Brrrrr!!!!

It was so cold yesterday morning there was no way I was getting out of the car to scrape the ice off, so instead I just took photos. From the inside.

Stay safe and warm xx

A random post of nothing much at all.......

I really didn't know what to post about, but I had a really strong urge to just the same. So, here I am. 

Want to see my latest project? Here you go :-) Its the 'Scandi' cushion cover from Simply Crochet (issue 23). I'm making slow but steady-ish progress, but keeping on top of the 4 balls of yarn and preventing tangles makes it even slower. I'm totally fine with that though, as I really do not want crochet to = stress this year.

What do you think? I've kept the colour-scheme exactly as the pattern. I'm a bit concerned the blue is a bit dark but I'm loving the pink, mustard and cream together. This will be for my sister and she knows all about it so I can post freely without getting into any pickles!

I've also been playing a bit of guitar, with varying success. I've found this great series of online classes though that I'm working through. Bizarrely the website has been disabled as I tried to post a link for you..........

Talking of websites I've had my own domain for an age. I even started designing my website. Mmmmmm, perhaps something I should be getting on with. There is no way I will attempt it though until I get a new computer that doesn't crash every five minutes, or every time I try and switch between internet tabs......so may be a while before you will be able to feast your lovely eyes on that one!

Exam time (and Birthday time- eek!) for me next week. I also have a couple of days off work for making, seeing family and taking lots of photos. 

Until next time.....

Happy New Year!

Sorry, I know its a bit late but Happy New Year all the same! I just looked back and realised that I didn't post at all in December, neither did I post at all last December. Obviously December isn't a great blogging month for me......more of a party month.....lots of nights out, lots of booze and lots of lying in all day at the weekends. Hey, ho, you've got to live a little hey?

A friend asked me at the weekend if I had made any resolutions. "Ah no" I replied, completely forgetting that I had put together a vague plan of how to make full time work, crochet and blogging work harmoniously, with minimal stress. We'll see how it goes.... 

Anyway, I'm hoping to crochet (or even knit!) something for a friend/family member/myself, and design something and put a pattern out (however big or small) every 2-3 months. I will also try and blog twice a month, and more if I can. Once I've put a schedule together I'll let you all know when to expect to hear/not to hear from me :-)

Other plans for the year include learning to play the guitar- I taught myself 4 chords this evening and my hands and fingers are killing me now! Run this half marathon if my legs hold out- not looking good so far as I've been injured for a month, and do loads of cycling- already got a couple of rides planned (if the legs hold out!) which I'm really looking forward to!

So, what about you? Have you made any resolutions or got any plans for 2015? If so I would love to hear all about them :-)

I did so little over Christmas I didn't even take any photos. Here is one taken by a family friend on a boxing day walk (remember the run I was supposed to do with my sister? I walked it instead) with Chloe our little whippet. I didn't realise quite how misty it was at the time. 

Have a good week everyone!

SSxx

P.s I totally got caught out here- the friend the gift was for saw it and new exactly what it was when I gave it to her last week. Oops! She liked it anyway :-)

My personal fitness goals- an update

Apologies for the photo of my smelly old trainers but I thought it was time to post an update on how I had been getting on with getting fit. Back in May I was generally unfit, and starting to seriously feel the effects of sitting on my bum crocheting away- so I decided to do something about it. I joined the gym and the rest is history as you say.....In this post back in June I made two fitness goals:

1- Go on at least one Park Run before August. 

Achieved? YES YES YES! It was great! I have since joined a running club and am now running regularly and have signed up for a half marathon in March (eeeek!!!)

2- Cycle the Manchester 100km in August.

Acheived? Sadly no. I have a pretty good excuse.....the race was on the day I moved so Wales. I have been going to a spin class though so better than nothing!

I guess I'm in need of some new goals then. Mmmmmmm......

1- Run the whole 13.2 miles in March

2- Go on a cycling holiday next year.

So, lets see how I get on.....

Have a fab week,

SSxx

Introducing the new crochet range by Libby Summers......

.......designed by yours truly!

In the summer Libby of Libby Summers Ltd put out an email for crochet submissions. The brief was to design a hot water bottle cover and matching tea cosy with a vintage feel (possibly using granny squares) using three or more colours from the new Libby Summer Fine Aran collection. I was thrilled when my design was chosen. I swiftly got to work and here is the result..... 

What do you think? I hope you like them as much as I do! This patterns can be purchased on Ravelry here, and a hard copy can be purchased from Libby's website here for the hot water bottle cover and here for the tea cosy.

Have a great weekend!

SSxx

Thank you!

Thank you! It was so lovely to log on this evening (and with a renewed passion for blogging!) to find that you are still reading and that I even have some new followers. So hello, welcome, and thank you! 

I was so excited to post today that I didn't even sew in my ends before taking this photograph! I'm slowly coming round to getting on top of my Christmas makes so thought I would break myself in gently, by making a set of my retro coasters in Christmassy colour. Not too overtly Christmassy, but definitely getting into the spirit of things! These will be heading to the shop at the weekend.

Now for something totally different....I'm going to my first scientific conference in over 2 years tomorrow. I'm also writing a report of the meeting so need to be alert and pay attention. Early night I think, those ends can wait til the morning!

SSxx

Hello? Anybody still out there....?

SO, maybe I should start with a bit of an apology.....I haven't been around much on this blog recently. So, sorry. I would like to thank all of my new followers for joining me, especially those who have joined me on Bloglovin' recently. I wholeheartedly promise that I will try to get back into the swing of things blog-wise.

I have been wanting to post for ages, but with little time for making, zero daylight hours for taking photos, what to write?!? Before I started this new job (scrolling down to find this post I went past all my lovely sunny August photos- they have made me very nostalgic for summer...)I had a list the long as my arm of tutorials I wanted to write, patterns I needed to finish, interviews I wanted to do, but well life got a bit in the way......the weekends have been fantastic whirlwinds of seeing friends and staying out late......coupled with loads of long-distance driving.....making for very little blogging (and crochet) time. 

However, I have been getting on with a few bits. Do you remember this from a work in progress post in August?

Well scroll back up to the top you can see it in all its completed glory. This is a present for a friend but until I see her it is looking very lovely on the back of our sofa! What do you think? It was from a pattern in Simply Crochet. It was so incredibly nice to be able to work from a pattern and not worry about taking notes and the meticulous counting required when I'm designing. Talking of designing I have some very exciting news but I will leave that for a post all of its own (and I promise I will actually write it.....maybe even this week if you're lucky :-p )

Do any of you follow me on Facebook?? If so you may have heard about the Chorlton Art Market Hub. This is a Pop-Up shop in central Chorlton, Manchester organised by Alice of Patchwork Papillion . I cannot get across how AMAZING this shop is. Fifty artists and makers are selling their work in this shop and the quality and range of stock is absolutely mind-blowing. Here are a couple of pictures. They were taken during set-up and the shop is looking even better now, with new stock every day! Really, do pop in if you are in the area. 

Here is my little shelf, but the stock has been changed over now so you will just have to pop in and see what is in store! (or wait a few weeks til I'm back in Manchester and can take some proper photos- you can see the dodgy phone ones over on my Facebook page).

Phew, I'm so glad I finally sat down to post. Will be back soon. In the meanwhile take care and have a great week,

SSxx