Squeeze every inch out of every minute of everyday!!

Well hello my lovely ones! How are we all? Feels like it has been ages since I have posted! I do apologise! My bad!!! I’m not sure where the time has gone or even, where it goes!! My days are filled with the usual homey business of children, toys, cuppas, cleaning, crocheting, yarn loving, eating, cooking, swimming, school runs, activities, baking and playing… It’s all go. I think my motto of squeezing every inch out of every minute of everyday, is quite strong at the moment!!! Maybe that’s why my days seem to be zooming past!!

I was able to spend some time with my sister this weekend in York. It was so nice to see her and enjoy some quality time together. There was a lot of chatting and catching up going. And not to mention some yummy food…

This was Dyl’s in York. An amazing cafe bar by the river, with some seriously yummy delights.

Well, it would be rude not to have a dinner out too!! And The Press Kitchen didn’t disappoint.

And of course a few little beverages…

I managed some daytime crocheting on the train on the way up there, which was lovely!!! It was very strange being able to do this in the day, but definitely rather lovely!! I had my trusty purple flask and iPod to keep me company too. Heaven…

It’s amazing how people choose to spend their time on a train. Obviously for me, it will always be a crocheting opportunity!! I mean, I would love to sit and read a book, but my heart and head just want to crochet!! It’s become a natural thing for me to do now. My crocheting can always be found in my pocket or bag, or even in the bottom of the pram, as someone spotted the other day!! Whoops!! Showing my true colours there. Haha! Waiting rooms, kid’s parties, car journeys, holidays, bath time, watching TV… you name it, there’s always a crocheting opportunity!!

Crocheting in the car with travel sickness bands on, because of the Welsh roads being so bendy!!! Yup!! Done that!!!!

I mean, I have even been known to crochet in the car at night!!! Can’t beat a good Lite Up Crochet Hook!!

I think my husband despairs with me with my crocheting opportunities, but for me there is one huge, hang on, no, major benefit of crocheting – you can talk, chat, watch, converse and join in with anything and everything that is going on around you, whilst crocheting!! It’s just the best benefit of crocheting and one of the main things that I love about crocheting. Just the best!!!

I find it fascinating, when you can look around a waiting room or around a train and the overriding site is of people on their phones!! Now I know it’s naughty, but I do sit there and feel rather smug of the fact that I am not one of them!! And 9 times out of 10, someone asks me what I am doing or making. Last week in a doctor’s surgery, an older lady couldn’t get over how fine and delicate my latest project was. It was a cashmere lace weight yarn, so it was rather delicate, but the lady then spent the next 10 or 15 minutes telling me about what she used to crochet and how she missed it. It was so lovely.

Another crochet opportunity that brought about a special moment, was when I was in the park with my son. And he was happy as larry playing and zooming around the park, so I saw just a little opportunity to have a quick crochet of some socks. Luckily I can now crochet quite quickly standing up and know my sock pattern off by heart, so I can pick it up and drop it down if needs be. So once the ball of wool is snuggled in my little over the shoulder bag, I can crochet away to my hearts content and help and play with my son as and when he needs me.

But as it happens, there was another little boy in the park and he was rather taken with my sock crocheting. He couldn’t understand the difference between knitting and crocheting at first. But once his enquiring little mind was happy with the use of only one hook, he decided that my sock could be a bag for a daisy collector!!! Bless him. My son then joined in on the fun!!! So cute!! They spent ages picking daisies and putting them in my sock!! So sweet.

I remember talking to one lady in a car dealership for about half an hour about crocheting!! She had been crocheting and knitting for years, but was adamant she couldn’t crochet as quick as me. I don’t think I am that quick, but I can definitely whip up projects quicker than I used to. Think it’s just practice and confidence in what you’re doing.

So I think for all you lovely ones who crochet and knit and take all these lovely yarny projects around with you like I do, I salute you. Let our crafty little ways, make opportunities with others to chat and converse! May our moments of crafty craziness, fill others with wonder and joy and maybe even inspire others or plant that tiny seed for even, just one other person, to join us!! Now isn’t that a lovely thought!!!

Here’s to crocheting and knitting and all those yarny activities in the world that brings us all together.

Happy days!!

Happy hooking!!

🌈Xx

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Welcome to the ‘Using Up Year’

Well hello 2019!!! This new year seems to be here and is ready to rock and roll. It’s seems to be flying by!! Nearly the end of January already!!! I wonder what this year will bring? Ours seems to have gotten off to a good start. Back to school for my little lady, bless her. Think she was rather nervous to be going back, but she was fine once she got back into it. Her little brother has definitely missed her though. When she’s home from school, they definitely have a frantic hour of bonkersness zooming around the house!!

It’s hard going back to all the school/work/house stuff, after the Christmas holidays. It’s such an unusual holiday period isn’t it. Many of the days are filled with seeing friends and family, or franctic rushing around like a lunatic getting jobs done, in the build up before. But now it is back to normalness and the usual world of school runs and activities for us and work. The nights seem to come that bit quicker at the minute and it definitely feels darker and gloomier. I do enjoy those few moments in the evening, when everyone is quiet and you can just snuggle under your blanket and crochet. I think when u have little ones, you definitely appreciate those quiet evenings all the more!!

We’ve had a few fab weekends so far, consisting of bike rides, friends, baking, swimming, parties, family dinners and a bit of a telling off from a National Trust man! Whoops!! I don’t know how, but we managed to bike past the front of Shugborough Hall!! Ekk!! I think we we’re supposed to go around the side, but I followed my husband, who assured me it was the right way. We cycled through the estate and managed to get to the back gate! Whoops!! Better not do that again! Felt very naughty!! First telling off of 2019!! I wonder if there will be anymore?!

How are all your new projects coming along? My to do list seems to be getting big again and not quite sure how it’s happened. I seem to be frantically trying to finish bits off again for some reason. Heyho. Can’t beat a little bit of pressure to keep you on your toes!!! Think my new mug is definitely going to help me!!

So I am guessing you are wondering why this year for me is called the Using Up Year. Well, it’s pretty simple really, apparantly I have too much wool! It’s official, it’s pretty much in every nook and cranny in the house! I mean literally, you know you have a problem when you find a little bit of wool stuffed in a bookcase on the landing! I wonder how long it’s been there!! Very odd! Maybe I am crocheting in my sleep – I mean how did it get there?

So yeah, it’s Use Up Year. Hoping to bring you lots of different ways to use all your bits up and start next year a fresh!! Haha, you know it’ll be worth it, as think of how much fun it will be to replace it all!!! Yippeeeee!!!! So watch this space folks!

So onto the projects and the first few of the year…

My first main job of the year was to finish my husband’s hat!! He was after a beanie hat, with stripes around the bottom. So after a little bit of pattern tweaking and some trial and error, I managed to achieve the look he was after. So chuffed with that one. Will be publishing the new version of the hat soon. It’s ever such an easy alteration, so hope you like it.

I managed to whip up a pair of slipper socks for my dear friend. Bless her, she told me the other day she loved them so much, she even wore them to bed!! Haha – she’s now in the slipper sock family!! Once you wear them, you won’t turn back!! If you are fancying a new challenge this year, then give them a go. They are ever so easy. I always use the West Yorkshire Spinner wool, which is fab to use and the full range is pretty extensive. My slipper sock pattern uses the Aran weight wool, but I will be publishing a double knit and 4 ply pattern one day.

I’ve been rather unsuccessful with my Rainbow cabbage patch blanket so far. I haven’t had the chance to have a go with it yet, but hoping once I get a little time, I can share it with you. Think it’s going to be a lovely way to use up all those odds and ends. Using Up Year here I come!! (Still amazed that I seem to have an array of rainbow colours to hand.)

On the designing front, I have been making some delicate wings for Uni the Unicorn. This will turn her into an Alicorn (A winged unicorn.) I made this little one for my daughter as a bit of a prototype. This one I have attached the wings on, but I’ve also been given the idea from one of my daughter’s besties to make the wings detachable! So Uni could dress up in them! What a fab idea! My daughter then decided that they needed a tutu as well. So my to do list is definitely getting bigger.

Other projects have been a Unicorn for one of my daughter’s bestie’s birthday. So that one’s all ready and awaiting delivery.

Love how you can play with different colour ways with the mane and tail. Look at these two unicorns!

Can’t wait to get designing the little tutu! Could be fun!!

This week has been a little on the busy side, but I did have a little moment to whip up a little snugglepod for friend’s daughter’s Fingerling. Hope she will like it. Love how they come with little babies now, so cute!!

I have also managed to sneak a little crocheting in for me finally. Realised that my neck was just getting that little bit too cold and I have been wanting to make an infinity scarf for ages, but kept putting it off. So decided to just go for it the other day and make a chunky one. As it’s the year of using up, I decided to do the Grannie Trick and crochet 4 balls of wool together – 2 double knits and 2 lace weights. Love putting colours together, it’s one of the reasons why I think I’d love to get into handdyeing. Think my daughter would love it too! Well in true PipsRainbow fashion I managed to whip this one up.

Lastly, my little man’s had to have a snode for his little chin and what better yarn to use, but my Õilsyarn Club yarn from this month’s subscription. It was a mix of Alpaca and wool and works up a treat. It’s 5ply weight, so I used a 4mm hook to give it that freedom and drape that a snode needs. Will definitely share the pattern with you all when I have a minute. He looked rather chuffed with it on the school run the other morning.

If anyone is wanting to join the wonderful Õilyarns Club by the incredible Abby Parkes at Luxury Yarns, then follow the link below to her website. Best club ever – you won’t regret it!

https://luxuryyarns.co.uk/

Each month there is some incredible handdyed yarn, little bottles of essential oils and a little something extra too. Abby also includes a knitted pattern too. I’m hoping to create crochet patterns for all the little yarny parcels that I get from her!!! Looking forward to all my little parcels landing on my door step this year!!! Yarny parcels are just the best, aren’t they!!

So on that wonderful note of yarny loveliness, I wish you an incredible 2019 and look forward to bringing you some rainbowy, yarny Patterns. Goodbye from this little fella!

Using Up Year…

Can’t wait…

Happy hooking everyone!!

🌈Xx

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