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Sunday 17 February 2013

~African daisy progress, Crocherati update, Valentines day

 
... African daisy  progress
 

This week we've been making litle daisies for the African Daisy blanket. I think I should have called it the daisy eater because its a hungry little blanket and it gobbles up each new daisy as soon as its made. :D
 
 
Here are a couple of progress photos showing how the blanket is growing.
 
You'll see how each row grows it creates an edge that is not straight and to help minimise this I've designed one half of an African daisy that aims to straighten the edge out. 
 
 In terms of design that means the edges will be straight - but at this pont there will be a zig-zag edge on what I see as the top and the bottom of the blanket.
 
I quite like the effect it has and am in two minds on whether to fill it or not... I'll play with the design a bit more before finally deciding.
 
The last photo shows the "half a hexie" I made as a gap filler. I've shown it to a couple of friends as a bit of 'market research' and they seem chuffed enough with it so I think that will be an appropriate filler for the gaps. 
 

 
To round the blanket off I'll edge it with a couple of rows of the dark blue and "hey presto" the African daisy blanket will be finished. I have really enjoyed this blanket and the way it looks is truly festive - it lifts my spirits every time!
 
 ... Now an update about the secret granny square exchange, or "Crocherati"
 
 
The next round of the exchange has kicked off with a Valentine's Day theme and though I cannot show you the squares I made and sent - that would shatter the anonymity for my recipient!!! - I can share with you the squares I have received.
 
 
Two beautifully themed heart granny squares and then a surprise bonus as well: an interwoven heart that has lovely smelling potpourri in it! How very lucky and spoiled I am.
 
 
 
 
 
 
... Musings about Valentine's Day...
 
 
I think its so lovely to have a day dedicated to love and the pursuit of romance. Yes every day should be special and filled with love - but how nice to know that for one day a year you can be super soppy and totally over the top with romance crazy - and it is totally okay...
 
 
Yes I liken it to the same euphoria as going to Disney-land ... difficult to leave there without happy memories. Sore feet on the day, but as time goes by and the sore feet heel, along with the memory of the loooong cues (etc.) one is left with happy thoughts, of happy times, and fun.
 
 
That's me for this week lovelies, have a glorious week. Warm pixie smiles coming your way, xo.
 
oOo

Sunday 10 February 2013

~summary of projects on the go ~


Yay I'm better. I think I had this year's flu and its been a tough one - good luck to anyone out there going through it at the moment, hang in there!


Projects on the go


I needed to take stock of all the WIPs - that would be works in progress -  I have going at the moment, and make a list of causes I made promises to - and I am not allowing myself to take anything new on-board until I have delivered on all of them. They are - in no order other than the order I'm remembering them in.


1.\ Granny Square for the next round of the Secret Granny Square exchange (tick, but can't show it to you as its a secret :o( ... I will show you the ones I receive when they get here)


2.\ A couple of granny squares for the blanket being made for the fistula hospital in Ethiopia


3.\ A couple of granny squares for one of the Crocherati ladies who is compiling a blanket for friends of hers in Queensland who have been affected by the recent weather events (tick, here is a photo of the squares I'm sending)



4.\ One border row as part of the Creative Crochet Crew's QR code project (tick, I mailed this earlier the week and it has been received)


5.\ A couple of headbands for another Crocherati cause towards kids with cancer


6.\ As part of an outreach a couple of hearts to one of the Crocherati ladies


7.\ FIVE gifts as part of anew group I belong to where you make a gift as part of a "pass it forward" initiative.



8.\ Finish the lovely daisy blanket so I can list it on Etsy.


Here is a photo showing that the joining has started! This is going to be smashing when its done, love the colours sofar.


More to do about Daisy...


So many wonderful things to do with the African Daisy - on my list is this lovely handbag via the below link. Not only does it come with detailed instructions and layout information, but the entire pattern and instruction sheet is free. Enjoy.

http://www.craftpassion.com/2012/04/african-flower-crochet-purse-part-1.html


Warm pixie smiles coming your way, xo

oOo

Saturday 2 February 2013

... mancold ...

 
Still a bit quiet from me - yup its got me in its grips - I have a dreaded MANcold !!!
 
The only thing I don't have is a little bell. What the hell am I talking about you wonder .....
 
 
 
Click here to see what a Mancold is:
 
 
 
Will be back next week - till then, a wave from this side of Pixie-Land.
 
oOO

Sunday 20 January 2013

~ Krista block 15, 16 litter blocks and 30 african daisies


Krista block 15
Still using Panda's "magnum soft" acrylic yarn (in butter) I made block 15 of the Krista throw. If you want to see the different colours its listed here:
 



This block was so pleasant and super easy. It starts off with an eight petal flower in the centre - and then grows very quickly into a granny square pattern.









Its even lovely from the back you can see how the flower evolves into the good old granny square so familiar and loved.








If you're looking for the patterns - they are free and via the link: http://promotions.spotlight.com.au/Facebook/Tabs/block_of_the_week/botw.aspx

16 squares for a fun cause
The Creative Crochet Crew invited crochet artists to participate in making a QSR Code from granny squares. This is a similar project to the one they ran for the Arts Hub QSR competition toward the end of last year.
 
So I've had the privilege of making 16 little white squares which will form part of the QSR border and  I'm so excited that I can be part of this collaboration.
 



In order to keep them flat I joined them with a slip stitch through the back loops only - this is one of my favourite joins as it looks like its been weaved together.
 


If you're wondering - the Creative Crochet Crew is a facebook community where a love of crochet is at the heart of the group - a great place to visit for fun and inspiration. If you want to see their page its right via this link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Creative-Crochet-Crew/142317845834754
 
 
African daisy update


Sofar I have 30 hexies in various stages of completion. Its still my aim to join them into a blanket and list it on Etsy. By the end of this week I'm comfortable that I will have all 30 hexies lined with the dark blue borders and ready for assembly into a blanket.

 
I wonder if it will look nice if I start it as a field of daisies - then have a thick band of the dark blue before adding a rim  of daisies again -- OR perhaps I should just have them all form a daisy blanket.

 
Time will tell how this evolves - its wonderful to be inspired I can't wait to see how this blanket develops - I'm letting it guide me as I go.

 
Well that's my crochet story this week - warm pixie smiles coming your way. xo
 
oOo

Sunday 13 January 2013

african daisy progress

No Krista block this week - instead I've been focusing on makings some african daisies for the blanket I would like to list on Etsy.


Sofar I've made a good start for the blanket and though I'm not quite as far as I would have hoped am pretty excited that this has the potential to be truly lovely - I hope whoever gets it will enjoy it as much as I have loved making it.


At this stage my big worry is which price to list it at - list it too high and it might not sell. List it too low and people might not trust the quality. Maybe I should list it low as an introductory offer as this will be my first Etsy listing and then take it from there.


A progress pic:





Other projects I have committed to this week include making a blanket for the Hamlin Fistula Organisation; making headbands for children with cancer; and also became part of a group of ladies who are crocheting a QR code as a group effort.


I'll keep you posted on these over the next two or three weeks. In the meantime I would really appreciate your feedback on how much you think I should list the African daisy baby blanket for.



That's it for show and tell this week - have a wonderful week with warm pixie smiles coming your way, xo
oOo

Sunday 6 January 2013

~Show and tell...

 
...Krista block 14
 
 
As you know I'm doing a block a week towards what is called the "Krista throw" - and this week I made the block for Week 14.

It starts of as a granny square - but instead of being worked in the round all the way it has the first two rows in the round and then expands outward via two of the four sides. The effect is quite unusual in that it expands outward to the top right from starting as a cross-like structure bottom left.
 
It would be interesting to make that initial squarer in a different colour to the rest of the block - and for the next one I might do that. This blocks for this throw will be a solid colour - its called "butter" and is made by Panda wool in their "magnum soft" range.
 
 
If you're looking for the Krista patterns - they are free and via the link: http://promotions.spotlight.com.au/Facebook/Tabs/block_of_the_week/botw.aspx
 
And a standard reminder that there is a Facebook group for the Krista throw. Like-minded crocheters who participated in the original Spotlight promotion as well as others who joined later on and I have found these ladies willing to share their experiences when constructing their own Kristas.
 

...Started another project - African daisies

 
With so many ideas to get my Etsy store up and running I have decided to make a daisy blanket using the African daisy or Somalian daisy pattern. The pattern seems to be pretty standard and freely available throughout the web - I just did a quick Google search for "african daisy crochet pattern" and it returned with 101,000 hits! www.google.com
 
I have always loved daisies and having it against a blue backdrop to symbolise the sky is so beautiful - this is how it evolves from yellow circle to daisy hexagon granny square:
 

 
And look, I've made a start! Next time round you should ask me if I managed to complete it and list it on Etsy yet, that is my target for next week.
 
 
 
That's it for show and tell this week - have a wonderful week with warm pixie smiles coming your way, xo
 
oOo