Late to the granny square party (and other crochet bits)

<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_xcu0Vb30iiS7afmE-wvN7VHrZgWU5JBB3808F2oL5GuJoaoK3lPhQBLoa3zW2TTkytrPjh-NsYvT3Q4-CmY9108GN7RN085MpIiPLIXsmctbrlX-C0rCkVL_0aWXxnm78B_plR-7Mo/s1600/emmalamb.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459192202761797954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_xcu0Vb30iiS7afmE-wvN7VHrZgWU5JBB3808F2oL5GuJoaoK3lPhQBLoa3zW2TTkytrPjh-NsYvT3Q4-CmY9108GN7RN085MpIiPLIXsmctbrlX-C0rCkVL_0aWXxnm78B_plR-7Mo/s400/emmalamb.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Image above from Emma Lamb's blog, <a href="http://emmallamb.blogspot.com/2010/03/refreshed.html">here</a>.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><br />In the last few years, crochet seems to have really taken off again, and in particular granny squares. I've seen some gorgeous things on various blogs, Etsy and in the Cath Kidston catalogue, but the person whose work I have really fallen in love with is <a href="http://emmallamb.blogspot.com/">Emma Lamb</a>. There is nothing in her <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/emmalamb">Etsy shop</a> that I wouldn't like to own, and it's traditional and contemporary at the same time which really appeals to me.<br /><br />Anyway, back in September when we first moved to this house, I bought some cushion pads with the intention of knitting some covers for them. Of course that never happened and they've been languishing in the spare bedroom ever since. So the other day when I came across some sparkly wine and gold yarn that I'd bought in Lidl, I thought I'd add some cream yarn and turn it into some granny square cushions for a previously cushion-less chair in our living room.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9KsbtN-tF9WZ_E-_SSTay-TjBauTmrltQatjFct-gJwIf67-8ehHFuP7aartYGQGX1NaEwcTTWosxWwmXQbdUOO1kH2mrGyhW2gL2MOkb4fOiTZOoJ8gZ1NTjir7x0yyveamtgwaQ04/s1600/grannysquares.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459189374237001746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9KsbtN-tF9WZ_E-_SSTay-TjBauTmrltQatjFct-gJwIf67-8ehHFuP7aartYGQGX1NaEwcTTWosxWwmXQbdUOO1kH2mrGyhW2gL2MOkb4fOiTZOoJ8gZ1NTjir7x0yyveamtgwaQ04/s400/grannysquares.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />One is just a giant granny square, and the other is four squares joined with double crochet. They're lined and backed with beige linen because I couldn't be bothered to crochet the backs - yes I know I'm lazy. And I hadn't used my sewing machine for so long that it took me a while to remember how to sew in a zip, which is shameful. You can't see in the photo (and my camera battery died right after I snapped this so I couldn't take another shot) but the wine and gold yarns are actually sparkly.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0b363_VnZsc7Tg9AvIGPMgecd4yaeGmixwzPLuuDpx50k7P84MjRKaYRVfJzhCREdbn_C7NP3b4k5zLyHLFKZoVVqS1SO0c6YponDFFXVy5MLmrSvgqyjc3E2h_MjrRLE3cPMPEDafUQ/s1600/chevron.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459247462223216466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0b363_VnZsc7Tg9AvIGPMgecd4yaeGmixwzPLuuDpx50k7P84MjRKaYRVfJzhCREdbn_C7NP3b4k5zLyHLFKZoVVqS1SO0c6YponDFFXVy5MLmrSvgqyjc3E2h_MjrRLE3cPMPEDafUQ/s400/chevron.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" /></a><br />Next I have to replace the cushion on my computer chair, which I've had to throw away because Elvis threw up the world's biggest hairball all over my Chinese satin cushion. I discovered this when, having just woken up and being not quite awake, I stumbled into my computer room and sat on the chair and got a big streak of wet hairball right across my backside. I was not pleased, I can tell you. I've started a purple and cream chevron pattern cushion, inspired by one in <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Simple-Crochet-Erika-Knight/dp/184400015X">Erika Knight's Simple Crochet</a>. If you're in London and fancy learning to do something similar, my fabulous crochet teacher Bee is running a <a href="http://makedomenders.blogspot.com/2010/04/project-crochet-chevron-cushion.html">chevron cushion workshop</a> as part of her new venture Make Do Mend. Sigh... I do miss the vast array of classes in London.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPTLiFUnvjQcMgMR-J4Pfsyx9P_ce-6xxMQqzvfAUYYUxKyGVHqXFRcKVhkOdnJSZN-xuQxv1okn4HlvcUH97fVei_-5zsMwAD3BIiqUiNvloALDCOJajQ8F0cTpHNzCrCqmZR5rIkRco/s1600/Bee+cushion.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459194289526788402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPTLiFUnvjQcMgMR-J4Pfsyx9P_ce-6xxMQqzvfAUYYUxKyGVHqXFRcKVhkOdnJSZN-xuQxv1okn4HlvcUH97fVei_-5zsMwAD3BIiqUiNvloALDCOJajQ8F0cTpHNzCrCqmZR5rIkRco/s400/Bee+cushion.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Image above from makedomend <a href="http://makedomenders.blogspot.com/2010/04/project-crochet-chevron-cushion.html">here</a>.<br /></span></div><br />Finally here are some flowers from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flowers-Knit-Crochet-Lesley-Stanfield/dp/1844484033/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271080257&sr=1-1">100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet</a>, which my mum in law bought me for Christmas. The pattern for the pansy didn't seem to work out, as the back petals came out with big gaps between the stitches, so I just sort of made them up as I went along rather than sticking to the pattern. The one with the pom pom wasn't supposed to have a pom pom (I think it was a dahlia) but I was in a pom pom kind of mood.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoZcyUW-YFzwzoatgp4HYmazYh43TgIjPEGaRFRM06yTgN7WgwuCMCeI9my8Kj8hznpb8fa3mwMa0gFoT0OnwXmBSsvVMdeuPdstESEv6e4O_tv7lmA6nvfqPUaTLFJ1Dlovt-qBqpjc/s1600/pansyetc.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459247457371647330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoZcyUW-YFzwzoatgp4HYmazYh43TgIjPEGaRFRM06yTgN7WgwuCMCeI9my8Kj8hznpb8fa3mwMa0gFoT0OnwXmBSsvVMdeuPdstESEv6e4O_tv7lmA6nvfqPUaTLFJ1Dlovt-qBqpjc/s400/pansyetc.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" /></a><br /></div>

Late to the granny square party (and other crochet bits)

Image above from Emma Lamb's blog, here . In the last few years, crochet seems to have really taken off again, and in particular granny ...

Read more »

I spent Easter in the 1940s.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7tMfV28TII/AAAAAAAAACQ/mlUm76vQ9cM/s1600/DSCF7673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7tMfV28TII/AAAAAAAAACQ/mlUm76vQ9cM/s640/DSCF7673.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Don't really have an awful lot to say..Easter was nice, good food and good family, and most importantly, good playsuit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7tPWjq3Y3I/AAAAAAAAACY/-qF6A0dYXKA/s1600/DSCF7677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7tPWjq3Y3I/AAAAAAAAACY/-qF6A0dYXKA/s640/DSCF7677.JPG" width="480" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nice drapey detail, comfortable lightweight material, and little gold buttons. I did not expect something this good from Penney's. Their new stock is incredibly impressive and up-to-date, and they finally brought in a size 6 for the bodycon stuff.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7tQT6aRU0I/AAAAAAAAACg/uDm4nKscI7g/s1600/DSCF7679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7tQT6aRU0I/AAAAAAAAACg/uDm4nKscI7g/s640/DSCF7679.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This headband used to compliment my blonde hair a lot, but then it became silver..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Playsuit - Penneys</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Shoes - Buffalo</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Headband - Topshop</div>

I spent Easter in the 1940s.

Don't really have an awful lot to say..Easter was nice, good food and good family, and most importantly, good playsuit. Nice drapey deta...

Read more »

Yesterday

Some days are just meant to be slouchy days, with comfy clothes and shoes and lots of tea and chocolate. Today was one of those days; this cardigan couldn't be slouchier. It has lovely ruched detail on the sleeves, and a waterfall front..yay for four sizes too big.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7j2rEh9u-I/AAAAAAAAABw/drYo2bgbSmY/s1600/DSCF7662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7j2rEh9u-I/AAAAAAAAABw/drYo2bgbSmY/s640/DSCF7662.JPG" width="378" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My other half, being tall, has a fantastic capability to make me look too small in photos.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7j3AqeuD2I/AAAAAAAAAB4/8UIPVQNd_oc/s1600/DSCF7663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7j3AqeuD2I/AAAAAAAAAB4/8UIPVQNd_oc/s640/DSCF7663.JPG" width="376" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Slouchy days of course call for comfy shoes - despite their ability to chafe the skin off ones feet if one is barefoot, these Buffalo beauties cause no pain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7j4FdRAazI/AAAAAAAAACA/rmCLEu-pKSM/s1600/DSCF7665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7j4FdRAazI/AAAAAAAAACA/rmCLEu-pKSM/s640/DSCF7665.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And possibly may favourite find of late, these half rim wayfarers for €1.50 will not be leaving my face all summer long.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7j4yLdLI_I/AAAAAAAAACI/xygqyNCKtG8/s1600/DSCF7668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sLfq4rRG8dQ/S7j4yLdLI_I/AAAAAAAAACI/xygqyNCKtG8/s640/DSCF7668.JPG" width="480" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Waterfall cardigan - L'Art by River Island</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Striped top - H&M</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jeans - Topshop (Jamie style from the petite section - amazing for little people!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">T-bar heels - Buffalo</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Shades - Penneys </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>

Yesterday

Some days are just meant to be slouchy days, with comfy clothes and shoes and lots of tea and chocolate. Today was one of those days; this c...

Read more »