February is just in view, in fact it’s approaching so quickly it may possibly arrive before I finish this post…you see every time I have sat down to type, something has needed my urgent attention. It seems this has been the reoccurring theme here at the nest this January, so much so that not a lot of hooking has taken place!!
My crochet has followed me around in this bag…but has not come out to play since Scotland 😦
But… I have plans a foot for February…which start with being immobile thanks to some planned foot surgery early next week. On the bright side this will require a period of recuperation mainly with my foot up and sat right next to a basket of yarn… hooking perfection!
First on my hooking list is a delirious granny CAL (crochet a long) which begins on the 01st Feb and which is being hosted by the lovely Rosina over at Zeens and Rogers…do hop over and check out one of her podcasts they always make me smile and always inspire me and of course feel free to join the CAL too.
Robins nest square
Thinking about what to hook for the CAL has got me looking at all things granny and I realised that the simple treble stitch nestled next to two other simple treble stitches…classic granny stitch…is actually one of my go to stitches…
It is also #yarnlovechallenge time again. Check out last years prompts here and if you want to join the fun check out the #yarnlovechallenge on Instagram or check back here on Thursday.
So I am going to try and post short daily posts throughout February inspired by the daily prompts and crochet out rather than being too spaced out on pain killers…I hope!
2017 has certainly had it’s ups and it’s downs. I am pleased to report that it is ending on an up. I have really enjoyed perusing back through my posts and have picked out my favourite from each month in way of reviewing 2017 here at the nest. Before we begin I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of my seasoned readers, to those of you that have recently discovered this little corner of yarniness and to you if you have just stumbled across this post by accident.
Without all of you, I would just be here, hooking and writing and hooking some more; annoying my family by taking photo’s every 2 minutes and whilst that would be ok, it is so much more fun with you dropping by and saying hi every once in a while. You encourage me and inspire me to keep blogging about all things yarny and for that I am very grateful.
So grab a glass of prosecco or the bottle! or maybe a cuppa if you prefer and lets look back at 2017 here at the nest.
January 2017
crochet in bed.
2017 began with shawls, having completed x2 virus shawls I had the bug for more. This‘ is the ‘pink shawl’ by Cecile Balladino, and it is still one of my favourites although I still can’t call it the ‘pink shawl!’
February 2017
I had so much fun doing the yarn love challenge during February. A post a day was a challenge, but I relished the daily prods to share.
I’d love to do this again in 2018.
Here is a little link to my favourite #yarnlovechallenge post and another favourite… well I couldn’t just pick one!
March 2017
Sunday Shawl hooking
Another month another shawl…This time the beautiful Sunday Shawl by Alia Bland. This project proved to be the perfect way to jump into spring, maybe it was those delicious pastels against the warmth of the grey.
April2017
Alpaca cake…
A milestone birthday, an alpaca birthday cake, and a graduation. I couldn’t have imagined a happier set of celebrations. I was so blissfully unaware of the catastrophe about to beset us.
May 2017
Interlocking stitch
At least I got some crochet in whilst juggling hospital trips and the absence of a critically ill Mr R…crochet is not only my joy it’s my default when things get tough…my sanity.
This Baby Wilmer blanket, filled me with hope, a new life just entering this world, whilst life at the nest felt as if it had paused in some horrific nightmare.
June 2017
yarnbomb
Mr R had prayerfully turned a corner and our healing had begun, it was time for some fun and this yarny gate installation celebrated that!
I fell so in love with these adorable C2C (corner to corner)hearts that I just couldn’t stop hooking them! I couldn’t!!
They fell off my hook so quickly that before I knew where I was I had enough for a blanket of hearts.
I have to confess that I still need to border this lovely…yes it is still a PHD (project half done). In my defense I just can’t decide what colour to border it in!
September 2017
Corfu – Barefoot sandals
September felt much more ‘normal’ although I don’t know why…I spent a large majority of it bobbing around on a lazy river being drenched in golden sunshine on the amazing island of Corfu. I didn’t forget about you though…look I made these barefoot sandals by the pool… here’s the link to the free pattern just in case you fancy a pretty 20 minute hook up!
Finally, the release of my newest tea cosy in the Grandma Collection…the Grandma Dot tea cosy. I don’t know why this took me so long to publish but it did. Anyway, thank you for your frankly very kind feedback about this free pattern…there will be another one coming very shortly in the new year.
December 2017
loom knitted beanie…
I told you 2017 ended on an up…the hat fit!
Enough said.
Thank you 2017 for the joy, for the triumphs, for the challenge and even for the heartbreak…for all the folk that have stood alongside me whether that has been for a few minutes, a few days or for those lifers that are always cheering me on… you know who you are.
Finally, thank you once again to you, for riding this journey with me… I think you are amazing and want to wish you all a very blessed and extremely yarny 2018…
Thank you so much for your hat suggestions, I have really enjoyed looking at them and reading your thoughts about them. In the end I went with a loom knitted hat, inspired in part by a post I read by Kagibari ami unravelled and a forgotten find in the back of a wardrobe.
Do you remember this?
No!
Well if I am honest, I had forgotten about it too and seemingly abandoned it in the back of a wardrobe.
This was my first dabble with loom knitting and on closer inspection, it was a bit holey and I could not remember what pattern I was using or where I had got up to. So after falling into the abyss of you tube and loosing myself for almost a whole day, I set my beating heart upon this pattern
I unravelled the yarn from my loom, and began again… only this time I was making a beanie hat for Mr. R.
Oh! how I loved knitting and purling, even if I did have to rip it back 3 times…yes 3 times!!!! to start over and make an emergency dash to the habadashery shop when I snapped my loom pick as my tension was too tight!
When I saw those knitted stripes in perfect formation I didn’t care that my fingers hurt a little or that I had ceased all work on my Charming Harbour Blanket for my new love.
I soldiered on until the end, enjoying every knit stitch and every purl stitch until I cast off and realised…
this beautiful beanie would not be gracing the fair head of Mr R at all because it was just too small…
but it did fit my little birthday Robin and doesn’t he look dandy in it?
A beautiful Tuesday too, a happy day off for me catching up with family, drinking lots of coffee and I must confess a little nap before the school run instead of crochet.
a blustery Sunday walk in the countryside
So, I thought I would post the pictures of our lovely blustery Sunday countryside walk this weekend.
a British adder snake
We were all thrilled to find this adder snake slithering across the path. I have never seen an adder before, they are a rare sight. They are also our only poisonous snake in Britain, so we got the dogs back on their leads quickly and let Mr adder go on his way.
We continued our walk, chatting and planning and breathing in the crisp air and generally being amazed by the beautiful British countryside.
Once home I curled up with my hook and began a new pattern which has been long overdue.
A new tea cosy for the Grandma Collection. I am almost done with it, so I will release it here very soon I promise.
xxxxx
all photographs in this post are provided by Mr Little Brother…
With Autumn sneaking in…well here in the UK anyway, I thought I would take a little look back at some of my favourite blankets that I have hooked over the years.
I rather think there is nothing as good to hook as a blanket, the process is satisfying and restful and of course it always involves that lovely stage of playing with colour and almost always buying new yarn!
Here is my yarny autumn blanket round – up…pattern details can be found in the links below or on my Ravelry page just here.
already a firm favourite!
This is my favourite camping granny square blanket. Strictly speaking I did not hook this one as the squares were made for me from all around the world. In return I sent squares all across the world too. You can read more about this blanket here .
design by Katherine Eng
This beautiful apartment lapghan in this stunning alpine colourway, was a fabulous hook. It challenged me at the time with the starting chain in the middle of the blanket ! I finished hooking this in the sunshine and I was thrilled with the end result…a perfect gift.
Using up scraps!
I loved the alpine colourway so much that I used the scraps from the lapghan to make this simple granny square blanket. I love to hook a traditional granny square and always return to this pattern every now and then! I couldn’t resist a fringed edge for this one and it didn’t disappoint.
ripple so far…Attic 24 pattern
This happy ripple was another perfect gift…and just had to have a happy bobble edging to crown it. This was a very, very happy hook…and I wished I could have kept it for myself!!!
basket weave baby blanket
Gorgeously cushy and in chilli pepper red. This basket weave baby blanket nearly tipped me over the edge, to read why click here. I’m glad I have done basket weave, but it is my least favourite stitch and I think you get very similar results and much more joy from a C2C (corner to corner) technique. I did not follow a pattern as such, I followed a you tube clip on basket weave stitch (I cant remember which one!) but my ravelry page for this blanket is just here, it might give an idea of amount of yarn used etc
Cosy Cottage Blanket by Attic 24
Another Lucy blanket and a dash to the finish line. A simple hook but a mammoth project. I love this blanket and still get to snuggle under it even though it was a gift…as I gave it to my Mom!
Once I had the pattern repeat in my head, I was able to hook this beautifully understated baby blanket on auto pilot. I adore the popcorn stitches, and the alternating texture of this blanket. This blanket draped well, felt soft and squishy and I remember thinking any baby would feel cherished snuggled in this blanket. For pattern details click here.
Another great stash buster and great for crocheting whilst watching a box set…A giant granny square blanket. Going back to my roots with this blanket as it was one of the first patterns I taught myself to hook…so the pattern is in my head…but youtube traditional granny square and you will be certain to find a tutorial for sure.
100 patch granny
I kept this 100 patch mini granny square blanket after learning sometimes smaller is better! I couldn’t resist another bobble edge again, but this time in duck egg. I joined the squares using a double crochet technique which frames each square beautifully. Pattern details are here.
Very V blanket
A rainbow lovely.
This simple v stitch blanket proved to be nothing but joyous from the moment the yarn arrived in its lovely balls all bagged up together. Hooking this merry delight was rhythmically therapeutic and soothed me whenever I picked it up…needless to say I couldn’t put it down!
An interlocking stitch on this Baby Wilmer blanket, gave a dense squishy feel and a reversible fabric, ideal for putting in the pram. Using just 3 colours also meant I could work the yarn threads up the sides of the blanket without getting in a tangle; meaning colour changes were a doddle and the number of ends to be woven in at the end were reduced by a gazillion!
C2C Totally Smitten blanket
And finally, the blanket on my hook at the moment, a real stunner and a keeper…this C2C heart blanket which I am smitten with. Pattern details just here and yes… it is still awaiting a border.
So, there you have it; my yarny autumn roundup of blankets I have made over the years. I will never tire of hooking such beauties and I still have so many on my to do list.
I hope if you have the blanket bug this may help in your happy, hooky deliberating.
If you have got this far and read all of this and you don’t have the blanket bug, just know that you may well have caught it by now…look out for symptoms over the coming week!
15000 riders came past the bottom of our street yesterday, on a 100 mile ride on closed roads. I made a coffee and took the very short walk in the early morning sunshine with the boys.
I sat with my neighbours as we watched all sorts of people from all walks of life zoom past.
They rode so fast it made me a little dizzy, but they were so inspiring. I guess all of them having different motives to complete the challenge.
A lot of folk had been moaning about the extensive road closures…but I was excited, a few hours of something completely different and a rare chance for our community to come together and drink coffee on the pavement together and chat.
I can’t tell you what 15000 riders looked like, I just know that for hours they poured down our hill, determined and pumped and probably a little exhausted, but exhilarated and achieving.
I returned home, empty mug in hand
I made a fresh coffee and settled down with new yarn and began to hook my newest project
a new blanket…
a masculine and handsome edition to the blankets I have hooked in the past. I’m 13 rows in and loving it!
As promised Ginny, here is my pattern for these cute Corfu barefoot sandals.
You will need approx. 7m of yarn for each sandal, I used Paintbox dk cotton in cream and a 4mm hook.
You will also need x5 beads for each sandal, I used beads from a cheap bracelet. Just make sure the threading hole in the bead is large enough for your yarn.
Other useful items you will need are a pair of scissors and a darning needle to weave in the ends.
This pattern uses English terminology and the following abbreviations:
Ch – chain stitch
st- stitch
slst – slip stitch
dc – double crochet
htr- half treble
tr – treble crochet
dtr – double treble crochet
By adjusting the number of chains in the ties, you can make them longer or shorter to suit. Additionally adjusting the number of chains in the toe loop for comfort may be required.
To skip photo tutorial, head to the end of the post for written pattern without photo’s.
So, assuming you have gathered your supplies cut at least 7m of yarn from the ball, knot one end and thread X5 beads on. The X2 beads nearest the knot will be located at the end of the ties of the sandal, the following X2 beads will be located, just before the tie chain starts, and the last bead you thread will be the bead nearest the toes (I used a different bead which was larger and sparkly for this)…the darker bead in the photo.
move the beads to the end of the yarn for later…
Now, starting at the other end of the yarn to the beads, leave a long length, approx. 50cms. You will use this at the end to make the toe loop. Make a loop
Chain 6 and bring first bead down
Join with a slip stitch into 1st chain – catching / incorporating the bead in the centre
Ch4 (counts as a dtr) As you make the next stitches around the bead be careful not to weave in the long tail that you are saving for your toe loop.
2dtr into loop (this can be a bit fiddly getting the hook in next to the bead)
Continue working in the loop around the bead as follows
2tr, 2htr, 2dc, 2htr, 2tr, 2dtr
and join with slst in top of beginning ch4 (feather made).
Now ch6,
in 2nd ch from hook *dc, 2tr,dc* (1st cluster)
miss a st and repeat *—* (2nd cluster), slst into top of feather.
Turn work so feather is on the your right hand side
The next set of stitches will be made in the base of the 1st cluster st, (see photo). But first, bring the second bead down and rest it on top of cluster, now slst in base of cluster st to secure.
*Dc,2tr,dc* in same space.
Bring down third bead and repeat *—* in second cluster.
To finish cluster slst in 1st ch at the start of 1st cluster (see photo above).
*Ch55, bring down 4th bead, slst into 4th ch from hook and pull tight to secure bead.
Dc in each ch back to cluster, slst into top of cluster* (tie made) repeat *—* to make second tie. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Returning to length of yarn left at start, weave end to bottom of feather
insert hook into top st of central dtr and pull up a loop
Ch12 and slst into top of central dtr which you started ch from. Tie off and weave in ends.
Now to make another!
I really hope you have enjoyed making these barefoot sandals, I would love to see some pictures if you have.
xxxxx
Written pattern without photo’s.
Corfu Barefoot sandal by ayarnyrobin.wordpress.com
cut at least 7m of yarn from the ball, knot one end and thread X5 beads on. The X2 beads nearest the knot will be located at the end of the ties of the sandal, the following X2 beads will be located, just before the tie chain starts, and the last bead you thread will be the bead nearest the toes
Now, starting at the other end of the yarn to the beads, leave a long length, approx. 50cms. You will use this at the end to make the toe loop.
Make a loop, Ch6 and bring first bead down, join with a slip stitch into 1st chain – catching / incorporating the bead in the centre.
Ch4 (counts as a dtr) As you make the next stitches around the bead be careful not to weave in the long tail that you are saving for your toe loop. 2dtr into loop (this can be a bit fiddly getting the hook in next to the bead).
Continue working in the loop around the bead as follows 2tr, 2htr, 2dc, 2htr, 2tr, 2dtr and join with slst in top of beginning ch4 (feather made).
Ch6, in 2ch from hook *dc, 2tr,dc* (1st cluster) miss a st and repeat *—* (2nd cluster), slst into top of feather.
Turn work so feather is on the your right hand side.
The next set of stitches will be made in the base of the 1st cluster st. But first, bring the second bead down and rest it on top of cluster, now slst in base of cluster st to secure. *Dc,2tr,dc* in same space.
Bring down third bead and repeat *—* in second cluster.
To finish cluster slst in 1st ch at the start of 1st cluster. *Ch55, bring down 4th bead, slst into 4th ch from hook and pull tight to secure bead.
Dc in each ch back to cluster, slst into top of cluster* (tie made), repeat *—* to make second tie. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Returning to length of yarn left at start, weave end to bottom of feather, insert hook into top st of central dtr and pull up a loop, Ch12 and slst into top of central dtr which you started ch from. Tie off and weave in ends.
The profit of a non working day is, I have a little crochet to show you.
I can’t tell you of the glorious simplicity that being at home has afforded; even if it is just for one day in the working week.
I just know that Tuesday is going to be my favourite day of the week from now on.
I took Little Robin to school…Oh how I have missed doing that! Then, I headed straight for my crochet hook and finished off my barefoot sandals.
Which I am super thrilled with.
Shame it was too cold to wear them!!!
Instead, Mr R and I headed out on a little bike ride
Which took us around our local paths where Autumn is beginning to creep; kissing the leaves with it’s colour.
The leaves are just beginning to turn Autumn yellow in places
Our ride took us over the golf course,
and by the old church.
To the café at the park, where we stopped for a bit of fruity refreshment.
Before being chased home by a very large rain storm.
We made it home without getting wet, stopping briefly by little Robin’s school to hear the children playing in the yard (and to get my breath back!). Happy sounds of children’s chatter and laughter which made me smile inside very much. We also stopped at a badger carcass in the woodland, well it was the smell which stopped us…hundreds upon hundreds of maggots feasting upon dead badger!
I did not take a photo of either the school yard for fear of being arrested; or the dead badger as I could not stomach the stench long enough… and besides I couldn’t decide on the badgers best angle!
I did get a snap of this though on the last stretch home!
It is still there after all this time, well worn and stretched by the rain now; with holes where the birds have pecked at it. But, still there…well loved it would appear…which made me smile inside all the more.
Crochet blog 