How popular is crochet this year?

As you know l've posted a couple of top DESIGNERS and their use of crochet in their shows already

Christopher Kane's Autumn/winter 2011/2012 show and the granny square still reigns 

House of Holland are using granny squares too as prints and with sparkle added for evening

Now that's a scarf and a half to be making lol

and  LOVE these lacy looking numbers by VIVIENNE TAM sprin/summer collection

I want to make a skirt or a top or both so on the look out for some fine cotton yarn in cream any suggestions welcomed from anyone who has crocheted clothing in the past as too what yarn is best though...cotton was my first thought

NooNoo's blanket 

looks great over the back of the sofa too!

 can l just say thank you to all who have joined  THE FLOWER BED  such enthusiasts

 We have a growing band of flowerery people, so far making some fabulous bed covers in a number of different flower patterns...all stunning and all sooooo different

Still some places left but filling up fast..so if you're interested take a peek

HOILDAY PROJECT...ssssssshhh! 

Phil doesn't know yet l'm taking it, will be a rainbow blanket of 12 coloured centers with cream petals...l'll take lots of the centers made up and ready to have the cream petals added that way all l need pack is a ball of cream or may be two! lol

Japanes flower but with a couple of stitch changes...most noticeable is the second round...

2 DC in each with ONE CHAIN between

few scribbled notes to work out the numbers......

list to the side of how many flowers needed to do how ever many rounds

127 if l go king size!...and it would be approximately 8' x 7'2".....wow that's a biggy!

But this one, l wanted to do it in rows this time so 12 in a row, then l can do as many rows as l want

and 

NO l'm only going to take about 3 centers of each colour with me, need to keep the weight down so that should be enough for some quiet hooky time..when l wake up at 5 in the morning and no one else is awake hehe

Enjoy your week everyone

Hugs to all

xx
AND THE WINNER IS... Just in case you miss it 'cos l've posted twice this morning

AND THE GIVE AWAY WINNER IS.......

Number 22....Kate 'The Garden Bell'... 

congratulations Kate....it will be on it's way to your treasure chest asap lol

Thank you all for entering sorry it wasn't you but keep your eyes peeled there will be another give away in April some time

Hugs to all 

have a super week xx

PROMISED GIVE AWAY..

Remember a couple of weeks back l said l would have a give away as soon as l reached 300 followers proper...well l have now......well over
thank you all for following real chuffed

SO.....a give away it is

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST OVER THE WEEKEND TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GIVE AWAY

Now what will l be giving away?

A MINI BAG

I made 2 different versions for my holiday evening purse, but couldn't decide on the one l wanted to use, l loved them both,but l've decided now so..........

THIS is the MINI BAG YOU WILL WIN

hope you like it and good luck 

remember leave a comment on this post over the weekend and l will use a random selector to pick a winner

Have a wonderful weekend everyone

Hugs xx

Going green...

But what next?...l ask myself keep with the orange red and green?

Photo's next l think and l'll sit inside Noonoo with a cuppa and contemplate 

Have a thoroughly  wonderful Thursday everyone

Hugs  to all xx

THE FLOWER BED

....showing some lovely work so far and lots of visitors are taking a peek the stats make a great read!!!

That's my seat....

Cat sitter booked whey hey!..can't wait

Tenerife here we come

and sssssshhhh!! l will be packing a crochet kit but don't tell OH will ya? lol

Camper blanket well under way already have 4 yellow and green flowers added to the next round

doing the open center for the next round....Phil's happy 'cos it's for his beloved camper and l've told him it will be finished for the Show on the 9th April at Stanstead

have a wonderful Wednesday everyone 

hugs X

THE FLOWER BED CAL 

if you want to crochet a bed cover click the link and join the fun

ANNA SUI CROCHET

Her spring/summer show was full of crochet and lots of 12 point flowers too...

just like the ones we are all using for THE FLOWER BED CAL!...

click the link leave a comment become a follower and join the fun

ANNA SUI...lots of gorgeous crochet to feast your eyes on...

Anna Sui spring/summer show

aren't they fabulous?...lots more to see if you click the link

THE FLOWER BED..crochet-a-long

Lots of progress on the flowery blanket...just can't decide on which blanket to make first!! lol

New photo's later and may be a decision on colour!

fingers crossed

Have a terrific Tuesday everyone

hugs to all x

CHANEL, ICE CREAM, AND THE FLOWER BED CAL?

Love these Ice Cream colours from Chanel's spring/summer show and the yummy stripes too

l can dream can't l?....long line cardy maybe in another 6 months my midriff was never that good even at 7st!!!

And it's a pity l can't do anything about the 5' nothing height but l do love this outfit so much

The New Year diet going well so far, the box says so anyway lol....2 inches bigger than l am now!

FLOWER POWER...

Still playing with flower patterns and hook sizes

8mm hook and chunky or 2 strands of DK makes a 9" diameter flower so about 70 for a double bed.

 At ONLY 2 flowers a day, it would take just over a month to make a bed cover for a double bed!....not bad although my crochet tension is loose so l will probably stick with the 6mm hook, double wool and still undecided about the pattern to use but something that measures about 9" in diameter...big bed so l'll need about 90 flowers

made a double petal version this morning

Terrible photo so l won't show you but l've made 47 of these flowers in the last few days!

Definitely an addiction 

The Flower Bed CAL.....

Been chatting and a few want to start up a bed cover of flowers Crochet-a-long

If your interested and want to join the fun mail me l'll need your e-mail address to add you to the CAL....so you can post your own progress on the group

Google will allow 100 authorized people so first come first included

Any flower pattern you want to use any size from Baby to king size bed but a bed cover of some description..lots of tips and help will be offered so all abilities are welcome to join us

HOPE YOU'LL JOIN THE FUN...open day will be sometime this week and 

Hazel Rachael and myself will be there to help out with any questions

but for now watch this space....links will appear on all three blogs some time this week

THE FLOWER BED....a CAL for anyone wanting to make a bed cover
click the link and join the fun

Have a great week everyone

Hugs to all xx

Hope you're not bored with Flowers yet?...LOTS MORE TO COME

Thanks for the lovely mail l'm getting about the layered flowers a couple of lovely people have been thinking on the same lines as myself....a full size bed cover/throw/blanket!

Fell into bed last night thinking just that thought..a lot of work but wouldn't it look spectacular? 

A Bed of Flowers to wake up to?

A BED OF FLOWERS CAL?...how about it Hazel and Rachael?

Personally l'm not good at doing big projects more an ideas person myself l can get bored with biggies but with others to keep me at it l would give it a go...what do you think?

thanks for liking the layered flowers everyone...hugs 

Loving these big red beauties with the solid centers.

Phil away last night so l kept playing hooky until after midnight and the furballs let me lie in until 5!!!! wow lucky me hey lol.....

OH was at a camper show with Noo Noo, lots of camper and VW bits to poke around with today...not my scene and a bit too cold yet for camper sleeping lol

Have a fabulous Sunday all

hugs xx

THE FLOWER BED....CAL for those wanting to join the fun and make a bed cover
click the link and join the fun

SEEING RED

Found a pile of centers from the red circle in a square blanket l started so added petals instead of squares and one thing led to another.....

variation on a red theme...8 petals makes a square not a hexagon...

the origianl circle in a square l started a couple of weeks back...

finished the baby hex base......

now what to layer and what to leave?

and with what colours?

Enjoy your evening everyone

Hugs Suz x

THE FLOWER BED....a Crochet-a-long for anyone wanting to make a flower bed cover

click the link and join the fun

BABY BLANKET PROGRESS

Didn't manage as much as l'd hope yesterday...

it seems to be turning into a Hexagon..lol

Engage brain!....obviously it will if you join it on 6 sides....doooh!

5 left to finish......a couple of hours should see this stage completed then l will re-access the blanket

SIZE? SHAPE? DOES IT NEED A BORDER? DO L FILL IN WITH HALF FLOWERS?...mmmmm should be fun!

Measures about 32" diameter at the moment.....is that big enough for a cot blanket?

So out of touch with baby things these days...looks big enough but some research to be done

Thanks 

for all the fabulous comments, in the last couple of days the stats make great reading and my mail box is getting very full!!

Glad l can be of help and it is inspiring people to have go at crochet and a play with colour

makes me a very happy bunny

To thank you all for following l'll be having a...

FOLLOWER GIVE AWAY

Followers list says 300 right now but some are anonymous?...and some don't allow me to see their blogs?...but for all who are 

followers and l can see your blog and contact you via your blog or mail 

l will be doing a give away as soon as it reaches 300 proper

THE FLOWER BED....a crochet-a-long for anyone wanting to make a flower bed cover
click the link and join the fun

Layering of the Baby Cot throw...

Decided l loved the layering so much l'm adding a few different sizes and variations to the cot blanket

oodles of fun going on with this baby throw

lots of colour and some variations too...

10mm hook used with 2 strands here...

and lots more layering...

Retirement party last night..just small but the Champagne flowed

HAPPY RETIREMENT DAVE.....

We're going to have a great holiday to celebrate...can't wait not long now!

Help reading Crochet Diagrams

CROCHET SYMBOL CHART help to read crochet diagrams from the CRAFT YARN COUNCIL

Enjoy your Thursday everyone

Hugs Suz x

THE FLOWER BED....a crochet-a-long for anyone wanting to make a flower bed cover click the link and join the fun

Japanese Layered Flowers and so much colour!

Lucy, Lucy, Lucy...what have you started? lol....thanks for finding this wonderful pattern

l'm so loving it!

Layering for a cushion

made the largest with 2 strands of DK and an 8mm hook..

middle one is a 6mm hook and 2 strands and the small one is one strand of DK and a 4mm hook

Going to try a 10mm hook and a 3mm hook next!

Off to the post office soon with squares for Australia Sarah London's rainbow appeal 

and a ball of wool for Wipso

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone

Hugs x

THE FLOWER BED....a crochet-a-long for anyone wanting to make a flower bed cover
click the link and join the fun

Pattern questions and some wet stuff!

So many people are having problems with this pattern diagram!

quick explanation...

The 3rd row is the big problem so l've taken a photo of the 3rd round the base chain is done in the third round not as a 4th round leaving a 5th to be done it is ONLY 4 ROUNDS all together

3rd round should look like this...

With the chain loops ready to take the 8 trebles (UK) or 8 doubles (US)

l've made mine with a 7mm hook and two strands of DK...making for a much larger flower...

Hope that helps people who have mailed me

Better light today so the colours show up better

Valentine Choc's...

Phil and l almost ate a 1lb box of Choc's between us yesterday as a special Valentine treat!...ooops 

After not eating chocolate for well over a month we were both slightly ill last night!

So going back to eating very little to none is going to be easy

Nasty wet stuff out there...

Pouring with rain again today so no washing will get done again

have a terrific Tuesday everyone

hugs x

THE FLOWER BED...a crochet-a-long for anyone wanting to make a flower bed cover
click the link and join the fun

A Few Flowers for a Happy Valentine Day

Had a play with the Japanese Flower pattern  found via a French crocheter using a wonderful Japanese pattern book

Lucy did her own version of the pattern using her own inimitable style and gorgeous colourway 

l stuck with the original pattern by 

Mayuko Hashimoto （橋本　真由子）from the book

but l have used a blend of 2 yarns in pastels

sorry the photographs aren't brill it got very dark here this afternoon

I'm Making a Chunky Flower Lap Blanket

2 blended strands of Acrylic and using a 7mm hook

Lovely easy and fairly quick 4 round pattern...

with some changes...2strands of DK yarn and a 6mm hook

Making some layered ones too:

l'm using up to a 10mm hook and the small ones are made with a 3mm hook

I've seen it made up in one colour two colours and in multi colours like Lucy......all are looking fabulous

Normally made up with dk and a 3/4mm hook making a palm size flower motif, mine is some what bigger and take about 25minutes to make one motif

I have a hold up with the squares for the chair cover as l've run out of my soft pale green...one of the joining yarns...gggggggrrrr

Hope you are all having a romantic fun time tonight 

HAPPY VALENTINE DAY

Hugs to all xx

THE FLOWER BED....a crochet-a-long for anyone wanting to make a flower bed cover

click the link and join the fun

A Pile of yarn and a Dent in the Sofa!

Started as a large cushion but it grew last night and this morning double in size and l think will end up a chair cover....well thats the thought for today! lol

aren't toes funny little things?
 just looking at this photo my big toes are different shapes! lol

A lot warmer but pouring with rain here today.....was great to be able to hang the washing on the line yesterday too..and it came in dry after the lovely sunshine

We snatched back the two chairs by the French doors and listened to the radio with a cup of coffee too...so definitely a good idea to move the chairs...didn't want to move, can see why the boys love it so much!

Hope you are all having a super Sunday

hugs to all x

PAINTED STENCILED OR PAPERED STAIR RISERS!

Unfortunately Phil's not keen on this idea....
oh! he likes the decorated stair risers but not the oak clad stair treads that l'd like to install...aesthetically it's not a problem he loves the look but says it would be far too noisy!

but don't they look fabulous...

Stenciled Hirshfield Picture LINK.....

some fabulous stenciling going on here so take a peek 

and l'll work on Phil.........
you never know he might just give in one day lol

Apple Bay Pips Picture Link...
another fab stenciled staircase...and with the oak treads l'd like too!

paint and wallpaper work just as well too...

House to Home picture Link

and l've got to take a look at this new book thats out...

Doors to paint today and a visitor for Lunch...

bit of name dropping here 'cos l'm dead impressed with John....Phil's oldest brother author and pilot

John Templeton-Smith if your into aviation and thrillers

bye for now 

have a wonderful weekend everyone

Hugs x