Snow from a cloudless sky

It's an absolutely gorgeous day outside. The sun is shining, there's just a light breeze. I'm going to go out later and prune the buddleia.


Here's last week's snowflake. It's no. 7 of Noel Nevins' 8 snowflake patterns made available to members of Crochet Snowflakes. Unfortunately, NN isn't responding to sign-ups at the moment. Hopefully she'll be back soon.





As for the flake - a bit too much flower, not enough flake this one. Still, I've really liked some of her others and I've got one more to try.

Update!
While digging in the garden this afternoon DH disturbed a slow worm that had been basking in the sun. Yep, a really lovely day.

I've got a Fish Bag!

xxx

And I know how to use it.

Did I mention that green is my favourite colour?

I made the first one (pattern link here, too) with the intention of giving it away, but it was so cute I wanted one for ME. And now I've got one.

It's not big - the "bag" part is only 9" long by 8" wide so I'm using it to hold my take-a-long thread crochet projects (doilies, angels, etc). Yes, Crochets in Public. Should get some interesting looks. Maybe even some orders.

Maybe not.

Snowflakes on a snowy Monday

Last week it got up to about 16°C/61°F outside and today it's snowing (a bit).


Sorry, folks - don't know where this pattern came from. I just have a copy a friend gave me. I like it - very crystally-looking.








But this one is Sus'!! And you'll find her pattern here.

Snowflake Monday

This one is much more to my taste. It's Noel Nevins' #6 of 8.

Got to keep it brief as I'm off to work today. I usually have Monday off - perfect for blogging and hooking, snowflakes that is! Ah well, next week.

Saturday Sky

Saturday Sky
with Pussywillow

Brief Flurry

Only one SF again for Snowflake Monday this week. Hey, I've been busy. You done any better?! I'll be checking.

Noel's #5 - pattern info here.
(Not crazy about it. The picot points may be slightly longer but basically it just looks like it has 12 points.)

FGX

That's the Friendship Granny Exchange to you. No, not a swap of elderly female relatives but an excuse to whip up loads of crocheted granny squares and trade them with other granny square enthusiasts. In time you'll have received enough colourful squares to make yourself a unique and beautiful afghan.

This particular exchange is hosted by Crochet Partners. Details of how the exchange works can be found here (and there's a great picture of an FGX afghan).

I joined in January and so far I've sent 2 squares:

This one went off to Florida, USA. (#71 from Leisure Arts "99 Granny Squares to Crochet")

And this one went all the way to Queensland, Australia! (designed by crochetroo)








And I've received this one:

I love the little rose motif. This one came from Queensland, but not from the same person I sent mine to.








This is the sort of thing I get excited about. If the thought of little bits of yarny love jetting around the globe excites you too then join up! I'd love to send you a square.

Frozen Fish

The other week I was over at Asparagus & Mayonnaise admiring Sus' snowflakes. I was certain I had the pattern for the first one but when I went looking I couldn't find it. So, here's my copy:

I think I'll make the Rnd 2 chains a bit shorter next time.

Sus - if this was your own creation please let me know says no, it's #21 from 99 Snowflakes.






This little guy is from Pat Depke's Crochet Snowflakes and Angel (yes, singular; there's only one angel pattern):

It's kinda cute but I have to say I prefer "spiky" SF's.










But now, I have to show you this!:

Is this not the funniest thing you have ever seen? Ok, maybe it's not but it just makes me laugh every time I see it.







The pattern is at Crochetville*. I have serious doubts about the increase sequence from Rnd 16 onward. I worked it as written but ended up ripping it out. In the end I just made regular increases every 7 stitches, then 8 stitches, etc up to 12 stitches in Rnd 26. And I have a little trick for working the tail and fins straight onto the body - I hate sewing - email me if you're interested.

As for today's SF, I haven't even thought yet about which pattern I'm going to try so I'd better get going! See you later.

*Update 12/9/08: The pattern is no longer available at Crochetville, but it is here (scroll down).

Saturday Sky

Clouds over Felixstowe
(as seen from our bedroom window)
And here's the 5-day forecast:
Mmm, nice. Actually, I'm quite looking forward to Wednesday. If it's going to rain I like it to really rain. Hey, I spent 11 years in the Pacific Northwest - I do rain.

Snowflake Monday

I like this one - it's another of Noel Nevins' flakes (link info in this earlier post). Well, back to work on today's flake.

Show and Tell

Snowflake Monday again. I never did get around to making another SF last week and the one I did make is a repeat of one I made before so there's no point posting another picture. Instead, I'll treat (if I may use that word) you to a few other things I've made recently.

Here is the chart for the flower and the leaf pattern came from this doily at Craftown.










I really love this heart - chart here

Sorry, can't remember where I found this one.

This baby afghan was made for my new nephew, born just before Christmas (pattern here at Joann.com). Modelled by my lovely assistant Larry, who was bought from Hamley's for my 1st birthday. So he's also 40-something and his growler still works!

Naturally, Tinkle the camera-hog had to get in on the act again (seen here earlier). So before you think I only have the one cat:

L to R - Sasha, Beastie and Tinkle, cozying-up together in front of the radiator. Like the blinkie says, "I want my cat's life".

Is it just me...

or is Blogger being really cranky lately? Blogspots are very slow to load and half the pictures don't load at all! Why?

It's not easy being green

You Are Teal Green

You are a one of a kind, original person. There's no one even close to being like you. Expressive and creative, you have a knack for making the impossible possible. While you are a bit offbeat, you don't scare people away with your quirks. Your warm personality nicely counteracts any strange habits you may have.

What Color Green Are You?

Green is my favourite colour. But teal is not my favourite green (paint me lime green any day). Oh well.

Early Snow Delayed

I was going to post my Snowflake Monday offering yesterday as I was going to be in Colchester all day today (nattering and shopping and drinking coffee with a friend up from London) but I couldn't get my pictures to load - not with Blogger or ImageShack. I could understand one not working, but both?!

I'd just about given up hope of being able to load them again today when, suddenly, up they popped! Took a verrrrry long time, though.

Both are from Leisure Arts Let It Snow! leaflet 2038. They're meant to be three-dimensional but I prefer my flakes flat.

And before any of you think I skived off SF making today, I had half an hour on the train this morning. I started a SF when I got on and I finished it just as we pulled into Colchester. Nice timing.

Just another Snowflake Monday

Another winner. This one is from Priscilla's Christmas Crochet.











Now a little experiment. I found some white Anchor Marlitt thread in my stash and thought I'd give it a try on a snowflake. It has a beautiful glossy sheen to it but I was concerned that my glue-based stiffener would just cover it up.

................Pre-glue.............................. Post-glue

You can see that the glue did dull it down quite a bit. It doesn't look any shinier than my other flakes, just slightly translucent. But now I know that if I run out of crochet cotton (HAHAHaHahaha!) the Marlitt will do.

Snowflake Monday

Isn't it gorgeous? It's #1 from McCall's Needlework & Crafts, December 1986. I made it with #20 cotton and a 10 hook and it's come out just over 5" from point to point. That's really a bit big for me, and all 5 patterns are about the same size, so I think I'll make these with #30 or even #40 cotton in future.

And remember I said I'd made an easy one after that? Ha! Sure, crocheting this was simple but what a nightmare to block. Points are easy, you just pin and pull. But try and get nice rounded loops when the SF is so small - only 2" across - you can hardly get your fingers between all the pins required. And look how wonky the centre is. Nope, not happy with this one. Ah well, plenty more to try.

The calendar may say 20 January...

... but my garden is saying it's officially Spring.












Can you say Global Warming?

Of course, the Amazing Perpetual Primrose is still going strong.

Snowflake Monday

Ta da! My two flakes from last week - Noel Nevins' #2 and #3. I like #2 but #3 is a bit too open for my taste. And I still like #1 best (see last week).

But - KC has sent me some patterns and the one I made today is stunning! It's got long arms of picots and I'm rather nervous about pinning it out. I'll post the results next week.

As I wore myself out with all those picots, my second flake today was a nice, simple little two-rounder.

See you next week.

PS Tina - I haven't forgotten the snowflake you made that I said I'd try but two picot-monsters in one day is too much. It's first up to bat next week, though!

Saturday Sky

Back yard, 7:00am, 13 Jan 07

If I haven't already been kicked off the Saturday Sky webring for non-participation, here is my first SS for 2007 (ok, ok, it's my first since October last year).

I'm not making any promises about future SS's but it was so nice to see a bit of sunlight after days of cloud and rain that I had to take a picture.

And no, it didn't last.

Rain in places, snow on high ground

Here, on this very wet and rainy Snowflake Monday, is the "new" snowflake I made last week. It's also now my "new" favourite! If you sign up to the CrochetSnowflakes group you can get the pattern - it's Noel Nevins' "Snowflake #1 (for website)". It doesn't look like it's ever been uploaded to her website; in fact, most of the site is unavailable but the test pattern can still be found in the group's Messages, dated Aug 20 2006.

I've made two more today (47 to go) - Noel's #2 and 3 of 8 - just waiting to be blocked. Speaking of which, there's a very good blocking template (gif) available from the group. I print three on a page to save space/paper.