Category: afghan / blanket

A New Blanket for Jess…

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobinLeave a comment

As it is the Easter Bank Holiday, I have a new project on my hook. Little Jess is in great need of some pretty blankets to sleep on and so I didn’t have to look far for some inspiration. I have a lot of crochet pins on my pintrest boards and I have a wish list that could go around the world at least once!

So, I grabbed my hook, some aran weight yarn and my favourite Campfire Coffee…(you really should try it!) and started to hook up these beautiful Sunburst granny squares by crochet325knittoo

It wasn’t too long before I knew this was the perfect choice…you just know when your project is going to work! I mean just take a look at those squares.

It has been so long since I have done any hooking like this and my heart felt full. So full, it wasn’t too long before I found I had dozed off!

But, so had Old Alf, so I found I was in good company!

Anyway, the snooze has done me good and I plan on hooking the evening away now with a little gin and tonic or three…you can bet I will be nodding off on the sofa again before long!!

xxxxx

Embroidery Hoop art

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin4 Comments

I hope you are all ok? I thought I would just drop in to show you my latest make and to thank you for all the kind feedback I have received regarding my free baby blanket pattern…The Angelece Baby Blanket

I have really enjoyed playing around with something a bit different to usual, and this is what I came up with. Of course, it had to have a bit of crochet somewhere and these little flowers were just perfect.

I am not the worlds greatest when it comes to sewing, but I do find it quite soothing, if the embroidery floss doesn’t get in a tangle. I did order some cheap embroidery floss to start with…this was a BIG mistake as it split and tangled so easily. Suffice to say the more expensive thread was of a much better quality and made the embroidery a pleasure.

The leaves and flowers are hooked from scraps of cotton and I glued them into position with a hot glue gun, and finished the centres with a tiny white bead.

Finally, I finished my hoop with a circle of mustard felt, which I also glued into position, just to give a tidy finish. It is a small piece of happiness.

I may just make some more, but I think I will keep each one completely unique…I have some other Mama sayings that I would like to stitch.

xxxxx

mixed stitch blanket

Seasidestashbusting blanket weeks 29 – 32

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin13 Comments

mixed stitch crochet blanket
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.

mixed stitch blanketI 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…

mixed stitch crochet blanket

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 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin2 Comments

seasidestashbustingblanket
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 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin10 Comments

mixed stitch crochet blanketHere’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 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!’

ayarnyrobin

Go on don’t be shy!

xxxxx

 

 

Gorgeous Glamping…

Published on 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. 

glamping

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. 

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

glamping

and lighting fires

glampingWe 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.

severn valley railway

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

glampingand 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.

glamping

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

glamping

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

There was also plenty of time to crochet

glampingand knit

learning to knitThis place is a true gem…and look what I found in the dresser…

glampinga 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

crochet blanket cal

seaside stash busting blanket weeks 17- 20

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin8 Comments

crochet blanket cal

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…

crochet blanket calcrochet blanket calcrochet blanket calcrochet blanket cal

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

xxxxx

crochet mixed stitch blanket

seaside stash busting blanket weeks 13- 16

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin9 Comments

I can’t believe that this blanket has been on my hook and in my life for four months.  It is getting large enough now for me to throw it over my lap in the evenings  and I thought you might like another photo update on my progress. 

You can read about  my weeks 1 – 4 just here

and my weeks 5 – 8 just here

and weeks  9 -12 just here

But let me show you weeks 13 – 16. 

crochet mixed stitch blanket

Now Weeks 13 -15 were just fine…

crochet mixed stitch blanket

crochet mixed stitch blanketcrochet mixed stitch blanket

but week 16…

crochet mixed stitch blanket

well it was basket weave and if you are a long time reader you may remember my last foray with basket weave…It looks great but I do not like hooking this stitch you can read why just here.

So it came as a very welcome relief to find out that the next stitches were the relaxing long wave stitches after the stressful basket weave!

If you want to find out more about this delightful slow CAL (crochet a long) which is being hosted by the lovely Eleanora hop over to her beautiful blog… Coastal Crochet. You can also find lots of other amazing blankets and makers participating in this CAL across social media by searching #seasidestashbustingblanket.

I‘m off to do another couple of rows now.  I will be back soon to show you what else has been on my hook of late and I will also write an update about my yarny knitting adventure.

xxxxx

crochet al fresco

April crochet…

Published on by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin8 Comments

Well the rain and the snow finally stopped for a little while and the sunshine made a cameo appearance last week. 

april sunshine

It seems more rain and freezing temperatures are on there way again!  But, the sunshine certainly influenced my hooking last  week and I took my hook alfresco whenever I could.  crochet al frescoI have also enjoyed getting back outdoors and walking the dogs now my foot has finally healed.

sunny shadows

Of course there were pit stops along the way!

sandwich timeI have also been keeping up to date with the seaside stashbusting CAL…this photo was taken at the trampoline park.

seaside stashbusting cal

Not much has occurred on the knitting front, in fact it would be fairer to say nothing has happened.  I am enjoying my hooking far too much to be slowed down by needles and I have a couple of commissions that I really must finish.  One of which I can now show you…

crochet baby clothesAren’t they just the sweetest?

I loved making these little baby shorts. 

The pattern is by Mon Petit Violon Designs and I will definitely be hooking some more.  I used Rico baby cotton soft yarn in a dk weight and a denim blue and finished them off with some little wooden buttons. Rico was a lovely yarn to hook with and has given a beautiful stitch definition to the garment.  Of course it is soft enough for babies skin also and machine washable. 

Finally, I just wanted to say a BIG thank you to everyone who has given me such encouraging feedback across my social media about the Sunshine Jelly Baby Blanket…

crochet baby blanket

It has really made me smile. 

Have a good week what ever you get up to

xxxxx