Verb: pootle
poo-t(u)l To move in a leisurely unhurried way,
with no real purpose


Monday 30 June 2014

Home and away ..

Its been a very normal kind of Sunday to end this week with
nothing of any great importance taking place ...
  a sunny dog walk in the fields,
discovering a little patch of my favourite flowers buried in the
overgrown hedgerows,


which now shine out happily from my kitchen table,


a little bit of ironing this afternoon,
followed by a bit of washing and tidying and generally getting sorted
for the week ahead.
Having taken this last week off work for a short break away
 they were all good tasks for getting my head back into work mode.
We didn't go far, just to Dorset in our caravan for a few days.

It was lovely.
The sun shone,

  
we went to the beach,

 
 
 I sat, 

 
he fished,

 

and a hot dog enjoyed special iced doggy treats.
There was time for a bit of caravan love,

a bit of lazing about in the sun,


afternoon snoozes
and lots and lots of lovely crochet time.
Nothing complicated, simple calming rows of double crochets
to make Immi's blanket grow.
We were only away for two nights and three days but it was just what the doctor ordered.

When we got home a lovely parcel of the squidgy variety was waiting for me ...
... time to start a little something that has been on my 'to do' list for a while,
two Little Woollie cushion covers for the seats in my outdoor shady crochet corner.

The pattern was featured in Simply Crochet magazine, Issue 18, a couple of months ago and once
 I'd seen it it was only a matter of time before they had to be made.


The wool that I have used is Sublime Egyptian Cotton, and it is working up beautifully. 
It is a gorgeously soft yarn that almost seems to have a bit of a sheen to it ,
and best of all it was hugely reduced at Deramores.
I have made a blanket similar to this pattern before and I remember then that it 
was such fun to do because it's so addictive.
 As each row is a different stitch you keep thinking I'll just try the next row to see 
what it looks like and before you know it it's finished !



 The cushion cover seemed to take no time at all 
and I am so pleased with how it's turned out.



 I'm just working on the back at the moment which I decided to do as one 
plain colour as I had some Stylecraft DK in a neutral shade that needed finishing off.
 
 So far I have worked two back sections that will slightly overlap to make
 an envelope style cover.
The next step is to add a burgundy edging to match the front and then I think
 I shall be pretty much be there.
Exciting stuff huh ?
Obviously more pictures will be taken and this little story will be continued .....

Have a great week everyone.

Tuesday 24 June 2014

One year ...

And so ... here we are, one year on, and hand on heart ,
on my First Bloggy Birthday I can honestly say....


... I absolutely do !

I have loved everything about my first year of blogging, from sitting at the kitchen
 table setting up the first blog template, to writing each and every one of my 100 posts
over the year,
  ( I know, how cool is that, such a neat and tidy number ! )
 to making so many brilliant bloggy friends.
Who knew there was such an amazing group of like minded people out there ?
Who knew that there was so much inspiration to be taken from so many other
crochet addicts and knitaholics ?
Well, if I didn't before I most certainly do now !
 And do you know one of the things I love the most ?
That instead of just mooching along from one day to the next I have discovered
that my blogging has made me look at things through fresh eyes,
and instead of waiting for things to just happen I have found myself actively
looking for those little moments of happiness.


As this bookmark so beautifully puts it ... 
when we look back these little things will actually have been the big things.

We only get one go at this life, its not a rehearsal,
its not a practice - this is it and whilst we all have those hum drum kind of
days where things drive us mad and maybe don't go quite as we would like
them to, on the reverse of that are all the good times, the little things,
the happy everyday pleasures that should never be taken for granted.
I truly feel that this little bloggy space of mine is exactly that ...
a stop and sit down moment to dwell on all those little happys.


Another thing that I have so enjoyed throughout this first year is receiving all of your lovely,
lovely comments at the end of my posts .
I have had so many encouraging messages from so many different people
and each message, more often than not, has led me to discover more and more
 wonderful blogs to follow, with projects to be shared, stories to be told and a
multitude of beautiful photos to feast upon. 
a little thank you ❥❥ to all our followers for stopping by!  take time and enjoy!

  It was for all of these reasons that my Bloggy Birthday seemed the perfect time to
have a little Thank You Giveaway
 - and so without further ado lets do it !


As you can see this was all done properly with Minky being appointed as the
independent adjudicator.
74 little pieces of paper were carefully folded and put in the box,
with each number corresponding to the order that your comments were made in.
Ok, here we go.

Number 23 is ..... Heather at Pink Milk,
Hooray !
Heather, this little package of crochet goodies is heading your way.


 

And number 9 is Mitzi at Lazy days and Sundays and Willow Cottage -
Hooray !


Mitzi, you get the knitting parcel.


I hope you both really enjoy them.
Please send me a little email ( kateeastwood0@googlemail.com ) with your address and
 I'll get the parcels in the post to you as quickly as I can.


So, yes, all in all a brilliant year with lots of new things discovered and achieved.
Here's to another year full of lots more bloggy delights.
Look, I even have the cutest little Celebratory Cupcakes,

 complete with Washi tape bunting and sparkling sparklers !
Thank you Beth - one word - yum !
Can't even describe how scrummy the topping is ...
if you'd like to give it a try its all here on Beth's blog,

So, time to put the kettle on I think but before I go here's one last thing
 from me to all of you...

 Thank you for sharing my little virtual corner with me.
Have a great week everyone.


Sunday 15 June 2014

Blog Hop

 
For my post this week I am very happily joining in with a Blog Hop.
I have a lovely mental picture of lots of bloggers hopping about in cyber space from one blog to another ... and this gorgeous little frog is exactly what I'm thinking of !
 
( Picture from Pinterest )
 
I was invited to join in by Chrissie from Chrissie Crafts.
If you haven't already visited Chrissie you absolutely have to pop on over, Chrissie is
without a doubt a true crafter, working on lots of different things at any one time,
and always up for a new crafty challenge whenever one comes along. 
Her posts are always chirpy and happy, written with wit and humour and
 the comments she leaves on my blog always leave me giggling. 
 
 The idea of the Blog Hop is to invite us all to visit new blogs we may not have been to
 before and to share what we love about crafting/blogging with each other.
Having been nominated by Chrissie, who is a follower of my blog, at the end of
 my post I will nominate three bloggers that I follow to take part next week.  
 
 
 We each have four questions to answer that will hopefully help you to get to
know us a little better.
So, if you are sitting comfortably I shall begin...

1. What am I working on?
 
Ah, now there's a question !
Where do I begin  ?
 I am a true crochet addict in every sense and consequently always have several
 things on the go at any one time. However I know that I am not alone in this and
many of you are probably nodding along in agreement as you read this !
 
 So, project number 1 ....
I have been busy building another tower of squares
 


that have now been laid out and pinned together,
 

sewn together
 
 
and I am currently working on the border.
I think I may just add one more row of green bobbles
 to finish it off.
 
 
I have already made a couple of blankets similar to this one and I am
loving working with both crochet and knitting.
 
 
Its also been a good exercise in getting me to work with colours a bit more.
 
 
 
 
Project number 2 is a second Super Quick Chunky blanket.
 
 
 I finished one last week but need another one for another
Birthday coming up next weekend.
 
 
 
Number 3 WIP is Immi's Uni blanket that has been ongoing for a while now.
It's a really lovely blanket to pick up and put down as it doesn't need much concentration
to work on it and it is slowly but surely getting bigger.
As long as it is done by September when Immi is off and away all will be fine.
 
 
Its kind of become a bit of a tradition that each of my three girls have had a blanket to
 take with them when they have left home for the first time.
 
 
This is Megs one that I made when she moved out last Summer into her first house,
and this is Beth's Uni one, which was all about the pink !


 
Each blanket comes with a little Home from Home heart.
 
SAM_1185
 
 
 
I thought that was it but then I remembered I also have a shawl tucked away in the drawer.
This is definitely a project that needs quite a bit of concentration so I tend to do a bit
 and then put it away for a while.
 
 
Its so nearly finished though that I really should have one last go at it.
I have already made a grey one in the same pattern which I love lots.
 
 


And that's it I think ....
well for the time being anyway !

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
 
If I was asked to describe my style I would say that I like the things I make to be quite
 simple in pattern and colour. 
I have only really come to crochet fairly recently having only knitted up until that point,
 and having never been a great fan of traditional crochet I think my work has a
fairly contemporary twist to it.
 

I particularly love making blankets where the main body is worked as one
solid piece of fabric rather than lots of tiny squares.
There is something so calming about working steadily,
backwards and forwards, watching the blanket slowly grow.
 

Greys, taupes, and creams are definitely my go to colours,
but lately I am really working on pushing my colour boundaries a bit more.
 

I have really enjoyed working on these three blankets for our caravan. I love the colour
combinations of deep reds, muted greens and cream.
Crochet blankets
 
 
 
3. Why do I write/create what I do?
 
I think I have always been a creative person, from being quite arty at school,
to learning to knit as a teenager, to making quite a lot of my clothes when younger.
I have also always been a complete homebody and love nothing more than creating a cosy and comfortable environment for me and my family to live in - just pootling really !
My love of crochet works perfectly with this and I have had so much pleasure from
filling our home with things that I have made.
When I'm back from work crochet is my absolute number one choice for down time
 - it is, without a doubt, my therapy !
 

4. How does my writing/creating process work?
 
I think I can honestly say that there is no logical process to this at all
- I would love it if there was, but there isn't !
An idea pops in to my head of something to make or a new project to start and that's it ..
 the seed is sewn and more often than not I have to start it right there and then.
I love making things for our house, presents for family and friends and trying out ideas and patterns that I have picked up from all the lovely blogs out there.
I don't think I can say that I have ever reached a point of not knowing what to make next as
 I always have several ideas on the go at once.


 
For example I spent yesterday morning moving things around in the garden to make
a little shady place to sit in .



It took a couple of hours to get everything where it looked right and no sooner had
 I sat down to enjoy the first of many cups of tea in my new corner than I thought
 ... ooo wouldn't that cushion look lovely with a colourful Little Woolie style crochet cover !
And yes, you've guessed it, I have already decided upon the colours and if the wool
shop had been open today I would be there right now !
 
 
  And so, there you have it, that's me !
 
My only remaining task is to hand on the Blog Hop frog to
Jules @ Little Woollie, Sharon @ Perfect Days and Gillian @ Tales from a Happy House.
 
( Picture from Pinterest )

 
 
Jules at Little Woollie has the most unique style, her work is colourful, unusual and totally gorgeous in equal measures. I find her work so inspirational, and have already attempted my own version of her stripy multi stitch blanket, with cushion covers very soon to follow. I have yet to try the tapestry crochet method that she is SO good at, but its on my list !
 
Gillian at Tales from a Happy House has such lovely taste and the photo's of her house make you wish you could just pop in for a cup of tea. Gillian has a very good knowledge on all things photographic and her two recent tutorials on photo tips for bloggers have proved to be so useful.
 
I have only recently started following Sharon from Perfect Days both on her blog and her Facebook page, and have been particularly enjoying  her crochet updates on her Chocolate Sundae and Granny Stripe blankets. I also LOVE the way Sharon has organised all of her wool swatches - such a great idea.
 
I really hope you get a minute to call in and visit their gorgeous blogs
... you'll be glad you did !
 
 
And finally finally ....
if you haven't already entered don't forget to leave me a little comment as your entry
 to my Bloggy Birthday Giveaway.
Two winners will be picked out of a hat next week.
 
 
 
 
Don't be shy - I would love you to pop in and say hello.