Brave challenge .....

Hi there, I've been asked by a friend to crochet up a baby shawl for her friend. The pattern is in Book 519 Crochet with Peter Pan and was purchased from my local yarn store. The brave bit of this shawl is that it is done using 2ply wool so is very delicate but the result as I'm working it is definitely worth the challenge. This is the first time I've worked in 2ply so hence being brave; here it is so far:

This is the first motif, its worked in 6 rounds using a 3.5mm hook.

What I love about this pattern is that you join the motifs as you go along;
so here is motif one and two ...

And motifs one, two and three ...

And motifs one through eight ..

The pattern calls for 12 motifs to a row and then 12 rows of motifs to be joined together for the shawl before adding a border to it.

This is a photo of the finished item as per the book:

hope mine turns out just as neat and delicate as this

much luv Stitchy xx

Home is where the heart is ...

I love finding or receiving items that I can either change or freshen up, be this from the charity shop or things that friends have fallen out of love with. Yesterday's project falls into the latter cateogory, my friend gave me wall hanging last year that said Home on it with foliage, a birdhouse and some flowers. It is a metal hanging that had a plain cream/off white enamel finish, well now its been revamped with a few layers of enamel paints.

I used the following shades - Home #65 matt, birdhouse #26 matt,
 foliage #131 satin, flowers #222 metallic from Humbrol. 

I thoroughly enjoyed doing this project as the more I was painting the more I found myself relaxing and unwinding. I don't often get the chance to do something like this so made the most of it. Its given me an idea to keep an eye out for other items like this that I can revamp or freshen up for around the house. This is currently hanging on my kitchen wall and looks fabulous when the sun comes round and catches it towards the end of the day.

Luv Stitchy xxx