Your hexagons and an update on the numbers

26 Sunday Jan 2014

Posted by in Crochet For Kidneys, Part 2

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In one week I received, wait for it, 87 hexagons from four lovely crocheters for Crochet For Kidneys Part II!! Whoo-hooo!!! 87 in one week!!! The total is now 193.

The fantastic Cathy sent me 40 hexagons from New Hampshire, USA. It arrived in a shoebox filled to the brim with brightly coloured hexagons. Love it!

cathy collage

Between Ellen, from Belgium, and Karen from South Africa I received 17 hexagons. They both used the African Flower Hexagon pattern. It’s just sooo pretty isn’t it? I love that these two ladies used the same pattern and achieved the same result: a strikingly beautiful hexagon, yet they live in opposite sides of the world – proof that good design is good no matter where you live or what language you speak.

ellen collage karina collage

Pauline sent me her hexagons, packaged in clear bags sorted by colour no less, via the  Document Exchange service for law firms. When she asked for my address and saw that I too work for a law firm, we decided to make use of DX. I don’t think crocheted hexagons have ever been sent using DX. Another first for Crochet For Kidneys 🙂

pauline collage

All of these ladies’ hexagons have already been incorporated in the first blanket. Yup, I’ve started to join up the hexagons. Like John said: we want to give the people their blankets while it’s still Winter so I thought I’d get going. I posted a few photos on the Facebook Group of me joining the hexagons. Go have a look here. I also posted that I realised we need 60 hexagons per blanket in order to get it to a decent size similar to the size of the purple and white square blankets.

If we need 60 hexagons per blanket, that means we now have enough for 3 blankets. Hopefully I’ll receive a few more so that we can make 5 blankets. I think 5 is a good number. Obviously more would be better, but at least 5 will make me happy.

I’m off to join some hexagons. Keep them coming ladies! Our blankets are going to be beautiful!

An invitation and a Facebook group

22 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by in Crochet For Kidneys, My ramblings, Part 2

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You are hereby invited to join me on Friday 7 February 2014 for two hours of hexagon joining!

Invitation 7 feb

Our day of joining the hexagons is getting closer! We are going to invade the Court Farm Garden Centre cafe for two hours of crocheting. The garden centre’s “official” address is Worcester Park but the closest train station is Tolworth. Have a look at their website here: http://www.courtfarm.uk.com/Home/CoffeeShop.

The cafe manager said that it would be fine for us to sit there for 2 hours as long as we eat and drink something. They have a great menu at very reasonable prices and do fantastic coffee so I’m sure finding something to eat and drink won’t be a problem. We could even do brunch!

Please RSVP before 1 February so that I can book a table. In case you’re wondering about the joining of the hexagons, Jane Czaja will be there to show us how to do it

I really hope you can make it!!

If you have been making hexagons for Crochet For Kidneys Part II, but can’t join us on the 7th of February, you can share your photos on the newly created Facebook Group!!!!!!!!!! Just click here to find the group or search for “Crochet For Kidneys”. I only had the brainwave to create a Group a few minutes ago so it’s still very new and only consists of three members…. I will add photos of the blankets from Crochet For Kidneys Part I and photos of the beautiful hexagons received so far, this evening.
Please use the group to share your hexagons and blankets with the rest of us. I will also use it to pass on information.

By the way, I received four parcels of hexagons today (Yeah!!!) and I started joining up hexagons on the train to work this morning.  The blankets are literally taking shape

Your hexagons

20 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by in Crochet For Kidneys, Part 2

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I received a further 32 hexagons for Crochet For Kidneys Part II!! That makes the total so far 106, which is enough for two very colourful blankets!

Emma Ashman and her mom sent me 17 colourful hexagons from Suffolk. Their Dad & Husband had suffered from kidney failure for years and passed away in November last year. It’s cases like these, and the good hearts of people like Emma and her Mom that motivate me to keep going with Crochet For Kidneys.  Thank you ladies for thinking of others when you could so easily have said you are done with all things “kidney failure” – which would have been understandable after what you have been through. Your participation truly means a lot to me.

Emma Ashman hexagon collage Phyllis hexagon collage

Looking at the hexagons already received, I can tell that our blankets are going to be sooooo beautiful! Keep them coming!!!

I love wrapping yarn parcels

18 Saturday Jan 2014

Posted by in My ramblings

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I’m super excited this morning. I spent my whole morning wrapping parcels of yarn for six ladies who purchased Vinnis hand dyed cotton yarn in my Etsy shop. They read Wink’s yarn review and took advantage of the 10% discount code. I was thrilled every time a new order came through! It gives me such a happy buzz to share my beautiful yarn with others. The ladies live in the United States or Canada. One is from Honolulu!!! That REALLY gives me a thrill! South African made yarn, sold by a Brit, to Americans. How cool is that?!

The ladies put together the most beautiful colour combinations. I had to do their great taste justice, so I got out  colourful pompoms (which I made last night in front of the TV with my Clover pompom maker), tissue paper and washi tape.

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Check out my very sophisticated, purpose-built packaging station – the carpet in the study :-p

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Man, I loooooove washi tape! You can write little messages to your buyers!

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Stripes, pompoms and bright colours. Can you ever have enough?!

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Six parcels wrapped and addressed, so it’s time to go to our village post office.

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Now all I have to do is wait for Mr. Postman to deliver the balls of colour to my new customers. Ladies, if you’re reading this, I sincerely hope you enjoy your yarn as much as I did sending it to you.

There are still four 10% discount codes up for grabs if you too want to buy some yarn. Just hop on over to Wink’s blog here.

Sunset Shades chevron scarf ta-daaaah

17 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by in My crochet, Ta-daah!

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Ta-daaah!! My Sunset Shades chevron scarf is done!!

sunset shades chevron scarf

I love the chevron design, the way the colours go together, the way one colour flows into the next. The scarf changes from pastel yellow to light pink, to peach, to light purple-pink, and also from lilac, to violet, to plum, to wine. These two groups of colours are separated by off-white and very light grey. I really like how it turned out and I’m quite proud of my Missoni-ish chevron scarf.

I made the scarf very wide so that even though its not extremely long, it covers my neck right up to my chin. No need to wind it around and around – once is enough to keep me snug and warm.

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It was a joy to crochet because although it’s only a plain and simple scarf, the colour changes kept it interesting and fun.

chevron scarf

I think the best thing about it, are the beautiful colours. I have really never seen anything like it, and even for a person who “doesn’t do pink” I really love it. I’ve blogged about this before, but I’ll just mention it again: my Mom gave me the yarn for this scarf. She chose the colours, and I just put them together in this sequence and thought up the chevron pattern. All credit should go to Mom.

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I think this is a great scarf. Because it’s cotton, it’s soft against my skin without being scratchy and the more I use it, the softer it becomes. I was a bit worried that a cotton scarf wouldn’t keep me warm, but it does! Because it’s so wide and crocheted in dense stitches, it keeps the cold out just like a woollen scarf would – but without the scratchiness.

The nitty-gritty for my Sunset Shades chevron scarf:

Pattern: My own pattern. I am in the process of writing it up. It will be on sale in my Etsy shop soon.

Crochet hook: 3.5 mm

Yarn: Vinni’s colours Nikkim (a 100% cotton hand-dyed cotton yarn) in Natural, Stone, Ballet Pink, Baby Yellow, Pink, Purple Pink, Lilac, Violet, Red Violet and Wine. All these shades, apart from Purple Pink and Wine are for sale in my Etsy shop.

Don’t forget the 10% discount code on Winkieflash blog for the first 10 people to buy Vinni’s Colours from my shop.  Seven people have already used the code , so only three more can get 10% off. 

Read Wink’s review, and find the code, here.

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Bring on the cold weather, I’m ready! In fact, I’m looking for excuses to wear the scarf indoors!

What do you think? Do you like it as much as I do?

Review of Vinnis yarn and a discount

16 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in My ramblings

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The very talented, lovely, creative being that is Winkieflash, did a review of Vinnis Colours cotton yarn over on her blog. Her verdict? She likey!

Have a look here to read her review and find the 10% discount code for the first 10 people to buy from my Etsy shop. You have to be quick though – I’ve already had three six orders in the 2 4.5 hours since Wink published the review on her blog!

I’m so happy that someone as talented as Wink thinks highly of the yarn. I can go on about the beautiful colours, the soft feel, the likeability of the yarn but when a professional crocheter, master blogger and pattern designer like Wink says it’s good, you know it is!

Voting still open for The National UK Blog Awards 2014

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by in My ramblings

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I’ve been looking at my diary this morning and I realise that it’s the fifteenth of January! We’re more than two weeks into 2014! That’s crazy! It seems like only yesterday that I kicked of Crochet For Kidneys Part II, yet our day of joining up the hexagons is only 22 days and 22 hours away. (Speaking of the 7th of February – I will give you all more information of our get together in Surrey once the venue is booked.)

The other thing I’m counting down to is the National UK Blog Awards. I told you about the blog awards and my nomination on 18 December. Public voting closes on 26 January, which means there is just over a week left for you to vote for my crochet blog – the only crochet blog nominated.

I’ve been getting more blog followers on bloglovin lately – hi guys!!! – so I thought I’d do a quick “remember to vote for me please” post in case my lovely new followers didn’t know about the blog awards. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink….

To vote, go to this link: http://www.blogawardsuk.co.uk/blog-entries/crochetime/. Press vote, fill out a quick form which includes your name and email address and in return, you will receive a free Blogging eBook – and I’ll have one more vote.  You can also click on the picture below, or to the right of my blog.

Vote NowI will be very, very, very grateful if would vote for crocheTime. Pretty please. Let’s get a crochet blog in the finals!!!!

Terrific Tuesday

14 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by in Terrific Tuesdays

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On a Monday I can still remember the fun I had over the weekend, Wednesday is the middle of the work week, on Thursday I start getting hopeful and on a Friday I can taste the weekend. But what about a Tuesday? It’s so…. just there. Weekend memories are too far away and the upcoming weekend might as well be a year away.

What we need is a bit of colourful inspiration to get us going on a Tuesday, don’t you think? A pretty picture, beautiful scenery or colourful imagery. Yup, that’ll liven up Tuesdays and turn it into a terrific day!

From now on I will go through my photos and Pinterest likes every Tuesday and find us a pretty picture to add colour and joy to the day.

xxxxxx

Vinnis colour palette field of grasses

Isn’t this field of wild flowers beautiful? Do you see the tiny dew droplets twinkling like stars in the morning sun? Good ol’ Mother Nature at her best. She gets it right without even trying.

Luckily we crocheters and knitters can copy her perfect taste with beautiful yarn. I think a lacy shawl or afghan made with an open, feminine stitch pattern would do these wild flowers justice. The dew droplets can be glass beads! What would you make?

Wishing you all a Terrific Tuesday.

Natasja

Crochet Mood Blanket 2014 update

13 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by in My crochet, My ramblings

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Are you making a Mood Blanket? Have you joined the more than 2400 people from across the world in this year-long crochet along? It’s a great crochet along!

There seems to be a couple of interpretations of what the Mood Blanket is. Most people are doing it the way I am: you crochet a block, a hexagon or a row a day / once a week using a colour that represents your mood on that day (thereby giving you 365 or 52 of each). Most  people are also using join-as-you-go because there’s no need to keep a pile of your motifs if the whole point is that the placement of the motifs have been determined by the day of the year it was crocheted on.

Some people not only use a shade of yarn to represent their mood, but also a different pattern, and others are crocheting whatever they want just “as the mood takes them”. People are crocheting ahead as well (that’s a bit strange.) Some people are making traditional granny squares, using a different mood-inspired coloured for each round to show how their mood changed throughout the day. “Mood Blanket” is definitely open to intepretation.

For me, it’s just a plain and simple exercise: I have six main moods so I have six colours. At the end of the day, usually after the washing up has been done and I’m in my PJ’s in front of the TV, I reflect on my day and choose a colour. My squares need to be 9cm so I only have four rounds of Lacy Cross to crochet. It’s quick and easy. By doing join-as-you-go, I can see how my blanket is growing each day.

Here is a photo I took on Friday to show you the first 10 mood blanket squares.

crochet mood blanket

I really love this way of making a blanket. No pressure. No rush. No worrying about colour placement. I have a year to make this blanket and the only thing I have to do, is reflect on my day to determine the colour.

I love my Mood Blanket!

Your hexagons

12 Sunday Jan 2014

Posted by in Crochet For Kidneys, Part 2

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We have 61 more hexagons for Crochet For Kidneys Part II!! Whoo-hooo!!!

Cindy hexagon collage Gerlene hexagon collage Jude hexagon collage

I’m sure you will understand why I gave Jude’s hexagons an extra two photos. They are so crazy colourful!!!

It astounds me every time I receive a parcel filled with hexagons, that people are so nice. Nice enough that you give up your yarn, your time and pay for postage to make hexagons for strangers. None of you have to do this, but you do. And you don’t skimp on creativity, quality or neatness – I can see the care and love that have gone into your hexagons. It makes me very proud to be a crocheter.

I can’t wait to see what the rest of you have been making! Keep them coming!!!!