Trying to blog

Hello all

After being hacked, yes my accounts have been hacked . I've had this  overwhelming feeling that I need to go back to where it all started for me and that was blogland . Ive realised i need to  commit to keeping records in my blog rather than using Instagram as my sole source of sharing . 

 It was a goood friend who told me that I was helping provide content  on Instagram , but what would happen if Instagram was hacked , or just became something I hate , or like a lot of places there are changes  that I can’t navigate. It gave me food for thought .

. A few friends have had their accounts hacked and it unsettled me  .when i first started using instagram @heldap123 it was simply a place to share one pic , no explaination needed . Then suddenly the pressure was on , adverts suddenly appeared for things I have zero interest in . People I followed disappeared under algorithms . 

At the same time it became a place of keyboard warriors ,who hide behind the screens and did hateful things , they said alot of hateful things not to me but it sours the taste in your mouth , when you read some comments . That’s not my style , so i continue to use the platform to simply share current makes but I’ve decided that along side Insta I’d try my hardest to post here . Not sure how that will go but I’m going to try .

, I have a love of all things floral . Spring fills me with hope . I sit with  eager anticipation of new beginning both in nature and in my life. I absolutely love blossoms , the streets of London are filled with all these wonderful cherry blossoms.

I love the blossoms so much that i decided to design my flutter shawl . I used yarn from Eden cottage Yarns . The lovely Victoria offered me yarn suppport and she put together a kit of 100g skein plus a packet of minis .The shawl is made first and then you add the flowers , branches , stems leaves on top . It has a border plus tassels . Every time when i wear this im filled with happiness . The beautiful images of spring fill my mind .pattern was originally published in Inside Crochet Magazine. if you want to see some more picture of my designs click  this  helda panagary designs its my ravelry page .

Inside crochet issue 103, Parrallelogram shawl

My latest pattern has been published in issue 103 of Inside Crochet magazine. I do love the styling and photography .@mavricphotography. Just look at this 

 Sometimes, as a designer you buy some yarn and you have a moment when you know exactly what you will make. This is exactly what happened the moment my Scheepjes colour pack arrived. The box arrives and you do a very happy dance .

The catona packs contain 109 balls ,this pattern uses 107 . I didn't use black and dark brown. I joined as you go pattern . Finished with a border and I made my own faux fur pompoms. I recently watched the news that stated trading standards had found that even though websites  and many shops that thought they were selling faux fur , most they tested contained rabbit, I am shocked and very sad so I went to hobby craft and bought genuine faux fur by the meter and made my own.

I really enjoyed making the motifs pulling colours out randomly is so amazing . I plan my colour choices I can spent weeks making decisions on combining colours so when this colour pack arrived i threw caution to the wind and simply removed the black and dark brown and I simply made triangles . I am not going to lie I would often looking at two adjacent colours and hate them, but once all the colours are worked its amazing how the over all effect looks. I urge  all you colour perfectionist please try and do this it is very relaxing and less pressurized. check out all the photos here

hope you are all enjoying the weather?

 The one thing I struggle with now is the fact that most of what I do is months ahead .I am currently knee deep in Christmas crochet ,yeap. all I need do is pop on my Christmas songs cd start a roast dinner and I'd believe its that time of year.
Its all very strange. I am crocheting with thick winter wool in summer and in winter i,m  playing with cottons and linens. its really hot here in London, so you can imagine it is a bit of a struggle. most people are throwing off the blankets in this heat and I making them . Despite all this I wouldn't change  any of it . I'm very lucky to be able to spend my time with a crochet hook in hand.

Inside Crochet is available online and in most newsagents and supermarkets.

Inside crochet issue 81 ,Granny square shopper

Hello dear friends.

I hope you are all well. Did you have a good summer? I did but my goodness summer has whizzed by and autumn  my favourite season ,is upon us. I truly love the colder seasons I guess that's the reason I love yarn. Nothing makes me happier then putting away the light cottons ,linens of spring and summer and delving into my beautiful wintery yarns. 

 

We have had a very busy time my youngest daughter graduated in politics. I am a very proud mother of two graduates. My work here is done. (I am doing a mini dance.) I am so proud of them both. My parents really stressed that to survive in this world you should either have a trade/skill or you get  a educated, so your earning potential is much better and the opportunities abroad would be better for you. My parents were right, my giddy aunt , you know you are getting old when you start to  think all your parents advice was right.

 

 

 

 This month's Inside Crochet Magazine is out. Once again I am thrilled that my design is one of the many fabulous designs featured.  even after all this time I still have to pinch myself when I see the  magazine everywhere in supermarkets , newsagents. I don't think I will ever get used to it. I think that the time I get blasé about it ,it might be time to give up. I love what do.

My granny square shopper uses double knit cotton . I get great pleasure taking the old craft of crochet  and adding my own  modern contemporary touch. The bright yellow faux handles are not only beautiful but they are practical .The bag is lined making the bag very sturdy. However, if I am honest I really  struggled with the lining I am not the best at sewing . The amount of times I have said I ought to enrol on a sewing course but I never seem to find the time.

Goodness me , I do love the styling .It always gives my designs a life, does that make sense ? I know a bag is inanimate object but when its features in different surroundings it becomes animate, I promise I am not drinking wine, hehe, Its just how I feel about the right kind of styling.

For instance, I designed the bag because I got fed up with being charged for a carrier bag, I designed a pretty practical bag that I would not forget. If this bag was styled at the supermarket till It wouldn't be as pretty as the styling above, see what I mean ?

All images are the property  @mavricphotography , 

Crochet flower

Hello my lovely friends , hope you are all good and I'm sure you are enjoying the weather. Here in London we are getting a glimpse of sunny days. I've been embracing it . We have driven down to the seaside . I have not been to Southend since my daughter was 6 , twenty odd years ago. Oh we had a great day the Mr and I . We dined at restaurant with a view of the sea . Had a Fentimans ginger beer with haddock and chips and tartare sauce . Yummy . A stroll along the pebbly beach ,taking all the sights and sounds of a busy kitsch seaside . 

We bought some rocks and some lovely fudge , it was a lovely day.

Some days I can crochet and design all day . Planning ,writing , blogging making sure my social media platforms are up to date and other days I simply cannot help but play . At the moment I am addicted to making these crochet puff flowers . A while back I designed my Blommor bracelet 

This pattern is one of my favourite designs . I constantly made and gift this design for friends. I often personalise them to each persons favourite colour, I will make it in hues of that colour . It looks very effective. I  am offering this pattern for sale over on Ravelry  .

Have a lovely day.