Happy Stripy Blanket

 

I finished Miss M's stripy crochet blanket over the weekend! I loved making this, it was so enjoyable and luckily Miss M really likes it too, she says the stripes are "happy" hence the name. I agree...it is a happy blanket!

 

For this blanket I was totally inspired by lovely Heather and a similar one she made here. Thank you for the inspiration Heather! The stripes are worked using half treble stitch and I did two rows of each colour with a single row of white in between the colours. The border is a round of double crochet and then my usual shell border which I always use, from Nicki Trench's book Cute & Easy Baby Clothes. It measures 120cm x 120cm and seems to be a good cosy size for my best girl.

 

One of the best things about this blanket was that it was made entirely with yarn from my stash...and if I'm completely honest, a little yarn from my mums stash too when I had run out of one or two colours!

 

Now I have the dilemma which I am always faced with when I've just finished a big project....what to crochet next?!

 

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Waterfall Walk

 

 

We had a lovely afternoon together today. We spent a couple of hours at Fairlie Moor, the waterfalls there are just stunning and it is a really good walk. Miss M loved it....she enjoyed exploring, picking a few wild flowers and doing a little paddling. G and I just enjoyed the walk really and the beautiful view at the top of the moor.

 

We finished our afternoon off with fish and chips for tea on the way home! Perfect.

 

Thank you for the lovely comments on my sleeveless top, they are really appreciated.

 

Happy weekend!

 

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A Sleeveless Top

 

So, I have been inspired by blogland yet again....

 

I few days ago I was catching up on the lovely blog My Two Girls. Marion had made a really pretty sleeveless top here. Marion didn't use a commercial pattern, but made her own using a top she already had.

 

So, on Monday night I looked out some pretty fabric, a sleeveless top from my wardrobe, set up the sewing machine and basically just went for it!

 

I love the fabric I used for this top, it's very forgiving as you can't really see my wonky stitching and there is quite a lot of wonky stitching! Because I just had to make this top as soon as possible, I didn't have time to get any bias tape, so I just stitched along the arm and necklines instead of using bias tape like Marion did.

 

For a first attempt at a top, it's not bad, although there are a couple of issues with the fit - it's a little loose at the shoulders and under the arms. However, with a pretty cardigan over the top, these little issues are hidden! I always, always wear a cardigan anyway as I feel the cold....it would need to be absolutely scorching for me to wear a sleeveless top on it's own and scorching weather is pretty rare in Scotland!

 

I really, really enjoyed making this wee top. It was quite a challenge for me and I am determined that I am going to get the fit just right...I plan to spend time perfecting the pattern and fit using an old sheet. Practice makes perfect as they say! Then at the weekend I will be heading off to my local fabric shop to buy some more ditsy floral fabrics. There will definitely be more of these tops in my future!

 

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This Week

 

 

1. Pretty roses on my kitchen table.

 

2. And on my bedside table.

 

3. Meal planning and recipe book inspiration.

 

4. I decided I really, really wanted a crocheted cherry brooch.

 

5. Lemon drizzle cake - my family appreciate a full cake tin.

 

6. Miss M is loving the current craze for loom bands.

 

7. I have been finding loom band bracelets all over the house!

 

8. I am almost finished Miss M's stripy blanket. Just the edging to do, the part I enjoy most.

 

9. A teeny tiny bloom picked from the garden and displayed in an egg cup.

 

Another week seems to have whizzed by! Honestly, where does the time go?!

 

Hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend? I was working for most of it so I'm looking forward to some blog reading, crochet and tea this evening!

 

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Weekend Moments

Another weekend nearly over! This weekend it was mainly just me and Miss M as G was working...we are quite used to this though as G and I often work opposite shifts! There were swimming lessons and a play date but the rest of the time we just pleased ourselves really...

 

 

 

 

....we have quite a lot of bluebells growing in the garden. Miss M picked me a small bunch and I arranged them around the house. I love this teeny little jug of them by my bed...

 

 

 

...we enjoyed pancakes and fruit for breakfast this morning. I love making the effort to prepare a nice breakfast when I'm not working at the weekend...

 

 

 

....if Miss M and I have some free time together, she nearly always asks if we can bake something. Today we made a batch of simple fairy cakes. We enjoyed a couple with a hot cup of tea this afternoon...

 

 

 

 

....I have been making these little heart brooches with scraps of linen and floral fabrics. They are a pleasure to make and I enjoy wearing them too. I am planning to make the dress above for Miss M to wear in the summer. The pattern is from the May issue of Mollie Makes. It seems quite simple but we shall see...

 

 

...Miss M also asked to do some sewing this weekend which made me so happy. She actually needed very little help to make the wee cat softie above, even drawing her own pattern and cutting it out, and choosing the felt, fabrics and threads. The only thing I had to do was thread the needle for her a few times. The rest was all her own work. Proud mummy...

 

 

We had a quiet, ordinary weekend but it was actually quite lovely all the same!

 

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Hearts on linen

 

This weekend, I really wanted to work on a simple, relaxing sewing project. I had some spare linen which was originally the back of a pair of curtains and some fabric scraps left over from making Miss M's little skirts. So, using a couple of embroidery hoops that I've had for ages and some sunny yellow embroidery floss, I made these two little pictures....

 

They are very simple, but then sometimes simple can be just right! I enjoyed making these and they look pretty and homespun on the living room wall...

 

Hope everyone is enjoying the bank holiday weekend? G is working today and I have to go into work later for a few hours, so this morning Miss M and I are just relaxing with books (her) and crochet (me!)...

 

Thank you for all the lovely comments recently and for the kind birthday wishes. They made me very happy :)

 

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Friday evening at home

 

A stitchy project and a crochet project to work on...

 

Something nice to drink with the candles lit and my feet up...

 

A new magazine to read (payday treat)...

 

Happy me!

 

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