Catch Up

Mini Rings of Change Cal

It has been such a busy week that I have been a bit slow with my rug rows.  This week we were to do Rounds 11 to `13.  Now each colour I am using is represented.   And oops I have just seen a mistake!  Will have to undo and redo, drat!  That what happens when one crochets when tired.  If you want to see more versions of this project hop on over to Kate’s blog and see how different each looks.

Doily Bedspread

This is coming on well, however the fourth doily Pineapple Passion did give me a few problems mainly the centre with its split double trebles with its first leg and second leg…… yeah right!  Had to undo the rows several times before I could get it to sit right.  But once I got past that I motored along.  I am on the last row and then need to block so will post a picture of it in all its glory next week along with the next one.

Patchwork

Another thing I started this week was a patchwork cushion, well it is going to have a patchwork panel and that will be edged with some crochet, will post as I go.  I want it to look romantic as it is a wedding anniversary gift.  And yes I am doing it all by hand.  I think it is call English hand piercing.  Strangely enough I am finding it really relaxing doing the tiny joining stitches.  Maybe I will venture further and make a bed cover, maybe a baby sized one, lol.

We have been having a bit of a drought here – no rain for 6 weeks.  However it rained this week, well for one hour.  But it was the heaviest I have ever seen!

The drops were huge and all the guttering overflowed.  Too bad if I had visitors they would have to make their way through a water fall.

Anyway it was enough to give a very good soak. Yay!

The cats were not impressed and huddled together on the mat.

That’s it for today see you again soon.

Thanks for visiting.

CALS and Award

I love CALs they stop me from racing ahead, give me time to ponder.  I have completed two more rounds of Kate's Cal Mini Rings of Change.

I was going to do the Moogly 2015 Cal blanket, but when I saw the first square I decided not to as it was very fussy, and looked very difficult.  However when I was reading Kates post today she had done an alternate square that was rather nice! So what to do?  I had already decided to do a blanket using Cherry Heart’s Vintage blanket using Jan Eaton’s book of 200 blocks as inspiration.

 I rather like them and will keep on with it.  However I think I will keep an eye out on the Moogly Squares and see how they  go.

This week the lovely Anna of Annas Simple Crochet awarded me this award.  Thankyou very much Anna.

Following the rules, I have to : follow the blog who nominated me, answer to 5 questions and nominate 10 blogs.

The questions -

1  What would you change in your current situation? Nothing!

2   What you do not forgive? Lying

3 What would your perfect disguise? Dark glasses they say the eyes are the window to your soul!

4  Do you believe in eternal love or is it a fairy tale ? Love with capital letters.

    5  An important song in your life.  Lady in Red can’t recall who sings it!

The blogs-

http://senioradventureswithlindakay.blogspot.co.nz/

http://sftandthe101challenge.blogspot.co.nz/

http://ellengiggenbach.blogspot.co.nz/  *

http://lovecraft2012.blogspot.co.nz/

http://papermoonliving.blogspot.co.nz/  *

http://bicocacolors.blogspot.co.nz/

http://jsmwebber.blogspot.co.nz/  *

http://mythreadbearlife.blogspot.co.nz/  *

http://sssinthesun.blogspot.co.nz/

http://www.girlswearbluetoo.com/

The * marks NZ blogs.

The cats are in hiding today, as it has been rather noisy here today. 

Ambrose hiding down the back in my wild area!

Lucy has been deep in hiding and just come out for dinner.

Peggy Sue is staying under the bed. She is a nervous cat, she was a rescue kitten and I am sure she was maltreated as she hates loud noises and children!  She will come out when it is dark.

Why the noise?  It is Wings Over Wairarapa Air Show this weekend and the jets, biplanes, etc have been screeching above the town today.

google imagrs

But I won’t let it distract me like a couple of years ago, I was watching planes doing loops while I was pruning some bushes and partially cut off the tip of my little finger! Spending the rest of the day in A&E.   So there will be no pruning this weekend!  Hopefully,  lots of crafting, LOL

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 Have a great Weekend.

Doily Contrasts

This week has been one of contrasts:

Colour, bright and neon and a sedate ecru!

Yarn, thick chunky wool and fine cotton!

Sunflower Bloom

I have finished another Patricia Kristoffersen doily for my bedspread.  It was much more difficult than the first two.  I have started the fourth one and that is really difficult!  But hey I love a challenge.

The above is a doily I have done in dk cotton from a chart I found on Pinterest.  I made it for my table outside to lighten up a shady spot this summer.  The colours are not true in this photo (it was taken early this evening).  The true colour are those in the first photo above.

 This is the next two rounds of Kates Mini rings ofchange CAL, wk 2.  I had a hard time restraining myself from doing more rows.  That’s why the neon doily was started. Lol!

It has been stiflingly hot this week, and my poor flowers are being bleached by the sun.  The grass is brown, at least it has stopped growing!

However the mini agapanthus loves the heat!

The vegetable garden is thriving and this this morning’s pickings.

This week Peggy Sue takes a star turn.

Have a great week and thank you for visiting.

Doilies and a new CAL

One of my goals for 2015 is to finally complete a vintage style bedspread.  I have fluffed about with motifs rejected them because the project was too boring for my flibergibity mind.  However, thanks to my RSI I have found just the right thing.  Last year I brought a book Absolutely Gorgeous Doilies from Leisure Arts.  There are 18 patterns by Patricia Kristoffersen.  They are gorgeous, textured and very complicated!  No room for boredom!

So far I have completed 2 and am well on the way on the third.  Doily No 1 is Park Avenue and relatively simple.

Park Avenue

Doily No 2 - Pineapple Patch was slightly more difficult.

Pineapple Patch

Now the one I am doing this week No 3 Sunflower Bloom is another matter!  I have undone rounds several times, but I am getting there.

I have decided to try and do one a week except that later on in the book they get very complicated and are larger so they might take two weeks.  I am doing them all in an ecru 2 ply satin finish organic cotton from Sullivan’s. an Australian company.  I have found that the best hook for it is a 2m.  I am not sure yet how I will join them.

I have been given a magazine Interweave Crochet – Spring 2014 that has an article on ways to prevent RSI.

I have found it really helpful with my RSI, and I have been trying different ways to hold the hook.  Normally I am an overhand holder - Butter-knife method.  I have experiment and find myself comfortable with an underhand – the pencil grip.  It uses different movements and I get little pain.  Sooooooo…… I can now crochet using wool and bigger hooks, but have decided to take it really easy.  The answer I found was via Linda of Linda's Crafty Corner.  he is doing a Cal along with Kate It is the mini rings of change  and it can be whatever you want it to be doily, blanket or rug.    It is for turtle crocheters so will be just right for me.  

I am going to do a bit of stash busting and want to make a rug for the bathroom.  I am using two strands of wool and a 6mm hook.  However it is not going to be as colourful as Linda’s and Kates.  This week is only two rounds, how will I restrain myself!! 

Well I think that’s about enough for now, except for a shot of the garden and a very difficult to photo Ambrose!

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful week.

PS.  If you are interested in the article on preventing crochet RSI and can’t get the magazine, I will only be too happy to send you a photo of the pages. Email me at zanasjourney(at)gmail(dot)com

A New Year, A New Start

Yes I am still here!  December was a month full of life’s dramas and I am sorry to say that crochet and blogging didn't get a look in.  However, things are settling down and I am so pleased to be able to blog again and visit you all.

This is the scene that greeted me when I got home a few days ago; my poor garden is a jungle, lots of work to do.  Missed the best of the roses but these carpet roses seem to thrive in the heat.

For the last few years instead of making a new year’s resolution (which tended to be broken as I made it!), I have chosen a word for the year.  Last year it was Forward.  This year I have chosen Streamline.

Why streamline?  Well it is something I need to apply in all areas of my life.  I need to declutter.  I need to simplify my garden.  I need lose a bit of weight especially around the midriff!  I really just want to be comfortable with my body.  I need to focus on a few projects instead of hopping here and there and losing track.  Especially crochet!

I was unable to crochet for most of December due to RSA from crochet!  In November I went mad and completed 2 blankets plus other bits and pieces, well, I have learnt!  On Christmas Eve I picked up my crochet hook and some thread and started a doily.  No pain!  Well I managed to do this in front of the TV.  The next day I picked up my hook and some wool, the pain was there.  I must use a different technique for thread.  Whatever,  it means that I can crochet again, albeit with thread, doilies here I come.  But I will not push it too hard.

I have just finished this one and one other that I started earlier in the year. (Details in my next post)  I am blocking them at the moment and will show them in the weekend.  One question I would like to ask you doily experts out there.

Blocking – what is the best way, I have seen various methods in books and on the net.  The doilies I am doing for this project are quite textured and I want to keep that feel.  The book I am using suggests washing them, but I think I would prefer to just spray water on them.  What do you think?

It is great to be back and doing some crochet again, I missed you all too.  I hope 2015 will be a great year for all of us.

My Week

It has been a typical spring week, one day a taste of summer and the next a reminder of winter.  One thing I love about spring is the elderflower trees in blossom.  Elderflower cordial making is the top of list.  I love it with its musky flavour.  I have never made elderberry cordial, I mean to but the birds get the berries before I do.  May be I will have to camp beside the tree!

This week I have been busy with the blanket for my niece it has to be finished before Thursday!!!  I am busy sewing it up, hopefully tomorrow I can start on the border.  However I have done some other crochet to lighten the load.  One was a little cowl, as it still can be cold in the early morning when I leave the house and I wanted something to keep my neck warm.

I used V stitch it was super quick to do an hour or so.  I have worn it most mornings, and soon as it is warm enough I slip it off and put it in my bag.

Pretty colours!

I have also done some work on my Painted Rose cushion and it is now ready to sew to the back

I am using the curtain material leftover from when I made new ones earlier in the year.  I just love this pattern from Cherry Heart.  I cant wait to get started on the blanket.  But it will have to wait as I have other projects that require my attention.

For a change I decided to try my hand at making embroidered brooches.  I had seen some on Pinterest and thought they would make great gifts.

So here is my first attempt.

Think I will keep this one for myself as it has a few errors in it!  But I love it anyway.

So that has been my week, I will leave you with my recipe for Elderberry cordial.

Elderflower Cordial

Ingredients

25 - 30 elderflower heads

1.7litres/3 pints boiling water

900g/2lb caster sugar

50g/2oz citric acid

3 lemons, sliced

Preparation method

Gently rinse over the elderflowers to remove any dirt or little creatures.

Pour the boiling water over the sugar in a very large mixing bowl. Stir well and leave to cool.

Add the citric acid, the orange and lemon slices, and then the flowers.

Leave in a cool place for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.

Strain through some muslin and transfer to sterilised bottles.

Thanks for visiting and have a great week.

Roses, Inspiration and stash busting

This week, I have been plugging away crocheting my nieces blanket.  Nearly there, hopefully I will be able to start joining the squares before the end of next week.

When I have been blog reading this week I came across two inspirational projects; one from Lucy at Attic 24 and the other from Sandra at Cherry Heart.  They preyed on my mind and I had to start!

First of all, the project that made my heart sing - Cherry Heart’s Painted Rose Blanket.  I had decided earlier in the week that I wanted to make the blanket and it went into my queue of projects.  Yesterday I succumbed and rummaged around in my stash and came up with similar colours.  My hook came out and before long I had made two squares.

I just love them, makes me think of my paternal grandmother, these were her colours.  I don’t have enough of these colours in my stash to make a blanket, but these squares will become a cushion for my bedroom.  I think I will be able to match the colours but it will be a different dye run I suppose. But it wont matter as they wont be next to each other.

For any Kiwi readers I have used Crucci Olympus for the blue (it is not quite as bright as this in real life) and the pink petals and Patons Panda for the mustard and green, I had a lime similar to Sandra’s but it was too strong and dominated the square so I went for this khaki colour, makes it look vintage.  I still am trying to suss out the joining colour, it is between a teal and the light blue I have used above.

The other inspiration I had this week was Lucy ofAttic 24 Cosy Blanket Cal.  Last Monday I pulled out some wool that I had earmarked for a scarf last winter and never got around to doing.  I thought that the texture of the pattern would make a wonderful scarf and it does.

It is such an easy pattern and soothing to do, and I will definitely be making a blanket at some stage using this brand of wool (Countrywide Yarns, Windsor), I have never used it before - it is so soft and the colours are quite lovely.

Both of these will be linked to Linda of Linda’sCrafty Corner November Stash-buster link party.

Now I will leave you with some close up photos of roses that I have picked for the house.

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful weekend and week.