Time for Tricot (Going Potty)

When I need calming, I reach for crochet. It truly is a sanity saver.

Today I'm working on some tricot. You might know it as Tunisian crochet but Australians have been calling it tricot for decades so that's what I call it. It feels very much like a knitting process as I work it so, to my mind, 'tricot' describes the craft very well - knitting with a hook!

This is an example of honeycomb stitch. It's easy to reproduce.*

A Few Roos Loose in the Top Paddock

G'day! G'day!
Come and play!  

Joey is waving and wanting to play.

Bouncing Back to Blogland (Update)

Introducing
a new friend!

Well! Here I am, quarantining myself at home–what better opportunity to get back to blogging. As services shut down, appointments cancel, and the clamour of outside demands subsides, the slower pace is welcome.

My goal is to use this time to catch up on a lot of things, especially crochet and blogging, and I would love to have you along if you will join me.   

The Weekend Project That Took A Whole Week

 This is the story of a very quick and easy project which could have been quicker without my tinkering!

Scrappy Lucky Dog

Crocheted puppy plays with scraps of yarn.

Moving house?
Cleaning out?
Going overseas?

Got a stash to sort?

Here's a cute stashbuster!

Festive Shamrocks to the Rescue

"We've been invited to an Irish-themed birthday party
and have nothing to wear!"

"Wear something green."

"I don't have anything green in my wardrobe."

"Okay. Maybe I have something green in the yarn stash ..."

Call for South Australian Poppies

Back in 2016, I shared with you the Brighton Jetty Anzac Display made of knitted and crocheted poppies.  If you are in South Australia and would like to contribute, here is your chance …

Simple Stashbusters

This project is simpler than it looks.

Sometimes life becomes complicated–too many demands, activities, people, places, things, expenses, deadlines and other pressures!

This is when the fancy, challenging, thought-intensive crochet needs to be set aside in favour of easy, meditative projects.

"Simplify" is the operative word and that extends to my crochet environs as well–I am in danger of acquiring a condition called 'SABLE': Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. *

Lost and Found

My how time flies!   

We have been living in 2018 for more than three weeks and it has taken me this long 

to get here to wish you a 

H A P P Y   N E W   Y E A R   ! 

Ear, Ear!

Ears!

Nine pairs of teddy bear ears.

The Teddy Blanket has ears!

The Inevitable Time to Unwind

Moda Vera Marvel
8 ply acrylic (DK)
Colour: 1041 Lemon Sorbet

I've been meaning to tell you this for a while …

Health and household issues have held me back but I'm now here to tell you that … well … the inevitable happened.

I've found myself unwinding the lemon yellow tricot sampler introduced in "A Touch of Tricot" (13 February 2017) because I ran out of white yarn for the baby blanket!

Stashbusting to a Deadline

You think you have all the time in the world …

the baby's due date is months away …

and then Expectant-Mum's-Best-Friend casually mentions that the pregnancy is already 37 weeks along …

37 weeks already !

(sound of shocked crochet hook crashing to the floor)

That's not much time at all until baby is due to arrive and I haven't even started on that blanket I plan to make for him!

Simple Crocheted Finger Puppets & Lupey Long-distance Gifts

Once upon a time, there were two little children, a girl and a boy. The girl was 2 years of age and her brother was almost 6 months old.

These darling children are very much loved by a large family with lots and lots of cousins–an ample supply of playmates.

The children have regular contact with most of their cousins but there are some that live more than 1000 kilometres away! (That's me and my family.)




Christmas and birthdays present a challenge when choosing 'long-distance' gifts. I'm here to share my pattern for crocheted finger puppets and to explain how they were the perfect choice for two young children and their cousins at Christmas (2016).

Ravellenic Games Review 2016

The Ravelry Mascot, Bob, appears on the
commemorative pin.

My Ravellenic Games souvenir pin finally arrived in the post today! It was lovingly designed by Guin
(otherwise known as Octagonfudge on Ravelry) of
Perpetual Flights Studio.

Have you heard of the Ravellenic Games?  If not, you might like to find out more from one of my earlier posts (14 July 2016) which has links and an explanation of what you need to know.

While the Ravellenic Games were on, it was pretty busy but great fun.  I made faster crochet progress in two weeks than I have in two months!  Now that the rush of the Ravellenic Games is over, there is time to review and share the projects!

Crochet to Extend Life

Crochet is not only a fun creative activity, but also a practical skill that can save you money.

If you are interested in recycling and re-using, making do and mending, to both save money and care for the environment, you will be pleased to discover that crochet can add years of extra usefulness to household items.

AKA Amigurumi Apparel: Superhero Cape

Kwokkie Doll
wearing her cape.

"Is it a bird?"

"Is it a plane?"

It's …

… Super-Kwokkie!

  

A quick post about the superhero cape worn by 

Kwokkie Doll on Harmony Day this year.

AKA Amigurumi Apparel: Harmony Day

Kwokkie Doll is ready
for Harmony Day

It's "Harmony Day" and Kwokkie Doll is ready to participate!

Handy Shower Gel Hanger: New Pattern!

Shower Gel Hanger
+
60 ml bottle
=
fun gift
 

Hooray! My first shower gel hanger has been revised. I sat myself down with the graph paper and properly worked out a neat join for chain mesh in the round.  The much-improved pattern (and chart) is now here for you to use!

AKA Amigurumi Apparel: Bondi Bikini

Kwokkie Doll
is ready for a swim.


 

Summertime in South Australia!

Our temperatures have been soaring in the high 30s (°C). That's in the 90s (°F) and above for my non-metric friends.

One of my favourite ways to cool off is to go down to
the beach at the end of the day once the sun is low and
not so sizzling.

Of course, Kwokkie Doll is all prepared.
After last month's report, she swapped her red sundress for her "Bondi Bikini"!

Shower Gel Hanger

In my flurry of Christmas gift making, I decided that the shower gel container needed a holder or caddy of some sort to make it easy to reach while in the shower or bath.