Quick and Easy Xmas Garland

This easy project came to me today.  Contrasting textures make it a bit special and add a hint of handmade to the generic Xmas baubles.

What will you need:

2.5mm crochet hook
8 ply yarn any colour of choice
Store bought Xmas baubles of choice.  I used ones that are about 4cm in diameter. You could use any kind of course.

How:

Attach yarn to hook using a slip knot. Do 35 chain stitches with the yarn still attached to the hook put the hook through the hole of the top of the bauble. Do yarn over and bring the yarn back through to the front of the hole, yarn over through 2 threads on the hook to leave 1thread , this is a double crochet. 

So:

35 chain + double crochet to attach + 35 chain+ double crochet to attach + 35 and so on and so on. Do this until you are happy with the length. Once you are finished cut yarn and pull it through the stitch to create a knot.

A good YouTube video for the Chain stitch is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjoVWbYhWuc

Slip knot on hook

Hook through the hole

Double Crochet to attach

 Attached bauble

My new garland!

Xmas Decorations

I love Xmas! Look I know its only early November but things in the handmade world are already heating up for Xmas. And what comes first?.......the tree and decorating the house right?
Today I was feeling full of ideas for crocheted decorations that would fit with my up coming workshop and that might sell well in my Etsy online shop.

Arts and Crafts Afternoon

Thanks to my friend Fi I was able to direct the boys to some craft today. It doesn't happen near as much as I would like or should happen.
Fi had sent through cute robot pictures to complete, they were a hit. This progressed to water colour painting and the boys learning how to create colours using primary colours and also some scissor skill work.

Scrap Buster Bowl

I am a yarn hoarder I can not lie. And I am not alone, I just know it! Projects to help use those left over yarn balls from bygone projects tend to be very useful.
This project is all about colour, don't be afraid. Jump in feet first and combine those colours to your hearts content.
For my Scrap Buster Bowl I used 10ply yarn in lavender, purple and a vivid lime green.
The pattern I used is the crochet bowl pattern that I have previously blogged.
http://daisydaisy17.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/crochet-bowl.html

What you will need.....
3 x 10ply 40gram balls of cotton, wool or acrylic yarn in contrasting colours( the completed bowl weighs 100grams)

9mm crochet hook
The dimensions of the bowl should be 9" in diameter and 3" high

If you want your bowl to be bigger just add as many increasing rounds as you like, following the pattern of increases which is easy to work out.
I completed the bowl with a round of slip stitch to tidy up the top edge.
Weave in ends.

Spray with starch spray to make the bowl more sturdy.

My Favourite Crochet Baby Blanket Patterns

My love of all things crocheted is no secret. What I do really, really love are baby blankets. I have compiled my ultimate list of free patterns for crocheted baby blankets on Ravelry.

Enjoy!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/field-of-dreams-baby-blanket

 

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/summer-garden-granny-square

 

 

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/frankiedavis/bouncy-ball-baby-blanket-2

 

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/star-stitch-baby-blanket-2

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ocean-tranquility-afghan

 

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/granny-stripes-2

 

 

 

 

My Spring Bag

Its easy at times to forget to make lovely things for my own home and kids. I need a bag for everyday use so I thought I would get busy and hook one up.
The pattern I found is a free one and it is gorgeous. The yarn is just a cotton acrylic blend from Spotlight. I under estimated the number of balls I would need so there is still scope to add some colour to the top section.

Here is the link if you want to make one too

tutorial/http://elisabethandree.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/spring-bag-tutorial/

 

 

Peanut Butter Cookies

We made these little biscuits this afternoon. They were very easy and tasty.
The recipe is out of one of my favourite recipe books, The Australian Women's Weekly The Baking Collection

Peanut Butter Cookies

125g butter softened
1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups of plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Preheat oven to 180 deg cel.
Line oven trays with baking paper
Beat butter, peanut butter,  sugar and egg in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in sifted flour and soda
Roll tablespoons of mixture in to balls, place on tray 5cm apart and flatten with fork.
Bake for about 12 minutes.
Cool on tray

Free Earflap Beanie Pattern

 

 

My fellow Australian crocheters here is a pattern for you! It is using yarn found in your local Spotlight. 

EASY - American Crochet Terms

Size: Newborn – 3mths

Materials:

-  Patons Inca 50g x 1 ball (Colour pictured is Quicksilver)
- 5.5mm crochet hook
- stitch marker
- tapestry needle

Abbreviations

ch - chain
sc - single crochet
sl st - slip stitch
hdc - half double crochet 

Beanie

Chain 4, slip stitch into the first chain to form a ring.

Rnd 1 – ch 2, work 9 hdc into this ring. (Sl st into the 2^nd chain at end of each round) 10

Rnd 2 – ch 2, hdc in same spot, 2hdc in next stitches around. 20

Rnd 3 – ch 2, 2hdc in next stitch, (hdc in next stitch, 2hdc in next stitch) repeat () around. 30

Rnd 4 ch 2, hdc in next st, 2hdc in next stitch (hdc in next 2 stitches, 2hdc in next stitch) repeat () around. 40

Rnd 5 – ch 2, hdc in next 8 stitches, 2hdc in next stitch (hdc in next 9 stitches, 2 hdc in next stitch) repeat () around. 44

Rnd 6 to 9 -   ch 2, hdc in each stitch around.

Round 10 – Contrasting colour (White) ch 2, hdc in each stitch around.

Round 11 – Contrasting colour (Navy) ch 2, hdc in each stitch around.

Round 12 – Contrasting colour (White) ch 2, hdc in each stitch around

Round 13  - Attach original colour 2ch, hdc in each stitch around.

Fasten off and weave in all ends.

Earflaps

Fold hat in half with the ch 2 in centre of back of hat.

Count 6 stitches from the back seam to the left with the opening of the beanie facing up. Attach yarn at this point.

Row 1: 1 sc in each of the next 8 sts, ch 1, turn
Row 2: 1 sc in each stitch across, ch1, turn
Row 3: sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 4 sts, sc2tog, ch1 turn
Row 4: 1 sc in each st across, ch1, turn
Row 5: sc2tog, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
To finish keep this yarn attached and sc in each stitch of beanie and earflap. Sew in and trim ends of yarn.

Tassels

Cut 12 lengths of original colour to 90cm in length. Fold lengths in half and thread through the end point of the earflaps. Braid as desired, knot and trim ends.

 

Designed by Toni Huggins, Copyright 2014

Please feel free to sell or donate items created from this pattern. I do ask that you give credit to Daisy Daisy please.

 

Free Crochet Bowl Pattern

 

Here is my first pattern to feature on Ravelry.  I have been inspired by other designers who offer their patterns for free, so I thought I would do the same. This bowl has so many uses, its just begging for a twin bowl to feature with it.  I have had some fun with embroidering my own pattern on to my little creation.

Materials:
-size 4.5mm Crochet Hook
-Worsted Weight Yarn. I used Lily's Sugar n Cream in Ecru.
-tapestry needle

Abbreviations
Ch - Chain
dc  - double crochet
ss - slip stitch

Finished bowl measures approx. 15cm wide x 10cm high

The pattern will have you working in the round. UK crochet terms.

You can vary the size of this bowl by either adding or subtracting one or more of the increasing rounds.

Chain 4 join with a slip stitch (ss) into the 1^st chain made to form a ring. Tighten the first stitch by pulling the loose yarn end.

Round 1: Make 1 chain, then work 10 double crochet (dc) into the ring. Join with a slip stitch into the 1 chain at the beginning.

Round 2: Make 1 chain, then work 1 dc into the slip stitch. Continue the round with 2 dc into the top of each stitch of the previous round. Join with a slip stitch into the 1 chain.

Round 3: Make 1 chain, then work 1 dc into the same slip stitch. Continue the round with 1 dc into the next stitch and 2 dc into the next. Join with a slip stitch into the 1 chain.

Round 4: Make 1 chain, then work 1 dc into the same slip stitch. Continue the round with 1 dc into the next 2 stitches and 2 dc into the next. Join with a slip stitch into the 1 chain.

Round 5: Make 1 chain, then work 1 dc into the same slip stitch. Continue the round with 1 dc into the next 3 stitches and 2 dc into the next. Join with a slip stitch into the 1 chain.

Round 6: Make 1 chain, then work 1 sc into the same slip stitch. Continue the round with 1 dc into the next 4 stitches and 2 dc into the next. Join with a slip stitch into the 1 chain.

Round 7 - 13: Make 1 chain, then work 1 dc into the same slip stitch. Continue the round with 1 dc into each stitch. Join with a slip stitch into the 1 chain.

Weave in ends

Designed by Toni Huggins, Copyright 2014

Please feel free to sell or donate items created from this pattern. I do ask that you give credit to Daisy Daisy please.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Day At Home

Today I was on a mission to keep these little people busy and happy. I have been pretty slack with encouraging the boys to do craft and drawing. This has to change, especially if we expect them to be Prep ready for 2015.
I had a bit of fun setting up their playroom into little play areas for reading, puzzles and blocks. It was so nice to see them excited about their playroom!
Next I copied a few pages out of a Kindergarten workbook that I found at Aldi ( love that place). The activities were all prewriting exercises. Its hard to tell from day to day how much attention they will pay my little activities I set them to do. Today was a good day and I felt great they were actually doing the exercises

 

 

After lunch we did some craft. I have some great craft activity ideas from one of my previous Nurse Managers who kindly shared her folders of information with me.  I used the Fuzzy Glue Drawing idea today. A bit of yarn, glue and paper was all that was needed. To get the yarn ready you wind it around your fingers about 15 times and then cut through the end of the loops.  You can then snip the yarn into 2cm pieces. I found some vibrant colours that looked interesting together. We sat down and glued and patted yarn on to our paper, it was fun and colourful! We did some cutting with scissors and pasted some pretty paper on to our creations. This activity is especially good for little ones with Sensory Processing Dysfunction.  My two tend to be not to keen on sticky substances and the added yarn pushed them a little bit, which is what they need.

 

 

New Beginnings

Today was the last day that our boys would spend with their beloved Junior Kindy teacher. They had been in her class all year and the bond is strong. She is a gentle, kind and caring young teacher with a heart of gold.   Master B is very close to her and I am not sure if I should even try to explain that things are about to change in their lives. Its too confusing...so I am going to easier route for me and patching up the issues as we go along.
Today I had a moment of regret about changing to a Community Kindergarten from a place they are so happy to go to. Its possibly going to be hard for them to understand why things are so different. This change has also meant that I have had to leave my permanent position, I swing from being proud of this to having moments of....what....the...hell......have.....I.....done???
So here we are, Friday will be our last day, me at work in the city and my boys at Junior Kindy.