crafts & knitting · general stuff

An upside down week

This week is one of the strangest in our family's year. It's the week of Toby's school play which means all routines are stood on their head. From tomorrow he'll go to school from 4pm til 9pm instead of the usual 9am – 3pm and he'll take part in the annual school play each evening. It's challenging to him to say the least but last year he coped pretty well (fingers crossed for this year being the same!) and the play that the school put on is amazing especially when you consider the diverse and very severe disabilities of all the students. Everyone takes part from the youngest in the nursery at 3-4 years to the oldest at 18 -  19 years old and they all do their best according to their abilities. I'll take my tissues as usual and be prepared for the stinging hands that follow all the clapping!

I'm hoping that the sunny weather that joined us for the weekend will continue so that Toby can happily play out in the garden during the daytime and I can sit and watch him while finishing off my crochet bag – just the straps and trim to go now.

Bag

I'm pretty happy with it although it's going to need lining and my join
is very scrappy – still crochet seems to be more forgiving than knitting in that sense and it doesn't really notice (from a distance at least!)

Crochetbag

True to form I've also kicked off another crochet project (on the basis that you can't be a proper crochet-er without having a few granny squares under your belt) I hope to add to these from this pattern and make a cushion somewhere down the line.

Grannies

I'm really enjoying getting to grips with crochet but my first love will always be my knitting! Talking of which I'm off to make the most of the last quiet day of the week and finish off a bunny or two. Enjoy your week wherever you are.

crafts & knitting

playing hooky

For the longest time I've been meaning to learn to crochet. I've looked at courses but it always seems difficult to fit them in around family life. Anyway for some reason on Saturday the vague desire to have a little crochet in my life became a pressing need and so I turned to the internet. Ravelry is fabulous as a resource and I found tutorials, free patterns, videos and advice. On saturday evening I made a little sample strip to get me started and give me a feel for the hook but I really wanted to actually have something to show for the effort so I started on this great free pattern from Attic24.

My first ever crochet project is riddled with errors and I've used the wrong stitch (double instead of treble english – all that terminology is still a foreign language to me). I also wish I'd not started in that dark purple as I like the muted gentle tones of the rest of it. But all of that is outweighed by a childlike pleasure in learning something new. I'm having a lot of fun although my hands are hurting more than with knitting – I must be awakening some new muscles!

Crochet

Anyway, it feels good to have made a start and this old dog is happy to be learning new tricks!

general stuff

five minutes peace

This has been one of those whirlwind weeks when it seems like there weren't enough days between monday and friday. So I'm making the most of the last peaceful hour before school pick-up by savouring some quiet knitting in the afternoon sun and listening to Chill.

Sunshine afternoon

I'm hoping the weekend days will last a little longer than this week and that there's a cup of tea in bed on the menu! Have a lovely weekend where you are.