January End Of The Month Round Up

 Hello and Happy Sunday! There's quite a lot going on in the crafty corner I can tell you and I think it could become a little overwhelming if I don't stop to re-assess and decide how to move forward.  

As you know I  love the idea of  making something different at the weekends so that I can put my WIPS to one side and get the satisfaction of having a finish. The Sophie scarf was made in a few hours and I'm wearing it ...

I quite like it, but it's too big if I make it again I would make it shorter and not so wide, I would also use a better yarn, something softer and maybe variegated.

The pattern I used is here.

This weekend I'm making butterflies because the u3a knitting and crocheting groups are going to yarn bomb our station again. Click here and here  if you would like to see our past displays, that was more than two years ago but since those displays were taken down we continue to hang bunting to the fence surrounding the Station and I think it really puts a smile on the faces of residents and visitors to the Town.   We are thinking a bigger Spring type theme/display this time and I thought that these butterflies would fit the bill quite nicely....

Aren't they pretty? they are named  The Resilient Butterfly and great for using up little bits of stash yarn, the  pattern for these comes with a youtube tutorial and it can be found here 

The reason why things are becoming overwhelming is because I have deadlines coming up for my WIPS and, it's all well and good putting them to one side at the weekend but it means I am more pushed for time.  

Things are progressing, the baby onsie now has the legs complete..

I'm going to concentrate on trying to finish this next week because I need to make booties to match too.  Grandson number three is due towards the end of February, but as you know babies don't always play by the rules and he could put in an early appearance.

The socks are progressing nicely and the heels are starting to make an appearance..

There has been no progress on my secret project and I have a feeling there will be a mad rush to get it finished at the end of February.

Along with the crochet and knitting I have to get my embroidery fix too and so I have started another project to sew along with the The Year of  Woodland Blossoms embroidery.  It's almost February and every year I like to have a heart themed project on the go, here are a couple I made  in previous years..

and I have just started this ..

I found this design on Youtube, there's a great tutorial which includes some stitches I haven't tried before so it should be fun to make. 

I'm sure you can see why I'm overwhelmed one doesn't quite know which way to turn but in all honesty I wouldn't have it any other way, I love to be overwhelmed with crafty stuff.  How many projects are you working on at the moment? 

I hope you all have a lovely Sunday, I'm off to rummage in my stash of little balls to see if I can find some lovely bright colours and then turn them into beautiful butterflies.

Linking with

Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday.

A Beautiful Blanket.

Well I think so even if I do say so myself and I have really enjoyed making it too.  This blanket has so much going for it...

1. It's interesting because it's made up of lots of different elements.
2. Each element doesn't take too long to complete. 
3. You finish it quickly because you can't wait to get started on the next bit.
4. Each stitch is easy.
5. The pattern is easy to follow.
6. You can use any type of yarn and any weight.
7. It's easy to adapt to the size you want.
8. You can go mad with colour and let your creativity flow.
9. It's a great stash-buster you can use up all your little bits of leftover yarn.
10. Because it's made in sections you weave in the ends as you go so at the end there are only the last few to deal with.
11. You join as you go so there is only the last section and the border to finish at the end.
12. As it's made in sections it's a portable project too.
13. The completed blanket looks amazing.

Have I convinced you? 😉

Be prepared for visual overload, sunglasses may come in handy.....

This is Zooty Owls Wade's Blanket which was originally a CAL you can find the links to all parts of the blanket here

Stats...

I made mine larger by increasing the number of rows on the side panels, I also substituted  the traditional granny square with the flower in a square motif which I used in my Violet Meadow blanket the reason being I had some of the little cog wheel centres left over from that blanket, you see everything comes in handy at some point. 

I used stash Dk acrylc yarn and a 4.50 mm crochet hook.

The blanket measures 4 ft by 6 ft.

It took 1100 grams of yarn a very satisfying stashbust.

This blanket will be going to Operation Orphan.

Thank you to Zooty Owl for such a lovely pattern, she currently has another CAL in progress Rainbows After the Rain blanket and Poncho, the third part has just been published this week. I will be making that one too just as soon as I've finished my present wips all involving some of those cones I mentioned here. To be honest it's a great excuse to use my new wool winder it's so much fun.😊

Have a great weekend.

Little Treasure Baby Blanket Pattern.

I always like to be working on a baby blanket along with whatever I'm working on at the time, they are great portable projects, ideal for practising crochet stitches and great for stash-busting too,  this is my latest using a very easy scallop stitch which I have used and loved in the past because it's so quick and easy.

Little Treasure Baby Blanket

Abbreviations
The pattern is written in UK terminology
ch - chain
tr - treble   (dc double crochet US)
dc - double crochet  ( sc single crochet US)
sk - skip
Measurements
My blanket is Preemie size measuring 20 inches by 20 but can be easily adjusted by adding multiples of 6 + 1 for the starting chain.

Materials 
4 mm hook
Double Knit yarn this is what I used 3 random balls of baby wool I found in my stash...

in shades of lemon, mint and white with a sprinkling of mint and lemon it took 150 grams.

Tension 

Four shell groups = 10cms

11 rows = 10cms

Pattern
The pattern consists of  clusters of 4 tr with a dc between.  The rows end with a dc and start with a 2ch.

Chart

Scallop Stitch click to see video

Ch 97 loosely
1st row - 2tr in 4th ch from hook, sk 2 ch, dc in next ch, *sk 2 ch, 4tr in next ch, sk 2 ch, dc in next ch* rep from * to * to end, 2 ch turn.

2nd row - 2tr in 1st dc, *dc in between 2nd and 3rd tr, 4tr cluster in next dc* rep from * to * ending with dc in 3rd starting chain.

Repeat 2nd row until the blanket is as long as you wish my blanket has 58 rows and measures 20 inches including the border.

Border

Dc evenly all around blanket, 3dc in each corner, 

Use same pattern for border but leave only 1 st between each cluster and each dc placing a cluster in 2nd dc of each corner.

  

Copyright © 2015 Linda Solaiman. All Rights Reserved

find a print friendly version or PDF  here

More of my free baby blanket patterns can be found below.

Sweet lacy heart baby blanket

Three colour Ripple baby blanket

Teddy Puppet Fun and another challenge.

As you know I can never resist a challenge and once I read the notice below which was displayed on the Loving Hands Forum I declared August as Teddy bear puppet making month and everything else has been put on hold.

"Help is needed to beat the record number of knitted/crochet teddy bear puppets by OCC Barton upon Humber. 

The record is over 15,000 teddies and they still have a way to go! The deadline is Sunday September 20th.  Some they have made already......

All the teddy puppets will be used for the Christmas shoebox appeal, they will all go to kiddies around the world to brighten up their Christmas.

The Teddy Puppets can be made in any colour and decorated for fun."

You can find more details here and the Facebook page is here

If you would like to help out please email me for an address to send them to.

Patterns for knitted Teddies here and here and visit the puppet lady for another one here

I did make a knitted Ted and he's very cute but I'm a much faster crocheter so I have designed a very simple crochet Teddy Puppet Pattern which can be found here.

I hope you will join the challenge. :)

Crochet Teddy Hand Puppet Pattern

Crochet Teddy Puppet Pattern

Materials

Double knit Yarn approximately 25 grams in main colour

4 mm crochet hook

Abbreviations

UK Terminology 

htr = half treble  (US hdc)

ch = chain

inc = increase

sts = stitches

Front

Make a 16 ch,

htr in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch to end = 14 htr, 2ch turn

Continue until work measures 3 1/2 inches, break yarn.

Arms

Ch 9 and htr across body of bear, 

ch 11 at the end of the row.

Htr in 3rd ch from hook and across all stitches, you should have 9 stitches for each arm and 14 for the body. 2ch turn.

Continue until arms measure 1 inch, break yarn.

Neck

 Rejoin yarn to 11th htr 2ch (counts as 1st st) and work 11 htr for neck, 2ch turn

Head
inc in 1st and last st = 14 sts, continue until head measures 2 1/2 inches from the beginning of neck.

 So there you have it one side of your Ted is done, now you can just continue down the back of your puppet reversing shapings or break your yarn and make another piece exactly the same.

 Make your bears features before you sew the two sides together it's much easier that way. 

To make the ears just back stitch across the two corners of the head.

Then decorate any way you wish, have fun! 

These Teds are great fun to make and be warned they are quite addictive too, make some and send them for this great cause, or for a cute little child in your life.


Please let me know if you have any questions or if something isn't clear.

© Linda Solaiman 2015

Find a print friendly version here

Butterfly Collection

I love making butterflies and I don't really need that much of an excuse to make some.

I have made them for yarn bombing, for embellishments and for little gifts, the reasons for making them are just endless.

Just lately my interest in making butterflies was sparked again by Sue from SIBOL who asked for butterflies to accompany the blankets and shawls she delivers to Nursing Homes in her area.

So I made some to accompany the 

Luana shawl

The gentle ripple shawl

and then these cuties for

The Nola Shawl

You can actually see Sue delivering the items here.

as for this one

I made it just for fun in girly pink cotton

 This one flew away and landed right on my fence

Made in no 20 cotton

and captured to be sent in this card for my Aunts Birthday.
You can find the video of how to make them here
and a written pattern here.

Once I got started on the making of butterflies there was no stopping me, so I decided to make a little collection.

These were lovely to make too, there is a tutorial on this  link

I think this one is so sweet and would look lovely as an embellishment, alter it's size by changing hook sizes and thickness of yarn.

 link
There is another one from the same website it's the pink one in the first picture above it's similar to the others but has a picot at the top outer edge of the wings you can find that one here

I made these lovely quick and simple butterflies to embellish this poncho and they can be found here

Then these are from this book I haven't made many from it yet there are so many to choose from.

I thought it would be nice to have this little collection here in one place so that anyone can refer to it at any time and of course I will add to it if any other flutterbys happen to catch my eye :)

Butterflies make great stash-busters for all the little bit's of yarn you are loath to throw away.

linking with

I'm glad you enjoyed my Sunday Smiles post and thank you for all your lovely comments, I've already collected more smiles for next Sunday and doing so helps me remember those special moments that would otherwise be immediately forgotten, try it it's fun. Hope you are all having a great week. :)