More Happy Crochet ♡

 'I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those 

in which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens

but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly...'

L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Ahh...Anne Shirley♡ Many, many happy days as a young girl were enjoyed reading of the adventures and misadventures of Anne 'with an e' Shirley. So many wonderful quotes of wisdom to be found within the pages of Anne and her chronicles of Avonlea. Pete has always thought he'd like to visit Prince Edward Island. I too, wouldn't be adverse to wandering around the land of Green Gables, soaking up the scenery and landscapes that the TV series so beautifully captured; but I don't suppose it will ever eventuate. I wonder if any of my Canadian blogging friends have ever visited Prince Edward Island??

This week has been one where simple pleasures have followed one after the other in a gentle rhythm. Books, flowers, capturing happy snaps, baking, sipping cups of tea in pretty tea cups....a little of this and a whole lot of that..........and a little crochet. 

Throughout this week I have spent many a delightful hour in front of the fire, during the day and into the evening;  happily crocheting away. I've spent many a contented hour crocheting while gazing outside my window, where the burnished hues of autumn abound; and the air begins to become decidedly chillier.

With the front and back finished I started crocheting the sleeves. I decided upon granny stripes for the sleeves, as I rather like the contrast of the stripey sleeves with the granny squares of the front and back. I continued crocheting the remaining sleeve this morning for Slow Sunday Stitching but didn't have enough of one colour, so me thinks there will be a trip to the wool shop this coming week. A visit to the wool shop is always fun. Wall after wall of towering shelves of wool in a plethora of plys and colours, and textures. Besides, I'm thinking my next crochet pretty might be a blanket for the bed, so perhaps lots of balls of wool in myriad colours will come home with me. I'm in the mood for another granny square pretty. Granny squares are truly one of life's nicest of pleasures.

It's late Sunday evening here and my bed piled high with quilts beckons me. I hope, lovely lovelies, lovely friends, your Sunday is a pleasant one, filled with the nicest and simplest of pleasures♡ For me, one of life's nicest and simplest pleasures is sinking into a cosy bed under the warmth and the hugs of homemade quilts, and drifting off to the land of dreams♡

Until the next time......

Squaring Off =)

 

Hello, and welcome, lovely lovelies, lovely friends, to my little autumnal place♡ How are you on this lovely Sunday?? As for me and Carmen?? Well, we are just fine....thanks for asking. =) Unfortunately, her flowery hat will soon be no more. The last of the dahlias and roses, me thinks. Love, love, love Carmen♡♡

A productive and fun week; that is of course, despite another dystopian-esque week that hurried by. I must say, the highlight of my week, was King Charles' III giving a masterclass in diplomacy, manners, intelligence, eloquence, sophistication, and wit, to the buffoon and his acolytes. Oh, how it tickled my funny bone that a king gave many a history lesson on democracy. Oh, the irony. And he did it with such aplomb; without starting WW3.

Now, I'll admit, I vacillate in opinion as to the whys and why nots of a monarchy but the blood of my British forebears, which pulsates through my veins, came to the fore and shouted "HEAR, HEAR"!! So many chuckles percolated from my person. There is nothing quite like the Brits and their humour. That is of course, notwithstanding the irreverent and naughty humour of us Aussies. Those Republicans in the hallowed halls of the US Congress are such an unfunny lot, are they not??!!  I did wonder if the King's speech(es) went over the 'comb-over', and it appears they most certainly did. As the person with the very questionable hair-do, to whom the 'arrows' were intended; laughed along. Absolutely no idea whatsoever as to the subtlety of the King's intent. The obtuseness is stunning. Bravo! Well done, King Charles!! 

But enough of politics, history lessons.........naughtiness.....comic relief; down here in my autumnal world, I have been steadily stitching little squares to one of the sides of my Trippin' Around The World quilt endeavouring to square it up. I continued stitching today. Goodness, it can take a while. Hopefully, before all the leaves have fallen from the trees and my world descends into the depths of winter, 'we' might have a very big square. Needle pricked and gnarled fingers crossed!

This week I crocheted granny squares. Yep, more squares! Another jumper in the works for winter. I live in woolly woollies throughout the winter months, and, more often than not the other seasons as well, because in Tassie the weather can be most contrary. Gotta, gotta, gotta have plentiful woolly garments to keep the chill from dem ol' bones. Besides, I'm a bit of a frog. AND after the arduous crocheting of Lenox's blanket I'm hankering after a quick and easy granny square project.

My grannies are dancing in mellow hues of blue, grey and green. I'm loving the subtlety of these colours. So, I'm hopping from my Trippin' squares, to my grannies, just to sprinkle fun into my creative days.

My Trippin' quilt has got to the stage where fabric metrage is needed. I'm thinking there might  just be enough to get me to the finish line without having to purchase more fabric. Again, needle-pricked and gnarled fingers.....and everything else, crossed. I've used up fabrics which have been sitting in my stash for a long time so I'm delighted about that.

Florals, dotty dots, stripes, hexagons......a fabulous fabric with candelabras.....all dancing and playing fabulously. Love the blue candelabra print. Such fun! What's not to love about a candelabra....or two??!! I have a few. =) Gotta shine one's light brightly these days to stem the darkness!

Enjoy your Sunday, lovely lovelies, lovely friends♡ Delight in something that brings you joy♡

Until the next time......

Welcome To The Zoo🐨🦁🐴🐰🦃🦊

Lenox's zoo, that is🐨🦁🐴🐰🦃🦊

Hello lovely lovelies, lovely friends♡  A lovely welcome to you this Sunday evening♡ Well, it is here. =)

My woolly experiment is DONE!! An experiment?? Yes, this woolly blanket was definitely an experiment. Having never read, nor indeed understood a crochet pattern before it wasn't a certainty that this woolly crochet undertaking would be a triumph. Nor was it a given that there would be an acceptable outcome. This crochet woolly was definitely a trial and error pretty and I must say, a giant learning curve. 

Well, I'm here to say after many mistakes and missteps I'm doing a victory lap (around the garden......around the autumnal hydrangeas). =) All the critters in Lenox's zoo are resting happily atop the woolly blanket and ALL are happily playing together with all their friends. Each critter whispered to me which pal they wanted to be their play buddy and rest next to forevermore. One would be forgiven if one supposed that all the critters might be a little askance of Lenny Lion or perhaps to a lesser extent Faelynn Fox being a hop, skip and a jump away, but nope, in the land of make believe, all these critters are the very best of friends, boisterously rollicking and frolicking and getting up to all manner of hijinks all day long. They are a happy little zoo.

Meet Harvey Horse and Wilbur Worm. I must say Harvey is a handsome fellow and just between you and me, he's my favourite.

Lennox's blanket was crocheted in Patons Bluebell 5ply pure wool. It measures 85cm x 115cm; a perfect size for a crib. Perfect too, for a wee child to wrap themselves in, for a woolly hug. Each granny square is 15cms.  I followed the book, 3D Animal Granny Squares,  for some of the animals but after several attempts, some of my animals didn't resemble anything like the picture so I fell down the YouTube rabbit hole to see what other animals I could find. And I must say, I found a lot. Thank the Good Lord for YouTube tutorials! Another thing which I changed from the book is each animal is crocheted separately and then stitched onto the granny squares. Each animal has a lot of separate bits...eyes, snouts, beaks, ears etc which caused the back of each animal to be a messy eyesore. Sewing the finished animal to the grannies makes for a neat back with no fugly bits to be seen. My persnickety self is very happy about this.

Pete and I are off to Hobart next weekend to holiday with Lenox, my daughter and son-in-law. I cannot wait. I hope wee Lenox loves his woolly zoo. A woolly blanket where oodles of conservations and wild and playful imaginations will be enjoyed as he snuggles down under his woolly zoo. So, so many delightful conversations and stories of animal escapades and adventures within Lenox's zoo♡ Bye lovely lovelies, lovely friends♡ Thank you for visiting my little place♡

Until the next time......

I spy with my little eye....

 Something beginning with......

Petunia Pig

Lacey Ladybird

Reggie Rabbit

Milly Mouse 

Kingston Koala 

Sammy Snail

Dudley Dog 

Faelynn Fox

Penelope Penguin

Piao Panda

Lenny Lion

Benny Bear

AND......because there has to, just has to  be a turkey on my American grandson's blanket......

Theodore Turkey 

And, oh my goodness, did he take a while to finish! I gave up on the instructions in the book and imagined another way to finish the feathers. He didn't come out too badly, not too badly at all....even if I do say so myself. =)

This week I completed more critters. Thirteen have joined the menagerie. Five more to go. All the fiddly bits......eyes, ears, snouts, beaks, feet, cheeks etc etc were finicky and time consuming and a bit of a pain to crochet and then sew. Thank goodness I decided to crochet the animals separate to the granny square as there would be a messy tangle of threads on the back of the blanket. All that will be seen on the back now is the outline stitching of each animal. More work of course, but for my persnickety eye, much neater and visually pleasing.

The book has an animal dancing on every granny square of the blanket. This blanket will not. There's only going to be an animal on every alternate square. An animal on every square is a little too busy for me. I know!! I'm that girl where more is never enough. Go figure!!

Throughout today (as it's Sunday) I have picked up my crochet hook and worked on more granny squares. There's quite a few to do still. Only four weeks in which the blanket has to be finished. I had better skedaddle!

Thank you for visiting my little place♡ It's a place where for a while yet I will be wrapped in a tangly, woolly mess. My little candle is shining♡ A fragrant candle with coconut and lime scents wafting around as I crochet♡ A beautiful aroma, creating a cosy ambience.......relaxing me; as I granny square away♡ Hoping your day, lovely lovelies; lovely friends, is a joyous one♡

Until the next time......