Stitch Nation Adorable

A short time ago I received a very sweet
e-mail asking if I would like to try out some yarn...
Now I am always I tad unsure about e-mails offering me things
so I did a bit of research before I decided to just
give my address out...
What I found was a very beautiful range of yarn
and gorgeous pictures and patterns...
So I thought why not...
And then my package arrive...
Now to all my dear friends out there
it maybe time to hold your breath...
And now let out a Ahhhh!!!

This adorable box arrived and I can't keep my hands off it...


Yummy wool!!!

And these amazing colour paddles...
Oh I just want to frame them...

After many hours...looking...reading...
and well just feeling....
I just wanted to crocheter my little heart out...
But not before I managed a few pics for posterity...

Now for all my lovely American friends I am sure you must have
heard of this lovely yarn long before me...
But for those who are like me and haven't
Here are some photo's from the Debbie Stoller range...
Oh just sooooooooo Pretty...

Now before I whip myself into a yarn frenzy
I will give you all some links to find these products...

Stitch Nation Yarn

Red Heart

Now I will send out a huge thank you to the
lovely sweetie who plucked me out to send this package to...
Hugs...
and want to say
I can't wait for some Grandma Ruffles to start...
I will start with a project that is fairly easy
so everyone can get use to the pattern
and then there might even be a PDF in my etsy shop
coming out in February with a larger project...
Cross fingers...
and even a give-away at the end...
So I do hope these pictures have inspired you to
get out that hook and start whipping something up
or
visit these sites to get the creativity flowing...
I will be getting some more of this yarn
for my bigger project...
But I am still trying to beside what colours to use???
How to choose...
I have settled on the Bamboo Ewe yarn
as that is so soft...
Maybe some inspiration from everyone might help...
3 - 4 colours would be good...
What do you like???
Let me know...
Till next chat...

Happy Grandma Crocheting....

2009 collection

2009 collection
Originally uploaded by Loving The Vintage

What a year!!!
So many firsts...
So many projects...
So many hours of crocheting...
and a lovely bunch of bloggers to share it all with...

Thank you all for commenting,
e-mailing and bookmarking my little space...
I am so excited to start the new year
and so thrilled you will all be there with me along the way...

While the moving process is taking longer
than first expected it will be really exciting when I
get in and start some great crafty projects to brighten
it all up...

So for now I will be thinking of you and hope you are having a great start to your New Year...
and will try really hard to get a few projects up and running before to long...

Grandma Trees Flickr Favorites...

My creation
Originally uploaded by Loving The Vintage

Just love the Trees this time of year...
and love to see so many in the group...
Keep them coming!!!
I would love to have a Grandma Round favorite page as well...
so keep those coming...
I only have a few round pics in the group...
I hope everyone's New Years Day was just lovely...
It is raining buckets here and has been
since Christmas Day...
I think the river is well and truly flowing...
Which is really lovely to see...

Grandma Twinkle Doily

Grandma Twinkle Doily
Originally uploaded by Loving The Vintage

Oh got to love a doily!!!
Turn your Grandma Twinkles into a
6 point star...
Easy...
Start with 6 chains at beginning...
and make 6 groups instead of 5 for the first row...It may seem a tad gathered for the first and second row but this will flatten out in the last row...
and I didn't use my edit for the last row of these twinkles...
Follow pattern as per instructions taking into account the extra group and
wow you now have a 6 point star to join to more and more and more...
This one I have made from fine cotton...
But it does still work for wool etc...
You could even make a blanket out of them...
Give it as whirl...and don't forget to add them to the Grandma Tutorial Group...
If anyone has any trouble following these instructions I can do a more detailed post...Just ask...It will not be a problem...
I am happy to help out...

Grandma Flickr Favorites...Twinkle...

Grandma Flickr Favorites...Twinkle...
Originally uploaded by Loving The Vintage

Twinkle Twinkles everywhere...
Just adore these colours...
and so many new pics in the group I am finding it so hard to choose...

I will be showing a way of turning your Grandma Twinkles
into a 6 point...very soon...

That way you can join them together to make something bigger...
Hmmmm maybe a doily...
Everyone loves a doily!!!

Grandma Hearts Door Garland

Grandma Hearts Door Garland
Originally uploaded by Loving The Vintage

I have just managed to make some little Hearts
for my etsy shop...
Hopefully I can get lots finished and mailed out for
Valentines Day...

I hope everyone's Christmas was lovely...
And I will be back soon with some Flickr Favorites
so keep those gorgeous pics coming...
I love them all!!!

And a huge thankyou to
Wood and Stool for adding me to her Storque listing...
I feel so overwhelmed...
I have never been in a Etsy Storque before
and I am LOVING IT...
Thanks Ingrid...
See you all soon...

Grandma It's Christmas

Below is a photo of my Grandma and my little sister...

Quite a long time ago now...

I wrote this poem to remind me of what it was like
when my Grandma was here
at Christmas...


Grandma It's Christmas...

My grandma loved Christmas
the baked dinners a must
Gathering together
and giving so much
Crackers were pulled
party hats on heads
Laughing and smiling
at the corny jokes that were said.

Now Christmas without her
has never been the same
We don't have Christmas pudding
as we put her recipe to shame
No cooking over a hot stove
it's a Barbie and salad to go
We all seem to be in a rush
with no real place to go.

So grandma if you hear
can we all get a kick up the rear
To put some joy and hope
back in our lives
I know it is asking a-lot
but we are desperately losing the plot
In need of guidance
and good old-fashioned hard love.

But as I fear
with your previous engagements so dear
have you preoccupied with weather and world peace
So maybe sending Santa around
on the prevailing wind bound
as I do believe he got lost this time last year
Or maybe a cold snap or so snow on our doormat
so we slip and kick our own proverbial butt.

But if not that's ok
we will manage all the same
Just know we try our best
even if we make a right mess
We just miss you
and wish it was true
That one more Christmas would be filled
with you love my grandma dear.

***

And to all my friends I hope you enjoy Christmas
and the holiday season
wherever you are...
I have enjoyed this year so much
and I can't wait for a new year to start...
With so many new ideas and new friends
to share it all with...
Thank you

Carnival Dessert/ Sweet Table

Carnival Dessert/ Sweet Table
Originally uploaded by sugar_rush_confections

Oh It's this just the sweetest!!!
My lovely sister made all of these goodies
for her daughters combined birthday party...
So beautiful...
and if you live in the
Newcastle-Sydney region
of Australia
she can deliver...
her web address is...
www.sugarrush.com.au
you can find the link in my side bar
and not only wedding cakes are available but lovely
wedding toppers on her etsy shop!!!

So I will see you all very soon for my last post
before Santa comes...
Till then...

A Bit Of Ruffling

I thought I would get a start on some thing that I will be doing a
Tutorial for in the new year...

only I did start this one in triple trebles (treble)
and found it is taking a long time
and a huge amount of wool...
I will end up making this one in my fav yarn
so it will not really matter if it takes me a while...
But I will start one in treble(DC)
for everyone else ,
to make it more manageable and hopefully
less complicated...
I am sure you will all love this pattern as even though it does look
a bit tricky it is very easy...
I just need to make sure the amount of rows and spaces etc
are right and then I will have it out there for all...
So if you would love to do a little Grandma Ruffling
stay turned and it will all happen in the new year...
Along with lots of other
great projects...
I do hope everyone is having a wonderful
Holiday
and have lots of
Twinkles, Trees, Rounds and Hearts...
to brighten your home...

Grandma Flickr Favorites

1. ten crochet stars, 2. Sparkly granny stars,
3. Twilleys Freedom Gorgeous, 4. granny heart,
5. Star, 6. Grandma Twinkles

So many to choose from...
I adore the colours in these few
they are just so Twinkly...
I hope everyone loves these as much as I do...
and remember to add your photo's to the flickr group
Grandma Tutorials...
I love seeing so many finished projects
and I am so glad we have so many new members...
I do hope these are making your Christmas
bright and full of crocheted goodness ...

Grandma Hearts Tutorial

Grandma Hearts.

My grandma has a string of hearts,
She wears them around her breast.

When she gives me a hug,
one falls and hits my head.

You may think this would hurt,
Something falling from above.

But when it comes to grandma's hearts,
There never hard as there always full of love...

***
Here is the tutorial...
I have used 8 ply yarn
3.5 crochet hook...

Each side of the hearts is a mirror image...
So if you have trouble scroll down
and I have given the instructions for every side
as to help make it a bit clearer...
Enjoy!!!

First round finished...

Second row finished.

Third row finished.
Now the last row seems quite long but I have just
tried to explain it very slowly...
But as I have mentioned each side is a mirror image of the other
so if the pics from the first side are not explaining it easily
scroll down to see the pics of the other side...
Hopefully that will make it easier...

This next step is important...
Missing the next 2 chain space from last row will shape the heart...

As a just mentioned for the first side...
This step is important...
Don't forget to miss this 2 chain space as it gives the heart some shape...

Congratulations...

Now I do realize for the very beginner crocheter
that this tutorial is a little harder than the last ones...
But I do have much faith in you...
and if you have any problems please feel free to e-mail me...
And thank you all!!!
These tutorials have been so well received
and I do appreciate your kindness and sweet words
of encouragement...
and don't forget to add some pics to the
Grandma tutorial flickr group...

Grandma Hearts soon...

Grandma Hearts...

My poem writing abilities are fading in the heat...
so all I can say is this...

My! Grandma what a big heart you have,
All the better to love you with my dear...

The tutorial will be out very soon...
Just a bit of resizing and writing to do first...
and working out how to condense the 30 odd pics
I have taken to a more manageable post size...

and I have also been very busy wrapping...
The extra Twinkles and Trees and Dotties Tag's
have come in handy
and make the pressies look so pretty to...

Will see you all very soon
with what will be my last tutorial before Christmas...
and hoping all my Tutorial have helped
make your holidays that little bit Brighter!!!

For My Non Crocheting Friends

This time of year I always seem to be a tad
behind in lots of things...
Namely Christmas shopping...House cleaning...and organizing...
But what's new!!!
I think I am always like this...
Every year I promise myself that it will be different...
But come December I still haven't bought a thing
and I have projects half finished all over the house...

But for all my non crocheting but grandma loving friends
I did manage to think of you by whipping up
a couple of items for my shop...

Now I would love to add some more things but I will see how I go...
I think an excuse not to do the ironing is well overdue...

Also I want to add a very big Thank You
to my now 150 followers!!!
How amazing it that!!!
All the sweet e-mails and comments
that have been coming to my little computer
is almost sending it into a spin...
But it is amazing that when it has a spat
if I just unplug it from the power and then restart
all is well...
Just love mac's...

I have also loved seeing all the new Grandma Tutorial pictures...
and finding such lovely blogs along the way...
please let me know if you have put up a link or photo's
as I love to leave comments and see how everyone is progress
along the way...
and to all the dear friends that have left a comment
that I can not directly reply to
I do love reading your comments
and always try really hard to at least find your blogs
to leave a "hello how are you"...

So for now I must sign off as it is getting quite late here...
Nearly 12 midnight...
But I will be putting up a post over on Loving The Vintage
hopefully tomorrow...
so I will see all my dear friends then...

Grandma Flickr Favorites

1. Inspired by Loving the Vintage, 2. stars, 3. Christmas Twinkles, 4. Grannytwinkle, 5. Looks like Christmas, 6. Grandma Twinkles, 7. Christmas Stars, 8. crochet stars, 9. Star countdown tag, 10. PICT1382, 11. Granny's Stars, 12. six pointed granny star with thanks to Grandma Twinkle tutorial

I am loving the the response to the
Grandma Tutorial Group...
and I have even tried out the mosiac maker so I can share
some of the lovely photo's added to the group...
I am not sure if the size is working properly...
If anyone has made a mosiac before please
feel free to give out your helpful hints...

But back to the group!!!
Love all the fabulous colours and
creations...
I adore the added variations just as much...
That's half the fun is adding your own twist...
So please feel free to add photo's of all the wonderful things you have
made and altered using my tutorials...

and I note to all who have inquired...
my tutorials are absolutely free!!!
Use as you like when you like...
That includes making things for sale and even
having them as part of a crafty class you might have...
I love all the links that everyone has put up on there blogs
and do feel free to let me know so I can take a look and put up
a comment...
I hope that there will be lots more "DEAR FRIENDS"
joining in on the group and to all the members
thank you so much for sharing...
and keep the photo's coming...

There is a lot of Grandma love to give this time of year...