I've moved home......

over to tumblr.

I may well be back!!

It's been too long!

Life has somewhat got in the way of crochet goals, blogging, photography and general online activities - other than Twitter of course!!

Easter egg covers were completed and distributed to happy little boys and girls!









A friend's little boy who is mario mad had some mushrooms to go with all of his plush mario toys:







I've had a birthday - no photo from that!! And I don't feel it's too early to claim I have survived two weeks at home with the short people! In which time we have played with friends, the taller one learnt to fly birds of prey, we've been to local woods and streams to see what we could find, saw hammer head sharks at the sea life centre, trashed the house (!) and generally enjoyed each others company!









The garden is coming on, seeds a planted, wildlife pond installed and cold frame made!

Will post about a few more things tonight! In the mean time hello, happy Easter and fir all the parents out there - hope you've survived the Easter holidays!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

It's been an age!!

Well there have been some good days recently but sadly a lot of dark bleak days… but let's not dwell on those!!

Spring is officially here now and that marks my 6mth love affair with our garden. As I was sitting in the hospital waiting room I started to note down plants to go around our wildlife pond and get the veggie planting schedule up to date.


I put the youngest to work outside:


Whilst the eldest shouted instructions from the bathroom window. Ahhhh the bathroom, the one room in this house that was plastered, painted, new hardwood window frame in and painted etc. That was until the shower leaked all down into my freshly plastered kitchen. Floors had to come up which meant new floors which because of their colour meant different coloured walls! So frustrating to be repainting and redoing a room, the only finished room in this building site!! Will post a picture of the floor tomorrow - it's runner Lego squares!!

As for crocheting… I couldn't find a baby hat pattern that I liked so I made one up only to discover I've no idea how big babies heads are!!



Right now I've become a chicken creame egg crochet machine! I need 10 for Easter so I'm a little production line!!

Planting fruit trees and bushes tomorrow along with making more chickens!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Crochet goals

I love twitter and there is a wonderful crafting community on there. I was in awe of the way the community rallied round when paperchase refused to do anything when notified that one of their designs, which they had bought for a measly £350, had in fact been directly traced from an independent artist called hidden eloise. Within hours of the story breaking it was being retweeted none stop.

So rather than following celebs, shops and friends on there I've started following a lot of the crafting community, one such crocheter - the queen of crochet no less - has started setting daily crochet goals.

When I start my blog I had recently had a breakdown, whilst I am functioning day to day now I'm still not recovered. Some days it all still feels so black I cannot bring myself to move. Setting a crochet goal has been magnificant for me. Even if it has been only the odd row or two.

It started with my cup warmer - well hiddious mug cover.

And now, inspired by the wonderful work at attic24 I'm jar covering!

When life hands you lemons....

Or in this case vulgar mugs, crochet!!

Problem with this mug isn't that it's vile, it's that is holds a perfect 1.5 cups of tea an is nice to drink out of!! Someone bought it for my husband, obviously someone who doesn't know him very well and I just can't bring myself to throw it out. I've seen mug warmers about and decided I didn't need a patter, it looked pretty easy and … it has been!!









Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New home card

Not terribly like it's iPhone doodle but still, have so many ideas at the moment trying to get in the habit of paper *think* make as I do tend to go steaming in!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Ideas for a new home card..

A little something like this?




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Welcome Baby Isla

One of our friends recently gave birth to a lovely little 6lber called Isla, she has been inundated with toys, clothes and other lovely things for her and so I decided to have a go at making something for her. Inspired by the wonderful bunting over at Attic24 I decided to have a go at knocking up my own pattern.
It went quite well, took me a while to get the shape of triangle that I was after but once I'd sorted that I knocked them out quite quickly.

I decided on a flower to cover the doubled up chain which creates a hook for the bunting to be hung off.












I've never blocked anything before so it was a new experience to hold a steaming iron over my beloved creation! I'd spent days, tears and cramp making this, I was a little sceptical to say the least!! But finally it's done - wrapped up and I'm quite pleased with it.

Going for broke I also decided to make a little card for her. I had the idea of a cloth nappy so I crocheted a triangle and folded it up, the way I did oh so many times with my boys only it was too bulky and it didn't work so I ended up creating a custom nappy to fold.










It worked quite well in the end.... I think.

Happy Birthday Mini(est) Jess!!

Happy 4th Birthday tomorrow little man!

I'm no cake maker so not only is it subsiding, but it's got gaps, finger marks and some burnt bits!!

Finally got to play with my camera!!

So this has nothing to do with crafting but I took my camera out to play yesterday to celebrate Chinese New Year. We had a lovely day, not as cold as last year (but I still wore my mittens!!) and I took a few photos. The rest can be seen on my Flickr page!

Finally finished my mittens

Prompted by memories of last years Chinese New Year celebrations and my frost bitten fingers I decided to quickly finish off my mittens.

Worked out alright, considering it was my first attempt at attaching two pieces of crochet together.





Am a little nervous about tomorrow. My camera has been in for repair for nearly 2 months. 2 months with nothing but my iPhone camera for company! I love my camera. I've missed my camera and I simply cannot wait to get my hands on it however when I picked it up from the repair shop it felt a really alien object to be holding. What was once such a natural extension now feels really weird. Fingers crossed.......

Off to knock together two red envelopes for the boys for tomorrow!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy Valentines Day!!

I spend so much time making stuff for other people but not myself or Mr. Jess! So I've spent half an hour tonight making this for him. The pattern came from here.

Inspiration!

I'm loving this bracelet

I gave my Nan's old box of buttons to a 'friend' as I was working, doing a degree and being mum and didn't have time. Now with two in school and no degree or work I'm missing them.

See I knew my hoarding everything was good, but no... I listened to everyone tell me to give stuff away and declutter! Well never again tee hee hee!!



I'd also like to make myself one of these and should really make my husband one of these!!

I love neighbours!!

Shameful as it is I adore watching neighbours! Whilst watching this afternoon I made this for a little girl in my son's class whose birthday it is today.






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Pair of mittens for the boy child!

I made a pair of fingerless gloves for my friend's little girl who was 3 on Friday.

My shortest had to keep trying them on for me to check the size, he thought they were wonderful and didn't want to take them off so I assured him (in that half hearted dismissive way you do) that I'd make him some.

Well having the memory of a elephant he reminded me yesterday that I'd promised to make him a pair of mittens - but he didn't want broken ones (i.e. he didn't like the fingerless version!) so off I took him to my local wool shop and he picked the biggest ball of wool he could! Sadly the shop assistant told him that there was more than enough wool for a hat and a scarf too!!

As soon as we got home he wanted me to start so....

Here's the pattern that I cobbled together, it's my first go at making up a pattern so I'm chuffed it worked out OK:


Rnd 1 - Chain 20, sl st into the first chain to make a ring.

If making for a larger child / adult increase the number of chains.

Rnd 2 - Chain 3, dc in each ch, sl st into the 3rd chain at the start of the rnd
Rnd 3 - 7 Chain 3, dc in each stitch, sl st into 3rd chain at the start of the rnd

If hands a longer / larger extend by increasing the number of rounds here before moving onto rnd 8.

Rnd 8 is the round where the thumb hole will be made. I kept checking that this would fit my little one.
Rnd 8 - Chain 3, dc in each stitch until the last 8. Miss 7 dc's out and dc into the 8th stitch (this is the thumb hole) and sl st into the 3rd chain at the start of the round.
Rnd 9 is working up to the top of the finger part of the mittens.
Rnd 9 - 10 - chain 3, dc in each stitch, sl st into 3rd chain at the start of the rnd.

If little hands are longer then continue a few extra rounds.

Rnd 11 - chain 2, hdc 1, hdc 2 together, hdc 1, hdc 2 together etc. until the end of the round and sl st into the 2nd chain at the start of the round.

If making larger ones you may want to put a basic round of hdc's in here.

Rnd 12 - chain 2, hdc 1, hdc 2 together, hdc 1, hdc 2 together etc until the end of the round and sl st into the 2nd chain at the start of the round.

If making larger ones you may want to put a basic round of hdc's in here.

Rnd 13 - chain 2, hdc 2 together until end and then sl st into the 2nd chain at the start of the round.
Cut thread and pull through.

Now working on the thumb area, join thread:

Rnd 14 - chain 2, hdc in each stitch and sl st into the 2nd chain at the start of the round.
Rnd 15 - chain 2, hdc 1, hdc 2 together, hdc 1, hdc 2 together until end of round, sl st into the 2nd chain at the start of the round.
Rnd 16 - chain 2, hdc 2 together until end of round, sl st into the 2nd chain at the start of the round.
Rnd 17 - chain 2, hdc 2 toghether until end of round, sl s ino the 2nd chain at the start of the round.
Cut thread and pull through.

Work in all the loose threads and repeat for the 2nd mitten. Optionally you can make the thumb hole at the start of round 8 so that the seam of sl st's into the chain are on the palm of each mitten.

The fingerless gloves are up to and including round 9, and on the thumb just a round of hdc's, no decreasing.

These are a little smaller as the short person in question has lovely little tiny hands.

Found a lovely children's scarf

in H&M!! Haven't got anymore little girls to make for at the moment I don't think but will store it in the ideas bank for a later date!!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Feeling a bit sorry for myself...

So have started to make myself a little something to cheer me up!!





They'll be mittens before the night is out!!

Not quite sure if they'll be little button over tops or whether to keep going as I am until I've finished. Either way come Monday in the playground I'll be all warm and snuggly!!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Birthday party stress at neurotic towers....

I've had a serious chest infection now for nearly 2 weeks. I'm exhausted and wish we didn't have 50 kids for the boys birthday on Saturday.

Today I have had 1 asthma attack, averted 1 dinosaur cake disaster, baked 2 dinosaur cakes, 50 chocolate muffins and either baked or in the process of being baked, 1 carrot cake for the grown ups, 1 banana cheese cake and several cups of tea!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Finally......

the first Yoda is finished!!

I say the first because there has been a steady stream of people, including a few kids (!!) ask for one!!

Was quite easy once I perfected the magic ring. Pattern was bought off Etsy here and wool was baby yarn from my local wool shop.

Tomorrow is the monthly crafty beer in Birmingham, I'm quite looking forward to it although a little scared as I'm doing a tutorial on how to make a crochet heart to stick on a card for Valentines! Quite nervous as I'm not the world's best teacher however I shall post it on here afterwards.

Wish me luck.........

When 200 years you reach....

Look this good you will not!!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

And so to bed....

sweet yoda goes!





Have decided that I'm going to add to our Christmas decorations by making the cast of star wars with Christmas hats!!!

Sleep tight oh wise one!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Been a little busy...

Being poorly and fighting the school for them to meet our son's needs.
But I've been busying remaking his scarf. I got the tension all wrong on the first one. Too tight on the first row then getting looser and looser. But we're all happy and it's nearly finished!!
I've had enough of doing rows and rows of colours so I've moved onto yoda!!
That might be it off me for a week as the boys have a birthday party and I've gotta do all the cooking and baking. Am cacking myself!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Inspired the hell out of.....

By this!!




Next project me thinks!!

Off to buy all the wool here:




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Bertie's scarf

Feels like narnia here. The snow is drip drip dripping away and the temperature has risen to a massive -1!! Everyone back at school and settling back into term time life. It's my eldest son's birthday and he asked for a scarf before Christmas. I have finally gotten round to starting it. It's really hard to do random width stripes as they need to look like no effort has gone in to choosing what widththey all are!! Should he finished by tomorrow!





Off to sort the birthday invites out to be handed to the kids in the playground tomorrow!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The new cake!!

Made a banana cheese cake from the humming bird cake book. Have no idea what it tasted like as I hate bananas!!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Cake was well recieved only......

The birthday girl is allergic to nuts, something I did indeed know but hadforgotten when I added the 500gms of walnuts!!

Arse!!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Adults birthday cake!

It's a friend's birthday get together tonight so decided to make her a cake rather than buy her some *tat* from our local high street!

Thought she would rather not have candles or her age etc. so made her a carrot cake with little carrots for the top!

Will post a picture when it's done.

Bit of a productive couple of days. I've also started my son's scarf, the wool for which he chose just before Christmas. He should be very happy! I've also got to try and make a dinosaur cake and a road map cake!

First go at card making!

I've never really been into the idea of making cards, sticky little stickers onto a card!

But it was my friend's little girls birthday, I couldn't find a nice card and I'd made her some little hair clips (basic crochet flowers) so I thought I'd go the whole hog. It didn't work in the 2 ply, so I had to use some 4ply but it was in yoda green! So I added a little ribbon for good measure.

Not sure what I think but........

Snow Snow Snow!!

It's been a little chaotic here at Neurotic Towers! Teacher training on Monday so I spent the day baking with the boys.

These are our cheese and bacon muffins! Were scrummy, especially warm.

Tuesday was thankfully back to school, everybody especially me, was really looking forward to the return only for the school to shut 2 hours into the day thanks to the snow! The boys were pleased to be home in the warm and were happy to watch movies, drink hot chocolate and let me make this! I saw this because I'm not happy with how it turned out so I'm changing the pattern slightly for the next one - using a smaller hook for starters as these are very holey and were big enough to fit my hand in!!

It's my friend's little one's birthday on Friday, we don't tend to do gifts but I've made these - they're to go on hair clips. Took me a couple of hours to make three of them - discarded the first one! I see a theme for little girls birthdays LOL!! Pattern is from this wonderful blog but I used a 2.7mm hook.



And my final project - to be started when I get the appropriate wool is for my husband's oldest friend. I am a MASSIVE star wars fan (only the originals though!) and find the idea of these wonderful. Bought the pattern from Etsy.




And finally some snow pictures!!