Another One Bites The Dust

Last night, I managed to get another project off my hook. I finished my throw that I mentioned in my last post. It's another Random Stripe throw, but in black, 3 different shades of grey and a warm yellow. I really like how it turned out. I think it looks masculine, which works well, considering it has found a home on the back of my husband's favourite sofa in the lounge room....

This is not how it is going to stay, the photo was actually taken with it just being draped here so that I could pick up all the colours to show you :) 

After finishing the throw, I was at a loss as to what to make next. I have been toying with a few ideas, but hadn't decided on one in particular. I finally thought it was time for another filet piece, but I won't mention the details about it yet as it is going to be a gift for a good friend and I don't want to expose it before it is delivered to it's intended recipient.

As well as crocheting the throw, I have been trying to teach my future daughter-in-law to crochet.  She had learnt the basics from her grandmother, but only knew how to do a granny square and that was all. She has been watching me making things for the past few months, since she moved in with us and has been begging me to teach her, and she seems to be getting the hang of it very quickly. She's made 2 things so far and can already see the improvement in the 2nd piece. 

I started her with this pattern, from Lion Brand...

This is the photo from the Lion Brand site....

And this is Amanda's attempt at it (this was the 2nd try at it)...

I think she did a pretty good job of it and even though the legs and arms are bigger than they are supposed to be, I still think he's pretty cute! At the moment she's working on a Narwhal pattern, learning how to create circles :) 

Besides the throw that I've just finished, I also decided it was time to make a new bag holder for my plastic shopping bags. 

I used a pattern from e-Patterns Central that can be found here: Butterfly Bag Holder 

I made mine slightly longer than the pattern called for, and I found some other butterfly appliques that I preferred, but I think it's still a little plain and am on the lookout for an applique pattern for a dragonfly to add to it.

This is the finished bag......

with a close up of one of the butterflies....

I really like the way they stand out, almost a 3D effect!

Before I go, I'd like to share a piece that my mother made a couple of years ago when she was a member of a local craft group and still living in her own home. I found this while I have been going through the process of cleaning up her house...I think it is gorgeous....

This now has pride of place on my bed among some other embroidered cushions :) 

Mum couldn't have it at the nursing home with her, and when I asked if I could have it, she said yes! It is something that I will cherish for a long time, because it was handmade by her. 

I'm debating about making a little lace applique of something to add to the centre, but I haven't found the perfect one yet......

'til next time....keep warm, or cool, depending on where you are on this great planet of ours :) 

Throw Some Warmth Around....

The days and nights are definitely getting cooler here. So of course, I have done the obvious and decided to make some throws to keep me warm while I do what I enjoy.

In my last post, I mentioned that I was working on a throw using the Random Stripe Generator, I finally finished it, just in time to give to my mother for Mothers Day :)

I love the way that it turned out and she thought it was beautiful. It is so thick and warm, perfect for someone that feels the cold. 

After gifting this one to mum, I had to make another for myself. Mine is being done in white, black, light grey, medium grey, dark grey and yellow, but not in that order, again I used the Random Stripe Generator and found a combination that I really liked and went with it. I'm about 3/4 done and will post a photo when it's finished.

Occasionally I also knit and decided that when I want to do something a little different, I could alternate between crochet and knit projects. So out came the knitting needles and some yarn that I purchased on sale last year and I decided to start a cable scarf. It's a reverse cable and very easy, there are only 6 rows to the pattern.

This is a photo taken a little while ago, progress is actually further along than what you see below, it's about twice as long...

If you're interested, the pattern can be found here

I don't knit very often, but I do enjoy it and it's the one craft that my mother was able to teach me, at the tender age of 8 and it's stuck with me and I am very grateful that she had the patience to get me knitting :)