Spring Lampshade Makeover

This week has been very exciting!

A while ago

 I was asked to write about my work

 by the lovely people at 

Simply Crochet Magazine

I am so proud to have been featured

 along with many of my crochet friends

in issue 28

The red edging has been completed

 on the Stylecraft 9090 flower blanket and

 I am loving the way it sets it off!

So today I've been playing with something

 for me here at Patchwork House.

This plain old lamp shade

 has been need of a revamp for a while

to compliment the other pretties on my dresser

I followed the advice of the lovely Lucy at

 Attic 24

 and was soon hooking away with great speed

I have used

  Stylecraft Classique Cotton

which is beautiful and firm and does not split!

 I love the stitch definition from this yarn

 and cant wait to try out

 the new colours that have been added to the range

so today's fun is complete

 and Patchwork House is now ready for Spring!

I wish you all a peaceful and relaxing Sunday

as I now return to my school work ... 

1 more week to half term and I cant wait!

Heather

X X X

Half term hooky

 Half term for me

 has been a wonderful time of relaxation

 in my favourite part of the world

  

The Yorkshre Dales

 we spent time enjoying

 sheep pheasants sunshine autumn leaves and lovely walks

quality time

 in a lovely cottage in a quiet village 

was just what the doctor ordered

breath taking scenery

special time together

 away from busy jobs and lives

 brings us home

 feeling blessed and recharged for the next 2 months!

Of course there was hooky

lots

and lots

of wonderful yarny therapy!

Sirdar Snuggly Baby Crofter

 is a variegated yarn with amazing colours.

 It is very soft and fun to work.

Random or self striping yarn

 is the ideal portable yarn for taking on holiday,

 one ball, hook and scissors fitting very neatly in my bag everywhere I go!

I was inspired by the

 Crofter Blanket

made by the very talented blogger

 Anita Mundt

if you dont know her blog

 A Creative Dimension

 you are in for a treat ... pop on over!

As a change I chose to make a baby blanket

 so I am working with the softer brighter colour palette of 

Sirdar Snuggly Baby Crofter DK

I am now very brave and hook in public most places I go

on trains

in the car

on picnics

and in cafes and pubs

 it is wonderful when people stop to talk

 and ask about what I am making

Well as you know I have many OCD tendancies

 and love nothing more than planning my crochet.

 Matching hooks and mugs

lining up colours

counting equal amounts of each round

all make it perfect and appeal to my Mathematical brain!

So when I first started with this random yarn

 I must admit that I wasn't too keen!

But as the week progressed it has grown on me!

 I am now loving the arty look of these variegated squares

 and they come with the added bonus of no ends from changing colours!

I have used

 2 x 50g balls of each of the following 4 colours

 and made 80 squares.

These are now being edged with cream Sirdar Snuggly

 and I am liking them even more as the cream makes the colours pop!

Do come back next week

 for a progress update of my variegated blanket!

When complete I will be writing up the pattern for you

 and joining and edging instructions

 to be published with the final tadaa photo in a few weeks!

My final treat of the holiday

 was a morning spent with a wonderful hooky gang at the 

Skipton Knit and Natter group.

I was so delighted to be invited and had a wonderful time

 with lovely ladies who speak the same yarny language!

 Thank you all for making me so welcome.

So now after a heavenly week of hooky and countryside

 it is time to get ready for back to school.

Here at Patchwork House

 I am enjoying a new thrifted jug for my flowers. 

Wishing you all a happy Sunday!

Heather

X X X

Hello August

Goodbye July and Hello August!

Pheww its been hot ... too hot for me,

 but at least we feel that we've had some summer now!

August has arrived with excitement

 as we celebrate the 80th and 85th birthdays of my parents.

This weekend they hosted a birthday meal to celebrate

 and 26 of us joined together in a very special afternoon.

 Mum and I decorated the restaurant with flowers from her garden

 which we love far more than any shop flowers.

I will be giving Mum the special blanket I have made

 on her actual birthday this week

 so do watch next weekend for the big reveal!

Socialising is not really my cup of tea

 and after 2 social events in 2 days today I was exhausted!

 So I took great delight in a much needed

 afternoon of total indulgence and relaxation

 here at Patchwork House.

 I know I'm tired when even crochet is beyond me!

This week I've been busy

 and as well as working on an Elmer blanket and a V stitch blanket

 I've whipped up another set of starburst flowers for a baby blanket.

 This is going to be a beauty joined in cream.

Feast your eyes on these beauties made in my favourite 

Stylecraft Special DK

in fondant pomegranate shrimp bright pink plum magenta

 lavender turquoise aspen spring green and citron.

This pattern is called starburst or sunburst

there are plenty available on the Internet and there is one

 HERE

 by Priscilla Hewitt that you can use

This week I will be surrounding these beauties with cream

 and will of course show you the finishes baby blanket next weekend!

I will leave you know with a view of my July

I hope that August brings holidays and relaxation

Happy Hookin!

Heather

X X X

Half Term Happiness

It has been wonderful

 to be full time at The Patchwork Heart for the last 9 days

enjoying my home in daylight

Leisurely coffee with new magazines

and colourful crochet

time to work on new projects

 that have been cluttering up my head

time to walk and visit local beauty spots

time to shop

and meet friends for lunch

This week

 I had the pleasure of a hooky lunch date 

with my lovely friend Heike from Made With Loops

we talked non stop and shared hooky gifts

I was lucky enough to manage 2 days away 

visiting family in rural Lincolnshire

oh what a wonderful break

the sun shone as we walked and talked

But now I'm home and down to earth with a bump 

preparing for back to school

 this afternoon I have enjoyed playing at my sewing machine

making a Teacher Planner Cover

 to brighten up the desk of one of my colleagues

I hope you have all had a great half term too and are refreshed

the next countdown begins

7 weeks to Easter!

Enjoy the lighter nights

Heather

x x x

Happy weekend!

What a long week!

 So glad Friday is here ..... Too tired even for crochet

 ~ now that is bad!

Happy Friday my hooky friends!

Heather

x

After Christmas prettiness

Birthday flowers

 that I'm enjoying while I crochet

 here at Patchwork House

Life at Patchwork House

Welcome to Patchwork House!

I am forever changing things around

and thought you might like a tour . . . . .

I love to make

cosy corners

colourful displays

comfy seats

My treat on a Friday

is to buy myself flowers for the weekend

because

I survived the week

I want to indulge myself for the weekend

and I'm worth it!

Time for me

is sitting cosy

amongst

patchwork quilts

and crocheted cushions

I love upcycling

and you will find many things in my home

made from recycled clothes

I collect jugs

and in summer fill them with

garden flowers

My love of all things Cath

is taking over lately!

I am blessed

to have a new husband and 3 children

I love to bake for them

and make a welcoming home

Happy weekend friends

enjoy your home making

Heather

✿♥