life – Crochet blog

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

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

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

yarn a long March

Yarn a long Sunday #4

Published on March 25, 2018March 24, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin6 Comments

Well this is the last yarn a long Sunday in this March series. It feels like ‘blink and you will have missed it!’

Easter has hurtled at us and March is almost through!

Thank you so much for last weeks natter…I loved chatting with you about life’s little motto’s. I found it quite inspirational and have carried them with me through this week…not always successfully, but I have tried.

If you are not quite sure what I’m on about you can check out last weeks comment thread just here.

You can find week 1’s ‘Why do you craft, crochet, knit?’ yarn a long, just here

and week 2’s ‘How to fix a crochet blanket’ just here …

just in case you wanted to catch up and of course you can still join in with any of them.

If you are returning then welcome back…and thank you.

Now, as this is our last yarn a long for now, this week’s topic is

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

Go on don’t be shy!

xxxxx

yarn a long March

Yarn a long Sunday #3

Published on March 18, 2018March 14, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin12 Comments

Welcome to the third yarn a long Sunday…March is certainly flying by!

Thank you so much for last weeks natter…I really enjoyed your suggestions and helpful thoughts about how to fix my unravelled grannies…I think the general consensus was leave longer tails and weave them in more thoroughly!!!

If this is your first time here, firstly welcome.

You can find week 1 yarn a long just here

and last weeks just here

just in case you want to catch up and of course you can still join in with any of them.

If you are returning then welcome back…and thank you.

Now, this weeks yarn a long is based upon one of my life mottos

I have loved this quote for a long time; I know some people say to me why would you want to jump out of a window? Mr. R included…he is not a fan!

But to me the sentiment behind these words is extremely powerful. I guess no one would jump out of a window given the choice…well most people wouldn’t. I’m guessing the window is high up…if you have to grow wings on the way down, then there is a bit of a free fall one would assume.

Jumping out of a window is a last resort, it’s desperate, it’s uncomfortable and frightening and your on your own. I have found it is in these places in life, in the struggle, in the heartache, in the mess, that you find a strength you did not know you had…your wings if you will.

For me my faith soars and the thing with wings is… you can fly. And if you can fly then you can flutter higher than any window you have to jump out of, you can rise and swoop in freedom.

So, I cling at times to this Ray Bradbury quote and at other times I am motivated by it and occasionally I soar, and often I just seem to flap about like mad!

Do you have any life motto’s I’d love for you to share in the comments thread below.

xxxxx

yarn a long March

Yarn a long Sunday #2

Published on March 11, 2018March 8, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin20 Comments

Welcome to the second yarn a long Sunday…I hope you have grabbed yourself a coffee or something else to drink. Last week’s yarn a long was all about why you crochet, knit, craft… and I shared my story of post natal depression.

Thank you for sharing your stories. I think the two common elements were overwhelmingly how crochet links us with our memories of our older relatives such as grandparents and the importance of passing skills down through the generations. Secondly, how crochet and creativity links with easing stress and impacts upon our wellbeing. I also enjoyed exploring new to me blogs too!

If you want to read last weeks thread you can access it just here.

Todays yarn a long is about your help: Just take a look at this

This is my 100patch granny and some of the granny’s have come unravelled…

x2 questions really…

Why is this happening?

and

How can I fix it?

It’s making me reluctant to start another modular blanket and I so want to, but I wan’t it to stand the test of time too!

Pearls of wisdom welcome in the comments thread below.

xxxxx

yarn a long March

Yarn a long Sunday #1

Published on March 4, 2018March 3, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin26 Comments

Yay…Welcome to the first yarn a long Sunday…If you have just stumbled here by accident, I do hope you will stay for a while and join in too. I am a teensy bit anxious about this to be honest as I have not done anything like this before and I’m worried no one will join in, although I have had some very positive feedback…thank you if that was you…you will know who you are.

The purpose of my yarn a long is to get to know you a little better and you I; and so I am hoping that you will join in with me by commenting in the thread below. My hope is you will also get to know each other a little better too and discover new blogs and other such yarny lovliness.

So, shall we begin… Todays yarn a long is:

‘Why do you craft…crochet…knit?

Shall I start?

I have wanted to write about this for a while because crochet has become my default…it is almost like my reset button. I was introduced to crochet a long time ago now; about 8 months after my youngest Robin entered the world and I was suffering with post natal depression. My Health Visitor was great and along with other structured support suggested I attend a local group of Momma’s that ate cake and drank coffee and crafted…well she had me at cake!

An elderly lady named Eileen, came along soon after I joined and she taught me how to hold a crochet hook and chain stitches. There was something very soothing about the rhythm of making those chains and before long Eileen, had me making treble crochet stitches (double crochet stitches if you use American terminology). Those first stitches were far too tight and I got frustrated easily, but the company was healing and Eileen, was patient and kind and the cake tasted good! I must have swatched 20 or more uneven little squares before it clicked…I’m a slow learner…but, when it did, click that was, I made a giant granny square blanket for my boys. We still have that blanket today and do you know I have never taken a photo of it, because it isn’t well hooked or perfect or in great colours… but it is in the colours they chose! My boys still use it though and who knew that it would lead me on the most wonderful hooky adventure.

I have taken a photo of that 1st blanket and here is the exclusive just for you… but don’t look too closely!

That was nearly a decade ago and since then I have immersed myself in learning new stitches… thank you to video tutorials, blogs, books, magazines and good old trial and error. I have also immersed myself in yarn and lots of it!!

Crochet saved my mental health back then along with some good medical support and the love of an amazing family and crochet continues to soothe me still in the beautiful chaos of life…

Thanks to a tuned in Health Visitor and Eileen.

‘Why do you craft…crochet…knit?

I’d love it if you would share…

xxxxx

#seasidestashbustingblanket

Hooking and Healing…

Published on February 15, 2018February 12, 2018 by Nicola Florence @ ayarnyrobin18 Comments

If you read my last #yarnlovechallenge post, you may have gathered that I’m a bit laid up… but every cloud has a silver lining and my enforced rest has meant lots of crochet.

broken foot and crochet — guilt free resting!

and a spot of jigsaw (ing!!),

but mostly crochet and cuddles with my buddy.

scnoodle dog — Jess, my crochet buddy…

I have really made some headway on my Charming Harbour blanket . I hadn’t picked it up for a while and I was just beginning to feel burdened about the possibility of it becoming a long standing PHD. I am so glad to have pulled it back out as I have found the simplicity of hooking this blanket most pleasing lately.

Additionally, I have been thrilled to be taking part in a CAL hosted by Coastal Crochet. I found the CAL a little late in week 2, but I soon had the rows completed, thanks to my prescribed idleness. I have kept up to date ever since too. We are now in week 5 and this stash busting blanket is growing into a mighty fine array of mixed stitches, with beautiful waves of long stitch abounding currently.

#seasidestashbustingblanket — mixed stitches…

I have still to make a start on the Granny Square CAL details of which are just here, but I still have another week until my stitches come out so I’ve got time.

Enjoy the rest of your week whatever you have planned.

xxxxx