Cushion

I finished this cushion and officially have no half finished knitting/crochet projects on the go! Until I start something else tonight.....

The pattern is called Copenhagen Pillow and can be found at

http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/copenhagen-pillow

 

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Retro Circles Car Blanket

I finally finished my retro circles blanket. I've made this for myself to have in the car for the colder days when I sit outside school on the school run. It's not quite as big as I'd have liked but I couldn't find anymore of the yarn where I originally bought it. Frustrating. I think I'd like to do another one of these in lighter colours, maybe cotton but I need a break from circles right now!

The pattern can be found at

http://threebeansinapodcrochet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/retro-circles-tutorial.html

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Last Year's Pay-It-Forward

I have seen a few 'Pay-it-Forward' posts floating around Facebook this week. I decided not to try and do that this year. I did get gifts to everyone for 2013, but in my usual last minute fashion, most people got them in December! Seeing the posts did remind me that I haven't shared what I made on my blog, so here are the ones which went out in December....

Lavender Eye Pillow and Handwarmers,

Orange, Cinnamon and Poppy Seed Melt and Pour Soaps with crochet cloths,

and a Moebius Basket.

 

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Pink Peace Scarf Number 3

I'n feeling like I am ready to hibernate and wanting to finish a lot if things I've started or committed to this year. One of those things is finishing the section of crochet I've been doing for http://www.woolagainstweapons.co.uk/

and get all 3 bits off in the post. 

I finally finished last night, so ta-dah! 

Here they are, ready to go :)

I will probably do some more (lots of pink wool left), but I have couple of other projects to finish right now and then I'm planning to make a blanket for the cold winter afternoons sat in my car for the school run. It won't be pink!

 

Yarn Along

What am I knitting and reading at the moment? Well I am still crocheting in pink.  I gave up on the zigzags due to my inability to follow a pattern at the moment so it's back to granny squares.  I can pick them up and down whilst seeing to the children in the evenings without having to think!

 

As for reading, I am listening to 'The Casual Vacancy' by J.K.Rowling.  I put this off for a while as I was worried I may be disappointed after loving Harry Potter so much.  This was stupid! It's an excellent book and I'm really enjoying it.  The characters are great and I'm really interested to see where it goes plot-wise.  It's the second book I've listened to as a result of reading other reviews from the Artful Readers Club.  I listened to 'Around The World In 80 Days' last month. 

 Hopefully, I will have my May book review for the ARC posted up by the end of the week after a total art fail at the weekend. 





Owl Hat ~ Sophie

 

A present for a friend's baby, due any day.  The pattern is from Repeat Crafter Me.

It was really quick to make and I'm pleased with it.  I may do more......



Yarn Along ~ Sophie

My Goodreads page says I'm currently reading 5 books.  That is not quite true.  Those are the books that I was reading before I started more books.  I wish I could just read one book at a time but I can't.  Besides there being many ordinary books to be reading at the same time, there are now kindle books and audio books.  So, the real book I'm reading is 'I Left My Tent in San Francisco' by Emma Kennedy. This is my Artful Readers Club book for May.  I am ahead! The kindle book I'm reading is 'Crazy Sexy Diet' by Kris Carr and the audiobook I just finished was 'Eat, Pray, Love' by Elizabeth Gilbert.  I'm not sure what to make of that one. I started off hating it, then thought it was ok, then it just kind of ended. 

 

Here is my current knitting and audiobook...

 

 

 

...'The Universe Versus Alex Woods' by Gavin Extence. I started this today and it is hilarious so far.  I've been laughing out loud in the garden :) The knitting is my third piece for Wool Against Weapons.  The pattern is the Ten Stitch Zigzag .

 

I finished this piece last week.  A granny square with some extra rows added on at the ends to make it the correct size.

 

Linking up with Ginny's Yarn Along a bit late!

Pink Peace Crochet ~ Sophie

First piece for Wool Against Weapons finished....

....second piece underway....

I have plans for a 3rd one which will be knitted.  My pink wool supply is increasing thanks to some donations from my mum :)

 

http://www.woolagainstweapons.co.uk/

Good Stuff is Happening Despite the Storms ~ Sophie

I'm linking this post to Ginny's Yarn Along today.

We've been having a pretty awful half-term here weather-wise.  But, as the title suggests, good stuff has been happening too.  I got offered an allotment!  Today, we ventured out into the wind and rain to the library where I picked up the books above.  I also have this book...

...which was a birthday present. I will be pouring over all these and making some plans over the next couple of days.  I don't particularly want the allotment to be really low-maintenance but I know there will be times when I have less opportunity to get over there so I thought it may be worth seeing what was suggested here.

My crocheted coasters have been on the go a while.  Thanks to my lovely mum, we've been having a few kitchen alterations - the other good stuff - so I've been making these for when it's finished.  Which hopefully will not be too long now.

Yarn Along

I often go over and look at Ginny's 'Yarn Along' at Small Things on a Wednesday.  It's nice to see what others are knitting and reading (although I don't really need to be tempted into buying more books right now)!  I have been thinking about joining in for a while so here goes................

I was lucky enough to receive Loani Prior's 'Really Wild Tea Cosies' for Christmas.  I love nearly all of the patterns in this book, they are such fun.  I have started with the 'Coral Punk' and it's going to be for my mum because she gave me the book! 
 (Apologies for the really poor quality photographs today, I can't work out why they are like this, I've tried in several different lights?!)

I have to make about 50 of these coral tentacles. I'm over halfway now.  Although the pattern is straightforward, it's taking me some time as I find them fiddly and get achy fingers!

As for reading, I always have far too many books on the go at once. I also often have an audio book to listen to whilst knitting or doing crochet.  I've been listening to 'The Hunger Games' trilogy, but ended up buying the books for Gaby so I've been reading the paper version of 'Mockingjay', the 3rd book.  I've loved them all. 

The other book in the picture, 'Fire Dreamer' by Beth Webb, is the second in the Star Dancer series.  I am really enjoying this series although I originally bought the first book, 'Star Dancer' for Gaby.  She was rather absorbed in all things Twilight at the time so I gave it a go myself and got hooked!  I will definitely be finishing the series.  More information about the series and Beth Webb can be found on her website -  http://www.bethwebb.co.uk/index.html

Gentle Crochet and Coffee - Sophie

Not a lot of creativity has happened here this week as I have had my last wisdom tooth out and seem to be taking a long time to get over the anaesthetic! I've had to leave my knitting alone as it's at a point which needs careful counting and I think I might mess it up! I did start a bit of simple crochet to keep me busy - my Sundays afternoons often look like this....

Gaby and I did manage a little girly time in town yesterday too......:)

Stash Busting Challenging ~ Sophie

Oh blimey, I came across this challenge on the same day as we started this blog, so I'm thinking I will join in.  Actually I repeatedly promise myself that I'm going to use up my yarn stash before buying more but it never seems to happen so maybe this will help a bit.....(maybe)!

Since Christmas I have kindly been given a massive amount of yarn by a friend and I also bought some bargain purple yarn in a charity shop.  My boxes are bursting at the seams and there is no room for any more.

I'm already working on a crocheted cushion which I started last Autumn to use up some last bits of cotton left over from other projects.  It is sat in a basket nearly finished so I think this is where I should start!

I also have a tunic on the knitting needles at the moment which is getting close to being finished...

....and I'm trying hard NOT to start anything with the lovely colourful cottons which I bought before  Christmas even though I really want to make one of these cats.  I'm trying not to have too much on the go and once.

Famous......last.....words!