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Squeeze every inch out of every minute of everyday!!

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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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2018 CAL - Year of the Stitches Blanket

Year of the Stitches Week 46 – Treble Crosses

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Treble Crosses Stitch

Well hello my lovelies! I hope you have all had lovely weekends!! We have had a rather activity weekend, so I think these two have earnt a movie night. They seem to be enjoying a double whammy of blanket yumminess!!! Surely you can’t have enough snuggly blankets around you can you?!?! The back one is a granny square blanket that I made for my daughter a few years ago!! It’s a firm favourite in our house.

So this weekend we have managed two big walks. The Long Mynd on Saturday and Thorpe Cloud today. It was so nice to get out and about in the fresh air. Unfortunately as you can see, we didn’t have the best of weather yesterday. It was like we were walking in the clouds. I don’t think it dampened our spirits though.

But by the end of the walk, it was clear blue skies and bright sunshine. The walkers seem to appear out of the woods at that point! My old faithfuls are still going strong!!

I think we were the only crazy ones that were out early in the morning. Just to give you an idea, we had got up, cooked and ate a big breakfast, driven to the Long Mynd (over an hour away,) walked up and around the The Mynd (9km to be precise) and then managed a yummy pub lunch by 1pm. So I reckon that’s pretty good going!! Either that or it’s just usual life with a little one that needs to sleep early afternoon!! Bless him. I know it’s not forever, so we don’t mind arranging our day around him!! And definitely don’t want his naps to end just yet!! Ekk!!

We have definitely had an active weekend – so today  we ended scrambling up Thorpe Cloud!! And we had the amazing weather that we had hoped for!! Wow!! We were so lucky!!! Just incredible!

If you are ever in the area, it is definitely worth a trip!! There’s the famous stepping stones that you can walk to, but then the adventurous ones go up Thorpe Cloud! It’s a bit of a scramble at the beginning and definitely not easy for my poor husband with a back pack and a little boy who is getting bigger by the minute on his back!! Totally worth it though!! The view was amazing! My daughter kept saying how easy it was and why were we taking so long!! Bless her!! She has so much energy!!

This walk had definitely earnt a mulled cider at the Old Dog Inn afterwards!!! Dare I say it – felt like the beginning of chrimbo!!

We ended up in Ashbourne afterwards and had a lovely cuppa in the F’coffee cafe!! My son even had a babychino, but it’s wasn’t any normal one!! He absolutely adored it!! Mega coffee bar if you are ever in Ashbourne!!! Hmm, just looking at this photo – do you think he likes diggers?? Haha! Bless him!!

Well we have definitely had a lovely weekend making lots of family memories!! Happy days!!

So onto a spot of crocheting. So this weekend I have published my Simply Snuggly Hat pattern. Now this is a great pattern for any of you who are new to crocheting and want to make something easy, but also for crochet addicts like me who love giving crocheted pressies to everyone. This one uses a  back loop double crochet stitch, which is extremely easy to make up. So no worries there!!

My other Weekend Hat pattern, will be ready to go mid week I think. This will be my second hat pattern and once again it is extremely easy to make up. It uses the back loop treble stitch, so it’s a lot quicker than the back loop double crochet hat, but obviously gives you a different look.

This is one I am making for my Mum. She adores this cerise colour, so hope she will like it. The wool has been hand dyed by the wonderful Easy Knitter!! Hoping to find a matching pom pom for it!!! Definitely needs a pom pom, doesn’t it!!

So onto the blanket and this weeks instalment of Year of the Stitches CAL. So this week I have chosen a lovely stitch called the Treble Crosses Stitch. It’s a pretty cool stitch. It’s kind of like a spike stitch in the sense that you work trebles in the row below, but crossed!! Hope you like. It’s good fun to work up. Just watch your tension. Make sure your tension is quite loose, as otherwise it will pull the stitch down!! Hope you like it!

Supplies –

This week I have used a 100% Double Knit wool from the Cascade range!! It’s ever so nice to work with!! As always I have used about 30g of yarn. Remember you can use any double knit yarn you like. Don’t forget your 4mm hook, scissors and a blunt ended tapestry needle.

Stitches – 

Chain (ch) – To make a chain stitch, make a slip knot on your hook and then place the yarn over your hook and pull through the loop. Repeat this action to make a row of stitches.

Treble Crochet (tr) – Yarn over your hook and insert the hook through the stitch, front to back, then yarn over hook and pull back through stitch. You will have three loops on your hook. Then yarn over your hook and pull through the first 2 loops. Then yarn over your hook again and pull through the last 2 loops.

Ok so here we go …

1 – Attach your new yarn onto the wrong side of your blanket and chain 3. Now work 1tr in the same stitch. Then work 1tr in each stitch across the row. (200)

2 – Now turn your work and chain 3. Then work 1tr in the same stitch. Now miss 2 stitches and then work 1tr in the base of the next stitch. So work the tr stitch around the back of the tr post. Can you see where the arrow is pointing.

So to do this, yarn over your hook and insert your hook around the back of the stitch like so.

Then yarn over and pull back through and up to same height of the row. You should have 3 loops on your hook.

Now finish the stitch by placing the yarn over your hook and pulling through the first 2 loops and then yarn over your hook and pull through the last 2 loops to complete the stitch.

Now work 1tr in the 2nd of the missed stitches. This is where the arrow is pointing.

Ok so now you are ready to work 1tr around the base of the first tr stitch that you missed. So we are going to put the yarn over your hook and insert your hook where the arrow is pointing.

So place it around the back of the stitch like last time.

Now yarn over your hook and pull through. This will give you 3 loops on your hook.

Then finish the stitch by yarn over your hook and pull through the first 2 loops and then yarn over your hook and pull through the last 2 loops.

Now work 1tr in the next 3 stitches. The first stitch needs to go where the arrow is pointing. You need to make sure this is the stitch that hasn’t had a treble stitch underneath. If you start in this one you will end up with a higher stitch count!

Son once you have worked the 3 trebles you have finished the treble cross stitch.

Ok so now it’s time to repeat. So *miss next 2 tr stitches, work 1tr in the base of the next tr stitch.

Then work 1tr in the second of the missed tr stitches.

Then 1tr in the base of the first tr stitch missed.

Now work 1tr in the next 3 stitches.*

Repeat this ** across the row. (200)

3 – Now turn your work and chain 3. Now work 1tr in the same stitch and then 1tr in each stitch across the row.

End with 1tr in the last stitch and then fasten off and sew in your ends.  (200)

And there we have the wonderful Treble Crosses Stitch. Hope you like it. Still a bit shocked that we are on week 46 of Year of the Stitches!! I really hope you are enjoying this CAL as much as I am!! Think it’s going to be a magnificent blanket once it’s finished. Fingers crossed!!

Anyways, happy hooking everyone!

🌈 Xx

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