The link

...that saved my sanity earlier.  I HAD started this blankie project, but the tension on the foundation row had messed it right up, for it was all tight along the bottom and then starting to ripple up top.  I did a few rows, but pulled them out in disgust on Thursday night (after a few drinks, no less) and tried to start again.  Same problem.  So I trashed that effort too.  And got cross. And then I found this link and it was so easy-peasy I almost jumped for joy. (Note the "almost"...I don't enter into wanton physical activity lightly.)

Now I am four rows into crochet blankie, and all is going well.  So far...

And I've also discovered a delightful blog in the process.  All good.

(something you'll never hear me say)

Today

This is my view as I sit here and drink cider, read blogs (this one today), watch a live Bruce DVD and work on a crochet blankie I started the other night. It's a bit chilly outside, and we've been out for a cupcake and coffee, to visit the Grandpuddings* and to look at some chairs in their local oppy that Mum thought were worth buying. (Hubert pointed out that we haven't necessarily even got a house to put chairs in yet.) One thing they did have at the op shop was a rather delightful little bedside cupboard/washstand, but it wasn't out for sale yet. I asked Mum to keep an eye on it for me. Although it did need a total repaint. I didn't buy anything from said op-shop as the things I was interested in (ie. old china) had ridiculous prices on it. I know it's charity, but I'm not paying $20 for an op-shop plate. Meh. 

Crochet blankie is slowly growing, I decided to try and put some cotton yarn I'd bought back for my granny malarkey to some use and have a go at something that isn't squares. (Granny malarkey to date will become a bath mat, methinks. I have to crochet an outer border and sew in all those annoying ends.) Anyway...see if I finish this one...I won't be putting any bets on. Still though, it keeps me amused while we're waiting on the result of the housing hoohah. 

 PS. Banks do my head in.

* Spike's grandparents, no, I don't have any grandchildren.

Hump Day crafty life roundup

You know, making myself do this round up is rather good really, as it sort of forces me to have something to show you for the week, thus giving my wont-to-procrastinating-self the proverbial boot in the backside. No humping this week but definitely crafting. (You probably didn't need to know that, but given the three people that read this blog are used to my ways, I am not afeared of offending anyone.) Anyway, I digress.

So I finished Miss Delilah:
She's feeling spiffy in a Reject Shop frame, but needs another press.

Started new project using The Black Apple embroidery designs from Sublime Stitching:
This one might take longer than I thought, because the fabric I'm stitching is quite thick and hard on the hands. By the way, am I the only one that "under-presses" Sublime designs? I'm not really keen on the fact that the ink doesn't wash out, and so I like to make them as feint as possible to allow for my stitching vagaries. 'Tis why I always need to fill everything in with my trusty water soluble marker.

As detailed ad nauseam in earlier posts, been working on granny malarkey:



I've also been perusing Etsy more than is healthy (y'know I don't allow myself to e-bay any more?) and in happy news stumbled upon a wife for Percy. (Those who know me/have been to my house will know what I'm on about.) Now to find a vintage frame for her. The op-shop beckons, methinks...

Also via Etsy, this morning I bought this cuteness to stitch up from Wild Olive. I'm on a bit of a mission to add to my pattern collection with original designs and have no qualms about paying such talented designers. I also grabbed all my old embroidery transfers from the old house last night, so there may be the odd post in the works at Stitchy Britches too...I've found a big owl that's begging to be stitched.

Happy Hump Day! What's been your favourite project of the week?

Sunday

(Who doesn't love that song?)

Another day for me camped on couch resting the knee. Ably assisted by Ninja, (read: yarn and Steph continually attacked) I sewed some of the granny squares together into a 3 row rectangular configuration. I haven't woven in all the ends yet as I value my sanity at the moment.

Last night while couchbound I was staring at this spot across from me:

...thinking that it looked a bit bare. So after a wee think, I decided to move roadside chair out of the bedroom and into the lounge. And then draped granny malarkey over it so I could admire my handiwork to date:

And a cushion (yes, made from an old tea towel) and some flowers for good measure. Roadside chair was much more attractive upholstery-wise before it met Lola. Of course it's only still looking tidy because Ninja is asleep under the coffee table and hasn't realised there's "new toys" there yet.
Methinks I might return to embroidery for a bit this evening, I'm a bit grannied out.

More granny marlarkey

When I got up this morning and saw that Roman Holiday was on the teev this afternoon, I decided that I'd indulge in some Audrey and Granny Malarkey today.
First a stocktake:
Squares finished and joined = 25
Squares finished at hand = 7
Squares works in progress = 3 (actually they're circles at the moment)

The view from here:


And the film:



Actally it's not really one of my all time favourites, but there's no doubting it's charm. And a good way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon.

End of day update: added another 7 to squares finished. :)

Granuary

Fluffing around on teh interwebs and blogz lead me to Mike's blog...and I thought, "yes, let's make a commitment to this blanket malarkey for at least a month"...so I'm going to try and do a granny-a-day until the end of February. I'm not sure if Ninja attacks will slow down my progress, but we'll see how we go.

And you know what? I also found a link via that same post to a great bookseller...and they even have the Thoth tarot that I've been trying to find for the fella. Ta Pip.

Hump Day Crafting Roundup #1

For want of a better title. My lovely bud Cam commented the other day that I appear to have my crafting mojo back and I'm tending to agree. I'm actually out of the doldrums a bit and interested again. I attribute my 2009 crafting FAIL to this theory:


So for my own self-indulgence, I'll try and remember to regularly post a round up of my endeavours for the week.

Tally this "week":
- semi-finished the deer embroidery (I still want to fill in its antlers and add a bit of a border.)
- pieced together my cutesy Japanese quilt-top (this project is at a temporary standstill...do you know how hard it is to sort quilt batting and a quilt-top with a 9 week old kitten trying to help? I think I might ask the fella to help me on the weekend with the assembly.)
- started a deery pillowcase embroidery (using this pattern.)

This post at Pip's made me gasp! So pretty! She's all about granny squares this month, which reminds me of my Granny Malarkey. It's currently safely stashed in the spare room wardrobe, after the Ginja Ninja unravelled some knitting recently. I'm trying to work out how I can crochet without piquing a small kitten's interest. I take my hat off to all of you crafty mums out there, how do you get crafty creations done with kidlets around full time?
For a bit of eye candy, from the same Flickr in the link above, a pic of grannies and a ginger! Easy to see why it appealed to me:

And of course, never letting the grass grow...(actually that should be my motto!)...I etsy'd this pattern today from Badbird. Oooh I love Delilah! I'm impatiently waiting for her to arrive in my inbox so I can start.

I'm also having the urge to go scope out Savers. This is bad of me because a) I can't afford it b) I should go and clear more of my stuff out of my old house rather than buying more and c) I really should try and curb some spending. But Murphy's Law... if I go there today, we all know there'll be a $25 art pottery vase that wants me to buy it... if I don't go... hmm... what treasures will I miss? (The pillowcase stash needs replenishing.) Am I a greedy pig? Argh!

Blanket Malarkey 1

Just a WIP pic. Don't look too closely, there's a few mistakes. Who said I could count? Not me!

I also have a quandry, as I'm still not convinced that I love the granny square...I'm trying to envision a finished blankie, as I think it will all come together okay...but I'm finding I prefer the look of the round crochet medallions without the cream square edge. The problem would be, how to join them?

PS. Like my new side table? I pinched it off mum and dad... they had another larger one. Mum said they picked them off the street on hard rubbish day (ssh don't tell the council). Who are the nice people of Kew throwing out good mid-century furniture? Hope they keep it up!

Blanket Malarkey

...which is what the blanket construction project will be furthermore known as, aptly named by Tania. Upon arriving home yesterday, I found a nice fat parcel of yarn on the doorstep. Hooray! After dinner and the usual tootling around on Facebook, I ripped into it. Here's what it contained:

As you can see in the pic, I made a few experimental crochet squares as I'm still pondering the crochet vs. knitting method of blankie construction. Whattaya think?

Okay

...so why is it, I can sit at home of an evening and not feel like crafting, but the minute I'm supposed to be working, all I can think about is playing with wool (and boys, but that's another story.) Further to this post, and totally inspired by this post, I have bitten the bullet and ordered a nice range of colours from Bendigo Woollen Mills for a crochet blankie...everyone's doing it, dahling! Eyeing the colour card, I decided that the following range of colours did it for me:

Except, big poo, no Cappuccino left...so now on the hunt for a nice 8 ply brown cotton yarn. Any ideas?