Simple Spiral White Doily

I do really like this simple spiral pattern, and it’s very easy to memorise for sitting in front of the tv in the evenings.

I’ve been working on this doily for quite a while, and simply stopped when I got to the end of the roll of fine cotton. I think this was one of the many rolls of fine cotton my mum has given me. I used my 1.75mm steel hook which was nice to work with and not too small for my eyes when I wear my glasses. I didn’t follow a pattern, it’s just the same as my blue baby rug, which I’m still working on. I guessed what that pattern was by looking at a picture on crochetspot, although mine is a bit different. It really isn’t hard, you just increase a stitch once every gap of which there is about a dozen per round.

When I finished this it was round and the edges were curled up, so it needed blocking. I simply wet it under warm running water and pat dry with a towel. Then I lay it on my piece of white cardboard that I use for blocking and pinned it out, stretching it into a star shape.

I think I’ll just use this as a doily somewhere? Or maybe I’ll add some beads to the edge and use it as a jug cover – I’m not sure yet!

Small Aqua Doily

This was going to be a drink coaster, but I wasn’t quite happy with it and it’s now a doily on David’s bedside table! The pattern for this doily came from a book I got from a second hand store at Toowong for $11. This pattern is on page 56 and the book is called ‘Beautiful Lace’, published by Nihon Vogue in 1982. When I finished it, it was very wonky, so I gently ironed it and it came out ok. I do want to have another go at making cotton coasters, or I might end up making some out of plarn.

Today, I was very naughty and bought some new baby wool! I know I should use up the wool I have first. I already have some baby wool in lilac, white, pink and a greeny orange variation. But I was very keen to get some stronger shades of purple and some green to match so checked out Lincraft today as some of the nicer baby wool is on special. It’s very naughty of me, but I got some expensive pure Australian wool machine washable baby yarn in bright shades of green, blue and orange.  I was after some brighter colours in really nice baby wool so I can make a colourful and cheery jacket, hat and bootie set, I can’t wait to start on that one!

I also bought some cheaper 100g balls of purple and green which I might make a baby rug with, and some alpaca to make another pair of fingerless gloves for David as he has asked for some.

At the rate I’m going, I don’t think I shall ever use up all my wool!!!

Easy Yellow Doily

When I got my regular message from Crochetspot this pattern was highlighted so I decided to give it a go. It was called a beginners doily and I whipped it up one Sunday morning, finishing it before lunch.The pattern for this easy doily is at Crochetspot. http://www.crochetspot.com/crochet-pattern-hipster-doily/

I don’t know what I’ll do with this doily, I just made it because I was bored! I like how the clusters in this one look more like triangular sun rays rather than rounded flower petals.

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Large Green Doily

I spent a beautiful sunny Sunday morning working on this, sitting outside in our courtyard when the sun finally decided to show itself, so I took the opportunity to work on my vitamin D deficiency!

This was meant to be a jug cover, but because I couldn’t use the recommended .75mm hook as it was just too small for me, using the 1.5mm meant the spaces in the doily were too big to make a jug cover. I used a variated green thread, which was amongst one of my op shop finds, and it makes a nice colour I think. Besides the Sunday morning, I also spent some of the Saturday and the Sunday evening to finish this off.

I used a pattern called ‘Chrysanthemum’ on page 52 in the book called “Crochet Covers for Jugs and Bowls” by B.R. Bolin, which I borrowed from my local library. I have taken so long in getting around to doing this green one, I extended my loan by a month, but I had to return the book the other day.

To be honest, I’m really not that into doilies. I certainly wouldn’t find use for many, just to protect a couple of furniture surfaces is all. But the reason I’m doing this is for practice. I think jug covers, on the other hand, are something much more practical, and environmentally healthy too, much more so than insect sprays and repellents. But my skill is just not fine enough to be able to make something that will keep insects out of a cup or bowl, so I have more work to do.

I didn’t want to iron this thread, as it feels like it has synthetic in it, so I just washed it in cold water with a little ‘Earth Choice’ dish liquid, then pat dry with a towel. I had a go at blocking as described @ Kitty and Me Designs. I guessed I’m supposed to stretch it out a little, the edges look better when I did that. All I used was a thick piece of recycled packing cardboard and some pins. I did find the centre, but it ended up a little off centre.  I started at the centre as recommended, working my way out to the edges. I let it air dry naturally, and I didn’t starch it because I just want to see how this would go. Another good blog post I found about this was @ Suzann’s Textilefusion. It definitely looks better after the blocking!

Now this one is finished, I’m thinking to try a different pattern which has smaller spaces in the centre, or perhaps I’m ready to try that smaller hook!

Pink Doilies my great-grandmother made

These are a pair of embroidered doilies my great-grandmother made which are edged with pink crochet. This is my post for this week’s Pink Saturday hosted by Beverly @ How Sweet The Sound.

I remember these from my childhood. My great-grandmother was so very talented with this, there are many samples of her work in our family, these are the few I have in my possession. My great-grandmother (my mother’s mother’s mother Margaret) embroidered these, as well as the crochet edges. These two are starting to show signs of age, and I know they look like they are in need of an iron, but I dare not touch them!

Here is another doily, this one my grandmother Beverly embroidered. That is my mother’s mother. The fine embroidery is so lovely, I hope one day to improve my skill with this, but I don’t think I will get it this good.
I hope you enjoyed seeing these two samples of our very special family treasures made by my great-grandmother, and my grandmother.
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Be sure to check out other pretty pinks @ Pink Saturday!

Barbie’s Pink Tea Party

The pink dress I made especially for today’s Pink Tea Party could very well be the most beautiful thing I’ve made so far! I think my Barbie is very pleased to have something so nice to wear to the party today, which is to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of Pink  Saturday and is hosted at How Sweet the Sound.

The vintage doll’s cane furniture is the first thing I’ve ever bought from Ebay about two weeks ago. I remember when I was a little girl some of my friends had these but I didn’t, and when I saw them on Ebay I just had to grab it! There was also a four piece lounge set for sale with normal chairs instead of the peacock chairs, but because it was my very first ebay purchase, someone else bid at the very last minute so I lost! I didn’t make the same mistake on the peacock chairs though, and got them for $16 including postage. Probably a little on the expensive side for my modest doll collection as I’m not too serious about it, but I do believe the seller when they said this cane set is about 40 years old! I think it’s a very special thing.

Using a 2.5mm hook and a small ball of baby pink yarn, I started the doll’s dress on Monday afternoon and finished midday Tuesday, so it took less than one day. This is not the first dress I’ve made like this, although I think it’s an improvement on the orignal because it crosses over at the back so you can’t see her knickers – if she is wearing any! The Barbie dresses I make are inspired by a dress I’ve kept and treasured from my childhood which my mother tells me was made by my Nanna Pam. You can’t tell when she is sitting down, but you can pinch the skirt to make pleats appear. I am so tickled pink I could manage to make something as pretty as this!

In an attempt to preserve the doll’s hair as long as possible, I try and keep it tied up in a little snood. Anyone who has collected dolls knows how synthetic hair can ruin over time. But the pretty pink dress needed it’s own hat, so I decided to give making a bonnet a go! I looked on google for images of crochet doll bonnets, but there were not many that I could see. I remember a knitted bonnet I wore as a young child which folded neatly into a square, so I made one up kind of like that. I didn’t follow a pattern at all, and used the same stitches as in the skirt of the pink dress.

The tiny coffee table needed a pink doily, don’t you think? This is my first completed proper doily and it took me between 2 to 4 hours I think, finishing it last Thursday morning. I used a pattern in a book I borrowed from my local library on Monday called “101 Easy Scrap Crochet Projects“. The pattern for this doily is on page 40-41.

This doll’s setting would not be complete without a tiny doll’s teaset but when I looked on ebay for those I decided they were too expensive. But when David took me to the Salvo’s store last Saturday I saw this set for just $1! That was more like it I thought, but didn’t notice until I got to the counter that the teapot has been broken and glued back together. Oh well, I don’t think Barbie minds! And the tiny teddies don’t drink tea anyway. The cheeky things have hidden a big bottle of liquor to sip during today’s party, those Party Animals!!! A good thing too, because there is only one teacup!

I hope you enjoyed reading about my special pink tea party!
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For more pinkness check out today’s special anniversary of Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound.

Highlights from this week’s party

• a truly magical and artistic tribute to Beverly’s Pink Universe @ Heart of a Wizardess
• gorgeous pinks like pink shoes and pink chandeliers @ Enchanted Revelries
• images of a tiny tiny vintage doll with crochet dress, hat and knickers @ Connie Eyberg Originals