Stripey Crochet Balls...

This is what I got up to during rainy mornings on our little holiday.

Just a little entry tonight, I am so sorry about the erratic blogging. Our Internet has been a bit tricksy but is hopefully on track again. Well, I am a bit tuckered out from lots of cooking... "What kind?" do I hear you ask... just cake and desserts... "What for" do I hear you whisper with antsy anticipation... just my Birthday tomorrow. Wahoo - A whole year has been spent waiting for this date and here it is, galloping toward me through the night to greet me in the morning with magic and crackle. I'll post again tomorrow with shining birthdayness. Happy mybirthdayeve to you all. xxooxxooxx

Holidays and Fabric.

A rainy morning in the camper van called for a bit of embroidery.

Proof that creativity boosts your serotonin (and makes you a little wacky).

Fabric buys from Spotlight.

Well, here we are back from holidays. Well rested, well fed and yet strangely, still wanting more. We somehow managed to hit the rainiest, coldest snap of the holidays but because we were in the camper van, we were as snug as sardines in a can. Plenty of mineral hot water pools as we were over Rotorua way and endless jokes between the boys about the sulphery smell. What more could a family need. In fact, I have to say it was the most wonderful holiday and the boys were great company and they slept well. We have had so many holidays turned grim from terrible nights without sleep so this was an amazing experience.

I quickly ducked into Spotlight and picked up a little bit of fabric. I can't even begin to tell you the fevered state of my brain when I saw the car fabric for $4(NZ) per metre. It is so hard to find boy patterns that are sweet rather than militia based. It took a while to find the cotton yarn but finally I discovered it hiding under a table with every ball on sale for between $2-$3. It felt like one of those gorging dreams.

Anyhoo, I had better go and tackle the huge mound of washing. Thank goodness we are having our first day of sunshine after three weeks of rain.

Crochet Ball Tutorial.

I am using the American crochet terms so when I talk about an sc , it is referring to an English dc.

Equipment - 3mm crochet hook, 8 ply or 4 ply yarn depending on desired size (you can use a 2.5mm crochet hook with the 4 ply yarn if you like but I find the 3mm hook is still fine).

ch = chain

slst = slip stitch

sc = single crochet

To begin, make 2 ch

Round 1: ch 2

Round 2: 6 sc in 1st chain, join with slst into first sc. (6)

Round 3: *2 sc in each sc. *Repeat until end. (12)

Round 4: *1 sc in the next sc then 2 sc in following sc. *Repeat until end. (18)

Round 5: *1 sc in following 2sc then 2 sc in next sc. *Repeat until end. (24)

Rounds 6 - 10: sc into each sc until 5 rounds have been completed.

Round 11: *sc into each of the next three sc then skip the fourth sc. *Repeat until end

Round 12: *sc into each of the next two sc then skip the third sc. *Repeat until end

Round 13: *sc into every second sc. *Repeat until end.

Round 14: Continue to follow the instructions from round thirteen until hole is almost closed. Bind off securely.

To make a bigger ball, in Round 6, instead of just doing an sc in every sc, sc into each of the following 3 sc then 2 sc into the fourth sc. This also means that in Round 11, you would *sc into each of the next four sc, then skip the fifths sc, repeating from * until the end of the round.

To make a flatter smartie like shape, follow the instructions for Round 6 and Round 7, beginning to decrease the pattern in Round 8.

I am so sorry it has taken so many days to post. I am not sure if the written tutorial is perfect yet as I didn't realise how much I rely on the look of the ball when deciding to decrease. I will keep playing with it though and will write up any changes along the way.

This has been a very quiet blogging week for me as I have been snared by a combination of school holidays and a temporary case of slow Internet connection. Actually, add to that a sudden onset of extreme tiredness and a need to sleep huge hours (not pregnant). Thank goodness everything has cleared up again, although the boysies are still on school holidays but that is a good thing. Today we are setting off for a little holiday in my parents-in-laws's camper van. We don't even know where we are going yet but we do have a list of things we would like to do... glow worm caves, hot mineral pools, hot water rivers, forests and crochet. Hang on, the last bit might just be me although I am sure that Archie will want me to include his knitting and I did buy two embroidery hoops so I will pack those for small boys in rainy weather.

I have also bought a couple of amazing new books so I will review them when I come back. Stay tuned and I will see you Monday next week. Have a good weekend - xxooxxooxx.

Crochet Balls.

I don't know if you have noticed any balls floating around the periphery of my photos, but if you have, then you may be sensing they are fast becoming my latest obsession. The moment the boysies are in bed and a little bit of order has been hacked into our household wilderness, I head upstairs to the big, blue couch, reach for my hook and cottons and begin adding to the nicely growing pile.
Every second year we travel to Australia to have Christmas with my family which is the best thing in the world and so exciting for the boys, but also means lead up to the big day is extremely fraught. So on the other year, the kiwi Christmas, I like to take my time a little, enjoy being around friends and NZ family and relish in being able to have a tree.

The balls are part of this year's New Zealand celebration as I have decided to make a wreath of crocheted baubles which we (I) can enjoy for the entire festive season. Obviously I am anticipating it may take a while to come together, hence Christmas preparation in September. The good thing about making so many balls is that I am beginning to come up with my own version which I will post soon. In the mean time, I had better go back to the kitchen and finish cooking Jonno's birthday dinner which is the main celebration going on here today.

By the way, did I mention that when I flee upstairs, it is also to watch 'Bones' which Jonno and I are working through season by season. I am so obsessed that at the end of the day, I breathe a sigh of relief when Booth and Brennan appear on my screen. We are all such good friends and also forensic experts too. Actually, one of the things Jonno and I both like about it is that it focuses on bones rather than gore... a murder mystery show that doesn't put you off your snacks.

A rainy day with little fellas.

It is a wet and rainy school holiday Wednesday today and my first proper day at home in a week or so. The boysies are well rested and as a result, human like and pleasant. AND raring to do some 'crafting'.

Usually when I decide to do a craft with them, I forget they have their own strong ideas about the outcome which is, always, completely different from my concept. Strangely, just as I have let go of controlling the process, we are starting to be on the same page.

Watching them work makes me realise how important it is to do your own creative work in front of them so they can see paint brushes being used with respect, understand how important good tension is in sewing and how wonderful colours can be when they are not all mixed into sludge brown.

Lunch time and then a nap. Wahoo.

p.s. I just can't get enough of the Spring in the garden.

'Super - Cute Crochet'.

If anyone has been wondering where this little fella comes from, it is 'Super - Cute Crochet' by Nicki Trench and is absolutely fantastic. Great instructions and one of those very rare books where you are tempted to make every single thing.

Blue... but just the colour, not the emotion.

Bluebells and daffodils from the garden.
My new mug (yippee-yay) and violets from the farmers' market.

Beads waiting for me to make a pattern with them.