Wingham Show 2019

Wow, i've just realised it's almost a year since my last post!
We are still on the road travelling around Australia in our caravan.
I don't have a computer with me and its hard blogging on my phone.
In March I entered 3 items into the Wingham show and I
won 1st prize in the crochet knee rug section with my own pattern.

This is a photo of the blanket before the border was added
64 squares with 4 colours is a lot of ends, over 500,
so not for the faint hearted.
I actually don't like sewing ends in as I have a nickel allergy,
 but i did the ends as I went and it wasn't too bad.
When you have a strong enough desire to
achieve something, it's a case of mind over matter,
you will find a way.

For the middle star rug, I undid all the
squares from this post and re-made it
into one blanket.
The pink blanket on the left is
Rings of change by  Frank O'Randle
using Magic Light by Ice Yarns in pink shades #22021

Wingham Show 2018

This time last year the Wingham show was cancelled

so I entered a few items into the Taree show at the end of the year
I also entered 4 items into this years Wingham Show
I won first and second prize in the baby shawl section
and second prize in the lap blanket section.
Most of the baby items are usually white or pastels,
But I like to make items that are a bit different.
The Second prize baby shawl was a pattern by
Frank O'Randle called mini rings of change
In my favourite yarn  Magic Light by Ice Yarn #22034
My mum likes it better than my first prize shawl.
 
For the first time I entered into the baby knitted set of three section
Also using my favourite yarn I used in the shawl above
The pattern is called Aussie Swing by Aussie Maria
The hat is a bernat pattern available here
http://www.yarnspirations.com/patterns/knit-baby-hat.html
It didn't win a prize but that's ok I enjoyed making it.

The first prize baby shawl is another Frank O'Randle pattern
Called Mini Galaxy of change made from scraps in my stash

Last but not least is the second prize lap blanket
It is a pattern by Joyce Lewis called Simple 10-petal afghan square
I used the scraps left over from the blanket
I entered into Taree show last year that won first prize
It is similar but quite different too

I used quite a different method to create this,
I will blog the details in my next post

Taree Show 2017

Im so excited!
I entered 6 items in the show and won 4 first prizes,
a second prize and most successful exhibitor!
I didn't think i'd win with the baby jackets,
as one of the judges last year commented babies
should be dressed in white.
First prize for Yvettes garter stitch sweater
in pink baby design by ice yarn,
a jacket and blanket in blue white camel
dancing baby ice yarn, a 10 petal flower blanket in apricot
(which I designed using an app on my phone,
I will post more about that another time)
and second prize for another square and ripple blanket
in Cronulla Sharks colours of blue black and white.
this version was blue white blue black, last blanket
i made was white blue white black.
The last blanket was a simple V stitch, both ends
had a different colour for each row and I used a
discontinued carnival yarn fair isle in green
3 first prizes with ice yarn, my favourite yarn.

Baby design jackets

I ordered some lovely ice yarn called baby design
awhile ago to take with me while we travelled.
It looks like flowers when knitted up, so it is
best knitted, as it loses the effect when crocheted.
While I was travelling around I decided to experiment
using several patterns to see the different effects.
 The first pattern is called Boronia by Aussie Maria,
it's my first top down pattern I've used and it was quick and easy

Boronia

The next I made is a paid pattern #1929
designed for snuggly baby crofter DK yarn and
I used a matching pink yarn for the sleeves and yoke.

baby crofter DK pattern #1929

Then I made a few jackets using

Yvettes garter stitch baby sweater.
The first i made using 4mm needles, the I made another
using 4.5 mm needles and as the width of the back
was 27cm and the sleeve length was 14cm,
I added an extra 10 rows to the sleeves.
We tried this one on a 1 year old and it fitted fine,
although it was a bit short, like a shrug or bolero,
(which would be due to the fact I'm using different
Needles and yarn to the pattern!)
Another couple of inches would be perfect,
but I'm not sure how to add length to it.
I prefer the 4.5mm version to the 4mm.
I basically used garter stitch for the solid colour
and stocking stitch for the flower section, except for the back section.
For the sleeves I started from where the yarn changed from mid pink to darker pink.

4mm back

The next I made another jacket using 2 sections of the flowers joined together. Hope you enjoy the pics.

4mm front

  

4.5mm front

4.5mm back

4.5 mm sleeve & back before adding extra rows

4.5mm sleeve

double flower section back

double flower section front

Wingham Show 2017

before I undid the border

I haven't done much crochet or knitting for a few months
as we were in Queensland and Northern Territory
and it was very very hot and humid.
I was planning to post after the Wingham Show
but due to a large rainfall it was cancelled.
Recently I ordered an Ice Yarn I haven't tried before
Favourite Magic # 46970
in green turquoise grey orange yellow shades
4 balls made 3 lap rugs.
It is a soft yarn similar to Magic Light
with a slight sheen to it and it's very nice to work with
For the first blanket I used a pattern based on the Blue Star
I decided to pull the yarn from the middle
and just keep going to see how the colour changes worked

The second border version

After I did 9 rounds of granny stitch on the outside border
I decided I didn't like the look so I frogged it
Luckily I remembered to take a photo first
and used a rust colour to do mosaic stitch
which is basically granny stitch alternated
with a row of chain and sc
The 2nd blanket I used rust for the star border
 and  every 2nd row of the granny stitch border
The 3rd is my favourite, it's the same as the 2nd
but with peacock green used instead of rust

rust alternated granny border

my favourite version

more dancing baby crochet

We have been travelling through the red centre and while I had little or no phone coverage
I made a cute little crochet jacket in ice yarn dancing baby #24560
Blue camel and white shades using baby boy cardi pattern,
it has star stitch which I haven't done before

With the remaining last ball, I decided to make another miniGalaxy by Frank O'Randle by adding matching scraps from my stash.
I think I spent more time working out the colours than it took to make!
EDIT: 9/10/17 I won first prize
                       
I used scraps of:
White for rounds 1-4, 27 & 28, 34 & 35
Beige for rounds 5 to 7, 36 to 38
Brown for round 8 & 39
Light blue for rounds 9 to 12 & 29
Med blue for rounds 13 to 15, 30 to 32
Dark blue for rounds 16 & 17 & 33
& 1 ball of Dancing baby for rounds 18 to 26

In my last Post I posted 2 mini galaxy of change blankets, I really enjoy making this pattern
 and I have already started another rainbow blanket with red in the centre this time.

Crochet and travelling

In mid May we packed our household up and hit the road to travel Australia again.
We are now North of the Tropic of Capricorn in Queensland
We are escaping the Southern winter and have been enjoying
the lovely warm days that are 10-15 deg warmer than NSW.
We've just visited Bowen where the big mango is and
also where Baz Luhrmann shot the movie Australia.
My crocheting has slowed down as there is more humidity here.
I'm hoping I can overcome that by switching to making squares
rather than crocheting with a growing blanket on my lap.
The last few months I've been enjoying making blankets by
Designer Frank O'Randle and using my ice yarn.
I've made a pink and white set using magic light ice yarn shade #22021
The blanket is Rings of change by Frank O'Randle
I've Stretched it further by adding matching white and dark pink yarn.
The jacket is another magic sweater with a matching crochet beanie.
This set was given to the charity "knitting for northern rivers needy" in Coraki NSW

I decided To try another Frank O'Randle pattern called mini galaxy of change,
I had to learn new stitches, thank goodness for YouTube.
It's become my new favourite, the first I made was with Ice Yarn Dancing Baby
In white camel and blue, shade # 24560 with a 4.5mm hook, the 1st ball ran out 3/4 around round 22
And the 2nd ball finished at end of round 31,
then I used complementary shades from white to dark blue to finish.
This was also gifted to the knit 4 northern rivers needy charity

Next I made another using rainbow colours which I think looks very effective

Sophies Garden

Wow, I just realised its been 5 months since my last post!
I've been busy crocheting and been quite productive.
I purchased some lovely Magic Light wool from
Ice yarns and decided to make a few
blankets using the Sophies Garden pattern.
I made 2 squares using the White/Grey/Blue/Purple
shade 33053 for premmie babies and I have 2 balls left,
it is such a soft acrylic yarn.
The first is a premmie blanket for  Little Wonder
at RPA hospital. I used only magic light, but when I
added a few extra rows of block stitch, to make it 55cm,
I used a matching purple yarn for the chain & sc rows.
For the 2nd square, I added several shades of purple
and a few extra rounds of trebles to make it 50cm.
This blanket will be for premmie babies at
Ronald McDonald house in Canberra.
I also made a larger blanket, this time using
Magic light in green pink blue purple yellow
shade 22034 (my favourite)
for the centre rounds up to round 22 and
created my own design for the extra rounds.

Magic Light Ice Yarn & Magic Sweater

I've been enjoying crocheting with the Magic Light by Ice yarn from Turkey, I have powered through three balls and started on the fourth (and last!) ball. I'm finding it interesting seeing how it looks using different patterns. A friend recently showed me a baby jacket pattern and one she had finished, it was so lovely that I purchased the pattern too. The pattern is called Magic Sweater by Tessie S, here is the link for ravelry and I believe its on Craftsy too. No kickbacks for me, I'm just a happy customer and people are interested in the pattern. I've made two of them so far, the top picture shows the first one

I made using just the Magic Light yarn #22034 and the second picture shows alternating rows of Magic Light with a solid pink yarn and I added a little crochet flower clasp. Magic light is a self striping yarn, I didn't want the yellow on the front so I cut it when it came to that colour and used them around the edging. It's a quick and easy pattern and I really enjoyed making it. I was making them for this months Knit 4 charity recipients and I have received a few requests from friends with babies to make them some. So for US$3 it really is good value for a lovely pattern, I'd love to have a few sizes, but I'm hoping it will fit them as they grow. I'm planning to make another one with cuffs that can be worn folded back then unfolded when they are older.

Magic Light Ice Yarn

I recently discovered the Ice yarn from Turkey and couldn't resist trying it.
I purchased a packet (it's sold in packs of 4 x 100gm balls)
of their magic light which is a self striping 8 ply (DK or double knit) yarn,
in the green, pink, blue, purple, yellow colour way #22034
It's available from knit4charity ice yarn
I must say I love it, It's the softest acrylic yarn I've come across.
It reminds me of  an acrylic / nylon mix baby wool.
I've just finished my first project using this yarn, another round ripple,
the pattern I used is based on a pattern by Doris Yocum Turner
I used 2 balls of the magic light and then decided to add 5 bands in solid colours.
I made the decorative border based on border # 21 fromEdie Eckmans' book
"around the corner crochet borders'  I just used dc (Aus/Uk) sc for US.
instead of the chains in between each motif.
It's a great book and she has 150 different borders to choose from.
I couldn't decide whether to do just one motif on the corner or 2 either side as well,
so I alternated them. Now looking at it, I think I like it better with the 3.
The centre is from the Simple 10 petal afghan square pattern by Joyce Lewis
It was an orphan left over from another project.
I'm so happy with it, it's so pretty and I managed to combine 2 of my favourite patterns.
I'm looking forward to ordering more of this yarn in the future.
I have already started a few projects with this yarn and I'm onto my last ball already.
I have a few more projects floating around in my head and I can't wait.
I'm having trouble choosing which yarn I want the most.
 I could easily order up big, I have the space now, but no job to pay for it. Haha
Oh well I think I only have about 12 weeks until my birthday
PS There are Absolutely NO kickbacks, no yarn changing hands etc wish I did though.
Now to show you some pictures  (sorry it's unblocked) & the colours are much nicer in real life.