Precious mother and daughter moment!

Having spent very many hours in the past few months tutoring my eldest in the accomplishments required for the eleven plus exams in Buckinghamshire; I wanted to record a few precious mements with my youngest who- although I did recently make her a cardigan just like mine and just how she requested it- was feeling a bit left out....

So here we are in matching cardigans( ???!!! no comment)

enjoying the autumnal garden delights.

And anyone who thought I had only made the one and Arianna was wearing mine: can eat their proverbial hat!

To her credit Annie has put up with months of- ''go away for now please, we're very busy'' and ;'' can you be quiet please exams in progress'' and ''go play somewhere else for a bit, please we have to do this NOW!''

As for me I will now finally concentrate on finishing the City and Guilds Diploma work and crochet a lot more to my hearts content for at least a year....when it will all start again but for Annie this time and we'll be starting much earlier!!!

To start with only 2 months to the deadline was exceedingly stressful and NOT to be recommended.

UK Coral reef at Alexandra Palace

What a glorious sight to see the UK hyperbolic crochet reef on display at the Knitting and Stitching show on Sunday!
I did submite a few humble pieces and of the 4 that I remember I managed to spot 3! See if you can do the same?!!!

My pieces are displayed in my garden a few pictures below: there's a tall green/yellow thing, a furry anemone, an orange/terracotta wavy/curly long coral and a white/blue/yellow round coral crocheted from strips of plastic bag.

For anyone interested: there is a page on facebook devoted to this with many more pictures and information: so please do go and have a look.

Maybe you'll be inspired to contribute a piece too: I believe it IS still ''growing''!!!

Leave me a message if you need any help/advice on the ''how'' and ''what with'' on the crochet side or see the facebook page or the INSTITUTE FOR FIGURING website( USA based) for explanations on the ''hyperbolic'' element.


Let's ALL work together to raise awareness and save the reefs of the world!

Happy hyperbolic hooking!!!!

My version of the Copenhagen Jacket

Samples made in the long panel pattern from the free pattern on the naturally caron.com website.

Pattern name is: Copenhagen Jacket.

Also featured on Ravelry, a lady in NY, USA has made it in a bright red and it looked fantastic so I've been obsessing about making one to wear at work...

I have sampled 100 % baby llama and a cotton/wool mix both aran weights but the former was too soft hairy and''buttery'' in feel and the latter was too ''crisp''.

Now sampling both aran and dk wools as I fear the aran with crocheted cables AND a shawl collar will add too much bulk to my short and ''stout'' frame not to mention the added inches my bustline definately does NOT need.....

I'll be making scarves and hats in the baby llama though: it's a ''to die for'' SOFTNESS!!!!( from Mirasol )

The grey is cahmerino aran by Debbie Bliss, 5mm hook, the deep red a pure wool aran, the pink is a trial piece in dinamo pre wool dk- I WILL NOT be making it in pink, if I choose this it'll be in a grey or turquoise, royal blue or red....

And the blue is a very soft merino wool dk from James Brett and a 4,5mm hook.

Samples for gauge testing made as above:TO BE CONTINUED......

Child's version of Cinnabar by Doris Chan

Just finished it today : it took only 1.5 weeks when crocheting in the evenings and on car journeys ...
My 8 year old requested a cardigan just like mine and I thought: I wonder if I can adapt the pattern to fit her?
She's only 8 but she's a kind of a ''chubby'' one with 83 cm chest/tum but with a short body and short arms: it's needed only 380 g of Marble Chunky.( i.e. 2 balls so it's a lovely soft and warm jumper for only £7.80!- that's the accountant coming out- oops)

Amendments made:

I started with 25 FSC ( foundation sc : a stitch explained in the back of the book with excellent diagrams) and when it came to the neck extension I added only 3 FSC instead of the 6 each side for adults.
I created the armholes after 10 rows of the yoke and then just added only 3 FSC into the underarms, but worked a shell in the middle stitch and skipped only 1 stitch either side so that the pattern continued nicely.

The body length was my daughter's choice : I wanted it quite a bit shorter but she told me what she wanted so I ran with it: the length is 31 rows from centre back neck but I think 25 would have been sufficient.
The sleeves I made to fir her arms: 48 cm from neck to wrist before adding the border.

The finished back length is 57cm and the sleeves 53cm INCLUDING the borders.
The sleeves got a 2 row dc( USA SC) border finished with 1 row crabstitch, the body has 6 rows of dc with the buttonholes worked into the right front band( only ) into the 3rd row of dc.
Again finished at end with 1 row crabstitch.( usa : reverse sc).

Arianna chose 5 deep pink buttons and chose where she wanted the top button to sit.

Photographs are to follow shortly.
I'm very relieved to report the verdict is in and:


SHE LOVES IT!!!!!

Ps the W.I.P. photo is of the yoke showing the 4 stitch markers at the corners and after the neck extensions have been added- this can be seen at the edges of the opening.

PATTERN: CINNABAR from the book: EVERYDAY CROCHET by Doris Chan.

YARN: james c brett MARBLE CHUNKY in the reds colourway.

HOOK: 6mm for body/sleeves, 5mm for borders.

NB ALL the pictures are clickable- for stitch detail.

VARIATION:

I was sorely tempted - but didn't dare to*- to vary this one just after the yoke by adding a few increases- - 2 on each front and 3 on the back- to make this flare out a bit as is the fashion at the moment- it could be more tunic - like and really cute on a small girl.

Maybe even increase- as above- at row 11 and the again at row 14 and 17?

On a slim child or in a finer yarn this could be very nice!

*=I didn't dare as A is very particular and she had ''ordered'' me to make it the same as mine....

except for the links which she wanted as buttons instead of course!