Tuesday 26 April 2011

holiday! hooray! no sewing machine! boo hoo :'(

The British weather has been hot hot hot! and I've been on my hols... Of course that meant no sewing machine. Just when the sewweekly challenges were interesting - I was desperate to do the "kidding around" week, an item inspired by a photo from your childhood. I did have a look through my old photos, and found this:


As you can see, My brother and I are children of the seventies, and I am sporting that coolest trend of the mid seventies: a crochet hat. I imagine that my grandmother made it, she could crochet, and made beautiful things. She tried to teach me to crochet once. I couldn't see it at all. Then, a couple of years ago, I bought a fabulous book: The Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller. I spent a week on holiday trying it out with one hook and squeaky acrylic wool. Guess what? I can crochet! (don't get excited, not well....)

For crochet you need: a hook, yarn. That's about it.

So, in hommage to the sewweekly kidding around week, I made:

It's a pattern from The Happy Hooker, it's a 1940s inspired capelet, I'm v pleased. It is made with wool from a charity shop, six 50g balls for 99p so this cost about 45p to make.

Then, this weekend in the caravan I made this scarf from the book with another of the balls of wool, it's a one ball pattern so cost about 20p and took an evening in front of the telly to make plus an hour the next day.

I'm going to put it in my Christmas pressy box ready to pack up in December!

Finally, went carbooting at the weekend, here's my haul:

Particularly keen on the spotty ribbon, the seller said she had a dress with it on in the 50s when she was a child. 



5 comments:

  1. Hi Charlotte - love the crochet projects you have done, I think I will try and find "The Happy Hooker" (love the title). I too was going to do some crochet while I was on holidays after being inspired by this great blog

    http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2011/03/japanese-flower-scarf-ta-dah.html

    but I only managed one granny square.

    Hope you are enjoying the great weather, it is starting to get cold here (well it never really gets THAT cold here in Brisbane).

    xx

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  2. Thanks Deb,that scarf is gorgeous! I have 2 projects in my crochet (both from the Happy Hooker, that book is SO worth every penny).... but I am now seriously coveting the Japanese motif book the scarf pattern came from....

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  3. you are amazing, you can ceochet, I have always wanted to beable to do that! Love your stash too!

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  4. Hi Charolette
    love the crochet projects.So pretty..
    Just wanted to send a quick little note to tell you.. Everything will be ok..Don't stress your self over the dress.When you try to hard, you get discouraged and it seems everything goes wrong.
    I know,when I have something important and it messes up.Makes me so angry!!! and frustrated!!! Just remember..you dont have to finish that pattern, if it doesnt work..
    But I am positive and I have faith in you.. You will pull out a really pretty dress..
    Praying for things to improve. Judy

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  5. Thanks Charlotte - get that book and you too will crochet! It's alot easier thann it looks...

    Judy you are so lovely and thoughtful, I am so happy you are my friend. I am giving That Dress one more week at dressmaking class.... it's definitely in the naughty corner xxx

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