Ellifants and the 100th post giveaway

Elliefants is having a giveaway! Hooray! Lets Party! woo hoo! I do love a giveaway.

This is a very special giveaway as its her 100th blog post and there's a lot of goodies up for grabs to one lucky random winner. 

The more to tweet, blog, comment on her blog the more entries you get in the hat (see her blog for details) and that's why I'm doing this! 

You may have recently saw the stitch markers I bought from her in a recent post. Well...there's some in the giveaway too. Some little ladybugs this time and they are CUTE!!! 

I'm going to tweet my blog and blog my tweet and comment on her blog about my tweeting and blogging and both together. Don't let me put you off entering though, as she's using a random generator your chance is as good as mine and with these yummy prizes, why not give it a punt!

Cals a go go!

After my success with my first freeform cal, I've taken the plunge and signed up to a couple more cals (crochet alongs), I saw a couple, more like many!!! What have I let myself in for. I hope I can cope! I'm happy to be taking part in an ongoing crochet/knit along called knit a square, where each 8" square made goes to South Africa and sewn together to make warm blankets for orphans. If you'd like to find out more just click on the link, a contribution, no matter how small is grateful. If you can't knit or crochet you can donate. This helps the running costs and wages for the people who sew these squares together, thus helping the community as a whole.

I've also signed up to take part in another freeform cal on Ravelry and a tiny whale/daffodile cal. I really loved making my first freeform and didn't want the party to end so in starting a new freeform cal, I'm keeping in touch with the friends I've made and the laughter can continue. Anyways... I think they might miss me :D

I've made one of PlanetJune's Tiny Whales already but I really love them and the more the merrier as they say. You can't just make one.

Handmade Shopping Spree

I love shopping, I especially love it when its craft related and I went on a little spree this week on the net and bought a few things on the net.

I've wanted to get some wooden crochet hooks for a while now but as also I wanted to get a good bargain. I did just that. I got 3 (9,10 and 12mm) hooks from Scandinavian Knitting Design . They were only around £3.50 each and the postage was very reasonable. I was really impressed. Mr Postman delivered them in no time at all and I love using them :D They are really light and the yarn slides nicely on them.

 I was searching on Ebay the other day when I came across this beautiful specimen. This is a hand turned and carved wooden crochet hook. This is the description:   

I made this Crochet Hook out of African Gabon Ebony, Thuya burl and Black Ash Burl. The Thuya burl has a nice medium brown color with darker cluster burl eyes. The cream colored Box Elder Burl is a nice contrast between the Ebony and Thuya Burl. The segments of wood are bonded on a 45-degree angle. This crochet hook is a size “L” 7.0mm and is seven and one eighth inch long. 

This beautiful hook cost just $18.20 (£12.00) with $5.00 Postage. I think this is my most treasure possession and I'll treasure it forever (I may use it occasionally too).

 

I've always been fasinated with Etsy, but I've not had the courage til now to purchase anything from them. These gorgeous stitch markers got me to sign up and count my pennies.

If your ever on Etsy or like me, an Etsy virgin! You should definitely got over and see Ellifants shop over there and pick up some loveliness. These little markers are for me but I'm going to be checking other handmade buys for birthday and Christmas gifts in the future.

National Crochet Month FreeForm Crochet Along 2010

For the Month of March I've have been partying away, chatting to friends and taking part in this years Freeform Cal 2010. 

Everyday there was a designer for the day, who added a pattern to add onto our work. This could be anything and interpreted anyway we felt. We had days where we had to count all our plates and food in our fridge; were we had to count how many days we "make love" in the month (or how much we wished we could!); count the number of colours we are wearing (including underwear); or simply making rings. The different stitches were interesting and educational. I love learning new stitches and my favorite ones were the love knot (otherwise known as the solomon's knot) and star stitch.

I was given the honor of contributing a pattern on day 31. I chose to add a badge to our work and lots of beads.

I've made some wonderful friends this month on Ravelry and I hope to be involved with them in the future with a pass a round freeform cal that's in the ideas works. I've enjoyed this years cal sooo much that I'm looking back on previous years works and making more.

If you'd like to see more pictures Please take a look at  my Ravelry Freeform Page

Happy Hooking
 

Star Stitch PDF pattern now available

After shouting and crying at my laptop I've finally worked out how to get PDFs on here (thank you Ravelry). You can now download this in my previous post, so enjoy and don't forget to show me how you did.

Star Stitch Baby Blanket Pattern

I wanted to make a blanket using my favorite stitch, the Star Stitch, but I couldn't find one. Maybe I just didn't look hard enough but it gave me the spark to make the pattern (and the blanket) for myself. This blanket is for my Sister Ruth who is having her first baby this year. I love you sis, this is dedicated to you, with lots of love.

If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask.

You can ask me through my blog jelibe-spitegirl.blogspot.com or over at Ravelry.com (jelibe) or tweet me (jelibee)

Have fun and please tell me how you got on, I’d love to see.

You can sell what you make but PLEASE don’t sell the pattern or claim as your own. You can link it back to me. Thank you.
Here is the PDF, Enjoy: download now

Materials

6.50mm K Hook

Any DK worsten weight yarn. I used Robin 400g yarn. Finished blanket weighs in at 317g.

Scissors

Sewing needle (for weaving in ends)

Special Stitch: Star Stitch

Make a chain, draw up a loop in the 2nd chain from hook and again in the next 5 chains, yarn over and pull yarn through all loops on hook, chain 1, put hook into the eye of the chain 1 and draw up a loop, put hook into chain of last chain that you drew up a loop on last star and draw up a loop, draw up a loop in next 3 chains, yarn over and pull yarn through all loops on hook, chain 1 and repeat process.

Pattern In American terms.

Chain 114

Row 1: Star Stitch to the end, draw a loop through last eye and in last chain (from last star), ch 1, turn.

Row 2: 3 sc in eye of star and in each eye across, slip stitch in last stitch, ch 2, turn (37 stars).

Repeat rows1 - 2 till you have 62 rows, ending with row 2. At end of row 2, chain 1 instead of 2 and turn.

DO NOT FASTEN OFF

Small scalloped edging

Rd 1: sc in each stitch to the corner (111 sc), 3 sc in the corner, sc across to the next corner (92 sc), 3 sc in the corner, sc across to next corner – make sure you go through each chain (111 sc), 3 sc in corner, sc across to next corner (92 sc), 3 sc in corner.

Rd 2: sc in the first stitch, 2 dc in same stitch, skip a stitch, slip stitch in next stitch, * sc, 2 dc in next stitch, skip 1 stitch, slip stitch in next. Repeat from *. In corners do (sc, 2 dc, sc) in same stitch.

Note : If you get to the end of the row, 1 stitch before the corner, just slip stitch in that stitch and carry on.

Join with a slip stitch in the first sc. FASTEN OFF.

Its a bargain...I'll totally use it...no really!

We went to Chorley today for some shopping fun. My bf and our little boy went to GameStation and I ventured towards the clothes shops. I was hoping to get a jumper but they were all cardigans, so I ended up just getting a couple of vests for my summer wardrobe.
After a light lunch (beef and mushroom sandwich, yum!) I thought I'd go check in at the British Heart Foundation and see if they had any wool in.....well, they did and I had the lot! For only £4 too! BARGAIN!! Woo Hoo!



And here it is...my homeless yarn. I now have too much yarn and don't have a home for it. I don't think I've convinced my bf that I really need it. I did want it though :D

My Bf bought Burnout paradise The Ultimate Pack. This game looks fun, I do love crashing and bashing up my car :D  This was a bargain too, only £2.99. An excellent bargain hunting day to be had by all.