Day 14 of
#yarnlovechallenge
and it’s still not too late join in.
The theme for today is ‘yarn ❤’. Well, I could go on, but my favourite yarns come from these guys…
Alpaca’s.
Taking a walk with them is pretty awesome too!
xxxxx
Yarn love ❤…
Category: general
Travel projects…
Day 11 of
#yarnlovechallenge
it’s still not too late join in.
The theme for today is ‘travel projects’.
Portable and relaxing crochet on the go.
xxxxx
Share this:
#yarnlovechallenge
For the month of February, I will be joining the
#yarnlovechallenge
set up by Mary Heather of maryheatherbrowne and Christina over at Oharethey. A daily photo post of my love for yarn. Each day is themed, as set out below
There is a ravelry group too and Instagram of course.
So this is my introduction photo to kick off…
from here on in it will be a more yarny themed photo
(I promise) with a little caption. Feel free to join in
#yarnlovechallenge
Day 2: Close Up Day 15: Family
Day 3: Currently Making Day 16: Happy Colour
Day 4: Speed Day 17: Fibre Friends
Day 5: Community Day 18: Gratitude
Day 6: Mistakes Day 19: On the Go
Day 7:Stripes Day 20: Handmade home
Day 8: Where I Craft Day 21: Library
Day 9: Tools Day 22: Currently wearing
Day 10: Oldest stash Day 23: Throwback
Day 11: Travel projects Day 24: Favourite tip
Day 12: Progress Day 25: Routine
Day 13: Selfie Day 26: Newest Stash
Day 14: Yarn love❤ Day 27: Blocking
Day 28: Favourite thing I’ve made
xxxxx
Share this:
Serendipity…
I am addicted to shawls…It’s official!
As soon as the chocolate peacock virus shawl was off my hook, I was chaining this little beauty…
The pattern is called ‘pink shawl’ by Cecile Balladino, available in Simply Crochet issue 31.
The pattern is a sumptuous mix of shells and popcorns and I absolutely loved hooking this shawl . It was not mindless hooking however, even though it is only a six row repeat, I had to keep count and keep note of where exactly I was in the pattern. Having said that, if you keep track the pattern is easy enough to follow and makes up quickly. Each time it came to hooking those scrumptious popcorn stitches my heart swelled with delirious satisfaction.
The yarn I have chosen is clearly not pink, and it is for this reason that I am slightly disappointed with the shawls name… ‘pink shawl’. I am often drawn to patterns by their names alone and this shawls name does not do it justice. At the very least it deserves a name that is pretty or elaborate.
That tiny twinge of disappointment however, is consumed with pure delight in this yarn. The yarn is the most beautifully soft cotton mix I have ever had the pleasure of running through my fingers and I happened upon it by happy accident.
I found it at the bottom of a bargain bin in my local yarn store, buried underneath some very unattractive yarn. It was marked at just 50 pence a ball. So I scrambled through the bin and found seven 50g balls. I paid £3.50 at the till in haste and left before the very lovely lady realised what she had just sold for so little.
Further serendipity ensured it was just enough yarn for this shawl too. I have used 325g of yarn for this shawl, although the pattern states 150g. This yarn was a dream to hook with, it slid with ease over my hook and did not split at all. It also has a very pretty lustre.
I think my shawl is a lot larger than the pattern, despite using the same weight yarn and hook size. The yarn suggested in the pattern is silk based whereas I have hooked with a Patons 45% cotton mix yarn.
But, I am extremely pleased with my shawls size, it is a real beauty to snuggle in and the cotton mix ensures the textured popcorns drape wonderfully.
I will most certainly be hooking with this yarn again, even if I have to pay full price and I will most certainly be checking out the bottom of more bargain bins!
My Serendipity shawl…well I couldn’t call it ‘The Pink Shawl’
could I!
xxxxx
Share this:
January…
With life now returning to a more normal ebb and flow following the festive jollity, I feel like I am back on the treadmill!
So I am being very careful to make sure life at home is given the highest priority. Which of course means in part getting out and walking with the boys and Mr R and of course the dogs.
Now the photo’s I am going to share with you may seem some what gloomy, particularly if you happen to live in a warmer part of the world. But, I have taken great comfort from pulling on my wellies and feeling the sometimes quite squelchy ground, and at other times the cold and frozen ground under my soles.
There was much fuss made in the media about the UK being hit by a polar storm, we were quite excited at the prospect of maybe being snowed in for a while…
You will be relieved to know that I survived the polar storm of 2017 and even managed to get into work!!!!!
I think I have enjoyed the walks just before dusk the most, when the mist clings to everything and envelops all…
because lurking just underneath the ground is the promise of spring. I can feel it when I’m out in the countryside. The biting cold is soon to be replaced with a milder air, a warmer breeze and a brighter light.
But, until then I am happy to stomp around in my wellies, looking at the footprints of what has stomped before me,
and exploring trails I have not been down before.
Getting cold and breathing in that damp air, because it means coming home is all the more cosy…
Don’t you think?
xxxxx
Share this:
A yarny HUG in 2017
A yarny HUG or Happy Unexpected Gift.
A new project launched here at the nest which will run over the course of 2017. Aiming to distribute love, joy and hope at random through yarny little gifts.
May rose keyrings…. pattern by Attic 24
a yarny HUG
I will post more about this over the coming weeks.
There will be the chance to join me if you wish,
Take it, embrace it and be a part of it!
xxxxx
Share this:
2016 Montage
I love this time of year; for me it’s a real time of reflection, a time to look back in wonder at the year gone by.
And what a year it has proven to be, both personally and here at the Nest too. This year I have created a montage of my favourite memories, both hooky and the not so hooky!
January 2016
Started with a lovely little trip to the worlds smallest library…in a phone box and finished with felt flowers.
February 2016
Was filled with my Flower Fiesta installation and saw the release of a yarny little leaf pattern…on the house of course!
March 2016
Maybe one of my favourite months this year as it was full of hookiness, creativity and some much needed soul restoration . Some much needed time away from studying for a PGdip, juggling placements, family, home and a whole heap of essays! There was the Robins Nest Square pattern release, followed by a tutorial for joining with a double crochet and a BIG thank you.
April 2016
Well, April really did whizz by under a heavy cloud of essay pressure, but I did find time to look for some lovliness and learn a new yarny skill despite a Woolly dilemma.
May 2016
Was permeated with bluebells, al fresco dining and a woolly win.
June 2016
Left me feeling chuft!
July 2016
was celebrated with a yarny give -a-way and a growing pile of PHD’s
August 2016
Brimmed with crochet goodness; hooking al fresco, completing the very V blanket and tutorial and not forgetting the graffiti robin.
September 2016
Saw the calm before the storm, a quilting Ouch! and the launch of The Grandma Collection.
October 2016
Oh my days!
October held the secret of happiness…alpaca walking! Enough excitement for one month you might think, but there was also the release of The Grandma Mary Tea Cosy pattern. Too much!
November 2016
Was bleak to be honest, but there was a WOW and a fond farewell
December 2016
Ahh December and homemade damson gin, hooking virus style (post coming soon) and planning for project 2017 (launching in the New Year!!). And there you have it…a whistle stop tour of my 2016.
I do have one more special thing to add before I sign off for 2016 and that is to you…Thank you so much for journeying with me, I love having you along. I am always amazed by folk dropping in and reading what I write, it humbles me to my core. I hope in return you have enjoyed and been inspired, encouraged and been blessed.
Here’s to a very yarny 2017!
xxxxx
Share this:
Homemade Christmas Damson Gin…
If you are new to these parts and are thinking…great! last minute homemade Christmas present then you may be disappointed, BUT you are very welcome here though and I may suggest how to cheat at the end, which might just get you out of that last minute hole.
This process commenced way back in August
I have been really very disciplined and I have been gently shaking the gin each week and more importantly (and amazingly) I have not drunk any…if I did it would have been purely for quality control purposes!!!
So today was the day to open and taste and Oh Joy…it is absolutely gorgeous, the type of sticky, sweet alcoholic gorgeous that one would expect when drinking a damson gin…the type that warms you from the inside.
With a little bit of help from my brewing genius brother I sterilised my newly purchased gin bottles and began to fill them up.
With the addition of a cute little cork heart they are going to make a lovely Christmas stocking filler don’t you think?
Ok, so I said I would help you out of that last minute hole. You could buy some bottles, sterilise them, add purchased alcoholic beverage and add a cute little label, but only if you promise to be more organised next year and make your own!!!
xxxxx
Share this:
yarn….just yarn!
Share this:
#bestnine2016
Crochet blog 