Halloween Trick or Treat Blog Hop 2021

Welcome to the Trick or Treat Blog Hop, hosted by Jo over at http://serendipitousstitching.blogspot.com

Collect the letters as you hop around and unscramble the mystery phrase! Here's my letter - E. 

It's our first Halloween in our new house this weekend, so I look forward to seeing whether we get many little visitors craving treats tonight! 

Here's my spooky contribution for this year, I stitched it in my procrastination phase during the Baby Sampler project, so you may accidentally have caught glimpses on the 'washing line of smalls' display in the past few months.

I feel almost guilty not having dashed it together last minute in my usual fashion!!

Now, head along to the next stop on the way http://www.marysthread.com/ to continue your hop!!

Happy Hopping, friends. 

A Diamond all for Me

This one is all for me. I have yet to source the frame for it but I look forward to seeing this one on the wall.

I don't think diamond painting is a craft that photograhs well, the sparkling sheen makes a grubby appearance on camera. 

Small onions - BFF SAL 5

I was super tired this week, having left my reading glasses at home and struggling on without them at the office all day.  

So a reduced amount of stitching, with increased time for nattering, as my old house has gone back on the market so much nosiness ensued.  Suffice to say I am not jealous and very glad to be where we are now.

The onion is beginning to take shape, represented for now by the top blob!   Don't worry the fabric is just folded at the top, I have plenty of space for the star too! 

Check out my BFF's update on http://apatchworkofcrafts.blogspot.com as she has a different approach to me. 

A new obsession - not just for Granny

OK, I'll admit it... I'm 'hooked' on crochet at the moment!!

First came the sunflower... 

And then the pompom stitch one... Which is my favourite so far! 

A bit of traditional granny square... 

A wobbly pompom variation 

And a couple of pinwheel style blocks.

I'm now obsessed and on the hunt for new and interesting variations on the granny square on YouTube.  I do like a demonstration video. 

The intention is eventually to join the blocks into a sampler blanket for my cradt room. 

Not bad for a craft that I left behind in the past as I couldn't get the hang of it!!

(I've also completed 2 matching hats and fingerless gloves to go with the poncho, but I needed a break from the bright blue for a while) 

BFF SAL 5 - The Big Blob

Started to add the tent at the top of the work this week.  That lack of backstitch has the unfortunate result of adding further to the blobbiness of the piece!  I look forward to adding some more definition soon.

It's been an OK stitch so far but I don't think either of us are feeling a lot of love for it.  Maybe that will come with finish/fully finished states? 

We did have fun with the conversation this week, lots of our childhood TV game shows and quizzes!

Check out my BFF's update on http://apatchworkofcrafts.blogspot.com

A personal First

For the first time ever in my life I have created a wearable 'thing' with crochet.

It's a hat to match the poncho, as I have lots of wool left over. 

As it was an experiment with stitches and hook size, it is a little fuller at the crown than initially planned.  No matter, it means I can wear it as a beret

Or as a beanie 

I quite prefer it as a beret myself.

I've very much enjoyed making it.  It's also given me the confidence that I might manage to make a few more bits using crochet. 

Once again I will give credit to the Internet for the tutorials.  This one gave me the rough idea about how to make the increases, and I adapted as I went along for my thicker yarn. 

There's a lot to be said for watching random strangers doing something over and over... You can't always ask friends or relatives to 'rewind and show me again' 20 times over.   And seeing things in action usually makes more sense for me than static photos. 

Gifted Gorgeousness link up October

It's the 15th again, already!!!

You can find the rules and the main link up post over on http://serendipitousstitching.blogspot.com, hosted by Jo.

This month's been a quiet one for gifts, but these cover charts haven't had a post of their own yet, even though you're likely to have seen them on the 'washing line of smalls' display before.

All 3 were from the World of Cross Stitching magazine on a single freebie.  I loved the whole set, there was also an ice cream but it was a different size, for me, didn't fit with the set.  The designer is Durene Jones, who you've seen a few times on both my page and ny BFF's. 

I also have a diamond painting Christmas gift finished, but I am not allowing a full share of that until after it's been framed and gifted. 

Hopefully there might be a more organised month ahead, when I can figure out what gifty Gorgeousness I can actually share!! 

BFF SAL 5 - Going Psycho?

The continuing journey of the Blob.

Feels very much as if I (and the shepherd who is the only solid piece) are being subjected to a Rorschach Test

And what does it say about my psyche that I am making blobs out of figures??

I've been working up the left path, and there's a little bit of 'toffee cow' there too.  But I'm blowed if I can see anything but a shepherd so far!!   Even tempted to start backstitch early just for some definition!!

Check out my BFF's update on http://apatchworkofcrafts.blogspot.com when she's posted too. 

A new technique and a second attempt.

This weekend I was mooching about on YouTube, as you do sometimes.  I like to watch the odd craft video when I'm lacking the energy to do my own crafts.

I came across this tutorial for a 

10 stitch blanket

Well the idea of very short rows appeals to me, and I have lots of leftovers from various chunky wool projects.

It's not the prettiest thing, but here's the beginning of my 10 stitch blanket.  Essentially it works by working mitred corners to turn your work.  There are a few different ways to achieve this, but this tutorial gave me the method I've been using.  A smaller needle size would work to tighten up the mitres, but I don't mind how they look, for a first attempt. 

I somehow feel like stitching the seams would be tidier than the pick up and knit given in the tutorial.  But maybe my confidence will grow as I go through the process. 

The YouTube channel also has crochet videos.  So I am giving that a go too, as I have not had much success with it in the past.  

But sometimes I have returned to old crafts and enjoyed the experience, so I thought I would try again. 

This is just a little sample piece where I've been experimenting with different combinations of stitches.   I think it is one that may take some time to build confidence in my ability to count!! 

I'd ideally like to gain just enough ability to be able to make a blanket, or a hat or scarf, things without much shaping required. 

My first attempts at a granny square/rectangle did not even get beyond the first row as it somehow twisted around and was very confusing!! 

I think I need to try that with a thicker yarn for my first time. 

BFF SAL 5 - getting Blobby

Whilst my BFF's update here shows how much the figures are beginning to look like the picture, mine appears to be working the other way round!

Finishing off St Joseph and half a donkey gives me the impression of a large blob above the shepherd!

I suspect that my BFF is well ahead of me on this one!!

I've been exceedingly tired this week, so I think my stitching was slower than normal.

Still, progress is progress! 

A Knitty finish

The TPOD is finally finished!!

(The Poncho Of Doom) 

The 'individual' cable pattern is handily hidden to the back. 

It's been a very busy weekend, so for me knitting is something I can fit in the teeny slices of free time between other commitments.   So it grew more quickly than I expected!! 

I love the colours of this wool, I think the poncho pattern would show better on a plain background, but I think it will be a comfy cosy accessory for the start of winter, where you're not quite ready for the winter coat yet.

I have wool left over, so maybe a hat or gloves to match might be the next knit?