Day 34: Homemade Daily Challenge

Well a very happy good morning Friday to you, have you had any snow where you are it feels cold enough brrrrrrr!

I have been trying my best to take it easy this week after a bit of minor surgery last Friday but this hasn't been easy (hasn't happened), the stitches are being taken out on Monday although I am dreading that part, I also want them removed as they are agony, hope they aren't infected, they don't look like they are but they are really sore.

I have had a stack of orders this week and along with a web site to redesign for my Graphic Design business, I pretty much came out of theatre and had to get straight back on the sewing machine, I do love sewing and I also love the variety the graphic design offers but this week it has felt a little overwhelming at times. I had to call in for extra help with childcare to try to get through everything, it doesn't help that I am a picky perfectionist and hate being rushed. If a design hasn't worked or isn't quite how I want it I will unpick it rather than send it out a little imperfect. I am also addicted to my phone, in the evenings (when I have decided to take a break) I end up checking my facebook fanpage, twitter and my blog comments in almost every ad break!!

This week I decided I needed to sort this out otherwise I was never going to get a break, so I picked up the crochet hook to sit and crochet whilst watching the a film in the evenings. I learnt how to make little flowers using crochet last summer, you can read more about this here. I decided I could handle something a little more tricky, I found a pattern for Granny Squares from the Meet Me at Mikes book, the pattern is written in the English version of crochet which was handy and I also double checked my technique with a youtube tutorial.

After a few mishaps I started to get the hang of it.

 

I love how the little rounds don't look much to start with, but soon turn into joyous supercute little squares. Being a neat person I really love them once the ends are all sewn in!

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After four nights I now have a little pile of small granny squares, I want to make a blanket and know I am a long way off that but I did get quicker as I went along and have also found that I have been able to 'switch off' and relax in the evenings I have crocheted as my hands are too busy to check my phone!

Day 27: Daily Challenge

If you have been following my posts since 1 st January (you deserve a medal) you will know that my main skill set lies within sewing and pretty much machine sewing at that, although I do like making pies.

To avoid my blog being all about pies and bunting (I do love them) I thought it was time to inject a new craft. Something that I am a novice at so you can see how I progress. I have always fancied being a knitter but having looked through some of my Mums old patterns it appears they are mainly written in double dutch, so I decided crochet might be a bit easier.

I had no idea how to crochet so was delighted when a good friend of mine (Michelle at Button It) said she would show me. We met at a friends house last Summer for a Birthday BBQ and Michelle told me to take my crochet hook, we sat at the party like a pair of grannies in the corner crocheting,  (Michelle was crocheting, I was making a chain which resembled a series of messy knots). But after about half an hour I started to pick it up and could just about manage chain and double stitches (UK) which meant I could crochet lovely little flowers.

I made lost of these little flowers and was asked by friends to make them into little hairslides for stocking fillers at Christmas. So I made a stack of them and displayed them on little cards I made with my punch:

 

Now I know you don't all have a super talented friend to show you how to crochet and to be patient and not stab you with the crochet hook when you mess it up. But it is easier if you have someone show you, as it's a big help to see how its done a few times before your start (about fifty in my case). If you don't have a friendly granny or a Michelle of your own you could check out some youtube videos, there are loads.

I am going to be tackling Granny Squares next, I'll let you know how it goes.

Herman day 5, have added more ingredients