Crochet Wind Spinner's and some Bits and Bobs

How do the days go so fast? I can't believe that it's three weeks since I posted, the days seem to be flying by in a flurry of u3a activities and catching up with friends that I haven't seen since before the pandemic.

I have also got my crocheting mojo back big time to the extent that I can't seem to decide what to turn to first I have three crochet projects on the go at the moment and this is one of them...

 It appears that wind spinners seem to be trending all over social media at the moment, I just happened upon one as I was browsing   I was immediately intrigued because just days before, my metal wind spinner had broken and I had thought I need a replacement I never thought of making a crochet one.

Another thought that sprung to mind was what a pity I hadn't thought of this at the start of Summer because the weather is changing, Autumn is definitely in the air and I'm not sure how these will fare in bad weather.

But for now I am smitten and can't seem to stop making them, they are great stash busters and I'm sure all my family and friends would love one of these, even if they have to put them away until next Spring.

This is just a small sample of what I've made some have already found new homes and I forgot to take photos before they were given away. 

I though of having these as a mystery project for the ladies in my crochet class, some of them are worried in case they have forgotten the basic stitches and any new comers will get lots of practice making a long chain and then working the other stitches into it.

There are lots of free patterns and YouTube tutorials I'll put links to them right at the end of the post, you can make them your own by adding beads, tassels or pompoms.

I am using up my chunky yarn stash for these at the moment because it makes a firmer fabric and the discs aren't as floppy.  If there isn't enough yarn to complete all the rounds I make a smaller one like this one here..

35 grams of chunky yarn    (UK TERMS)

4mm crochet hook

Make a 70 chain, break and tie off yarn

Beginning at the first chain, dc in each chain to end, break and tie off yarn.

Beginning  at the first dc of last row, 3tr in each dc, break and tie off yarn.

Beginning at the first tr of previous row 1 dc in each tr to the end break and tie off yarn.

make a tassel, pompoms add beads or anything that takes your fancy for the end of your spinner and attach it to the bottom.

Weave in all loose ends leaving two at the top to hang up your spinner. 

For the one above I used Aran weight cotton yarn and started with a 100 chain it took 55 grams. 

 MORE PATTERNS BELOW

Suzy's Wind Spinner - Easy And Quick Crochet Wind Spinner

Bits and Bobs

Wind spinners aside I'm also making baby hats and as always I quickly get bored using one pattern and will play about until I have another pattern that works, sometimes I forget to write it down but this time I have remembered, when I can find the time to convert it from scribble and write it on here I will do so. 

I'm also crocheting poppies because the knitting group have another display project in mind but more about that another time. 

Summer is waning and it's sad to see the lovely flowers in my garden slowly fading however although the stems are getting shorter my sweet peas have flowered their socks off this year, I'm getting two little bunches every three days or so which are filling the room with their lovely perfume and they cheer me up no end.

Another plant that is giving me lots of pleasure is this buddleia, it was a cutting which my brother gave me last year and was very small at the beginning of Spring, it is now about 8 feet tall and for months has just been a lot of floppy stems and leaves, I really thought it wasn't going to flower but then the first tiny flowers appeared and over just a few days those small flowers grew into large beautiful purple blooms. For the first few days I saw a few bees, then they increased in number but no butterflies, I was quite disappointed until a butterfly flew into my conservatory, I guided it back outside thinking you should be on the buddleia not here then I looked over and the whole bush was covered in beautiful butterflies, they love it and I love watching them.

I will be popping round and catching up with you all just as soon as I have washed the car and given my garden some attention, I should really do some housework too but for now the sunshine beckons. 

Have a great week.

Click here to see the great parties I will be linking to this week. 

Bunco and Zentangle Flower Mania

 Have you heard of Bunco? Well I certainly hadn't until quite recently. You see that's the beauty of the u3a you meet people that have tried all sorts of things that you have probably never even thought or heard of before. 

For those of you who haven't heard of it it's a game where you throw 3 dice. You need three tables and twelve people and that's the fun bit bringing twelve people together to play a very easy once you get the hang of it dice game. 

It takes a while to get it because you have to move tables depending on whether you are a winner or a loser. And remembering which table you should be moving to can get quite confusing until the penny drops the problem is everyone's penny drops at different times so there can be a bit of hilarious confusion.

My friend Paula organised it as a way of raising funds for Macmillan. We all pay a small fee to join in and there are lots of small prizes, like chocolate or maybe a bottle of wine.

 There are many talented crafty people in the u3a and many of them contributed by making knitted or sewn items for Paula to sell before we started playing the game and then again a week later at a Macmillan coffee morning.

I did some decoupage both on a bottle which Paula had kindly supplied and on some stones.

Painted Stones

Now we come to the zentangle flower bit, I was inspired by Linda from crafty gardener and this post.

Since then I have been zentangling flowers none stop, it's the easiest and most relaxing way to get into the zone as it were. I can do this for hours and I always love the results.

There are zentangle flower bugs all over my garden and they have found their way into friends and families homes and gardens too.

I am actually having a break right now because my neck is hurting a lot and looking down all the time can't be helping, that's the problem when you craft a lot it requires you to look down onto your work and I've been doing it for years, all my life really. I'm trying to lift things up closer to eye level which doesn't work for stone painting but I can manage to some extent for crochet. 

My brother's burns are healing very slowly but are now extremely painful we have had to get him stronger pain relief especially for when they change the dressings. 

He actually asked me to call into a warden controlled facility near to where I live to get a brochure so it appears he is beginning to accept that he does need more help.  I know that it will be difficult for him to find a place at Harbour Lodge  which is very close to me as there's always a long waiting list but it doesn't do any harm to try.

Have a great weekend. 😊

A Big Thank You! some Good News and a Bit of Crochet.

 A Big Thank You!

Thank you for all your lovely kind thoughts and comments about my brother in my last post, you have no idea how much they mean to me.  I'm sorry to hear about those of you who are suffering with long term illnesses and have experienced the same sort of difficulties we have.

We have spent a difficult couple of weeks, the accident has taken it out of him both mentally and physically, he's now unable to drive which is hard for him to bear. 

My brother is a nature lover and a brilliant photographer, his photos are amazing he took the one at the top of my blog and his wildlife photos are beautiful. It's getting increasingly difficult for him to hold the camera and alter the settings but he still loves to drive out into the countryside and do the best he can.

I'm hoping that once his burns have healed be might regain the little strength he had before and get out and about again..

On the bright side he seems to be healing I know it will take time because the burns were deep in places but thankfully so far so good.

The Good News... 

After several weeks of emails and phone calls I have finally got my refund for the treadmill I returned in this post.  I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to get my money back especially having read some of the one * reviews for the company, if only I had read those before I ordered anything from them.  There are several people still waiting for items which they have paid for and others waiting for refunds like I was. 

I am speaking about Studio Catalogue I would never name and shame unless I had good reason to do so.  They are very polite and say all the right things when you contact them by phone or email but then nothing seems to happen. In the end I threatened to take it further if it wasn't dealt with immediately, even then I got no response until I emailed them again to ask what was happening and they told me they had sent a cheque. It took 10 days to reach me and I'm hoping it won't bounce when I pay it into my bank.🙏  

A Bit Of Crochet

As I mentioned previously I am working through the patterns I have accumulated to see if they are worth keeping and this one is the Easy Peasy Cardigan.

I adapted the pattern a little to include an extra row all around the edging and added buttons right down the front. It's another keeper as it's easy to follow and of course very easy to make.  The chest size has turned out at 18" which is a large new born size.

The hat is my pom pom baby hat without the pom pom but with the addition of  a heart which I made one stitch size up to what is written in the pattern.

Pattern Links

• Easy Peasy Cardigan
• Pom Pom Baby Hat
• Tiny Heart. below

Magic ring

3ch, 2tr, 1htr, 1dc, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1dc, 1htr, 2tr, 3ch, ss to centre, pull up tight.

To make the heart bigger just go up a stitch size or use a larger hook.

I'm now off to have a bit of retail therapy with my daughter, I had better get moving she will be here in half an hour and I'm not ready yet!

Keep safe everyone and I'll see you next week. xx