14 April 2017

Another round done!


After a 'mixed' yellow round I decided to go for 'pure' yellow for this one. I think this will give me the 'break' I need to change colours completely for the next row.

People talk about the 'colour wheel' but I've looked at it and just found it too confusing for a 'bear of little brain' like wot I am! Instead I rely on 'good old instinct' or 'trial and error'!!! 

Those two attributes get me through life on a day to day basis too!!!!


12 April 2017

Punch nanny on the nose

That's a strange thing to tell a child to do - but it's worked!!!!  I told Abbi to do just that and it WORKED.

I've had two grandchildren staying with me for the past few days and Abbi (aged 9) asked if I'd teach her to tat. Every grandmother's dream, eh?  Something I'd secretly been hoping for for years -  BUT I have never ever asked anybody if they'd like to learn to tat.  I wait for them to ask me to show them how.  So, sixty years after I started this craft my granddaughter wanted to give it a go.

The first attempt Abbi found very frustrating.  I'd forgotten how hard it is to train fingers (and associated brain) to work together in a specific way.   After the first attempt on Monday ended 'not very well' I was very surprised when Abbi wanted another go on Tuesday.  I'm absolutely gobsmacked that a child so young got the hang of the 'dreaded flip' so quickly and realised as well that it had to flip to let the ring close!  To help her on her journey into Tat Land I found that the 'right tight, left loose' to get the flip to work was fine but when I said 'punch nanny on the nose' (with her right hand) it worked even better!!!

We started with a chain first just so she could 'see' that the core thread has to go through the stitches but then she wanted to make a ring for her finger so that's what I showed her next. 

Mission accomplished (below).  

I managed to take a video too and the link is here.

11 April 2017

My diversion

This is what I got 'diverted' by!!! 

I signed up for the 'Love Crochet' site and every so often they send some links to free patterns. That's where I got this Amigurumi doll from!!! 

These guys just made me want to make them. I think they took about two hours each. 

When my kids were young my ex and I didn't buy them Easter eggs - they had books instead. They had chocolate from their grandparents and in those days I'd rather them have something that didn't rot their teeth!!! 

It's slightly different nowadays with grandkids! I usually get them a bit of 'tooth rot' and a book or treat but I couldn't resist making these guys for the two I see regularly!!!!

10 April 2017

Round 5 finished


A lot of people suggested yellow but this isn't 'pure' yellow as I felt it needed 'tying in' to previous rows so used a plain and a variegated with some lilac. 

I really, really thought this was the end of my adventure with the doily as this row appeared to need more doubles in those chains. I kept checking I'd got the stitch count right as it was a quick row and I felt I might be missing something!!!  BUT my instincts were wrong yet again!!! I threatened it with the iron and it's now behaving very well!!!! 

Well, wouldn't you if you had an iron held over you by an OG in her pyjamas who really, really wanted to just get into bed?

Now, what next I ask myself. I don't think it'll be this doily for a day or two as another temptation has put itself in my way!!!

Creative Commons Licence

Happy Beaks

Happy Beaks
I beg your pardon? I didn't quite catch what you said.