Inside crochet Issue 76, Boules Necklace

 

  My my. the weather is so lovely today. I  am sitting outside the coffee shop writing on my ipad enjoying  this beautiful spring day. Being outside having a latte in the sun makes me feel happier. It always feels like I'm holiday. I hope it is warming up where you are.

 Hello mu loves,
I have no idea where time is going, I still can't believe it is April. Easter whizzed by so quickly. I am sorry that I have not been visiting all your blogs , life just gets in the way. As ever I am knee deep in designs and I am also in the middle of having a  deep spring clean. I bought a new bed side table and cleared out the old one, I found a bill in there from 1998, I mean why in god's name would you have a bill that old in my file of paid current bills. Please, tell me I am not the only one.??????

Once I started clearing out I decided I should  tackle the other things on my to do list and 6 black bin bags later . I feel a wee bit better, Decluttering is a wonderful tonic. Plus, it means I now have more space for more yarn, hahaha. In my defence I am a designer, it is all totally work related. Well that is what I tell others, you dear friends know the truth. I simply love yarn and need to be surrounded by the stuff , it comforts me.

 I am very happy to share my latest published design in this month's Inside Crochet.  It is called The Boules necklace ,Inspired after  playing boules with my grandson. We used a colourful children's version .We had great fun .I am finding lots of inspiration seems to be coming from playing with the little one. I am constantly  surrounded with bright and beautiful colours , it is wonderful to see the joy colours can bring. It reminds me how much I do enjoy working with colours . A day with him always results in a new colour combination and design ideas.

 If you are ever stuck for colour ideas I suggest you get a packet of pencils and simply play around. Or get out your balls of yarn make a five round  granny square using colours you normally wouldn't use and try and be random about it , I promise you will be surprised at your results.

I think this pattern is great for those small balls of yarn we all have .I used double knit cotton. I am making one in beautiful blue gradient colours for my jean loving youngest daughter, and a neutral shaded one for myself .The possibilities are endless.
It has suddenly cooled right down, I am off  home to make dinner, tonight I am making a seafood linguine. I  also have some large scallops that I will sizzle in some butter noisette , squeeze of lime .Nom nom.
Have a lovely evening
What are you having for dinner?
all images are copyright@insidecrochet

Inside Crochet 46-Ellie Project Basket

This months Inside Crochet has been published.

As ever this magazine has some wonderful designs. I really like the pleated cardigan by Kat Goldin and I love the colourful Eliza scarf. My pattern is the Ellie Project Basket. A monochrome design that is quick and easy to make, perfect to house those endless crochet projects we all have . It uses 4 balls of aran yarn from New Lanark Mills. The yarn is used doubled to produce a dense thick fabric .6mm hook is used. You can't really see from this thumbnail but the basket  has a very delicate shell crochet edging that uses DMC cotton, I think it frames it perfectly.

 

New Lanark is a World Heritage Site, in Scotland, on the River Clyde. It’s a working model mill village which was built in the 18^th century to provide better working conditions for mill workers. It’s a major tourist attraction  in Scotland (lovely scenic place to visit!) and the mill shop sells fabulous 100% pure new wool from New Lanark, and also organic wool from New Lanark Organic Wool Spinners.Yarn come three ranges:

 

 Donegal silk Tweed; - This range consists of 90% wool and 10% silk for a touch of added luxury.

Heather Mixtures;     reflect all the stunning colours of the Scottish countryside

.Natural Blend; is totally natural, and made from blending Merino and Zwarble undyed wool. Different quantities and variations of the undyed wool are mixed together to produce a wonderful range of pure, unprocessed yarn.

 

I used the natural blend.  Be warned, it is pure sheep style wool so it’s not your fancy soft stuff, it’s a bit rough just like good old fashioned wool always is. It is tough and warm. It is fabulously strong for bag and accessory making. Which makes it perfect for this project it is very good value for money. I am  very proud to support New Lanark Mills and their wools, not only because it is helping to keep the British spinning industry alive, but also it is supporting one of only six world heritage sites in Scotland.  If you get time New Lanark is well worth a visit

Visit the New Lanark website here to find out more about this historic site.http://www.newlanark.org/

 I am not being paid for this post I just want to show my support.

 

Make up remover pads

I try my upmost to be environmentally friendly. I try to reuse everything, carrier bags are turned into coasters . Plastic containers are used for storing rice ,pasta, yarn. It was whilst emptying the bathroom bin (oh, the joys of housework)) I realised the amount of make up remover pads we use and throw away. With three girls we use loads of disposable cotton pads, which ultimately means I'm spending alot on these pads.

With all the wonderful advances in production of soft cotton yarns of which I have plenty, I decided to make a batch of reusable pads. These pads get softer with every wash. Handwash is best, but I do wash in the machine.I put mine in one of those meshed bags with a zipper used for small things usually socks.If you happen to have some of the coarser cotton yarns they make great exfoliating pads.

I used a variety of cotton, Rowan's cotton yarn milk, purelife ,rowan denim, sirdar, debbie bliss dk cotton, sublime's organic cotton.Feel free to use whatever yarn you have as long as it's cotton. It doesn't have to be done in one colour, it's a great cotton stashbuster. Make one for every day of the week.

Pattern

Stitches; uk . See nezumi's conversion chart for terms

Hook size :3.5mm feel free to use whatever hook for the yarn you are using.

Yarn; whatever you like

Foundation; 5 chain, sl st in the first chain.

Row 1; 3ch counts as one tr, 15 tr into the ring. Sl st in 3rd ch at the beginning of round. (16tr)

Row 2: 5ch, 1tr at the base of this 5ch, ( acts as 1tr, 2ch, 1tr).Continue this in every tr . (32 tr).

Row 3; 3ch, *in next tr make 2tr, 1tr in next tr** rep from * to ** 15 times. 1sl st in 3rd ch at the beginning of round. (48)

Row 4; 3ch, 2tr in the next tr, *1tr in each of the next 2tr, 2tr in next tr** rep from * to **15 times .1 tr in last tr sl sp into 3ch at beginning of round. (64).

Fasten off and weave all ends.

NOTE;

Use this pattern freely all I ask is you dont claim this as your own ,please dont use this pattern to sell .

Potato sack

I often buy my spuds from a supermarket, organic, I hasten to add. I hate the plastic bag its housed in , it suffocates them and often makes them sweat, leading to rotten spuds. So, with that in mind I set about to make a potato sack. It"s made in dk cotton in a simple treble pattern ,made in the round , then I changed the pattern to 2tr in each treble, miss one treble all in the round.Varied this sequence. When you get the correct size you need make a cord to thread threw. Et voila, a nice easy project.