New Project

I am starting a new project - and it is one I can share with you. :D. My nieces are getting married and I wanted to make them something. After lengthy discussions, we have decided on a crocheted version of "Twister". Rather than the traditional 4 rows of 4 colours we are going for 6 rows of 6 colours chosen to compliment their wedding colours and we are going for dice rather than a spinner. If this works out, it may well end up as a new pattern, we just need to think of a name for it.

More learning curves.

This time it is cPanel. Last week my web host gave me 7 days notice that she was shutting down. While I understand and support her reasoning behind this, it put me into a bit of a panic. It meant that I needed to find a suitable web host and get my site transferred over without interrupting my business in any way.

Luckily, there are a lot of places out there to host your web site, the trick is to sort the good ones from the bad ones.

After checking out price plans and reading reviews, I settled for Webhosting.uk.com

The first thing that struck me about these was how helpful and patient they were. I contacted their livechat and asked a load of questions. Being a complete novice at this side of things, some of them were probably pretty stupid but Neil explained everything in terms I could understand.

You could argue that they were trying to get my money so, of course, they were going to be nice. I contacted them 3 more times during and after my purchase and their response was always the same.

The best bit was they transferred everything over for me making it smooth sailing and no interruption to the website service.

This is where the learning curve comes in. I am now in charge of a bright, shiny, new cPanel. And I have no idea what to do with it.

I have bought a book so watch this space.

Kiss Me Quick

Meet "Kiss Me Quick". The CAL will start in March 2018 and full details will be available in January on www.cal.enfys.me.uk

Mini Flowers

Block 5.

This is actually the first block I designed for the Secret Garden but after discussion with the testers, we decided to go with a different order.

It is made with 9 mini blocks which are joined as you go. As always, please read the instructions carefully and refer back to the notes where necessary.

For more information go to the Secret Garden web page.

Just a few balls of yarn........

Having chosen the colours for the new CAL and finding out that Stylecraft prices are going up, I decided to get some in ready. I know I haven't started it yet (still working on this *&^%$£* commission) but it just seemed like the best thing to do in current circumstances.

Last Thursday, the delivery arrived. You know some things you imagine are always bigger when you see them in real life? This delivery was HUGE. Luckily, Kathryn was here. I gave her the easy job of standing there with the clipboard and checking off the packs as I unpacked and sorted them. Then I had the easy job of making lunch while Kathryn took the yarn upstairs. When she had finished, she said "You didn't need to get into your spare room did you? I thought she was joking.

The afternoon was spent working on the computer. That evening I decided to go and organise the spare room. Kathryn had not been joking. It took me well over an hour to sort and stack the yarn. It is now all stacked neatly against the wall. You can get into the room and use the spare bed. However, if I have more than one visitor, they are going to have a yarn mattress. The best bit of all of this was my son. He is away in London all week for college.

He came home Friday evening and took something upstairs and put it on the spare bed. On Saturday I asked if he had noticed anything.

"Why, what have you done?"

I didn't tell him. It turns out that he hadn't turned the light on when he had gone into the room. He went into the room Saturday evening, turned on the light, had a look around then said

"Did you buy a new lampshade?"

You know how much I like to tease?

Partly because I have enjoyed the Secret Garden so much and partly because I am a sucker for punishment, I am planning another CAL - Space Odyssey.

Here are the colours I have chosen.
Saffron, Spice, Copper.
Teal, Aspen, Sage.
Cloud Blue, Aster, Royal.
Silver, Graphite, Black.
White, Lipstick.

More Butterflies

Block 4.

An important thing to be aware of is that it changes from rounds to rows and back to rounds.

You need to use a lot of numbered stitch markers on the butterfly. I suggest you use different coloured yarn and make a list giving each colour a number. The wing tips are attached through the bottom layer only. All other marked stitches are attached through both layers.

For more information go to the Secret Garden web page.

Birthdays, Butterflies and Frogs.

Yesturday was my birthday. It was also the first Yarn Yard open day of 2017.

Benjamin made me some gorgeous Butterfly earrings. He is studying at the Goldsmiths Centre in London and used some of his work experience time to make them.

Heather made me a cake. Those of you who crochet will understand the theme perfectly! The open day went well. I had a few visitors who had come for my birthday rather than the yarn.

It was not as busy as I had hoped but I had some customers I hadn't seen before and gained two new students. That made it quite a successful day as far as I am concerned.

The next one is on April 8th so make sure that you put it in your Diary.

Following on........

Block 3.

The large flower is made in a sinilar way to the dranfly which is why I chose this one next.

For more information go to the Secret Garden web page.