A Crafty Catch Up: So Many WIPS!!

September is here and I’m ready to begin my blogging ways again. You think you can carry on with it in the summer holidays, but you really can’t. I managed to squeeze in a few posts but production was down and time was limited. The exciting thing for me now, is that Youngest has started preschool properly. He’ll now be doing two and a half days a week. Think of all the stuff I can make!

At some point in the holidays I discovered the waffle stitch. I totally love it, it eats yarn but it’s such a lovely texture, it’s just wonderful. I was going to jump straight into another crochet blanket but then I thought a cushion might be the way to go. I even have some complementary fabric that can be the back. I’ve got some cusion pads, so there’s not much to stop me. I do have to frog all that I’ve done though :/  It’s working up blanket size at the moment, not cushion size. A small sacrifce, I reckon.

I’ve continued to tinker with my half circle project. I have re-started this project more times than is necessary. I’m getting miffed with it now. The latest issue was a lost crochet hook. My favourite crochet hook too. The only one of its size in my collection. Pssh, I was frustrated to the extreme. Worst of all, I lost it on holiday. I had to leave our holiday destination, knowing that I was leaving it behind. Except that I wasn’t. As soon as I ordered a new hook (and another back up set – just in case) I found it. I just don’t understand. I do not understand in the slightest. I took it, in a project bag, on holiday. I even worked on the crochet, in the car, on the way to our holiday destination. So how come I found it in another project bag, at home? How’s that?! Makes zero sense. Pfft.

To forget my frustrations, I got drunk on geometrics. Do you like my new squares?! I love them! Thinking cushion again. I’ve gone from big blankets to baby blankets. From baby blankets to cushions. I guess I can work on more things that way. I’ll get each project done in no time and then I can move swiftly onto the next thing. Like it.

These little crochet squares can be twiddled into different formations too. I haven’t made my mind up about the directions they’ll eventually go in, but I’m getting there. It’s lots of fun. It has also lead to other ideas, one of which I will write a separate post about soon because there will be a new pattern! Woot!

For Halloween I’m taking part in a Colour Pop Craft Swap!! I haven’t actually started this yet but I’m already getting urges to pick up the hook. It’s linked to Instagram and fellow blogger Set Free My Gypsy Soul. I’m very much looking forward to it, I’ve got the perfect thing in mind! I’m to send my finished present to an assigned IG friend and I’ll get one from someone else. It’s like Christmas but better; Halloween is my favourite!

I made this puff stitch hat on holiday (when I couldn’t do the other thing). This derrived from a yarn buying fail. I was in a hurry one day and grabbed an aran ball of Stylecraft Special instead of the dk. With only one ball I thought I’d give a hat a go. Whilst it fits, it doesn’t fit how I want it. Not slouchy, is the thing. At least I know for next time.

Dolly fail. You think you can just cut out some bits of fabric and they’ll magically stitch up into the perfect doll. This is based on a pattern I drafted last year. It was dodgy back then but I still made a doll to give as a Christmas present. This time, it just isn’t up to scratch. I want it to be really good. I’m struggling with the neck/head. And symmetry. I guess that one is quite important, no one wants a wonky dolly. Still, considering I haven’t followed a professional pattern, it’s not too bad. A few more tweaks and it might be OK.

I probably should have focussed on the doll before getting excited about making her clothes. This was going to be a very glamorous reversible coat.

I added facings on a dress but didn’t get any further. Both the coat and dress would fit quite well but it’s still probably just rolling a turd in glitter.

These are my holiday purchases! We went to Wales. We stayed in the Cardigan Bay area, which is beautiful. I might write a post about that too… We took a (half) day trip to Newcastle Emlynn, which is a nice little town (no shoe shop, which I needed – my flip flop broke). There were lots of charity shops and a couple of antiques places and three fabric shops!  I fell in love with one of the fabric shops. I think it was called The Cross Patch. Seriously, it was room upon room of fabric and all things sewing. So much beautiful cotton fabric, it was so hard to leave so much behind. I also bought a new purse from the National Wool Museum. I love my new purse! Oh and I haven’t taken a picture of the Sylvac plant pot holder I got for 3 quid from one of the charity shops. Bargain!

And finally, I got the sewing machine out again today to start on a couple of other things. One is linked to the geometric squares and the other, is a thing just because I want it.

Anyway, I feel like I’ve gone on quite enough for today, so I’m off. I have some photos to edit for a tutorial and Etsy. I’ll be sharing both here in the next week or two. I’m so excited by the extra time I’ve got! I’m trying hard not to squee about it because there’s also the expectation that things like more laundry and toilet cleaning will get done too. Haha!