Day 2 of
#yarnlovechallenge
it’s not too late join in.
Close up…
photo tutorials guarantee close up pics of beautiful stitches.
xxxxx
Category: review
#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
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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
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I’ve Caught the Virus
The Virus Shawl bug, that is.
The yarn is Scheepjes Invicta Colour – 972, a 4 ply fingering weight yarn that is 75% wool and 25% polyamide. The colour way is just gorgeous and the yarn was easy to hook with. Occasionally the length of yarn withered thin, but remained usable nonetheless.
I adored the long colour repeats from turquoise blue into chocolate brown and sage green and couldn’t help get excited each time the colour change slipped over my hook…I don’t think I will ever get bored with the delight a colour changing yarn gives.
The eyelets that form in sequenced linear fashion amazed me. I couldn’t quite believe that a few trebles could create such a beautiful drape and fabric. They reminded me so much of a peacocks tail feather that I had to name this virus shawl The Chocolate Peacock!
All in all a beautiful hook up made all the more simple by following a youtube tutorial of which there are several, I really liked this one though
This pattern is all over the internet, I used this one on Ravelry as a free download.
As for the yarn would I use it again…
yes, to make another virus shawl of course, but this time in beautiful sunset shades (colourway 959).
I may possibly have developed a shawl addiction.
xxxxx
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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
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#bestnine2016
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Farewell Autumn…
Autumnal sunshine low in the sky
playing hooky
new pattern coming soon
home xx
crispy leaves
hungry birds
an autumn carpet
top secret hooking!
more leaves…
keeping me busy…
new wool delivery
A fleeting glimpse of the super moon…
cheers
my happy hooky space
buttons
even more leaves
cheeky alpacas
road trip
planning patterns
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A little something…a long time in the making!
Do you remember a little while back, in the summer I was lucky enough to win this gorgeous hank of yarn courtesy of Joey of littleblackdogsa all the way from South Africa…
Well, this yarn is a dream to hook with and let me tell you I have hooked with it!
I have hooked and frogged and hooked and frogged, because I wanted this little hank of yumminess to become something special.
You see this little hank has travelled some miles, all the way from South Africa to the Midlands of England. Then it wasn’t long before it was travelling again, this time back south to Devonshire. Where it was hooked almost everywhere
poolside…
seaside…
and even at the farm. But, I just didn’t feel the pattern I had chosen was special enough for this beautiful yarn.
The yarn as you can see is a 4 ply cotton organic yarn, which slipped over my hook effortlessly. Its twist meant that it did not split once during all of its hooking and frogging and it also maintained its tension throughout. But, the best thing about this yarn from One of a Kind Yarns is the amazing and unique colourway throughout. My heart swelled each time the delicate colour blended into the next gentle tone, non so much as when the lemon hues began to merge with the deep lavender…mmm it is still making me smile now!
Anyway, let me show you what I finally made…
A little something just for me.
Thanks to Joey.
xxxxx
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A glance back at 2015…
2015, well what a year, a roller coaster in a lot of ways, but a good year. A year of progress and accomplishment and growth…. and of course craftiness.
There have been walks that have embraced the changing seasons.
Beautifully chilly
Enjoying the very new spring sunshine
December 2015
There has also been craftiness that has not been yarn related…
Valentines craft
pretty pumpkins
Christmas dog wreath.
Of course I did indulge in yarniness too, although at times making time for this proved difficult, but nevertheless, I did…
Rows of popcorn stitches
A pretty granny.
Blooming flower cushions.
100 patch granny
tree house pimping
Sprinkly donuts
Winter blooms.
Sunflower in progress.
Certainly, a lot less hooking than previous years, but for very good reason. As I eluded to at the beginning of this glance back, 2015 has been a year of progress, growth and accomplishment.
from this…
to this.
Walls demolished and a new kitchen installed, a new lounge and a whole lot of decorating. And as for the little Robins…
well, I guess they’re not that little any more.
Then there was the small matter of studying…
my study buddy…
A new career on the horizon!
and throughout it all, through these last beautiful, hard, tiring, challenging and wonderful twelve months that has been my 2015… I have clung to my motto BRAVE... and it has seen me through, it has inspired me, encouraged me, comforted me and at times kicked my butt… it has also taught me…
to be still…
to self soothe…
and that the smallest achievement is better than the greatest intention.
So thank you to all those that have journeyed through 2015 with me here, this little, mostly yarny space of the ether. I value your encouragement and appreciate the time you spend dwelling here with me… more than you will ever realise.
Here’s to your 2016…may it be blessed and beautiful and of course yarny.
xxxxx
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Happy Birthday Jess
This last few weeks has seen Jess turn one…
It has also seen my eldest two robins start year seven at High school…
I also passed my return to practice course in nursing… (happy dance) and have commenced training as a Health Visitor (happy dance…feeling overwhelmed…happy dance)
not sure I have time to celebrate with another yarn bomb! There has also been a lot of disruption in the Robin’s nest
Which is still ongoing, but will be worth the extra grey hairs it is giving me.
So far this year I have truly lived by BRAVE… and now Autumn is nearly here… my most favourite time of year and to embrace this season and welcome it with open arms… I’ve spent a little time pinning my Autumn happies… I just hope I can weave in some time to create.
xxxxx
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