All things crochet ... and a little knitting ... gulp!!! x

Well what a glorious week, as well as catching the Olympics when I can it has been a week of crochet ... and a little bit of knitting!! Never did I think I would say that!! My Nan tried to teach me to knit when I was about 8 years old, but her patience ran out with me, and that has always been my memory ... I just thought I didn't get it ... !! Of course over the years I have tried and tried again, not very convincingly I must add, but try none the less. Then there was last night, a family friend had offered to teach me, I warned her that I may try her patience, but she was willing to give it a go. I received a phonecall to say 'Well I am free tonight' and that was it I grabbed the proverbial bull by the horns and took what knitting needles I had (and for someone who doesn't knit it was quite a collection!!) along with some yarn and off I went.

As I am a crocheter, I thought my issues with knitting were resolved when I saw the continental style of knitting, I can remember watching some one knit this way and thinking 'Oh right I get it ...!'. I thought I would be trying the continental style ... but I was was told 'Give the English method ago' ... and to show willing I did ... and what amazed me I got it ... my ends weren't great, my style wasn't the most fluid ... but I had it!! And I am actually quite proud of what I produced ...

The knit side ...

The purl side ...

Now back to my comfort zone of crochet, its always to go back to something that is second nature.

The Granny Stripe Blanket has begun!

Last Sunday I spent a wonderful day with two friends Soo and Z, sat in the conservatory with the heat of the day warming us nicely, with the aid of tea and jaffa cakes (nom, nom, nom) and BBC Radio 4 playing in the backgound we spent a few hours crocheting and nattering the day away.

Just to remind you I am doing this blanket from Attic 24, the colours are in the order of ...

aspen, meadow, spring green, aster, cloud blue, turquoise, lavender, sherbet, wisteria, plum, magenta, clematis, shrimp, pomegranate, fondant, lipstick, saffron. The colours sound delicious and look absolutely fabulous, I can't wait to see what the blanket looks like once its finished. I hope there is enough yarn left at the end to make a couple of granny square cushions covers to go with it.

So by the end of Sunday I had got to doing three colours and its already looking glorious ...

It has continued to grow over the last week, the next colour is  sherbert ...

And an update on my diploma in crochet ... the next batch of samples are ready to go ...

This batch includes;

• A sample of chain and slip stitch with straight edges;
• A square of quadruple trebles;
• A square of raised double crochet rib;
• A triangle of trebles starting worked to a point;
• A piece of double crochet using a wide range of hooks;
• A strip of crochet working the smallest stitch to the longest stitch.

The quadruple trebles, double crochet rib and the treble triangle are all resubbmissions ... so fingers crossed for this submission!

The next batch of samples are becoming more complex with the intorduction of tunisian, filet, broomstick and hairpin, and while I am looking forward to completing these I am feeling a little nervous as I am onto new territory. It is, as I would expect, going to take a lot of hard work and concentration!! Please keep your fingers crossed for me and any words of wisdom would be gratefully recieved!!!

And just for your perusal a few more photos from my week ...

A Whitby Glass Lucky Duck, a present from my Mom and Dad after a holiday up north, and a tradition started by my Nan ...

Hydrangea flowers from my garden, with my fences being replaced some of the plants in my garden had to be cut back, but at least I can still enjoy them ...

And a lovely close up ...

Bye bye for now ... enjoy the rest of the Olympics ... perfect crochet and knitting time x