Crochet bracelet

 Here's a free pattern for this very pretty crocheted bracelet.

All you will need is some small beads (I used a mix of pink seed beads), sparkly embroidery thread, a button and a 2mm crochet hook.
Even the most beginner crocheter can make this cause all you need to be able to do its chain stitch.

First thread your beads onto your embroidery thread. The more beads you add the more strands you'll get in your bracelet so be generous, its better to have too many than not enough.
 Right now push your beads down the tread so you have a clear bit of thread to start crocheting. Make a loop and chain 3. Now slide a bead up to your hook and do a chain stitch, this will anchor your bead in place. Do another chain stitch without a bead. Continue in this way alternating one stitch with a bead and one stitch without until you've used up all your beads, then do a chain of 16 without any bead and slip stitch back in the start of this chain to form a loop for your button. My strand was about a meter long when I'd finished. Sew a button on the other end and weave in any ends.

Wrap the strand around and around your wrist and fasten the button through the loop to secure.

There you go easy peasy and quick to make too. This can be made in any colour to go with any outfit and if you use more beads and make it longer you can make yourself a matching necklace. Happy crocheting x

Break from blogging

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weekend in the garden

What a glorious weekend we've had here in Yorkshire. My garden was sparkling in the sunshine and all the spring flower are out and so bright and colourful. On days like that its not right to be inside crocheting so I was out baking in the sun, pottering round the garden and reading and chatting with friends.
 My garden is getting quite established now as we worked really hard last year, that means that this year I can relax and enjoy the seasons and see flowers coming back like old friends. Or so I thought, a garden is always changing and a gardener is never happy unless he's busy. So whats my new garden project gonna be? I'm gonna build a pond :) I have always wanted a garden pond to have froggies and tadpoles and dragonflies dancing about. I can plant water Lily's and marginal plants that I love but not had an area for before. I can't wait to start digging now :)

Down on the farm

 I can't believe its been over a month since I've done any work on the bobble bunch. I guess I got a bit sick of them cause I know how many more I had to make and a few went very wrong so I put them to one side and started other projects.
 Now I'm back with the first new set farmyard. This has a horse, pig, sheep and chicken in it and I might add a cow to it too. I am so happy with the little chicken he turned out just like I'd pictured him.

I'm gonna have a big making session and try and get all the new sets designs and made before I write up the patterns so my next job is the zoo animals and my elephant isn't going to plan oh dear.

My long list of bobbles to make
Zoo- Elephant (disaster looks like something rude needs re doing), monkey, Hippo, Lion (made but needs a re think) maybe a meerkat, mountain goat or giraffe
Christmas - Santa, reindeer, snowman, elf
Bugs - Caterpillar, spider, ladybird, bee, snail (done half the ladybird)
Halloween - Ghost, vampire, bat, pumpkin, witch, black cat mummy (mummy nearly finished and witches hat made)
Fantasy - Dragon, clown, wizard, robot
Possible more any ideas??

So when I finish these and add them to the set I've done it I'm gonna have a collection of over 60 patterns that I'm gonna make into a book. :)

Button flower pattern

The shop I work in has a range of wool on our top floor. When we first got the wool in I made up some bits and pieces as samples of the wool we stock. To be honest I'd forgotten about most of the stuff I made as those yarns have gone out of stock and new samples have been made, but on Saturday a lady came in asking for the pattern for some crocheted flowers I had made. Well I'd forgotten how I made them at the time, so I said I'd have a look at them and try and work out the pattern and post it here for anyone who wants it if I could remember it.
 Luckily a quick look at the flowers I'd made jogged my mind so here is the very simple pattern for these cute button flowers.

 You will need any bright yarn. I got 5 flowers out of a 25g ball of Dk yarn
 4mm crochet hook
 Selection of buttons

This pattern is worked in a spiral there is no need to mark your rounds.
Start with 6sc into ring
2Hdc (half double crochet) into the next stitch - repeat 150 times

Its as simple as that just keep going round doing 2 Hdc into every stitch and you'll have a flower in minutes.
Sew on a button in the middle and sew in any lose ends.

If you put a pin on the back these make lovely badges or they would look cute on a bag or headband.

Happy crocheting x

Yarn woes

Where oh where can I get a nice cotton or bamboo in bright rainbow colours? I have been searching every wool shop I know and scoured the Internet and I can not find one range of yarn that has all the basic colours and really nice bright rainbow colours without it being a nasty acrylic bargain basement one.
 I've never been fussed about using all the same make of yarn when I'm making something as I think amigurumi is quite forgiving and you can pretty much get away with using any DK weight.
 Now I'm trying to get a bit more professional with my patterns I have a chance of getting them in magazines and maybe even a book but this means I've gotta make sure I include the information about the yarn and material's I've used, and I don't think anyone would be too happy to discover I've used a yarn from my stash that's 10 years old and no longer being made.
So if anyone has any ideas or have seen a good range of yarn somewhere out there please let me know.

Seamus the paddys day omnipom

Well here he is finished with his pint of Guinness. He looks very happy now he's got a pint in his hand. I've gone for the most popular choice of name and so he will be know as Seamus. Thank you to all my followers on here and facebook for your suggestions there is a lot of love out there for Seamus and that makes me feel great and makes me want to work harder.
Now I just have to see if I can find him a home so I'll be putting him on etsy soon.
 Its the first of march today and that means its time for me to give away another custom made amigurumi to one of my facebook likes and the winner this month is Jules Harper. Jules if you like to contact me through here or facebook and tell me what you would like me to make for you I'll get my hooks into action.