In Remembrance

Once again the time has got away from me and it must be two weeks since I wrote a blog post but I have been busy these past few weeks and it will only get busier as Christmas approaches, there's not enough hours in the day! 

The knitting and crochet groups from our u3a got together to make poppies in order to make a display in Remembrance of those who lost their lives in conflict.

We started this a bit too late for it to have much of an impact but we were busy with the Station Display previous to this and we are also making warm woolly items for the homeless, I honestly didn't know which way to turn crochet wise I have had so much on my hook of late, but back to the poppies I did mention them back here. 

Although this is for a good cause I found myself  at poppy burnout, there comes a time when you just can't bring yourself to make another single one, I didn't actually count how many I made but there were a fair few made after I took this photo and I forgot to take another photograph at the end.

Last Sunday morning  members of the groups got together and assembled not one but two displays, the first onto the railings of a Primary school where Pamela the leader of the knitting group works, pupils will be encouraged to tie their own poppies to the fence too.

The second display was assembled in front of the war memorial outside our Town Hall.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,

We will remember them.

💓

excerpt from the poem For The Fallen by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

I hope that you all have a lovely weekend 😘

 

A Month Of Purple

 Once again I'm finding it hard to find time to write a blog post I'm trying not to completely abandon my blog like I have done in the past but as you all know writing a post can be very time consuming. I'm afraid my blogging is going to be a little bit sporadic but I am around reading and enjoying all your posts even if I don't write that many posts myself. 

World Prematurity Day is on 17th November and the colour chosen to represent this occasion is purple.

As I have mentioned before N.H.A.P. have a crochet, knitting and sewing challenge every month and for September the crochet challenge was for the group to make purple baby hats the target being 150, well that target has been well and truly smashed as the number made so far as I'm writing this is 473 and they are trying to get to 500 before the end of the month.

It's just a bit of fun but it really motivates you I have to say, added to which purple is my favourite colour so I have enjoyed every minute.

There's quite a mix of different patterns and as usual I have been playing around with different stitches. Pattern writing is very time consuming and not really one of my favourite things to do but I will get around to it and will publish them as soon as they are ready.

Haven Baby Hat

Yet to be named any suggestions welcome.😊

Little Treasure Baby Hat

I have made fourteen so far but I should be able to get a few more made by the end of the day.

The knitting challenge was for purple baby cardigans and I only managed one of those.

Jordan Baby Cardigan Pattern

I found this pattern on Marianna's blog and that's my to go to place  when I'm searching for baby knitting patterns. I find knitting too slow it has to be said and it hurts my hands unlike crochet which thank goodness doesn't affect me as much.

And finally I'm making poppies as the u3a knicky knack knitters and my crochet group are planning to make a poppy display for Remembrance Day this November. 

We are making them in red, purple, black and white to represent each of the different causes, the purple or Animal Poppy is to remember and and represent all the animals that lost or loose their lives during conflict.

We are still unsure as to how we are going to display these and it's not going to be a huge display as we don't really have a lot of time, but we will do what we can.

Just in case you fancy making some yourself....

Poppy Pattern

The large one as seen above.

With black, ch 2. 

Round 1: 12 tr in second ch from hook. Join with sl st to first tr. Fasten off and leave a 10” tail. (12) 

Round 2: Using red yarn, join into the top of any of the black tr.. Ch 3 (counts as a tr). 1 tr into the same stitch.

2 tr into each of the remaining tr. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. (24) 

Round 3: Ch 1. 2 tr into each of the next 4 tr, dc into the next tr. *dc in next tr, 2 tr into each of the next 4 tr,

dc in next tr*. Repeat from * to * 2 more times. Join with sl st into bottom of starting ch 1. (40)

Round *2 tr into each of the next 8 tr, slip stitch between the 2 dc of the previous row*.

Repeat from * to * three times. Fasten off . (68) 

The medium sized Poppy pattern (4 petals) is from Spin a Yarn

The small one can be found here on Ravelry

I managed to crochet another two hats which brought my total to 16 and the both targets were well and truly smashed. yay!

The challenge for October is for snowmen in knit and crochet the target being 150 of each I can see that total being well and truly smashed too.

Have a great weekend I'm off to find some white yarn to get a start on those snowmen. 😊