Question...

How was your weekend? I started a new project last weekend. It's weird, 'cause I'm only using black, white and grey in this project, which is nog my cup of tea normally. I like it anyway. It's a present for a dear friend of mine and she loves black and white. I hope to have it finished by next monday as a late birthday present.

I'll show you more once it's done.

Anyway, I wanted to ask you something. The last tutorial was so much fun to make and the responds were so enthusiastic, that I decided to make another one. I was planning to make one for these potholders.

You can see the front and back in these pic's. I love to make them. It's easy and a real nice present to make for anybody. Although there are more tutorials about this potholder, I altered the pattern and like it better this way. Can you guys let me know if it is desirable for me to make such a tutorial? 'Cause it's going to be a lot of work and I only want to do it if people are interested.

Tonight I'm having my second craft night, with 6 ladies (instead of the 4 last month). The group is growing! Tonight I'm going to teach them how to crochet. It's very exciting, because I don't know if I've got the skill to teach... We'll see. And you'll see as well, because tonight I am going to take pictures. (If I don't forget again, haha). I made 6 readers with the article that got me to crochet. (It's an article from Sarah London in Flow magazine, 3 years ago). Everybody bought their own hook and I'll supply the yarn and knowledge. Looking forward to it!

Craft away everyone!

Tutorial Color Bomb Flower Square

This is going to be my first tutorial, so feel free to comment when you miss something or have tips.

I particularly like this patterns because of all the colors. I used 8 different colors for this pillow and they are all very very bright and vibrant. I also used a lot of white for the contrast in colors. It feels like summer to me.

Chain 4, join with a slip stitch.

Round 1 (pic's 1,2): Chain 2 (most people would chain 3, I always chain 2=double crochet, if you like to chain 3 then use this method all through the pattern), work 15 dc into the ring (16 in total), join with sl st in the 2nd chain from the first chain 2 (or 3rd in the chain 3 if you chose to use 3).

Round 2 (Pic's 3,4): Change color. You'll need to work into the back loops of the double crochets. Chain 2, 1 dc into the next 2 stitches, ch 2, 1 dc in same stitch, 1 dc into next 4 stitches, ch 2, 1 dc into same stitch, 1 dc into the next 4 stitches, ch 2,1 dc into same stitch, 1 dc into next 4 stitches, ch 2,  1 dc in same stitch, 1 dc into next 2 stitches, join with sl st.

Round 3 (pic's 5-7): Same color, ch 2, 1 dc into the next 3 stitches, 1dc+ch 2+1dc into the chain 2 space of round 2, 1 dc into the next 6 stitches, 1dc+ch 2+1dc into the chain 2 space of round 2, 1 dc into the next 6 stitches, 1dc+ch 2+1dc into the chain 2 space of round 2, 1 dc into the next 6 stitches, 1dc+ch 2+1dc into the chain 2 space of round 2, 1 dc into the next 2 stitches. Join with a sl st.

(If you want to make the square bigger, expand in the same way as round 3.)

For the flower (Pic. 8), work into the front loop of the centre circle.

Join a new color *chain 1, 3 dc into next loop, ch1, sl st into next loop, repeat* 7 times.

(I changed the pattern a little. The original flower was with 4 dc instead of 3, but I think the petals curl too much. This looks better, I think).

To join these squares I used a simple single crochet stitch. You can also sew them together for a flatter result.

Hope you can use it. Please tell me if it's clear or not.

Hello my new followers!

Wow, I'm totally overwhelmed by all the responds I got after this post on Crejjtion. Maaike wrote a very flattering post about my blog after us having email contact for a few weeks. I found her inspiring blog and emailed her right away to compliment her wonderful crochet. She makes beautiful pictures of all her creative outbursts and experiences and what inspired me most were her feel for color and her unique patterns. She really knows how to combine colors and makes the prettiest baby blankets and toys.

This was the first blanket that caught my eye. Beautiful in color and pattern 

We started chatting about yarn and both our emigration experiences (she's from Holland like me and lives in Canada, I lived in Thailand last year with my family) and it was really nice to talk to someone who is interested in the same things. She asked me if I would like her to write about my blog and I gratefully excepted. She made a beautiful post with my pictures and as a thank you I want to show some of her work (although most of you already know it of course...).  I chose to show her crochet work, 'cause I love it so much!

I think I like this blanket best. Such sunny colors.

All pictures taken by Maaike from Crejjtion

Well, thank you all for checking out my blog and especially to Maaike for introducing me to all of you. Hope to see you soon!

Have a lovely weekend!

I Did it anyway...

In spite of my overloaded wrist I just can't stop myself from satisfying my hooking addiction. The new color bomb project is progressing very slowly. I like it a lot though.

I did finally finish this baby blanket. It's taken me far too long since I bought the yarn in Utrecht and it took me 3 visits to buy enough of this wonderful yarn. It's Pico from Lana Grossa, 100 % pima cotton, the best I've ever used. I like the result too and it's soooo soft.

They always look good in a pile, don't they? And it's nice to see it grow.

Have a creative day!

Look what I got!

Took a little time off by going to the forest with my littlest girl for a week in a little bungalow. We spent time watching the squirrels and birds outside our window and playing in the big indoor playground together. The weather wasn't much, but we had a great time. In the weekend my love and oldest girl joined us and we always love our family getaway during the 'pre-winter'.

My wrist is still causing problems, but it couldn't stop me from going to the local yarn shop and get some... I started on a pillow front. The yarn is nice. It's 50% cotton and 50% acrylic.

Since I still cannot crochet on full speed I need some distraction. I went thrift and christmas shopping today. Got some great treasures to share with you. I was incredibly successful.

I'm a big lover of all that's retro and vintage. Orange is my number one color in accessories, although anything will do, really. I was extremely lucky on this vase (the left) which cost me a fifth of what it's worth. I love vases from W. Germany. I have one already, a beauty (the green one), and used to have a bigger one, which was murdered by my parakeet some years ago. I never totally got over it, since I discovered it was worth 20 times what I payed for it then and it was soo beautiful.

Anywho, I was lucky enough to find these little wooden owl magnets. How cute are they? Couldn't resist them.

I also collect vintage tin containers with the beautiful vintage flower patterns. These are some of them and the big pink patterned one I bought yesterday for 1,40. Lucky day!

These are the shelves in my kitchen. My collection keeps on growing and it always cheers me up!

The christmas shopping was a success as well, but I'll show you once I'm finished decorating. Will take some time probably, 'cause I don't even have a tree yet...

Have a lovely creative day!