Crochet

Sorry folks, I have been a little tardy with the blog this week, mainly because I have been busy, but also because I did not have a great deal of interest to write about. My life has been fairly mundane.

Just to update from the 'Rabbits'. The duvet cover and pillowcase have been finished and returned to its owner. It was very tedious but by making sure I sewed a certain number every day I got it done in time. I could not believe I could be so disciplined!!

The 50+ Adventure Club had a good Barn Dance last Saturday and I was up dancing nearly every one, though most of the time I was a 'man'. We usually have a shortage of men on these occasions so being quite tall I usually get that job. ;It can be very confusing though as we don't always know who we are supposed to be dancing with when you get a lot of the ladies dancing as men, but it all adds to the general confusion!!


Friday morning was Crochet Group at Poppy Patch, now under new management as Carole and Lesley retired at the end of December. The new ladies were very welcoming.  The Lovely J was back from her Christmas holiday in South Africa so there was a lot of chatting, but also a lot of learning.

I have finished my stripy blanket using the pattern here using the pack of wool here but still have to crotchet the final edging. I have found that some of the stitches, mainly the Catherine Wheel, have pulled the sides in and I wasn't sure how to 'block' such a large piece of work, but Jo suggested laying it on a double bed, pinning the edges and then spraying lightly with water and leave to dry. It appears to have worked and I shall start doing the edges tonight. I tend to crotchet whilst the TV is on.
 

Part of crochet blanket

Whilst the blanket was drying, I started on a new piece of crochet that is to be a duffel bag when finished. What is most interesting about this is the wool that I am using as it is rug wool. Jo and a friend went to Yarndale and came back with 250g cones of rug yarn that were made into 50g balls. The advantage of this wool is that it doesn't have any give and therefore keeps it shape and is hard wearing.

Duffel bag base

 More pictures to follow on the duffel bag as it progresses.

What will this be?

I also started another item but had to borrow a 6.5mm crochet hook as I didn't have one, so this is as much as I got done whilst at group. My local shop didn't have a metal 6.5mm hook and I have had to order online. Apparently they don't make that size in the normal metal cheap hooks that I use, so something more expensive has been purchased. How ridiculous is that!! This piece of crochet uses three strands of rug yarn.

Second part of the blog - I have just returned from having a 50+ Adventure Club taster session of Tae Kwando at the Cargin Moss Academy.  What fun it was as we learnt some basic defensive positions should we be attacked and then on came the boxing gloves and we had to hit a pad as hard as we could. The slightly more difficult part was trying to hit it with the feet; OK out to the front but not easy when going out to the side. Still very useful so watch out if you try to attack me!!! I know the moves and I will use them - so be warned.