What You Doing Wednesday Week 38

I hope you are all having a good week!

We are trying to get everything made and

ready for Christmas.

I'm being really good and starting and finishing

each project before I go onto the next.

At the moment I'm making:

Some Mittens

I am making them from this pattern:

http://www.crochetme.com/media/p/109505.aspx

I gave a little girl my son knows 

the turkey hat I made.

She has been asking for some mittens to match.

I'm going to put the turkey design on as soon as they are finished.

As I'm making and finishing each item 

I haven't really got any WIPs to show you at the moment.

I do have all those other WIPs that I showed you the other week

but I'm only going to show them again once

I have chance to start finishing them off.

We've been having more fun with Hotsy the elf this week

                  He's been walking his dog                              He has been celebrating Movember

                  He's been riding his dinosaur                         and he has been skiing.

Sorry no futher on the reading.

1st I got a nasty stomach bug and then straight into a full blown cold.

consentration isn't up to reading at the moment.

Hopefully we'll be back on track soon.

I've also got a little something to let you know about.
Below is a message from Joyce from

VliegendeHollander

"Christmas Time is almost there! The time of sharing, giving and helping someone else. 

Do you have any yarn left overs laying around, small skeins or little balls of yarn you don't use anymore? Think about donating them to me! I only work with donated yarn to save as much money as possible for realizing my art projects and exhibitions (which can be found at j-o-y-c-e.com), and of course: the more

 yarn the merrier! ^^

In return you may pick any 10 patterns in my Etsy store. Any patterns you want! This way, we'll help each other out. :)

(My shipping address can be found here:
http://www.joyceoverheul.com/icontact.html )

Thanks! :)
Sharing is caring! ^^"

Now it's your turn to share what you are doing.

It doesn't have to be crochet, anything you are making

is perfect.

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I've Made Friday Week 35

I hope everyone is having a good week.

I'm still ill I'm afraid.

I knew I would get worse after my brothers wedding

but he is hopefully only going to get married

once.

It will take me at least a couple of weeks to clear

this infection but hopefully I'll get there.

If I rest enough it should clear.

I'll just have to be careful as they have been known to drag

on for 6 weeks.

The infection is viral (as usual) so there isn't anything the doctor can give me.

I have an infection that sits in my nose and my sinuses.

It doesn't react to antibiotics

so it's always there lying in wait for me to get even more run down

and then it spreads.

I just have to be careful if it spreads to my chest because

then I have to go on steriods to keep my asthma under control.

Anyway enough about my illnesses. 

I've had such fun making this week:

I've made my mittens from the pattern:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/92742404/fingerless-gloves-wrist-warmers-crochet

And I've designed a Penguin Cocoon

  

 http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/penguin-cocoon-newborn---6-months

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/crocheting/accessory/penguin-cocoon-newborn---6-months/36382

 The pattern & the finished items are either available as a sepearte cocoon pattern

or as a set with the matching hat:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/penguin-cocoon--hat-set

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/crocheting/accessory/penguin-cocoon--hat-set-newborn---6mnth/36377

I'm still not up to reading so there isn't a book to review yet.

Fingers crossed for next week!

Other news is I got runner up in the London Wools competition.

It's the first competition I've entered so I'm really chuffed.

Now it's your turn.

Show us what you've been making.

It doesn't have to crocheted.

Anything you have made is brilliant to see.

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I've Made Friday Week 31

Wow I can't believe how quick this year is going.

I hope your year/month/week/day

is going well!

I've finished Lydia's Dress off

& made her a matching hat, mittens & booties

I made the dress using (and adapting a little):

The free pattern at Bella Bambina Knits

All the booties I have made I used:

the roll top booties pattern

I have also made some booties & mittens

for Little Red's doll Max

The mittens I made for each of the dolls

was just made up as I went along.

I can't show you my finished competition entry

so you'll just have to watch this space

once the competition is finished.

Just a quick update.
If I don't reply to your messages for a while
I'm really sorry.
Little Red got sent home from school yesterday with a wasp sting.
The wasp has stung him next to his eye.
We are keeping it under control
as best as possible but there is some swelling round the eye
and it is really sore.
I'm hoping once he has stopped reacting to the sting
I can concentrate on my stuff again
but my little man comes first.

Now it's your turn

It doesn't have to be crocheting

anything you've made is more than welcome!

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WIP Wednesday 18/01/12

Sorry for posting my WIPs on Tuesday I have been ill and got all my days mixed up


Life is about making a positive out of a negative.

If you only look at the negative things will always seem worse but if you find a positive out of something it will always make things look a little better!

Negative:  I have another throat infection and I have had to use the last of my leave as I'm not fit to work.

Positive:  I need to rest and relax so I'm spending time crocheting and everytime I finish something I feel like I've achieved and I feel much better in my mind.

Yesterday when I got home I decided to use the extra time to learn to Tunisian Crochet.

I bought a book when I was first learning to crochet because I loved the picture on the front.

The Book was:

Tunisian Crochet: The Look of Knitting with the Ease of Crocheting

By: Sharon Hernes Silverman

I haven't tried any of the patterns yet but the instructions for learning the basic stitches are very clear and they have good pictures to follow.

I can't show you what I made as my first try because I have finished it and my son has worn it to school.

My first impressions of Tunisian Crochet are really good.  It gives you a look of knitting but it grows as quick as crochet.  I want to learn as many stitches as possible because I really want to design something with it.

I am still going to carry on crocheting as I could never give that up and it makes it so easy to make hats.

Now it's time for my WIPs

These are going to be a pair of fingerless mittens for my son.

They match the item I made with tunisian crochet, you'll have to wait till Friday to see these and my tunisian crocheted item :-)

I bought the wool from either Lidl or Aldi last year.  I bought a 500g ball but I wish I had bought 2.  The colours look really good and I love making things with it.  My first ever item that I made for my son (a teddy) was made in the wool and I think it looks cute.

My other WIP is my balnket.  I am glad to say that I have made some more progress:

It's at least 3 times the size it was and there are 3 piles of ones partially made.

I'm really pleased with how it is going and how it's looking.

Please come back on Friday to look at my finished projects because I've got some Valentines items that I've been making. 

 I'm going to also try and get some mittens and hats made for my South African Project.

For anyone interested I haven't posted anything about this yet as I am waiting for the approval of the charity board before I can release the details for everyone.  As soon as I hear anything I will let you know.

Please take some time and go and look at the other WIPs linked to Tami's site.  Tami has some fantastic WIPs

Just a little extra, if you live in the UK Lidl are having a special on the 23rd Jan:

The 1st pack of 4 is £4.99 and the rest are £3.99 a pack of 4.

The question is how good can I be?

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FO Friday 13/01/12

Good Morning Everyone!

I hope you are having a good FO Friday!

I've been at work a lot this week so haven't made as much as I would like.  I ended up going straight to bed after finishing work as I had a migraine.  I couldn't move my head without being in immence pain and feeling like I was going to be sick.  I took my medication, went to bed at 5pm and luckily by 9:30pm I was able to get and have some dry bread to eat before going back to bed.

Feeling better this morning so I'll hopefully be able to take some timeout today to relax and make something.

I set myself a goal on New Years eve to manage the housework and my illness better.  I read on a website that Dr's now think that rather than planning your day with long rests you should do your excertions in smaller quantities and have shorter rests.  I'm going to try and do something for 1-2hours and then rest for 30mins-1hour.  I'm going to give it a try and see if it helps.  I'm also making my resting time more relaxing.  keeping the lighting soft and either no noise or relaxing music on in the background.

Anyway enough waffle about me!  lets get to FO Friday.

The other week I made a set of mittens for my husbands friend.  Unfortunatley I had never met the customer so made a mans pair of mittens.  I then found out that he is very small and they were just too big.  I got them back and frogged them.  It broke my heart to frog them and it was made worse by the fact I had fastened off well and couldn't find my ends.  After frogging them it was back to making them again:

I got the pattern from:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ribbed-single-crochet-fingerless-gloves

This is a very easy pattern to follow and they look great once finished.  The only alteration I made was I made the chain longer at 41ch and used a 5mm hook.  I also made 2 rounds where the thumb is so that the thumb was partially covered.  I then made enough rows for it to measure to 19cm.  Thankfully they now fit!  I might make a smaller pair for my son and maybe even a pair for me. 

I finished an order as well.  I might make another one in the future as well.

It was a tiger scoodie.  The customer wanted it in cream and brown.

I might make one in the future in orange and cream.

I hope her daughter likes it.  It took a lot longer than I thought it would.

I did all the markings free style so it would look more natural.

I'm planning on making some squares and some valentines items today and this weekend so come back and take a look at next weeks FO Friday.

Don't forget to check out some other wonderful FO's on Tami's site and all the other sites.

Click on the link:



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FO Friday 30/12/11

I can't believe it's nearly the end of 2011.  2011 has been such a big change for me.  There have been lots of ups and downs but I finally feel like I'm in a place where I'm happy with me.  My CFS has been difficult and since being diagnosed in 2009 my condition has worsened but since finding crochet my mental state with the disease has been a lot better.  I would recommend for anyone with CFS to learn a new craft.  You have to rest and when ever I did I used to feel like a waste of space.  Now I can crochet I feel like I'm achieving things whilst I'm resting.  It has made such a positive impact in my life and I couldn't live without it now.

Well enough of me waffling it's time to get down to Finish Off Friday!

First of all I finished off a pair of a pair of mittens:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ribbed-single-crochet-fingerless-gloves

But most importantly of all I have finally finished my elephant hat:

I designed it myself and I must admit it has to be one of my favorite hats that I have made.  The jury is out on whether or not it needs a mouth.  My father in law says it needs a bendy straw in his trunk so you can drink whilst wearing it?

I hope you like him :-)

This will probably be my last post of the year so I just want to wish you all a Happy New Year and I will look forward to posting for you in 2012 and reading all your fantastic blogs.  Thank you for making me feel welcome in the crafting world!

Don't forget to check out all the other fantastic FO's:

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Crochet Alongs

First of all I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and a brillant new year!

I have finished some mittens today:

I got the free pattern from:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ribbed-single-crochet-fingerless-gloves

I made mine slightly longer (ch 41) and when I had finished stitching them together I did another 2 rows around the thumb.

I have decided to expand my crochet knowledge and join some crochet alongs.  I am only joining 2 at the moment as I also have a list of the things I would like to make this year.

The first crochet along I have joined is:

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/2012-crochet-block-a-month-cal

I have downloaded the pattern for my first 6" square.





















The 2nd crochet along I have joined is:



http://foodandfibers.com/2011/12/15/january-crochet-along-square



I am still going to design my new items that are animal themed.  Make some/all of the items on my project list for 2012 and make any orders that come in. 

I will post once a month when I have completed the block with pictures and if you join in please feel free to update us all how you are doing.

Well I'm off, going to finish an owl ornament and then it's off to bed for me.

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and got everything you wished for.

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