continue without cutting it.

Until next week,

Samantha & Miss C xxx

Make Nine 2022 Plans

During 2022, we have decided to take part in the #makenine2022mal that is hosted on Instagram by Amy, of @noblecharactercrafts. This is a participatory MAL to make nine projects that you have been wanting to make for a long time. If you want to find out more about the MAL, or participate yourself, have a look at the hashtag on Instagram.

The crochet patterns that we are planning to make this year are:

1. Habitat Cardigan by Make & Do Crew, using Happy Sheep Woolpower, from Hobbii in the "Deep Turquoise" colourway.

2. Key Largo Lace Wrap by The Cozy Cottage Crochet, which we have in progress, using the Hobbii Sultan in the "Pink Dragon Agate" colourway.

3. Tiara Sweater by Eleven Handmade, which we are planning on making in Mayflower 1 class sock yarn, in the Black Bean colourway.

4. Semarah Sweater by Eleven Handmade.

5. Gelato Gloves by Nancy Said, which we have now finished, and they were made in 4 Seasons Pure Wool Entwine 8 ply, from Spotlight, in the Turquoise colourway, as well as some scraps for the contrast and flowers.

6. Winter Wishes Scarf by Sweet Potato 3, which is also in progress, using Hobbii Yarn Tweed Delight in the "Ivory Neon" colourway.

7. Late Summer Love Story by Nancy Said, which we are planning on using Happy Sheep Baby Wool in the mint colourway.

8. Goldenrod Sweater by Eleven Handmade, which Miss C has completed. Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 4 ply in the "Petunia" colourway.

9. Gorse Sweater by Eleven Handmade, which Miss C has also finished. Hobbii Tweed Delight in the "Amber Glow" colourway.

See you next week for an update on all our projects.

Samantha & Miss C xx

The Year of the Finishing

 

This year, we have decided to finish all of those UFO's that everyone has lurking in the corners and actually put them to use instead of having them sitting in a project bag. As well as this, we would like to make some of the projects that we have been dreaming about for a long time.

Over the next few weeks, these are the projects that we would like to try and finish, or make some significant progress on:

My Ironing Board Organiser, which was a project I thought would help me be more organised, but it is sadly unfinished.

A pair of crochet Gelato Gloves that I really need for the coming winter, as they did not get finished for last winter! This is also one of my Make Nines for this year. I am using Pure Wool Entwine 8 Ply from Spotlight, in the Turquoise colourway, as well as a small scrap of cream coloured wool for the contrast. 

Miss C would like to finish her Key Largo Lace Wrap, in a gradient cotton cake, the Sultan cake from Hobbii, in the Pink Dragon agate colourway. 

Another thing that has spurred this on is the Love your stash CAL that The Cozy Cottage Crochet is hosting, all about using yarn that has been in your stash, as well as giving some love to your old WIP's. The thread is in her Ravelry group if you would like to take part.

See you next week, where we will show you our #makenine2022mal plans for the MAL that Amy of @noblecharactercrafts is hosting on Instagram. 

Samantha & Miss C xx