Block #47: Bars & Diamonds

From Eaton's 200...

Block #23: Bars & Diamonds.

Well, this is in the same catagory as #80, Blocks & Shells. It's a nice spacer block, easy to hook, and is firm, yet lacy.

Bit boring though.

:D

Today is obviously Star Trek Day on the blog. Why?? It's block #47! (47 is the Star Trek magic number. No, really! It appears in like EVERY movie & EVERY TV episode*!)

*may be slightly exaggerated.

And tomorrow begins The Month of the Granny Square.

Week 9 completed: Krista Spot-Sampler Rug

So, I completed this last week, and it is from two weeks ago now:

A nice simple lacy round-in-a-square block. Again, I looked at the marvellous Kim's instructions to complete this, since they're always right, unlike Spotlight's instructions. (Seriously, doesn't anyone at that corporation actually THINK about these things? Surely instead of simply finding squares and instructions on the internet, they'd have someone work it all up before hand? Hmph.)

Not too shabby. Could do with a bit of blocking.

I've suddenly had a crisis of thought about the size of hooks that I've been using for this project. I'm going to have to go back and check what I originally decided, and then measure all my blocks. It's not going to work if I can't actually sew them all together because they're all different sizes, eh.

Week 11 completed: Krista Spot-Sampler rug

And here is week 11 completed:

Firstly, when I looked at the square, I was all "OMG it's a FLOWER in a SQUARE" oh no!! As I pointed out yesterday, week 3's flower-in-the-centre was a bit of a disaster. I have a lovely broach now.

So, I approached this with a bit of apprehension. But, I followed Kim's adapted pattern, (*corrected* pattern) and look - a square! With a flower in it! I'd like to do it again, because I'm not terribly happy with how the petals are curling in the middle, but this might just be the type of yarn that's being used.

A little announcement as well: May is going to be Granny Square Month! There are so many variations on a theme of 3tr-1ch-3tr that I can't - indeed wont - fit them all in a week. So why not dedicate a whole month! May begins in all of 3 days, so get ready!!

Week 11: Spot-Sampler Krista Rug

Here is the Week 11 block as hooked up by Kim!

(available here)

I don't think any of us can sing Kim's praises enough: she gets the block done quickly and posts up the errors in the instructions for the group. (See? Kim's instructions: awesome.)

This one looks cute with the little curled flower leaves. But OMG it's a centre-flower pattern and the only other block I haven't done is week 3, which had the centre-flower patter. And we all remember what happened last time I tried this idea...

Book: Granny Square Love

So, I popped into the library after work today and look what I found!!

Granny Square Love by Sarah London!!! (Link to the Book Depository)

How exciting!!! A book I have on my wishlist at my local library! I love being able to take books for a test drive :)

So, I'm going to have a squizz over the weekend and let you know what I think!

Block #46: Italian Cross

From Jan Eaton's "200..."

Block #24: Italian Cross.

Well, this square featured puff stitches which I've never tried before. They were a bit hard to get through with the 3.5mm hook I was using, so I switched to a 3.75mm hook just for a bit more space with the cotton. They are PUFFY!! More puffy than clusters or popcorns, because I think they're a shorter stitch, being made out of half-trebles. Popcorns are based on the treble.

In the book this is made out of a darker blue/purple centre and a lilac outer, with a cream where I've put the cream. I think the colour choice in the book is better than the one I've made here. Even if I'd used the blue that I've been working with recently, I think the square might have turned out looking better.

But, it's a nice square. I doesn't really need blocking, and it's a sturdy little square for a lacey block.

Better Homes & Gardens May 2012

In this month's Better Homes & Gardens, there's a crochet pattern! In fact, it's the beautiful lap rug you can see on the cover. You apparently need a "flower loom" for it. I had no idea what that was, so I had to go off and investigate.

This is a flower loom.

It makes things like this:

Right then! I makes cute pompom-esque flowers!

But wait, there's more!

Because YES! There is this gorgeous flower shrug that you can hook too!

I might have to go and buy this magazine tomorrow. I wonder if the library will have it in yet...

Block #45: Blocks & Shells

From Eaton's 200..

Blocks #80: Blocks & Shells

I like the way the groups of trebles have turned out in their little shell patterns here.

I think this is the kind of block that you use to fill in a space between heavier blocks. It's got a bit of stability about it, but it's a little lacey as well.

Block #10 completed: Spot-Sampler Rug

Here is my version of Block #10 in the Krista Spot-Sampler Rug:

So this week worried me A LOT. One might even say I freaked out a little when I saw the square. This is called "Basket Weave" and I have never attempted it before. I might have done front-post tr's or back-post tr's before, but never like this.

Front-Post Trebles? Huh? I can hear you say. I think it might actually take some explaining one week. Not tonight however.

I was real pleased with how easy this was once I saw the instructions. I just had to get my head around it, and then it was just like working a plain square, but paying a bit more attention.

In fact I liked it, and how the square turned out, so much, that I unravelled the 10ply Red Scarf of Doom and have started working it in Basket Weave. And I like it!

Block #44: Somalian Flower (with free pattern)

Today, a special post.

A few days ago, I spied a block on this page here: A Granny a Day.  The page is in Dutch and refers to another page, again in Dutch, for instructions for the square which was called "Somalian Flower". It is a version of an African Flower, which is usually formed in a hexagon. 

Well, I couldn't understand the instructions at all. So, I decided to draw up some myself.

It is with great pleasure that I provide these instructions for others to follow and create this square for themselves!

Somalian Flower Square (variation of an African Flower)

4 colours of yarn required.

Foundation Ring: 4 ch, join with slst

R1: ch1, dc in same place, 7 dc into ring, join with slst into first dc
R2: ch3, tr in same place, ch, * 2tr into next dc, repeat from * six times, join with slst into 3rd of 3ch. (8 pair of tr) Fasten off 1st colour.
R3: Join 2nd colour into any ch sp. Ch3, tr, ch2, 2tr into same sp. * 2tr, ch2, 2tr, repeat from * six times, join with slst into 3rd of 3ch.
R4: Slst across into 2ch sp. 2ch, 5tr, htr into same sp, * dc into 3rd of 4tr of previous round, htr, 5tr, htr into next 2ch sp, repeat from * 6 times, dc between 2nd & 3rd tr of previous round, join with 2nd of 2ch. Fasten off 2nd colour.
R5: Join 3rd colour into 1st htr of any round. Ch1, dc into same htr, dc into following 5 tr, dc into htr, spike dc into sp between 2nd & 3rd tr of R3 (this is where you have already place a dc into the above 3rd tr), *dc into htr, next 5 tr, next htr, spike stitch into sp between 2nd & 3rd tr of R3, repeat from * 6 times, slst into first dc. Fasten off.
R6: Join 4th colour into dc previous to any spike dc. 2tr (forms htr), *htr into spike st, htr into next dc, dc into next 4dc, htr into next dc, skip dc, (tr, dbtr, ch2, dbtr, tr) into spike st, skip dc, htr into next dc, dc into next 4 dc **, htr into next dc, repeat from * 3 times, finishing the 3rd round at **, slst into 2nd of 2ch.
R7: ch1 dc into same sp, dc into each stitch of previous round, (2dc, ch, 2dc) into each 2ch corner space, slst into 1st dc to finish. Fasten off.

Week 10: Spot-Sampler rug

Week 10 already. How did that happen? I'm behind with last week's block (too much ended up going on last weekend obviously!) so this weekend will be about doing that block, doing another mysterious block I will be sharing in the next few days (yes, excitement!) and figuring out how to do THIS block...

Pattern Available Here.

Yeah. So. That's called "basket weave" and whilst I've admired it for a while, I've never attempted it because..

LOOK AT IT. HOW SCARY/FREAKY DOES THAT LOOK!?!??!

OK I might be a bit overwhelmed by the whole idea, but the girls over on the Krista Crochet Group assure me it's pretty easy and I'll get it in no time. It's all about back post & front post crochet.

Which I might have only done once before. A good few years ago.

Meep.

Some pinterest things

This week's been a bit topsy turvy and whilst I have at least one other square to show, I haven't taken a photo of it. I'd rather wait and post it on the weekend so we've got a good photo up.

So here are some things I've pinned up on Pinterest this week!

Sunburst Flower Granny Square

Don't be surprised if this square turns up... :)

How to crochet granny ripple

This is on my list-of-things-to-learn this year. And I'm almost there :)

A granny a day

Someone else has got the right idea ;)

Edging for flannel blankets (although the maker says they are "receiving blankets", for newborns.)

How LOVELY.

Block #43: Antique Square

Again from the awesome that is Kim Stockton..

Block #43: Antique Square.

Another square on a variation of the X made from clusters. Which I'm quite fond of. I like my clusters.

Pattern here: Kim's pattern for the Antique Block

I'd also like to share Kim's Pinterest page of Crochet!

Block #42: Windmill

From the indisputable Kim Stockton..

Block #41: Windmill Square.

Available here: Kim's instructions for Windmill Square

Isn't this nice :) This is one of Kim's alternate square's she's been doing up as patterns for the Krista members. This was good to hook as well. With all the lacey bits around it, it doesn't seem to come together till the final two or so rows, and then it falls into place.

This would be BEAUTIFUL if done with 50 other's and sewed together into a big square throw!

Non-crochet post: Fridge

I am sad to say I have done NO CROCHET today. Why? Our fridge partially blew up last night. Well, it was pulling enough power down through the flat's wires that it was throwing out the safety switch. Kept resetting it until the ELECTRICITY ARC'D THROUGH THE BACK OF THE SAFETY SWITCH BOARD. So I stopped trying to reset it. Then this morning I was taken through isolation tests until the fridge threw out the power again. It was an old fridge, a twice-hand-me-down from the 1970's I'd say. (It had a beige & brown interior, with broken bits.) 

So, since I have the best boss on the planet who just gave me the day off and said it with a joke (haha pulling electricity down through residual lines..), I took the day off to (a) figure out what it was, and then (b) either sit through the electrician fixing the issue (not required) or (c) do whatever else was needed. Which was buying a new fridge.

And the point of this post is to say: I bought a NEW FRIDGE! It's small and fits the space and I'm hopeful of moving it into the kitchen and out of the bathroom (tiny flat). It's shiny and it's white and it's already cooling down, so I'm pretty happy about that :) 

I guess it's a Sally Day then :)

Except this is Maisie :) She lives next door and we co-share with our neighbour for kitty pats!

Block #41: Shell Lace

From Eaton's 200..

#30: Shell Lace

The one's nice too :) Thought I'd use this pattern for the 10ply scarf too, but yeah didn't work either ;-) Think the wool was just too chunky for it actually. This is worked in the 4ply cotton from Bendigo and it holds really well.

I've got some not-in-Eaton's blocks for you next week, as well as Friday's Spot-Sampler block for the Krista rug. I'll also talk about the scarf I'm working in that 10ply...

Block #40: Textured Bluebells

From Eaton's 200...

#6: Textured Bluebells.

Like Twin Stripes before it, this block was a real pleasant surprise. In fact, it was such a pleasant surprise that I thought I'd try and hook a scarf in it. In 10ply deluxe wool yarn. With a 6mm hook.

BAD IDEA.

Actually, the 10ply yarn is a blog post all of it's own to be honest.

This I can see, again like Twin Stripes, being turned into a real nice cushion cover, not to mention doing a whole rug in this textured pattern.

Week 9: Spot Sampler Rug

Up to Week 9 already!!

Here's the wonderful Kim from "Krista" Crochet Group block!

And here's the pattern :)

Block of the Week 9

Block #39: Twin Stripes

From Eaton's 200...

Block #6: Twin Stripes

Well, this was a very pleasant surprise. I hadn't given this block a thought previous to working it, and when I finished, I thought "what an awesome pattern!" Can very easily see a bigger version of this working really well as a cushion cover.

Block #38: Circle In A Square

Back to Eaton's '200' for this one...

Block 13: Circle in a Square.

Sometimes there's nothing more satisfying that starting a block off in a circle and ending with a square. The way you form the square around the ring in the middle for example: terrific!

This is a good block. I like it quite a bit. (I know I say that about a lot of blocks: there are heaps that I haven't done so far because I'm not fans of them...)

I was going through labelling posts today and making a spreadsheet of how I'm going in relation to how many blocks I've posted up, and I realised that I'd stopped noting down what yarn I was using. So...

This is worked in a 4ply Cotton from Bendigo Woollen Mills.

Block #37: Frustration Ended

Special Feature today!!

This, is Block #37: Frustration Ended.

Frustration plus disguised as a beautiful piece of Edwardian Lace!!

A wonderfully talented woman called Kim from the Krista Crochet Group saw a block that looked like this and wrote us out all the instructions from it, that she devised! She is too awesome. I'm actually going to be featuring a few more of Kim's instructions/blocks over the next few weeks!

When Kim first hooked this block, she said it drove her nuts (hence the name). It took her three goes, and then her instructions came forth. I totally got on the bandwagon, after completing at least two other blocks. It might have been that I started it too late, but around round 3, I almost threw it at the TV, and I wasn't even watching Richard Dawkins vs George Pell on Q&A!! (Atheist vs Catholic Cardinal. it was nasty, apparently.)  But then the MotoGP came on, and I calmed down and finished it. I couldn't figure out why it looked odd. Today when I took the picture, I noticed that I done something wrong, around round 3 :D (there's a link wrong at the bottom of the square in the picture.)

But I just LOVE this square!! It's like a piece of Edwardian Lace, which is fitting since it's the 100th Anniversary of the Titanic leaving Southampton in a flurry of wonder and excitement. And lots of Edwardian finery :) 

100 Posts...

When I began this blog at the beginning of the year, I had three objectives: (1) to try to encourage myself to finish one of my big UFO's ("UnFinished Object"), and (2) to make my way through the 200 Blocks featured in  Jan Eaton's 200 Crochet Blocks for blanket, throws and afghans, and (3) to post every single day.

Well, it must be day 100 of the year, because here I am, 100 posts strong, and not a day missed! I'm real pleased that I've managed to keep it up, even when it's been 2am, I've just gotten home from a wedding, and I realise that I've not posted up something for 'the day', something goes up :)

I feel like I need to work harder on the 200 Crochet Blocks, since I think I am only around 30 through the 200 and we're coming up to 1/3 of the way through the year. I would like to get to the half way mark by the end of June, which is another 50-or-so days away, so I must get going on those! Actually, looking at those figures I don't believe I'll make it to 100 blocks done by the middle of the year, but I shall give it a good go :)

And I need to get going on stitching together my blanket. Working on that every day is hard to put up on the blog, since there's not a new square to post up, but just progress on the blanket, some of which is small and hard to demonstrate.

The weather has finally turned here in Central Victoria, and we've had a few days of real cool weather. Autumn started right on time at the beginning of March, but we had a recall of summer for the last two-three weeks, with even a 30C day last Friday. Which is just Not On! I love my cold weather, and bundling up in my scarves, hats, gloves & coats. And of course, with the colder weather brings the desire to crochet on! I've got some LOVELY deluxe wool from the Bendigo Woollen Mills to work up a new hat in. I'm thinking a cute little bonnet :) It's a gorgeous dark red, and I can just picture it in a beret! And I've been so enjoying the second-Cotton yarns that I picked up in the store. Most of my recent blocks have featured the cotton, and it's so gorgeous to work in.

Thank you for visiting over the past 100 days, and I hope that you continue to come along!

Block #36: Framed Flower v5

Last version of the Framed Flower this week :)

Made in a different yarn (Moda Vera: Marvel, 8ply) and with a different hook (4mm compared to the 3.5mm the cotton squares are made with) it has a completely different look. Whereas the cotton squares look almost like they could be dishcloths, or a really lovely spring like blanket, this is a stronger green with a paler interior. If I wanted to use this square in a blanket or a cushion cover, I feel like I would have to use a stronger flower colour to balance against the stronger green surround.

Block #35: Framed Flower v4

Here's another Framed Flower!!!

Not sure I like this one as much as some of the other's I've completed.

I've got another one of these for the week, in a completely different yarn, and then it'll be onto something else, I promise :)

Completed Block of the Week #8

Here it is:

Nice and easy. Seems a little lop-sided, but I think blocking it will fix that.

Block of the Week #8 ... early!

I guess who ever is manning the Spotlight page is taking tomorrow off, which is completely understandable. However, it means that we've got the Block of the week early!!

Looks good. Nice and solid, which is a good break away from all the lacy blocks of the last few weeks.

Block of the Week #8 instructions available here! Hmm wonder what I'll be doing tomorrow, apart from making fruit buns that is!!

Block #34: Framed Flower v3

Tada...

The same colour that I used in the centre for the 2nd version, I've put as the border in this one. Which is a really nice change and I think works well. It's a bit darker in this photo, but eh, you get that ;-)

Still having a love affair with this square this week! There'll be another tomorrow, and then it'll be Friday which is new Block Of The Week day!!

And it's a LONG weekend this weekend! You know what that means - lots of crochet! I want to get out at least four new squares, and sew together my friend's rug a bit more. I am determined that she's going to get it for winter...

approaching full Addi quotent...

Oooohhh looking so RAINBOW!!!

I love my comfort hooks :)

Starting from the left: 2.5mm, 3mm, 3.25mm, 3.5mm, 3.75mm, 4mm, 4.5mm & (my favourite) 5mm. I'm missing a 2mm, a 5.5mm & a 6mm.

I'm so going to get the whole set this year :D

Then I'll just need to make up a crochet hook keeper!! (I've got a cute little pouch at the moment, which is awesome, and fits all my hooks & a bit of wool! AND fits in my bag!)

Block #33: Framed Flower

So, here's the other version of Framed Flower!

A darker purple centre instead of the lighter pink. They sure look nice together..

So stay tuned to see them side-by-side tomorrow!!!

Yeah, I'm mean like that sometimes ;-)

Block #32: Framed Flower

From Jan Eaton's "200 Crochet Blocks..."

#54 "Framed Flower"

Ahhhh this was such a pleasure to work last night, that I went straight on and worked another :D And in fact, I might work another tonight, and then another in a different yarn, and we might have a WHOLE week of Framed Flowers!

The flower itself actually stands out slightly from the square giving it a little three dimensionality. Not like a FLOWER motive, just a little.