About Me

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I live in Kent with my husband, toddler Tilly (henceforth known as Monkey) and another baby due in November. We have two cats, Duncan and Lady Macbeth, and four chickens who kindly lay us eggs daily. We live in the picturesque seaside town of Broadstairs. I enjoy reading, knitting and cooking. I'm trying to be a bit 'greener' (not sure how successfully), and to be a gentle parent. Extended breastfeeding and co-sleeping don't freak me out, we use cloth nappies and try to follow some of the ideals of Attachment Parenting. If that sounds as if I know what I'm doing, I don't! I am also a psychotherapist with an interest in Focusing-oriented therapy, and I have a small private practice in the area.

Saturday 14 March 2009

More crochet and a lovely find

I wore the Monkey in the Moby D wrap today. It was the first time in ages that I've worn her and I'd forgotten how delicious it is to have a baby nestled asleep against your chest. We had a lovely lunch with a friend and her little girl, Monkey was so tired but stayed awake through lunch, charming the people on the neighbouring tables before conking out when I got on the tube home.
Crochet update: after about two hours of creating chain stitches and then failing to do the single crochet and having to start again, I finally cracked it. Well, almost. I've done it to the point that it looks something like crochet should look like, but I still need to refine it because I'm not sure I'm wrapping the yarn around the hook the right way. As for turning for the next row, well, that's not working out just yet because it's sloping so I assume I'm losing a stitch each row? I'm enjoying working it out, even if it is a little frustrating. The movement of the yarn and the hook is quite elegant. 
You know what the funny thing is? I feel like I'm being a traitor to my knitting! I've got work on my needles and I feel like I'm having an affair with crochet. Can it last or will it be a mere dalliance? Watch this space.

Isn't this divine? It caught my eye on a stall in Angel Market, and is a vintage, off-white vanity case with a lovely red lining. I wish I could say it was a thrifty buy but, being Islington, it really wasn't!
I thought it would make a nice case for carrying the Monkey's toys around in, or I could use it for my sewing or knitting bits and bobs. I love the little pink containers for toiletries.

3 comments:

Joxy34 said...

At the end of each row you do one single chain and turn the crochet (or do the single chain after turning, doens't matter).

How you wrap the yarn round the hook doesn't matter really, so as you're putting your hook in the the stitch, wrapping yarn round hook, pulling through the stitch so you have 2 hoops on the hook. Yarn round hook and pull through both hoops. Hey presto you've done a double crochet (which is what we call a Single crochet in the UK)

We'll have to get together again soon :) I rather suspect you're just missing the final crochet stitch (which is always a battle to get the hook into) of the row and probably doing doing the turn quite right. Easily fixed.

Right sorry have to do I have a little man trying ot pull my hands away from the keyboard because he;s tired and wants to snuggle and bf.

Unknown said...

Looks good! Yeah, just sounds like you're not doing a chain stitch at the end.
Can't remember if you said you had tried the youtube videos. Some good ones there.

At 2:39 she starts the last stitch of the row and shows the chain one before turning your work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hwHtyJFMf0&feature=PlayList&p=FFF15236A0B97605&index=2

willow81 said...

Thanks ladies. I've been watching Youtube clips, couldn't have done it otherwise. Joxy I think you were right, I did the chain stitch at the end of each row but I was missing the last crochet stitch.

I'm definitely going to have to do some sort of basic pattern though, as it's very boring just doing scraps. Any suggestions? What stitch should I learn next?

xx

PS Joxy, will definitely have to arrange another meet soon, if the weather stays fine we should head to the coast.