More crochet and knitting

[Spendsloads]

Here are some items which I recently made as gifts, which I frantically managed to finish (just) in time for Christmas.

I have gone crochet blanket nuts in the last few months, so here are two another blankets I have made, this time for my niece and nephew. The first is a ripple blanket in the colours from Frozen for my niece and the second is a granny stripe blanket I made in 'superheroes' colours (well, just rainbow really) for my nephew. Thank you to Lucy of Attic 24 for providing the patterns for both blankets.

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I also decided to make a scarf each for my mother-in-law and father-in-law who have both been complaining of the cold. I only managed to finish the crochet scarf on the drive up to Scotland for Christmas so didn't manage to get a picture, but it was in dusky green lace weight cashmere. I do have a picture of the scarf I knitted for my father-in-law (blocked and pressed at 7am on the morning before our drive up to Scotland! This is in baa-ram-ewe's alpaca/british wool blend in 4-ply. I'm not a very fast knitter, so it is a well-travelled scarf having been taken to Liverpool, Yorkshire, Tokyo and Frankfurt during its manufacture. Both in-laws were very happy with their gifts and have worn them almost every day since they got them.

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[Jacksmissis]

Goodness you have been busy Spends - that's a lovely pattern for the scarfe and I love the blankets too. Think the "attic 24" lady is based in or near Skipton and she does do some lovely work too. Wish I could master the crocheting!

[pyjama princess]

They're all lovely, I especially like the scarf for FIL. I must have a go at the ripple blanket. I've seen a few examples on here recently and the design really appeals to me.

[jube]

They are lovely and look so warm.

[Summer]

I love them all Spendsloads. What a well travelled scarf! You are a very busy crafter it's great to see what you have been working on.

[Waterlily]

More lovely items spends, love them all but like the ripple blanket best.

[RozMinis]

They look lovely chuck, love the nice bright colours. ;)

Roz

[Spendsloads]

They're all lovely, I especially like the scarf for FIL. I must have a go at the ripple blanket. I've seen a few examples on here recently and the design really appeals to me.

The ripple pattern is so easy PP. I had hardly done any crochet when I made my first ripple blanket last June and even that turned out looking good enough to give. With your expertise PP (I remember the beautiful baby blanket you made and posted a picture of on here), you'll have no problems at all. I'm getting ripple withdrawal and the next blanket on my list will probably be another ripple for a baby girl my cousin is expecting in the Spring.

[Spendsloads]

They are lovely and look so warm.

They are definitely very snuggly Jube. I am currently on blanket number 6 - one for our own home, at last and as this is the first one for grown-ups rather than little ones (when the blankets need to be easy to wash), I've gone to town on the yarn and am making it from a merino silk and cashmere mix. The only problem is, now it is nearly finished, it is so nice and cosy having it over me when I am making it, I keep falling asleep!

[Lioness]

Lovely items - no wonder they are being used.
The ripple blanket reminds me of a dress my mum knitted for me when I was little girl, and I had a matching beret.

[Jacksmissis]

Lovely items - no wonder they are being used.
The ripple blanket reminds me of a dress my mum knitted for me when I was little girl, and I had a matching beret.


Aww bless - funny how things spark our memories isn't it!

[SooG]

What great gifts! I love the colours in the blankets!!!

(I'm glad I'm not the only one who has to finish up gifts at the last minute. No matter how early in the year I start I'm always knitting frantically on a gift on my flight to Canada every year!!)

[RozMinis]

Tiz 'cos we all have so many things we need to do, way too many things, but it at least keeps us sane, well as sane as I am ever going to be that is! Can't say if the rest of you are sane or insane of course. ;)

Roz

[Jacksmissis]

I get emails from Deramore's and today, Wednesday 21st Jan, they've sent the first of a three part instruction through on learning to crochet - my next 'to-do' craft for which my soft grip set of hooks are on the way as speak! - Anyway, the lady who is doing the tutorial has her own site which I also went on to and I was really impressed.

Among the lovely patterns is the following link to a "vintage ripple blanket" pattern I thought you might like Spendsloads (or anyone else of course!) http://winkieflash.nl/2014/02/21/free-pattern-vintage-fan-ripple-blanket/ It does seem to take a few seconds to connect.

[pyjama princess]

Thanks for the link JM - her blanket is stunning!

[RozMinis]

Ooooo, that is nice. Must make one of those, errrr, ummmm, well one day when I get a 'round tuit' perhaps! ;)

Roz

[Jacksmissis]

I thought that too PP! I like the ripple blankets as well but I thought this vintage one was just abit different.

Same here with the 'tuit' Roz! I've ordered full set of those soft grip hooks and I think they'll help me. NOT that I will be tackling anything like that blanket yet though! when I've had a go before I cant seem to keep the sides straight and my fingers slip on the metal as well, so I hope these hooks come soon then I can practise.

[RozMinis]

Soft grip hooks sooooo much better than steel or aluminium ones. Wish they had been around years ago, along with the knitting needles with removable cables. Even better is that the cables don't require soaking in boiling water to unkink them, which is just as well for those that have fixed cables, seeing as wood swells when wet. I have all the sizes of the Clover soft touch from 0.50mm up to 4.50mm. Not quite sure why I have the largest one as I am sure I will never use it, and my two cases only hold 16 hooks, so that makes number 17 without a home. Awww, ain't it sad, a homeless crochet hook! :mysmilie_478:

Roz

[Jacksmissis]

They've arrived today Roz, they're not the good Clover ones but they seem nice - felt them all over and don't seem to be any rough bits and the 'soft' handle is comfy to hold, I've no excuses now!!

[Spendsloads]

I get emails from Deramore's and today, Wednesday 21st Jan, they've sent the first of a three part instruction through on learning to crochet - my next 'to-do' craft for which my soft grip set of hooks are on the way as speak! - Anyway, the lady who is doing the tutorial has her own site which I also went on to and I was really impressed.

Among the lovely patterns is the following link to a "vintage ripple blanket" pattern I thought you might like Spendsloads (or anyone else of course!) http://winkieflash.nl/2014/02/21/free-pattern-vintage-fan-ripple-blanket/ It does seem to take a few seconds to connect.

Many thanks Jacksmissis. I am a big fan of this lady (Wink) and her CAL 2014 is on my To do list (even though it is now 2015 and there is a new CAL coming in the Spring), though I think it will be quite a challenge for me as it involves a variety of different patterns and my repertoire is currently very limited.

My vote also goes to the soft grip hooks - so much less tiring on the hands and fingers than traditional hooks. I started with the Knit Pros and bought the full set. I only discovered the Clover ones later on. They have better grips and a longer handle, so might be better for those with hand problems.

[Jacksmissis]

ooh I'll have to remember that Spends, I just thought the were all the same length (doh). What does the CAL stand for please Spends? She has some really different things on her site and seems a really nice lass - she only came to it through being poorly a few years ago, I think she's better now though. I've printed her lessons off and I'm going to have a go today & see if I can keep the blessed thing straight! Going to use a big hook thought I'd be able to see better where I'm going wrong. (I can knit anything but crochet seems so very foreign to me LOL !!)

[RozMinis]

They've arrived today Roz, they're not the good Clover ones but they seem nice - felt them all over and don't seem to be any rough bits and the 'soft' handle is comfy to hold, I've no excuses now!!

Good show chuck, I'm sure you will find 'em much easier to use than the metal ones. :)

I bought three or four, can't actually remember, of the KnitPro Tunisian hooks. Only bought the short ones though as the cables from my needles will fit on those too. It also means I can keep them all in my KnitPro case. :)

Roz

[Spendsloads]

ooh I'll have to remember that Spends, I just thought the were all the same length (doh). What does the CAL stand for please Spends? She has some really different things on her site and seems a really nice lass - she only came to it through being poorly a few years ago, I think she's better now though. I've printed her lessons off and I'm going to have a go today & see if I can keep the blessed thing straight! Going to use a big hook thought I'd be able to see better where I'm going wrong. (I can knit anything but crochet seems so very foreign to me LOL !!)

Hope the crocheting went well Jacksmissis. Sorry, shouldn't have used an abbreviation. CAL is crochet along, where a designer issues part of a pattern week by week until it's finished. Most of the CALs (there are also KALs for knitting) I have seen are for blankets, but there are other patterns too.

This is Wink's 2014 CAL:
http://winkieflash.nl/scheepjes-cal-2014/

[Muffintop]

Thanks for your inspiring photos, Spendloads. I've been trying to teach myself to crochet this week and, to me, the instructions in the book I tried to learn from (admittedly very old) may well have been in Mandarin for all the sense they made to me (not many piccies). Anyway did manage a chain stitch eventually which is a bit haphazard tension-wise before I gave up.

Didn't realise Deramores had a tutorial going (I'm deleting all newsletters with lovely crafty things on to avoid temptation). So will away to have a look-see. I stumbled across Attic 24's site and her lovely blankets and she really got me in wanting to learn.

Perhaps we could have a LAL - Learn-a-Long, Jacksmissis but I think you will be producing ripple blankets while I'm still sorting my chain stitch out. :mysmilie_512:

[Jacksmissis]

Here you go Muffintop, these are the first two parts, Wednesday and Friday, so I expect the next one will be Monday / Tuesday 'ish' and I'll put it on here so others can use it if they want. I've printed mine off to make it easier. Sure you'll get there chuck!

http://blog.deramores.com/how-to-crochet/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=21-01-15-Wink-Blog-UK
http://blog.deramores.com/how-to-crochet-part-two/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=23-01-15-Wink-Blog-2-UK

Thanks Spendsloads, makes sense now!! There's some lovely squares on that link, bet it looks beautiful when made up. Only got around to my crocheting this afternoon (Sat)..... why? 'cos I'd lost the blessed hooks !! only had them a few days so turned the place upside down - zilch! Jack decided I must have put them out with the rubbish..........................then I went into my handbag for my keys, and...............................YEAH there they were (I should be locked up really) Soooooooooooo, I have done two squares this afternoon (learners ones not posh ones) took me ages LOL, and I've used a size 4 hook as wink suggests and an odd new ball of wool (says Aran on 50g label but seems finer to me) one square is all double crochet and the other is all half trebles. I can see mistakes but the edges are fairly straight which is what I was struggling with so really I'm quite pleased. Going to do some more before I venture to making "proper" ones. I'll try to remember to take a piccie when I've done them all!! (but you're not allowed to laugh !!)

[RozMinis]

The Yahoo Friendly Stitchers group have SAL's, that baffled me for ages, but having asked what HAED meant I didn't have the courage to ask again. Turns out it is Stitch-a-longs. HAED by the way is Heaven and Earth Designs! There are a few other acronyms, but I'm blowed if I can remember what they are.

Roz

[Jacksmissis]

eeh Roz, much easier to say it properly - for me anyway!!

Here's the third lesson peeps, it came through today, and I'm sorry, I forgot to say that if you scroll down to the end of the lesson, there's a "printer friendly" pdf for you to print it off, saves a load of hassle. Mines all printed and stapled together, makes life much easier! Going do some more this afternoon !

http://www.deramores.com/media/deramores/pdf/wink-how-to-crochet-part-three.pdf

[Jilly]

eeh Roz, much easier to say it properly - for me anyway!!

Here's the third lesson peeps, it came through today, and I'm sorry, I forgot to say that if you scroll down to the end of the lesson, there's a "printer friendly" pdf for you to print it off, saves a load of hassle. Mines all printed and stapled together, makes life much easier! Going do some more this afternoon !

http://www.deramores.com/media/deramores/pdf/wink-how-to-crochet-part-three.pdf

Learning to crochet was one of my 2014 resolutions! I shall try again for 2015 - thank you.

[RozMinis]

I promise not to laugh chuck. It may be years, but I still remember my first efforts at knitting and crochet.

"Grandma how do I?" That poor woman must have had the patience of a saint, with me anywhoo. I did finally get the message, but oh dear, knitting was soooo difficult, and boring. Much preferred crochet, though to this day I still find it difficult to follow a pattern written by somebody else. The stupid rows always ran together with just a full stop and, if we were lucky, bold type at the beginning of each row. Should have written them out individually I s'pose, but the type was so small in Pins & Needles that I had difficulty reading the patterns at all.

Needless to say when I designed my own mini patterns I wrote them so 'I' could understand the blessed things in the hope that other would too. I also tried to be consistent with the wording, ended up doing a lot of copying and pasting, even went so far as to have a master file. I just had to remember to delete what wasn't needed, and add anything new. I had to redo it all for my book as dc. 2 tog., was out in favour of dc2tog. Then when I realised folks in the US were using my patterns on a miniaturist group it had to be changed to dc(sc)2tog. Had to explain that the abbreviations in parentheses were US terms. Everybody else in the universe understands what double crochet is, but the American population still do their own thing. I think they are getting there slowly, though I don't really think they understand the metric system, bless their lickle hearts.

Somebody was asking about classes for crochet last week at Dot's. Ethel used to do them, but has not been in for several weeks. I've been helping Jill a bit, but never actually taught crochet. I don't really want to be paid to take classes, too much pressure, though I would be quite happy to sort of show peeps the ropes for free. A case of if peeps need help getting started sort of thing. Anyway I will take a couple of old hooks and some odds and ends of yarn, then if Sandra's daughter turns up we can take it from there. ;)

Roz

[Muffintop]

My MIL tried to teach me but when she started getting that exasperated tone in her voice we decided that I would be better trying elsewhere!

Thanks for the link, Jacksmissus, will be investigating further.

[RozMinis]

My MIL tried to teach me but when she started getting that exasperated tone in her voice we decided that I would be better trying elsewhere!

That is what bothers me about taking classes. No pressure on 'helping' but classes, noooooo.

Roz