Crochet Cowl

This week I have been trying to do a little bit of crochet every evening to finish the cowl I had started, not a lot just a few rows and it worked as I finished it yesterday.  This has made me feel that maybe I could do something bigger by plodding away at it like that, I am not very fast at it but it just shows a little here and there and things get done.

I got the width and chain length from the beginner book, I also repeated the rib pattern that I did on the fingerless mitts but this time I used two colours.  I didn't make it as long as the cowl in my book I just measured around my neck, then I twisted it before crocheting the two ends together after that I carried on around putting a shell edging all around the outside.

I am very happy with it and feel it will be useful and not fall off or come undone like a scarf does sometimes.

I think I will start a small novelty item  for now while I decide on a bigger project.  There are a few images of snowflakes and little decorations I have seen on pinterest so I will have to have another look.

Earlier this week I made  a little hairbow for the daughter of a friend who was admiring my flamingo blouse, I knew I had a little bit of fabric left and some children's hair slides from a while back.

Sometimes it is nice to make something small, especially if you can use up those last bits of fabric.  I have started keeping really small pieces now just in case I fancy doing some micro patchwork (if that is a thing!)

A little bit of progress has been made working through my library book 'Drawing on the right side of the Brain' fascinating stuff!  While I was working on one activity that has you copying an image from the book upside down, I was thinking this will never look anything like it should, well it turned out better than if I had done it my way, right way up.  I have since done other images this way and it really works.  It is just to get you looking and not to suggest you forever draw upside down.  So far so good hopefully I will be improved by the end of the book.

Today I have been taking up curtains for a friend, I listened to another radio 4 drama while I was doing that, it had a little twist to it.  You can find it here Heather.  I have also just quickly  cut out a top from one of the patterns I was gifted a few weeks ago.  It is a very basic shape so will take no time at all to sew up tomorrow, or later this evening.

I have to say it looks very large at the moment I am hoping it will be due to the effect of it having a tie back, otherwise there will be some adjustment's made.  The spotty/floaty image on the cover looks good (future fabric choice perhaps). 

Burda Trousers and Sewing a Pocket Welt

This week has been lovely and relaxing, a few things made, books read and these Burda trousers finished off.  I don't know why but I had them near completion about two weeks ago and then they just sat there waiting to be finished off.  My husband thinks they are a little busy but I like them, there is no point making your  own clothes if they all look the same, change is good.

My husband did point out that you can't see the details because of the pattern and he does have a point so I have taken a few close ups so you can see the pockets and belt loops.

I actually have two buttons on the back pockets that are not exactly the same, they are the same colours but slightly different. I'm ok with that.

I did have to make the seams a bit larger on this pattern as it starts from a size 10 also once I had alsmost finished and was about to put the waistband on I had to alter that at the sides and back too.

I chose to put a button and button hole at the front although the pattern suggested a bar and catch, I prefer and feel more secure with a button as I've had trouser with that sort of fastener and they can come undone.

The fabric is lovely and soft and was bought along with the pattern from Minerva Crafts, after trying these on I may have to make some more for the winter.

One thing I thought I would mention is the way the welt pockets at the back are created, on the pattern you are instructed to cut tow small pieces for the inner vents and that is not the way I do it so here is my way.

I just cut one rectangle and stitch it over the marked points on the pieces. Put  a piece of interfacing over it first  then cut out your little letter box opening.

 Next you push it all through then arrange the folds so they feel even and hold them at the sides ( this manipulation gets easier with practise so have a go on a few  scraps first.

Flip it over at the sides and you can put your fingers on the little triangle bit, it does get easier the more you do it.

Then machine stitch it, you may find you want to stich all the way around to maintain an even width or you can just do that part when you add the back of the pocket.

I hope that is clear enough I just find it easier than messing about with two pieces. This may have been explained by  me before on here when I have been making skirts, so if you have seen it before I apologise for repeating myself but without going back through and checking I can't remember!

I also made another pair of fingerless mittens for my younger son in grey and I have just started on a cowl. It looks a bit narrower than I thought so I made add an edging once it's complete so any suggestions welcome.

Friday we had a browse in the charity shops and I found this super book...

It was only  £1.50 and is full of recipes, places to see, tips for camp sites, days out and all kinds of camping information.  Plus many vegetarian recipes or ones that can be easily adapted.

The book is also divided into seasons and this recipe above is from the winter section, I may have to try that one.  I was going to take a few more shots then the battery went dead, photo overload for today.

Back to work tomorrow so that will interfere with my making time :(  I have decided I am going get up a little earlier each day to fit a bit of something in before I go to work, as I have to be there for 7.30 on Monday this may be a push put even if it just a row or two of crochet or a few stiches on something it will be a start.   I will keep you posted.

Crochet Fingerless Mittens

It must be something to do with the change in temperature but I had the urge to get out my crochet hooks and have a go at something.  I haven't done any since 2016 how ridiculous! Where has that time gone? So back then I taught myself as best I could  with library books and YouTube and created this Floral wreath  it hangs on the wall near my sewing table.  Well as it has been so long I had to get a book out again to jog my memory, I chose a beginner book by Emma Varnam and decided to make the fingerless mittens.
My first pair are a bit odd in size, I think my tension was varying, the second pair I have made for my son as he said he would still be able to use his phone in them.  My younger son also wants a pair in grey so on with those now, it is nice to be able to make something for them.

I went to fetch this yarn  yesterday after my son said he wanted black, I could barely see what I was doing!  It really made a difference trying to work in a dark colour and was maybe not the best choice for a beginner but they are definitely better then my first pair which turned out a bit bumpy, but wearable.

The black ones I made a bit longer, I seem to have trouble when I get to the end of a row deciding which one is my last stitch so any tips would be appreciated, I end up checking lots because I am uncertain.  With knitting you have a definite number of stitches on the needle that can be clearly seen I find with crochet the stitches are harder to spot.  All you old hands at it will be laughing but I tried putting a safety pin at the ends but that seemed to confuse me more so I took them out.

This is the pattern I used...

This is the book from the library...

I got the yarn from Hobby craft and it is  Women's  Institute acrylic 100g, you got three balls for the price of two making it £1.50 a ball is that good?  As it is not something I buy usually I have no comparison, I know I got some from there a few years ago when I did the wreath and a few bits from the charity shop.   Also if anyone can point me in the direction of some more good beginner projects that would be great, I don't really want to just do blankets as we have the dogs and little claws will get caught in them.  

While I was getting a bit of crochet finished earlier I listened to Henry James The Turn of the Screw this was a really good dramatization of this story,  I read this a few years ago and enjoyed it, just earie enough without being horrible if you know what I mean.  I don't like actual horror but good old fashioned ghost stories can be enjoyable.

That said, I  had to put down one of the books I got from the library because it was too disturbing 'Alice' by Christina Henry, I got one hundred pages in then stopped, there are some images you just don't need in your head!  I did read The Chimp Paradox by Dr Steve Peters over two days.  I enjoyed that, there was  lots of information in there that makes you think and question your thoughts, I am about to start 'Uprooted' the good thing about getting them from the library is I don't have to feel bad if they are not for me, I can just stop and move on.

I am going to have another browse on the BBC radio 4 website to see if there are any other dramas I can listen to while getting on with things, any audio book suggestions I can get on there? My only problem with that though is that if I don't like the voice doing the reading I can't listen.