Crochet Tornado

I’ve been crocheting up a storm! At last count I had 4 projects on the go AND I have ordered some yarn for a cardi for Maia, so there’s a flurry of activity to try and wrap up at least one of the projects currently underway before I go and pick that up… not to mention a moratorium on any more new projects! So much crochet to do, so little time 🙂

In the photo below, I’m working on a simple shell top. I’ve finished one side, and should (hopefully) finish the other tonight, then be on the home run to blocking and edging. If you’re interested, you can find out more about the pattern here, but I’m sure I’ll be back with more progress soon!

How’s your week going? What are you working on? xx

In my bag you will find…

My crochet work bag is full of all kinds of helpful bits and pieces, and it occurred to me you might like to take a look 🙂

Top Row L – R: Dr Hauschka rose hand cream, embroidery cotton, sharpie, pencil, quick unpick, Mousie, hooks! Crochet stars (Ill post a pattern sometime) small container with lots of important stuff, pink beads, scissors.

Middle Row L – R; Crochet cotton, this flower, glasses for fiddly bits and at night (old age!), safety eyes, this flower.

Bottom row L – R: Foxy (pattern sometime), Lip balm, marble (no idea what that’s doing in there???), knitters needles, crochet cotton, lace.

My project work continues, but is going to require a trip to the shop this afternoon… see that short length of white. Yep it ran out. Hope I can remember which brand I brought (the band is long gone), wish me luck!

So what’s in your crochet work bag? Anything you can’t live without? xxxJ

In my world

Here’s a few random little snippets from my world recently…

We are now mid-spring here in New Zealand and the weather is warming up. My garden is growing at warp speed – more on that soon. Its a rare occasion to see Tui in my garden, but this week there were a couple sipping on flax flowers. Birds, you will note, are well outside my photographic expertise!

Speaking of flowers, Carter expressed his inner floral artist at school for their gala event. He had such a proud Mummy! Here’s his sand saucer;

Buttonhole arrangement:

Miniature garden:

And glitter jar/upside down jar arrangement:

Walking on the beach, with toes out – much more palatable now the weather is warming up, hmmm might need to dig out some nail polish!

Drinking lots of smoothies… mostly berries, sometimes with greens, but always with added chia (don’t blend them)!

Carter the spider:

Maia doing her best impression of a sculpture:

Tillandsias hanging in my window… the best low maintenance pot plants, driftwood and macrame optional!

The building (and rebuilding) of fairy houses is in full swing: 

As well as raising seeds and planting seedlings like crazy, I’m propagating a variety of plants… this is my kitchen windowsill, and I’m happy to report that every eastern and southern windowsill in our house is also home to a large number of small jars with lots of other potential plants for my garden!

Our crochet loving cat (actually I think its the wool he loves!)

Finally, here’s a shot of a little blue crochet (one of two projects) I have on the go… more on that soon 🙂

What’s happening in your world? xxxoooxxxx

Magnificent Magnolias

The weather has warmed up considerably in the past few days, and with it so to has my enthusiasm for spending time out of doors.

There are signs of spring everywhere, but not least in the magnificent magnolias which are blooming in our street. My heart lifts every time I see them. Usually as I rush by, this way or that… to school, to work, to gym, to violin,  to swimming and (somewhat exhausted) home again.

Today I went out walking not once but twice – with my camera in tow – to enjoy the spring air and to photograph these amazing blooms to share with you.

In the morning…

And the evening…

As the sun set went down they seemed to get only more beautiful.The evenings are getting longer, tonight it was just bright enough for a quick ‘scoot’ around the neighbourhood after dinner.

“Hurry up Mum!”,“No time for any more photos!” xx

Make a newspaper bag

Last week at church a woman was generously giving away kiwi fruit after the service. She had a stack of these nifty newspaper carry bags which she had made to put the fruit into, and I instantly fell in love with them (yes, such is my personality… I’m easily pleased by simple, useful, handmade things!).She gave me a very quick lesson in the making of the bags, and once home I un-made the bag and put it back together.  Simple, yet perfect for carrying all manner of things… I hope – like me – you too can find a million uses for these bags.

Here’s how you make your own newspaper carry bag:

First up you need a couple of sheets of newspaper – not the small tabloid sized pieces, but the big, old-school, full sized newspaper sheets.

Lay the paper down on a flat surface (kitchen table works well) and fold the top (long) edge down about 3 inches.Flip the sheet over and fold it into thirds – first one side, then the other side.Now ease the top third under the flap (folded over top) immediately below it.

Then flip the whole thing over and fold the bag in half (long ways) and tuck the bottom under the flap. And there you have it, one all purpose newspaper carry bag… ready to fill and go! Cool huh?

 

A new tutorial… crochet granny bag

If you’ve been reading for a while you will know I have a thing for crochet bags… or more to the point, crochet granny square bags.

From the single granny bag…

to tiny granny…And the giant granny…… It’d be fair to say I’ve made a few.

But you can never have too many granny square bags, right? So here’s a lovely quick bag to whip up using 13 of your favourite granny squares!

Step one:

Crochet 13 granny squares. There are no rules to which granny square you use, what color it should be, or how big. But remember the size of the final bag will depend on how heavy your yarn is and many rounds the granny squares have.

I chose my favourite ‘plain’ granny. But there are so many amazing granny designs out there, this bag is only limited by your imagination (and your stash 🙂 )My granny squares were  made using a mix of dk/ light worsted and a 4mm hook. They are 6 rounds. I used the same color combination for all squares, but you don’t have to. If you choose to use different colors, keep in mind you are going to have to join them, and if you don’t want the join to show you will want to use a consistent color for the last round.

Step two:Sew your granny squares together. I do this by holding wrong sides together and sewing a zig zag from one square to the other catching only a single strand from each square.

You want to sew together 5 squares to form an X (one x for the front and one x for the back), then add in three squares which get folded in half and sewn across the front and back:When its finished, it should look like this:

Step three:

Crochet the outer rounds of the handles….

Round one: join your yarn (in a trough not a peak) and single crochet around the entire upper edge.

Round two: SC in each stitch to the next ‘peak’ then chain 50. Skip the entire next ‘trough’ and join at the opposite peak, then continue with SC to the next ‘peak’, chain 50 and once again skip the next ‘trough’ join on the opposite side and complete the round with SC.

Rounds three and four:  SC in every stitch around (including the handles)

Step four:

Crochet the inner rounds of the handles. Join yarn a stitch or two in from the handle on the inner edge:Single crochet in each stitch around the inner edge of the handle, when you get to the bottom of the trough skip the very middle stitch (this keeps it from bulging) also skip the first and last stitch before the handle:

Continue working around the inner edge for 3 rounds (total); skipping those three stitches on each round to keep it nice and neat.

And that’s it, sew in all ends and you are finished! Stash it full of stuff and take it out!

I’m still debating lining this bag… Ill let you know what I decide – but don’t worry, it wont stop me enjoying it as it is in the meantime 🙂

As always, let me know if you have any problems or questions. And if you make one, I’d love to see it – either send me an email or post it on the facebook page. J xox