LMLM Crochet Patterns

I followed a video on YouTube to make this chick from yellow, red and beige wool. It was easy, fun and fast; only took around half an hour.  I was looking for something to make as a last minute gift, but I'm still too proud of my little creations to give them away. As soon as I'm a pro these will be under everyone's Christmas trees. 

Two days off from work and one day at work between calls I made my first useful crochet creation. A handbag!  Now it's full of holes so don't go leaving any loose change in there, but it's perfect as an alternative for a canvas bag.  For example I could keep my lunch box in there, groceries or my water bottle. It could even work as a baby sling!  I have loved making it and can't wait to make more useful crochet creations.  Next up is blue wool and a little something for my favourite little man:

Now this is something I took directly from Kirstie's Homemade Home. A woman took hessian sacks and scrap material and turned them in to funky rugs. Now that is something I can do.  I bought the hessian material which is really cheap online and bought the rag rug tool which is called a bodger, also cheap online.  Then I took old clothes (all Dave's) and cut them into strips.  (The floral fabric isn't Dave's! It's some scrap I had left over. Just in case you were wondering!)  Then you draw a design on the hessian and try to keep within the confines of the lines. As you can see I am no artist. Anyway, it's coming along, but it is very time consuming and I keep underestimating the amount of fabric needed. Anyway, it's a practice round; I'm going to make a really big one for the lounge eventually. Updates and photos to follow. 

Nonna had done crochet for as long as I can remember. She makes blankets and scarfs to sell on for charity. Recently my mum started as well. She makes blankets for my baby nephew and little hats for my cousins. My sister does crochet every now and then and she recently made a crochet rose which is beautiful and I very much want to copy it.  Anyway, I just thought crochet was something people did when they had too much time on their hands. That was until I received a crochet hook and wool and watched a YouTube video. It's faster than knitting and gives a prettier pattern with more ease.  To begin with I was just practising, but when I discovered the shop Wool in Bath I became an avid crocheter!  Is there anything more wonderful than buying wool?!  So mini projects have begun. I even took my needle and wool to work and made some granny squares  That was using this wool:  And now I'm making red squares to mix in with the colourful squares to make a pretty patt...

The thing is I also work full time at a call centre for Sky and I'm picking up overtime to pay for the wedding. This leaves very little time to do the things I love.  Watching Kirsty's Homemade Home while knitting before work really helps to keep the creativity flowing. Everyday I would see something I wanted to make. One day they were making quilts and that was that.  I found some of Dave's old blue t shirts and cut them into squares. I also had some blue china pattern fabric which was already in squares. Then I sewed them together to form one big square. Next I bought some blue polka dot material and a quilt to go inside. I sewed it all together and this was the end product:  And it now lays in Zak's cot as his spare quilt. I'm so proud of it and can't wait to make another. 

Then I ordered a sewing machine and a sewing box and threads and fabric and a new hobby was born.  Maddy was visiting from Florence and we found some gorgeous fabric and had an amazing idea. She was my model and my creative partner. I was the seamstress and the stress part was huge.  I didn't measure her properly. I just fitted some material to her body, held it there and sewed. But the end product was perfect.   If it were for me it might be a little longer and have sleeves, but Maddy likes it. All I have to do is finished off the hems and she'll be partying in London wearing it.  The idea came about as a money making scheme, but it has ended up as more of a hobby and sucks out more money than I can afford, but I don't mind because I am loving it more than food anyway!  The next day before work I knocked this little beauty together: And then this one: And the sewing machine adventures are just beginning. 

I have become obsessed with crafts and all things hand made. It's relaxing to do and wonderful to use something that you have made.  Knitted clothes have always been my favourite. They make winter bearable (and comfy!) I was looking through eBay (which I use for buying and selling in equal measures) and I found knitting and crochet kits. The kits came with patterns, needles and wool. I ordered them and they arrived in the post.  When I looked at the patterns I wanted to give up. What does K2 mean?  Then I remembered YouTube.  I found a video by a woman from Boston with great nail polish  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwKR6X5Re4Q  and she taught me how to cast on, knit and purl stitch. There were times when I wanted to give up and not bother, but after watching the video enough times it finally sank in.  I haven't actually made anything yet, but I've been practising different stitches and knits. I'm still very much a beginner, but I am ...

... I was reading Children of Liberty by Paullina Simons, my favourite author, but a poor book, but that's another blog for another time. So I was on the sofa and in walks Dave (the love of my life) holding a pink box. He sat next to me and we exchanged the smile of two people who know their lives are about to change forever.  Next he fell on to one knee and opened the box. The ring was beautiful and exactly what I wanted (it was almost as if I'd chosen it...) He said, "Libby Clare, will you marry me?" and I laughed and cried. How long have I wanted to hear those words in that order? About four years. Of course I said yes and we had the best day of our lives. We went to La Tasca , a tapas restaurant and discovered the greatest food ever (again, another blog for another time.) This heart shape features our names and the date we were engaged. It was a present from my sister-in-law and it was made by a friend of hers  https://www.facebook.com/Pebble...