I’m learning Japanese…

I came across the wonderful blog Harugurumi, by Haruki, who crochets the most wonderful wee creatures using the Japanese style of crocheting known as amigurumi (the knitting or crocheting of stuffed dolls). I found Haruki’s details on Ravelry, where I saw the cutest wee Easter Chick ever. I’m still trying to get to grips with reading crocheting patterns and decided to order the pattern to see whether this very small project may be able to help me in this regard.

My first attempt of following the pattern didn’t really go according to plan, but helped me get to grips with increasing and decreasing, so I decided to create a similar chicken, freestyle, whilst I tried to work out the pattern, which I now realise is incredibly well written and very easy to follow. I have plenty of cotton odds and ends, but it really would be helpful if they were all the same weight! I’ll have to make a trip to the yarnshop to get some lighter white and orange yarn. (Heck, there’s an excuse, if ever I heard one!)

For now I leave you with this wee chick, which will remain by my side to remind me of my attempt at learning Japanese! The next one will be rather more like the pattern describes. :)

こんなに長く (ahemmm… I hope that says “so long” – and not something rude!) :)

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Looking at the sky on Friday

I left the office a wee bit later than planned this evening, but I was still out early enough to see the beautiful palette of colours across the sky, as I looked westwards down the Thames.

On Monday, when I cross the river, the sky should be one hour lighter, as it is this weekend we spring the clock forward by one hour and cross over to British Summertime. I love this marked change from dark to light in spring and vice versa in the autumn. British Summertime – here we come!

Did you look at the sky this Friday? If you haven’t played along already, pop on over to visit Crazy Working Mum’s blog to learn more about this picture meme.

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Photohunt - yellow

 

Today’s Photohunt theme is yellow – and what an apt word for this time of the year, when all the natural yellow colours are making the world a brighter place. :)

At the back of our garden we have laid out a wee alley of spring bulbs, which vary in colour and size, and span a good few weeks of blooming time. As you can see, we have had more luck with the left hand side of the alley, but I’m hopeful we will catch up with the right hand side also. We’ll just have to get a few more bulbs.

There are so many different types of daffodils and I like them all. This one seems to be a favourite with the bees and I have to admit I’d be drawn to its gorgeous colour too, if I were a bee. :)

Every year I buy a few tete-a-tete dafs for the window sill. Once they finish blooming, I put them out in the garden, where they bring joy year after year. The previous owners of our house seem to have had a love for bulbs as well, as I keep on getting nice surprises in the borders, like the pink hyacinth above.

We have a couple of forsythias in the garden and every year they reward us firstly with their exaggerated show of yellow flowers and as soon as the flowers begin to fall, the crispiest of fresh green leaves. I think that’s enough yellow for today.

Are you partaking in the PhotoHunt this week? I can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with.

 

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Lionbrand crochet along – Moderne Jacket

 

Now I really am getting brave. I’m so thrilled with my new found skill, that I’ve decided to join the Lionbrand crochet along of the Moderne Jacket. I just love the idea that I will learn to shape something crocheted into a wearable garment.

The Moderne Jacket pattern is available to download for free until 23 March 2009 on the Lionbrand website. The Crochet along has only just started with choosing your yarn and making a swatch, so there’s time to join in yet.

I’m off to find some yarn!

 

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One finished object off the needle…

 

LOL – normally it would be “off the needles” with a plural “s”, but on this occasion, the singular form is intentional, as I have indeed managed to finish a (for me) large crocheted item. Now that I’ve gotten the hang of crocheting, I am determined to get a few things under my belt, in order that I don’t forget. I must admit I didn’t use a pattern for this item, as I decided to crochet a  baby blanket for a new wee family member.

 

I started with a multicoloured cotton, which is part of a batch I bought in Lidl a couple of years ago. The yarn is Zettl Colorado and is gorgeously soft. From previous experience it also washes really well and stays soft when dried in the tumble drier. I crocheted the six skeins of Zettl in double crochet.

I wanted the blanket a wee bit larger than what the 300g of Zettl would allow me and went off to John Lewis in Oxford Street one day at lunch time, to see whether I could find an equally as nice cotton in a suitable colour to complement the multicoloured yarn.

 
I was in luck – I didn’t just find one, I found two beautiful colours in the Rowan Handknit Cotton range. The yellow is colour number 325 and the pink, number 310. The colours remind me of candyfloss and all things sweet, so perfectly suited to a blanket for a new wee baby girl.

The final outcome produced a blanket measuring around 100cm x 85cm. I considered continuing to make 100cm x 100 cm, but what with it being made from cotton, it was becoming a tad heavy, so I called it a day and finished off the broad stripes with a few rounds of double crochet in the three different colours.

All in all, I’m really pleased with the outcome and am looking forward to shipping the blanket off to China, where my cousin and his fiancée just had their first born baby girl.

 

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Looking at the sky on Friday

 

I think I’m on a winning streak with my Friday sky pictures, as again today a perfect photo opportunity presented itself to me – namely, an open Tower Bridge!

I had a wee look at the bridge opening times list and learnt that the bridge was opened for the benefit of SB Will, a traditional Thames sailing barge – perfect! Just a shame that I only had my mobile phone camera to capture the moment. Oh well, you can’t have it all. :)

When I got home, I had the chance to get my proper camera. The sun was setting behind my neighbours huge ash tree, which was pruned last weekend. The tree is not very well, but hopefully the pruning will keep it standing for a wee while longer.

That’s my sky pictures for this week. Are you playing? If not, join in and let us see what the sky looks like for you today.

Visit Crazy Working Mum’s blog to learn more about this picture meme.

Have a great weekend – I know I will.

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Sunday scenery

This week’s Sunday scenery pictures were taken yesterday, when I went to Audley End House with my beloved, my dad and my nephew. The place is absolutely magical and well worth a visit,

One of my favourite things about the place is the hedges. They call them cloud hedges, as they are shaped like massive green clouds. I felt like a 9 year old, when I looked up and saw the roofs with their gilded weather vanes above the hedge. I wanted to be “Sleeping beauty” and be woken by a gorgeous prince. I looked to my left and saw my beloved. He didn’t protest when I gave him a wee peck on the beak. :)

The gardens around Audley End House have an amazing amount of snowdrops. We walked for miles in the grounds and were absolutely shattered, when we eventually got home.

Are you playing along in the Sunday Scenery Photo meme this week? If you want to learn more about it, then take a look at this website

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