Tapestry Crochet Cushion

Last month I wrote about stepping out of my crochet comfort zone and trying
something new. That something new is tapestry crochet and I'm pleased to say
that I've really enjoyed learning this new technique. I'm also pleased to show you
my first finished tapestry crochet project - this harlequin pattern cushion cover.

If you google images of tapestry crochet, you'll get a lot of harlequin patterns.
Their bright colours and geometric shapes were actually the ones that first
drew me and made me want to find out more about this type of crochet. As soon
as I got the handle of working with multiple yarns and crocheting in reverse,
I wanted to try making something with a very simple harlequin pattern.

I drew a basic pattern on graph paper, a triangle with a base of ten double crochets,
and made the rest up as I went along. It was quite easy once I've made a row with
five of these triangles using off-white and green mercerised cotton. Seeing the shapes
forming as I worked every row was exciting (I'm doing colourwork! Yay!) and
I pretty much maintained my stitch tension throughout, usually a bit of a challenge
for me when I'm making something flat.

You'll notice that the upper half of the cushion has off-white with coloured yarn while
the lower half has plain white. I ran out of the off-white yarn halfway through but
didn't really want to buy some more so just used what I could find in the house.
The plain white is also cotton but not mercerised, so it split in almost all places and
wasn't as nice to work with, but it got me to the last row and joined up the front and
back together, so it's not too bad, I guess.

The back panel is very plain compared to the front, just rows and rows of double

crochets using leftover Drops Muskat yarn. It was joined to the front cover

with good old double crochets and I made three loops for buttons at the opening.

I am really chuffed with this. It's a fantastic technique to learn and you can work
as many colours into your design as you like. I have many ideas for my next project;
I'd like to try round shapes next, like maybe fruit or flowers. I've been mulling over
another cushion with lemons or pears. It will be great fun!



Thanks to everyone visiting here. I'll see you soon. Have a great weekend!

Tapestry Crochet

I've long admired colourful patterns like this from talented crocheters. I like
the woven look and the wonderful colourwork and I have fancied giving it a go,
but it seemed so complicated. I didn't really know where and how to start.

Last weekend I decided to read up about this type of crochet and learned that

this particular technique is called tapestry crochet. It is worked entirely in double

crochet stitches using two or more colours of yarn on each row to create colourful

graphic designs. The yarn not in use is usually encased at the back as you work

each row, just like you do with yarn ends in normal crochet if you prefer not to sew

them in. It didn't sound as complex or intricate as I'd first thought, so I made a very
simple pattern and gave it a go.

The first row with the colour change went all right but it got tricky as I got to the end
of it. All rows on tapestry crochet are worked on the right side. This is fine if you're
crocheting on the round, but not so much if you're making something flat. You can't
turn at the end of the row as you would normally do, so you can either crochet back
using your left hand or crochet in reverse. Not being ambidextrous, I chose
the latter method.

It took me awhile to get my head round it and I still get confused sometimes but
I'm getting more used to it. I followed my pattern and it had turned out better than
I was expecting. The only thing is the coloured yarn in the background - it is visible
through the white sections. You shouldn't be able to see the yarn that's not being
used and I've tried pulling it towards the back as advised but you can still see it.
I've yet to crack this yarn issue, but over all, not bad, I think for a first try.

I've decided to try a slightly more complicated pattern and so far, it's going well.
I like this one more so I'll keep going. Hopefully it will be a cushion cover. I'm using
scraps of mercerised cotton. It has good stitch definition which is ideal for this and
also it doesn't split, making it nicer to work with.

It's been great to step out of my crochet comfort zone and try something new and
different. Apart from the girls' headbands, I haven't been very inspired with crochet
lately so this has been very good for sparking my interest again and I already have
a few patterns in mind that I'd like to try.

Have you tried tapestry crochet before?  If you have, I'd love to hear about your
experience and see the things you've made. I hope you've had a good week.
Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend!

Crocheted Headbands

I made these headbands last weekend. The weather had been quite miserable
here, too dark even at daytime for hand sewing, so I picked up my crochet hook
and made hair accessories instead. The girls love them. They're both into headbands
at the moment and I decided that better than buying them, I'll make them myself.

I started off with rows of double crochets to make the band, sewed together
the ends, and then embellished with flowers and bows. Very simple and easy.
The flowers are based on the buttercup pattern from 201 crochet motifs, blocks,
projects and ideas by Melody Griffiths; I just made up the bows.

I used Drops Muscat mercerised cotton in pink, green. dusky blue and red,
all left over from other projects. I like this yarn. It's smooth and very nice to work
with and makes a soft but stretchy crocheted fabric, just what you need for headbands.

These were all quick and easy makes and I enjoyed making them. It's been awhile
since I've completed a project so it was quite satisfying and very pleasant to have
something simple that I can work on while watching television and finish it in an
evening. I'm planning to make a few more for my nieces and maybe for the girls'
friends as well. But first, while there's bright, clear sunshine, I'm going to work on
my sampler and hopefully get it finished soon.

I hope you've had a lovely start to the week. It's not half-term here yet,
there's still this week to go. It's an unusually long school term for this time of year.
The girls are knackered and so am I, but we trudge on. Hopefully Friday will be
here before we know it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Crocheted Buggy Blanket

This is the baby blanket I was working on over the holidays. I didn't manage to
finish it before Christmas as I was hoping to but I think I knew that when I started.
There were just so many things going on in the run up to Christmas and crochet time
was a bit limited. It's now going to be a very, very late Christmas present for our
friends' baby boy. Still, better late than never.

The blanket measures about 22in x 24inches, just the right size I hope for when
he's in his car seat or buggy. It's worked in suzette stitch which is currently my
favourite crochet stitch and all the yarn I used is Drops Muskat (DK). I was going
to finish it off with pom poms on all the corners but it turned out that mercerized
cotton yarn is not great for creating lovely, fluffy pom poms. I had to give up after
a few tries. So it's just a simple, no frills sort of blanket but fingers crossed it feels
nice and cosy and it will help keep baby warm especially this winter.

Speaking of which, I hope you haven't been badly affected by the snow and wintry
weather we're currently having. Stay safe, warm and cosy. Have a good weekend everyone!

Crochet Pom Pom Scarf no.2

This is just a short little post today to show you the scarf I made for Lulu. It's similar
to her sister's with rows of treble stitches and blocks of colours. It's also the same mix
 of leftover Drops yarn - mostly cotton with a bit of merino and alpaca. But it's narrower
and a little bit shorter and, as per her request, it has two smaller pom poms on either
end. She's pleased with it and I am, too. There hasn't been much chance to use it yet -
the weather has been mostly mild here lately. But when it does get very cold again,
she'll have this to help keep her warm and toasty.

I am making slow progress with the baby blanket but I am hopeful that I can get it
finished on time. I just have to knuckle down at some point over the next few days
 and crochet for as long and as much as I can. Wish me luck!

Have a lovely weekend with your nearest and dearest.
See you soon!

Winter Woollies

Hello and a lovely Tuesday to you. It's very cold here today. It was -2.5 C when
we were driving to school and even now at midday with clear skies and full
sunshine there is still frost on the ground. I think it's the coldest weather we've had
for this November - just the day for wearing my newly made winter wollies:
my Mollies Makes scarf and matching hat. I had them on earlier when I went for
my morning walk and I was comfortably cosy the whole time.

The pattern is in the magazine's November issue (number 72). I used the recommended
yarn for both hat and scarf which is Stylecraft Special Chunky. They are worked in
suzette stitch (1dc,1tr in each alternating stitch) to create this thick, lovely texture
which was what first drew me to this project. I really like this stitch;
I think it will make a gorgeous, plush, snuggly blanket.

I've made some changes, though, to both patterns. As you can see, the original

scarf tapers off on the last few rows with a different coloured yarn and there are

big pom poms on either ends. I decided to skip those rows and continue with

the same colour yarn and finished off with a row of suzette stitches and double

crochets in fuchsia. I think that's a bit more my style, a little more subtle, and

I'm pretty happy with that.

I decided to have a go at making the hat, too. I've never crocheted one before

but the pattern looked straightforward enough and actually it was. It's worked

in double strands of yarn so it's much chunkier and made up really quickly.

I finished it in one evening and was really chuffed that it fits!

Again, I changed the yarn colour and finished the edge with a round of double

crochets but I didn't skip the pom pom this time. It makes the hat, don't you think?

 I certainly couldn't leave it out. 

I am not fond of the winter season but I'll be a little bit more toasty and a little
less cold in the coming days and weeks, thanks to these chunky scarf and hat.
What I need now are mittens and wrist warmers to match. I have a lot of leftover
yarn for those but they will have to wait. I have to get cracking with our festive
preparations. We've already made our Christmas cards and the girls' advent
calendar is nearly ready. I'll share them here next time.


Have a great week. See you soon!

Granny Triangle Shawl

This is my new shawl. It's a granny triangle mainly in dark green with
stripes of soft yellow, blue, beige, pink, white and green colours.

The dark green yarn are Rowan merino wool and cotton mix that I picked for our

wedding anniversary this year. We celebrated our seventh last August and wool is

supposedly the traditional gift for this anniversary year. To make it easier for my

husband I said I'd be happy to receive some nice new yarn and to help him further,

I chose the yarn and colour myself. I'm not one for big, flashy presents and neither

is my other half, so this suited us perfectly. But I really was pleased and excited.

I wanted to create with my new yarn something that's a lovely reminder of the day

 that was also useful and not just decorative. This shawl, I feel, fits the bill just right.

My Rowan wool were not enough, though. Once again, my stash of leftover
yarn came in handy, adding colour as well as size to my shawl.

And it is a good size. The base is about 63 inches wide and wraps around my
shoulders easily. All that merino yarn makes it cosy and snuggly and it's wonderful
to wear on cold days like today. The granny triangle is a simple pattern and I made
progress quickly, finishing it off with a row of double crochet stitches. It's a treat
to have and in my book, a really brilliant present.

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend. We're off for a walk soon and I'll be
making more of my orangey chocolate cookies when we get back. Then the
Strictly results show after dinner, and Planet Earth II. My kind of Sunday.

See you soon!

Winter Projects

Two posts in as many days! This has never happened here before but I'm
posting this today because I'd like to join Jennifer's Winter Project Link Party
  for November. I really enjoyed joining in last year, getting to see what others
are making and seeing their progress through the weeks and months. I'd like
to take part again.

This is one of the projects I'm currently working on - Kazuko Aoki's
Gardening Sampler. I discovered her cross stitch book at the local library
last summer and just love all the beautiful motifs she had created combining
her love of gardening and embroidery. If you're a fan of those two things
you have to have a look at this wonderful book.

I started on this sampler sometime in July. It's a Christmas present for
my mother-in-law and I thought back then that I'll have plenty of time to
finish it before December. I suppose if I had been focused and worked on it
steadily, it would be finished and framed by now. Unfortunately, I got
distracted by so many other things - books, crochet, television, to name just a few -

and have only worked on it sporadically over the past months. So at the moment
it's still very much a work in progress. I don't think I'll get it done by Christmas.
It's not as portable as a crochet or knitting project and it's trickier to work on
now that we have darker and longer evenings. I really should have made hay
while the sun was shining more brightly last summer. Oh well, it will get finished

sometime this winter and it will be an Easter present instead. Good thing
I didn't make any promises on this one.

And here's on of those distractions I've been talking about. It's in the latest issue of
Mollie Makes and when I saw it I just had to make it. I decided I needed a really
warm, chunky scarf and I might not survive the winter without it! So here I am
busy with crochet and it's all about scarf making at the moment. There are also
plans to make hats for the girls as well as Christmas cards and decorations. I guess
my sampler will have to wait then.


Thanks to Jennifer for hosting this party. Thank you also to everyone who have
visited my blog lately. Thanks for welcoming me back- I'm really glad to be here!
Have a great weekend!

Crochet Pom Pom Scarf

We've had our first snow this week. It was very light and was gone in a few hours
but the chilly temperatures that came with it has stayed all week long. Our winter
woolies are back in use and there are a few more in the making, all to help us keep
warm and cosy this winter. So far, I've finished making a shawl and this scarf here
is for Markie. I'm currently working on a scarf for myself and after this,
I'll start on Lulu's.

I made Markie a cowl last Christmas but sadly and annoyingly, it had gone

missing. This scarf is its replacement. It is bigger in width than the cowl and

I've made it long so it can be snugly wrapped around. Hopefully it's cosier too.

As you can see, it's just rows of treble stitches finished off with pom poms

on both ends. Very simple and easy and it didn't take very long to make. It was
an enjoyable portable project to work on; I took it with me to her swimming lessons,
the school run and even to one of the birthday parties the girls attended. I always feel
very bored at these parties and having something to crochet whilst sat on the sides
waiting was great. I felt my two hours weren't completely wasted. 

Apart from the mustard yellow and dark pink yarns, the rest of the colours

were leftover wool from other projects, a mix of Drops merino and cotton.

I'm pleased that the colours go well together. Hopefully she'll get a lot of use out of this

and fingers crossed, she doesn't lose this one too!

That's it for now. This is my second post after my very long blogging break. Actually,
it's really nice to be back in this space and to be posting again about making
and crafting. I have missed being here. I still have a lot of catching up to do and
I'm looking forward to visiting your lovely blogs soon.

Take care, keep warm and have a great weekend!

Winter Projects

My crochet blanket, which is my big project this winter, is still
a work in progress. I picked it up again after Christmas, after all
the festive bustle had calmed down and added three more rows
of colours.  I was working on a white row when I ran out of yarn and
so it had to go back to its basket while I waited to get some more.

The yarn stash has been replenished but the blanket remains
 folded away on top of the basket (shown here being held up by Lulu) because I'm currently distracted by another project.

I have been planning to start on this particular project after
the New Year and the couple of days when I didn't have the right
yarn for the blanket gave me the chance to do so.

As you can see it's a cushion cover with big, bright colours which
I love. The making hasn't been so straightforward though. I realized
as I crocheted the first petal that the finished cushion might be a
bit too big. I looked at the pattern again and sure enough it says
21 inches across. It is too big! So I've had to unravel most of it and
start again. I've had to adjust the pattern and it's taken me awhile
 to figure it out. I've written it all down in my note book and that's
been a great help. That and stitch markers. I'd be lost without them.

Once I've made all the petals I'll take a break from this and go back
 to my blanket which is just perfect timing because the weather's
going to turn much colder next week. It's now long enough to cover my
lap and drape down my legs. So it might still be a work in progress,
but it's already quite useful- the perfect winter project!


I'm joining in with Jennifer's Winter Project Link Party.
Have a lovely Thursday evening!

Making in 2015

I'm having a look back at all the things I made last year. I think
 I did well. I didn't manage any dress making as I'd planned to do
at the start of 2015 but there was still some good sewing. I made costumes and I hand quilted my patchwork blanket. Both tested and improved my sewing skills and I learned a lot from making them.
I'm also very pleased to have made a tea cosy. I still use it everyday
and it's certainly one of my favourite makes from last year. My crochet
got better too. Amongst my crochet projects were shawls, pot holders and several cowls but I'm most proud of my bear bag. I adapted a triangle pattern for the ears but the rest I just made up as I went along.
My crochet confidence grew from from making that little bag. It's
another favourite from 2015.

As always I feel lucky to have had the time and resources to make
all these things. Getting crafty and being creative bring me a lot
of enjoyment as well as comfort, pride and satisfaction and I hope
there will be more in 2016.

Wishing you all a good week. It's back to work today but school
doesn't start till tomorrow for the girls. They're playing nicely at
 the moment so fingers crossed I can do some crochet this afternoon.
My unfinished blanket is calling out to me. See you soon!

Cowls for Christmas

Hello! How was your Christmas? I hope it was beautiful and
peaceful, and full of joy, warmth and good cheer. Sorry I haven't been around these past few days. I took a break from blogging and all
social media over the holidays and it was nice. But it's also good
to be back again and today I've got the rest of the presents I've made
to share with you.

As you can see, they're all cowls. I actually made four in total
this Christmas. I wasn't really planning to but they turned out to be
 my favourite gifts to make this year. I've enjoyed crocheting each and
 every one and I'm happy to report that they've all been well received.

 The first one I made was for my mother-in-law. I showed it here back
 in November. This dark grey one was for a new friend I'd met through Instagram. It's a Christmas present and also to say thanks for
the lovely felt garland she'd made for us.

I used Drops Andes, a super chunky wool and alpaca mix, with

a size 9 hook and this pattern by Sarah Hatton. I don't often crochet 

with chunky yarn but I enjoy it when I do. Projects work up quickly

and take less time to finish, and with a lovely, soft yarn like this, 

it was even more enjoyable.

The girls also asked for cowls after seeing the one I'd made

for my mother-in-law. I was going to make them pom-pom slippers 

but decided to give in to their requests.

Markie's cowl is made with rows of trebles in various colours.

She was quite specific about it being colourful and I think we've

got colours here.

I used the same yarn for Lulu's but with little granny squares.
This took me longer to finish as I got distracted making other things
but I did manage to get it ready by Christmas Eve.

The yarn were all Drops Merino Extra Fine, one of my favourites.
Both girls like their cowls although they haven't actually worn them
outside yet. It's been quite mild lately and warm, cosy woollen accessories have not been needed that much. But better this than
ice and snow if you ask me. I'm a warm weather girl at heart and

 I'm always happier when it's not so cold.

So that's my Christmas present making done for this year. I wonder
what I'll be making for Christmas in 2016....


Enjoy the rest of the Holidays and happy New Year in advance!
See you soon!

Winter Projects

I've scarcely made any progress with my crochet blanket since
 my last link up post. I have, however, been busy with lots of other
things. I have been making Christmas cards and decorations with
my girls and I've also made some presents. So far I've finished
a crocheted cowl and pot holder for my mother-in-law and I've
just made Markie's request- 'a scarf like Nanny's but with lots
and lots of colours.'

Lulu wants the same thing as well but I'm making hers with
these little granny squares. It's coming along nicely and I'm
enjoying using all these colours. I think it will be finished soon.

And this is a bunting for a friend's baby girl. It's all purples and
greys with bits of pink - very sweet and very girly. I've sewn all the
appliques by hand and my main job today is sewing all the pieces
together. Fingers crossed it will ready before we see both new mum
 and baby this weekend!

So not much to report about my blanket but hopefully progress
will resume once all the festive crafting, making, and preparations
 are over!


Joining in with Jennifer's Winter Project Link Party.


Have a lovely weekend!!