Yarn Talk

The last few weeks I got several questions about the yarn I use. I thought I'd answer you all in a post about it. I use a lot of different brands, because I need the colors to be just right, and haven't found a brand yet that has all the colors I love. They are all (more or less) the same quality and thickness.

For cushion covers, coasters, potholders and other small projects I use about 5 brands of the same type yarn. I use Schachenmayr SMC Catania, Phil Coton 3, Rio (this one is significantly cheaper), Katia Capri and Cotton Quick. The last one I only discovered recently (I don't have a picture of the label... I'm not so organized with yarn). This shop sells 4 of these brands. Because you all come from different countries I'm not sure which ones can be ordered or bought in you country. Just look for the brands on the internet and I'm sure you'll find something. It's all mercerized cotton and I use a 3,5 mm hook. There are other brands too that have the same quality.

For blankets I use a thicker yarn. I use 3 different brands and just mix them, the same as I do with my other yarn. I use Creative Cotton, Drops Paris and the yellow I use is Catania Grande (I don't like the other colors of this brand). The last brand is mercerized, that's why I only use it for the center of squares or circles,  otherwise it would be noticeable it's a different yarn. (The first 2 brands aren't mercerized). Some people don't like the first 2 brands, 'cause it splits easily, but I really don't mind that so much. You need to use a smooth high quality hook and than you'll be fine. I really like the softness of this yarn and the great great colors! And on top of all that, it's really inexpensive!

I did only a little crochet this last week. Still busy designing and making coasters. I've always loved the African Flower Hexagon, but never used it before. I thought they might make some nice happy coasters... And they did!! I used Pigtails' tutorial. (Thank you Magda!).

There's also some unfinished business I'm transforming into something else. Started it ages ago and don't like the color combination anymore. So it's going to be something else...

A last remark on the yarn: Echtstudio is a great yarn shop. It's in the town where I live, so I'm very lucky, but it's also possible to order. (I'm not sure if you can order from abroad though...)

Hope this was helpful. Enjoy your day!

Something Old

About a year ago I made this blanket, to be seen in this post. It's the softest blanket ever, made from Piima cotton, Pico from Lana Grossa. It's so nice and distensible (is this the right word in this context??).

I used different colors than I usually do, but I really like the results. And it's possible to use for a boy or a girl, to my opinion.

But, a year ago I didn't know what to do for an edging, so there was none. I just did a round of singel crochets and that was that. But last week I found a scrap of the pretty light green yarn and decided to give it another go...

With this as a result. I think it looks much better and you??

I made a little chart of the edging I used. I think it's a nice and easy edging for a granny project. 

I do kind of miss the other colors in this project... You know I'm a sucker for Color Bombs. But I still think it's sweet. And I didn't use the join-as-you-go method (forgot and already had all the squares done...) but sew them together. I do like the result. Maybe I should use it more often...

That's it for today! Wednesday another tutorial on a simple flower and the sources of some of the flowers from this post last week. See you then! 

Have a rainy/sunny monday.

Pastel Color Bomb Blanket

Yes, it took me ages, I know... Actually, this blanket was finished a few weeks ago. Somehow I forgot to take pictures of it. I don't know why, 'cause I really think it's a beauty...

I love all the shades of pink. And I love that it's kind of pastel, although that's not my usual choice of colors... The yellow center is a nice contrast, I think.

It's very soft too (and heavy!!). I used 3 kinds of yarn, all 100 % cotton. Catania Grande (for the center), Creative Cotton and Drops Paris. I used a size 5,5 hook.

It matches perfectly with the Flower Square (Stroller) Blanket I made earlier. Same edging and colors. Think I'm gonna make a bigger edition too, someday... You can find a tutorial for the squares here.

And the tutorial for the edging is to be found here. 

I must say, looking at these pictures I'm quite proud. I think it's going to be in my Etsy shop (I'm opening in Januari 2014), but it might be hard to part from. Maybe I should make more...

Have an active wednesday!

Lovely Day

This morning my little girl woke up all healthy and happy again. I must say, it was quite a relief after staying home caring for my girls (but also not being able to leave the house for more then 15 minutes) since thursday. I decided to keep her home for 1 more day, before she has to go to school again and we did some shopping and stuff.

I've been wanting to go to my favorite yarn shop, Echtstudio, for a week now, and finally got to it. It's always difficult to not get greedy once I'm there. Got me some glitter yarn too, to try something new.
I also have a weakness for tin cans. Its weird, I just can't resist them. And everybody knows how I love pink...

Wanted to show you a few parts of my craft room (still under construction). It seems to be coming along, but there's still a lot to be done. I need to paint the table. Make lots of pillowcases and so on. But can't find the time, since I'm always crocheting... Need to MAKE time. Will do.

But the biggest thing today is my new hair do. I normally don't show you guys pictures of myself, but I didn't want to keep this from you. Never mind the weird angle (or the big nose, for that matter...), I had to make the picture myself.

It still feels kinda weird, but I like it anyway. It always feels like a new beginning, when changing my hair. I am curious what's gonna happen now...

Have a funny day!

PS. Totally forgot about my blogs birthday yesterday. Well.... Hip Hip Hurray for my blogs' first of many to come!!!!

Peace And Quiet

Ahhhhhhhh. The holiday is over. Maybe some of you recognize the instant feel of peace and quiet when coming home after taking the kids to school for the first day. I love it! I even turned of the radio to really FEEL it.

Anywho, I promised to post more after the holiday, since my youngest goes to school now too. This weekend I started a nice project with my new favorite yarn: Creative Cotton and Drops Paris. It's nice and soft and because I can use a size 6 hook it is very easy and fast. (It's also cheap!!) I really love the colors... Feels vintage.

Have some more projects on the go which I will show you soon. And I'm very happy to tell you that I'm moving out of m very VERY small craft room into a quite big craft room. Totally redecorating and painting and stuff, so MUCH fun for me. Not totally sure about the colors yet, but getting there. 

Wish you a happy day with sun and bright colors.

Hello Again

It's been a while... It was quite necessary for me. I did lots of reorganizing, cleaning up and relaxing. And yes, some crafting too. Not as much as I thought I would, 'cause I noticed I needed a break to get some fresh inspiration. I've spent little time watching the computer screen and more just chilling and doing family stuff. I'm not ready yet, but I feel some room for pictures and posts again.

As you can see the new couch arrived. I love it!! It's pretty and sits like heaven. Nice and ferm. And the shade of grey can be combined with every color that pops up in my head. Perfect for me. Can anybody tell me the English word for these flowers? In Dutch it's 'ranonkel', isn't the name just as pretty as the flower itself??

I finally took some time to make a curtain for an open shelve in the kitchen. I'm still not sure about the fabric (although both my girls love it (as do I)). It just doesn't seem to match with all the orange... So I just might change the fabric and sew a new curtain again.

Yesterday I bought some new yarn from Phildar, Phil Thalassa. Only the pink, witch I mixed with some Drops Paris and some Creative Coton. I always tend to mix different brands of cotton, 'cause not a single brand has all the colors I want (you now how greedy for color I am...). I quite like the result. And I still need to make 1 more. It's nice and springy, don't you think? The artwork above was made by me a few years ago with 2 vintage games of Pairs from the thrift store. We always stare at it during meals and have lots of conversations about it.

This is another project I'm working on. A few months ago I started a stripe-rainbow blanket. I hated it. I just don't like granny stripe blankets. So I pulled it all out and started this pastel-rainbow blanket. It's just sooo soft (and heavy). I hope it will be finished before winter, when we can use it, haha.

Have a happy (rainy) day of spring!

Somewhere Over The...

When packages like this arrive by mail only 1 day after I placed an order I'm happy...

But when I open it and it bursts into color before my eyes I'm overwhelmed with joy and happiness... Silly isn't it? Although I'm sure you will all recognize the feeling, right? RIGHT???

And then, when you wake up and walk downstairs, not thinking about it, ('cause you have to start up a new day, make sandwiches, tea, eggs) and walk into the living room to see THIS I'm just totally excited! By daylight the colors always look better.

The reason of this 'yarn greed' is my long stalled decision what to do with the pretty, soft and thick cotton I bought some time ago. Remember?

It's going to be a rainbow blanket for the little ones' new bed. The cotton is just wonderful, although the yarn does split (a lot...). I use a 4,5 needle, so it progresses quite fast.

I love to work with all the rainbow colors, but you already knew that, didn't you? Well, now you know what I'm doing this weekend. Hope you have fun too!

See you next year, probably. Have fun on new years' eve. And a happy new year to all of you!!!

Yarn Greed

Yes, I'm unsatisfiable. I bought new yarn again. I found it when I was searching the Rio yarn I showed last week. It's called Creative Cotton and it's very cheap and colorful. I love cotton yarn and usually use a glossy kind, like Phildar 3, Catania of Rio. But I wanted to find a little less glossy and a little thicker cotton, and now I did! I'm very excited to try it. I love the colors!! I bought it here.

Now I have to think of a pattern I want to use. I think it's going to be a classic granny, but not sure yet...

On thursday we had a little bit of a crafty afternoon, the girls and I. I saw a pompom garland in Homespun Style and wanted to make something similar with the eldest. I like it. I brought some beads from Thailand and was happy to finally use them. Now we have to figure out where to put the garland. Maybe the christmas tree...

On top of everything I started a new project. I saw many versions of this design and I'm going to figure out the source of this one. I'll let you know soon. But it's so ridiculously fun to make this blanket. It's going to be my first big blanket. You can use all your scraps and results show fast. My girls love it too!

Anywho, that's going on with me. We are busy celebrating the arrival of Sinterklaas, a Dutch holiday. He arrived today and we are going to put some presents in our kids shoes (and ours...) tonight. I love this time of year!

Have a nice weekend!