I’m not sure about this one at all.

I began enthusiastically, wrapped a few rounds and then stepped back. The thing looked absolutely ghastly! I’ve persevered and now it’s done I kind of like it from a distance and the smalls think it looks great. I’m yet to be convinced. I need to sit with it a couple of days I think.

I don’t have enough of the spool knitted cord to cover the other arm of the lamp so if I do decide I can live with it I’ve no idea what to do with it’s twin. I guess I could scour the Op Shop for more beastly yarn but really…would you?

I dunno…thoughts on this one most welcome.

And another thing…

I spent some time with lovely Lamina a couple of weeks ago. Check that out here.

See what the other creative spacers have been up to right here.

After I posted the neck-warmer-cowl-thingamajig I had quite a few requests for a “how to”. Honestly, you really don’t need it…it’s so simple. Just a giant tube really.

BUT…
I used 1 ball of Patons Wilderness 100gram ball – 110 metres (sadly discontinued)
If you can get your hands on a ball do – it comes in a delicious range of colours
If you can’t track a ball down then about a 12-14ply of your choosing should be fine.
9mm hook

THEN…
I chained 52 & slip stitched to join.

Round 1
Chain 3 to act as first treble.
Treble into each chain stitch.
Slip stitch to join.

Round 2
Chain 3 to act as first treble.
Treble into next treble stitch.
Chain 2, skip 2 trebles.
Treble into next 2 treble stitches.
Chain 2, skip 2 trebles.
Continue working this pattern then slip stitch to join.

Round 3
Chain 3 to act as first treble.
Treble into next treble stitch.
Treble 2 into chain 2 space.
Continue working this pattern then slip stitch to join.

REPEAT Rounds 2 & 3 until you run out of yarn. For me that was 13 rounds.

I love this neck warmer. It has just the perfect level of collapse (sometimes hard to achieve with crochet). It’s a serious science don’t you know…the “air to stitch ratio” I call it. I love the chunkiness of the stitches and the squidge factor is extremely high.

If you’re looking to move on from a granny square then this is absolutely the very next project for you. You should have it knocked over in a couple of hours.

Find more creative spaces here.

… from a piece of vintage crochet
… without doing any damage to the original piece!

You probably won’t remember, but some time ago I fashioned a sweet little shrug which people got pretty excited about. I said at the time that it was total fakery & that made me look much cleverer than I really am.

I haven’t found any of the square tablecloths at the op shop for the longest time & then a few weeks ago I got lucky (& found four in one store).

Obviously someone’s gran has spent countless hours on the hook working up the table cloths & I think it’s a crying shame to leave them languishing in the op shop. This little how to is totally non destructive as we are utilising the holes made by the original crochet pattern. So, at any time I can snip the line of chain & use the cloth as … wait for it … a cloth!

Please note…this garment is sized “one size fits some”. You’ll need to trial the shrug as it depends on the size of the original cloth etc.

So you know how I blathered on a couple of weeks ago about how much I was in love with Instagram? I wondered if something good would come of it…well it has!!!

Always looking to change things up I fashioned a macro lens for the phone! I got all excited over on instagram about it & now I’ve made a how to so you can do it too. Hooray for that I say…so I have saved the mind blowingly good content for the blog eh?

Anyway … I used more bits of broken lens from the camera lamp affair (lucky I don’t chuck stuff out). The corner was fashioned using a product called Sugru. I found this product via Swiss Miss last year & frankly anything with the slogan “hack things better” is a product I need to have. It’s brilliant brilliant stuff. So thank you Swiss Miss & thank you Sugru.

So off you go & make a macro lens corner for your phone – it was a quick & easy project. Maybe I’ll see you (& your macro shots) over on instagram @kootoyoo. xx

How does your garden grow?

These little activity packs are being given to all the small people on the nice list this year.  Each activity pack contains a circle of artificial turf, 12 squares of colourful felt & a pair of scissors.

It’s a bit fuzzy felt isn’t it?  Just a super cute gift idea that I thought you might like to have a crack at too.

You don’t need a “how to” … it’s really just a shopping list.

You’ll need to buy…
mailing tubes (I used 60mm x 420mm)
scissors (test they fit inside the tube)
A4 single page labels so that you can print the “artwork”
felt (I bought mine from Winterwood & cut the squares to size)
artificial grass (you want the cheapest nastiest stuff they have so that it grabs onto the felt)

You’ll need to print…

how does your garden grow (link to original for print)

&

grass (link to original for print)

Knock yourselves out.