Works in Progress and the Old Age Home

Wow I just realised that I rarely work on more than one project at a time and that I took up a second project yesterday simply because I ran out of yarn for my current WIP.  Expats absorb bits and pieces from all the different cultures they live in and I mentioned before that Penang in Malaysia resort around a saving culture and not a consumer driven one.  Our family now shop, live and consume /save similar to the average Penangite in Malaysia even though we have left the country. That surely has to be the reason why I only work on one project at a time and see it through to the end - no stashing of projects. Below I will post sneak peeks to the two projects - the one is a stripey handbag hooked in Elle Premier and the second project is an afghan for a single bed hooked in Vinnis Nikkim.  I love working in 100% cotton since it looks luxurious and shapes beautifully. 

This week I am kicking of a hooking project with the old and wise residing in an old age/caring home.  I am hoping to also involve ladies from a nearby retirement village since the latter are a wee bit more energetic and will help keep the project alive once I am no longer around in this area to assist. The purpose of the project is twofold, firstly as therapy and secondly to decorate their corridors which is currently devoid of any decorative objects let alone colour.  It is quite sad that these wonderfully wise ladies stare at white and grey walls day in and day out when their minds are full of colourful memories . . .

I saw a bag featured in a local magazine and decided to quickly hook myself one.  Isn't it pretty? I am using both 4ply as well as DK in six different colours - 3 warm and 3 cool shades

A throw for the Tween's bed as requested by her to be joined in off white.  The granny squares are in shades of green, purple, pink, aqua and yellow/orange.

Tutorial: Hiding Chain Stitches on Granny Squares between the rows

Hello, Hi, Hiya, Bonjour, Dumela, Asalaama Alaikum, Hej, Namaste and more! When I decided to forego my beloved pentagon and hexagon patterns in favour of hooking the "Little Karoo" throw in a basic square a month ago, I simply couldn't remember at what stitch to start and end a Granny Square. In hindsight I am glad since the majority of squares start and end each row in such a way that the chain stitches that form the first US dc are highly noticeable throughout the project.  Below are a few photos detailing the way I start my squares which also happen to hide the joins 100% - a pattern that emerged out of not knowing how others do it. Anyway, it might also be that this method is well known but I haven't surfed the tinternet yet to verify, so this is the Pigtails join for the time being. 

You will also notice that I do not put a chain stitch between my clusters in order to keep the squares tight and uniform.  I also only chain 2 instead of 3 stitches in order to create a US dc. I demonstrate by joining a new colour but the method remains the same irrespective of colour changes.

 In corner, ch 4. These will form one US dc and the 2 ch to create the corner.

Now create a cluster by hooking 3 dc. The corner will thus consist of 4 chains and the next set of clusters. 

Hook clusters all around.  I create my 4 corners by hooking ch 2 between clusters and not ch 3 as some do.

Once you have hooked a row around the square, simply hook another 2 US dc in the corner. You will cover the base of the first 4 chains you started with somewhat [it might feel wrong] which is exactly what you wanted. No-one will be able to detect where you started and ended your rows.

 Slip stitch into chain to close round - as seen above and below.

Now simply ch 4 again in order to start the next round. 

I hope my tutorial makes sense, I am not exactly the best tutorial writer where hooking is concerned. Have a great day - the sun is shining here and the weather is pleasant for a change. I am off for more tea-garden hooking and another fabulous Lemon Meringue South African style as seen below. Cheers!

48 Square "Little Karoo" Throw Finished!

Good evening from a chilly Western Cape Province in South Africa. Eeek I don't like Winter so by the way - roll on Spring and Summer! Having lived in the VERY hot Middle East and also the Tropics of South East Asia over the past 10 years means that the winter temperatures are killing me at the moment. I hibernate - hook, read, sleep, eat . . .  

The Little Karoo throw is finally finished. I absolutely adored hooking this throw with the amazing 100% Vinnis Colours Nikkim and selected the following colours to create the 48 squares: Blue Grey; Sea Green; Sage; Natural; Pacific Blue; Midnight; Stone; Blue Canard; Dunes; Slate; Khaki and Navy.  I joined the squares in Midnight via a technique so wonderfully illustrated by Carina. It is such an easy way to join squares that I can almost kick my own butt for not trying out the method on earlier projects. 

I have already started hooking the Tween's throw titled "Bollywood" and no matter how I entice, beg, explain, beg again - The Tween is adamant that she wants "Bollywood" in the exact same pattern than the above "Little Karoo" and only gave me the opportunity to try out a different joining method. O boy, I hope I won't get too bored doing more of the same. The repetition might just kill me but at least the colours couldn't be more different.  I will show you soon . Cheers!