I Got There In The End

 Those knee high socks that seemed to be never ending are actually finished at last! it must have taken me at least 4 weeks to make these.

They actually fit, I pulled these on when I got out of bed this morning and they were so snuggly and warm. I know they don't match but the colourway appears to be totally random so although I did try, they came out odd anyway, but I'm not bothered at all I think that they are fine just the way they are.

If you remember I acquired this yarn many years ago, this is the label seen inside the cone

Deny Brunton designer yarn originally produced for machine knitting.  It knits up as a 4ply and because it's acrylic I can wear these socks comfortably.  I have to wear thin cotton socks under my other knitted socks as sock yarn is made up of mostly wool and it irritates me. There's loads left on the cone so I may make some hats with it maybe an easy scarf or cowl. I know it doesn't look like it but I have tried to block these socks, I have found that trying to block anything made with acrylic yarn is pointless. 

I swore down that I wouldn't make anymore of these knee high socks but honestly after feeling how warm and cosy  they are never say never.  If I did make them again I would make them even longer and add a longer rib at the top and fold it over to give a more secure fit.  You can find the pattern here I had to adapt it to fit my skinny legs I started with 80 sts and they are still slightly loose at the top and feel like they may slip down as I walk but using a smaller needle in the future should will solve that problem. They only took 80 grams of yarn.

Day Five of the Twelve days of Christmas Sampler is also finished, it took me just as long to remove all those stitches I put in wrongly as it did to sew it but I have reached my target of completing a day a month and that's all that matters.  

I came across this free DMC free pattern yesterday while browsing and I would really love to make it, perhaps you have seen it too and have sewn it already, if you have I would love to see it. 

Taken from the DMC website
Pattern here

Isn't it pretty? just the thing to sew for Spring, there appears to be some stitches I haven't even tried yet so it should be interesting to sew. I'm thinking about it anyway because after all, there are only so many hours in the day and I have other things planned too, namely a blanket that I must finish in March but more about that later.

After my shopping trip yesterday I bought a take out coffee and sat in the car park and just gazed at the view,  the changing colours of the sea were amazing but proved too difficult for me to capture on camera but I think that blue is pretty spectacular.

On another note I have been invited to book for an appointment for my corona virus vaccine at a vaccine centre or wait for the GP Surgery to get in touch.  The nearest centre is 10 miles away but having waited now for two weeks for my GP Surgery to get in touch and finding it impossible to get through to them, I have booked at the centre so my vaccination day is the 11th March. 😊

Stay safe and have a great week😘

Click here so see the parties I will be linking to.

Tiny Signs Of Spring and cross stitch frustrations.

 What a difference in the weather this week, from snow and minus zero temperatures to a heady 10 degrees! it didn't take long for the snow to clear once those temperatures began to rise.  With the better weather I ventured into my garden to have a close look for signs of spring..

I planted lots of spring bulbs in the lawn both in the garden and out front, this is all that is visible at the moment I'm hoping that more will follow.

About ten years ago I met up with a lady from  Loving Hands and she kindly gifted me these snowdrops,  I planted them in my previous garden and dug them out and put them into a pot when I moved here, these are all that survived but I look out for them every year and am always delighted when the first one flowers, there's just something special about snowdrops, a promise of Spring.

Cross stitch Frustrations

This week has been quite frustrating on the crafting front,   I try to sew a little bit of  the Twelve Days of Christmas sampler on most days as I'm still trying to stick with my target of completing one day a month.  I was quite happily sewing day five when it struck me that the trees were far too long.  Looking at the chart indeed they were.  I had sewn the first tree and unknowingly got the count wrong and had just been copying that tree for the other four! I am now in the process of unpicking them all and as you can see the first tree is re sewn in the correct size.

Lesson to self keep checking the chart!

I have been thinking about decluttering for ages and always mean to make a start but always seem to get side tracked,  I was going through a box with the intension of getting rid of most of the contents when I came across these..

I used to do a lot of cross stitch many years ago and bought quite a few kits.  I loved Thomas Kinkade designs and did quite a few of his jig saws too back then. When I got these kits I didn't quite know how I felt about them. The pictures are lovely but the design is painted onto the canvas and you only sew part of it. I put them away and had quite forgotten about them. I have taken one out and have decided to sew it but some of the threads are missing, I do have a list of the colours that are needed and quite an extensive stash of embroidery silks so I'm sure I'll find an appropriate colour to substitute those that are lost. I have a feeling it will take a while but better sewing it than leaving it in a box so wish me luck if this one goes well I will sew the other one as well. 

I will get back to the decluttering but somehow I always find something better to do 🤦‍♀️

The knitting of the knee high socks continues and I have reached the ankle shaping so the end is in sight, I think it will be a while before I knit knee high socks again.

Have a great week! 😘

Linking with Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday

A Little Heart Collection and Another Strange Happening.

 Valentines Day is always a great excuse to get creative with hearts, I can never resist because I love them so much and it looks like I'm not the only one to think this way because there seems to be lots of new heart patterns to choose from at this time every year. 

I do try to be sensible I mean to say, what is the point of making all these hearts if they don't have a purpose, the good thing about hearts is they can be used for all sorts and it's always good to have a little supply just in case you need to gift one to somebody, if you do need an excuse to make one you can read my list of reasons why below just click on the picture and scroll to the end of the post.

Sweet Lacy Flower Hearts

This time I was thinking coasters because I genuinely need some new ones the only problem was I was spoilt for choice so I decided to try a few out, after all it doesn't take long to knock up a little coaster

This was my first try, I saw these coasters around Christmas time and put them on my to do list..

 

 PATTERN HERE

It wasn't difficult to make although I have to be honest, I don't really like crocheting into the back of chains to make a round. just a tad too fiddly unless you are in the mood. I wasn't too happy with the size either, these hearts need a little more depth, so I decided one was enough.

Then I found another pattern and loved it right away

PATTERN HERE

It was one of those patterns that just flow and it turned out just the right size, I had decided that these would fit the bill quite nicely but then..

Late one evening  as I was having a last minute scroll through my favourite blogs I came upon these...

PATTERN HERE

There was no contest I had to make one there and then before I went to bed just to see if they were as easy as they looked. Granny hearts! who doesn't like granny patterns in any shape or form. I had one made in minutes and my choice was made.  The one above is made with Patons cotton in DK and Patons 4ply below in shades nectarine, cream and  limestone.

The smaller 4ply coasters are a perfect size for a mug or coffee cup.

I love them and I had to stop myself from churning them out in their dozens, you know what it's like with granny patterns you just want to go on and on. I have this pattern earmarked for next year when I can get out and about and I'll be making lots for friends and family. You could also use the pattern for a dishcloth, potholder or facecloth so it's a good one to have.

Tamara has now published a tutorial you can see it on Moogly here.

Here are more lovely coaster patterns that are also on my to do list...

Atys Heart Coasters

Crochet Heart in A Circle 

Heart Coaster

Then I decided that a  little bunting would be a great idea to cheer up my conservatory 

PATTERN HERE

Then just when I thought that I had finished with the crochet hearts I stumbled upon these on Marianna's blog, hearts of appreciation...

PATTERN HERE

I'm sure that they will come in handy, in normal times I would be popping them through my friends letterboxes and leaving a few hanging around the neighbourhood but I will leave that until the corona madness has abated hopefully not too far in the distant future.

Remember the disappearing  heart in this post well sure enough it turned up just like I thought it would right in the middle of my table and yes I had looked there before and I really can't remember putting it there!

Still on the heart theme I have been playing around with rock painting this week, it's surprising how calming it is and how quickly the time goes, I'm under no illusions that what I have produced are works of art, but I enjoyed the process and that is the main thing after all. Here are my first ever painted rocks...

  

It's not easy, one needs a steady hand and total concentration but I'm not entering them in any competition so I really don't mind how they turn out.

Then of course there has been some heart embroidery going on, I really enjoyed sewing this it was so simple and quick.

and I am sewing another heart themed one which I will be working on this weekend. 

We have had a very snowy, cold week and  I have enjoyed watching the falling snow whilst sitting cosily in my conservatory.

Those tortoises haven't budged all winter.😂

We don't often get a layering of snpw in our street so it was nice to wake up to this especially when I didn't need to go out in it.. 

The Other Strange Happening..

Yesterday I received a cheque in the post for £79, it was from an insurance company. I had a policy out with them which reached maturity in 2015, they said they were sending the cheque because I wasn't given the correct amount of bonus at the time. Of course I was delighted but thought it very strange why now? and how on earth did they know my address I have moved house since then.

This morning I got into my car only to find that the battery was flat, I phoned the garage and they are going to change it for me, I asked how much will it cost they said £79! now what do you think of that? make of it what you will,  sheer coincidence maybe but I think it's strange, synchronicity perhaps🤔 at least now I won't have to think about what I'm going to spend the money on haha.

Well enough of my ramblings and I will let you all get on, have a lovely Valentines weekend and if you have no one to make it special for you then make it special for yourself you deserve it!💕

Parties I will will be linking to.

Some Things Just Slip Through The Net.

 As I mentioned in my last post one of the reasons I started writing my blog was to keep track of all the projects I make.  I think it's fun to look back and reflect, and yes and to pat yourself on the back when you see how much you have actually achieved throughout the years. Another reason of course is to inspire and share idea's. 

Way back in 2013 the the Stashbuster Challenge was born and I have been stash busting ever since. At the time I was overwhelmed with how many of you joined me and are still stash busting  right up to this date.  

I'm pleased to say that it took many years but now I am actually quite happy with what I have left in my my stash. I have busted so much and now my yarn count has reached a reasonable level, I still have loads but nothing as bad as it was here. I have learnt not to buy yarn just for the sake of buying it and just to buy when I need it for a specific purpose, now that's great progress right? When you make as much stuff as I do for charity a decent sized stash is necessary but nothing like what I had before it was overwhelming.

As I was looking back and reflecting I came upon this post  and I realised that I hadn't followed it through. I started making these little hexagons to use up the little bits of yarn that I had left over from other stash busting projects making sure that not a scrap of yarn was wasted.

That jar did fill right to the top and I kept pushing those cute little hexies down and down until I couldn't manage to fit anymore into it.

I then had to decide which colour I would use to join them all together, I decided on navy because I thought it would make the colours pop and I had lots of it in my stash.  I crocheted two rows of navy around each little hexagon and then sewed them all together.

I have been wondering why I didn't take any photo's along the way but looking back it happened when I had a million things going on in my life along with moving house so I think that's why this blanket didn't get the recognition it deserved at the time.

Luckily I found some photos on my old phone so now it can take a bow..

I started this blanket in June 2015 and I finally finished it at the end of 2017, but it was a scrappy blanket and I honestly didn't care how long it took, it was fun crocheting those little hexagons and collecting them in my jar, they were so colourful standing in my bay window. If you fancy making something similar you can find the hexagon pattern here. It's a great way to use up those tiny scraps of yarn that you don't know what to do with.

This week as flown by with cold dark days, rain and snow and apart from a quick trip to the shops on Wednesday I have stayed indoors, it hasn't bothered me one little bit I have been quite happy snug inside with a crochet hook or a sewing needle in my hand watching the rain and snow lash against the windows. 

I have been watching YouTube video's of rock painting, after being inspired way back in the Summer by Linda from Crafty Gardener I love the idea of painting on rocks and I have made some simple ones as you all know for my grandson back here but I have seen some that are like works of art so beautiful! I have tried but my efforts are quite pathetic and to be honest I think that my little grandson could probably do better, however I don't intend to give up and have ordered some paint pens from Amazon so watch this space, if I ever produce something that's half decent I will show you the result. 

On the way back from my shopping trip I had intended to have a quick beach walk but as I got closer and saw the roughness of the sea I changed my mind, I jumped out of the car and with the wind and rain lashing in my face managed to take a couple of shots and quickly got back into the car again, drove home and had a cup of coffee instead. 

The sock knitting continues slowly, making knee high socks seems to take forever but one is done and I have started the other 

 

I shall be continuing with those this weekend, what will you be up to?

Have a great week.😘

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