The Jane Austen Book Club

A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of.
Jane Austen




I just love The Jane Austen Book Club movie and have just spent the afternoon watching it again while "Blog Searching", my new obsession, and crocheting tiny red granny squares, my other obsession. It just makes you want to get lost in an Austen Book don't you agree? Last year when I first watched The Jane Austen Book Club I bought Persuasion and devoured it in no time, now I'm itching to read Mansfield Park. Its not just the stories its about the whole Austen feeling. I just want to pile the books up by my bed and look at the covers every night before I go to sleep. Its about taking off to another more romantic period of time! Ahhhh. Sigh.

Now talking about Janes to be inspired by, one of the sweetest Blogs I found this afternoon was Janesapron, it is full of wonderfully inspiring sewing projects and thrify buys (makes you want to run to the nearest St Vinnies to find something divine for next to nothing doesn't it just?) and Janes Apron got a write up in the artful blogging magazine Winter 2009, how wonderful is that. Check out her beautiful blog above and get your STITCH ON!

Until next time.

Big Huge Labs Mosaic Maker

My afternoon was spent checking out this site Big Huge Labs.

My very first Grannys.

Well I am very very excited. I have moved on. I am now a two trick wonder.

Last night I attended my very first Brown Owl meeting at the lovely Thouraya's house (thank you for your hospitality), it was fun and I met up with some new creative souls. The topic was Crochet, which I am now a demon at (lol), and my aim was to master a Granny Square or two. You know its funny, I find it very easy to read a knitting pattern but crochet patterns are just a little beyond me, so I was following some wonderful instructions from purlbee, which did help the second time around, but the first attempt I must have got a little sidetracked and was following someones conversation rather than how many trb I was doing as i made a funny flower thing, instead.

I did however persevere and made two wonderfully, terrific Grannys.

I am now of course hooked (hee hee) and am itching to sit down tonight and make some more. I have joined up with Pips A

Granny a day challenge, not sure how I will go but hey you gotta try sometimes!

My other crochet project is making fine progress and I am nearly half way through my strips for my blanket but am so wanting to start to join it together to see how it will look.

Oh, and just look at this gorgeous knitted Aran Rug I found it is truely

AMAZING!!!!!!

It is by Christien Meindertsma and I want one in green.

You can find

it here.

This is Button the Button man. He was made by my 6 year old Myles on Tuesday, he's cool isn't he. He likes to just hang out a bit.

Til next time.

x

Crocheting like a demon and Holiday shacks

Ok so have been away for a bit and am now suffering from a head cold, worse luck, but as long as I get a bit of me time each day I think I will manage to get rid of it soon enough!

My little crochet hook has had quite a work out the last few days. Reasons for this;

1. The weather was pretty yuck so was nice to curl up on the daybed with the crochet.

2. We have no electricity at our holiday shack so absolutely no distractions ( beside 3 kids, 1 Hubby and numerous cups of tea)

3. My crochet is portable and I am now able to have a conversation at the same time as I work. Its amazing how many people are really interested in what you're doing and have craft stories they want to share.

During the weekend I found out that I crochet like a knitter ( throw the yarn with my right hand) Is this wrong??? It just feels comfortable like that as I have knitted for so many years. I also really noticed this amazing granny square throw in a dear friends shack that I have sat on many many times but had not really looked at in detail. Her Nan made it years ago (it is a very treasured thing), it is really beautiful so colourful and each square a little bit different (I WANT to do that) She told me how she used to crochet and do tapestry when her 4 kids were babies but just doesn't find the time now ( they are all in there 20's now) Curious I hope I have more time when mine are older. Anyway, the thing that most interested me was that each square was just crocheted to the next using black yarn, so I have decided to do this with my strips but not with the black yarn though.

Right, so I have made three strips so far approx 84 rows long and 20 across (will have to measure this sometime), I think I will need to do about 9 more to get a single bed size but as I will have the crochet in between and around the border will revisit this later.

Just want to share some stuff now.
* If you haven't visited the blog meetmeatmikes you just need to check it out. Pip is so inspiring and motivating she will get you going it worked for me! She has also published a book by the same name which is available on her website too.


* I am a member of Interweave knits but just discovered the sister publication Crochetme there is some handy stuff on this site and best of all a free downloadable Crochet Scarf patterns if you sign up to their enewsletter. I Just can't help myself with freebies. I think I will attempt a scarf next as long as its a bit fancy as I fancy a fancy scarf hee hee hee.

* And here is a little plug for a wonderful publication if you love books, reading and everything along that line. Check out Good Reading Magazine , its got fab book reviews, book club info, interviews with authors, giveaways and lots of fun, lovely stuff.

Ok thats it for now
Until next time
K x x x