Blue Fingerless Gloves

I really enjoyed working with this lovely lima alpaca blend yarn from Lincraft, it’s so soft! This is my post for this week’s Blue Monday hosted by Smiling Sally.

Because the Lincraft pattern specified this particular yarn I splurged out and got it, although now I know the pattern I’m sure I could substitute other wool from my stash. The pattern was very easy and is another one in the Crochet 08/09 booklet I bought a couple of months ago.

I’m very pleased with how these worked out, they’re perfect for wearing while typing on the computer during the winter months. Have you ever tried typing while wearing normal fingered gloves? LoL, it’s just not possible no matter how unfrozen your fingers are!

Be sure to check out other lovely blues @ this week’s Blue Monday!

❤

I had a quick look at all the participants this week, something I haven’t been able to do before. It does take a long time so I didn’t comment on most. A couple I did comment on, and this was my favourite to link, for my future reference.

• some lovely embroidery and crochet examples @ Cabin & Cottage

Nice Navy Blue Beanie

This could very well be the nicest beanie I’ve made so far. Although I don’t know why I used a 3mm hook with fine wool like this, it took me ages! I’m glad my brother liked this beanie enough to wear so I gave it to him! This is my post for Blue Monday hosted by Smiling Sally.

This was going to just be a simple beanie like others I’ve made, but because the hook was small and the wool was fine, it was taking a lot longer to finish. It’s nice and neat but I was getting bored, so I just had to add in some pattern, didn’t I? The pattern isn’t too feminine I think and would be fine for a man to wear, this is an adult sized beanie.

I made up the patterned part because I was bored. It’s a three row pattern repeated three times, I’ll try and write it out. It’s a bit hard to explain, but it looked good in the end. I used cheap craft wool from Lincraft for this, it was on special for $2. I don’t mind using cheap wool while I’m still learning, one day I will use nicer yarn.

Repeated 3 round pattern
1. ch3, db tr (American treble) in next treble (American double), skip 2 trebles, db (American single), repeat to end
2. turn and go the opposite way to all other rounds, ch 3, db tr into st ch sp (American treble), db into 2nd ch sp (American single)
3. turn back to the same way for all rounds except round 2, 4 db tr into each chain space (American treble)

Be sure to check out other participants for more blues @ Blue Monday!

My selected highlights from this week’s party –

• a wonderful nursery mural @ The Paint Splash
• romantic poetry @ Rinkly Rimes
• beautiful blue and white pottery from Italy @ No Minimalist Here
• lovely blue delphiniums @ Reach Beyond Limits
• someone else has a ginger jar just like mine @ A Delightsome Life

Barbie’s Blue Jacket

I made this bolero jacket for a Barbie doll back in January using a beautifully soft blue wool kept from my childhood. It’s particularly nice, and although its a very simple design, it required some fiddly fine work. This is  my post for today’s Blue Monday which is hosted at Smiling Sally.

The purpose of me making this was to practice making a bolero jacket for myself. That is how all this Barbie thing started. I bought the doll purely for the purpose of practising making real clothes. But as I opened the box, the magic started all over again and I have fallen in love with Barbie once more!

I actually managed to keep my two childhood Barbie dolls up until I was in my early 30s, but lost them in a terrible accident that happened while I was moving around after I left my first husband. Before the ‘accident’, I used to look at them in disdain, wondering why I couldn’t bring myself to throw them out, why was I carrying them around with me during such a difficult time? Now I know why, it was because I was in denial, I couldn’t admit just how much I loved my Barbie dolls!  They were in excellent condition and I had hung onto them for 25 years. But after the ‘accident’ they absolutely  had to be discarded and it’s a real tragedy!

Yesterday when David and I went to the Rocklea market, we saw a couple of  old Barbies from the 1970s and 1980s amongst the second hand treasures, all with very ratty hair so I didn’t get any. Instead we grabbed this really pretty blue vase which turns out to be slightly flawed.

I found an excellent blog devoted to collecting Barbie called “Don’t Just Play with Barbie, Be Barbie“. The inspiration for this blue jacket I found at Barbie Basics.

There seems to be a real Barbie doll enthusiast community, how fun!!

❤ ❤ ❤

Highlights from this week’s party include

• wonderful poetry, including a poem about a little girl who knows her colours @ Rinkly Rhymes
• Australian water-views and lighthouse @ A Tapestry of Life
• images of traditional Asian markets @ Travel In and Out

My Blue Skies

This is my first post for the blog party called Blue Monday hosted by Smiling Sally!

No matter how down I might be, a clear blue sky always cheers me up without fail.

It makes me count all the good things in life and brings a smile to my face!

It was such a stunningly blue day yesterday I just had to take some photographs.

I enjoy looking up at blue skies through the leaves of trees. The contrast of green against blue is eye-catching.I hope you like my blue sky photos for Blue Monday.
❤ ❤ ❤

Some highlights from this week’s party

• very pretty blue bells at Dancing Matilda
• an architect’s vision is finally realised at Applestone Cottage
• photos of Mount Warning by an Australian retiree at A Tapestry of Life