A Little Bit Of This and That

This week I have mostly been working on this.  I have now completed the left front, the right front, the back and half a sleeve.  It is quite a relaxing knit, but now I am on a 'county' bit and 'county' knitting is not too good in a busy household.  Did I say 43 or was that 45, oh it might have been 39!
          I have been a complete crafting butterfly, which is a nice was of saying I have crafting ADHD, I have not stuck to the same thing for very long this week.  I had my first go at a new craft this week, quite late one night I tried 'Needle Felting'.  There are two ways to felt wool, wet felting and needle felting.  Needle felting involves repeatedly jabbing fibre or fleece into a shape or to get the desired effect and the jabbing creates felting.  I have a very sharp three pronged felting needle.  It don't arf wake you up when you miss the fibre and jab your hand!  I woke myself up about three times to create this:

For a first attempt I am full of self congratulation, this flower took about an hour (huh I am a poet and I didn't know it).  When I have enough courage to use the very sharp, three pronged needle again I have made 'note to self':  Do not Needle Felt late at night, to jab a little less enthusiastically and never take my eye of the 'ball' so to speak!

I have also been making these for my poor Old Granny (some of you may remember her).  Warning: These Pictures May Cause Distress  I will rebuild her!

I have also been very bad and could not resist this bargainous 'Aran'.  Elephant Grey and Raspberry Pink work so well together in my opinion.  I know of a couple of 'imminent arrivals' that are due and thought I would work on a couple of Pram blankets.  Is Raspberry Pink and Elephant Grey acceptable if the 'arrivals' are of the male variety do you think?
               We are all set for a sunny weekend here, I will try to take photographs of the Chicken ladies sunbathing, they have been really enjoying sunbathing today.  They lie, spread out in the sun and snooze.  They are certainly not 'bird brains' they seem to have the right idea to me, they say it is a 'Dogs Life' but I think chickens have it pretty well sussed too.   The clocks go forward an hour on Sunday Morning, which leaves me feeling robbed and jet lagged.  On the bright side I break up for a fortnight next week.  Yahoooo!  That reminds me I want to crochet eggs and chicks and chickens and bunnies and all sorts of lovely stuff!  I do hope you all have a lovely weekend.  XXX 

Purple Haze 'Mini Granny Square Scarf' - 'Tah Dah'

Yeah!  Finally, 'Purple Haze' Scarf 'Tah Dah'!  

I had a willing model to demonstrate the versatility of the scarf and to demonstrate some of the ways it can be worn.  I was going to model myself but the photographer repeatedly managed to take shots of me looking exasperated and he did not manage to capture my natural radiance and beauty!

He found it some what incredulous I wanted to take more than one photograph.

By style three we were getting a rather forced smile, well it could be termed more of a grimace really!

This was the final shot of the photo shoot and it is clear the model has that far away look and has drifted off.  Nice pose though.  I like the Italian Widow look, this scarf is long enough to keep my head, ears and neck warm.

78 Mini Granny Squares of Purpleness.   468 ends to sew in of Purpleness!  I have worked on it in the car, on a train, in waiting rooms...what am I going to do without all this purpleness in my life...certainly not a bed spread.  (Ah I know I have a little bit of Alpaca to spin!)  The journey all started here 'Purple Haze Crochet Craze'  in Glastonbury High Street with a chance viewing of an 'On Sale' scarf in a shop window.

I can't tell you how many times I thought 'Why didn't I just buy that scarf?'

Should you wish to replicate my experience the instructions are here:

‘Purple Haze’  Mini Granny Square Scarf

Materials:  Double Knit (worsted weight) Yarn in colours of your own choice. 

Hook Size:  4.5mm

Abbreviations: (UK Crochet terminology) 

Chain - ch

Double Crochet – dc

Treble Crochet – tr

Single Crochet – sc

Instructions:

For the Mini Granny Squares:  Make 78

For the first round:  Make 6 chain.  Join with a slip stitch.  Ch3, tr2, ch1, tr3, ch1, tr3, ch1 tr3, join the round with a slip stitch and change colour. 

For the second round:  Chain 3, Tr 2,   (Tr3 into the corner space, ch1 tr3).   Repeat twice.  Tr3 into the final corner and join the round with a ss.  Change yarn colour.

Third round:   Chain 3, Tr 2, tr 3 into the ch space of the previous round.  (Tr3 into the corner space, ch1 tr3).   Repeat twice.  Tr3 into the final corner and join the round with a ss.  Fasten off.  Sew in the ends.

To make up:  Sew the squares together into 23 rows of three.

Work two rows of dc around the entire scarf to make a border.  

Apply Fringe:  I used nine tassels along each end. 

(I used a steam iron to block the scarf but as it is acrylic I did not touch the fabric with the iron, I used a steam setting and steamed the scarf about 1cm from the fabric, pulling and stretching it into shape as I did so).

Still Rippling Away

I have still been working away at this ripple, I do not need the heating on when I am working on it and now it is keeping my feet warm.  The first photograph was the last time I shared it.  I am rippling whenever I can and it is highly addictive.  To the detriment of  housework and other projects!  Today I rippled in the car when I was waiting for the school bell to ring for Euan.  I am finding it quite tricky to photograph now.  I had to chase the dog off it just before I took this update:

Not a very good photograph, I know!  I think I like the colours...if I don't think too much about them.  The kids still like it and the dog loves it.   Today to my horror she was pawing it!  I don't usually have to tell her off but she refused to stop pawing it and treading on it while I was trying to work on it, so I had to do a cross 'No!'   If she ladders it or puts a whole in it I will be upset!   I made Euan a Granny Square blanket when he was five as he had some surgery on his foot and needed a wheelchair,  he was thrilled with it and had it on his lap as soon as I gave it to him.  Unfortunately he was cutting and sticking craft stuff at the table and promptly snipped a good size hole in it about five minutes after I gave it to him.   It got darned and it is still much loved and in regular use.

  Also you may remember this post These Granny Square Photographs May Cause Distress!  I hope to have more luck with the ripple and I can't wait to be using it on the sofa to watch movies at the weekend.  It is definitely a 'snuggle up with Mom blanket'.  The dog thinks so anyway.