Amigurumi vs "mindless crochet"

Anyone who has had a little nosey on my blog will know how much I love amigurumi. Its quick, uses simple stitches and they're adorable.

Although I love it amigurumi can sometimes be quite stressful, because its not constantly the same pattern each row it requires a fair amount of attention. Sometimes after a long day at work I like to do what I call "mindless crochet", things like blankets and clothing.

This is not to say that this type of crochet doesn't require skill or concentration. I often find these projects more difficult, especially when it comes to putting them together. However they tend to have big chunks in the middle where the same pattern row is repeated over and over again. I think its quite therapeutic really.

Both these are actually for Baby Harvey, I make a lot more amigurumi than I do anything else. However I am looking forward to starting my first project using a pattern chart. One of Dave's colleagues wants a butterfly pillow, I'll keep you updated on my progress

Take Care xx

Work Crochet and Home Crochet

Despite the fact that most people would find my job undesirable, it does afford me the opportunity to get some crocheting done at work. I work in a call centre, and in between calls we don't have anything to do, and the devil makes work for idle hands!

I started crocheting when I had worked there for a few months, to begin with it drew a quite a few odd looks and people asking me what I was doing; now however no one bats an eyelid!

I always seem to have multiple projects on the go (as does every crafter), if I have something that is due for a deadline then I tend to ferry my project to and from work. However when no deadlines are looming I tend to pick a project and leave it in my locker at work. I choose things that require only 1 ball of yarn (or just one colour of yarn), this sometimes leads to me taking more clothing projects to work. As long as you keep track of how many rows you have done, it tends to be easier than amigurumi as the stitches are just repeated.

 My current work project is a little hooded jacket for my "nephew" Harvey, he's the new baby of one one my oldest friends. I cannot wait to go down and visit them.

I have the above book by Nicki Trench, and am making this lovely V-stitch jacket, I have decided however to make it in this colour; its called air force blue

Does anyone else have the luxury of crafting at work?

xx

It's only 11 weeks until Christmas!

I know that people will be sighing at this, which I understand. I am baffled by the fact that there are Christmas items available in shops when we've not even had Halloween yet.

However...

As I am sure every other crafty person knows, if you're going to craft for Christmas you need to get started early. Last year I wasn't organised enough and didn't get everything I wanted done. Determined not to repeat this I have already started on my list of things to make (I'm sure that more things will be added as time goes on)

I have the need to be overly organised when it comes to my crochet. Whenever I make something I right out the pattern in full so I can tick bits off as I go. I do this even if the pattern is in a crochet book or magazine.I feel that writing out the pattern helps me understand it (especially if its a new pattern). When I first started crocheting there were a few times where I jumped into a project without reading through the full instructions and then found myself completely befuddled halfway through.

So far on my list are:

•  3 large snowmen, these are from my own pattern and will be sent down to Dave's grandparents. He has 3 full sets of grandparents, and I have none so I have adopted them. These were on my list last year and I ran out of time.
• A penguin, again my own pattern, this one is being sold to a work colleague as a gift for her boyfriend's mum.
• A Christmas jumper for baby Harvey, as a special gift for his first Christmas.
• A Christmas tree, tree decoration that my mum has asked me for, she also has some snowflake decorations that I made for her using the crochet cotton and hook that my Yaya had been using when she passed away. The crochet hook is broken in half (I think) and held together with cotton but it means so much, I only use it to crochet sentimental things (like the snowflakes)
• Then if I still have time I'd like to make some decorations for our house,I might make some snowflakes or garlands to go on the walls, and maybe a reindeer for the tree.

I'm not sure why it's snowing in this photo, its something my phone did all by itself - its pretty cool!

All the photos on here are from Christmases past, and I can't wait to share photo's of this years gifts!

Has anyone else started on their lists yet?

Have a lovely day xx