I am in the Paper!

This is from my book signing on Saturday.

I may not have sold many books but at least I got in the local rag! I had to use the one with Julie in it as she nagged me to send it to them. The other people are a lovely couple who spent ages chatting to me and looking at the scrapbook, then kindly agreed to pose for the photo

On Time!

I know I have been very bad lately and not been getting these calendars done on time - if at all - but I am hoping you will all forgive me. This months is a Sunflower which the birds "planted". The seed was from the food I put out for them. It had rooted on top of the weed membrane between the slate.

I carefully pulled it up and planted it next to the fence where there is some soil. I even re-routed the watering system so it had plenty of water. And this was what I got! As always, two versions of the calendar, one in wide screen. Enjoy!

More Noro Mitts

I couldn't resist. That yarn was so gorgeous that I had to get another ball. This one will match my winter coat.

I have also re-written the pattern so that it will better suit plain yarn or where the colour changes are more frequent. The Noro yarn has large sections of colour and I wanted the colour on the thumb to be in line with the hand. This pattern also means you can make all of the fingers and thum different colours.

If you want to make them prettier for a girl, just add a pattern for the cuff. You may need to incease a couple of stitches in the last dc round, depending on what pattern you use. The free patterns for both version are available on Rainbow Valley.

I Won!!!!!!

I didn't expect to, despite all of you telling me I should.

Yes, there was a lot of time, effort and work that went into it.

Yes, I am especially pleased with it and think it is the best thing I have ever produced.

But, the thing is, I know the standard of work that some of the other ladies produce.

That makes my win all the more special, knowing that I was up against some very steep opposition.

It really was fun to do. Sometimes it is nice to crochet "Just Because". Not because I had an order or because I was writing a pattern.

However, due to popular demand, there will be a pattern. I have even started writing it.

I did mention somewhere that I might consider a winter project. It was an off hand comment that was taken seriously. The problem is, I don't have time for one. I do, however, have a whole load of unfinished projects which got thrown in the wardrobe when I broke my wrist.

I really think they could do with finishing.

Do you remember these? This is going to be the first project I need to finish. Lots of the letters are done, I just need the photos and finish off the others.

Both of these are in yarn with a 3.00mm hook. The upper case letters measure 19cm tall. I have started working on "Nadolig Llawen" in thread and a 1.50mm hook. The upper case letters measure 11.5cm.

Also, I don't have the money for one. That Clematis was quite expensive to make with all the thread I used. And I have made the decision to learn to drive.

This will mean saving up as much as I can for the lessons - which, as anybody knows, are not cheap.

So, if anybody fancies a name or a "Merry Christmas", I am taking orders. And you can order them in the safe knowledge that you money is going to a worth while cause!!!!!

Finally Finished!!!!!!!!!!!

And I am so pleased! It has taken ages. When I started this "Summer Challenge" I honestly didn't expect it to take all summer. But there we go. I haven't even tried to work out how much thread and wire I have used.

I have written parts of the pattern as I went along, basically because I needed to. I had to make all six petals on each flower the same so I wrote the pattern on the first one and followed it for the other five.

It has been suggested that, even though not many people would want to make the whole thing, the pattern would sell for the individual parts to use on bags and clothing. Sounds good to me! First though, I need to make a scrapbook of it. A digi one of course, with lots of crochet bits added. Then, maybe I can convert that to a pattern book.

A long time in coming.....

......... but I have been busy with other things!

Its amazing how fast time flies. The summer seems to have gone in a flash. So, rather late this month, I have finally done a new desktop calender. The good news, however, is that I took loads of interesting photos over the summer and plan to make the rest of the years calenders well in advance.

I just need to remember to upload them on time. As always, there is a wide screen version as well.

New Mittens

When I was in Ely a few weeks ago I popped into my favourite shop - Yarn on the Square.

It isn't your run of the mill yarn shop, it it full of pretty designer yarns which are also quite expensive! Now I am not saying the shop is expensive but when you are used to paying about £1.50 for the stuff you normally use, anything over £5 is expensive. And, trust me, this ball was well over £5!!!!!

The problem was, it called to me. I saw it on the shelf and just couldn't resist the colours.

I have been thinking for some time about designing a pair of fingerless mittens that are worked from the fingers down and that only leave you one end to sew in when you have finished. I hate sewing up seams!!!!!

I was also planning ahead for a magazine submission. I figured the colours would look good in print.

So this weekend, I made the mitts. I have to say, I am really pleased with them. And that yarn is so warm and soft. So even if they are the most expensive pair I have ever made, I am just going to love wearing them! Unfortunately, I have since had an email saying that the new magazine is no longer going ahead.

Apart from the fact that I am extremely disappointed, I think it is a great shame. The UK could do with something a bit different in crochet.

The pattern for these mitts is available free on Rainbow Valley.