Chez Spud

I’m crochet obsessed at the moment. Can’t stop making things, or researching the next project, or lusting over yarn and falling in to yarn shops (both bricks & mortar and clicks & mortar ones) and accidentally adding to the Stash of Shame. No matter how many projects I tackle the Stash of Shame just keeps growing. Puzzled face…

I have three projects on the go at the moment. A Japanese Flower Stole (pictured above), copied from inspired by Attic24 . I’ve worked like a fiend on this and it will be finished in less than a week. Can you tell that the Megaboys have taken a jaunt to Granny’s for a couple of days? I love the soft, silky yarn (Debbie Bliss Andes) but I’m not 100% smitten with the colours. I think the bright pink was a mistake, possibly. But without it the colours would have been very muted. The pattern is fantastic however, and I’ve already lined up yarn for the next two stoles it’s such a joy to make…even though it did involve deciphering complicated charts since the pattern book is Japanese.

A few weeks ago I decorated bottles of wine for the staff at the boys’ school and nursery as thank you gifts, pattern courtesy Mollie Makes magazine. Cards courtesy the Megaboys.

Also lurking in my To Be Finished pile is a huge chunky scarf which is a Christmas gift. It’s miserable to make. I hate using vast crochet hooks. Meh.

And then there is the baby ripple blanket, a gift for baby Merle (oh I LOVE the name) who was born last week. I really enjoyed making this, it’s taken months though as it’s surprisingly large for a baby blanket. I love the delicate ripple and the unusual colours. I think the deep purple scallop edging is absolutely lovely. Tricky to photograph however.

Yarn is Baby Rooster which comes in lovely colours, and I think it will be hardier than Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino (my usual preference for baby blankets). However I’ve since discovered Millamia yarn which is my new Best Favourite, though I wish they did a wider range of colours.

The Pattern comes from Cute & Easy Crochet by Nicki Trench. I really like this book, I’ve made a few things from it now and there are plenty more on The List.

Oh look, there’s my first EVER crochet project sneaking in…the Granny Square…

Also sneaking in is yet another project On The Go, just seen…a pile of granny squares, a blanket for Digby to replace the first one I made for him. He was sick on it (weep) so I washed it on a delicate cycle in the washing machine. Alas the VERY expensive Mirasol Tupa yarn (50% silk, 50% merino) is handwash only so I ended up felting the blanket. It’s now the size of a small bathmat. I won’t make that mistake again.

Soon my attention will turn again to photography, reading, writing and blogging…all of which are burbling along too. But, for now, it’s all about the hooky. And the Stash of Shame…

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A little bit more hooky goodness to share … a collaboration between me (crochet hats), The Wife (photography) and some fabulous mothers (babies). A few people have asked if I make hats to sell, I don’t I’m afraid. I make them as presents and for The Wife’s business (Lyanne Wylde Photography) only. I get RSI and Crochet Claw too easily from crochet to start a cottage industry. Best way to get one is either (a) overthrow and replace The Wife or (b) become my Real Life Friend and have a baby. Simples! Though extreme…

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I made these teeny tiny little baby hats…

…little pixie hats which crochet up in NO TIME at all … for newborn twins..one pink..one blue…from this pattern here on Ravelry. I made them to order for The Wife, Lyanne Wylde, for a newborn shoot. I made them … she snapped them .. the babies wore them. Whilst snoozing …

Made it. Quite proud of them. The hats, not the babies … though if they were mine I’d be BEAMING with pride. Photo credit to The Wife. Hooky credit to The Spud.

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Breaking the rules to say….this is my 500th post…that is all.

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Lucky me! Look what Postman Andy brought? A super gift from Kim at A Box of Chocolates, all the way from Australia. Can’t wait to get hooking a couple of these fine little fellows, although a trip to the craft shop is needed as they are embellished with all manner of lovely things.

I especially like the Catbot …

Alas so does someone else…

… and that was the end of the photoshoot as he wanted to sit on the book. Noooooo. Thanks Kim for a lovely and very unexpected gift. A little Crobot will be on its way to you soon…

Also on my hook this week was an Apple Jacket. Yes, a jacket…for an apple. I know, entirely pointless but sooooooo cute. See here, pattern from Mollie Makes:

See, so cute! Who could resist? Not me…so I quickly hooked one up from the very easy pattern. Or so I thought…um…umm…anyone see anything wrong?

Not much of a jacket, more a hat…a smurf hat I thought. Cry. Looks way better on Elsie…

Also in my mail this week…’Cambridge, Norfolk & Suffolk Unlocked’ from Unlocked Guides, a fantastic guide book written specifically for children.

This is NOT a sponsored post by the way, though I was sent the guide free of charge. They didn’t ask for a mention or a review, but I genuinely think it’s a super product. We’ll be testing it out over the weekend as we’re going on a trip. Watch this space…

It’s my Blogoversary tomorrow by the way – YIPPEE! And I’m having a giveaway to celebrate, and no it’s not that crappy Smurf Hat…swing by tomorrow for details.

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Oh claps hands and praise the gods of crafting! Mollie Makes has finally launched in the UK, with the slightly twee ‘living and loving handmade’ tagline. But we’ll forgive them that.

I read about Mollie Makes on Dotty Angel’s blog a while back and meant to track down a copy when the time I came. Of course I promptly forgot about it until I was scuttling around in town and my eye was violently caught by this gorgeous front cover:

In I skipped and, rejoice, twas the first edition of Mollie Makes which is now mine. All mine. And I gather I’m one of the lucky ones since they are flying off the shelves and there is much Hunting High & Low going for them all over the UK, such a nation of crafty makers that we are now.

A quick flick through and I’m sold on a subscription for life because it’s packed full of Lovely Things to look at, make and – natch – buy. Lovely felt kit included, coming soon to my iphone:

Four page spread on Tif’s lovely home and makery…I want to live there…

A dress guard for Agnes, my bike…that’s on my ‘to make’ list. Not totally sure that it’s very practical but who cares about that? Why do apples need crochet jackets? They don’t, of course, but that doesn’t mean they don’t ‘want’ crochet jackets…

Garlands made from fabric scraps and paper? Thank you, don’t mind if I do…

If only my parties were this elegant. Mine tend to involve jelly, ice cream and plastic cups…

Another feature…this time on Keboniko. I need to at least go to that shop, if not move in. It’s in Barcelona but no matter…

A peek at Pixie Blossoms’ studio. Yup, need to move in there too.

I’m completely smitten, can you tell? It’s beautifully put together and styled, the photography is wonderful and it’s just the right mix of things to look at, read and do. Very very elegant. Priced just about right at £5.00, not cheap but then it’s not a cheap product. I now wish I’d bought two copies so I could have shared the love with someone. If you’re in the UK you can look at a map here on the Mollie Makes site to track down a stockist, though WH Smith and Sainsbury’s seem to be the biggies at the moment. The rest of the world will have ‘limited’ supplies from 9 June, cry .. only limited? Or you can buy a subscription and read on your puter or ipad.

Other things I bought this week…a Lego boardgame that my children didn’t throw at me when we played it YES!…oh and a very whizzy and shiny Nikon macro lens. Mollie Makes was £5…the Lego game was £10…the lens was £toomanytomention. But, ssshhh, Mollie Makes wins.

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It’s fair to say that creativity has been in short supply around here in recent weeks. Work has been difficult, all consuming and anxious making…that kind of low grade, constant anxiety has been worming its way in to my head, pushing out all thoughts of anything creative or expressive. My camera is still broken and I’m really missing it, although I have a loan camera. It’s just not the same. So the the Photo A Day went off track. Blogging? Nothing to say and no photos for prompts. Crochet? Well, I’ve done a little but with little enthusiasm. Reading? I inched my way through The Book Thief and loved it, but ‘inched’ is the key word here. I’ve managed to keep up with the 30daysofbiking project, but that’s about it. I signed up to write a book, but I can’t see that happening any time soon.

As with all such things, the less I did…the less I wanted to do…and the more difficult it seemed to get back on track. Equally, the less I did the more miserable I felt about it. But how do you dig yourself out of the swamp of apathy?

Just one wordle, that’s all it took. I can’t show you it, because it wasn’t my Wordle – it was belonged to my client. I could barely believe my eyes when she produced it because I work with lawyers who, let’s face it, aren’t renowned for creativity. Lawyers are, intrinsically, risk managers…risk managers using the law and the legal framework as comfort blankets. Change is difficult for many lawyers, and marketing and promotion are uncomfortable concepts for most. So when my client produced a Wordle of various promotional literature she’d written about her area of expertise I couldn’t have been more surprised. She was wanting to try and get the nub of what her practice is about, to help shape and define how she wants to promote herself. Essentially she was using a Wordle as a tool to help define a brand proposition to be used to help differentiate her practice in the market. But that’s just fancy marketing speak.

I’ve only ever come across Wordles in the blogosphere before, but how short-sighted of me. It honestly wouldn’t have occurred to me to use Wordles at work, mostly because lawyers are so straightlaced about such things. And then, out of nowhere, in breezed a new lawyer with fresh ideas and buckets of creativity. And in that moment, the Creative Switched flicked on in my head again. Later the same day I was asked (again by lawyers) for some ‘splashy’ campaign ideas. I chucked a few around, and no one fainted/laughed/looked appalled. Actually they were very open to them. There must be something in the Spring air.

So I’ve sorted my photos, finished a crochet project, and here I am blogging….tidying up the loose ends. That’s what they are above, the loose ends from the crochet project, a blanket for my aunt’s birthday.

I learnt a lesson from that project, which is that it’s never fun to work with colours you don’t really like. It was a ‘stash buster’ project, to use up some yarn. What a joke the ‘stash buster’ term is…you always, always need more wool to finish to a ‘stash buster’ project, so what’s the point? I’ve spent months and months making a blanket I’m really not that keen. An energy and creativity sapper if ever I saw one. There’s little pleasure to be had making something you don’t love.

Just for fun, I Wordled my blog again.

‘Mother’…’Love’…’Think’…seem to be the dominant words. I like that.

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Monday: Meh…a day of no time and no inspiration…hence the bliming cat. Again.

Tuesday: Working in London…Such a British moment…the sun came out…out came the Brits and perched on every available step and bench, or just leant up against the wall and drank in the warmth. Taken at the Royal Exchange.

Wednesday: Not doing this gorgeous gift any justice. A wonderful PROPER polaroid, of beachhuts in Southwold…framed and looking just perfect in my writing room. For now. I will have to move it, it’s very bright and sunny in there and it will destroy the polaroid. Thank you Wife! x

Thursday: Yet ANOTHER of my love gifts from The Wife. This is one of my very best favourites, even though I regularly injure my children with it as it’s heavy and has a habit of smacking them in the face when I’m doing their coats up. I love it so much I dropped it down the loo. Strange, but true.

Friday: Friday + sunshine + daffodils…you do the maths…

Cute little hat, complete with teddy ears…a gift for my friend’s new baby girl. I love making baby hats, quick and easy to make. This one was made, parcelled up and mailed within 24 hours of the baby being born. She doesn’t even have a name yet! But she has a cute, handmade hat and that’s much more important. Welcome Baby Girl! x

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After an enforced break from crochet due to, ahem, crochet induced RSI….I’m now back crocheting again. Or I was. I’ve had to take a little break due to, yup, crochet induced RSI again. Clearly I’m going to have to learn that little and often and not dangerously obsessive is the way forward.

I’ve developed a love from Arigurumi figures and have been busy learning how to crochet ‘in the round’. I’ve got a number of finished ‘friends’ who need sewing together (my least favourite part) but I finished that little guy up there for a birthday present a few weeks ago. He was fun to make, apart from those stripey arms which were horribly fiddly. The legs were supposed to be stripey too but I’d given up the will to live by that point so I cheated.

There have been a few other little projects on the go, but the main one has been a baby ripple blanket for a friend’s newborn. I loved making this, so nice to finally do a ‘right’ ripple after my first attempt (the ‘wrong’ ripple).

I’m pleased with how it turned out. I wanted to stick with ‘boy colours’ but I really like the turquoise and seagreen in there, adds a bit of zing to it I hope. Made with Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and using Attic24′s ‘neat ripple’ pattern.

I think there must be some kind of knack to photographing crochet blankets which I definitely haven’t mastered yet.

I didn’t make this little guy but he’s sweet isn’t he? He just jumped on for a snuggle with the blanket before I parcelled it up and sent it off to Dubai…whilst wondering if a baby actually ‘needs’ a blanket in the desert?

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