Emé's new hat

The latest crocheted item. With felted heart detail. Isn't Gwen clever, and productive when she is stuck in the house ill.

Carnoustie Flower Show Photography

Carnoustie Flower Show has been a great success this year. With more entries and competitors despight the terrible weather. The addition of extra categories into the photography section has paid off with more entries than ever before. So many that extra tables had to be put out on Thursday to give enough space. There were 6 categories and Gwen scooped a 1st and 2nd prize, particularly good as she only entered two. I had two 1st places and a 2nd place. However, my two favouite pictures didn't get a prize. Just goes to prove that everyone has a different taste. Or it could be that the very kind help received from Nick Morocco with the mounts was what swung it, my two faves were in black frames, so a big thanks to Nick. Our fruit and veg was poor this year and only the plumbs scraped a 3rd prize. The herbs did manage a 1st place although there were fewer competitors this year in this section.

Crafty

Crochet and felt this month.

Labour of Love...

From when I first fell pregnant with Esmé, I have wanted to make something for her to keep. I couldn't knit, I have no obvious and useful skills, what could I make? I really couldn't think of anything, but it still bugged me I wanted to make her something. Over 6 months ago I started on her blanket...

...and I crocheted it!!! This time last year I could not crochet, I wouldn't even have known which end of a crochet hook was which! Around Christmas time last year, I saw lovely crocheted flower pins, for bags and jackets in DCA. They cost a small fortune and I was sure I could have a stab at making something similar. After all, the other women in the family seem to be able to use metal sticks to produce something wonderful out of yarn. And this was when I enlisted the Phyllis to help me.

Before Esmé was even born, Phyllis had made her a beautiful crocheted shawl, and we used it all the time. I loved it and marvelled at someone being able to produce something so lovely. It never crossed my mind that I could learn to crochet. However, after seeing the flowers I decided to ask Phyllis to help me and early this year, maybe 8 months ago, she started to teach me to crochet, may I add here that she is a wonderful tutor!

I diligently practised my squares and circles and at some point along the way, I decided that it would be a great idea to crochet Esmé a blanket. I eventually found the perfect wool, courtesy of Angels and Elephants, who have an Ebay online store. They buy in Shetland wool and dye it themselves. In fact they ended up dying a few batches especially for me, due to my complete inability to judge how much wool I would need! Thank you Kellie x

Of course, me being me, I couldn't find a pattern that was exactly what I wanted. In my wisdom I decided that, as a newbie hooker, the best thing to do would be to improvise on a pattern in one of Nicky's crocheting books and then make the rest up as I went along! As a result the blanket is the combination of five different patterns, with a little bit of Gwen for good measure!!!

Six months down the line and the blanket is finally finished. I am truly proud of my efforts and very grateful to James for his patience and support, to Kellie for keeping on dying more wool for me, to Phyllis for teaching me how to hook and for keeping me right, to those of you who have endured the blanket traumas and of course to Esmé for being so patient!

...I truly am a happy hooker!