2018 – Crochet blog

mixed stitch blanket

Seasidestashbusting blanket weeks 29 – 32

Published on October 2, 2018December 29, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin13 Comments

Here’s the penultimate update on the gorgeous

#seasidestashbustingblanket …

These rows were finished a little while ago and I am onto the border now…but, I wanted to show you my progress in chronological order.

I didn’t think this blanket would match any décor in the nest, since it is just made up of stash I had hiding under Little Robin’s bed, but it is looking fine on my bed…

and in the lounge…but to be honest it is so flipping lovely it would look amazing anywhere.

So, I’m off to finish the border and I will be back soon with the final post for this beautiful blanket.

xxxxx

seasidestashbustingblanket

Seasidestashbusting blanket weeks 25 – 28

Published on August 21, 2018October 2, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin2 Comments

I am still behind on my

#seasidestashbustingblanket …

I have just completed week 29 and I think the CAL is now up to week 31, so I really want to push on and catch up with this as the CAL is almost done. I think there may be a couple more weeks of rows before it is time to border and finish. So I am going to make this one of this week’s hooky priorities; especially since it has cooled down a lot around here. These weeks pictured contained some more filet crochet, bobbles and some more basket weave!

I am loving these colours there are 11 in total which I had in stash and they are stylecraft special dk. I did have to go a buy a ball of yarn yesterday as I was short and didn’t want to introduce a new colour so late into the blanket and I really felt that it should feature in some of the last rows. Other than that I am just picking from these yarn balls randomly, and I like the surprise of that.

I have been hooking some other little makes and have found some wonderful patterns and I will share those with you soon.

xxxxx

mixed stitch crochet blanket

Seasidestashbustingblanket weeks 20 – 24

Published on July 9, 2018July 9, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin10 Comments

Here’s just a little update on the lovely

#seasidestashbustingblanket …

I confess I have fallen a week behind with this CAL. I am laying the total blame for this at the feet of Gareth Southgate and the England world cup team for smashing history and those penalties…apologies if you are reading this in Columbia.

I am also totally going to blame the UK heatwave…the hottest and driest summer since 1976…which was also before I was born! It is glorious but it makes hooking blankets hot work. If you look closely at week 24’s photo you will see just what I have been hooking instead… but I will write a separate post all about that next time.

xxxxx

Yarn a long Sunday #8

Published on June 24, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin4 Comments

Well this is the last yarn a long Sunday in this June series. Apologies for this last session being a bit late…It has everything to do with a manic weekend, a 16 mile charity walk and a wedding in a field! It is still Sunday in the UK…so only a bit late eh!

I now have a little collection of cute summer projects and if you follow me on Instagram you will know what has captured my heart…but I will post about that separately in the week.

This week’s topic is

‘Ask me a question…yes you can ask me anything!’

Go on don’t be shy!

xxxxx

Gorgeous Glamping…

Published on June 19, 2018June 19, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin15 Comments

Just a couple of weekends ago, I abandoned work early, gathered my brood and made a little journey to a truly magical place. We only travelled 30 minutes away but we found ourselves in a different world.

We went glamping…that is camping in style!

And let me tell you it was absolutely luxurious. Running hot water, flushing toilet, the most comfortable bed in the world (honestly I felt like I was sleeping in a cloud) and a roll top bath with a gorgeous and very private view.

The boys happily shunned their screens and devices and spent hours splashing in the hot tub

and lighting fires

We cooked contently on the dutch oven (although there was a large wood burning stove inside our abode)

And we cycled the short distance into Arley where the great Severn Valley Railway passes through.

In the evenings we lit another fire and made use of the blankets provided for us;

and we chatted and laughed and breathed in and out deeply inhaling as much of the tranquillity as we could whilst toasting marsh mallows and drinking bubbles.

Of course I took my own blankets and they looked so pretty out on the decking…which has fairy lights at night.

(Yes, that is a candelabra you can see on the dining table! )

There was also plenty of time to crochet

and knit

This place is a true gem…and look what I found in the dresser…

a happy piece of yarn!!!!

So thank you Mark and Sonja for all of the fairy dust you sprinkled for our stay with you….we loved it!

woodhouse farm luxury camping

xxxxx

Yarn a long Sunday #7

Published on June 17, 2018June 16, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin11 Comments

Oh my word… you guys have hooked, knit, sewn and crafted in some amazing places…but I think the most out there has to go to Connie who hooks whilst being a pillion passenger on the back of a motorbike! Yes you read motorbike!!!!

Now that’s extreme crochet and some serious nerves of steel.

S0, welcome to this Sunday’s yarn a long. So far this month we have nattered about our crafty hacks and our alfresco crafty habits in honour of world knit in public day.

This week I thought I would like to gather your ideas about what you like to hook, knit, sew, or craft in the sunshine. The weather here in the UK has been quite pleasant of late and I have several blankets on my hook and it’s just too warm to be hooking under a blanket for any length of time. I did write a blog post about the top 5 things to crochet when it’s hot which is just here…they included

top 5 things to crochet in the sun — pattern by Sandra at Cherryheart

gloves and tea cosies

crochet tea cosy free patterns — The Grandma Collection

But, I have hooked these now and am looking for some fresh ideas…What do you hook, knit, sew or craft when the temperature starts to rise?

xxxxx

This series is also on Instagram @yarnyrobin

My Yarny Knitting Adventure part 6…

Published on June 12, 2018June 12, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin14 Comments

In which fire is involved!

Campfire that is and a little fizz of course. I am now feeling much more relaxed when I knit; well with this pattern anyway. I think it is because I know I can undo a mistake and put it right, the pressure of getting it right or starting over from the beginning is no longer a looming threat.

So, I took my knitting alfresco last weekend and enjoyed every single second of it!

I even managed some around the campfire…

I am so pleased with this little (BIG)project…I have made some more progress since these photo’s…I am now half way through the second pattern repeat, but still a long way to go before it even starts to feel blankety.

What do you think?

XXXXX

PATTERN DETAILS:

The pattern is this rather magnificent blanket... by Purl Soho inspired by Barbara Walker.

OTHER POSTS FROM MY KNITTING JOURNEY ARE JUST HERE:

part 1 of my knitting adventure is just here

part 2 of my knitting adventure is just here

part 3 of my knitting adventure is just here

part 4 of my knitting adventure is just here

part 5 of my knitting adventure is just here

Yarn a long Sunday #6

Published on June 10, 2018June 12, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin8 Comments

Welcome to this Sunday’s yarn a long. Firstly, thank you to all of you who took part last week…I have learnt some very cool crafty hacks. I think one of my favourites was using dental floss on an aeroplane to cut thread instead of having your scissors confiscated as suggested by @laurahoueltextiles over on Instagram…you should go and check her beautiful feed out…very talented!

So to this weeks yarn a long.

As it has been ‘Happy world wide knit in public day’ this week

I thought I would ask…Where is the strangest place you have knit, crochet, sewn, crafted?

I tend to end up hooking whilst the little ‘big’ Robins are doing their sports

At the skate park…

I am sure you can tell me of stranger places. Let me know in the comments thread below.

xxxxx

Last weeks yarn a long is just here if you want to read or share your crafty hacks. This series is also on Instagram @yarnyrobin

crochet blanket cal

seaside stash busting blanket weeks 17- 20

Published on June 9, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin8 Comments

I thought you might like another little update on the slow CAL (crochet a long) I’m participating in which is being hosted by the lovely Eleanora over at coastal crochet. You can also find lots of other amazing blankets and makers participating in this CAL across social media by searching #seasidestashbustingblanket.

You can read about my weeks 1 – 4 just here

and weeks 5 – 8 just here

weeks 9 – 12 here

and weeks 13 – 16 here

Here is how it has been growing…

Now, I’m off to catch up with the rows for week 21!

xxxxx

top 100 crochet blog

Yarn a long Sunday #5

Published on June 3, 2018May 30, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin14 Comments

Welcome to the first yarn a long Sunday in June. This is actually the fifth yarn a Iong, the first four of which I hosted back in March. If you want to catch up on those you can find the relevant links just here.

Yarn a long #1 (Why I crochet)

Yarn a long #2 (unravelling crochet)

Yarn a long #3 (life motto’s)

Yarn a long #4 (Ask me a quetion)

So feel free to grab a coffee or something else to drink and I’ll kick of this weeks topic which is all about sharing your

CRAFT HACKS…

crochet hacks, knitting hacks, yarn hacks, or any other crafty hacks. If you are not to sure what a hack is then here is my definition:

A craft hack refers to any skill, short cut, or innovative trick that increases ease of creating, productivity and efficiency.

Now, I use a few, but I think the one I use most frequently is using hair pins as stitch markers.

I know stitch markers are beautiful and my heart flutters a little bit if the stitch marker actually coordinates to a projects theme…but here’s my rub with them…I can never find one when I need one.

Hair pins on the other hand are plentiful in my dresser. They may not look as glamorous as the beautiful stitch markers but they are much easier to attach and remove from projects too!

What is your best craft hack? Share your best ones in the comments thread below.

xxxxx