Summer crochet with added real dog goodness

I've got a wee finished object and a work-in-progress to share today.

First is another toys' blanket, this time made in Sirdar Snuggly Smiley Stripes DK in shade 257. The composition is 80% bamboo 20% wool and it has been a pleasure to work with. The stitch definition is lovely and it is easy on the hands.

It's a semi-circle made from UK trebles, then edge with scallops and a

ric-rac final

edge, to use up the yarn. I enjoyed making it and took the chance to learn and practise in the process.

While Esmerelda was modelling it, a red setter was sniffing around us and trying to figure us out. You often see this red setter unaccompanied, but its home is Our neighbours, Balcary Bay Hotel so I am not particulary afraid of it. (Did I ever mention how scared I am of dogs?)

Actually, I'm being urged to get off the lappy so I'll tell you about the WIP tomorrow. For now, I'll just link to The pattern on Ravelry.

x K

A Wii cloth

I've never really understood how people can spend hours making cloths just to get them manky on dishes and grimy kitchens.

Face-cloths and shower puffs I can just about handle.

So, to practise my crochet I've made a little cloth to mop my fevered brow when using the Wii Fit Plus. I'm trying to improve my fitness, and using the Wii is one of the ways I'm doing it. Also watching the food and using the bike, taking a Pilates course, walking more etc. Wii Fit Plus on Nintendo page

I've now got a Gold Fit Piggy because I've been exercising on the Wii for more than forty hours. (A Fit Piggy is an on-screen piggy bank of your accumulated exercise minutes, every time you finish say, thirty minutes of Step on the Wii, it tallies up your thirty minutes.)

It's made from King Cole Bamboo Cotton Ravelry link which I had left over from a headscarf from last year. It's proving very useful because I do *glow* a little when I put the Riser on the Wii Balance Board and do a good session. If I dab myself it stops my glasses falling off when I try to do the yoga poses!

It washes like a ribbon in the machine, dries very quickly and has helped improve my crochet as well as my fitness. I have trimmed down a bit and am determined to continue getting healthier. x K

Green Shoots

I am delighted to present a shawl I improvised myself from the beautiful Bitter Bug colour Bamboo and Merino sock yarn from Old Maiden Aunt which I got in the yarn preview club which ran last winter to give a taster of the different shades and sock-yarn bases available for this year's collection.

I knew this yarn could make a lovely shawl after having used it last year for a well-loved project .

I like it even more than the yarn I used last year because the colour is even more up-my-street, I adore this type of green and the variation in the hand-painted yarn gives it a multi-faceted look.

The little "Bitter Bug" was a charm which came as one of the extra goodies with the yarn preview club. I used him as a stitch marker while I was making the shawl and he looked so good with it I had to incorporate him into the shawl itself.

This project means a lot to me because it marks a bit of a renaissance of my interest in things crafty and after a rough few months it marks the first times in ages I've felt inspired and enthusiastic about *anything*, hence the name "Green Shoots".

It starts with stocking stitch then moves into a chevron stitch and was a delight to work with, in this top-notch yarn.

I'll be working with this yarn again, no doubt, and may have another go at this "pattern" too.

Green Shoots, aaah! x K

Well-Dressed Head Part One

Here's a headscarf I've made from King Cole Bamboo Cotton blend DK.

Ravelry link

The main part is knitted in stocking stitch from the wide end down, the five last stitches being left live.
Then the edging was added afterwards to the diagonal sides. It is the lovely edging from Brooklyn Tweed's Girasole. Thank-you Jared Flood.

I only have one ball of this yarn, bought from Drop in for a Yarn in Dumfries just to play with. I would very happily use this yarn again.
Considering it is made up of a dozen thin strands of the bamboo and cotton mix I didn't find it splitty, but I would say that it shows up inconsistencies in tension. If I was making a garment out of this I would also watch out for creasing- it basically stays the way you put it so if you lay it away nicely it comes out pristine and if you stuff it in a bag it comes out crumpled. Give it few pats and it starts to smooth out for you.

It's funny, I wouldn't walk the streets of Glasgow wearing headscarves, but being down here amid fields and cows and sheep and horses and llamas it seems fairly natural, even if you have absolutely no dealings whatsoever with the cows, sheep, horses and llamas! x K