Planned Pooling in Crochet

Posted on 5 February, 2017 by patchworkfairy

Crocheted a cowl in Red Heart ‘Autumn’ or ‘Fall’ as it’s called in USA!

I’ve been fascinated recently by the planned pooling technique in crochet! It’s a method of crochet which involves carefully counting and manipulating your stitches to force an Argyle type pattern. It’s not easy! I actually used 3 diffferent hook sizes to get the patterning to work as I kept needing to use more or less yarn up in within the rows!

There is a very helpful Facebook group called Planned Pooling in Crochet with lovely, helpful members who advise and support newbie after newbie tearing their hair out and crying “it’ll never work! I just can’t do it!” It’s definitely worth joining if you want to try the pooling technique. This Pooling calculator is very useful too, although it’ll mean more to you if you read through the Facebook group posts first!

I used Red Heart super saver to make this cowl as not many UK yarns will pool – the sequence of colour change in the yarns has to be just right and even some Red Heart will not pool. Fortunately the Autumn shade above pools relatively easily. I bought a few different balls of this type of yarn whilst I was about it as it took ages to find a supplier in UK!

Below is the start of another scarf using Red Heart Supersaver in Wildflower. I love this colourway – it’s very pretty! The only downside of Planned Pooling is you can’t really watch TV whilst doing it as it need concentration!! Hence it will take me a very long time to make another complete scarf and much as I’d like a blanket in it ….. not sure the old brain could sustain the focus!😀😀😀

Yarn in purple, yellow and green making an argyle patttern

The start of a new Planned Pooling project

So if you fancy a new project and you can already crochet quite well I’d recommend Planned Pooling – but a word of warning – once you start you just might not be able to stop! (And you might miss your favourite TV programme!) 😜

Crocheted a cowl in Red Heart ‘Autumn’ or ‘Fall’ as it’s called in USA!

New Year means tidy the craft room!

Posted on 19 January, 2017 by patchworkfairy

Well it’s New Year and that means it’s time to tidy the craft room! I can no longer make anything in there as there is no room! I can’t post a picture because it’s too awful for public viewing! I may, once it has been restored to normality, post some before and after pics!

But for now, here here is a brief roundup of some of my recents makes and adventures!

This ribbon was on my presents from my son – far too good to throw out!

This crochet flag was finally finished!

My crochet flag of Guyana for the Sixty Million Trebles Project

This was a post Christmas walk!

View over the boating lake at West Kirby

This is my latest stash increase as I am addicted to crochet planned pooling!

My new red heart yarn for planned pooling

This was a refreshing walk in the North Wales wind!

Twilight on Llandudno Pier

And finally, it’s back to Patchwork class and a new project!

My latest fabric selection for a new patchwork wall hanging!

Well that’s all for now! I’ll be back with some updates on the planned pooling projects once my craft room is tidy! 😏

Winter 2016 ATC Swap

Posted on 31 December, 2016 by patchworkfairy

A few weeks’ ago I was very excited to get the chance to take part in the http://Www.veryberryhandmade.co.uk ATC swap entitled Winter Sparkle! I’ve done a few of these now and it’s always great fun preparing my own handmade card for my partner then waiting for one to drop through the letterbox for me! This is the one I made for my partner The tree is made from heated and fused Angelica fibres and the little presents at the bottom are scraps of liberty fabric from my stash.

Handmade card with green fabric Christmas tree

Sparkly tree with liberty wrapped presents

I posted my card out at the beginning of December as per the rules of the swap but didn’t receive anything back over the next couple of weeks.

On Christmas Eve morning I was having a much needed cup of tea before the family get together when the postie brought this! Ooh the excitement!!

Christmas Eve post delivery

Inside was a beautifully wrapped package made so I had to remove the fastening round the two buttons to open it. This forced delay in seeing my card just added to my anticipation and I was filled with excited glee as I slowly unwound the twine.

Beautifully wrapped!

And inside? A pretty, ethereal winter scene which really did Sparkle!

My ATC

See the sparkly bits!

See the sparkly trees?

The delicate stitching

I really love this card. You don’t know who is sending you one until it arrives as it’s not a straight swap. My card was from Larissa at Stitching Notes, I have thanked her for it and it has added to my seasonal decorations at home! It came a long way overseas but receiving it on the last postal delivery before the Christmas break was almost as magical as the card!

If you fancy taking part in an ATC swap you can find details by checking the VeryberryHandmade blog by another Ali, Ali Burdon. She arranges 3 or 4 swaps each year. You have to be quick to sign up though as the participants have to be limited to a reasonable number Ali can cope with when working it all out!

Maybe you’ll be my next swap partner? 😀

Handmade Fairy Dress

Posted on 25 December, 2016 by patchworkfairy

Been making lots of gifts over the last few weeks which is always fun but requires long no-crafting periods in between to let my hands recover! My favourite make was a fairy dress for my granddaughter. I found a pattern from DaisyChainGirl for the crochet bodice and the skirt part although with the skirt you don’t really need a pattern and can add material in whatever way you want! I used a double strand fold over not a knot.

I chose red and green for a Christmas theme!

Finished fairy dress

Charlotte amongst the Christmas morning mayhem!

I’m planning to make some more in different colours for each season!

Merry Christmas!

Autumn Hygge!

Posted on 17 October, 2016 by patchworkfairy

Did I mention I love Autumn?! 😊 I think I might have done! I’ve also been inspired by the Danish concept of ‘Hygge’ recently, reading about it, talking about it and making things to increase the hygge in my surroundings!

My current favourite book!

If you haven’t heard of this yet you soon will as it seems to be a popular theme this season. The word Hygge is pronounced ‘hoo-guh’ not ‘hig’ and there is no direct translation in English. Best we have is to say it is used to express feelings of cosines, comfort and warmth, safety…. the very kind of feeling you might have say, if you had returned from an early evening crisp autumnal walk in the country, made yourself a hot drink of steaming tea, coffee or hot chocolate and then curled up in a comfy cushioned seat reading your favourite book with candles gently illuminating the twilight! It would be even better if you had your tea in a teapot with a fairy house cosy………. Sounds lovely doesn’t it?

Tea for two?

Your walk could also be more hyyglig if perhaps you had warm socks in boots, a woolly hat or earband and some wrist warmers to keep out the chill, keep you snug in the cool air!

Mohair fingerless gloves!

If you want full gloves these fill the gap round your wrist in your sleeve nicely!

Autumnal coloured crochet ear warmer band

If a woolly hat makes you too hot this ear warmer band is perfect – can be used as a cowl too.

So whilst I’ve been immersed in woolly, yarny creativity these last few weeks I was very pleased to hear from Ginny of Ginxcraft http://ginxcraft.blogspot.co.uk that I had won a knitted butterfly in her giveaway! It looks lovely with my own crochet creatures and latest fairy teapot cosy! 😀 Thank you Ginny!

Ginny’s butterfly with my crochet creatures!

So what would your perfect Hygge moment be?

Love Autumn!

Posted on 14 September, 2016 by patchworkfairy

I love Autumn!

Although summer is good in lots of ways it doesn’t have a starting ‘feel’ like spring and autumn do! There is something about how the air smells in September which transports me back to ‘new term’, ‘new pencils’ type feelings of anticipation and excitement.

I do enjoy being able to shower without shivering in summer and getting dressed quickly because I don’t need layers but I adore wearing my boots, woolly hats and scarves and fingerless mittens again!

We’ve had an unexpected pleasure in our garden this Autumn too – lots of blackberries which are soooo good with meringues and clotted cream 😋

Handful of blackberries!

Another autumnal pleasure is the crunchy red brown leaves which start to cluster on the pavements or whizz round in the air on windy days! I used some decorative ones as a setting for my new fabric gift tags!

Heart shaped fabric gift tag!

Gift tag with embroidery

These hessian and linen gift tags make pretty keepsakes for the receiver of the present! They will be for sale in my Folksy shop shortly! See sidebar for shop link

Funnily enough the weather has changed this week and it’s now sunny and warm outside – not at all autumnal – might just go and take in a few rays and embrace the end of summer (again).

Back Home from Holiday!

Posted on 7 August, 2016 by patchworkfairy

Back home from holiday!

Boo 🙁

My new camping blanket made from fabric called “Windy Days” came in handy and was appropriately titled!

new camping blanket

windy days are good for surfing!

gransdon catching a wave

not so good for watching so thank goodness for the beach tent – cosy behind the gauze flap!

Inside the beach tent – Cosy!

we are a messy group of 16 covering 3 generations on the beach and there’s always something to look for, someone to chase after, or someone taking their sunhat off (again) !

Messy beach day!

It was a lovely week though tiring. At the end of the day it was nice to have my sweet little caravan to come home to for a cuppa!

inside of small caravan showing red seats

newly covered seats and cushions!

bench seats

I enjoy making things for my caravan and the awning, especially when I use things from my stash. However, I’m off to the Festival of Quilts next week so I might just acquire a teensy-weensy bit more fabric ….. 🙂 …….. It’s good to be back home from holiday!

Grandaughter’s First Birthday!

Posted on 25 July, 2016 by patchworkfairy

I’ve been busy lately preparing for my grandaughter’s first birthday party!

First there was the cake! I so enjoyed making this!

Pink and green and purple birthday cake in shape if a fairy castle

Charlotte’s Fairy House Cake

the two tiers were homemade – Chocolate Fudge Cake with chocolate buttercream and Madeira cake with Rose buttercream! To cover the cake I used ready made roll out icing and decorated with sweets, sugar paste hearts, flowers and edible glitter. It tasted gorgeous although it was very rich and sweet so a small slice was an excellent sufficiency!

Charlotte shared the party with my daughter’s friend’s 4 year old and the theme was Super Heroes. The older children were dressed in capes etc so I made Charlotte a Fairy Costume with Super Baby on the back!

Baby girl's fairy dress in pink, blue and lemon lace.

Charlotte’s fairy dress WiP!

the dress in progress and the dress in use!

One year old in fairy costume with Super Baby on the back

Charlotte the Super Baby!

I was exhausted at the end of the week and then there was the actual party with a giant bouncy slide for adults and children! It was difficult, but I managed to have a couple of slides – fab! Mainly though I left it to the younger people!

Me and my grandson!

So when I look back at these photos I will remember we did have some summer this year after all!

Crocheted Fairy Tea Cosy!

Posted on 19 June, 2016 by patchworkfairy

I finally finished it! My first crocheted fairy tea cosy!

Crochet Tea Cosy in teal snd purple and pink in the shape of a Fairy House with flowers and Leaves sewn on.

My first one!

It’s taken quite a while as I had to adapt the pattern for my Tea Pot and crocheting all the adornments and sewing them on took longer than crocheting the base cover! I’m keeping this as an ornament for me and going to start some more smaller ones as presents for … you know…(whispers quietly) Christmas!!

The pattern for this was originally found here but fortunately now part of it has been translated and stored in the files of one of my Facebook crochet groups. The other way I managed was by opening up the Russian web page in google chrome as it automatically asks you if you would like the page translating. It’s not perfect but it is a good help if you are an experienced crocheter

I’m still making my Sophie too!

Crocheting in the garden!

and working on a fairy dress for my Grandaughter’s first birthday – it’s not sewn up yet as I need to have a fitting session – not easy with a wriggly nearly-one-year-old!

Charlotte’s fairy dress WiP!

So once the dress is finished just the cake to design! Think it might just be a fairy house! Pictures will follow after the party in 2 weeks!

Linking up with Handmade Monday at Lucy Blossom Crafts

Linen and Liberty Love!

Posted on 12 June, 2016 by patchworkfairy

It’s no secret I love linen and Liberty so what better combination for a quick make the morning we were going on holiday! I’m one of those people who needs water wherever I go – even in the UK – so I can’t imagine being without it abroad in hot weather 😓😓

Well it’s easy to take a water bottle with you but not so easy to carry it when you’re sight seeing with a small lightweight handbag. I knew we were going away months in advance but somehow I left it till the day we were travelling to the airport hotel to start creating a bottle carrier! Nothing like time running out to get the creative mind in gear pretty quick.

So here it is – and it worked very well. The ribbon came wrapped round the linen fat quarter bundle and made a comfy and quick carrying strap for over one shoulder. It’s so light I didn’t even notice it was there most of the time

Bottle carrier for my purple Chilli Bottle!

The trim is a couple of Liberty scraps machine appliquéd on!

Linen Water Carrier

On holiday I had bottled water bought locally but I’ve since I’ve come home I’ve bought a handbag size Chilli Water Bottle. This lightweight bottle is like a thermos flask inside and keeps your water as cold as when it was put in there, for many hours. It’s a brilliant little bottle and saves money as I now buy large bottles of water and keep them in the ‘fridge for decanting into my Chilli Bottle. If your tap water is pleasant to drink it would be even cheaper to fill up!

So that’s it – I’m easily pleased!