Another Granny Blanket Ta-daah!

*WARNING* lots of photos

I completely forgot to post the pics of my latest Granny Blanket.  I kind of lost interest half way through as it took f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to work up since I used 4 ply wool and a 3.5 hook.  I was then waiting to find out the sex of it's recipient, and then dithered about which type of edging to use.  At one point I used the wrong shade of cream and had to frog about 5 hours worth of work - gah!

Anyway, here it is...

Up close the colours are lovely and are the same batch of yarns used for this blanket...

but somehow I think the mix of the turquoise, orange and lime green dominate and look brown at a distance.  Better colour planning next time.  Nevertheless, it is soft and snuggly and should be the right size for a cot or just for building a den!  The edging is very simply, UK Tr's in cream and UK dc's in blue and green, a couple of rows of UK sc's, with a little picot to finish it off.    

Come to think of it, I don't think the other blanket had a ta-daah so here are a few pics quickly...

If I remember correctly, I added cream shells all the way around.

I've also managed a few more scarves and cowls, all very simple UK Tr's for a long/wide as you require.  Obviously we won't be needing them here for a while....!

I think my mirror needs a clean...

Ta-dahhh!

At last I have some pics of the first finished Granny Square blanket.

This one was done in a variegated wool which reduces the need for sewing in endless ends - crafty!  I do like the way the colours change as it goes round.

 I'm thinking it should be called the Wimbledon Blanket as the colours are perfect and by the time Wimbledon comes around again, we'll be needing it!

It is a lovely, soft, chunky wool, hooked with a 7mm hook, approx 42 rounds and finished off with 4 rounds of sc.  I actually ran out of wool and had to call around to track down 3 more balls.

Daughter is delighted.

Getting ma Granny On!

Thought I'd share some WIPs with you today.

You'll remember the long story of the blanket for Miss M that ended up on the other side of the world as a gift for a new baby, well, my mission was to make her another one so... I started with these lovely, bright Granny Squares that I am going to join up when there are enough to cover a single bed.

But then I came across this gorgeous wool...

It is such a pleasure to hook and works up very quickly thanks to being nice and chunky and using a size 7mm hook.  One more ball, maybe 2?

My other Granny Square blanket is coming on rather more slowly due to 4-ply wool and a 3.5mm hook.

And last but not least, I saw these colours on offer and thought they would make a lovely circle-in-a-square blanket.

I've also been asked to make some more stretchy hair bands and I'm thinking of gold and silver this time.  Also soon be time to start with the old Christmas decorations...!

Hope the sun is shining wherever you are!  x

Recent Makings

I've been making stuff!   At the end of the holidays Miss M and I enjoyed a morning of wandering around the Hunter St Mall, with a coffee stop at the gorgeous One Penny Black - if you haven't been then you should!   We were looking for something specific but couldn't quite find it, so after a conversation over our coffee, juice and delicious macarons, we decided to head for 'that place that properly crafty-types don't talk about' to get supplies.  We bought ribbon, buttons, brooch backs and key-rings.  Here are the first 2 brooches we made.  

If I had a sewing machine, these would have taken me all of 5 mins for both, as it was  it took a bit longer!

As I say, I don't own a sewing machine and am not well-known for my skills with a needle and thread, so when it came to costume-making for Miss M's school dance festival entry, I was not in a rush to volunteer.  However, when I saw the plans I offered to whip up a few stretchy head bands from some lovely sparkly metallic/viscose yarn.  We then added some really beautiful feathers and some extra sparkle and felt backing with a glue gun and hey presto!  some fantastic head gear!   The performance is on Tuesday so I'll post a few pics of the whole outfit then.  They look absolutely, age-appropriately, wonderful - as do the boys.

And my latest project, now that I have finished the head bands, a new Granny Square blanket which seem to be all the rage at the moment in Blogland.  I started it this evening and will hopefully get it done fairly quickly.  This one is in the same wool as my last blanket, a 4-ply 100% wool and I'm working it with a 3.5 mm hook.

I'm looking at a fairly scary couple of weeks coming up so may not be around much.  I have a 2 day course in Sydney to re-acquaint myself with teaching, then I'll be spending the following week in a local High school.  Unfortunately this coincides with an Open Day at Miss M's school with family picnic, and No3 Boy going to Zone for High Jump, not to mention the logistics of 2 days away and a week of goodness-only-knows what kind of chaos!  I know many of you do it every day and I'm sure it will be fine, but at the moment I can't quite get my head around all the details!  And I don't own any "Grown-Up Clothes"!

Hope you're weekend has treated you well! xx