The great dishcloth marathon

The finished Rozeta

After finishing Rozeta a few weeks ago I’ve been in a bit of a crochet slump, so I thought I’d have a go at something smaller. I made a couple of dishcloths for my mother for Christmas and they are the perfect size and repetitiveness for relatively mindless stitching. I’m using this site for inspiration.

Here is Dishcloth #1. I’ve used Flinders 8ply cotton from Spotlight with a 4mm hook. Stitch is the Trinity Stitch and I started with a 40 link starting chain. It measures about 18.5 cm square.

I’m going to do the next one with 40 chains as well but I think after that I’ll go a bit bigger.

Stay tuned!

Moving on…

…or what I have been up to.

Well, the term started and the stitching and the blogging stopped. 😦

But, thankfully, the term is now sorting itself out and the stitching and the blogging have resumed 🙂

So, I’ve put the Harmony Blanket aside for a little bit, partly because it gets a bit much doing all the one colour after a while (and it’s been REALLY hot), but also because Stylecraft are about to release a new Jane Crowfoot design for their next CAL. It’s called Frida’s Flowers and it’s based on the skirt designs Frida Kahlo wore. At first I was all like… um, no. I will manage. But it’s really growing on me and I expect it will be added to the rotation ere long. (Although I am planning on being good and not buy yarn for it until I’m ready to start. No. Don’t say anything. I WILL BE GOOD… 🙂 )

So this got me to thinking I really haven’t done much on the last Jane Crowfoot CAL (at time of writing you can download it for free here, but let me know if they change it and I haven’t noticed) since last year so I’ve picked that up again. Apart from sewing in all the ends, I’m much further ahead with it than I realised – and, since I’ve left it for a while, it’s lots of fun again. (Although 44 ends on each panel? Seriously? Who does that?)

I’m on Part 7 (out of 8) and have a (new) strict sew-in-ends policy after each block. Plus then the ends from one of the earlier panels. Hopefully that will make the task less daunting towards the end. (I lost my yarn needles a couple of weeks ago – but then on Friday I bought some more)

Here’s few pics of how it’s going so far – looking forward to putting it together.

As you can see, lots more to do still, but getting there. I hope to have finished the other two Block 7s by next week. (Promises, promises 🙂 )

See you next Sunday!

xx J.

Needing needles

Lost my sewing needles (again) so had to go shopping… Now there’s no more excuses to not deal with those yarn tails…

So many squares…

Well, it’s Sunday again and I have been working on my Harmony Blanket this week. (Usually while watching the tennis. I haven’t dropped too many stitches I hope!) It’s been a bit cooler (thank goodness!) and so New Cat has been curled up very close as he has moulted a lot recently. This has almost resulted a couple of times in a hook up the butt as he doesn’t really give any warning when he jumps up!

Anyways, here’s some pics for you – I suspect I will run out of the Parma Violet (the joining yarn) before it’s done. (Luckily I just happen to have some spare 🙂 )

It’s back to work full time this week so it will be interesting to see how much more I get done. Should probably work on my Seekrit Project actually…

See you next Sunday!

Catching up…

Well, again – long time, no post!

Let’s try again…

I’ve been doing a rather large amount of crochet recently but I won’t post all the finished objects here today. Might do a post on them a little later. I will, however, post link to my WIPS (works in progress) and then we can see what I do with them…

Currently I’m right into the Harmony blanket by Lucy over at Atttic24. I love the colours and, apart from all the ends, it’s relatively painless. Plus, it’s gorgeous. And did I mention the colours were great? 🙂 (Yarn is Stylecraft Special DK.) Doing the squares has been great during the warmer weather as there’s not a whole heap of yarn on my knees.

New Cat has been helping me, as per usual… takes him a while to find a comfy spot. And with all the moulting he’s been doing in the hot weather I suspect the cold hits him a bit harder so he is drawn to to the crochet like a moth to a flame. There have been more than a few close shaves with the hook!

Next WIP is Sophie’s Universe by Dedri Urys at LookatwhatImade. The design is fabulous and complicated and just so very very cool. I have been really enjoying it but the hot weather has meant I’ve had to pop her away for a bit. I’m making her in Classic 8 ply from Bendigo Woollen Mills.

Third WIP is another one from Attic24 – the Jolly Chunky Bag. This is a great one to take places as it’s not too big – although with colour changes every row you do have to carry a few balls of yarn with you. But the project itself isn’t too big. I’ve also been practising standing stitches and an invisible finish. Looks pretty good – but I need more practise to make it fluent.

Fourth WIP is the Lily Pond Blanket by Jane Crowfoot. All I have to say is So. Many. Ends. I will finish it – mainly because I am more than halfway through (plus it’s going to look AWESOME) – but I’m seriously going to have to be in the mood to do so.

I have a granny mandala blanket that I am making up as I go along and I also have a Seekrit Project which I’ve almost finished. Just the border to go and then all can be revealed! 🙂

This week I’m back at work on Wednesday so much less time for stitching, sadly 😦 Luckily the tennis is on today and tomorrow so I have even more excuses to sit and stitch in the meantime!

See you next Sunday!

I’m back!

Well, it’s been a while since I blogged on here! Due to a few issues with my eyes (and time, and having a small child who is now bigger!) I haven’t really done much cross stitch in the past few years. I have, however, begun to scrapbook, knit and crochet. Crochet is taking a bit of the forefront right now, so I’ll pop on a few pics of the latest stuff.

I have been working on the Groovyghan from Stix by Tracy St. John. It’s a pretty big project and it has, of course taken me about a year so far. It’s also my first project. I’m using the Spotlight Moda Vera yarn (more info on the Ravelry page) and I am getting close to finished.

Just this weekend, I have started playing with the African Flower Hexagon and they are just lovely. Not sure what I will make them into yet… possibly a blanket or cushion, but apparently they’d also look nice as a bag.

Not much stitching

Well, not much to report this week as I have been knitting! Nothing to show for that either as I am waiting for needles but will let you know how I go.

So here is a current pic – taken on Sunday…

And thank you to those who have commented this week – it’s nice to knwo people are reading this little blog!

xx J.

More Barnabee…

…and more STASH!!!

Hehehehe…

I discovered that a certain online store was having a sale so I shopped! I bought the charms for BQ and a couple of Kreinik threads that I needed for a another couple of designs. I do like to shop for things locally but it’s hard to buy them when they are not there!

I also couldn’t resist a couple of bookmark patterns from Dracolair. Check out this one and this one. What’s the bet that I will extending my WIP list soon!?!?!

xx J.

A sad day.

I learnt the hard way today to make sure that not only are my stitching things out of reach but also out of sight. I have a lovely beaded scissor fob made by my friend SueD that has now at least one less tassel on it. And my couch has many more beads hidden in its depths… *sigh*

The scary thing is is that it was DD (3yo) who cut it. Imagine if she had cut herself??? Terrifying. Still, I don’t think she will be touching it again anytime soon. Well, not tomorrow at least…

Sunday updates

Well, here is week one of the Fantasy Wedding blessing by Dragon Dreams. For some reason I have been unable to locate the second colour for the border. I think it may have somethign to do with the bad combination of a 3 year old and my floss boxes. So that bit will have to wait until I can buy some more next week.

I am finding Cashel Linen a bit of a pain to work with, I must admit. It is very floppy and hard to get straight on the Q-snaps. The Caron Waterlilies though is beautiful. I love it! If it wasn’t so expensive I’d convert to silk in an instant! 🙂 BTW – the fabric is Moonbeam from Stitches and Spice and is hand dyed. It is even lovelier in real life.

Also, here is a progress pic of Barnabee’s Quest designed by Nan Caldera of Just Nan.

I have been working on it for a few weeks now and did some of the over-one stitching on the violets this week. Of course I thought that I really should get started at least on the Wedding Blessing so BQ has suffered for the cause…

And you scoffed at me Val…lol…Let’s see if I can resist starting the other designs this week as well… 🙂

xx J.