Thursday, July 26, 2012

Learning to Crochet !!! A Jack & 2 Bruce's . . .

A wet afternoon Hello to you all friends,

Sorry I have been absent from my blog of late.

On Monday of last week my dear friend Shirley came for the day with the plan to teach me to crochet ! ! !   Shirley has the patience of a saint & is one of those people who,  no matter what they turn their hand to, does it sooo beautifully.   I - on the other hand - am a slow & hopeless learner & bumble my way through things mostly getting by on "a wing & a prayer."  Pretty much all of what I know in the handcraft field has been self-taught by me making loads of mistakes & learning from them.  (actually this could be said for all of my life lessons in fact) ! !
Shirley was such a kind & patient teacher but when her husband collected her at the end of the day I told him she will need either a packet of panadol or a strong drink ! ! !  :-) 
We did dissolve into laughter a few times - I couldn't even get the hang of the chain stitch in the first row. 
    Finally - at the end of the day - this is my attempt - it is going to be a jar cover (I can hear you lot roaring with laughter you know ! ! ! )


The next day I went into town & bought myself a thicker skein of wool as I kept splitting the yarn with my crochet hook   - " that's the secret"  I thought  -  I'll get thicker yarn & then it will grow real quick    -    this is my attempt since . . .  


Growing isnt it ????!!!  If you get out your magnifying glasses ! ! !
 So that was my crocheting attempt - however - I am determined to not let it beat me & to keep trying to master it.  So  -  when you have all picked yourselves up off the floor laughing  -  watch this space ! ! !  :-)

I took a few things into the Hospice Shop last week & of course I had to come home with some other things - Someone in the house commented "wasnt it possible to actually leave things there without coming home with more things ...???!!! " (Hello??)
this sweet little dish was the princely sum of $1.00
I just LOVED this dainty little jug

Remember last post where I showed you the pics of me cutting out the very fluffy bear fur ???
Me kneeling on the floor covered in bear fur . . .

And remember back in March when I wrote the post about Phoebe & Midge (the 2 bears I had to make for an order) ???
Well the daughter of the lady that ordered Phoebe & Midge came to see me to ask me to make up some kitset bears she had bought long ago & never got round to completing. 
 Same scenario - I open my mouth to explain that sorry, I am rather too busy with other sewing - the lady leaves with the bear kitsets still here . . .   (* * * yes, yes I know) ! ? !
I wanted to get on to them as they had been sitting in my sewing room for a month or two. 
The kitsets were all D'Lyell Bear designs from their Bearzerk Range  - the 1st one was Jack - a jointed bear with little magnets stitched into his paws & just above his eyeline so that he could put his paws together or play peekaboo & cover his eyes
Please God let me have a nose embroidered on me
That feels better . . .(the glass eyes look a bit startled in this pic)
No - dont look at me,  I'm shy

 The 2nd two kitsets were for Bookend Bears - these took me a bit of figuring out but were really quite neat when they came together -
Well a face would be nice if you dont mind
Ouch - please be a bit careful


 Whoops - got that last photo in the wrong order sorry folks - not sure what I did there ! ! !  :-)  -  or how to reverse it ! !
 They are filled with lots of plastic pellets which weight them & make them hold the books up . . . 
the two Bruce"s complete at last . .  .  THANK GOODNESS !!

I dont really think my photography does them justice - they are really gorgeous & heavy & floppy & have big fat pellet filled tummies - one would make a great doorstop if you enlarged the pattern a bit more.


In between the showers this past week I managed to get outside & get some pruning done - I see the hyacinth bulbs Mum gave me are peeking through on my mossy old scales out on the deck . . . 
 They smell sooo lovely too.  Such an old-fashioned smell.

I filled my old (falling-to-bits) wheelbarrow with some of the gourds I had dried for a splash of colour up on the deck area . . . 


Mostly though I have been inside keeping the fire going. . .


Sitting on the couch working on a new boy golly - a pattern I havent done for quite awhile -  (named Bernie) 

 The doll that sits beside me is called Lizzie & her and I have quite a few conversations & put the world right while I am stitching away . . . 
  

My Mum is coming to stay next week & I am looking forward to that - its been awhile since Mum came up - we like to craft together & I am hoping to get some doiley dollies completed while she is here. 
Say Hello to all the nice folks out there Lizzie

I hope you all have a great week ahead dear friends, thanks for stopping by & also for all your comments which I read & treasure each & every one.
Cheerio for now, love & hugs,
Julie X x x 
 


8 comments:

  1. O how I laugh with you and think of my first knit project. I was supposed to just knit a dishcloth and came back to class with a collar! LOL
    Oh I should have framed that first piece to remember what determination does for you.
    Don't give up, you will get it and love it once you do.
    Okay now for those bears...ARE YOU KIDDING ME! How do you do that. Amazing!!! Girl, if you can make those you can crochet, lol
    You make me want winter more than ever when seeing your gourds and a fire burning...sigh :)
    Amy

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    1. Hello Amy - thanks so much - yes I knew you would Laugh - your crocheting is Amazing ! ! I will persevere though :-) Thanks for the kind comments about the bears - at least you cant drop stitches making them ! !
      Wont be too long now & you will be into autumn (fall) - hang in there. X x

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  2. Hi Julie, I'm still giggling at the "antics" involved with starting to crochet. It was funny.Thank you for such a lovely day and for my delectable lunch.Hugs and kisses, Shirley. p.s. I have made a jar cover and embellished it with little flowers and leaves.The jar looks much nicer and I have put the crochet hooks in.

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    1. Hi Shirley - thank YOU so much for teaching me - I am still struggling along. We did have a fun day though. Cant wait to see your crochet hook jar - bet its to die for ! ! X x

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  3. Love your work Julie. The hyacinth bulbs and gourds make a spectacular show. Enjoy the special time with your Mum. The conversations you have with Lizzie - I can just imagine........ : )
    Sandy

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    1. Hi Sandy - thanks for your comment - guess you are up to it in baby calves by now??!! Yes Lizzie & I sure do have some great conversations together :-) take care, X x

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  4. Hello Julie..looks like you're doing just fine to me. It's just practicing & practicing until you get the hang of crochet, then you never really forget it AND it is not nearly as heart breaking to undo (should you ever need to) as knitting. If you're splitting your wool you're probably just trying too hard because it's a technique that you've not used before. With all your other marvelous crafting you'll get the hang of it for sure & love it I hope! I prefer smaller projects these days as they give a quicker reward & are more likely to be completed. I keep thinking I'd love to make a blanket but I might have to take it in to elder care with me if I start something that big so I'll stick to little for now. Hope you have a lovely week with your mum..yay she'll be able to sniff the hyacinths too. By the way..what a delightful cushion with the heart on it. Look forward to seeing doily dollies : 0 Much love Catherine x0x0

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  5. Hi Julie,I'm Julie too! I just found you through An angel in the garden blog. I love Your cottage,its so sweet! Keep going with the crochet your doing so well,Youll be making blankets before you know it :)) I learned from youtube videos and really love it!Love the bears youve made I've a big soft spot for bears as you can see over at mine ;)
    Hope to pop by again soon,take care,love juliexo

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