#BEDM - 9th: crochet projects update

Oh I do love crocheting.  Quite a few things seem to have been finished lately, so here's a little round-up of what I've been making....

A back issue of Simply Crochet magazine had a pattern for a scarf, using Manos del Uruguay wool.  I made one previously for a friend, which she really liked.  I thought I'd make one for myself, but I'd make it a bit thinner so it would be longer (this involved a lot more maths and a lot of failed attempts before I worked out how to do this).  I searched ebay for a bit and found some Manos fel Uruguay wool for auction and won it for a reasonable price, cheaper than I would have found it elsewhere.  The pattern is lovely, very straightforward to follow.  Once I had finished it and sewn in the ends I had to block it, to make the ends pointy and to help stretch it.  Following the instructions which came with the wool, I immersed it in lukewarm water for just long enough to make it wet, then used a towel to remove any excess water.  I then took over the hallway, and pinned it out onto two old towels.  As  you can see, it was blocking two doorways, thankfully it dried almost completely overnight, so it wasn't in the way for too long.

I put a pin in all of the points to make them pointy, and then pinned at regular intervals along the length of the scarf to try and make it the same width all the way across.

In the morning it was almost dry so I unpinned it (ensuring there weren't any left in the towels or on the carpet!) and hung over the airer to finish off drying.  It's just about the right length for me, and I love it very much indeed.

Last year Lucy at Attic24 asked her readers to make some crochet bunting for Yarndale.  I made a few bunting triangles and sent them off to Yorkshire, I liked being able to contribute to the event, and if you look at the photos on Lucy's blog, the bunting certainly was a talking point!

This year the Yarndale Global Community Crochet Project is to make mandalas.  There are plenty of patterns available on the Attic24 blog, and there are many many more available online.  I used the Granny Mini Mandala pattern from Zelna Olivier.  I won't be attending Yarndale, but I can't wait to see online what Lucy does with the hundreds (thousands?) of mandalas she is going to be receiving!

Here's my mandala blocked on a towel...I pinned out each point and then painted on a layer of PVA glue before letting it dry overnight.

 

This is my mandala this morning, ready to be wrapped in tissue paper and then posted up north.

This star motif was in issue 18 of Simply Crochet magazine.  Not sure if I like it or not.  It's currently being used as a coaster whilst I contemplate if I want to make any more.

 I've also got another package to send off to KAS, where these squares will be turned into blankets for vulnerable children.  Some are knitted, some crocheted, they're all going to help keep a child warm, and my big box of odds and ends is now a little bit emptier! Win-win.

May is a busy month for birthdays, I made a few of these cards using this tutorial for a few friends who I know will appreciate crocheted candles!

I've got a few more bags of yarn oddments to work my way through, so I'll put the kettle on and then get cracking!