Tuesday 14 October 2014

Crochet in Colour


Autumn is well and truly here. Actually it might even be winter. Suddenly it feels cold all day, the greyness doesn't lift and the drizzley mizzley rain just keeps coming. Yes, yes, I know I shouldn't complain, and I don't really mind the rain or the cold, it's the grey dreariness that I Do Not Like. At. All.
I spend a lot of my time being a Mum-Taxi so when the Little People are at school, and it's grey and rainy out, I choose to stay in and surround myself with colour to counteract the blah-ness outside.


I've been working on a few scarves this week, Christmas presents for various teachers, helpers and friends. I'm using a pattern called Blue Velvet, it's from issue 18 of Simply Crochet from this summer I think. The pattern is brilliantly simple and yet gives a really lovely effect that looks far more impressive than it actually is. If you see what I mean.





The blue one - I'm calling it Midnight Velvet - is for our Brownies leader, Brown Owl. "Why isn't it brown then ?" I hear you cry. Well, I've been noticing, Brown Owl's leader-y outfit is largely Girl Guides blue, so I decided on blue. Plus I like blue better than brown. Coincidentally, Little Tomboy accompanied her big sister to Brownies for the first time this evening. And she enjoyed it. Even though it was only girls. Bless her cotton (boys') socks. 

Anyway back to the crochet. Do you like the bluey-greeny yarn below ? Do you think it's gorgeous ? Well, looks can be deceptive, it's good old James C Brett Marble Chunky. Easy as it is on the eye, I don't find it as easy on the hook. I bought it ages ago to make a cushion cover with because easy to hook with or not, the colours are divine. But I need to psych myself up for it first. And I'm not ready yet.


The red version of the Blue Velvet scarf - I'm calling it Cranberry Velvet - is for my friend's birthday. I'm using King Cole Bonus DK, 100% acrylic, and a bargainous £2.99 for 100g, which is just the right amount for a scarf. It's divine to crochet with, glides off the hook, is soooo soft, and a gorgeous colour to boot.




I Adore that colour :) Just like a red carpet on my kitchen table. Heavenly :)

And the colour doesn't stop there, the red squares for the Poppy Pixel Art are all done, ends darned, and I delivered them to the assembly team today. Can't wait to see them all joined up, it's going to be amazing!


Meanwhile, in other news, Little Miss has been doing some French knitting on her knitting dolly. Initially she was making some sort of hair braid thingies for her Halloween costume (some kind of pink girl vampire I believe), but judging by what's lying on the table, I'd say she got bored and turned it into a bracelet :) Going with the creative flow, adapting as she goes, that's my girl :)


I love love love my crochet, but I do flirt a bit with other crafts too. I seem to have a gazillions things I'd like to do, but somehow crochet always comes to the fore. However I was reading through my bloglist last night and I visited the lovely Kate at Just Pootling who has made some really sweet table arrangements. You can read about them, and see some great photos, here.
I had some rather scraggy looking wine-coloured chrysanths which I thought I could eke out for another couple of days, but only if they were in a jar that took one's attention away from the slightly wilty petals. And so I totally shamelessly pinched Kate's idea. Thank you Kate!


I fancied trimming my jar with red gingham ribbon. Had a rummage in my stash and found 5m of ribbon I'd bought last year, wrapped on a piece of card. Really Really Annoyingly the ribbon had been folded end to end and then wound onto the card, so that both ends ended up under the rest of the ribbon! Argh! So I had to unravel the whole lot! (Does that make sense ?) But never mind, it makes a pretty picture :)


It's a really simple idea. Gather a few nice dry autumn leaves. Either go out on a dry day a-gathering your leaves, or go to your porch which you haven't swept for ages so there's a big pile of dry leaves which is lucky because it's pouring with rain outside beyond said porch. Make some holes in the top of the leaves, thread onto thread or string, and tie around jar, then tie ribbon around jar overlapping thread and top of leaves.  Stuff in Arrange, some half-dead flowers that you're too stingey to chuck out just yet. Add some foliage from your garden unless it's raining in which case I'll let you off. And Ta-dah! You have a pretty and rustic table arrangement:) And thank you Kate for the inspiration :)


(ps it was only when I revisited Kate's page to link to it tonight that I realised we have used very similar flowers - except Kate's are in a slightly more healthy state :)

And somehow this has brought me back to Brownies again - Little Miss came home with a letter saying next week she is going for her Hostess Badge (blast from the past! I had that one) .... and she has to make a table decoration .... so Kate you are inspiring her as well :)

xxxxxxxxx

20 comments:

  1. Hi Jill! Really enjoyed reading your post and seeing so many of your projects on the go! I love a good blast of colour, too!!! Both your scarves are shaping up nicely, such a pretty pattern! <3
    Have a great week!
    Ingrid xx
    http://myfunkycrochet.blogspot.be

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  2. Your scarves are SUPERB gifts, my friend! And I love your fall ribbon tied leaf bouquet, very clever of you to use the idea from your blog friend. It looks like the great pumpkin exploded at my house.. lol.. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  3. What wonderful gifts, its always nice to receive a new scarf, beautiful colours.

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  4. Love it Jill, and the gingham ribbon is the perfect touch. Don't you just love this big old sharing bloggy world !
    Have a lovely day, thats hopefully filled to the brim with lots of bright colours,
    Kate xx

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  5. Beautiful ! Superbes !! Bonne journée !

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  6. Your scarves are beautiful, I love the colours. How organised you are to be making Christmas gifts already! Love the gingham trimmed jar, very pretty! X

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  7. The scarves are lovely. I'm sure the recipients will be very pleased with their presents. What a great idea for a table decoration. I'm finding the greyness outside is sapping my energy. I'd rather it were cold, or properly wet, rather than never ending grey. Time to do something colourful I think! x

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  8. Your scarves are really lovely and beautiful colours. I've crocheted with that James C Brett yarn and didn't have any problems. It looks great so you'll have to use it!

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  9. Thank yoiu for your post on my blog and for introducing me to yours!! Its beautiful! X

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  10. Hi, Love your blog and your story! xoRobin

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  11. I love your scarves the colours are really bright and cheerful on a dull day and the idea for the vase is brilliant

    Jackie x

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  12. Love this post! The scarves are very attractive, and I know how annoying it is when you love the colour of a yarn but find it tricky to work with. The autumn flower decoration is very pretty - just right for these dreary days :) I too, was a Girl Guide, and did the Hostess badge, as well as the Home Maker one. I remember planning and cooking a 3-course meal, as well as being tested on ironing men's shirts! x

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  13. Hi Jill, I too love your scarves and I must dig out that issue of simply crochet, a super gift idea this Christmas. A nice splash of colour on this rainy day, you wouldn't believe how hard it is raining as I write this, hoping you are dry down south.
    Helen

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  14. Your scarves will make lovely gifts Jill! xx

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  15. Hello dear Jill! I have missed you too. This post is just great and full of inspiration. Seeing your kitchen table just makes me want to sit down and have some of that frothy coffee your sipping on hehehe Your projects look lovely and the table arrangement is very "fall". Clever girl. I was out walking the other day and there are leaves all over the place here. I thought to myself to pick up a few but had no clue what to do with them so they never made it home with me. I am thinking that we are in need of some fall decor :)

    Its great to back in blogland and I look forward to reading through your previous posts.

    Birgitta xx

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  16. Hi, I love the marble yarn. I've made a fair few things from it now. My problem is getting hold of it as I have finished all the stock in my local shop!! - must get online to buy some. I love the colour of yours though so I will be looking for that one when I finally get round to it. Isn't it odd that a brand/thickness (sorry not sure of technical terms, I am new to crochet and yarn) can be liked by someone and not liked by someone else. Hope it's not as bad when you use it and you love your new cushion enough not to mind!

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  17. Wonderful gifts! Love your autumn leaves arrangement as well.

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  18. What lovely gifts! Your vase is so pretty, the leaves are such a nice addition xx

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  19. Your scarves are so pretty, Jill. I love to make scarves for people. I was so happy yesterday when my daughter's teacher told me that she'd been wearing a scarf I'd made the day before. I didn't have a chance to see her that day, so I hadn't realized. I made it two years ago when my son had the same teacher so I was glad to hear she still likes it today!

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  20. Love your scarves they are fabulous. Great pattern. I had that Brownie badge!!!!! But it was like a million years ago because I am so old, I loved Brownies.
    Hugs,
    meredith

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Jillxxxxx