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!

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!

Markie's Scarf

This is Markie's finished scarf. I actually finished making it

weeks ago but just haven't had the chance to share it here.

It's similar to the scarf I made for her sister. It is knitted in

stocking stitch using Drops Merino Extra Fine (DK) yarn and 

to add a bit of colour I cross stitched these butterfly and
 star motifs.*

This was one of those projects that took longer to make
than expected. I was so pleased when it's finally finished.
I just wish I'd chosen a smaller butterfly motif but Markie
doesn't mind it which is good. It does feel nice and soft
 and she likes wearing it which makes me happy. Here she is
 at Yorkshire Sculpture Park wearing her Mummy-made scarf.

As always I'm glad and grateful to be able to make my girls

 even just little things that will help keep them cosy and warm

 especially in this wintry weather we're having this week.

It has suddenly gotten very cold these past few days - 

winter is really here now!

Hope you're all keeping nice and cosy at home tonight.

Have a lovely evening everyone!

*Both motifs are from Sweet Stitches from the Heart.

Lovely Happy Things

These are some of our happy things from last weekend:


coffee with sticky sweet baklava,

a look round an art gallery in town,

fresh flowers on the mantel,

new activity books to keep little girls busy and happy,

finishing Markie's scarf,

a new Timbergram,

and thick slices of lardy cake, toasted and buttered to yummy perfection.

These small and simple pleasures have brightened and cheered us
through a weekend of miserable weather and minor illnesses;
we're so grateful for them. Fingers crossed we'll all have a much healthier and sunnier week ahead. Take care and see you soon!

Heart and Flower Scarf

I want to make my girls new scarves for this autumn and
winter and so I've been busy with my knitting needles whenever
I've had some free time this past week. I was spurred on by the cold
weather that came so suddenly last week--I want to finish both
scarves before it gets even colder! So far I've made one and
 it's for Lulu, and we're calling it the Heart and Flower Scarf.

I knitted it in simple stocking stitch using Drops Merino Extra Fine
(DK) in Turquoise. I really love this yarn. I bought two balls in this
colour and in Soft Pink from a wool shop in Whitby. Their prices
were reduced to £2.10 per ball and I just couldn't resist. It's so soft
 and lovely and has extra elasticity which makes it so easy and
 wonderful to work with. 

I initially planned to add the heart and flower motifs* with

duplicate stitches or Swiss darning. The idea came from an old

1970's craft magazine that I picked up from a charity shop. 

I thought it's a great way to add colourful designs to a knitted
garment and I wanted to try it. However it turned out to be much
 trickier than I had expected. After several frustrating tries I gave
up and decided to use cross stitch instead. It was a lot easier
and I got the same result I wanted: a bit of colour and fun to the
solid blue background so I'm still happy with it despite my
failed attempt at Swiss darning.

Here's Lulu wearing her new scarf. She insisted we go out for
a walk yesterday just so she can wear it. I'm so happy that
she likes it and I'm doubly pleased that I can make her something
nice and cozy to wear. I'm hoping to make a matching hat but first
I have to get started with Markie's scarf. It will be pink with
 butterflies and little flowers as requested--a little more detailed
than her sister's so I better get started soon!

I hope you've all had a good week. Thanks as always for stopping by.
Wishing you a lovely, sunshiny weekend!
See you soon!

*both heart and flower designs are from Sweet Stitches from the Heart 

A Little Scarf and A Duck

These were the Christmas presents I made for my girls.
I was going to write about them earlier but didn't get the chance to
in all the busyness around Christmastime. By the way, I hope you've all
had a lovely Christmas. Ours was spent at my parents in law
and we had a wonderful day.

Back to the girls' handmade gifts, this scarf was for my three year old.
She'd seen me make a poncho for her cousin and wanted one
 for herself initially. But then she changed her mind and asked
 for a scarf instead, and I was very happy to oblige.

This was the first time I've crocheted a granny stripe. I got the
idea from Attic 24's easy-to-follow Granny Stripe Blanket pattern.

Here's my big girl 'driving' an old tractor on Boxing Day.
She's delighted with her new scarf and have worn it many times already.
Even better, it matches a hat she's already got! Yey!

For her little sister I made this duck.
 It's funny but our little one has liked ducks even when she was a baby.
 One of the first words she's ever spoken was 'quack'.

She loves books with ducks, has rubber toy ducks for the bath and

has wooden pull-along ones. But as she didn't have a cuddly duck toy yet,

 I thought this was the perfect time to make her one and lucky 

that I have a pattern for the very thing!

It's actually from Soft Toys to Stitch and Stuff, an old book

I bought for a pound from a local antiques shop. And definitely a pound

well spent because my little girl loves her new duck. She plays with it

all the time and gives it cuddles and it's just wonderful.

I'm also lucky that at the moment I still don't have to make two 

of everything for the girls although I'm sure that's bound to change soon.

Before I go I'd like to wish everyone

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Take care and see you in 2014!!!!