well, after a long few months, with a few rows done several times to get it right, I finally finished my Lily Pond Blanket – this was a free pattern available on the Stylecraft website, designed by Jane Crowfoot. I used Stulecraft Life yarn to complete my project, and really enjoyed it!! Take a peek, now!…
Here is hoping whatever you are doing this weekend, you have a crafty day!
Smudge x
having come back to blog land yesterday, I thought I would make a post today showing one of the CAL’s I am currently working on! The Stylecraft Lilypond CAL is available for free on the Stylecraft website. There are several yarn choices given, and I am using Stylecraft Life DK! I have really enjoyed making this so far, and am eagerly awaiting the final pattern to come out next week!
Below is a collage of pics of some of the u assembled parts so far!
I would welcome any comments! Is anybody else taking part in a CAL just now?
Happy crafting this Sunday x
Smudge x
it has been over a year since my last post! I have no idea where that went!!
In 2014, I took part in a CAL on Facebook, ‘crochet mood blanket’ – which required you to make a motif a day/week, in order to document your mood throughout the year! Here is the finished result:-
I used the African violet crochet pattern, available in many guises for free on the web! I used Stylecraft special yarn, throughout!
Starting 2015, I have now endeavor red to take part in some more CAL’s, the Stylecraft Lilypond Blanket, and the Wildflower crochet bag pattern! I will share more pictures when they are complete! Would love to see what you are creating!!
Smudge xxx
It has been a while since I posted! Just recovering from a spooky hailstorm shower last night! The garden this morning still looks a little white in places!
Yesterday, I finally finished my diagonal cushion! I also used a heart motif to embellish the reverse side, which also helps to cover the gap where the four sides meet. I am quite pleased with how this turned out in the end! I used Stylecraft yarn again, from the mood blanket assortment!
The crochet mood blanket continues to grow, and it is wonderful to watch it coming together, and to see all the different interpretations of the theme in the rest of the group online.
Yesterday, I spent a pleasant few hours at a local coffee shop craft group, including speaking to one lovely lady about her spinning wheel! It is the first time I have seen this and it was fascinating to watch! Here is the project I was working on yesterday:-
This is the back to a crocheted wrap around cardigan. I am using Rowan creative focus worsted yarn, which is wonderful to use. You can see the yarn at http://www.deramores.com/rowan-creative-focus-worsted.
I would love to hear your comments and here what you are making just now! Until next time, have a crafty week!
Smudge x
On this bright Saturday morning, I thought I would share my blanket progress picture! It is getting bigger all the time! There are two more motifs being blocked currently, which are not shown here, and I am still up to date!! The eagle eyed amongst you will notice the new wallpaper in the background, but, apologies for the assorted cushions which I still haven’t quite got round to sorting out!! There has been so little relaxing time of late, that I just flop down on the sofa exhausted, and happy to nestle amongst my assorted mismatched cushions! – I really should have a change though!!
I was pleased to be able to get out into the garden this week for a spot of tidying! 
It is still in need of some more t.l.c., but, it was such a pleasant change to be out in the fresh air without the rain, and to hear the birds singing! And, there are a few little snowdrops poking their heads through the ground!!
Whilst I have been looking through a lot of craft uploads of late on the web, I have been inspired by some granny square cushion covers which are done on the diagonal! So, I started an off shoot project from my mood blanket!
I am using some of the Stylecraft yarn that I am using for the mood blanket. I made four granny square motifs and stitched together for the centre and then decided to do one row of each colour on a repeat! The heart I made from a pattern I saw on a crochet group.
My plan is to attach the heart to the cushion somewhere when it is complete!!
Inspired by the settling down of the weather, I have been making a few little spring flowers this morning from yarn scraps,
The pattern for these is from this fun book by Lesley Stanfield which you can find
On Amazon, ‘100 flowers to knit and crochet’
Here is hoping that spring is just around the corner!
Have a crafty week!
Smudge x
After a busy week finally getting straight after all the bitty nonsense that surrounds decorating, am having a rest tonight with a box set and a brew!!
The crochet mood blanket continues to grow, (pictures to follow!) and I continue to add coats of wax to the doors around the house at a sloooow pace!! Although, I have to say, they polish up rather nicely, even if it is a little tiring!!
Here is hoping you are all warm and cosy on this windy and chilly week!
Smudge x
It has been a busy and blustery week this week. Having took some time off work whilst we had some decorating completed, I found myself able to sit out of the way of the workman and inspired to finish some WIPs!! Yes, you did hear me correctly!! Having initially planned to do this back in January, it didn’t work out so well!!
So, my first finished WIP this week was to complete my second of two bolster cushion covers, ready for the ends of the sofa in the freshly decorated living room. The carpet will be going down this week, so, I am looking forward to getting back to a little normality as all the furniture returns to its rightful place!
These cushion inserts were bought . I mentioned in a previous post, I took the motif pattern itself from a bag pattern inside a wonderful book called ‘geek Chic Crochet’ by Nicki Trench. You can find the book .
The weathers continued to be blustery and downright grey looking all week, and I found I was heavily reliant on my wonderful new Daylight lamp which my hubbie got me for my little craft corner for Christmas. You can find one
I found I needed it one day this week, as I even got a cross stitch WIP out! I have been working on the Lavender & Lace ladies for some time now, but, gradually, as crochet and other yarns projects have taken over, have. It done so much of late. But, as I worked on my project, I remembered how much I used to enjoy it!
This is the last one of the collection that I have done, this particular one is Winter. I am almost done with the bottom edge of it, then it requires beading across the whole image. You can see the patterns
Finally, just yesterday, we had some of our doors returned from the door strippers! We are removing the original ones and one by one taking them back to their original state, replacing door furniture and are about to begin waxing them soon!! I was saddened to find though that one of them has a considerable amount of damage on one side where somebody has been at it with a blow lamp!! So, my quest now begins to source a replacement door which is similar to the others, or to find a way to restore the damage if at all possible!
So, here is my current hallway situation!!
The more observant amongst you may notice the damaged door at the far end. It has blackened burn type patches all over it on one side!
Well, I have a feeling it is going to be a busy week ahead!
Hope you are all healthy and happy wherever you are!
Smudge x
Having spent much of my time recently either making motifs for the mood blanket or completing motifs for the bolster cushions, today I have made something different!!
I saw the pattern in the current issue of Simply Crochet magazine,
You can see the magazine here
As soon as I saw it, i thought I could use some nice bright colours and have something fun to look at instead of a plain tissue box!! Ok, it may be a little retro! (Although it is way cuter than those dated patterns you used to see in the 1970’s!)
What did you make today for a change?
Smudge x
Well, where did January go?? It seems odd that so much preparation goes into Christmas festivities and new year, and before you know it, we are into the second month of the year already!!
I am so glad that I finally caught up with my motif a day for my crochet mood blanket, as there have been other tasks distracting me this week! The DIY in the house is starting to grate somewhat, as every room seems to be in a state of disarray, holding items that are meant to live elsewhere, until all the decorating is complete!!
However, here is my January ‘ta dah!’ Moment:-
What do you think? I am really pleased with how it is turning out, although, I am starting to think I am not sure I should have chosen the white as an edging colour! I am thinking it will look grey eventually?
Anyway, I continue to be inspired daily by all the wonderful members of the Crochet Mood Blanket 2014 page on Facebook. There are so many talented people out there, and it is wonderful to see how so many people have interpreted this challenge in different ways!
I shared a picture of my ripple blanket, which I call my ‘rainbow’ blanket, on the Facebook group this week, and got some lovely comments! So, I thought I would share it here too:-
It is my first crochet blanket and I loved every second of making it! I chose all the colours myself rather than order the ‘Lucy’ packs, as I wanted a good mix of very bright colours that clashed!! Each row had approximately 300 stitches and took approximately 50 minutes to work, there are 16 colours in all, 2 rows per colour and 5 repeats throughout!! My lovely rainbow!!
This week, I also had a wool storage brainwave – as I have so much yarn for my current projects rammed down the side of the sofa, so, i have purchased a small shelving unit for my craft room, which the hubbie kindly put together last night! Here it is:-
Well, here is hoping that you all have a creative and yarn filled February!!
Smudge x
smudgemakes 