Friday 23 July 2021

Back in My Comfort Zone

After having a whole month of doing nothing crochet wise I started getting the urge to pick up my hook again. I had no definite plan about what to make so I started looking through these.

 My daughter's friend passed these on to me a few years ago and I do enjoy looking through them although to date I've only made one thing out of them a shawl.

I've never used it but I did enjoy making it and I'm sure I will use it one day, shawls don't seem to be that popular here in the UK.

I came upon a very simple looking baby jacket and because the challenge for NHAP this month is for new-born baby jacket and hat sets I decided to give it a try. 

It was easy to make and the pattern was straight forward enough but what a lot of holes treble crochet (UK) seems to make. I didn't like the holes at the beginning of rows and found myself doing a lot of weaving to fill in the gaps once I'd sewn it together.  

(I have since remembered how to rid oneself of those pesky holes at the beginning of rows and for those of you who don't know how, I'll share it with you next time.)

I much prefer a closer texture for a small baby jackets and like to use either dc or htr stitches (UK) I won't be using this pattern again.

The hat pattern was my own and you can find it here

So on to the next one, this time it's one I've used many times and it's quick and easy to make

Baby Girl Shell Sweater and Hat


I have adapted the pattern a little by adding a button band and I have altered the sleeves and worked them flat rather than in the round as stated in the pattern also using less stitches so that they aren't so wide.  

You can find the free pattern here.

I have just started another baby jacket using a free pattern I found online many years ago, I seem to have accumulated an awful lot of patterns over the years, nowadays it's not necessary to have a printed copy as it's easy enough to view the pattern online but I like to have a paper copy too, my plan is to try those that I have and either keep them or throw them away. The shell one above is a keeper because I'm sure I will use it again. 

Another great CAL is starting soon it's the Leticia Flower Garden CAL 



Isn't it beautiful, it's made in both overlay and mosaic crochet. I love the pattern and I will be buying it as it's cheaper for the duration of the CAL but I won't be making the blanket just yet it's another one for the to do list.

Other things...

I had a lovely time babysitting little Mikey yesterday, It's like being a kid again, we had a wonderful time drawing and colouring, dancing to nursery rhymes and here he is playing with his colour lab I have to say an awful lot of mess was made, my fingers are still blue, no amount of washing will rid them of the food colour dye and Mikey's is even worse.😂



I wish I was quite a few years younger, looking after little ones certainly takes it out of you I was shattered by the end of the day but it was fun.

Sweet tasting tomatoes from my garden yum!

This last one is for Amanda ...


This is taken from my bedroom window, it's a wall feature in my neighbours garden I think it looks very pretty and I may just copy the idea next year.  Amanda is looking for a shelving idea for her balcony you can read her post here.

Well I'm off to get ready for Canasta, it's one of the few u3a groups that are meeting up again, we meet at the Golf Club every Friday afternoon.  Today we are going to have a buffet lunch before we start playing cards so it should be a very pleasant afternoon. 😊

Have a great week.



18 comments:

  1. Welcome back to the crafting world! Glad to hear that you are crocheting again and your baby jackets are gorgeous. I love that Letitia CAL and look forward to seeing it - eventually. Wow your tomatoes are early - mine are nowhere near ready. Enjoy your Friday afternoon and the weekend xxx

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  2. You made such pretty baby sets Linda. I hope you have fun today and have a great weekend.

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  3. Well I'd say your crochet mojo has well and truly returned. Such sweet little matinee jackets. I do love the way crochet looks, I can just about get by for a blanket or such but wouldn't be able to follow crochet patterns such as these. It sounds like you had a lovely day with Mikey, and I do love the wall feature in your neighbour's garden, isn't that a delightful spot to sit and relax.

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  4. Lovely baby set !
    Nothing like being with kids to feel young again ;)
    Have a nice weekend !
    Anna

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  5. Those jackets and hats are so cute!!! I will be looking for some baby jackets receipes.
    Mickey was very concentrate painting.
    Happy weekend and happy stitching/crocheting.

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  6. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that has had a lapse in crochet/knitting. Glad you are back to it. I've been actually sorting though my patterns for the past couple of days looking for a pattern to use some fingering yarn on. I've had the yarn for ages, never really like the patterns I was doing so put it to one side. Time to get back at it. Also time to start thinking about Christmas gifts. Happy crochet and knitting.

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  7. I saw that blanket on Ravelry and thought of you Linda, just your cup of tea! As for shawls, no one wears them! Yet I still make them because they are so fun to make. Stay safe.

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  8. I really like that shawl. It reminds me I want to make a wide and long one in thin yarn to wear bunched up come winter. I haven't touched my hooks this week, or needles, or anything craft related. I need to finish a blanket by October, so I really should find my motivation!

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  9. The view from your bedroom window is lovely. Oh my, I am in love with the new CAL blanket. It is exquisite. I would think that within the covers of all those crochet books there is a plethora of lovely patterns to make. All your baby makes are sweet. And....talking about sweet.....your Mikey is adorable!

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  10. I do like the baby jackets and hats.
    So pleased you had an enjoyable day with Mikey, I do like the photograph.
    Your neighbours wall feature is very nice.

    Take care and enjoy the coming new week.

    All the best Jan

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  11. Those baby sets are adorable. I have tomato envy although having grown them in the past I know how they overtake everything in their path! Maybe that was because I didn’t do them properly!

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  12. I do like the shawl and the fringe really sets off the pattern beautifully. X

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  13. Many thanks Linda for thee mention and the photo. Brilliant! I agree with you it is lovely and I could just see that on the wall in my balcony garden. I must see what I can find to do something like that. Re: I have been thinking about yr first treadmill and not getting your money back. Why do you have to show personal statements from the back that you have not received it? If they say they have paid you they should be able to give you proof of date and details of when they made the transfer. You present that to your bank and your bank should also be able to draw up a document indicating you have not received it. Just a thought! Hope they sort it soon. Take care Amanda x

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    1. It's credit card statements Amanda, they say they have credited the money back to the credit card I used to pay for it. xx

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    2. Even so ...have you received a copy of that? None of my business of course but I don't like to think you have been " out of pocket" due to a discrepancy. A x

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    3. No I haven't seen any proof of it only an email to say it was credited back to my card on the 26th May but it doesn't show up on my statement so obviously it didn't go through. Don't worry Amanda I don't intend to let it go, I will go to trading standards if things aren't sorted soon. xx

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  14. The baby cloths are adorable, Linda. I'm on a small crafting break myself, I'm sure the mojo will come back at the right time.
    Amalia
    xo

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  15. Both sweater/hat sets are really quite lovely. I've got tons of crochet books/magazines but mostly look through them, hardly ever make anything. Much easier to find online and I tend to make the same things over and over again because it just feels good. :) Take care.

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