Piles of Smiles

Hello Lovelies , hope you've had a good week . I'm so pleased to be able to say I haven't been tempted to stray from my blanket making . I thought the day would never come .....so many little projects so far this year. But I did say this blanket was not a quick one and I did love looking at my little  grannies , they are so cute don't you think?.....

This picture was taken on Monday when I decided to have a bit of a photo shoot for the little squares that were yet to get their plum border . It was great fun scattering them in the lawn......

Aren't they pretty close up .....

They look great scattered randomly...what about a little arranging...

It's not a pair of glasses..... as my youngest thought when he saw this picture :0)

It's the initials of my blog !! .....

I expect the neighbours think I'm completely bonkers if they saw me standing on a chair photographing crochet on my lawn , but hopefully they weren't looking :0)
I even like  all the pretty ends .....

As the week has gone on gradually all of these little fellas has gained a plum edge . I've got quick at this round ...it takes me four and a half minutes to complete one . But then there's the new plum ends. Here's what they looked like at 1pm today .........

Sorry about the fuzzy picture , it was dark and rainy...perfect crochet weather .
It took just over two hours to sew all these ends in securely . I've taken some photos of my method and I'll do a tutorial soon.
This is what they looked like after.....

Ahhh that's better . I've just got to sew them together now .

Did you notice July's Country Living at the top of this post ?I'm fortunate enough to have a subscription ..last years birthday prezzie . Here's a closer look at the cover isn't it lovely....just needs some crochet to be perfect don't you think......

 As it says on the cover , here's to some long lazy days this weekend                       

Jacquie x

My June Commute

Hello Lovelies,
Just though I'd share some pictures I took on my way to work this morning . It was beautiful and sunny first thing and I was sorry I was going to miss the day but the scent of the honeysuckle as I opened the front door at 7.30 was gorgeous .........

Another lovely surprise was a poppy that had opened up overnight .....

I've got loads of these in my front garden this year thanks to the second master BM who collected some seeds from a plant that was growing out of a crack in the pavement , he scattered them randomly and so many have come up I'm amazed  :0)

Once in the car I'm stuck by how beautiful the countryside is at the moment and while in one of the many queues of traffic I grab my camera and manage to take a  shot whilst stationary .......

I think the wild poppies growing in the rape seed fields (which have now lost their yellow flowers ) are the best I've seen ...I'm determined to get a closer look on my day off.

Once I arrived at work I still had a few minutes to spare before I had to say goodbye to the sunshine so I hooked a plum border or two in the car........

I think the day turned out showery so I guess I was lucky to be out and about first thing ...I do love the early morning light .

Right off to crochet more of my blanket ... I can't wait to show you my progress  :0)
Jacquie x

Blanket Weather ?

Hello Lovelies,
What fab weather we have had in these parts the last couple of days . Definitely paddling pool and ice lolly time at the BM household. What a treat when I'm off work for half term :0)
Yet  yesterday ... one of the hottest days of the year so far... saw me suddenly gripped by an urgent need  to make a blanket. I think it must be a combination of seeing another lovely granny stripe begining and the because the warm weather reminded me of starting my own beloved granny stripe at this time last year. How I loved working on that blanket...so quick and soothing , I needed to get some similar speedy crochet satisfaction NOW .
I grabbed a ball of plum stylecraft and started edging my granny squares . The ones at the top of my blog .....the ones inspired by this vintage blanket.I worked away like a woman possessed and edged 24 squares last night. I couldn't stop. I needed to make a blanket.
This was not what I planned . I only had 63 little squares.....

I was going to make 100 at least before I started joining....but I calculated 63 squares at 4 inches each would make a 36 inch by 28 inch blanket ....not very big but a nice lap size , and good for the back of a chair.This morning when I got up I was greeted by this lovely sight.........

Ahhhh , I love the plum border ...perfect......

Look at this square .........

and this one ........ 

They are all different and I think the border colour really looks lovely

I'm not joining as I go for two reasons .Firstly the original blanket that inspired this one is sewn together and I love the way it looks , secondly because I only have one ball of the plum colour, and, if further supplies turn out to be a different shade I will have to pull all this back !

I don't live near a Stylecraft stockist so I've hurriedly ordered more online from Masons Needle craft
 After breakfast , and still in my P.J.s I continue in the garden with my limited supply of the border colour.........

Bliss . ....but by the afternoon reality had sunken in and I realised I could have about a weeks wait for my yarn . Sigh .

Never mind ...it's actually a great reason to make more granny squares while I wait. So in the heat of the afternoon , whilst the boys splashed in the pool, I sat in the same shady spot  that I hooked my granny stripe 12 months ago  and made some more little squares . I'm using cygnet yarn for these ..........

Then when I felt a little tired I laid down and gazed at the blue sky and the sun shining through the  Elder flowers . I love June ...........

And I LOVE finally getting the urge to complete my first crochet blanket of 2011 and being able to share the process with all you lovely like minded people .
I hope you will be able to leave me a comment if you would like to . Blogger is still rather temperamental for me . The only way I can comment on some blogs is by in unchecking the "keep me signed in " prompt on the sign in page I keep getting directed to .It's very frustrating ...if anyone knows more about all this ...and can comment ... I'd love to know .
Hope you all have an enjoyable weekend .
Jacquie x