Edging crochet with a border

I'm crocheting borders on my celtic squares and on row ends I've now worked out how to space my stitches to match the others

Tulip Etimo Red crochet hook

I only bought this Tulip Etimo Red hook to try, as I really liked my rose gold metal crochet hook set, but was suffering with some pain in my fingers.

So, having heard others saying how good tulip crochet hooks were I took a look.

LAMXD yarn ball winder

I bought this yarn winder because I have a job lot of cheap yarn which continually knots up into yarn squids which makes crocheting (and more importantly, keeping an even tension) really difficult.

So far, I have wound a yarn-end with success, and subsequently a full ball too. Both (problematic yarn balls) required me to sort out the yarn squids as I was winding, but it had minimal impact on the yarn cake that the winder produced.

Having crocheted with the small yarn-end cake, I have found that it makes working the yarn much smoother and a great deal easier.

Crochet curtain tie-back with pompom tassel

Created by Julie Short www.crowtreelane.blogspot.com

I created this tie-back for a curtain which had none supplied with it. I liked it so much, I've decided to make more for the other curtains around the  house.

You can buy a PDF of the pattern from ravelry here:  http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/crow-tree-lane/748969

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Yarn: DK (Loweth Olympus Double Knitting 878 Pillarbox Red – about 10 grams) 

Hook: 4mm 

Terms: UK 

Pompom: pompom maker & some cotton thread 

NOTIONS 

Tapestry needle 

Stitch markers 

Scissors 

USEFUL INFORMATION 

First stitch is done into base of turning chain 

You can use any yarn that you wish or have available to do this tie-back, make sure that you use the appropriately sized hook and make your chain long enough to tie back your curtain in the manner that you like best.   

My tie-back measured 60cm long, approx 2.5cm across the centre part of the tie-back and 1.5cm across the width of the arms of the tie-back. 

Lacy Granny Beanie Hat

 

This beanie hat is worked from the crown down to the rim. And when you get to the rim it is possible to chose whether to have a ribbed rim or a delicate rim to finish the hat.

The finishing piece is the colour matching pompom on the top.

I used Stylecraft Naturals Cotton + Bamboo for this hat and this has resulted in a soft comfortable hat that I love to wear.

The pattern is on Ravelry for those who want to crochet this lovely hat.

Carpet bag

This bag started out as an accessory to an outfit for World Book Day.

I needed to dress up as a character from a book and was going to be Professor Trelawny from the Harry Potter books.

At first I wanted something quick and easy to produce, but as I got into my research and designing, it became something more. I decided to make the bag that I always wanted, that would fit in everything and be styled like a carpet bag.

I made it from the fabric of a sofa cushion, so that it would be durable and hard-wearing. That meant that I had to purchase a special sewing awl that enabled me to work the thread from both sides of the fabric:

 

Over its construction it evolved to have extras such as a pocket on the front and a shoulder strap to compliment the carrying handles.

It is something that I really enjoyed making in 2018 and today it is still my favourite bag for everything.

Crocheted Crows

I wanted to make a weighted creature to hold my door open so that it doesn't slam shut in a draught. 

As I rather like Crows and rooks and we have some round here that entertain us with their funny calls, I decided to make a corvus (Corvidae). And as I had some yarn that was not something I would ever use for myself, and that I only had a small amount of, I decided to make it from Sirdar Special Prelude.

It is not a yarn that I am aware is available nowadays, as it is one that I have had for over 10 years, since the death of my mother and I have no idea how long she had kept it before that.