31 December 2015

MOST POPULAR POSTS EACH MONTH IN 2015

The Most Popular Posts in 2015
Each Month

Rose bud and leaves

Ruffle edged Shawl

Dealing with ends

April
12 Petal Flower 

May
New Granny Square Coat

June
Solid Granny Square

July
New Amelia and Belinda Flower Pattern

Amelia Pattern

August
Square in a Square in a Square Granny


September
Holiday Beads

October
Close 'V' Stitch

November
Stool cover turned star

December
Moss Stitch Cowl

Thanks for all the support through the year and for buying my books

Wonder what 2016 will bring
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL 


29 December 2015

Granny Shell Jacket on the hook

Hope everyone had a good Christmas and you are all enjoying the time off with the hook and yarn?
Struggled to get back into any particular project since Christmas but this is one I've been promising to make for a while.....

From my Blue Poncho turned Jumper pattern from a couple of years ago.

This WIP Jacket is mainly black with spots and stripes of colour and some added on motifs 
 and will look totally different from the blue jumper, this one is in a mix of yarns....acrylic, mohair and cotton worked together to make some interesting textures 
 I'm splitting the from to add in a button band and make a jacket with it
 if it was just the jumper pattern below is what both sides would have looked like this

 The Buttons will be the little doughnut buttons i made a couple of months back

This is the original pattern i am using....
a poncho pattern that i added wrist warmers too and turned into a jumper
in James C Brett Marble in two colours

Bit of an odd shape when you hold your arms out, but hangs beautifully and was well like by many when i wore it...been a bit warm this year so far to wear.

Also making a granny square skirt as a Birthday pressies for someone special 10 days to make it in...better get cracking 

21 December 2015

12 WEEKS OF GIFTING: option 2 for mini shawl edging



2ND EDGING OPTION TO MINI SHAWL





 Multiples of 3sts for each pattern 





Ch 3, skip first 2 sts, 1dc [1tr], in next st, ch2, 3dc into holemiss 2sts, dc [tr], in next st, ch2, 3dc into next 'hole'....


Repeat to point of shawl
dc [tr], into ch3 point, ch2, 3dc [3tr], into hole, dc [tr], into ch3 point a second time, ch2, 3dc [3tr], into hole, miss 2sts, dc [tr], into next st, 

repeat pattern on second side
Ch 3, skip first 2 sts, 1dc [1tr], in next st, ch2, 3dc into holemiss 2sts, dc [tr], in next st, ch2, 3dc into next 'hole'....
repeat to next point


repeat double pattern in last st of 2nd side
Then repeat the pattern using the rows as the spaces instead of miss 2st spacing

continue to the end of the shawl edge.




Finish with 2dc [2tr], in last 'hole' the first ch3, replaces the last dc [tr], sl st into the first ch3 to complete.





NOTE: The last neck edge of shawl will be a little bit 'frilly' this is needed to accommodate the curve when worn



Cath Kidston inspired Throw 2010

Inspired by some new mugs I was bought for my Birthday in 2010

A simple Granny Square design in CK Colours


20 December 2015

12 WEEKS OF GIFTING: Week 12 Mini shawl/scarf with a flower Pin


SCARF/MINI SHAWL WITH FLOWER PIN
Original pattern from 2013, I have made some small changes and making a new one in Turquoise with red strips and might add a new edging stitch, which i will add to this post later in the week so you will have two edge stitch options

This can be made in a day so could be that extra Christmas present you need.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

This one has been made in 2 colours of Marble and 2 colours of Life, 
but any 2 colours of chunky yarn could be used




 6mm hook

US Terms and UK Terms in brackets

James C Brett Marble Chunky
Stylecraft Life two strands worked as one

James C Brett Marble chunky in cols: MC 32 granny shell, MC 3 for the single dc stripe or MC 8 if you want a bigger contrast. 

They are very similar but one is slightly darker than the other
I have used this yarn a lot and it comes in a fabulous range of colours and also in DK as well,
if you prefer a slightly lighter weight scarf/mini shawl use the DK Marble and Life single strand

Scarf/mini Shawl in 2 shades of Marble
Ruffle and the centre of the flower in Life 

ROUNDS: 1,2, 4,5, 7,8, 10,11, 13,14, 16,17, 19,20, in Col.1 MC32

ROUNDS: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, in Col 2 MC3 or MC8


PATTERN
Using ch3 as the first dc at the beginning of all rounds.

Col 1, Ch5 sl st, into a circle


ROUND 1: 4dc [4tr], ch3, 4dc [4tr] into the circle.


ROUND 2: turn, ch3, 3dc [3tr], in the first stitch, 3dc [3tr], ch3, 3dc [3tr], in the point space, 4dc [4tr], in last st, Cut off and weave in ends.



ROUND3: turn col2. 2dc [2tr], in the first st, dc [tr], in the next 6sts, 
dc [tr], ch3, dc [tr], in the point space, dc [tr], in the next 6sts, 2dc [2tr],
 in lst st. Cut and weave in ends


ROUND 4: turn, col 1. 4dc [4tr], in the first st, miss 2sts, 3dc [3tr], in the next st, miss 2sts, 3dc [3tr], in the next st, miss 2 sts, 3dc [3tr], ch3, 3dc [3tr] in point,  miss 2sts, 3dc [3tr], in next st, miss 2sts, 3dc [3tr], in next st, miss 2sts, 4dc [4tr] in last st, 


ROUND 5: turn, col1. ch3, 3dc [3tr], in the first st, 3dc [3tr], in each of the side sp, 3dc [3tr], ch3, 3dc [3tr], in the point sp, 3dc [3tr], in the next 3sp, 4dc [4tr], in the last st. 
 Cut and weave in ends

ROUND 6: col.2
2dc [2tr], in the first st,
 1dc [1tr], in the next 15sts, 1dc [1tr], ch3, 1dc [1tr], in the point, 
 1dc [1tr], in the next 15sts, 2dc [2tr], in last st. (18 dc in total for each side) cut off yarn and weave in ends.


ROUND 7: turn, col 1. 4dc [4tr], in the first st, miss 2 sts, 3dc [3tr], in the next st, miss 2 sts, 3dc [3tr], in the next st, miss 2 sts....

 repeat until you get to the point, in the point space do 3dc [3tr], ch3, 3dc [3tr],
 repeat the miss 2sts, 3dc [3tr] in the next st until you get to the last st, 
4dc [4tr].


ROUND 8: turn ch3, 3dc [3tr], in the first st, 3dc [3tr], in the next 6 sp, 3dc [3tr], ch3, 3dc [3tr], in the point sp, 3dc [3tr], in the next 6 sp, 4dc [4tr],  between the last st. 




REPEAT: The 3 round pattern, 1 round of dc [tr], col2, 2 rounds of granny shells in col 1,
 until you have 21 rounds


ADD A RUFFLE EDGE
3dc [3tr], in each st along sides of triangle, 
with 5dc [5tr], in the longer sts, 3dc [3tr], in the shorter sts,(the top edge),
 sl st to finish, weave in ends.






 FLOWER PIN 

Ch5, sl st into a circle, 
ROUND 1: 18sc [18dc], into the circle, sl st to complete round,

ROUND 2: 20 loose sc [dc], over the top of the first round, sl st to complete round.

ROUND 3: ch3, 1tr [1dtr], in the first st, 2tr [2dtr], in the next 2sts, 1tr [1dtr], ch3 and sl st into the 4th st,
sl st into the next st and repeat for each petal, sl st to complete round.



Stitch a safety pin to the back of the flower.




 With a flower pin to hold it around your neck..
 made in James C Brett marble Chunky in two colours

Just 21 rounds plus a round of ruffles and it took me from late afternoon until just after midnight to make

ALTERNATIVE YARN COMBINATIONS
I'm using Wendy Carnival in a red and turquoise shade for the new version and will the new edging stitch for the second mini shawl soon