Bloomin' CAL....FO

Another week with no hexagons, although I think its fair to say that it is because Christmas is only around the corner and I am too busy making scarves! I have lots of different scarves that I have made and can't quite show you just yet. Although I think it may be safe to show you one of them!!

I made this scarf after a work colleague asked if I could make one for his girlfriend but in pink, it is using Sirdar bohemia yarn and a 15mm crochet hook (I kind of like it better than my blue one now he he). I have another scarf on my hook at the moment, and I will be able to show you that next week properly once I have more progress. 

Although I can show you a sneak peek! Its a navy yarn with the rainbow gradient going through it. I took this to work one night this week, and it became another commission as another work colleague liked it that much that he asked if he could buy it for his wife when its finished! I can't wait for Christmas to be over so I can show you all my FOs, I have quite a few he he.

For now I am officially saying that my hexagon progress is on hold until Christmas is over, and it will just be Christmas orientated projects from now until then!

I am joining in on the Bloomin' CAL with Chrissie Crafts and Ladybird Diaries, so check out their pages for more projects on the Bloomin' Crochet-A-Long

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The Tale of Two Cardigans

On Friday night after having a lovely Japanese meal, we decided to visit the Christmas market in Glasgow City where I fell in love with this woolly rainbow cardigan....totally in love! I mean the cardigan pretty much shines happiness. It had to be mine, and mine it became. I took it home, and it had a pretty intense smell to it....like a barn smell. Like anyone would at this stage, would be to follow the instructions given by the seller and wash it. Only after I washed it, it had shrunk.....it was small enough to fit my 8 year old niece. I was both amused and devastated. At this point, I was really confused and thought I maybe read the instructions wrong....but they said machine wash at 30 and that is what I did! In hindsight, I wish I took a photo of the tiny cardigan but I was that caught up in emotion that I never thought to. 

Once we both calmed down we decided the best thing to do would be to take it back to the market seller, who was very understanding as he did definitely confirm that it should have been fine during a machine 30 wash and even showed me in writing. I was offered a replacement cardigan of the same value at no extra cost, the only sad thing about this is that they only seemed to have one version of each cardigan so I wasn't able to get another one of the same.

The next nicest cardigan I seen was this one, which I am learning to love even though it is a little big for me (I ironically have thought about trying to shrink it a little). Even though they said we can definitely wash it in a machine 30 wash, I washed this one by hand and surprise surprise, it stayed the same size! Hindsight again, I wish I thought to do this with my first one....especially with my knowledge in yarns. However, I do know some yarns you can machine wash......so I think this is why I never thought anything of it when I threw my lovely rainbow cardigan in the wash.

I do love how pretty this one is as well, but it's not totally me....like you can see with the first cardigan (which is totally ME). With the rainbow cardigan in mind, I have decided I am going to try and make my own rainbow cardigan in 2014. I have never crocheted an item that I can wear like a jumper or cardigan, and I think this will definitely provide me with a new hooky challenge for the new year! Although I have contemplated taking up knitting again to try and knit the cardigan, but I shall see what the new year will unfold.

Have you guys ever had a disaster with clothing shrinking in the wash? I'd be very interested to read your stories.

Take care,

Hazel x

Funky Stitch Scarf

I have been requested to write a pattern for the scarf that I had recently been making, as far as I am aware this scarf is made using the moss stitch and I think it can also be called woven stitch as well. Anyway I shall get on with the pattern now!

For this scarf I used

Sirdar Hayfield Bonus Chunky in Light Grey Mix
Kauni Estonian Artistic pre-yarn in Rainbow colour
6mm crochet hook

I have written this pattern in UK terms.

Foundation Chain: Using the light grey yarn, crochet to desired length as long as it is multiple of 3 plus an extra 2 chain at the end of your desired length (I think I hooked a 300 ch length, plus the extra 2 ch which gave me a total length of 302 ch).

Row 1: skip 1st 2 ch, dc in 3rd ch from hook. Then *ch 1, sk 1, dc in next ch, repeat instructions from * to end the of row, working dc in the last chain. Turn.

Row 2: Ch 2, dc in first ch space, ch 1, * dc in next ch 1 space, ch 1, repeat from * to end of row. Turn.

Row 3: Changing to the rainbow yarn....Ch 2, 2 dc in first ch space, ch 1 *2 dc in next ch1 space, ch 1, repeat from * to end of row. Turn.

Row 4 – 5: In light grey, repeat as Row 2

Row 6 : In rainbow, repeat as Row 3

Row 7-8: In light grey, repeat as Row 2

Row 9: In rainbow, repeat as Row 3

Row 10-11: In light grey, repeat as Row 2

Row 12: In rainbow, repeat as Row 3

Row 13-14: In light grey, repeat as Row 2

My scarf is only 14 rows wide but if you prefer to have a wider scarf, you just repeat the pattern as you can see above....row 2, row 2, row 3, row 2, row 2, row 3, row 2, row 2. Once you have your desired scarf size, then you can weave in all of your ends to tidy the scarf up!

NB: The reason for the 2 dc in 'row 3s' of this scarf, is because the rainbow yarn is a little bit thinner than the chunky yarn I used so if you want to do something similar I would recommend using a lighter weight yarn where I have used the rainbow yarn. Or if you want to stick to using chunky weight yarn for row 3s then just do a single dc instead of 2 dc....if that makes sense? 

Well my pattern skills aren't totally awesome but I hope that makes sense to you all....if you spot any errors, just leave me a comment and I will fix it! Thank you!

Take care and enjoy your weekend.

Hazel x

Bloomin' CAL....Week 4

As promised, I am back this week for the Bloomin' CAL and I thought I would show you a photograph of an idea I have in my head. I am not a hundred percent sure that the colours are are where I want them to be, but its definitely very pretty. This week I am working on the blue hexies, and I have completed the centres and just need to border them.

I am joining in on the Bloomin' CAL with Chrissie Crafts and Ladybird Diaries, so check out their pages for more projects on the Bloomin' Crochet-A-Long

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Take care,

Hazel x

Scarf Obsession!

Good morning! This week I have been crocheting three different scarves and as per usual at this time of year...I can only show you one of them. I started this scarf yesterday, and I think I am going to love it when it is done. I am pretty much winging this scarf as I am not following any particular pattern so I will have to see how it looks when it is finished he he.

A here is a little hello from Jess too! Isn't she a total sweetie! 

Hope you all have been having a good weekend, its been so good to relax this weekend!

Take care!

Hazel x

Keeping Warm

Oh its getting really chilly in the evenings, it makes me really grateful for all the blankets I have spent weeks or months hooking up! Currently snuggled under my chunky ripple lap blanket, crocheting a scarf for a colleague. He seen me making a chunky blue scarf and asked if I could make him one for his girlfriend, except in a pinkish colour. I received the yarn today, and I am currently hooking that at the moment. 

I made this hat and scarf set for myself just over a week ago after picking up this yarn from the Hobbycraft Fair in Glasgow. It is Sirdar Bohemia, and it is so chunky and soft that it is great for the really chilly weather outside. It is so chunky that it requests you use 20mm needles/hook for it! It is such a bizarre size to use but I loved how quickly I hooked my hat and scarf up once I received my hook through the mail.

Although I have been a naughty girl and avoided doing my hexagons this week, which is why there was no post yesterday with pretty hexagons. I promise to be back on track next week, and join back in with Chrissie Crafts and Ladybird Diaries with their Bloomin' CAL. However I have been distracted by hooking some Christmas presents which I am sure you will understand as the pressure is on a little since it is less than six weeks to Christmas.

If you want to see more FOs, then go on over to Tami's Amis blog

Right! I am going to go back to snuggling and keeping warm.

Take care,

Hazel x

Bloomin' CAL....Week 3

Just a quick post to show you my Bloomin' CAL progress, I've bordered all the circles I showed you last week and this week I am currently working on making red circles and bordering them. I have decided to do one colour a week to make it a little bit easier.

I am joining in on the Bloomin' CAL with Chrissie Crafts and Ladybird Diaries, so check out their pages for more projects on the Bloomin' Crochet-A-Long.

Sorry I have been very short with this post, it's been a long and busy week.

Take care,

Hazel x