Crochet Car Basket

I'm a member of the UK Survival Network (UKSN) and one of their posts in January was asking us all to start a DIY project that either allowed us to develop new skills, or improve our existing ones. I decided to take this as an opportunity to try a crochet technique I'd not used before.

Recently we went from having one large family car to having two smaller ones. I now have a little Fiat Panda all to myself, which I love, but I haven't put any 'emergency supplies' in it yet. With Winter finally starting to bite, I want to leave some items permanently in the car in case I was stuck in it for a prolonged period.

My problem is that space is VERY limited. My pram just fits into the boot with a small triangle left over. To prevent things I want to store from falling over and going everywhere when I take the pram out I decided to make a crochet basket that fits the space exactly. This will save me from repacking the boot constantly and means all of my 'emergency' items are to hand when I need them.

I wanted the basket to be sturdy and to have handles, so I decided to use 7mm polypropelene rope, and to crochet over it with gardeners twine. I've wanted to try crocheting with twine for a long time and this seemed like the perfect project to finally give it a go. In the end I used 100m of Poly rope and roughly 320m of twine.

As I wasn't following a pattern I put paper down in my boot and drew out the shape that I wanted the basket to be. This meant I could check my work against this when making the base, without running out to the car all the time. I used a 4.5mm hook on the base as I wanted it to be fairly sturdy and a 6mm hook on the sides as I wanted it to be a little looser and more flexible.

It may look a bit odd as it's not a conventional shape due to fitting round the pram, but I'm really happy with it. It might not be pretty, but it's functional! And I do love using something that I made myself rather than bought.

I had a big ponder about what supplies I would permanently leave in there as I had to be pretty ruthless with not having much space. I made a quick video about what I decided. If you fancy a nosy, click on the video below. And if anyone has any suggestions of things to add/switch out, please leave a comment and let me know.

Grey Flecked Crochet Scarf / Shawl

Roughly a year ago I posted asking for help, because I wasn't sure what to make with some yarn I bought. Well, I finally used it!

I ended up using a pattern called Coraline In The Wine Country from simplycollectiblecrochet.com, which Clare from the Youtube channel BobWilson123 has also done a video tutorial of.

I made mine in a chunky yarn with a 9mm hook, and I also made it slightly smaller as I wanted it to be a triangular scarf and not big enough to be a proper shawl. A wrap at most.

One of the things that I think is so wonderful about crochet is how a simple change of yarn or hook size can make the results of the project so different.

Anyway, voila! What do you think? It's a lovely pattern to follow. Simple and straightforward, so you can watch TV while you're crocheting and actually get to watch and not just listen! It worked up very quickly too.

I'm A Big Nerd And I Don't Care!

So, I usually tend to write about crochet. I have many varied interests that make me happy too and I've only just realised that the only thing stopping me from writing about them was myelf!

I adore Bethesda video games. Most of all, the Fallout franchise. Jumping-up-and-down squeaking-with-glee-when-the-postman-delivered-my shiny-new-copy-of-Fallout 4-on-release-day kind of joy. After playing it, I keep coming up with crochet ideas. For those not as cool as me, it's set in a post apocalyptic world which is populated by the decendants of people who had survived an atomic bomb by sheltering in vaults. 

After falling in love with the new installment I have a burning desire to make a grey and black blanket that looks like it has been issued to a vault dweller by Vault-Tec. My inner voice told me not to blog about that because 'the internet' would think I was weird for being thirty and playing video games, and then making crochet projects based on them. A few day ago I suddenly decided I don't really care anymore.

I have other non-crafty interests besides Fallout. I really like survival/bushcraft/prepping, whaterver you want to call it. The great outdoors and all that.

After watching many videos about the items other people carry about their person every day, I decided to make my own. Which I posted yesterday. And, I made it in my pyjamas, with no make-up on. Even though I was tempted to put uncharacteristic amounts of slap on I thought if I'm going to be brave about all parts of the real me, I really sould be the real me, right? Sot, no make-up. and as I made it at night after my little ones were asleep, I'm in my jim jams, and half whispering.

If you're into that sort of thing too, feel free to have a look. Or if you're just generally wondering what's in my bag after reading all of this, knock yourself out.

So basically, I'll be posting a lot more, and not just about crochet. It could be cooking, or books, or my favourite mods for a fictional sniper rifle. Just giving you all fair warning.

Exciting News!

I haven't posted for a while, although I have wanted to. There's been so much going on lately that I haven't had much room/energy for creative things. Ideas constantly pop up in my head, but so far I'm saving them for the magical day I wake up with unlimited free time.

So what has been keeping me busy? Firstly, me and my fella are buying the loveliest little house ever. I fell in love with it straight away and I can't wait to move in. It's current decor is firmly stuck many many decades into the past, which I was actually really happy about as I'm not a fan of a lot of recent home fads. I'd much rather live with faded fashions from years gone by than a modern day horror while we restore room by room.

I'm going to have so much fun transforming this house and turning it into our family's home. I promise to take lots of pictures along the way. My mind is running wild with potential new projects for the new house. Once we're in I'm planning to have a go at rag rugging which I've wanted to do for sooooooo long. Not one to start small, I want to make a big kitchen rug, and I plan to use all of the t-shirt yarn in my stash to do it. Lots of lovely blues, greens and whites. I have two packs of the little balls pictured, and two big bobbin things of a sage green colour and one of white.

I started making a mandala type rug when I initially decided to try t-shirt yarn out, then I frogged it and it's been waiting for it's time to shine ever since and I think that a big rag rug is the way to go. Some kind of seaside/wave type theme I think. I can see seaweed and white crests and swirling blues.

In addition to moving soon I also have roughly seven weeks left before our second (and final!) baby is with us. I just know I'm going to end up in labour on moving day. I have a week of work left before I go on maternity and as much as I would love to spend it relaxing, crocheting baby clothes and blankets, I'll be packing and running around after my first little monster who is now seventeen months and massive. 

So, I may be a little absent from the world of blogging while I get packed, moved, unpacked and then welcome our new family member, but once we're in a routine in our lovely new time-warp house I will be posting all sorts of crafty/decorating pictures.

Scarf In Progress

Thank you to everyone who helped me decide what to do with my January sale yarn. I've decided to make a scarf. Once I knew that was what I wanted to make I got a picture in my head straight away of how it should look. Now I'm working it up, I keep making little amendments, frogging a few rows, changing something, getting another idea and frogging again. I'm thoroughly enjoying myself though.

One of the things I love most of all about crochet is being able to turn ideas in my head into actual real life objects. And they actually turn out like how I imagined them! This never happened when I tried to draw as a child. I had such high hopes whenever I started drawing, but the beautiful horse I envisaged always ended up looking like a mangled running potato. I just hadn't found my medium. 

Crochet clicked and I'll be forever grateful to the lady that started me off, as well as to all the lovely blogs and youtube channels spreading crafty love.

I got the idea of using a water jug as a yarn bowl after seeing a photo of somebody who had used a tea pot. I'd been on the hunt for the perfect yarn bowl or spinner for ages to no avail. I was scrolling through my google plus feed a few days ago and I realised I had plenty of things that would work perfectly already.

Anyway, I'm itching to get back to my latest woolly creation. The yarn does look lovely worked up and I know when I finally get the pattern perfect all the frogging will seem worth it. 

I'm actually writing the pattern down as I go for once. So I have a book full of scribbles. I get the feeling my sister might want one when I finish so I want to be able to duplicate it. I have the perfect yarn in mind already. I'll write it up when it's finished, which will hopefully be in a few days and share it on here as well in case anyone fancies making one too.

Ideas Please

I've bought some yarn in the January Sale from my local wool emporium and I'm not sure what to do with it. As it's January, and I'm making my annual attempt at being more sensible with money, I had only gone in 'for a look'.

I could honestly spend hours pawing and poking at all the lovely yarn in there. Drooling over everything and getting filled with ideas for projects that require more time than I have to spare. 

I ended up buying five 50g balls of Sirdar Husky, Super Chunky in a soft grey colour with black flecks. I know I've only just finished my Jumbo Infinity Scarf but I thought perhaps a smaller cowl? Or a jumper that is more holes than solid fabric? I've wanted to make a post apocalyptic/dysatopian looking jumper for ages. I don't think I'd have enough for something like that though.

Maybe some kind of non-frilly sort of shawl/small poncho type thing. I just don't know. But I love the grey shade and it's nice and soft so I need to make it into something! Please please please lend me your creative minds and throw a few suggestions at me.

How I made my Hermione Inspired Hand Warmers

I was asked if I had a pattern for the Hermione Inspired Crochet Hand Warmers and as I made them up as I went along I've jotted down some instructions in case anyone else fancies making a pair. They're pretty simple and work up really quickly. I just hope these dodgy pictures and explanation makes sense!

I used Sirdar Escape DK yarn in 179-Endeavour and a 5mm hook. This is written in US terminology.

1. I made the ribbed cuff first. I chained five plus one for the turning chain. I worked single crochets in the back loop only.When the strip was long enough to fit over the largest part of my hand I finished off and joined it together with the long tail I left for sewing.



With it being ribbed it's a bit stretchy so don't make it too loose or once it gets over your hand it will be too baggy.


2. Then I made the main body of the warmers.  As the ribbed cuff is now on it's side, I added the single crochets in the stitches at the ends of the rows and the gaps in between. When you get to the end of the round slip stitch into the first single crochet to join, chain one, thenturn. Make sure you're crocheting through both loops. I think I made a slight increase on the second round so that I ended up with roughly 23 stitches in each, but you'll be making them to fit you so may have more or less. Keep going until you get to your wrist then make a few increases each round (I eyeballed this) so that it becomes wide enough for your hand.

Then just keep on single crocheting until you get to the bit where you would want the opening for the thumb to start. I hope this next bit makes sense....

3. Single crochet along the row as normal and then where the thumb bit would start make a chain of however many you need to comfortably stretch across to the same point on the other side, slip stitch to join and then continue single crocheting the rest of the round. 

You've basically just skipped the stitches that would go round your thumb. 

On the next round single crochet along as normal, put one single crochet in each chain across and just continue when you get to the other side. You're basically just carrying on as you were, but there are now just less stitches in the round. 

4. When you get high enough up on your fingers, for the last round instead of single crocheting in each stitch: slip stitch, then single crochet, then half double, half double again, single crochet and slip stitch again. All the way round, so that you get a slight wave at the top. Cut your yarn and finish off.

5. For the thumb. Join your yarn at the opening and put one single crochet in each stitch all the way around including into the chain across. (You will have already worked into this for the main body.) This will make a little thumb tube. Keep working rows, you may want to decrease here and there so it narrows a little towards the skinnier bit of your thumb. On your last row make a wavy edge as above and you're done. 

This post turned out way longer than I thought it would, I tried not to waffle, I really did! I hope it made sense, but feel free to ask any questions if not.

 

Hermione Crochet Fingerless Gloves | Harry Potter DIY

After finishing my Jumbo Infinity Scarf I decided I needed something for my digits. I already have a lovely pair of mittens, but I hate that you have to take them off to check your phone or rummage in your bag. Hand/wrist warmers seemed perfect. I've also been ill this week and nothing makes me feel better when I'm snivelly and sorry for myself than watching Harry Potter. Specifically, Deathly Hallows Part One, as it's my favourite.

Hermione wears a really lovely pair of hand warmers in it. I won't add a picture as I don't think that's allowed copyright-wise, but you probably know the ones I mean! If you don't a quick Google search will pop up plenty of pictures.

After a pausing and staring for a bit I think they're probably knitted. It's the stripy palette that I like the best though and the cosy look of a jumper with too big sleeves. As a red-head the pink section of the colour wheel is something I avoid as it's does nothing for me. But I do love blues, greens and greys and browns and I had something in my yarn treasure chest that needed using. When I bought the Sirdar Escape Chunky that I used for my infinity scarf I also bought some of the non chunky variety in Endeavour. I love January wool sales.

The colour changes are more obvious in the dk than the chunky and I thought it might give me a subtle stripe without the faff of actually changing yarns. I made them with a ribbed cuff and then plain single crochet (US) double crochet (UK) all the way to the top. I decided to add a little wavy shell edge which Hermione doesn't have on hers. It's an inspired by project though not a recreation and I thought it looked softer than a straight edge.

They were just one days work. I'll be wearing them with my Jumbo Infinity Scarf some of the time and although they don't match like twins they are perhaps sisters. I took them for a spin pushing the pram to the post office yesterday and they made me smile. Toasty hands but free fingers.

One last thing, please tell me I'm not the only person who sometimes pauses films so they can stare at knitwear? I feel a bit mad when I see a 'good' shot and shout 'Pause it! Pause it!', so I can stare at woollies.