A Tale of Two Brooches

It took me a while to figure out the plural of brooch, nothing looked right, in fact brooches just doesn't look right at all but according to google it is.

I do love wearing brooches, they just work so well with my love of thin knit cardies, dresses and boots.

The lovely handmade brooch above that I wore to meet mum in town last week, was made by the talented lady Norma Conway from http://thefairyyellowbugqueen.blogspot.co.uk/, and I was lucky enough to win it in a giveaway of hers :)

I love the way artists come up with so many ways of using mixed media to create something completely different.

Here Norma has used canvas to paint the toadstool picture onto, and has then crocheted around the edge.

Speaking of crochet, thank you so much everyone for your lovely comments on my first pattern :)

I am working on a larger version this week, one more of the size I like in a brooch, and hope to have it online in the next couple of days.

Designing crochet patterns appeals so much to my logical mathematical brain, like solving a puzzle, a way that I can create art that satisfies all aspects of me.

I always thought I wasn't artistic, but I think you just have to find a way that works for you.

Fox Pin Tutorial

I've created my first ever crochet pattern !!! 

A tiny fox pin, a big deal for me, so please be kind :)

You could create a hair slide as I have here, or perhaps use it as a brooch, attach to a keyring, or use it to embellish another item. I also have another tutorial coming up soon for a larger version.

For this tutorial you will need brown, white and black yarns, I have used dk weight and a 3mm hook, but you could use any size yarn and use and appropriate size needle, e.g if using american worsted weight you could use a 4mm hook but your fox will be a little larger.

I have also used UK terms through the tutorial, so:
double crochet (dc) is US single crochet, half treble (htr) is US half double crochet.

Slip stitch: Insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
Double crochet: Insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through stitch, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
Half treble: Yarn over, insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through stitch, yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook.

 To Begin: Create a magic ring, sometimes known as a magic circle. 

There is a great video tutorial on how to do this Here.

 Make sure to create a slip stitch when making your magic ring.

 Make 6 dc into ring.

 Pull your circle mostly closed but not over tightening, don't join with a sl st here.

 Make 2 dc into the top of each of the 6 dc you made in the first round.

 Sl st into next stitch, and finish tightening the magic ring.

 Into the next stitch make 1 sl st and 1 htr

 Next is a picot stitch. Chain 2 then sl st into 2nd chain from hook,

 making sure to go through both loops of the chain.

In the next stitch make 1 htr and 1 sl st.

 Make 1 sl st into the next stitch, and in the following stitch make 1 sl st and 1 htr.

 Another picot so, 2 chains and sl st into 2nd chain from hook. 

 Into next stitch crochet 1 htr and 1 sl st changing over to white yarn.

 In white, make 1 dc in each of the next 3 stitches.

 In the next stitch make a sl st switching to the black yarn,

 leaving the white yarn behind for now.

 In the same stitch make a htr

 In the next stitch make a htr and also sl st, changing back to the white yarn again.

In white yarn, dc into the next 2 stitches. 

 Sl st into the next stitch which should be at the base of the first ear, and fasten off.

Tug all the strands of yarn nice and snug and sew in all ends before blocking.

You can if you wish embroider eyes, or sew tiny beads on, before attaching to perhaps a pin, fastener or keyring, maybe even using as an embellishment to another project.

I hope you enjoyed my first tutorial, I'm looking forward creating and publishing more of my ideas soon.

First Pattern Sneaky Peak

Finally the stormy winds have died down up here in the isles, 

it starts to drive you a little crazy after a time, which is the only excuse I can think of as to why I have suddenly become an exercise addict (very odd for me but there you go). 

Don't worry I won't bore you all with my tales of half killing myself jumping about in front of the computer lol. And besides I'll probably get bored soon and move onto some other latest obsession I'm kind of like that I think it is one of the reasons I have to have lots of little interests.

In other news I am working on my first crochet patterns, yeay !! really enjoying the process of creating something completely new, it also appeals to my logical brain puzzling it out. I won't tell you just yet what it is I am working on but the above pic of the yarn colours I am using may give you a hint (or may not lol).

When I am a Granny I shall wear Purple

Why is that when you haven't blogged in a while, it seems such a hard thing to write a blog post?

Whilst the boys were here I didn't use the computer much, and I haven't really got back into a routine with it since.

What I have been doing is, various crafting, harvesting and preserving, baking Christmas cakes etc

It seems like there are never enough hours in the day when you live the way we do, and I feel as though I am always playing catch-up. Today for example, I only have around 3 hours left before John comes home and I still need to, bring in the dry potatos from the rack outside, wash the pots (yet again), blog, clean and swap over the dining tables, make dumplings for the braised beef, put the fire on, and try to find time to card fleece!! Also I'm thinking I may need to start a blanket using the rest of the wool left over from making this granny square cushion, I think I need a time turner !!