As Promised.

Thank you for all your lovely comments about the scrappy hexagons and as requested here is the pattern ...
I used Dk yarn and a 4.50 mm hook and my hexagons are 3 inches wide..

But of course you can use any yarn and corresponding hook size that you like.
You will need approximately 3 grams of yarn for each one.

PATTERN UK Terms

Magic ring

First round - 2ch into ring(counts as 1st tr) 1tr, 2ch, tr2tog, *2 ch, tr2tog* repeat until you have 6 pairs of trebles each separated by 2 ch, ss to 3rd ch at beg of row and then ss into 2ch space.

Second round - work *3ch(counts as 1st tr) 1tr, 2ch, 2tr into 2ch space, *1ch, 2tr 2ch 2tr into each 2ch space* around, ss into 3rd ch at beg of round, ss into 2ch space.

Third round - 3ch(counts as 1st tr) 1tr, 2ch, 2tr, *1ch, 2tr in 1ch sp of previous round, 1ch, 2tr, 2ch, 2tr in 2ch space* around ss into 3rd ch at beg of round and fasten off.

As you can see mine are just the three rounds but of course you could keep on working them in this way for as many rounds as you like.

PATTERN US TERMS

Magic ring

First round - 2ch into ring(counts as 1st dc) 1dc, 2ch, dc2tog, *2 ch, dc2tog* repeat until you have 6 pairs of dc each separated by 2 ch, ss to 3rd ch at beg of row and then ss into 2ch space.

Second round - work *3ch(counts as 1st dc) 1dc, 2ch, 2dc into 2ch space, *1ch, 2dc 2ch 2dc into each 2ch space* around, ss into 3rd ch at beg of round, ss into 2ch space.

Third round - 3ch(counts as 1st dc) 1, dc 2ch, 2dc, *1ch, 2dc in 1ch sp of previous round, 1ch, 2dc, 2ch, 2dc in 2ch space* around ss into 3rd ch at beg of round and fasten off.

As you can see mine are just the three rounds but of course you could keep on working them in this way for as many rounds as you like.

Have fun with them they are very quick and easy to make and if there's anything I haven't made clear please let me know

Scrappy blanket progress 

It's measuring 66 inches wide and is 24 inches long and so far I have used 466 gram of stash yarn.

Scrappy Hexi Blanket

There were 61 hexagons in the jar by the way and so far I have made 68 altogether and have used 169 grams of stash yarn.

That's 635 grams of scrap yarn used up this month I'm happy with that :)

How is your stash-busting going? can you believe we are at the end of June already and half of the year is gone!  

You still have time to link up your June projects to the June stash link up or just visit and see some of the lovely projects that have been linked this month.

For those who are counting please leave me your totals here.  The July link Party and your May favourites will be up and running on the 1st July.

Have a great week. 

Five On Friday

I have missed you guys! I have had to have a bit of a blogging break because last weekend I wasn't quite with it, I had an endoscopy with sedation on the Thursday evening, they do tell you not to do much of anything for the next 24 hours but I had to go into work on the Friday, I felt okay until about 2pm and then I started to kind of fade away, I managed to finish my shift but I felt tired and exhausted for the next few days and wasn't able to do much of anything.  I'm feeling fine now and so pleased that it's over and done with, I just have to wait for the results but I'm hoping that all will be fine and I can draw a line under the whole thing.

As you all know because of health issues my poor garden has been neglected this year, the borders still haven't been weeded but it doesn't seem to have bothered my plants they seem to be even lovelier this year perhaps the weeds are enhancing their beauty and so I thought that I would show you five things in my garden that are making me happy this week..

Weigela 

A gift from a colleague that left many years ago, it blooms in late spring and it brightens up my garden and always reminds me of her. 

Pyracantha

I can't believe how beautiful this shrub is this year it's difficult to show just how lovely in a photo, I can stand and just gaze at it and watch the bees dancing amongst its blossom.

Foxgloves

Foxgloves are amazing, tall and majestic look at those beautiful markings inside the flower, summer wouldn't be the same without them I love that it self seeds itself all over my garden and I'm never sure where I'm going to find one.

Californian Poppy

Do you sometimes want to cry when you see something beautiful, well I know it's only a poppy but I'm always happy when I see this flower every June, it's delicate papery petals and cheerful colour always makes me smile.

Ben is saying hi, I gave him a dust off and painted his summer house decking I see that new flowers have bloomed on his fence you can read Ben's story here

Wishing you all a great weekend.

Linking with Amy's

A Totally Scrappy Endevour Part Two

Thank you for all the lovely comments you left me for part one it's nice to know that I may have given some of you a little bit of stash busting inspiration.

 It's funny how the mind works sometimes, well my mind anyway, you see there I was gathering all my little bits of stash yarn in order to make my totally scrappy blanket when a few things occurred to me.

1. Eventually it's going to be a huge blanket.
2. It won't be easy to carry around.
3. Maybe it's going to be too hot to work on in the summer (if we ever get one)
4. I may get bored having just one easy project.
5. I don't want huge areas of one colour in the blanket.

To overcome the above I needed to come up with something similar but different just to keep the interest going as it were and so....

The Totally Scrappy Hexie Blanket was born

Well lets face it it's going to be a while before it's going to look much like a blanket but I'm sure you get the idea, I love hexagons and it's quite a while since I made any so I have been toying with the idea for a while.

Now I look at a ball of scrap yarn and I think is there enough there to make a hexagon or two and if there is it goes onto the hexagon stash pile, once I have made as many hexagons as I can out of it then what's left will be added to the  big ball to be used for the totally scrappy blanket.

Well It keeps me amused so please just go with it for my sake...

Now I set myself certain rules a hexagon is not complete until all ends have been tied off and I won't start another until I have done this and then and only then will it go into the hexagon jar

Don't they look pretty sitting in the jar

 Eventually when I can't get another single hexagon into the jar I will join them, I wonder how many jar fulls it will take to make a decent sized blanket quite few I would imagine but that doesn't matter because I'm in no hurry to get it finished.

This project is ongoing it could go on for years there is no pressure to get it finished at all so why don't you join me....

1. It's a great way of using up those little bits.
2. It's easy to work on a tiny hexagon wherever you are.
3. All you need to carry is a hook and a tiny ball of wool or two.
4. They are fun to play with.
5. The bright colours make me happy.

Can you think of any more positives I will add them to the list.

How many Hexagons do you think there are in the jar?

My Hexie to go kit

Hexagon Pattern

You can use any hexagon pattern of course but this one is so simple, I'm sure you can work out how to make it just by looking at the photo but if you would like me to write it out I will gladly do so :) 

Pattern for Hexi's now available here

Linking with

Snickerdoodle Sunday
Handmade Monday - Creative Tuesday -Cooking and crafting with JJ -  Eyeloveknots - Link and share Wednesday - Lunamon Design- hookin on hump day

A totally scrappy endeavour Part One

Sometimes you need to make something easy, a kind of pick it up and just get on with it project that takes no thinking about, especially when you have more complicated projects on the go or several which is usually the case with me. Something you can work on while you are watching TV or when you have company, a push it in your bag and take it with you kind of project that you can work on in the bus, on a train or in a coffee shop.

Sometimes you look at your stash and you despair, we all love yarn true but it can get out of control and sometimes you wonder what on earth am I going to do with all these little bits.

 I have the answer well it worked for me anyway, just before I went into the hospital I was concerned about all of the above, mostly I knew that I would want to work on something that didn't need too much brain power when I came home, so I went on the hunt, looking for every last little pesky ball of yarn nothing would escape me...

There was much more than this believe me!

rounding it all up was the easy bit, then came the untangling, then the sorting into same weight yarn, I had bits of 4 ply, Aran weight and Dk all playing away happily together stuffed into bags, drawers in fact in every conceivable place.

Now, how would you like a project that is made up of lots of colours but without the weaving in of ends? sound too good to be true? well it can be done!...

This was the fun bit I have been dying to try out this method for ages the so called magic knot if you have never heard of it then check it out here it's great and it works but if you don't like the idea of knots in your work try the Russian Join a bit more fiddly but even more secure than the magic knot. (thanks Una for pointing this out to me)

All balls of yarn standing to attention in random order it takes a bit of courage it really does our orderly mind will say surely not those two colours together ignore it if you can and just go with the flow and keep joining those cute little balls until you have one huge ball of this variegated yarn or as huge a ball as you can comfortably handle and carry about with you, or you could have several huge balls I have. 

So what am I making with it?....

A totally Scrappy Blanket...

  
this is my blanket so far, I made a long chain and just worked row after row of (htr Uk) (hdc US) with the odd row of (fptr UK) (fpdc US) at intervals for interest.  I really don't think that the people who receive this blanket are going to care that it is full of magic knots or that there are several colours in each row.

This blanket is at my side just to pick up and put down it's not going to finish any time soon and that's okay it's serving a purpose both for me and for the people who will eventually use it either to cover themselves with or to sit down on I hope that all the colours will brighten their day just a little.

A totally scrappy endeavor Part Two coming soon.


Linking with

Snickerdoodle Sunday
Handmade Monday - Creative Tuesday -Cooking and crafting with JJ -  Eyeloveknots - Link and share Wednesday - Lunamon Design- hookin on hump day

Five on Friday

Hello and happy Friday I hope you have all had a great week, mine has been good because the sun has actually been shining for most of it, here are five things that made me smile this week...

Rippling Shells Baby Blanket

This lovely sunshiney blanket was made by my friend Mary who is also a member of the North East branch of Loving Hands.  Mary started this at our last meeting and finished it really quickly she is such a fast crocheter, I'm not in fact I'm quite slow, I don't know why that is I can't speed up even if I try, anyway I love this blanket I always think that round blankets are quite special. I must make one of these myself it will take me far longer than Mary's did that's for sure ( how fast do you crochet?)

It's one of Debi's lovely designs and you can find the free pattern here,  It measures 40 inches across and was made with 400 grams of Dk baby yarn.

Returning to Work

I know! that sounds crazy but it's true I was off for four weeks and that is the longest time I have ever had off work in fact the last time I was off sick was in 2002.  I need structure in my life, I know that I needed to be off to recover but somehow when I have all day to do stuff nothing gets done I keep putting it off till later. 
It was great to see everyone and do something constructive, I have done more this week than I did in my whole four weeks off. I'm due to retire in a months time but I'm not going to, I only work three days a week anyway and I love what I do. What about you guys do you love your work or are you looking forward to your retirement?

New Trainers

I saw some red trainers a few weeks ago but my usual size was too small and the next size was too big I was so disappointed because I love red trainers so when I found some that actually fit I was so happy they are lovely and comfortable and I've warn them loads already, what colour are your favourite shoes?

Plant Pot Love

At last I have managed to give some of my plant pots some much needed TLC both indoors

 and out

  some weeding and some new topped up compost a little bit of feed, I even managed to plant some annuals 

If you are wondering why I have bits of cane stuck in the pots it's to prevent the neighbours cats from lying in the pots because believe me they would if they could. 

More Twiddle Mats

These twiddle mats arrived in the post from the lovely Linda from Chalkies world.  The mental health Unit was so pleased with the first one she sent me they asked for more and Linda send two more right away. Thank you Linda you are a star they are of great benefit to the alzheimer's sufferers in our care.

I hope you all have a great weekend and that the sun keeps shining for all of us. :)

Linking with Amy's 

Snickerdoodle Sunday
Handmade Monday - Creative Tuesday -Cooking and crafting with JJ -  Eyeloveknots - Link and share Wednesday - Lunamon Design- hookin on hump day