Five on Friday

For Five on Friday today I thought I'd share with you some crocheted items that I made before I started blogging. It's only been around 18 months but some of these projects feel like years ago. Off we go then on a (fairly recent) nostalgia trip ....

Children's hats ....

Minecraft creeper, Hello Kitty, and a Minion. Pretty much sums up my Little Peeps - a die-hard gamer likely to explode any second, a pretty cutie-pie and a mischievous small thing. They don't wear these any more, they are either too small or no longer considered cool, but I will keep them for sentimental value, I think :) I used lots of Pinterest ideas for inspiration, but just made them up as I went along. After all I had life size models trying them on every 10 minutes.

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Teddy blankets ....

These little blankets were my first attempt at granny squares, and also my first foray into blocking. I made them both on holidays in Northern Ireland, and the crocheting was done largely on the beach.
Yes, there are beaches in Northern Ireland, and yes it's sometimes even warm enough to sit on them. With the safety net of a beach tent though, you never know where the next rain cloud is coming from.
The blue blanket is being modeled by Ted - Little Tomboy's teddy. I've blogged about Ted before, he's quite a character. Our 4th child I think. Yesterday I played Snakes and Ladders with Little Tomboy. Ted played too. (I won, in case you're wondering. I wasn't too popular). Today, Little Tomboy informed me that I had to leave her curtains closed all day, as Ted was having a lie-in. Flopsy, Little Miss' rabbit-teddy, is snuggled under the pink blanket. Flopsy is as equally loved, but a bit more shy, and a lot less demanding.

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Granny Square Cowl

I made this just over a year ago, late in the winter of 2013. It was my first flirtation with James C Brett Marble Chunky. I have a love-hate relationship with this yarn. I adore how it looks, and feels, but I find working with it quite irritating. That being said I have since bought it again so I guess it can't be that bad. When I made this cowl, I just wanted to make Something, but wasn't sure exactly what. I tried a few different things and wasn't happy with any of them. In the end it was more a sort of "sod it I'll just make granny squares and do something with them" type of project. And so the cowl was created. I hated it. It just wasn't right. Too stiff, too curly, and I didn't like the colour-changing-granny effect. However it was the warmest scarf-like thing I had last winter and I wore it constantly. Now it has softened up beautifully, become a wardrobe staple and of course I've grown to love it.

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First Fingerless Mitts

Oh, these mitts are a dilemma. I made them really just to use up some Aran wool that my friend gave me when her mother-in-law cleared out her loft. And I mean Aran as in that creamy stuff my Mum made me too-tight jumpers with and then forced me to wear them - shudder). The pattern was from Simply Crochet, I think, and I also embellished them with a heart. I was really happy with them when finished, and they are fabulously warm. BUT I hate the colour. Sigh. It's exactly the colour of a plaster cast. I broke my wrist a few years ago and had a cast for 7 weeks (nightmare - couldn't drive, write, lift laundry, type properly, cook, dry my hair, putting on my bra was a contortionist act) and when I wear these mitts I look like I've broken both wrists. I keep waiting for someone to ask me what I've done. Oh and they get super grubby super quick. But they're soooooooo cosy to wear.

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Chunky Poncho

This was another trial with James C Brett and his marble chunky. James, James, James. Could you not have made it a bit less fuzzy and splitty ? Well it's not really splitty, it's just I find it so hard to distinguish the stitch outline to know where to put the hook. The poncho was made from this Drops pattern. (If you've never visited the Drops pattern website before, go and have a browse, there are loads of free patterns, I highly recommend it). I'm not the right shape to carry a poncho off that well in public in front of other actual people, but it's a winner for wearing in front of the telly :) I love the colours here, gorgeous earthy tones, and it is gloriously snuggly and warm. James, perhaps your marble chunky isn't so bad after all.

I'm joining in with Five on Friday, thankyou to Amy for organising :) You can visit the other bloggers taking part by clicking the links below.

Amy from Love Made My Home

CJ from Above The River

Nicole from My Garden Diaries

Beth from The Whimsical Dowager

Alison from Life At Sylvan House