Bear Hat

First of all welcome to my new followers,  Paula and Compostwoman.  Also I would like to thank Ilona of Life after Money for the link and mention.

I have been doing a bit of stash busting this week.  I have been invited to a baby shower and needed to do something for a baby boy.  I had been told that something for 3 months to 6 months would be nice as the mum-to-be is awash with new born gifts already.  I thought I would do a bear hat as I think they are so cute. 

So I went to Ravelry and Pinterest, there were hundreds of variations and patterns!  You would think that I would able to find something, but no, I have realised that I am picky!!  In the end I picked a basic pattern and started it was dreadful, so I frogged it and just got to and made it up as I went on.  It worked!

So much so, that my visitor this afternoon wants me to do a pink version for a 2 year old girl.  I am thinking that I might write a pattern for it, improving on some of the kinks.  I will post it when I do.

I have been doing some other stash busting and will post them when they are finished.

This week has been about the garden, spring is well and truly here.  I have been digging compost into the future cottage garden bed and the vegetable patch ready for planting in a few weeks.  Also I have been sowing seeds galore and the potatoes are nearly ready to plant..

Blooms are starting pop up everywhere and I was pleased to see the bees swarming over my white borage.

In the flower garden the Bergenia  or ‘elephant ears’ is putting on a wonderful show.

Well that’s it for today, thanks for looking and see you soon.

I am linking the hat to Linda of Crafty Corner’s Septembers Stash-buster link party.

Forgotten Treasures

First of all I want to welcome new followers Joy, Sue and Anna.

This week has been a wash out as far as weather goes.  One fine day on Tuesday, the rest we suffered the tail end of a cyclone!  Rain and more rain.  Perfect for lots of hooky stuff.

It was also a perfect opportunity to get into the cupboards and sort through stuff that has been in boxes and suitcases for years.  Four years ago I downsized and I am guilty of stuffing things away – out of sight out of mind!  Well anyway I found some treasures and I will share two of them today.

First was some chunky wool left over from a jumper I knitted about 15 years ago.  I don’t know what happened to the jumper, there was a whole skein of the wool, umm great for a chunky beanie a friend wants me to crochet for her. 

This afternoon after mowing the lawns, at last it was fine.  I set to and crocheted this lovely.

Only took an hour, the embellishment I had lying around. It was a trial I did from Karen’s P.S.I Crochet, the flower was for her almond blossom bag, which is on my want to do list.  However for the hat I did the final round as picot edging( 1 double crochet in one stitch, and then a half treble, a treble and a half treble all in the next stitch then a double in the next stitch, all the way round- eng. terms) instead of making it into an hexagon shape.  I quite like this look and I am thinking of making a small bag in the same wool with the same embellishment on it.  (I think I have enough wool!)

The next treasure was a Kaffe Kassett needlepoint canvas I did 10 years ago when I was in hospital after a car crash; I was there for 9 weeks and managed to complete it.  I didn't have the right size canvas and it went to the edges and it was terribly distorted, so it got shoved in a case and forgotten. 

 Looking at it I thought it is too beautiful to be hidden away, I wonder… Yes it is more or less the same size as the chair seats that I want to recover as the calico that is on them has got grubby.  Also as it will be stapled on to the chair so it can be pulled back into shape.  Er... that means I got to do 3 more, well never mind I have heaps of tapestry wool and a couple of Kaffe’s books for ideas.  I will stick to the floral designs of course.  Thank goodness winter is coming!  Just have to buy the canvas it was done on Penelope canvas which I think is 10 holes to the inch.

Now for one of my other treasures, not forgotten of course!  One of my fur babies Ambrose is fascinated with wool and loves to watch and snug down,  These photos tell the story!

I am being good Mum!

I am just helping!

Haw heck, do you really expect me to not tame this ball!

I am tired after helping think I will take a nap!

Well that is it for today; I have visitors for the rest of the Easter holidays so I imagine I won’t get much hooky stuff done.  But I shall enjoy their company.

Best Wishes to you all and a wonderful Easter what’s left of it if you celebrate it!

Linking to Annemaries Haakblog Link Your Stuff

and Natasha's in Oz  Say G'Day