Project number 2

So now I've finally finished the samples I need to complete the remaining 3 projects. There are certain aspects of crochet that need to be completed over the projects set and one requirement is that an item needs to be a household object. As you slready know I decided to tackle the Sunset Tunisian crochet blanket by Poppy and Bliss. I thought it would be quite simple and enable me to practice my Tunisian technique.
Well all was going well until I had to ' join as you go'. My joins were shocking and there was no way my assessor was going to pass it.

So although I did get better at the ' join as you go', I abandoned it to the WIP pile and decided that I'd make a table runner instead. I am going to finish it as I love the colour combinations.... not that it goes with anything in my house!

Filet crochet is not my favourite but the repetitive nature of it is quite soothing, as is the constant counting. Part of the requirements of the projects means that I need to use a fashion yarn at some point. I am not a fan of fashion yarn. I don't like shiny, or tinsel, or any other type of weird yarn however I have to use it  so....

I decided to add a very untraditional border to my table runner. I used King Cole Cosmic which is a glitter yard with sequins. It's very fine and designed to be worked in combination with other yarns. I used the cotton thread (size 10 Red Heart) with the Cosmic. It proved easier to work with than I had anticipated and it gave the runner a bit of a Christmassy feel without over powering it. Would I use it again? Probably not but it's more personal taste than a dislike of working with the yarn. 

Can you spot the tiny little sequins winking at you?

So I'll be popping off to the post office tomorrow and starting to think about the next project. Both need to be garments and I need to display 2 of the following; hairpin, broomstick and Tunisian . Watch this space. I also need to use a thicker yarn and include a fastening of some sort. I'm not feeling very positive but maybe I'll change my mind when I find the perfect pattern .

Onwards...

Yeah! Big celebrations here today as my final samples all passed and I got a new job. I was really pleased as this means only 3 projects and the written element to complete.
So onto the projects. I was initially very keen on the Tunisian Sunset blanket by Poppy and Bliss. It would cover the Tunisian element and the household object. Unfortunately my joining technique was not really very good...well good enough for home but not good enough for my assessors eyes!

My joining did get better and I realised where I wss going wrong however.... I had spent so long on it I could not bring myself to frog it. Hence it won't be submitted  but will find a home on the end of the spare bed. 

I also toyed with a filet crochet table runner. I'm not a lace fan as you probably know but thought a Christmassy runner would be perfect gor the lunch table. I found a lovely book with some modern designs and started. 

The pattern suggested size 10 cotton and a 1.65mm hook. Unfortunately I don't own a 1.65mm so used a 1.75mm. In books and on the web good filet always looks quite solid with trebles packed closely together. I like this look. My filet never seems to be like this, it is gappy and has a more loose look. So I've started the runner and I'm not really very happy.  

See what I mean? So it's back to the drawing board for me and if you need me I'll be here frogging the day away!

The last few?

After great feedback on the last group of samples I decided to get cracking. I had some hairpin joining, some hairpin fringe and one button to redo.
So they are completed and ready to post. To be honest I don't hold out much hope and think they all might need to be resubmitted. However I have spent an age on them so I  thought I'm better off sending them and getting some feedback.
The hairpin joins were just so fiddly... except the braided join. I liked the braid join and could imagine it on a chunky blanket or cowl. My samples were completed in a DK cotton bamboo mix so no chunky look for me!
I really didn't like the rest of the joins as I'm just not into lace. The fringe was not too tricky but I'm struggling to think of when I could use it as I'm not a fringe person either. ☺
 Oh well here is some photographic evidence.  Let me know what you think.

Crochet buttons

I got some fabulous news today, all the braids and hairpin samples I sent passed. (most with flying colours) I had also sumitted 7 crochet buttons. These had been rushed and were a last minute make so I had  not photographed them before I posted my samples off.
Crochet buttons...well I wasn't keen. I could not imagine using them and why anyone would want to make them. Well the Diploma said I needed to make them so I did.

Surprisingly for me, I actually enjoyed making them. They were a little fiddly but they didn't take long to complete. I really liked the button I made with a steel washer and some 4ply hand dyed merino.

I could actually imagine this on a garment or a lovely hand made bag. I'd actually stitch it onto my denim jacket I like it so much. 

So well done International Diploma in Crochet. .. making me try something new and changing my mind. And thanks to my lovely husband for finding the only washer we had in the tool box. I now need to go and buy some....

Crochet Braids

So after a quick week away I decided I best get a move on with my samples as I have a blanket and numerous other projects to work on. This time it was crocheted braids. Now I had looked at them several months ago but had not had much luck when searching. I wasn't sure what they were or how to make them.
This time however I decided to invest in a couple of books. These helped tremendously. They have some clear samples and some instructions how to make braids. I bought both books from Amazon and paid only 1p for the Batsford book because it is old and used. To be honest you wouldn't know that it had been used and although it's a bit retro the information inside is still valid. If you are keen to improve your crochet and don't mind a bit of retro I'd buy a copy in an instant.

The braids I needed to make had to have a colour component and all have to be the same lemgth. Sizing was yet again my down fall. I just could not seem to get them all the same length regardless of how many times I checked. The piece seemed to shrink or stretch between each row! Don't ask me how!

I used a DK bamboo and cotton blend from Kong Cole.. I am pleased with the final effect using this yarn but it was very splitty and I often had to redo a stitch because of the yarn.  As usual the whole sample took much longer than anticiapted and I had to do some several times. Fingers crossed they will pass muster.

So here they are in all their glory....

 The top braid uses trebles and a crab stitch border. I used surface crochet to give it an extra colour pop. The other sample came from Ravelry. The instructions were very simple and once I'd tried it once I was on my way. I threaded a chain through the centre to add the extra colour element. 

I liked this tiny sample. ( below) It was from Pauline's book, Finishing Techniques for Crochet. The instructions were easy to follow but I found a larger hook (4mm) made all the difference. The 3.5mm did not show up the holes making the chain very difficult to thread. 

The final 2 samples used filet crochet. I'm becoming more interested in this technique. I prefer to use a heavier weight yarn than is used traditionaly and there are so many beautiful colours out there. I'm wondering about using a really chunky yarn to make a bath mat with some nautical element. I could be quite interesting.

  The Batsford book mentioned filet braids and gave these two examples you can see below. They were easy enough to complete but because the were worked horizontally they were difficult to get the same length as the other samples. I'm hoping they are regarded as braids when they are marked but I'm not really sure as they were so different from the examples listed in Pauline's book.. 

As well as all this I've continued making more  Selkie Cowl's by the Crochet Project. I love them! It's an easy pattern and it makes for good TV crochet. I've made 4 now so really should think about making something else.  I've gifted one already and intend to give a couple to my daughter's friends for helping her move into her new house boat. 

Right now to go and look at that blanket I've promised to make and to get the samples in the post before the next snow shower.

On to hairpin lace.

So after the madness of Christmas and all the travelling that November and December brought I settled down to starting my Hairpin lace and trying to redo any samples that I had to resubmit.
Hair pin lace requires a loom which can be purchased from Amazon . I bought this one and found it to be sturdy and easily adjustable.

It took me a while to get use to it as it's difficult to manipulate the loom and the hook initially.  I started with some DK and also tried some chunky yarn. The affect was OK but I have to say I was struggling to think of what I would use it for. I found 4ply and smooth yarn gave a much more pleasing affect.

For the samples each spine had to be different. I liked playing around with this as you just use a range of normal crochet stitches in front or back loops, or even under them. My next task will be to make more samples and then join them together however I'm not doing that until they have been marked and I know that I'm on the right lines.

A merino sock yarn gave lovely stitch definition. I really liked how each loop was a different colour. 

This DK bamboo worked up nicely. The sample reminds me of a centipede as it looks like its crawling across the page.

It's important to remember to thread yarn into the loops that when you remove your work from the loom. This is easier when the lace is still on the loom. Without the yarn things tend to get a little messy!

So onto the resubmits. 

One of my filet samples needed to be resubmitted because I'd made a mess of the blocking. I'd tried to get it square but to no avail and in the process stretched it. I sent it anyway because I needed feedback on how to improve.... No blocking was recommened! So I've tried it again. This time I took inspiration from Coastal Crochet's filet sample. Eleonora had used a boat design for her bars and

lacets sample. I used a similar boat deign and added a flag. I used a thicker cotton thread this time and a 3mm hook. It was easier to work and I felt that and the colour gave it a more modern feel. Fingers crossed it does better this time. I worked more rows to ensure it was square. Hopefully that will be OK.

My shaping piece also had issues. It was the wrong shape!!! LOL. Well the wrong proportions. So I've had another go at that too...god I didn't realise how long some of this would take me... 3 attempts later I think it's ok.  I used Stylecraft DK and a 4.5mm hook. I still get quite a stiff fabric so will have to try an even larger hook next time. The sample could do with a block but after my last attempt I'm staying well away from the blocking boards. The crab stitch around the edge gives it a clean finish and it's super stretch so no need to do 3 stitches in the corner. 

Seem to have got a teal thing going on at the moment!

So that's all workwise but I have been having fun too. 

I finished my dad's Christmas present! I only started it 2 weeks before Christmas. (Never let me do that again.) A single sized blanket in just under 2 weeks equals too much stress. However he loves it and already is showing it off to neighbours. 

Look how happy he is. :)

It's the Attic 24 Coastal Ripple using the original colours. Packs can be found at Wool Warehouse.

I've also been trying to use up my stash. I had some stunning DK Dovestone from Baa Ram Ewe in Leeds. 200g in Rhubarb and 200g in Lotherton. It's a Wensleydale, Bluefaced Leicester, Marsham mix and it's totally gorgeous. It crochet's up like a cloud and is not splitty or scratchy. What's more it's 100% British and spun in Yorkshire! Ee Bah Gum it's blooming lovely. So I finally found a pattern and now just can't stop making them. It's the Selkie Cowl from The Crochet Project. and it looks even better than in the pattern. Well I think so, and that's what counts right?

Oh it's so soft and snuggly just perfect for these cold wintery days. It's a very easy pattern to remember and I think that even a beginner could easily master it. The hardest part is getting the initial 200 chain not to twist, although I did find a YouTube clip that helped.  Have a go yourself and let me know what you think. 

I'm off to Oman for a week now to see my lovely friend Carlotte. Just got to go and pack my WIP.... bye!

IDC catch up.

Since my last post things at BL head quarters things have been a little busy... Lots of travelling and lots of crochet and knitting in the run up to Christmas. Socks galore and some scrappy yarn projects as I could not justify adding more to the stash....

 

Scrappy socks!

Scrappy gloves

A trip to Cornwall

More socks!

Spain

More Spain

And 12 days hiking in the High Atlas mountains.

After I sent off my last samples I was a little anxious as I felt some of them were not quite right. Well I did get some back to resubmit but they were not always the ones I expected. Such is life! 
So I've been working on my resubmits and my first project. Apologies for the poor photographs...it's November and we don't get much natural light in the valley at this time of year. 

My first project is a lace weight shawl. This covers the use of a light yarn and the following of a published pattern. Well I have to say lace weight is not my favourite. The texture of the yarn and the softness of the shawl is beautiful but it took an age to make. I used Drops Lace in Alpaca and Silk. It was very inexpensive and was nice to work with ( all be it slow, or was that me???) I'm happy with the resulting shawl but it needs blocking. I think it fits the tension but we shall see. The yarn was very fine so I think it may be smaller than the original. The yarn used for the original was very expensive though thus leaving me no option but to try something cheaper.

I chose to make the Crochet Project shawl from Raw. The Abberley Shawl was worked on a corner to corner principle which I had never tried before. It proved to be much easier than I had anticipated. 

Some of my Tunisian samples needed to be resubmitted. I had obviously, once it had been pointed out, had tension issues. I have tried to correct these but for some reason I seem to be tight on the right hand side of the work and loose on the left particularly with the textured piece. I tried the honey comb stitch this time which is just a series of simple stitch and tunisian purl stitches alternating. It gives a lovely finish but I had to make the sample three times and I'm still unsure how it will do. I used Drops Karisma for these pieces. It is 100% wool and a little rough. It is best worked in a 5mm hook rather than the usual 4mm as it works up quite thick and can be a little stiff. It is very reasonably priced and can be washed in the machine. There are a nice range of colours, I particularly liked the blues and greens.

My 4 stitch textured piece needed to be redone because I had misinterpreted the question. I had really liked the effect I had used with the multiple stitches but the double crochet stitch did not count. So it was back to the drawing board. This time there was no agonising over the stitches and trawling the internet to find a stitch pattern. My confidence had obviously increased and I just made bobbles using half trebles, trebles, double trebles and triple trebles. The result is large assymetrical bobbles with an open texture. Once gain I'm unsure if this is what is required but hey ho give it a go! I used Stylecraft for this. In knitting I'm not a big fan of acyrlic but this DK works a dream when crocheting and can easily be purchased online from Wool Warehouse. ( Or most LYSs if you have one)

I've still to resubmit my bars and lacet piece which was spoilt by my amature blocking. The bars and lacets were commended but the piece was not square. I'm still struggling with this and have bought new thread and a range of smaller hooks to try and over come it. Back to the drawing board. May be I should go the other way and try it with a large hook and some brightly coloured yarn to make a more modern looking piece.
I've also had a go at hairpin lace. Well it's early days and my technique has much to be desired. They could be worse...lol!

This is my hairpin piece with a double crochet centre. I'd show you my attempt at a two double crochet spine if it wasn't so bad!

So now it's back to some Christmas crochet. Cushion covers for my daughters new boat and a Coast Ripple blanket for my dad. Best get cracking as at this rate I'll be writing IOUs!

Edging and shaping

Wow I'm on a roll this week!  I've managed to do my shaping piece and my three edgings for a classic suit.
I selected quite plain edging as a classic suit hardly needs shells and pompom trim. My favourite was the blanket edge. It gives a clean edge whilst adding a little decorative element. The only thing I'm concerned about is that the picot edging might be on the wrong side of the dc piece. I'm not sure if that will matter or not. There's only one way to find out.
I used Drops Karisma DK for the edgings. It's 100% wool and worked up very nicely.  It's firm but not splitty.  A 4.5mm hook worked well but it could have taken a 5mm or 5.5mm quite easily.

For this shaped piece I used Stylecraft Special DK . It's 100% acrylic and is very soft. A 4.5mm hook gave some drape.