thank you

I have been in bed with migraines over the past few days which has not been much fun. It feels like days go by where I can't participate, which is frustrating. But I am hoping today will be a better day and I am starting off with a quick morning post here. Firstly, thank you all so much for your very kind comments about my granny blanket and crochet flowers over the past week. It was all so unexpected!

A little while ago I received the most beautiful handmade necklace in the mail. I was the lucky winner of handmaid liset's blog giveaway. And now am the proud owner of a beautiful necklace of felt, crochet and wooden beads. The colours are just the kind of palette I love and I can wear it with all my usual blacks and greys and navys. I have already woren this a few times and each time received many compliments. Thank you Liset!

My creative space

During the week I have been crocheting small flowers in spare moments, using a lovely soft, fine merino wool. It is a very delicate yarn, so much so that I had to be careful not too pull too hard when closing magic circles. The end result is a circle of soft creamy flowers to be worn as a necklace like a bib or a collar.

I haven't blocked it yet, but like the not quite perfect charm of it, for now. Completely impractical but oh so lovely.

See what other people are creating over at Kirsty's place.

ready or not

It is winter here, it has been about as cold as it will get. There has been rain, wind, storms, hail and even early morning frost. It has been good movie weather, baking weather staying inside and enjoying quiet nights whilst keeping warm weather. It has been blanket weather, or rather granny square blanket. 

The granny squares I started last year which became piles of granny squares over the summer and then the start of a blanket earlier this year needed to be finished. And so for the past month or so we have been enjoying the warmth of an almost king sized granny square blanket on our bed. 

Whether it is finished or not I am not quite sure. But it is warm and nice and I made it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A huge granny square blanket!!  I am very proud of the blanket. It is big and colourful - with no two squares that are the same.

It is a 100% Australian merino wool and heavy. A good winter weight. I am not quite sure how much yarn I used, at least 1kg of cream yarn. 

The edge of the blanket is not quite there yet. We needed to use it so I have just edged it in a simple double crochet, to keep it all together. I think I will do a couple more rounds and then something. So once the weather warms up, it will be time to decide what to do about the edge. Any suggestions for an edging?

My creative space

Ideas seems to swim around for the next things I am going to make and then the next after that. I seem to always be collecting thoughts, far faster than I can create. In a few spare moments today I started to play with a white fluffy ball of kid mohair and a very fine soft merino. Starting to crochet flowers and small doilies and learn how to use a flower loom. I am loving the dreamy softness of the yarn and the cloudy like qualities of the mohair.

More creative spaces here.

Over the weekend I completed my silk mesh necklace. I crocheted a chain using chains and single crochet. I then ran a thread through one long end of the mesh and pulled tight to create a flower like shape. I finished it by stitching the mesh circle closed and attaching to the chain. The end product is a little larger of a flower than I expected so next time less mesh rows. But I love the natural look of the piece and the texture of the yarn.

This necklace is based on a picture in the Japanese crochet book knot. The yarn is a 100% silk that I purchased from Habu in NYC last year. It is the same silk I blogged about earlier in the week. I can see more jewelery being made from this silk, which I found to be a pleasure to crochet.

Avril

One of my favourite stores in Tokyo was the Avril* store in Kichijoji. A small white house filled with walls of colourful yarn in a rainbow of colours.

You simply choose the yarn and amount you want and it is wound onto a cone for you to take home. I chose some silks and couple of different weights of linen, but could have easily spent twice the amount I did. I loved the colour palettes of the yarns as well as the huge range of neutral coloured yarns.

You simply choose the yarn and amount you want and it is wound onto a cone for you to take home. I chose some silks and couple of different weights of linen, but could have easily spent twice the amount I did.

*Avril Yarn is sold as Habu yarn outside of Japan.