Flower patch cushion finished

Remember the Flower patch cushion which I started last week? It was my take-along project for the weekend.

Well I finished it:

Hmm, now that it is complete, I'm not so sure about the colours together. It was quite fun to make though. Originally I intended to have a flower on each granny square, but once I'd sewn on the ones in place in the picture above, somehow that seemed like enough. More would have felt like too much.

So now I have a lot of spare flowers waiting for a use!

To make this cushion I made 25 granny squares (5 rows of 5). Rather than oversewing the edges together to join the squares I double-crocheted them together to get the ridged effect.

Crocheting the sqaures together was a little tricky, but I think it looks quite nice.

I also did a big granny square for the back.....

...and a scallop edging to finish it off....

So, the yarn I used from left to right (shown in the picture below):

Rowan wool cotton DK
Shade 955 Ship shape
Shade 943 Flower
Shade 951 Tender
Shade 969 Cypress

It was a good project to try out I think - I've never added flowers to granny squares in this way before, and its also been a long time since I have made a crochet cushion cover. If I made it again I think I would go for different (brighter?) colours though.

One last thing before I go - although I didn't follow a pattern for this cushion and made it up as I went along, I think its important to say that it was inspired by a couple of other patterns I have seen around, and owes a lot to them! So, my sources of inspiration (thanks all for your beautiful designs!):

Sarah London Ethel cushion - available from Ravelry
Camelia Blanket - by Nikki Trench

Bye until next time!

Hampstead Heath Pergola

The weather was glorious in South East England yesterday (it still is today as well!), so boyfriend and I decided once again that a picnic was the best way to spend the day. As you can see there were only a few wispy white clouds in an otherwise perfect blue sky.

This time we headed up to Hampstead Heath to find a picnic spot, rather than going to one of the parks as we did last weekend. After lunch, instead of climbing up Parliament Hill to check out the view like we normally do when we go to the Heath, we thought we'd go over to the West Heath for a change.

There is a beautiful Pergola and garden there, if you're ever in the area, it is well worth a visit!

There were lots of climbing plants winding around the stone columns and up on to the wooden framework above the columns (I'm sure there's a proper word for that, I just don't know what it is!).

In a way the plant life growing here looked quite sparse and arid. With the pure blue sky and the heat (must have been more than 30 degree centigrade in London yesterday) I felt as if I had stumbled into another country, maybe Greece or Italy. The atmosphere and weather made it feel positively mediterranean, which was nice!

But then, every so often you would find a cluster of red or white roses or other flowers growing, enjoying the sunshine.

I think I was lucky to be there on the right day, when weather and location combined so perfectly. I definately recommend a visit though, if you get the chance!

Flower patch cushion

I've started yet another new project (whilst still with the ripple throw on the go). The problem is, the ripple throw is too big a project for me to take with me when I go to stay with boyfriend at the weekends.

I'm calling it a flower patch cushion - its made of granny squares with little flowers to stitch onto each square.

So far it is still in the early stages. I couldn't decide which colours to go for to start with. At first I thought of pink and green, then maybe pink and purple and green, but in the end I settled for a purple and green 4 colour scheme - 2 shades of purple and 2 of teal green:

I think these colours are so pretty together. I designed the flowers myself again, 2 sizes, so that I can layer one flower on top of another and then stitch on to the sqaures.

A small project like this is much easier to cart down to London on the train - the joys of being a commuting crafter! I'm normally at boyfriend's from Thursday - Sunday, and let me tell you I just can not go that long without some kind of knitting or crochet (he's really very patient, never complains about my constant crafting on the sofa while we're watching a film).

So you see why, at the moment, I have a need for a smaller more portable project to take with me at weekends, so I can still get my craft fix! Trouble is, as soon as I come up with my idea for the smaller project, I get so excited about it that I can't wait until I'm at his to start and end up doing it during the week too!

I realise on a scale of world problems this is not a big one, but it does mean progress on the ripple throw is slow!

Striped bag

Something else I've been working on in the last week or so.....

Inspired by Attic 24 (again) I made my own version of a striped crochet bag. I have to admit I didn't follow the pattern, but just made it up as I went along.

I'm fairly pleased with the way it came out. I think I probably could have made the bag a bit bigger and the handles a bit shorter, but never mind!

What I do love are the little flowers hiding where the handles are sewn onto the body! I made up the pattern quickly myself:

Chain 4 and join into a ring with a slip stitch.
Round 1: chain 5, *work 1 treble into ring, chain 2. Repeat from * five times more. Finish by slip stitching into 3rd of 5 chain from start of round.
Round 2: work 1 dc, 1 half treble, 1 treble, 1 double treble, 1 treble, 1 half treble, 1 dc into each of the 6 chain spaces made in 1st round. Slip stitch into first dc from start of round to finish.

Then fasten off, and sew into place with a button in the centre! I think they look so cheerful and cute. They definately put the finishing touch to the bag.

Day out in Piccadilly and Regent's Park

The weather around London was glorious and sunny yesterday, so boyfriend and I headed out for a wander around Piccadilly (with a stop at Waterstones so I could look at the craft sections - love the Piccadilly Waterstones for that!).

We visited a little crafts market which is usually to be found just off Piccadilly on a Saturday, in front of St James' church.

The stalls here sell some really pretty things. This stall was full of plates and dishes in bright colours - they look as if they may have been handpainted.

I loved these Russian dolls, sold at anonther stall.

My favourites are the traditional ones - so pretty! I may have to get some sometime, to match my crocheted versions!

 Couldn't resist taking a snap of the Olympic bunting against the sky - love the colours together.

After Piccadilly, we jumped on a bus and headed over the Regent's Park for a picnic away from the hurley-burley. I love London's parks - you can espace into these little green oases and almost forget your in a city at all.

Just laying there listening to the wind through the leaves felt so peacefull.

 
Thought the flower beds planted in Union Jack patterns were quirky and cute!

Also just loved the profusion of flowers there - so many colours and types!

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Wherever you are, hope you're having a happy and peacefull weekend too. X

Crochet flower hanger

Do you remember last week I mentioned that I was thinking of making a crochet flower garland? Well the garland sort of morphed into a hanging flower decoration. After a lot of playing around to try and create the kind of flower shape that I had in mind, I finally came up with something I was satisfied with!

The flower shape was actually inspired by a notebook I have:

I wanted a nice fat looking flower, with cute little stubby petals. I also wanted it to be a solid flower shape, so that I could make 2 motifs for each flower, stitch them together and stuff them to make the decorations. So that meant I had to come up with a flower design where the petals grew straight out of the centre, rather than being worked into a chain space, like you often see with flower motifs.

I'll try and explain with the aid of pictures how I did it:

To make the decoration you need:

Yarn: scraps of DK weight yarn in various colours - 2 colours for each motif. I used Rowan Pure Wool DK, but anything would do.
Hook: 3.5mm
Needle to sew sides together
Stuffing or wadding
Ribbon

Motif pattern (make 2 in the same colours for each hanging flower).

In colour A Work 4 chain, join into a ring using a slip stitch

Round 1: 3 chain, work 11 trebles into ring, finish by slip stitching into top of 3 chain from start of round (12 stitches)

Round 2: 3 chain, work 2 trebles into each treble from last round, finish by working treble into same stitch as 3 chain. Slip stitch into top of 3 chain from start of round 2. 24 stitches

Round 3: 3 chain, work 1 treble into next stitch, then *2 trebles into following stitch, then 1 treble into next stitch. Repeat from * to end of round, joining with slip stitch to 3 chain at start of round. 36 stitches.

Round 4: Work slip stitch into first stitch, then 1/2 treble into next stitch, then 2 trebles into next stitch, then 2 trebles into next stithc, then 1/2 treble into next stitch then 1 slip stitch into next stitch. This makes one petal. Repeat until end of round - 6 petals.

Round 5: Change to colour B. Work into top of petals from last round, work 1 slip stitch into first stitch, 1dc into next stitch, 1 1/2 treble and 1 treble into next stitch, 2 trebles into next stitch, 2 trebles into next stitch, 1 treble and 1 1/2 treble into next stitch, 1 dc into next stitch and 1 slip stitch into next stitch. This forms edging for one petal. Repeat until end of round so that all 6 petals have edging. Complete by slip stitching into first stitch of round and fasten off.

I made 8 of these motifs (4 pairs) in different colours for my hanging decoration:

Now all that's left is to fasten off the loose ends, stitch motifs together by oversewing the edges (leave a gap to stuff the motifs before you finish sewing up.

Phew! I hope all that made sense, I am not a great pattern writer!

 Actually you could make these out of cotton yarn and they could be cute coasters.

 Well, I had better show the finished product!

Even though the sun is out here this evening, the light isn't great - this is the only good shot which I managed to get of the finished decoration!

Cute and easy crochet - Russian dolls

Anyone who has ever embarked upon a knitting or crochet project larger than an egg cosy will know that sometimes, when you're working on something big, you need a little light relief, also known as instant gratification knitting (or crochet!).

So, because I needed some relief from the ripple throw (lovely and ripple-y though it is), this weekend I've been making the little cute Russion dolls from Nikki Trench's Cute and Easy Crochet.

I've had this book for a while, and pull it off the shelf regularly to flick through and sigh over the lovely patterns. However, I've never actually had a go at anything in it until now!

I have to admit I was aprehensive at the thought of trying these dolls - I have little experience of amigurumi (the style of crochet used to make these) and they looked  fiddly to make! But, I was spurred on by the success of my octopus last weekend.

The result:

What do you think?!

These dolls were made using the left over scraps of Rowan Pure Wool DK from the Rainbow afghan, which is why Mrs Large Dolly has a body in 3 colours instead of 2 (I ran out of pale pink before I got to her headscarf).

Still, aren't they cute? Actually there weren't too bad at all to make - the most difficult thing about making these wasn't the crochet part, it was sewing on the details of the faces at the end, and stitching the flowers to the bodies of the already stuffed dolls.

I think I have a soft spot for this little one, which is actually the medium size doll (though she seems a lot smaller than the large one) - she just looks so happy!

If you've never tried anything like this before, and are able to get hold of a copy of Cute and Easy Crochet, I really suggest giving these a go. The pattern is very clear and well written, so if you're intimidated by amigurumi like I was, this is a good place to start.

I'm already comtemplating some amigurumi snowmen for Christmas decorations!

And, in case you were wondering I have still had some time to make some progress on the throw too!

Bye for now!

Beyond the square: Crochet motifs.... and things I'm making in August

I'm very excited to have a new book of crochet motifs! It's Beyond the square: Crochet motifs. I've already eyeballed this in the flesh in Foyle's on Charing Cross Road, but didn't purchase it at the time. But, the other day I decided the take the plunge and bought it from Amazon. I think the thing that intially put me off was that its an American book and I was worried about translating the American crochet terminology in to UK terms. Then I decided I was just being cowardly and decided to go for it anyway!

I'm glad I did - it just looks so delicious and colourful. I already have some favourite motifs picked out:

I'm not sure what I'll make with any of these patterns. I'm kicking around the idea for some form of crochet garland, or one that combines crochet and felt shapes maybe. I haven't really found the right kind of motif for what I have in mind though. I'll let you know if my idea develops!

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You may have noticed in the first photo of the cover of the book, a little secret I have been keeping in the background. I've started a new throw already! This one is a ripple throw and has turned out to be quite an ambitious project as I unwittingly made an initial chain long enough to be a double bed size throw. It'll be the biggest project I've ever attempted in either knitting or crochet.

So far I am loving every moment of making it! The ripple stitch pattern and the gorgeous colours just make every stitch a complete pleasure. It's only been a few days so its not very big yet, but here's a little look:

I hope you'll agree its going to be a beauty!

More on the colours and yarn I've used when its finished, and I can show you the complete project.