First Attempts at Crochet

This week I had my first go at crochet, I was up early with the dogs and thought I would get on and have a go but following it from the book didn't seem to make much sense. I must have undone the same piece about 8 times trying to figure out why it didn't look like the picture in the book. Eventually I watched a Youtube video and straight away I could see what I was doing wrong!  So come lunchtime I had a growing piece.

Later I tried a circle and I did create one but now I see that was inaccurate but I know how to do it properly next time, I added a frill as I went around just experimenting it wasn't from the book.

Next I managed a granny square, again the first one went a bit wrong but after watching a video it made sense. I really must watch the videos first without just plodding on and getting it wrong.  My auntie taught me to knit when I was small and you can't beat watching someone else for learning something. (Providing they are doing it right of course.)

So I am sure it will improve and get neater, these are still a bit wobbly.

Another thing I did this week was to take down my Folksy shop.  It has become just an irritant to be honest, it hardly gets any traffic and I feel like every few months I just pay to renew items that no one sees and it doesn't really inspire me to spend time putting up anything new. So I am either going to try a new site or add a buy button here. 

So far I haven't started my next piece of patchwork but I do like the look of the cathedral window effect but it looks like it wastes an awful lot of fabric with all the folding and I do hate waste.  I will have a look if I can create the same effect without quite so much fabric.

Lemon Custard Coconut Tart (Gluten Free)

Yesterday I tried out a new desert, I got the recipe from a book I got from the library called Gluten Free Vegetarian, to be honest however there wasn't much in there that was anything different.  Things like stuffed peppers and salads with different combinations so nothing new.
I did see this one recipe for a coconut lemon custard and as I've not made this before thought I would give it a try.  As  usual a few things had to be changed to make it milk free as well, also I didn't like the idea of just coconut and egg white for the crust so mine has GF flour and Bertolli in it.
As I made it below I think it still needs tweaking, I ate it and enjoyed it as did my younger son but my husband said it was too lemony and older son agreed so less lemon next time.
Here it is...

Now I was pleased that it looked like a custard tart and the pastry held.  I would cook the pastry a little less next time I think it was in about seven minutes next time just five.

Now if you can eat cream use double cream, I used single soya cream and my custard was soft and not as firm as it would be using double cream but I can't eat that. I may try another for the rest of the family made in the proper way.  I ate mine with soya cream and raspberries.

Lemon Custard Coconut Tart

I used 21cm tin

1oz dessicated coconut

2oz GF plain flour

1 egg white

3 egg yokes

2oz Bertolli (or Margarine)

zest and juice of half a lemon

100ml soya cream (double dairy cream if possible)

2tbsp of sugar

Heat oven to 180c and line and grease tin, combine coconut, flour, egg white and bertolli in a bowl, rub in and bring together in a ball.  Roll out gently and press into tin.  Cook for 5 minutes (no longer)

Beat together egg yokes, cream, sugar, lemon and zest.  (The soya cream cannot be whipped!) Pour over tart and cook for another 13-15 minutes. 

I will use a little less lemon juice next time and I may try other flavours, I will also keep a closer eye on the pastry as mine was a little over cooked.   I still enjoyed it though as I only tend to get pudding when I make it! 

Charity Finds and Trying Something New

Yesterday the rain finally let up a little so I could actually get outside without getting drenched. In fact the sun actually came out for a bit I hope that was the case where you are too.
It made such a difference to my mood, after I had walked the dogs I brought them back and then walked down to the shops on my own.

First off I visited the library, I was pleased to discover two of the books I had ordered had arrived and while I was there  I also picked up a beginner book on crochet. Now this is something I have fancied having a go at for a while and I look at quite a few blogs that have some fabulous projects featured using this skill.

So I have had a look though (with a cup of tea and leftover chocolate coins) made a few notes and ordered some hooks off ebay, I just need to source some inexpensive wool to practise on.  (The hooks were only £2)  

One of the blogs I like that features lots of crochet is Attic 24 and if you follow that link it will take you straight to the gorgeous winter wreath she made last year which I can't stop admiring.  Now I am not thinking I will be able to create anything like that but it just goes to show what the accomplished are creating.

After the library I had a look in a couple of charity shops hoping to find a cheap hook and wool. Unfortunately they had no hooks but lots of needles (if you are a knitter get to the charity shops they had all sizes for 25p!) also the wool was £1. 90 a ball for 100g and I'm sure I can do better than that and really I would like smaller balls in  different colours, maybe part used for making the squares.

However while in the charity shop I saw this winter jacket at half price making it £3!

It is really well made and was too good to pass up so it came home with me.

Back home I got on with making a few more cards, I have found looking on pinterest useful for ideas I don't make them exactly the same but you can pick up a few things and switch them around.  The two below were inspired from there.

  As ever I didn't buy any bits but used left over papers, the pink papers are from the inserts from an old greeting card, the gold and brown is re-used wrapping paper, and the ribbon on the dress is the shoulder hanger ribbon from a top. I always cut these off as they are annoying but they are handy bits of ribbon.

I know lots of people buy expensive papers and the cutting and embossing machines for card making but I wanted to keep this a re-cycling activity.  I also made the envelopes to go with them from some gift wrap I had  around.

There is the re-used pink paper again to make little labels.