New pattern - will need a stitch guide

I am finally getting round to putting together the pattern for my kindle cover ..

I have used some "aran" style crochet to make this. When I started to crochet I never knew that you could do this sort of thing with  hook - I thought aran was the preserve of knitters.

For my cover I use  a sort of roaming cable, that drifts back and to across the front ....

And a sort of vines & berries pattern on the back

I've started writing out the pattern, but without photographs of what I mean by a "front post double crochet worked in front of the previously  missed stitch" its going to be almost unintelligible !

I think that this is providing me with the perfect opportunity to create a proper stitch guide that I can add to all my patterns & also include here.

Hopefully next update will be to say the pattern is finished & I have a full (or at least the start of) my stitch guide.

iPad cover #2

Quite a while ago I created an iPad cover for myself I blogged about it here.  Ever since I made this one I have been planning to make some more.

I couldn't make more of the same without risking the wrath of Apple so I needed to come up with another design.  I decided that I would like to create my next cover in an envelope design.

When I decided to teach myself Tunisian crochet the opportunity presented itself to give it a go.

If you've never encountered Tunisian crochet before its done using a long crochet hook which resembles a knitting needle with a hook on the end.

The fabric is worked in two distinct rows, one where you pick up all the stitches onto the hook and the return where you work the stitches off the hook.

There are various Tunisian crochet stitches, for this project I used the simplest one.  I think it creates a great looking fabric - completely unlike standard crochet.



I created this cover using Patons Smoothie yarn - not the easiest to work with because it tends to split, but I got there in the end.  I used the shade "Linen" for the body and "Lilac Mix" for the flap. 


I finished the cover off using a blue and white shell button.



Although the yarn was difficult to work and was probably an unwise choice for my first attempt at Tunisian crochet it is very soft to the touch and a wonderful sheen.  I think that it worked out quite nicely in the end.

So many things on the go

I am in one of my flitting between projects stages right now, I currently have 5 projects started and none of them finished.

I am still working on the shawl for my mother-in-law, but its proving to be quite a task.  I just can't get into it, I keep being distracted by other things, the thing is ... it would be lovely if I just could get up the enthusiasm to finish it.

In the meantime I have started another shawl, for myself this time

And before I've finished this I started making myself a pair of gloves

Which I am making with some lovely multi-coloured Noro yarn

Having made one glove I then started a new Kindle cover, which I am crocheting in Tunisian crochet.  My first attempt at Tunisian crochet was an iPad cover I made somewhere in the middle of starting all of these projects (I've not got round to taking photos of it yet).

Oh..... and I also have a belt just started in Tunisian crochet too ....

I think I need to get some focus !!!!

Kindle Cover

I got a kindle for Christmas and I decided to put my skills to good use and create a cover for it.  It gave me a great excuse to try out some cable stitches I've been wanting to crochet.

I created it using Anchor Style Creativa100% cotton yarn, its DK weight.  This yarn comes in wonderfully vibrant colours, I've done the front side in bright red and the back in lime green.

For the front I worked drunken cables, they wander back and forward across the work.

And for the back I worked some linked bobbles.



The back needed to be worked a little longer so that it creates a flap to cover the top of my kindle, it also has a couple of little button holes worked near the top edge.

I very rarely block my work, but as you can see from the pictures above I needed to this time.  The drunken cables tends to pull the sides in and out along with the wondering of the cables.

I blocked them by soaking in cold water for around 20 minutes, then rolling them in a towel to remove excess water.  Then I pin them out to the shape and size I wanted and leave them to dry naturally and completely.

In my case because these are relatively small pieces of work I pinned them out on my ironing board.

Once they were completely dry I backed them with felt.  I sew them using a bobbin thread that matches the yarn colour and a sewing thread that matches the felt.



I also sew around the button holes and cut through the felt. 



The last things to do is sew the front and back together





...... and add the buttons.  I added a couple of little flower buttons with crystal centers just for a little glam.



Now my kindle has a cosy new home.

Crochet iPad cover

My lovely DH bought me an iPad for my birthday & I finally took delivery of it last Thursday - I don't care what anyone says its a great little gadget.  We have barely put it down since I got it.

Rather than get one of those dull, shop bought, commercial, everyone has one, covers I thought I'd just make my own :)  What's the point of being able to make things if I don't make myself something now and again?

Being every so slightly ironic I decided to go retro on the colours and use brown and yellow.  The front is a yellow apple on a brown background and the back is reversed.  I made up the pattern to create the apple image, so its not quite 100% but I guess its close enough.

Its closed over with a little tab and button.  The cover is made with 100% cotton DK yarn, so its not scratchy and its pretty thick without being bulky.



This particular one is to keep my personal iPad cozy & protected.  I plan to come up with other designs to make some more.