Baby Blanket - Crochet

I'd made these patches a while ago, a bunch of little granny squares in pastel rainbow colours (I love rainbows), each one in a different order. The idea was to make the patches into a baby blanket for an old friend who I'd heard was going to be a dad, but he was so bad at keeping in touch I abandoned the idea, and the patches.

Then, recently, I found out that the Head of Science at the school I work at is going to be a dad in August. He was my tutor 13 years ago when I started at the same school at age 11, and had taught me A-level Chemistry, and was now a colleague, as well as my adopted mentor during my struggle through the end of school. So, I resurrected the patches, crocheted them together, and this blanket appeared. I sincerely hope that he, his wife, and their daughter, love the blanket and get good use out of it!

Jackie's Blanket - Crochet

This blanket is inspired by similar blankets and throws I've seen on TV usually in American programs thrown over the backs of sofas. It's made from individually crocheted Granny Squares (each one a unique combination of six differently coloured yarns) then crocheted together with black yarn and boardered.

My now ex-boyfriend's mum has been in and out of hospital having operations on her knee since I met her in 2007. Due to my obsessive creativity and being now physically unable to go anywhere without some knitting or crochet to do I'd always be making something when I went to visit, and she'd always comment how patient I must be to be able to do something to monotonous! Again, I'd gained another follower of my peculiar yarn addiction. So, as a Christmas present I made a lap blanket to keep her knee warm as she recovered after operations. Needless to say she was very happy to receive something so personal, and she still uses it (I always love to see something I make being put to use!)

Tea Cosy - Knitting

Another knitted Christmas Present! This time for my mum, who found very similar tea cosies in a shop in Wareham, Dorset, at the same time I bought material to repair my jute bag (see earlier post). She said the pattern reminded her of the old-fashion tea cosies she grew up with, so when I found the pattern via Ravelry I got to work!

My mum wanted "bee" colours, so yellow and brown acrylic were in the recipe, and I have to say this pattern is probably one of the fiddliest things I have ever done!!! The result was a success however, and cosy has been in constant use since Christmas. What's more, it looks spookily similar to the cosy on Mary Poppins' laughter-powered floating tea table in the Disney film!

Target Hat - Knitting

Something for my brother for Christmas. His only hobby ( ...That is, the only thing he really does other than watch DVDs and play video games...) is archery. So I decided to make him a hat in stripes the same colour and order as the archery target... So he could stand out in the middle of a field and people could shoot him!

The pattern I got from Marnie MacLean's Website although the pattern resulted in a funny "nipple" at the top which I had to sew down. The hat was well received and now my mum, who also does archery, wants one too! It is made with acrylic double-knit that I had lying around.

Watford United football scarf - Crochet

This was a birthday gift for my good friend Tom who supports Watford United Football club and had always wanted a supporters' scarf! It's crocheted in doubles, acrylic yarn (for easy washing, you know what boys are like!) in the club's colours. Making a crochet scarf like this is very easy, you just cast on (or whatever the equivalent is in crochet, I don't know) until you reach the width you want the scarf to be, and then crochet away! I've made several scarfs in this way, one in Gordon clan colours to match one of my friend's kilts (see below), one in "Magpie" colours for an ex who loved magpies, and one for myself to match my uniform where I used to work, to name a few!