Hello again dear friends and I hope you're all having good times and enjoying some crafting fun in among all the other calls on your time.
This past week or so has seen me begin a couple of new projects which will quite possibly be works in progress for some time yet, but then, it's nice to have a couple of things to fall back on now and then when the creative nectar is not quite up to scratch and it seems difficult to decide what to do next!
Do you have such times? I certainly do and, although it doesn't happen very often, when it does it hits with a bang and for me it's a good thing to have something waiting in the background, something that can be picked up and put down when needs must!
Before I show you those items I really want to let you see what I finally did with the cute tea towel that the lovely Robin so kindly sent me some weeks ago. I've been pondering regarding the best use for this lovely cloth, and I certainly didn't want to dry dishes with it - such a shame that would have been - so it finally dawned on me (yes, I wonder sometimes where my brain has been hiding!) that it was ideal to make another of the fabric baskets I've been making up lately, but this one's for me whereas the previous ones are intended for gifts.
I included a wee pocket in this one for hook or scissors or whatever, and every time I look at the lining it's good to be reminded about kindness, loving and caring!
Okay, let's take a look at the ongoing works ….
Since I recently put the final touches to the 'round the colour wheel' blanket, I've been aware that I have a stash of leftover yarn - namely Stylecraft Special DK - that I can now have fun with. When I bought this lovely big load back in May of last year I was so excited about all the wonderful colours and have really loved the way it works up, especially as I had had no desire before this experience to use acrylic yarn of any description!
Anyway, I digress; it was time to begin a new blanket and the V-stitch had caught my attention but, such a job I had getting the look I wanted. Anyway, I finally realised that instead of working into the actual stitches from the previous row, I needed to work between the two stitches in each 'set' …. have I explained that properly? Anyway, I think you can see in the pics what I'm trying to say. I'm really enjoying the way this is working up and hope I have enough yarn to make a nice size blanket. I've had the kitchen scales out and weighed it all up, and as long as all the colours continue to go well together it should be okay, and I'm loving how they're mingling so far! What do you think?
The other ongoing project is a baby coverlet. I saw a similar thing in the Australian Homespun magazine and rather fancied having a go so why not …
I like that there's a bit of machine stitching, hand sewing, and crochet involved here - ah yes, variety is the spice of life and I've said it so many times, sorry!
This is a reversible coverlet consisting of squares of fabric cut to six-and-a-half inches each and each pair stitched together in quarter-inch seams. Then they're turned out the right way, blanket stitched around, followed by a crochet edge worked into the blanket stitch. No wadding is involved in this so it should be a nice lightweight coverlet when all those squares are pieced together. I've started off with six squares but will need to do a few more; I don't intend for this to be big big though, just enough to fit a pram or cot!
This morning on our walk we spied a wee drift of snowflakes - not the real snowdrops - and a few jonquils close to the river so the phone camera was put to good use again ….
…. and in the garden this week, well, our first daffodil of the season opened up to smile on us, and the jasmine buds from last week have begun to reveal their fragile little faces too …. signs of Spring in the midst of winter! Lavender too of course, as well as daisies and wallflowers - I think?
Thanks so much for visiting once again, and for your messages that always warm my heart and bring happy smiles. Have a wonderful week whatever you do!
With my love,
❤Joy xoxo
