At last, something crafty going on...

I can't believe how long it's been since I did anyting worthy of posting here! However, I won't dwell on it...

I've been doing a bit of crochet recently...nothing much that I would want to advertise, but a couple of half done things, that might be worth a post later on.

I was have a little sort out over the weekend, and came across a long stitch tapestry kit which was absolutely never going to get done, but as I was looking at it it struck me that the all the wool colours were a gorgeous palette, and I wondered how much you could crochet from a skein of tapestry wool?  Well I can reveal it here...

You can do three rounds of a granny square!

Once I'd done one...I had to continue until I'd used up all the wool from the kit except the white and ecru....

Ha ha, I just noticed that the ones on the top row are all wrong side up! Great colours though, although the one in the middle that looks very red, is actually a more subdued rusty coral colour.

Where to go from here though...the wools are just that...100% wool...they crocheted up really nicely, and I love the stitch definition, but it's not very soft.  I'm going to see if I can get some reasonably priced pure wool to add borders to the squares and stitch them together, and see what size it comes out.  Might be too big for a cushion cover, and too small for a throw, but I will see if I can add some extra borders to extend it.

One last photo for the cat lovers out there...as you know you can't put anything down without a cat coming and sitting on it....this is Shadow coming onto the scene just as I pressed the button...

Update....

Haven't done anything on here for a while, so just in case anyone is reading, I've updated my Folksy shop today. I've relisted some items that had expired and have posted a new lovely Spring Scarf, which I've knitted a in fresh blue/green eyelash yarn....

Come on over and have a proper look...

New listings on ebay....

I've just posted some needlework books and patterns on ebay...have a look at them here

I've got a new shop on Folksy

I've discovered Folksy which is a craft shopping site along the Etsy, but it is UK based. I've opened a new shop there and will be closing the Etsy one, which I've had for some time but haven't sold anything on, and only had very few views. I think it's too big, and although when you post something new it might appear on the front page, because it's such a huge busy site your listing disappears almost instantly and gets lost in the crowd!

As soon as I figure out how to do it I'll post a link to the new shop. Stay tuned!

My New Love

I've been having fun this week with a new love...now don't get excited even though Valentines's is coming up...my new love is Chain Maille. I took a class during the week at Spoilt Rotten Beads and spent a happy few hours making a start on a Byzantine weave bracelet. It's a little bit fiddly to start and opening all the rings first is a bit of bore, although you could listen to music or the tv whilst doing it, but once you get into a rythmn it grows quite nicely and you can see results quickly. The chain maille itself is very tactile and drapes nicely...you just want to keep running it through your fingers. Our teacher Linda Plumtree had lots of examples of bracelets she had made and lots of advice and suggestions which gave us oodles of inspiration to go away and continue on our own. Here's a really bad photograph of my first attempt (unfinished as yet)....I'll keep you posted.

New photos

I know I've neglected this lately...I'm afraid I'm not a very good blogger. Writing doesn't come naturally to me. I read a lot, apart from books I'm the sort of person who always reads the labels and the instruction book and anything else, and I love the English language, but somehow when I write I want it to be nice and chatty but it always sounds stilted to me when I read it back.

Anyway, I digress...I just came on here to say that I've posted some better photos on items in my Etsy shop. I've not been able to make any new items recently, but I know I have to get my b*m in gear and do some.

I've booked a Chain Maille class next week which I'm looking forward to. I usually am able to learn most things from a book, but sometimes it's nice to be taught properly and pick up some tips that might make life a little easier, so I thought I would treat myself. The class is at Spoilt Rotten Beads which is not far from Cambridge, so it shouldn't take me too long to get there as I live in east London, just a couple of minutes from the M11. (Good thing I will have been paid before I go!)

Latest Additions

Hi there everyone....just stopping in here to let you know there's a couple of new items in my Etsy shop! See the pics in the sidebar...I've just added the two bracelets. I've also listed some Cross Stitch patterns, including a group of three For The Love of Cross Stitch magazines which are now out of print.

I really loved this magazine, which unfortunately is no more. I loved the patterns even if they were not really my taste, they were presented beautifully and printed in full colour on good quality paper. Those colour charts are really easy to use! The whole magazine was full of projects with almost no advertising, except on the inside covers.

Anyway hope you enjoy haveing a look round