It's a WRAP!

For my first crochet garment I thought I'd play it safe and avoid armholes and collars, and thus opted for a 'wrap', as opposed to the general begginers 'scarf' project.  My geranium/vervene flower box mix inspired my choice of colours (as did the almost complete lack of actual choice in buying yarn in the immediate area) and as instructed in the pattern I upped my hook size to get a 'big loose' effect with the stitches.

This is definitly not an exercise in 'fabric following function' as the yarn used is 50% wool, the thermic properties of which are kinda 'lost' on this type of summer garment.  But then there's not much yarn choice for the inspired 'happy hooker' (in house jargen to mean - someone who does crochet) in the area, oh sorry, I think i might have mentioned that already!



Photo by Rémi


I'm more than happy with the finished result despite Richard asking me which super hero i'm meant to be. It's a WRAP not a CAPE!! (Rémi asked the same question but then he's only 6 yrs old so coming from him it was funny) I'm also the proud new owner of a lovey set of bamboo hooks, which incidently I did buy in Chamonix, but from my own private source!! ah ha???  OK OK -  from 'crochet' Lisa.

Fête des Pères

HAPPY FATHERS DAY

The boys have been busy again (not that they are ever anything but!) in preparation for Fathers Day, which unlike Mothers Day, falls the same day in France and the UK.

Rémi came home from school Friday with a box of chocolate covered coconut balls!!  For the last few days he'd been asking Richard various questions regarding food ie.  have you ever tryed coconut? do you like chocolate? yeh - even if it's melted? etc etc...  I kinda twigged but Richard had absolutely NO idea, really!!

umm chewy



For the last few years we have been doing a Fathers Day book.  Each year the boys add a page.   For the moment Tino's contributions are a series of 'abstract' sketches, whilst Rémi is now enjoying using his new found writting skills.  It's interesting to compare the 'pages' from year to year to see the progress they make, not only as regards their drawing skills but also, in Rémi's case what he wants to say to his father.  One thing is clear, they love him very much!!

So to finish, here's a snap of my lovely Dad, taken last year in sunny Pembrokeshire.



I am an anarchist...

...but i'm not the only one.
Saturday 11 June was the first organised International Yarn Bombing Day (improving the urban landscape one stich at a time), so naturally when 'crochet' Lisa asked for a hand with some mindless graffiti I had to say 'YES'!
The Oxford Dictionary defines graffiti as "writtings or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place", so is covering a road sign with crochet technically graffiti? 

Granted it was done 'illicitly on a surface in a public place', but I think the 'naughtyness' stops there.  What do ya think?

These were my little contribution to the project.

"'onestly Officer it was all Lisa's idea!!!"

For more proffesional photo's and an explanation of yarn bombing, take a look at Lisa's blog or facebook page - www.facebook.com/getsmitten

Flower Power

"What is a weed?   A plant who's virtues have yet to be discovered!"

Have just started 'jollying' up the house for summer with the classical  favorite, Geraniums.  

But I think the weeds in the neighbours field are as equally lovely.

Elmo

Q - When is an Easter egg not an Easter egg?
A - When it's Elmo's nose!

I have finally finished my crochet Elmo. Apart from the difficulties of working with fantasy yarn, he was surprisingly easy to do.  However, in it's favour, fantasy yarn hides a lot of errors!

As regards Elmo's nose, I have a little confession;  It was meant to be an Easter egg!  A while back, well Easterish time, I participated in one of Lisa Pocklington's (http://www.getsmitten.com/) fantastic crochet workshops to make crochet easter eggs.  Despite following the pattern and being attentively supervised by Lisa my egg (nobody else's) finished by looking very un-egg shaped and very Elmo's nose shaped!  It was even the right colour, somethings are just meant to be!
Much practice and many strawberry shaped easter eggs later, I managed to get it right.  And with Rémi's hand decorated chicken basket we made a lovely table top decoration.
As soon as I get a new hook, work is to start on a Cookie Monster..."me like crochet ahhah yum yum yum"