gingerandgeorge

Work in Progress

Just me and the hook, learning to ripple. 

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Palette Pingpong (No.25)

The image I picked for this week's Palette Pingpong features a subject close to my yarn-loving heart. 

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It will also have to act as a stand-in image for my brag-of-the-day, which is this: last week, I finished my first ever crocheted hat. I can now add 'doing round stuff' to my list of crocheting skills, along with another new stitch (half double crochet). Sadly, 'taking pictures of the stuff I've crocheted' is still proving a struggle, but you'll have to take my word for the fact it looked pretty good. Not professional or anything, but you could at least tell it was a hat. And the lucky (ahem) recipient of said head-cosy also liked it, which was very much the point. 

So, being all inspired-like by the crochet, it seemed the perfect subject for a Pingpong challenge. The hooking (and photo) are via Wink Designs - a truly beautiful Flickr stream - and to find out what they've inspired Gabrielle to create, you can visit her post over at the green gal. 

Same time next week?

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I've been making . . . (Part Three)

Unless you’re reading this south of the equator, I’m guessing cosy scarves probably aren’t at the top of your wardrobe agenda just now. And while I fully respect your slightly sweaty feelings, I’m pressing ahead with some scarf-based showing off all the same.

Remember how over-excited (read: obsessed) I got when I learned to crochet last year? Well, say hello to my first finished project.

 Made from granny squares in shades of green, grey and off-white, this was my Grandma’s Christmas present. OK, I didn’t finish it until the end of January, but if we work on the mathematical principal that hours spent + effort x learning a brand new skill = love, then it was hopefully worth the wait.

I stitched the squares together very simply, and even learned a super-simple edging stitch to finish it off neatly.

At around the same time, I fell in love with a very different crocheted scarf I spotted on Flickr. A little bit of research found me the pattern (it’s called Queen Anne’s Lace) and, buoyed by my growing granny-square confidence, I gave it a shot. I honestly didn’t think for one minute I’d be able to make it work, not least because I’d never followed a written pattern before. Somehow, though, it came together and ended up being even more satisfying than the granny squares.

 There’s something very pleasing about seeing a whole scarf grow from your hook, as opposed to a little stack of squares, especially when it’s a scarf made from soft and oh-so pretty silver-grey bamboo yarn.

The second scarf, in all its silvery softness, was also packaged up and sent to someone special, but – come the first sign of an autumn nip in the air – I’m pretty sure something similar will be working its way from the yarn basket to the wardrobe, by way of my own chilly neck.

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