Fingerless Gloves

 Hello ... 

Oops, long time no post!

 I tried making some fingerless gloves :)

A New Craft - Diamond Dots

 Hi everyone,

I've been diamond dotting.

The last eighteen months have been quite unusual in that a lot more time has been spent at home but a lot less time has been spent crocheting.  Not quite sure why but I haven't felt the need to crochet (or knit) anything.

I've finished off a couple of UFO macrame projects and three diamond dots but no projects made from yarn.

Very strange but hoping to get back in to it soon.

What have you been making?

Lisa

2021 - No so much crafting ...

 If there is one thing that 2020 taught me it was to expect the unexpected!

This year I am going to take a break from crafting or decrease the amount of it and work on getting my health and energy back.

My cro-jo has disappeared.  I haven't crocheted anything in months.

Time to try and find it again!

Latest project - Comfort Bears

At the moment I'm practising my knitting skills. Even though I prefer to crochet, every now and then I get intrigued by the needles and knit something.

I was at a CWA Meeting the other week and one of the ladies there was knitting "comfort bears"

The pattern looked simple enough so I thought I'd give it a try.

As you can see from the two photos the bear is done in one piece and then sewn up around the edges to make the bear.

If you'd like to make one the pattern is:
Cast on 10 stitches
Knit 24 rows
- first leg completed, break yarn
Cast on 10 stitches
Knit 24 rows,
- second leg completed
Knit across all stitches
Knit 24 rows
- body completed
Cast on 10 stitches at the beginning of the row for the arm - knit across
Cast on 10 stitches at the beginning of the next row for the second arm - knit across
Knit 12 rows
Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of the row
Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of the next row
- arms completed
Knit 50 rows
- this does both sides of the head (front and back)
Then you work in reverse to complete the other side of the bear
Cast on 10 stitches at the beginning of the row for the arm - knit across
Cast on 10 stitches at the beginning of the next row for the second arm - knit across
Knit 12 rows
Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of the row
Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of the next row
- arms completed

Knit 24 rows
- body completed

**Knit across 10 stitches, knit 24 rows, cast off 10 stitches (first leg completed)

repeat ** for second leg

Then you just need to sew around the bear and diagonally across the tops to create ears and sew on a face.

Have fun and good luck, it is also a great way to use up scrap small balls of yarn.

500 - Five Hundred Matilda Poppies

In November 2017 I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a post talking about sending parcels over to Defence Personnel serving overseas for Christmas.  It suggested adding in a Matilda Poppy to acknowledge their service.

What the heck is a Matilda Poppy???? So I went looking further and found it to be a poppy that is orange in colour and acknowledges a veterans service.  The message being to "Respect Every Veterans Service", not just those lost to war or those from WWI and WWII but also those still serving today.  It is a way for us to say "Thank you".

I crocheted one and posted a photo of it and shared it with "Matilda Poppy", since then I've discovered that it is run by Andrea who is a veteran herself.

The more I read the more I was shocked that we have lost so many veterans to suicide.  Back then it was just over 300, so my goal was to make 300 Matilda Poppies, then if we lost another person I'd make another one so that no one was left behind.  ANZAC Day 2018 they were presented to the local RSL.

Fast forward to towards the end of 2019.  The number has sadly increased to be FIVE HUNDRED, so I made another 156 poppies.  Now there are 500 of them on their way to another RSL.  My hope is that they are acknowledged and those veterans we've lost are respected.  They may have died from their internal wounds but they still served our country and for that they should be treated with respect.

To all our veterans, I say thank you, to the mothers, fathers and families of Jesse Bird, David Finney and the other 498 I say thank you as well.  I acknowledge you and respect your service.

Thank you.

More information about Matilda Poppy can be found at www.matildapoppy.com

Poppy Crochet Pattern

Poppy Crochet Pattern (as used for the Matilda Poppy Project)

8 ply yarn in yellow and orange
4 mm crochet hook

With Yellow
Round 1: chain 2, 6 hdc in second chain from hook, join with slip stitch to top of first hdc.

With Orange
Round 2: Join in any hdc, 2 hdc in each hdc around (12 hdc)
Round 3: *chain 4, skip two hdc, hdc in next hdc repeat from * (4 chain 3 loops created).
Round 4: slip stitch into first chain 4 loop, *chain 3, 11 double crochet in loop, chain 3 sl stitch in same loop, repeat from *, this gives you your four petals.

End Off and weave in ends.

If you have any questions about the pattern please comment below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Thank you

Lisa

Sleeping Mats

On Tuesday I dropped off sleeping mat numbers 13 - 17.  That is 17 mats in total made in 16 months!!

Hopefully it means 17 people getting a slightly warmer, slightly more comfortable nights sleep.

I'd like to thank Sam from West Victoria Homeless Support Group who provided me with a peg loom to use to make the mats.  The mats made using the loom were a lot quicker compared to the first three that I crocheted.

At the moment there is another mat that is in progress, it is being completed by a Year 2 class of boys at Tintern Grammar.  Mrs G has got the boys weaving a mat so they too can help someone that is sleeping rough.  Thank you Tintern Grammar for taking on this project as well.