It’s properly autumn now; the urge to crochet woolly warm things is upon me. I’m starting with accessories for me (this will come as no surprise to those who know me)! Then I have lots of things waiting which will become wintery outerwear for others.
Crochet hat? Crochet scarf? Crochet gloves? I hope so! Sorry, everyone, it’s another handmade Christmas!
Basic Tunisian Crochet
I ordered more Tunisian crochet hooks quite soon after I first tried it a couple of weeks ago. I very quickly spotted a gorgeous looking Tunisian crochet cowl from BHooked. It says it’s the perfect beginner project, and it’s true! I knew it was something I could do with my new skill.
I ordered the same brand of wool used in the original pattern (Lion Brand Wool Ease in Barley and Mustard), and I have to say that it’s perfectly nice. I’ve got no problems with it, and it’ll be lovely and warm because of the wool content. And there is no itch, which is very important when smooshing against a neck.
Tunisian crochet has quite a curl to it. This won’t be an issue once it’s finished. To get a good idea of my progress, I have to hold it flat. My progress is slow; I’ve found that chunky yarn is not something that can be worked on for long stretches. Achy fingers are a bit of an issue. Also, I hold a Tunisian crochet hook differently, which will hopefully improve with practise.
A New Puff Stitch Hat
To go with my new crochet cowl, I’m making a hat, which is just normal crochet. I’m picking this up when I put down the other. I’m two balls into a three-ball hat. I’ve guessed at three, I think it should just do it, but there probably won’t be much slouch when I’ve finished.
I’m using aran weight yarn; Big Merino by Drops (love Drops!). It’s dense but super soft. I like it and know it’ll be lovely and warm. The pattern for this is sort of made up, but before I started, I looked around on Pinterest and found that there are several patterns that essentially make this hat. Here is my crochethat boardfor Pinterest, try the Urban Slouch Beanie.
There had better be enough yarn left so I can make a pompom…
I’m a little early, but I couldn’t wait to get stuck into some Halloween crochet! Wahaha. This crochet spirder pattern is so speedy, it really only takes a few minutes. You could make an army of crochet spiders, it’d be brilliant!
These guys are so much better than real spiders, which interfere with your telly watching (out of the corner of your eye, there they are stomping across your sofa, on their way to eat your face whilst you innocently watch Bake Off).
I’m a little disappointed that this spider pattern didn’t become part of last year’s amigurumi Halloween collection but I hadn’t thought of it when I designed that lot. This pattern is a great partner to all the other spooky creations from that collection, though…
[Edit: New for the summer of 2017 is a YouTube tutorial for a crochet spider!! If you’d rather watch me make this spider on film, then pop over and take a look! Thanks]
What You’ll Need to Make Your Own Crochet Spiders
3.5mm hook (you could go up or down a hook size if you want),
DK acrylic yarn – small amounts for these 8-legged critters.
Darning needle.
For the eyes, you’ll need some sewing thread,
A sewing needle
Little beads.
Crochet House Spider Pattern
I’ve written the crochet pattern in US terms; that’s what I’m used to with amigurumi. An increase means working 2 stitches into the same stitch. A decrease is working 2 stitches together so they become one stitch.
6 into a magic ring [6 sts]
Increase around [12]
Sc around [12]
Decrease around [6]
Fasten off, leaving a tail of about 50cm. Stitch the hole closed with a darning needle, looping through the 6 front loops. Pull closed and secure. Do not cut yarn; you’ll need it for sewing on the legs.
Choose where you want your head to be. With a slip knot on your hook, attach the yarn with a slip stitch to the body. I put my hook on/behind Round 3. The pictures above are two different angles of the same thing. It’s just demonstrating where I’ve put my hook and where I’ll be making the slip stitch.
A Puff Stitch Head
To get a nice plump spider head, you need a puff stitch!
[yrh, insert hook into st, yrh and pull up yarn] four times, yrh, draw through all 9 loops on hook, chain 1 and join back to the body with a slip stitch in the same place. Fasten off and sew in the head ends.
Mr Skinny Legs
Make four chains for legs: 1: ch18, 2. ch20, 3: ch22, 4: ch24.
Before you snip them short, pull the legs really tight to make sure the knots won’t become undone. This is why it’s best to use acrylic yarn; it’s less likely to break off when you pull.
Using the tail from before, thread through the middles of all the spider’s legs and stitch to the underside of the body. Shortest legs nearest the head.
Stitching the legs on is really simple. When they’re secure, thread the yarn out through the spider’s bottom.
Pass the yarn through the ends of the two back legs.
A Crochet Spider Completed
There is now a spider… where there wasn’t one before!
Adding Little Spidery Eyes
Little beads make great spider eyes. I went in from underneath with the thread, going in and out a couple of times to make sure it wasn’t going to go anywhere.
This sparkly, woolly arachnid has too many eyes for a real spider, but I wasn’t really concentrating. Most spiders have eight eyes if you want to go for accuracy!
And it’s as easy as that! A happy Hallowe’en house spider!
I made one with t-shirt yarn too!
This is a free crochet pattern that has been designed by me (Zeens and Roger). Please don’t sell the pattern or finished product. They’re all mine! Tis personal use only. Thanks very much. X
One of the great things about crochet is that there are constantly new tips and tricks to learn. I’m always completely bowled over when I stumble upon a new crochet technique, pattern, or colour combination. Actually, I think what astonishes me most is that crochet, or more to the point, how we crochet, always has the ability to surprise!
As part of this, it’s important that, when upping our crochet game, we embrace new skills, news skills that can really elevate crochet and make yarny projects the best they can be.
Top Crochet Tips and Techniques
I learned to crochet six years ago (Nanna tried to teach me when I was little; I didn’t get on with it). After six years I still LOVE crochet and I still love it when it teaches me something new. A lot of it is probably my childish pride but I don’t care, it makes me super happy. It makes me squee when I accomplish something that’s new to me. I’ve found a hobby that continually delights.
And that’s the point here. Many of the crochet tips below are now part of my everyday hooking repetoire but they might be totally new to somebody else. We’re lucky enough that these crochet tricks and techniques get shared, for us all to discover and enjoy.
Anyway, I thought it would be a really good idea to collate some of my favourite crochet tips together in one place. Some are more common than others but I didn’t know them at one time, maybe you don’t either? There are probably loads more I have yet to try as well. Let me know what you think, and tell me if there are some awesome crochet secrets that I’ve missed.
For a Standing Start, wrap new yarn around your hook twice and then insert the hook into the first stitch before completing what is effectively the first US dc / UK tr stitch. It is just one method that’s an alternative to the 3-chain method at the beginning of rows/rounds. I like this technique for starting rows when changing colour.
2. The Chainless Foundation. Or Foundationless Start
I love this crochet tip! Love LOVE love it!! Find my video tutorial for a foundationless start HERE. In the tutorial I demonstrate the technique for US sc, hdc and dc starts. Beginning crochet projects has never looked so neat and tidy. Plus, there’s more elasticity with this method and you don’t end up with a twisty tangle of a foundation chain.
3. Stop your Chains Twisting!
If you do still want to chain the old-fashioned way, here’s how to stop the twist! It is perfect for a project like an infinity scarf. Sometimes the old method is the good method, especially if you’re all fingers and thumbs with the foundationless start. This is the one where you pop the end of the chain onto your hook whilst you whip up the rest of your chains, then slide it over at the end to create a big ol loop.
4. The Invisible Decrease
Planet June has great amigurumi tutorials for techniques that create wonderfully neat crochet creatures. The invisible decrease is ace; it’s one of my favourite amigurumi secrets. It does what it says on the tin, it’s a decrease that’s invisible! Other decrease methods can be seen in the tight stitches of amigurumi fabric, so this one is a doozy.
5. Finishing off your Amigurumi
This top crochet tip saved me from having lots of stuffed toys with ugly bottoms! Quite literally for this fawn (not that you can see his bottom in the picture below).
Have a look here for this easy method for closing the little whole left at the end of an amigurumi pattern. Even with the invisible decrease, I reckon you can only decrease so much with amigurumi before the stitches start looking a bit overstretched. This is normally near the final round or two. So rather than struggling to squeeze them, I like to finish by using a needle and thread.
6. A Smooth Crochet Circle
If you add uniform increases when working a crochet circle, the final item can actually look more hexagonal. It’s all about mixing up the stitches. Bascially, you don’t have to work every increase in a formulaic pattern. Be a bit more random with the placemnt of the increases and it smooths out the rounds.
7. Work under the Bumps
This one, I learned near the beginning of my crochet obsession, and I still think it’s fab. Many patterns never seem to state where in a chain you should work, and when I was a learner, this confused the heck out of me! I used to go into just the one loop of each chain, never really knowing if this was the right thing to do. To be honest, it looks a bit of a mess doing it this way. What someone should have told me was to work in the back “bumps” of a foundation chain. Check out this beginner-friendly method here: under the bumps tutorial. Unless, you know, Foundationless…!
8. Tidy Crochet Edges for your Border
I only found this one a few days ago, so I haven’t tried it yet. It looks great! My edges tend to look messy even when I make an effort to be extra neat. Felted Button has a great tutorial to rid you of unsightly borders.
Another crochet tip I picked up for creating a neat and tidy border is to make sure you colour-match where you can. If the first round of a border matches the main body of your project, you disguise any potential quirky stitch placements.
9. Lose the Granny Square Twist
Why are my Granny’s twisty?! Cherry Heart will tell you! Sandra’s post has lots of useful crochet tips relating to the ubiquitous granny square. So simple, yet I never thought of trying any of these at first. All hail experienced crochet experts!!
10. The Continuous Join as you go
Not to be confused with the Join As You Go method, which still results in lots of ends to sew in (but is useful when using different rounds of colour), the Continuous JAYG has only two ends to sew in and it’s really easy! Honestly, if you haven’t done this before, it’s life changing. I’ve tried a couple of different methods and the one over at Patchwork Heart is the best.
This one is easy once you have seen a demonstration. I tried to make it up once and got in a right pickle!
11. The Fancy Continuous Join as you go
I really, really want to do this. You can save time and be pretty! It’s the Continuous Flat Braid. Same as above, but fancy!!
12. The Neat Granny Border
If you’ve gone to the effort of stitching all your granny squares together, the least you can do is make sure they get a beautiful border too. Too many clusters around the edges can cause a bit of a ruffle. Pop over to Bunny Mummy’s guide for how to crochet a flat border.
And that’s it for now, but I reckon I’ll have to do a sequel one day. Crochet tips like this really can help create beautiful work, and I’m always on the lookout for more ways I can improve my crochet skills.
Once again, please do let me know if you have your own favourite top crochet tips and tricks. I’d love to hear from you. Cheers!
I have a silly number of Works in Progress at the moment. Here is the cat, sleeping on one that I left on the sofa.
Half Circle Crochet Design
Marceline is sleeping on a crochet half circle I’m trying to work out. I’m interested in trying to work out patterns and how they’re done. My method is Trial and Error because I know no other way. So, with that in mind, I have, in fact, frogged several rows this morning.
Too many stitches were causing the half circle to get ruffled. I don’t know how/where to increase the stitches in a nice, even way at the minute. Too many, not enough, blahhh. Whatever I try, it doesn’t want to mirror the initial semi-circle of colour. I’m tempted to bin it. Bin the idea and move on. So. Much. Frustration!
A New Project Bag
Anyway, this is more like it. An actual finished item. Woot! I loved making this project bag. It was so quick and easy. I didn’t follow a pattern; I made it up and was surprised at how speedy the process was. If I were to have another go, I’d make the fabric pieces wider. I think there’s room for expansion.
I took a load of photographs as I made it; I’m tempted to write up a tutorial. I might also buy a new pair of handles and have a second attempt.
Learning a New Skill: Tunisian Crochet!
New skill alert! I’ve tried Tunisian Crochet this week. A little bit addictive, actually. I’m slow and not sure what goes on if I drop stitches, but I did order a set of bamboo Tunisian crochet hooks so I can get properly stuck in.
The hook I’m using is one I got from my Nanna. I keep meaning to ask her if she ever used it. Anyway, it’s slightly too small. And the freebie I got from a magazine is slightly too big.
Trying Colour Work
Yesterday I struggled with colour changes. I really want to make pictures in crochet. It isn’t as easy as I thought it’d be. It’s mucked up the tension, making it skewed. Poo. I think I’ll benefit from some practise but I also think that Tapesty crochet might be the way to go instead. Any advice?
Brightoween Craft Swap
These pastel coloured crochet balls are part of a Brightoween ColourSwapCraftPop on Instagram. I’ve done a bit more on this project than this picture suggests, but I’m still not quite finished.
Whilst messing about with the Brightoween and Tunisian projects yesterday, another idea popped into existence. I had to try it immediately.
I’ll try to get this crochete project finished for next week, although I’m well aware that I say that sort of thing quite often. I’ve got a crochet pattern/tutorial in handwritten scribbles that I’d said I’d publish this week. That’s really not going to happen. Not yet anyway.
This idea is a lot simpler than the other not-yet-ready pattern. I think it’ll be a fun one, so stick around for a future blog post.
Then there’s a quick fix crochet idea I have, which is related to the c2c geometric square cushion I made recently. I really hope this one looks like my imagination tells me it will look.
And now I need to go and make dinner before collecting Eldest from Judo. I really hope that some of these WIPs will actually be finished at some point soon. Today is not the day.
At last, I’ve finished my crochet cushion! I’m really pleased with it, even though it goes with absolutely nothing in the rest of the house! It was one of those things that just popped into my head one day. All other crochet projects were put aside whilst I got the first couple of squares done.
It has led to other ideas, too, which is great. It means that this cushion isn’t the end of my geometric crochet designing (I’ve got another pattern/tutorial up my sleeve for some time soon).
Basically, it’s corner to corner in US single crochet stitches. For some reason, I’ve adopted US speak for a lot, but not all, crochet terminology (I still call UK trebles, trebles, which can get confusing!). I added the corner tips of colour to make it more interesting; there wouldn’t have been much point in a plain c2c.
Ultimately, what I want to do is work out the pattern in Tunisian crochet, as I think you could do it all in one piece. Sadly, I don’t know how to do Tunisian crochet yet. This might well be the catalyst…
I bought an 18″ feather cushion and a plain cover (both very cheap from Amazon). This turned out to be a great fit for a 5×5 set of squares.
Making a Crochet Cushion
Stitching the squares together was easy. Right sides together and use matching yarn colours.
There are many ways to line them up, but I went for all corners pointing in the same direction.
I crocheted a crab stitch around the outside, thinking it would be a bit like piping. Turns out, it isn’t like that at all, but it was a good foundation for stitching the crochet to the cushion.
I took the actual cushion out to begin stitching.
I pinned it in place and then went around with a good strong needle, as close to the edge as possible.
And then it was done!
Do you like it?! I do! The balance of colours isn’t perfect. It was de-stash time again, and I ran out of some colours before others. In an ideal world, I would have planned that better, but you can’t go out and buy new balls just for the sake of a few metres. I even scrounged some of the lavender colour from my friend up the road.
If anyone fancies having a go, here is the crochet pattern for the C2C Single Crochet Square: I used Stylecraft Special DK and a 4.5 hook.
Ch2
2sc in 2nd chain from hook, ch1 and turn. [2 sts]
2sc in both stitches, ch1 and turn. [4]
2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 2 stitches. 2 sc in last stitch, ch1 and turn. [6]
2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 4 stitches. 2 sc in last stitch, ch1 and turn. [8]
2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 6 stitches. 2 sc in last stitch, ch1 and turn. [10]
2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 8 stitches. 2 sc in last stitch, ch1 and turn. [12]
2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 10 stitches. 2 sc in last stitch, ch1 and turn. [14]
2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 12 stitches. 2 sc in last stitch, ch1 and turn. [16]
2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 14 stitches. 2 sc in last stitch, ch1and turn. [18]
2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 16stitches. 2 sc in last stitch, ch1 and turn. [20]
2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 18 stitches. 2 sc in last stitch, ch1 and turn. [22]
2sc in first stitch, 1sc in next 20 stitches. 2 sc in last stitch, ch1 and turn. [24]
Sc the first two stitches together (decrease), 1sc in next 20 stitches, 1 decrease, ch1 and turn. [22]
1 decrease, 1sc in the next 18 stitches, 1 decrease, ch1 and turn. [20]
1 decrease, 1sc in the next 16 stitches, 1 decrease, ch1 and turn. [18]
1 decrease, 1sc in the next 14 stitches, 1 decrease, ch1 and turn. [16]
1 decrease, 1sc in the next 12 stitches, 1 decrease, ch1 and turn. Change colour. [14]
1 decrease, 1sc in the next 10 stitches, 1 decrease, ch1 and turn. [12]
1 decrease, 1sc in the next 8 stitches, 1 decrease, ch1 and turn. [10]
1 decrease, 1sc in the next 6 stitches, 1 decrease, ch1 and turn. [8]
1 decrease, 1sc in the next 4 stitches, 1 decrease, ch1 and turn. [6]
1 decrease, 1sc in the next 2 stitches, 1 decrease, ch1 and turn. [4]
This year our summer holiday was in Cardigan Bay, west Wales. What an awesome place! I’m not sure why you’d want to read about my holiday on a craft blog, but I’m sharing it anyway! Ha.Ha. :I
Beachy Drama
It was overcast at first, but not cold. It didn’t stop us from beaching it. The first day we went to Penbryn, a National Trust beach. Three things made this a particularly interesting place to be that day. One: I learned that it was used in a James Bond movie ( a teeny weeny, minuscule moment at the end of Die Another Day). Two: There was a wedding happening right there on the beach (we stood there gawping with our buckets and spades). And three: I thought I found a dead body. I felt a bit stupid when I realised it was a faded buoy and not a pensioner’s bald head wedged in the rocks, but you know, it was a few seconds of heart-pounding interest.
I love a good cave. There were a lot of caves.
This is a hippo, or possibly a moomin.
This was our coastal walk from Penbryn to Llangrannog. We didn’t actually make it as far as Llangrannog. We had to give up because it was too hard going for the kids. Lots of uppy downy.
On a really hot day we went to New Quay. The tide was out so we had a paddle between the boats.
This was where we waited for a boat to come and take us on a dolphin watching tour. The tour was fifty minutes of wondering where they were and then five minutes of “Oh wow! Look! A dolphin!” Then we had to go back to the quay. To be fair, it was a pretty blimmin good five minutes of dolphin watching. I’d never seen one before and we got to watch a mummy and baby dolphin do some peaceful swimming.
National Wool Museum
We ditched the kids one day and went to the National Wool Museum. The kids were sent with Grandma and Grandad to the Internal Fire Museum of Power! Sounds like a pretty good place, too, but I was happy with some wool.
There were working looms, which were very loud and fast. It was mesmerising to watch, but I didn’t like the man putting his hands so close to the shuttle thingies. He knew what he was doing.
We did Newcastle Emlynn that day too. It had good antique shops and fabric shops. And some castle leftovers.
Aberystwyth
We went to Aberystwyth, which we thought was an odd place. I can imagine that it would’ve been a bit of a party town a hundred years ago, but now, a lick of paint wouldn’t go amiss on some of those buildings. I did like it though! There’s definitely a sense of nostalgia here.
We went on the cliff terrace railway. We journeyed upon a worrisome train that was working loose at the seams. The hill is so steep that you wonder how this thing can pass health and safety tests. Well, we didn’t crash to our deaths that day, so all was good.
The views were alright.
Lots of cool architecture in Aberystwyth. Having been here, it makes me want to watch Hinterlands, a crime drama filmed in the area. I hear it’s pretty good.
We had a couple of days of barbecue weather, too. Yay!
Llangrannog
Our holiday was concluded with ice creams at Llangrannog. I loved this beach. The tide was out, and I could walk round to the next bay.
Whilst I wondered about taking pictures of rocks and stuff, the boys and Husband dug holes in the sand.
I didn’t want to miss out on playing with sand either. This is my effort. It was initially just a motte and bailey castle (Eldest learned about these at school last year) but a giant octopus came and smothered it.
Llangrannog was possibly my favourite. We did lots of other stuff too but I think I’ve shared quite enough holiday snaps for today! I’m off to get my craft on. I’ve got a massive list of stuff to make now that the boys are at school.
I completely forgot to write about this cosy crochet blanket. I finished it before the summer holidays. It got a wash and was then stored away before I realised I should probably show it off a bit and then put it up for sale. Actually, now is a pretty good time to do it because the colours remind me of autumn, and that’s just where we’re heading.
Join As You Go Grannies
Amazingly, for me, this is the first time I’ve used a join-as-you-go method for a granny square blanket. Whilst I’ve done plenty of continuous joins, this is slightly different due to all the colour changes. It looks so much better than if I’d whip-stitched the squares together (which is what I always used to do).
The border is quite plain but I didn’t think it wanted flouncy. Just some crochet scallops between every other cluster. In the alternating clusters, it’s just a UK dc (US sc). To stop it from curling too much, there are chains between them.
There’s something about this blanket I really like, and I’ll be jiggered if I know what it is. Maybe it’s the simplicity of it, or it could be the autumn colour palette. I haven’t quite put my finger on it yet, but it doesn’t really matter, does it? I like it because I do!
The Yarn Colours Used
The colour scheme wasn’t a choice I made; it was determined by what I had left hidden in the cupboard under the stairs. Over the last few months, I’ve been making an attempt to get that down to a more manageable collection. I’m trying to train myself not to impulse-buy yarn too. It’s not working that well, I’ve just transferred my lustings to fabric instead.
Anyway, if you are at all curious about the colours, they are Stylecraft Special DK in: Saffron, Gold, Pomegranate, Petrol, Spice, Parma Violet, Khaki, Spring Green, Magenta and Lavender. It’s deffo less than a ball of each, but I couldn’t tell you how much exactly, as none were full balls to begin with.
It’s a blanket that I wish I’d made bigger. Well, I couldn’t; didn’t have enough yarn stash! I hope that it finds a home…
Tour Of Britain: From Crochet to Cycling
In a complete random change of subject, I popped out to have a very speedy look at the Tour of Britain this morning. This was at the end of my road, just before midday today. I timed it very well; I was out and back home within fifteen minutes.
Last year I was moaning about how much I really didn’t like figs. I don’t want to say this out loud, but there’s a chance that I’m slowly becoming accustomed to their strangeness. I’m still not a big fan of figs, but I’ve found ways to make them work for me, and mostly I think that involves taking away a lot of the figginess.
When it comes to fig recipes, I like to take away the texture and disguise some of the flavour, but most recipes celebrate the unique qualities of this funny fruit, and it was tricky finding a selection that suited my tastes.
When properly ripe, figs are quite soggy; they have what I can only describe as a pappy texture. They also taste mega sweet and leave behind that sugary aftertaste that real Ribena has. I’m guessing that’s fructose!
As much as I am not keen, I still can’t leave them on the tree. It’s such a waste of a good yield. And they make a mess. So, as well as giving them away, I’ve found some recipes that work for me: a non-lover of figs…
Recipes For Using Up Figs
During fig season, I spend every other day wobbling on a giant step ladder, reaching dangerously high to grab at all the ripe fruit I can find. I have no idea why I go to such lengths, I guess I don’t like to see them go to waste.
Four Great Fig Recipes
Nigel Slater’s Fig Chutney
Nigel Slater’s Fig Chutney is by far my favourite fig recipe. It takes quite a bit of bubbling, but I’ve been highly rewarded. Especially yesterday when I had some with cheese and crackers. It’s even better after a year of sitting in a jar. The only change I made to this recipe was swap raisins for apples. I had cox growing in the garden too, and thought to use those rather than buying more ingredients. I’m not a very tidy chutney potter/canner, so it seems.
Making Your Own Dried Figs
Dried Figs are weird. They have a medicinal quality. But, when I made them, I kept going back for more, so that must mean something. It is very easy to make dried figs and I was surprisingly impressed by such a simple thing.
Fig and Lime Sorbet
I was dubious about Fig and Lime Sorbet, but honestly, there are so few ingredients that I think I was just being stupid and lazy. I haven’t made this for a couple of years, so this year will see its return. Today is probably a fig-picking day, actually, and by chance I have limes in the fruit bowl – they were for mojitos, but I’ll make the sacrifice. I love the citrus. I love lime!
Sticky Toffee Fig Rolls
I’ve not made Sticky Toffee Fig Rolls recipe yet! But the kids have asked for fig rolls, and these have got toffee in them, so they can’t be that bad! Let’s hope I get around to making them.
If anyone has any other fig recipes they’d like to suggest, do let me know. I’m trying to think of boozy things but I’ve got nothing at the moment.
I’ll be saying goodbye to figs next year. This tree is far too big for its boots, and we’re going to chop it. It needs a good pruning. I think you’re supposed to do that in January. As figs grow from the previous year’s twigs that means no figs for at least a year. However, I think it’s safe to assume that I won’t really mind!
I remember making and eating coconut rock buns when I was little. Also known as coconut rock cakes, this is a really easy recipe. The kids and I made them last week. They were made and ready to eat within half an hour! Not too bad. So, if you’re having one of those days when you can’t be bothered to go out, and the kids need something to do, then this is your summer holiday treat!
The bad news for me was that I discovered my scales were broken when I went to make them, so I had to guess the measurements. I roughly worked out that things could be rounded to the nearest cup sizes. Surprisingly, they worked well! I must have guessed the ingredient weights correctly. I’m looking at this as a positive; it means that you don’t have to be exact, which is great when baking with children.
Coconut Rock Buns Recipe
1 cup/120g self raising flour
Half a cup/100g caster sugar
115g salted butter, cut into cubes. (I cut a normal 250g pack at just under the halfway point).
1 cup dessicated coconut. If you don’t like coconut, you can also use raisins (it’d be the weight equivalent rather the cup equivalent, though, and that’d be just over 100 grams).
1 large egg
100-150ml milk. Take it easy and see how it goes. I just splosh it in and don’t measure exactly.
How to Make Coconut Rock Buns
Using fingers and thumbs, rub the flour and butter together in a good-sized bowl. This is easy and doesn’t take as long as you think it will. You can cheat and whazz it in a food processor, but that just makes for more washing up.
Stir in the sugar and coconut.
Add the egg and milk and mix into a stiff dough. It’s a bit like making ugly scones, so that’s the sort of consistency you’re after. I might have added too much milk to mine, which is why they’re a bit flat. I don’t think it matters that much, as they still taste pretty yum.
Plop some dollops onto two lined baking trays (we used two dessert spoons to help) and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. I’ve got a gas oven, so it’s Gas Mark 6. Google tells me that that’s 180 degrees C for fan, 200 degrees C for no fan! Or 400 F.
Be warned, I gave these to a friend’s offspring, calling them coconut rock cakes. They looked at them and declared that they weren’t cakes at all and didn’t want them. As soon as I changed the name to rock buns, they ate them all…
The first week of the summer holidays was a trip to Southampton. In between the obligatory trips to Toys R Us and Ikea, there are the family visits. I always go and see Nanna and Grandad. They both turned 90 in January and are still very independent (to be honest, I’m always expecting them to pop their clogs). On this visit, we went through some of Nanna’s crafty gubbins, and it triggered a nostalgic twinge.
Nineteen Forties Embroidery
Look at this! Nanna embroidered this tablecloth in 1945, and she said that she’d like to pass it on to me. I’m quite chuffed about that. It’s really very pretty. It needs a bit of cleaning (anyone got any advice on how to do that?).
She stitched it whilst her brother-in-law was in hospital. He’d had his face torn apart by shrapnel in World War 2.
Vintage Embroidery With Provenance
Who doesn’t love a bit of vintage embroidery?! Whilst it’s lovely as a tablecloth, I wonder if it wouldn’t be too insensitive to repurpose it. I would rather it be regularly used and loved than folded neatly in a drawer.
Now that it’s the holidays, I won’t have much time, but I would love to try some embroidery of my own. I do tinker with pretty stitching, but don’t do masses of it. It’s another thing to add to the list.
Nanna’s Knitting Needles
Nanna also decided she didn’t want her spare knitting needles anymore. This is daft because I’m sure she’ll want some of them back. Also, I am terrible at knitting.
She hasn’t given me the ones she regularly uses. I think these are all surplus. Amongst them is a Tunisian crochet hook. I got quite excited about this as it coincides with the growing fancy that I want to learn a bit of that.
Vintage Madeira Bag
Then there’s this awesome bag from Madeira. It needs repairing, but I think it’s pretty cool. I think she said a friend gave it to her, but I’m not sure. My guess is the 1970s, but it could be much earlier.
I’ve got no clue how to fix the broken bits on this very old bag. To be honest, I haven’t checked out how broken it really is. I can just see that the fabric is coming away from the baskety bit. And the baskety bit is a bit fragile in itself.
A Handmade Patchwork Blanket
Upon returning home to Devon, I went and rummaged in my own cupboards and dug out a few things.
Nanna made this patchwork blanket for my 18th birthday. For a good couple of years leading up to that birthday, I’d see EPP hexagons here and there and ask what they were for. She was always evasive, and I wouldn’t get a straight answer, hah!
I have to be careful with this blanket; I think there might still be a pin lodged in the quilted layers somewhere. I found about three when I got it and managed to get a couple out. I use it regardless, pins be damned. It is not quite twenty years of age.
Having made a patchwork bag using English paper piecing, I know how this sort of thing is a proper labour of love. And her hexies are smaller than the patchwork bag I made!
A Classic Crochet Granny Blanket
This is the crochet granny blanket she made for my eldest boy just over seven years ago, when he was born. It’s a classic granny, and it is this hotchpotch blanket that made me go to my local wool shop and buy my first crochet hook!
A Simple Crochet Chain
Rewind to some point in the 1980’s… This tatty-looking thing in the above pic is the first piece of crochet I ever attempted. I made this foundation chain and decided that crochet was rubbish.
I don’t think it helped that I was told that I must hold the hook a certain way (Nanna and I don’t agree on hook hold). Knitting was easier for me back then; I could make squares and scarves and things. This crochet failure was tied to the middle of a Nanna-made crochet blanket that I had as a little girl. I threw it away last year. It was stinky and holey. The foundation chain is the only bit that remains.
Traditional Knitted Baby Blanket
She knitted this white baby blanket for Eldest boy also. It’s quite traditional to gift a white knitted baby blanket. I was given more than one at the births of both my boys.
And as usual, the cat wanted in on it so she clambered on Nanna’s blankets and went to sleep.
I’m still feeling funny about old things (not Nanna and Grandad, the other stuff). I’ve been sorting through my old work from when I first started school. I blame going back to Southampton.
Old School Work!
This was when I went to the Hall of Aviation in Southampton (now called Solent Sky). I took my boys last week. It’s still awesome.
Sindy’s Wedding Outfit
I don’t know if I blame Southampton that much. It might also have been before that because I asked my sister to dig stuff out a few weeks ago. I was watching the Sewing Bee and had begun to wonder when I first started sewing.
I used to sit for hours, hand-sewing outfits and accessories for my Sindy doll. After a while, I graduated to the sewing machine. I was around ten when I made this wedding outfit from the leftovers of my other sister’s christening gown. It has set in sleeves!
My step mum helped me do this, as I don’t think I could have managed those sleeves alone. I think I need to ask Sister to go back in the loft to see if she has the red corduroy dress I made her for Christmas when I was twelve, and she was two… I was dead proud of myself!
Nanna Knitted Doll Clothes
What Sindy/Barbie wouldn’t want knitted clothes?! Some Nanna specials.
I particularly love this woollen coat. I actually think my mum knitted this. It wasn’t passed on to my sisters; it was the only one I kept.
Speaking of my Mum. I’m fairly certain she knitted baby blankets, too (pictured above and below). One knitted, one crocheted. Both in the seventies, for my brother. I’m sure she’ll correct me if I’m wrong.
She said this crochet blanket wasn’t suitable in the end. Too many holes for baby fingers to twist up in.
Anyway, I’m gonna go. I didn’t realise there was so much from the past that still exists. What the blazes am I gonna do with it all?! Hope no ghostly cooties are clinging to all the dust.
