Christmas is coming...

I've had a short break from crochet - almost 10 days! I'm now itching to get going again. I've got a huge list of Christmas and Birthday presents to get started on and still a fair few to finish.

I've decided to post my very first pattern - a Santa Hat on Raverly, here it is:

Crocheted Santa Hat pattern

Not been here a while

I've been neglecting my blog, but then I've not been up to much. I've started to make some really basic granny square blankets (for babies and/or pets), and with the left-overs I'm making some preemie baby items for the Caring Yorkshire Hands charity group on Ravelry.

My most favourite thing though recently is my crocheted karyotype. I've drawn up a pattern for all 24 (1-22, X and Y - in case you were wondering...) using the latest ISCN for G-banded chromosomes. I've decided to go for the 400 bands, even though they're not as pretty as the 550, but it was easier to work out the pattern for the first attempt. Although I'm also making a separate 550 banded 18 for my friend for a belated 40th birthday present (since 18 is her favourite). How geeky does all that sound???

I can smell food wafting up from downstairs. Jo came home from the allotment about 40mins ago and she'd bought with her a bountiful crop of food :) It's just a shame that we've got no courgettes this year, and this is our second year in a row where we've lost our tomatoes! There is nothing better than a home grown tomato!

A first time for everything

Have had a grotty end to the week - I've come down with a nasty little flu/stomach bug. Spent the last two and half days at home feeling sorry for myself.

I did manage to get two crochet projects finished: My newly named
'Coconut-Ice baby blanket' for Rachael and Steve's little bundle of joy - due in 2 weeks. It was only when I was sewing in the ends that I realised, this was the first blanket I've made (apart from the monsterous, never-ending granny square I made as I learnt to crochet!).

The second project is a birthday present for my English friend - Karen - living in Australia, a scarf and wrist warmer set. After realising that Karen's birthday was looming and wondering what I could make for her, I suddenly remembered that, hoorah!, it's winter in Oz. As she lives up in the beautiful Blue Mountains my sister suggested I could make her my first ever scarf! With the colours I had in my stash, I've called it the 'English Rose Scarf' and added the rose as a little feature.

The scarf pattern I used is the Acacia Scarf from Ravelry by Megan Marshall, but I changed the pattern very subtly to fit with these colours, and the wrist-warmers are my own design - the second ever pattern I came up with. I have a pair myself (of course) that I wore to death this winter. I made them from some gorgeous Debbie Bliss Cashmerino aran, yummy! :D

The pattern is written - String Bag

I stayed up late last night (again), but I got the string bag pattern finished, and, my moose now has arms :) I now have to work out how to post the pattern...

Little String Bag Pattern

Saturday evening blues

I don't like Saturday evenings. Saturday evening means that its Sunday the next day. I don't like Sundays either, Sunday means its work the next day and I'd rather stay home and crochet with a hot cuppa tea and silly kittens running about. Well, I say kittens, only one of them is under a year old and thats Jekyll and he's definately silly. His stitches come out on Tuesday.

My mind has been buzzing all day with new crochet ideas, and I want to do them all now now now! I need to finishing typing out the pattern for my little bags - a couple of which are now in Etsy for sale - but that's boooring and I've got to get going on my Teddy Bear's Picnic scene - got some great ideas for it, I'm very excited about it :D

Am very hungry, going to look for chocolate to eat and maybe boil some potatoes...

The beast is home

Jekyll came home at 4pm, and I'm now £420 poorer - yickes! He's being very good at having his medicine, lapping up his liquid food and staying in the dog crate all day. He did wake me up at 3am and I was still awake at 4.30, so I;ve been rather knackered all day today - should be going to bed now, but why go to bed, when it just makes the next day come round sooner...

I did get a parcel today, probably my last purchase for a while, 10 cones of 100% cotton. Not much to get excited about for most people, but it was doubly exciting for me since I didn't even know what colours I would get! Can't wait to get going with it now...

The moose has been weighing heavy on my mind today, not really sure why, but I would like to get him finished. I think Sunday will have to be 'Moose Day' :)

where do I start?

Soooo, I've got myself a Blog...hmmm...what to write on my blog...

I've set up this blog, mainly so I can post some of crochet patterns (when I get round to writing them up that is). I was supposed to be doing that this weekend, but got rudely interrupted by one of my wee beasties, Jekyll, having to have emergency surgery instead. How rude! He's not yet home from the vets, have been waiting all morning for the phone call. Its 10am and I was hoping they would have called by now, I suppose it is a Sunday and vets need lie-ins too, do they? But my little baby is poorly and I want him home :(

10.50 am finally the vets do call. He'll be coming home at 4pm :)