A Week in Rugs

I’ve been busy, busy, busy making a variety of rag rugs and a weaving over the past week. I thought I’d just post some photos of my creations.

 

Isaac’s Undulating Blanket - Crochet

Ta Dah!
Here it is finally finished and delivered safely to Isaac’s student boudoir!

Vital Statistics:
156 Stitches per row
111 rows
54” x 79”
Total 17,316 stitches – only a mother would do this.

Can anyone please suggest a suitable caption for this photo……………….

Under Pressure

Well it’s Monday which means I have heaps and heaps of ideas and what seems like a limited amount of time to achieve even a small percentage of these ideas.
I’m very stretched working on the above crochet wave blanket. I’m making this for my first born who has gone off to university. I’m going to visit him on Saturday so this project now has a finite deadline. I would much rather work on a project because I’m loving the process not because it needs to be done, then it becomes a chore :-(
Thanks to all the recent postal disruption I have been waiting on a few deliveries and one of them finally arrived today. The kitchen has now become a Chinese laundry as I’ve been dying a variety of fabrics today. My washing line looks like multicoloured mayhem – but pleasing to my eye.
Lots of newly coloured fabrics to create with. I am about to start a prodded rag rug this week which will be interesting. I’m also going to be crocheting a new rag rag and writing up the pattern. Seeing all these colourful fabrics has given me the urge to create some wall hangings etc.
I’ve been working on this loveheart today and feel it has the potential to become something more. A wall hanging maybe. Or using some applique and machine embroidery a cushion cover. I’m not decided on this one yet but mulling it over.
Last week I had a week in cowls and still need to write up the patterns for these little crocheted numbers. Looking at my diary for last week I think I achieved about 60% of what I was aiming for. That wasn’t too bad given that I had little folks who were off school with the cold/flu. I also managed to get a few other things done that hadn’t been on the list. It’s good to at least to aim to be organised. I normally write everything up on a Sunday that I hope to achieve in the coming week. This week I’ve failed so had better go and do it now.
Then I will need to get on with the blanket……… I do know that many of you will understand my reticence to rush this through hastily. But you will all understand the necessity of a deadline self imposed or otherwise.

Ripple Wave Scarf - Crochet

Here’s a very quick and easy pattern for a wavy ripple crochet scarf. Here it is worked in Wendy Fusion shade – Piri Piri. The scarf which measures 54” length used x2 50g balls of yarn and a 6mm hook.

The basic wave pattern is based on multiples of 14 so begin with desired length in a multiple of 14.

Pattern
Chain 140 + 3 for turning.
Row 1 - 1 tr into 4th chain from hook
1tr into each of next 4 chs
tr2tog
tr2tog
1 tr into each of next 4 chs
*2tr into next ch
2 tr into next ch
1tr into each of next 4 chs
tr2tog
tr2tog
1 tr into each of next 4 chs*
Repeat between ** ending last rep with 2 tr into last ch, turn.
Row 2 - ch3, 1 tr into same stitch,
1tr into each of next 4 chs
tr2tog
tr2tog
1 tr into each of next 4 chs
*2tr into next ch
2 tr into next ch
1tr into each of next 4 chs
tr2tog
tr2tog
1 tr into each of next 4 chs*
Repeat between ** ending last rep with 2 tr into the top chain of the chain-3 from previous row.
Repeat row 2 for width required. I completed 8 rows and achieved a width of approx 6.5”

4 Rows completed.

8 Rows completed.
This pattern is offered and made available for personal use only. If you wish to reproduce this in any way please contact me or make sure that reference is made to the original author’s blog http://www.goodtimesithinkso.blogspot.com/ . Thank you


Thank You


Find my Handmade Silver Crochet or Knitting Stitch Markers here
Crochet http://goodtimesithinkso.blogspot.com/2009/09/crochet-stitch-markers.html Knitting http://goodtimesithinkso.blogspot.com/2009/09/knitting-stitch-markers.html

Bags, Bolero's and Bits

Heatwaves et. al. well not in this part of the world. Here we have overcast skies and very little sunshine. I don't suppose I should complain as it means more time for finishing projects, photographing and blogging.

My first item that was completed last Friday and it is my version of a vintage bolero. I took inspiration from a vintage pattern titled 'Bolero without the Ravel'. I have modified the pattern and had to guess needle sizes etc. The bolero was knitted in 100% DK wool with 6mm needles throughout. The original pattern quoted 'Beehive' knitting needles size 0. I couldn't find a conversion chart so spent a while trying different sizes to obtain the correct tension.




I'm quite pleased with the overall shape but would like to embellish the collar area with fun knitted roses or flowers. I haven't found the desired colour of lipstick fuchsia pink yarn yet but will post a photo once completed finally.



Blocking on the ironing board - why don't we have blocking boards in the UK ?

Crochet Bag

The beginning......

The first rounds......................

The handles and flowers for finishing off ................

Still on day one and growing nicely.

Finally complete and all sewn up.

Although I used 4mm hook and DK yarn the result isn't as tight as I would like. It never ceases to amaze me how 20 different double knitting yarns can have such differing widths and finishes.

Never mind it still makes the perfect stash bag and I feel has a beauty all of it's own. I love the colour mix.

I took my lead/inspiration from Lucy's blog at Attic 24, my bag ended up so large that I had to decrease in the final few rows.

Finally the bottom of the bag which is equally as pretty as the rest.

Next up the cushion, again inspired by the Attic 24 blog. I have been meaning to do something 'wavy' for quite a while and this made perfect sense. The pattern is quick and fluid and could be applied to numerous projects - scarves, blankets, sofa throws and baby blankets etc.

We have the local village show coming up shortly and one of the competition categories is a scarf in any medium, so this will fit the bill nicely.

The cushion in progress - here it looks like a scarf. Again completed in DK yarn on a 4mm hook.

Other WIP's (works in progress)

There are too numerous to mention but the garden is always an ongoing WIP at this time of year. Everything is growing so rapidly and it seems the grass grows overnight. We are exceptionally lucky to have three distinct gardens with the same quantity of maintenance and work to complete.

And so the work begins .......... thankfully my other half started to trim this shrub. The bees just love it and hang about there until after dusk. I didn't want to disturb the bumble bees and so it became a 'him' job.

No signs of activity here but it was so sunny I thought it was a nice picture.

This is our very special wishing tree which merits a post in itself. We tie ribbons to the tree and make wishes each time we do. We also encourage all visitors to do the same. This type of tree is also known as a 'clootie' tree in Scotland and further explanation will follow.

One of many perfect hosta in the garden.

I really should have divided them all in early spring but the weather wasn't great and I was probably distracted crocheting or knitting.

More signs of progress - there is definitely a wheel barrow in this photo which indicates some work having taken place in the garden. I took this photograph late last week at about 6pm whilst bringing the laundry in.

And finally it's cake time

Our version of Sunday afternoon cake made by our master chef Aidy-P aged 11. I was meant to make the cake but was taken over and sidelined by the little persons enthusiasm. We had a fair amount of debate about if the nuts should be included in the cake. He finally conceded and I was allowed to decorate 'half' of the cake with pecans.

A sterling effort and very tasty to boot.

Coffee and Pecan cake.