Its been sometime ... but I have been busy ... honestly!! x

Well, the intention was, when I set up this blog, to post regularly ... but other things such as crocheting get in the way!!!

Christmas presents were finished and distributed (well almost all of them!!) and all hopefully were well recieved.

My sisters shrug turned out fantastic, although I was finishing it still on Christmas eve, mainly just sewing in the ends and on the buttons. I have since given all the materials for a lovely blue shrug to my best friend Soo for her birthday ... she can crochet but wants to learn to follow a pattern and as I got a hint that she would love this shrug I thought what a better way to learn how to read those patterns!!! I have promised to take her through the pattern, I am not so cruel as to leave her with it to master herself ... and that way I thought I could also be crocheting a shrug all for myself ... in pink too me thinks!!

Other Christmas presents I did ... well ... the posy scarf all finished off too here is a little photo of the finished product ...

The flowers are huge , but it is so warm ... perfect for those cold winter days.

So, whatelse have I been doing with my time, well if I am honest the work I am doing (or not doing) on the International Diploma in Crochet has ground to a stop!! I have picked up the squares again and have started off on the double crochet rib, so now I just need to keep the work going on this one! I discovered the beauty of ribbing on the shrug I did for my sister ... and the effect was fantastic ... so am loving doing this square!!

To help with focusing my mind, and make my home feel a little tidier I have sorted out my smallest bedroom so it can store better all my yarn, books, magazines, patterns, hooks, needles etc etc. I love it, only did it last night but its wonderful to have a little dediciated space to craft ... this may not last for long but while it does i will enjoy it!!

So last night I went from this ...

To this ...

And I have sorted my desk space so I have room to work ... also need to bring up my sewing machine and you never know I might actually get to use it ... rather than the couple times I have since I got it which was scaryingly 20 years ago ... gulp!!

And current projects ... I am finishing off the varsity jacket and satchel from 'Crochet for Bears to Wear', I will post a picture when its done and for fear of Mikey reading this I won't tell you what else I have done until he has safely recieved it!!

I am also ... trying ... to create the Crocheted Baby Converse by Loopysue for a colleagues new baby. First attempt didn't go so well mainly as I didn't ensure I had the right numbers of stitches I think ... but I do feel the best thing will be to start again ... and concentrate!!

My plans for other crafty things include looking at either crotatting or just plain old tatting, learning to knit and as I crochet I am thinking about the continental style rather than english ... I just need to find a very patient teacher for the knitting!!

Submission ...

The resubmission of the four squares has happened, and the results have been returned ... and I passed this submission ... yippppeeeee!! It is such a relief to know that I have got it, I have been a few tips on how to do the taller stitches which will be greatly appreciated for the up and coming quadruple treble!

This month has seen Remeberance Day and during one lunchtime, and after losing my poppy again, I decided to have a go at creating something myself ... and was so happy with the outcome ...

This is my little poppy for rememberance ... and I got some wonderful comments about it ... !

I am making good progress on a few crocheting projects that will be birthday/christmas presents ... I have begun crocheting a varsity jacket for a friends bear from 'Crochet for Bears to Wear' in Sirdar Snuggly 4-Ply. For this pattern I needed to measure the bear ... wow ... I am crocheting to size for a bear ... cute!!
Another project I am getting on with is the Morgana Shrug out of Inside Crochet which is coming along nicely if I say so myself ... I am doing this for my sis, but fancy one for myself and my friend Soo has requested one to so that is her birthday present sorted out ...

I am now about to start on the sleeve ribbing, the first time I have done ribbing and I had to firstly worked out what 'blo' meant ... which was pointed out to me was explained on the pattern as 'back loop only' ... then how do I do this ... after a few attempts I wasn't sure I was understanding it but thanks to Crochet Me and a handy little video on You tube I could relax I was doing ok!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_OmDUML4Y

And finally progress on the Daisy Scarf ...

Just the ends to sew in ... I love it ... just hope B does too!

I am doing a lot of crochet in pink at the moment ... but that will all change with the iPad cover I am planning in gold and brown ... yummy ... and a tea cozy in orange ... well it is a brown teapot!

Oh and todays charity shop purchase ...

... I think next years Christmas presents will be doilys ... !!

in the meantime ...

... its halloween ... well almost!

I just hope some trick and treaters come to take away the sweets I have brought ... ! Oh no its started raining ... better save the pumpkins from the elements ...!!

And on the crochet front I have completed 3 of the 4 samples I need to resubmit, the final square is the triple treble which I wasn't happy with so have undone it all and need to start again ... sigh ...!! The problem I am struggling with one the first attempt was the edges created by the turning chain, they are straight but within the sample its still creating big gaps ... I will have a second attempt and see what that brings I think. I am happy with the ones I have done and that included the double treble.

I have completed, and lined a little mobile phone case for my mom:

And so back to the final square ... x

The results ...

... came back quicker in the post than I ever expected, I am amazed at the speed Pauline turned around the results of my first submission. I have to say a big thank you for that, and it does mean that I can get on with things ...

I do have to resubmit four of the five samples I sent through for assessment, but it is amazing what I have learnt already from this submission.

• The foundation chain and first row ... for the first time ever in my crochet I have stopped and looked at which parts of the chain I need to pick up!
• The turning chain ... and which stitch to select in a tension sample
• The essentials of a tension sample is to "ensure all the edges are ruler straight" and how the above two techniques help to achieve this.

Paulines feedback was so positive too, I was pleased that my tension and understanding of the stitches is good, now I am aiming for that perfection!!!

The submission ...

My first five samples are ready for submission, namely double crochet, treble crochet, treble crochet with hook inserted between the stitches, double treble and a triple treble. Oh how nerve wrecking is this ... now all I need to do is wait for Paulines comments ... oh I hope its not too bad!

While I am waiting for the envelope to return in the post I have begun my Christmas pressies, yes I know its still early but if I don't start now I'll never be finished in time!! The pattern I have chosen for my friend B is from Inside Crochet Issue 21 and is ( or will be ..) the posy scarf. The scarf is made up of lots of daisies and the first one is complete.

The pattern is designed by Helda Panagary ... see her blog at http://www.heldasland.blogspot.com/ for a few more patterns and to read her adventures in crochet, knitting, cooking and life! I have designed to do this pattern in Sidar's DenimUltra in wonderful pink!!! I will post the finished article once complete!

Now to get on crocheting ... x

The Beginning ...

... of my time studying the International Diploma in Crochet. How do I feel scared, full of trepidation ... and this is despite having crocheted for years!! How can the prospect of crocheting my first five squares fill me with dread ... because I think this is the first time ever my crochet has been marked.

BUT ... I am excited, it is making me crochet squares something I have always promised myself that I will do to make me appreciate and understand the different types of stitches. Excited because of the prospects of teaching others (be warned!!) and designing my very own patterns!!

So I had better get hooking ... well I have already started three are done and I am half way through my fourth and then its onto the fifth and into the post they go!!

In the meantime my thoughts have strayed onto the history of crochet ... who came up with it, why and when ...!!

And in the meantime and simply for pleasure ...