More hooky

There has been alot of hooky action at my house recently. I was spurred on to finish by the local village show. I entered a crochet cushion last year and was amazed to win first prize, my aim this year was a trophy and I got it, hooorrray. I suppose its important to me to achieve something as I am mostly a SAHM. Most of my life involves the little one.

So after seeing Lucy create the Japanese flower scarf earlier in the year I knew I had to have one. I start immediately as Lucy showed us the pattern, I bought the book from Japan via etsy and bought some Debbie Bliss andes. Which by the way is beautifully soft and has a shiny lustre, its easy to work with and has a nice selection of colours. I chose about ten colours and started. I did about 7 flowers and stopped because as it grew I wasn't sure I would wear it so thought it pointless carrying on. I didn't like all the random colours put together and thought I would prefer it if it was just 3 different colours white, light blue and dark blue so I stopped, I also got distracted by the spring throw. 

I left it for about 3 months then as the show approach I thought I should finish it. As I worked on it I liked it more and more and when it was big enough to drape over my shoulder I began to love it. Its so lovely and soft and I thought it would be nice to wear with most things on my summer holidays if it gets chilly in the evening. So.....

May I present to you my Japanese flower scarf.

Taaa daahh.

        It also won First prize in the show. No surprise really as it was the only entry in the crocheted wool section, ha ha. Now I love it and

can't wait to wear it on holiday.



Have a nice sunny weekend, may it be filled with flowers maybe the hooky kind

Sarah

Shows, reveals and prizes

This is an epic moment my spring time throw is finished.

436 squares made and crocheted together and a gazillion ends weaved in. It's been a torrid love affair we have had our ups and downs but we got there in the end.

It all started with a new book back in Febuary 'Cute and Easy Crochet' by Nicki Trench found in my local WHS. So many projects drew me in with their candy colours and bobble trims I just had to have it. Jam jars cover, crocheted teddy bears and the blanket in soft candy colours. I needed it in my life.

6 months later and it's mine all mine and I love love love it.

It's amazing that I have made it I learnt to crochet last year and have only attempted cushions so far. I can't believe I did it. I made it from rowan hanknit cotton so it is a substantial blanket and I lost count how many balls of cotton I used, I made alot of orders as I kept running out. It weighs an absolute ton I guess about 30 balls it weighs half a stone. Just don't tell my husband how many they cost he is quite good at maths he will find me out.

I was spurred on to finish when I met Nicki Trench at the country living show in London and actually saw the blanket I was making. I discussed the yarn and colour choices with her. I added some new colours on her advice, used up some oddments of yarn I had and I threw in a ball of Amy butler for good measure because they didn't have the orange colour in the handknit cotton range.

Well here it is in all it's glory.

I entered it into the local village flower show on Saturday. At 5pm I emerged from the handicrafts marquee clutching my 'Best exhibit in Crochet' trophy. I was amazed but I didn't give a gushing speech. I thought it a little over the top considering it was just me and one other lady that entered the catergory. Oh wel......l it was exciting anyway I never win anything. 

I have my japanese flower scarf to show you next I can't handle the excitment today so I'll show you that next time, also a 1st prize winner at the show.


Have a great week,
Sarah

Today I am loving

I love my new boot sale find, a vintage tea tray full of beautiful roses.

Perfect for tea in the garden.

More roses in my garden they smell gorgeous and are so pretty.

When I was a kid i always wanted a playhouse in the garden with an upstairs??!! Well its a bit late but my wish has come true. My sister's friend gave us this playhouse as she was given it but it wouldn't fit in her garden. It needed a new roof and a paint so here it is fully restored.

Isn't it amazing?? I love it.

We planted the window boxes with pansies and sweet peas its so cute and our kids are so lucky. Actually i think I love it more than the kids do. I want to fill it with vintage toys so a few more trips to the boot sale are required.

I had a moment of weakness last week and bought the water carrier I loved in the Sarah Raven catalogue. It wasn't as bad as full price, well thats what I keep telling myself. I wanted to buy the green one but within about an hour of receiving the sale email they had sold out. I was trying to buy it on my phone at work but I had to keep stopping, blooming customers then they had sold out. I want it for when we go away in the caravan, I can see myself merrily skipping to the water tap bringing it back to our caravan adorned with bunting and placing it on my cath kidston inspired table. I do live in a bit of a dream world most of the time.

Its my friends birthday on Sunday so I made her a little toadstool house cake. My sister helped and we were in fits of hysterical laughter as she annouced it would need underpinning as the top began to slide off.

Have a fun filled weekend, unfortuatley I have to work boo hoo.

Sarah