Crochet display - round up

As regular followers will know I have been working on various pieces for a display at Carlisle Hobbycraft.

Everything is all together now, and displayed.  I think it looks quite nice even if I do say so myself.

You may spot some previous blog posts lurking in that photo  :)  At the front is the Curly Wurly Scarf.

At the back there is the Granny Squares Cushion, nice and bright and colourful.

Then a little crochet mug-hug pattern.

And last, but not least, are the two tops - the summer vest and the frilly bolero.

Crochet Bolero

Another piece finished for the display at work.

This is a cute bolero style cardigan with a beautifully frilled edge.

The pattern is from Patons and is in a booklet called "Summer Breeze".

I made it in 4ply Patons Cotton yarn in a wonderful deep wine colour called fuschia.

The body of the bolero worked up really quickly, but the frill around all the edges and the cuffs took ages.  But it was worth it as it looks so pretty.  The front comes to a point to enable a soft knot.

It was to go with the pistachio crochet vest I made earlier in the month.

My Day

Some people share so much on Facebook, various status updates all day about nothing much in particular, and usually starting with "morning" and ending in "goodnight".  I've never felt the need to do that, maybe because I don't think I have enough intersting things to say.

But, today, every hour, on the hour, I am going to do an update about my day.

Starting with....

8.00am.

Fast asleep, until the Hubster shakes me away to say "Goodbye, I am off to work now" - he got a grunt in return, I rolled over and went back to sleep.

9.00am

Still asleep.

10.00am

I am awake now, I picked up my iPad and checked Facebook - lots of people saying "Good Morning".  I play a few games of Candy Crush Saga and Bubblewitch Saga  (sad, I know)  Then took a shower.

11.00am

Watched an episode of Dallas.  I am slightly addicted and have watched it from the start, but I am also a little sad as I only have 2 episodes left of the old series to go.  I am going to feel bereft.  My daughter did buy me the new series on DVD for Christmas, so will start on that.  RIP Larry Hagman.

Whilst watching I sewed the last sleeve into a crochet bolero top I have made for a display at work.  The sleeves didn't seem to fit too well so needed a little jigging about to get it to work.

12.00am

I started work at noon today, a four hour shift, so not too bad.  I started by doing a display of crochet items - a cushion, a vest, a bolero, a scarf and a mug-hug.

1.00pm

Having finished the crochet display I then sewed some pom-poms to a colleague craft item we have going on in Hobbycraft.  It was supposed to be a full length door curtain, but due to the time taken to make the pom-poms  (we tend to make them while on a quiet till shift) we just aint gettting enough.  So a window curtain it will become  :)

2.00pm

Right bang on 2.00pm I was just doing a regular job, running some price labels through the laminater.  Happily feeding it though I suddenly realised that nothing was coming out!  Somehow the plastic sheet had wound itself up inside and got stuck.

So the next quarter of an hour was spent with my manager trying at first to get the machine apart, then finally  the good old "let's stick a knife in it" method.  We finally got it out.

3.00pm

I spent the next hour tidying up the glittery foam letters.  I am now covered in glitter, blooming stuff gets everywhere.

4.00pm

Home time!  But not for long as I am back into work at 6.00pm to run a crochet class.

5.00pm

A quick episode of Dallas, a quick pasty to keep me going  (this is a very late lunch), a quick clothes change and a quick brew (with two bags to bring my caffeine levels back up)

6.00pm

Landed back at Hobbycraft to do a 'crochet for beginners' class.  This was the 2nd out of 4 classes and it seemed to go really well.  Three ladies were new to the group and started with a simple chain and Double Crochet stitch, while the other four went on to start a granny square piece (perhaps a cushion, maybe a blanket in time).

7.00pm

Still crocheting.

8.00pm

Home again.  Got home to find the Hubster cooking tea (he calls it 'Dinner' as he is a Southerner, but in the North it is 'Tea')  Quorn 'bacon' and hashbrown butties.  So healthy  :)  He doesn't do complicated recipes, but sometimes it is just so nice to have something simple and filling.  Washed down with a large red wine, of course.

9.00pm

Watching Homeland.  One of my sons (Adam) bought it for Hubster for Christmas.  We have never watched it on TV but heard it was good, and so far it's great!

10.00pm

Still watching Homeland.  Whilst crocheting my Ripple Blanket.

11.00pm

Must be time for bed.  Although I am a bit of a night owl and would happily stay up until the early hours, the Hubster would be tucked up by 10.00pm every night if he had his way.  I don't care for sitting up on my own so I will go to bed with him and play on my iPad for a good few hours.  Check out some blogs, play some games, read an eBook.  I will probably drop off around 1.30 - 2.00am.

Goodnight :)

Baby Bolero

A Hobbycraft customer, who had attended one of my knitting class in the store, emailed me to see if I knew of anyone that might help her out of a slight issue she had.

She was getting married and had had three little bolero cardis made for her bridesmaids, only one didn't fit and would need some extensive unpicking to get it sorted.  It seemed to be easier to make a new one from scratch.

I found myself offering - as often happens  :)

She had picked the most gorgeous wool for the boleros, it is Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk DK.

It is blended from 75% Merino Wool along with 20% Silk & 5% Cashmere.  It is so ultra soft and beautiful to knit with.  They have the most gorgeously cute names too, like Pebble, Cuddle and Piglet.  The colour she chose is a lovely aqua shade called Puddle.

It has a cute little flower on one side too :)

Hope it fits  :)

A silly mistake....

I fancied a bit of knitting, but something I would actually wear and not get bored half way through when knitting it.

I found this gorgeous free pattern.....

http://berroco.com/exclusives/kia/kia.html

Right up my street is this style. Problem is it was for a certain wool type, which is now obsolete, and I wasn't sure what thickness of wool it was either. So off I trotted to the local wool shop, chose a nice double knit in a random shade of blues and greys, with a silver metallic thread running through it.  Perfect.  Bought my two sets of Sz 9 circular needles and rushed home to make a start.

I dug out my Sz 9 needles and set to work.  You start by making the edge piece, which you sew into a ring, then you pick up the stitches along once edge and just work in a big round.

At this point I should mention that I NEVER do a test piece to check my gauge (Tut-Tut)  does anyone?

So, I got the rim done, that looked fine, in fact the whole thing looked fine until I did the armholes, they looked a little neat, but just a little.  I carried on, it actually wasn't until the last few rounds that I realised this wasn't going to be the big baggy waistcoat, one to fit my generous frame, that I thought it would be. In fact, it was more like a bolero jacket for my Sz 8 daughter!

I do like the pinwheel design on the back though...

The mistake?  I used Sz 9 needles, which are 3.75mm instead of 9mm needles!!!

(the top ones are the ones I SHOULD have used, the bottom ones are the ones I did)

Oh well, lesson learnt.

Right, try again..... this is my new wool, and this time I have been out and bought 9mm needles.