Will I have a scarf for Christmas?

The scarf is moving on quite well.  I am getting to the end of my first ball of yarn so hopefully I will be able to see if the 4 I have purchased will do the job.

I want the scarf to be reasonably long, maybe between 4 & 5'  I guess I'll just keep going until I've used up my yarn :)

I haven't decided what to do with the ends yet.  I'm not sure if I should just leave them plain, add a crochet edging or maybe some tassels ....  decisions decisions

Crochet Cable Scarf

I think the scarf fairy has been into our house, somehow I seem to have lost most of my scarfs ... on the positive side its an excuse for me to crochet myself one.

I saw this Patons Shadow Tweed yarn and decided that it was just the thing to make my scarf with.  Its a chunky Content: 56% wool, 50% acrylic, 4% viscose yarn. 

I always like things in odd numbers so I wanted 3 cables across the scarf.  I started out with 32 stitches using 6mm hook and front post raised stitches (much like the picture above) either side of the cables.

This was making quite a stiff scarf and I wasn't so keen on the look as it progressed.

So I started again, now I am working over 28 stitches using an 8mm hook.  I am making a front post stitch at each edge with 3 cables across and 3 single crochet between each.  The 8mm hook is making the scarf much softer and the reduction in FP stiches has simplified the design.

Work continues ....

Iridescent Irish Rose Brooch

I had some DMC iridescent light effects thread and I thought that it would make a really pretty brooch.

Walnut Baby

The thread is pretty difficult to work with as it tends to split into the individual threads, it means that quite frequently I had to go back and rework stitches when the thread split and the work got "loopy".

The thread itself is quite tough, so its hard on your hands to work it.  I had to bandage my fingers to complete this one!

The central bobble is made with DMC metalic thread.

Newborn Baby booties

I have just put one of my patterns up onto Ravelry, its a free download of a newborn baby booties pattern.

Its also available through my website Walnut Baby in the downloads section.

Being for a newborn they are really quick to make up,  there is no stitching required - the joy of crochet in the round :)

Bullion stitch earrings

Walnut Baby

I wanted to challenge myself to create something with bullion stitch (also known as roll stitch).  The stitch itself is quite difficult to do, it involves wrapping the yarn around the hook a number of times (in this instance 15 times) and pulling through all of the stitches in one go to create a tube.

Each stitch can take several attempts as the hook is prone to sticking part way through.  The best way I have found to complete the stitch is to pinch the roll of stitches to keep them tight to the top edge of the hook, turn the hook to face downwards and pull through.

The centre of the earrings is made with a series of little picot stitches making a nice "fluffy" center.

Irish Crochet flowers

After my lack of success with the little floweret I thought I'd give some other irish crochet flowers a try.  I'm never one to give up.

I created five different flowers ranging in size and complexity.

Walnut Baby

I am most pleased with the central flower although they all turned out quite well.  Again getting the depth of padding cord right seems to be critical.  When using coloured threads this can be more of a challenge, with white thread it is readily available in multiple thicknesses, however trying to match coloured threads is practically impossible.  In the case above, and indeed with all my coloured pieces, I have to create the padding cord by using multiple strands of the working thread.

When working with the multiple strands it gets quite fiddly and you have to be even more careful of the padding cord bunching up and creating lumps in your work.