New blog!

Hello! You can now find my blog here: http://thelittlefarmhouse1.blogspot.nl/

The content of my other blog is gone, I’m afraid. Hope to see you in The Little Farmhouse.

xx

I have moved

Hi,

I had to move. Here’s my blog, with a new name: blog.thelittlefarmhouse.nl.

Hope to see you there!

Corine
xxx

http://blog.thelittlefarmhouse.nl

Buntingalingaling ….

I am a member of the Facebook group The Crafternooners, hosted by the lovely and talented Kathryn (we’ll meet soon!). The first project was a big bag, Kathryn’s own design, and that was a huge success so decided was to do a CAL kind of thing every month. This month buntings are on the menu. A lovely project that doesn’t involve much time and you can use any yarn you like.
For my bunting I used Drops Paris cotton for the first little flag. You may remember I am not such a fan of Drops Paris. Yes, I do adore the colours, but the yarn itself, nope. So, on a rainy and dark Wednesday I tried to make a bunting and I wanted to design my own. The two photos above, btw, show you how poor the light (it is still Autumn in July over here) was as the pic with the white border shows you the actual colours. I only made one flag with this cotton as I am planning to use my other cotton for the bunting.
Right, happy to share my little pattern with you, but beware … it’s the quick version, so no detailed photos I’m afraid.

I used a 6mm hook and two colours of Drops Paris.
UK-terms
tr = treble
htr = half treble
dc = double crochet
sl st = slip stitchRow 1  –  4:
Start with a magic circle, then work 3tr, 2 ch, 3 tr (3 x), sl st in first tr. Another sl st in next stitch and one in the ch 2 space. (Watch the magic circle-instruction till 1:15)
If you don’t want to do the magic circle just chain 3, close to form a ring and ch 3 (is first tr).
Ch 3 (counts a first tr), 2 tr, ch 2, 3 tr (first ‘corner’).
On the sides always 3 tr + ch 2.
Row 5:
Corners: 3 tr, ch 2, 3 tr.
Sides: 3 htr + ch 2.
After row five fasten off.
Row 6:
Attach new colour and ch 2, 6 tr, 1 dc in a corner space. Other two corners: 1 dc, 6 tr, 1 dc.
Sides:  1 dc, 4 tr, 1 dc.
Fasten off and darn in yarn ends. It now measures 16 cm.
That’s all! You can block it to get that perfect triangle shape, but I did not block this one. Yes, I can be so lazy sometimes … I am going to use my first practice piece flag as a coaster (that doesn’t look bad at all) and I’ll make a nice, proper bunting with other cotton. To be continued …

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Finished … The Many-Stitches-Blanket!!

Tuesday was a happy day, as I finished my many stitches blanket! Yay! And I am so utterly happy with it, I just love how it turned out.
It all started with basket, filled with lovely yarn. Soft and muted colours. Colours that made me smile every time I looked at them. And then I took my hook and a ball of dark blue yarn and made a foundation chain of 173 stitches, and after the first row of trebles (NL: stokjes/US: dc) I counted 171 stitches. So that was my beginning. As I have used a wide variation of stitches I didn’t always have the right number of stitches at the end of a row. That has always been a mystery to me: how can stitches suddenly disappear or add them themselves? Now I do live in a very old house so I guess we must have a naughty crochet ghost playing with my blanket while I asleep. Well then, here and there I had to decrease or increase one or two stitches. It doesn’t show. And there is also not really a front or a backside at this blanket.
Stitches that I have used are also used in that beautiful “Fantasy blanket” by Lanas de Ana and I got some inspiration from the lovely “Not your average blanket” (for the star stitch, see row 16), plus some stitches from my own Haakbijbel by Sarah Hazell. I cannot show you the complete pages of this book, due to copyrights, but I can tell you which stitches I have used: (Dutch version!!) no. 50 (iris), 58 (rack), 55 (linked shell) and 11 (staggered half double pairs), but instead of half trebles I used trebles for that one.
I am so glad I have bought this book. Although I usually watch instruction films on YouTube, this book has really taught me some new crochet skills, till my own surprise.
The pink-white-pink rows is the iris stitch (no. 50), I really love that one. I think no. 50 would make a wonderful shawl, don’t you agree?
I placed a couple of photos of my blanket on Facebook and Instagram and the response was shocking, in a positive way that is … :-). Many sweet ladies asked me for the pattern. The thing is, I didn’t take any notes while making this blanket. Well, just a few.
So there is not really a pattern, sorry. There are also stitches in this item I made up myself and I forgot to write down how I made them. Yes, that is very, very, very stupid and I have learned my lesson. Next time I’ll write it all down immediately.  I love my little pink tulips in the grass. You can find a pattern to make these cuties here.
The border was kept simple as the blanket itself is busy enough. I ended the blanket in dark blue, and at the corner I ch 2 and made a side in half trebles. The other side got the same colour. Then I made another round in dark blue, this time in trebles. After that row I turned the blanket.
So, to be precise:
First row – half trebles (US: hdc).
Second row – trebles (US: dc). Turn work.
Three more rows of trebles, turn work after every row.
Final row (pistachio): Work in same stitch 3 tr, 2 ch, 3 tr. Skip two stitches, in next stitch 1 dc, skip 2 stitches, in next stitch 3 tr, 2 ch, 3 tr, etc.After the final (yay!) stitch I blocked my blanket. I just pinned it on to the floor and used a water sprayer, and let it be for the night. During the night I hoped for a dry and sunny day so that I could take decent photos outside. But no such luck as it was pouring this morning.Right, some other facts you crochet-peeps wantlove to know:

Measurements: The size of my blanket is 120 x 155 cm. To me that is rather small but it sure is big enough to snuggle up into.
Weight: 1288 grams.
Colours and yarn: I have used eight colours of Drops Lima, that is 65% wool and 35% Alpaca-yarn (which means handwash only!):
3145 Powder pink
4305 Dark blue
8112 Ice blue
7219 Pistachio
0100 Naturel
0206 Light beige mix
6235 Grey blue
7810 Moss-green
Hook: 4 mm. I made the foundation chain plus the first row of trebles (stokjes in het  Nederlands / dc for US readers) with a 4.5 mm hook.So, are you ready for the big reveal? I am so here it is … my many-stitches-blanket …. and I really want to say this time …..ta-daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh …………….. !!
Sorry for the sad pics, as the weather is still crap and I couldn’t take any photos outside. Okay ….. one last pic then, just me snuggling up in the blanket. I usually don’t do selfies, but hey, what the heck. Did I tell you already how utterly happy I am with this beautyblanket??

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Autumn in July

When I look outside I see rain, a lot of broken branches and leaves on the street and I see wind. Well, I cannot actually see the wind but I know it’s there. I’d better stay indoors today then. We had such a storm this weekend, with a lot of damage. Luckily all of our trees are still firm in the ground, but it did get a bit scary now and then. I must say, I do like a good storm but what I don’t like are these squalls. It makes the roof ‘squeak’. Now there are plenty things I can do today, like cleaning the house or sorting out my wardrobe, but I think I’ll choose the most important chore: finishing my blanket. There are so many crochet WiP’s going on in this house that it makes me restless and unease. I just have to finish something now.But before I continue my blog-writing I need a cappuccino. And a vest. It sure is chilly out here. Right, the blanket. The many stitches blanket that is. I am almost there. I am now working on the last row and then I can start making the border. It was such a pleasure to work on this blanket, I loved creating something new and using stitches I had not used before. Of course these stitches gave me new ideas, ideas for new blankets, a bag, a cushion cover and other projects. There’ll be a pleasant amount of yarn left after completing the blanket, enough for what I have in mind. I really enjoy working with this yarn and it has the most amazing colours. Unfortunately I have only about half a ball of pink and half a ball of light beige left, so I can’t use that for the border. But I am not allowed to buy more, as my mission for this year is to use ALL of my ‘stash’ first.  Anyway, no new or other ongoing projects yet, I MUST finish this blanket before I can finish, or even start another item. This blanket should have been finished a couple of weeks ago, that was the plan, but we had a heat wave on this side of the pond and it was just way too hot working on a Alpaca-wool blanket.  But this week is a good week to continue working on this one. And I’ll finish it.

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Sleepless in the village

When I can’t sleep (which happens a lot) I ponder, I drudge and I think about crochet. I think of all my ongoing WiP’s and what to do with them. In my head I make lists, in which order to finish to finish them. I am very good in making lists, you see.
Two nights ago, wide awake, I suddenly decided to unravel some of the projects. The next morning I started a new one. Yes, there is no logical explanation for my behaviour, I know. As I still have loads of Stylecraft DK I began a new blanket. With colour, have you noticed? 🙂But this morning, after another short night, and after my horseback riding lesson (which was lovely as we went outside for a ride, although I only trotted three times three meters in the berm as I am such an utter wimp) I knew what to do. Unravel my big bag made of tweed. It is just too big for me. And I would like to make another one, in Grousemoor Chunky. Now that I have all of that yarn in the house, I have a good excuse to try it. So, unravelling the bag is decided. I think I’ll make a giant granny square-blanket of the tweed, with a 6mm hook, as the 5mm gave me sore hands and fingers last time.
Something that happens while being wide awake is that new ideas pop up. I think of my yarn and what to do with it. And suddenly I had an idea for a pattern. It’s not a mandala, it’s not a blanket, it’s something different. Tell you more about that later. What I can tell you is that I’ll use Grousemoor Chunky. I love that yarn, I really do.
Currently I am working on a sweater (sis, don’t laugh!) with colour Pebble. As I am not a knitter I haven’t got a clue what I am doing, but the (slow) rhythm of those knitting needles are somehow very soothing and calming. The reason I knit slow is that I am terrified of dropping a stitch. I started with 72 stitches on 5mm needles. They are bamboo needles and I love them. They are pleasant to work with, I prefer them above metal ones. Anyway, the start of a new sweater, my first home-made sweater ever!
Another WiP I would like to start is the Around-The-Bases CAL by ChiChi. You choose a square and all the rounds around that square -the base- is the actual CAL. It starts on the 9th of August so I do have time to finish some of my other WiP’s. I made a square already but it has mistakes in it so I’ll have to crochet a new one. I think I make one of the Lily Pond granny squares as my centerpiece.
Right, it is nice and warmhot outside, I am off to the garden with pen & paper, a head full of ideas, a basket full of yarn and a cappuccino …

Tutorial :: Mandala Summer ’15

This weekend was all about mandala’s. It was so much fun to make a second mandala, and … it was a lot of work to write it all down. When people ladies asked me for the pattern I knew I had to make another one so that I could take photos of the process and write it all down. Was the first one made with lovely pink colours of Drops Paris, the second one was made with Cygnet Cottony DK. I really love that yarn and I am just not saying that because I sell it myself. It is soft and very nice to work with.For this mandala I choose colours that reminded me at the beach and the sea, a little beach house. You know what I like: The Hamptons style and Long Island. Think of the Rivièra Maison-style. Love that …

Anyway, the pattern is now available in Dutch and in English. Yay! I hope you all have fun making this mandala and do show me your result(s) in this new Facebook– group I’ve started: “Let’s crochet a mandala“.
Just one thing about copyright. This is my own design so please do not copy this pattern, nor photos, without my permission and do not claim this pattern as your own. That is just not a nice thing to do. Making tutorials is a lot of work, you see. Thanks, that’s sorted then.

Happy hookin’!

Pattern Mandala Summer ’15

Yarn I have used:
1 x Cygnet Cottony DK White, no. 208
1 x Cygnet Cottony DK Pebble, no. 307
1 x Cygnet Cottony DK Oatmeal, no. 544
1 x Cygnet Cottony DK Powder Blue, no. 198
Cygnet Cottony DK is a mixture of 46% cotton, 46% premium acrylic and 8% viscose.

Crochet hook 5mm (Dutch). In UK: 6, in US: H/8.
Darning needle.
Scissors.

• The first 3 chains of a round is the first treble, the first 2 chains are the first half treble.

I have used UK –terms:
Ch or ch = chain
Tr or tr = treble
Htr or htr = half treble
Ss or ss = slip stitch
Dc or dc = double crochet

Round 1 – Pebble:
Start with a magic ring and work 12 tr into the ring.
You can also ch 4 and join with a ss to make a ring. Then ch 3 (= 1st tr) + 11 tr into the chain ring. Join with a slip stitch to the third chain of the first stitch. (12 tr)

Round 2 – Pebble:
Ch 3 and 1 tr in the same stitch, ch 1 (= first ‘cluster’)

The next 11 clusters: Yarn over, insert hook in next stitch and pull up yarn on hook (3 loops on hook).
Pull yarn through 2 loops (now 2 loops on hook), yarn over and in same stitch pull yarn on hook (now 4 loops on hook), yarn over and pull yarn through two loops (now 3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull yarn through all three loops (now 1 loop left on hook). Ch 1.
Repeat this 10 times. (12 clusters)
Fasten off (see photo).

Round 3 – White:
  Join new colour and ch 3 (= 1 tr) + 2 tr + ch 1.In next opening 3 tr + 1 ch. Repeat this 10 times.
Fasten off (see photo above). Round 3 finished.

Round 4 – Oatmeal:
Join Oatmeal and ch 3, 1 tr, 1 ch, 2 tr. In next space 2 tr, 1 ch, 2 tr. Repeat 10 times and fasten off (sorry, I only have one photo of this round).

Round 5 – Powder Blue:Join new colour between the two groups of two trebles and ch 3, 1 tr, ch 1, 2 tr. This has a V-shape.
In next space 1 tr.
In next space 2 tr, ch 1, 2 tr.
Repeat this. Round 5 complete, and fasten off.

Round 6 – Pebble: Join new colour in between two groups of two trebles.
Ch 3 (= 1 htr and 1 ch).
In next space 1 htr + 1 ch. Repeat and fasten off.

Round 7 – Oatmeal:
Round seven are the ‘spokes’. Join new colour and ch 5 (= 1st tr and 2 ch). In every space 1 tr and 2 ch. Fasten off in first space.

Round 8 – Pebble:
Join new colour and ch 3 + 2 tr. See also photo round seven. In every space 3 tr and fasten off in first space. Round 8 finished.

Round 9 – White:
Join White and ch 1. In every other stitch 1 dc. See photo at round nine.

Round 10 – Powder Blue:
Round 10 is the V-stitch. Join Powder Blue and ch 4 (= 1 tr + 1 ch) + 1 tr in same stitch. Skip two stitches.
In next stitch work 1 tr, 1 ch, 1 tr, skip 2 stitches. Repeat and fasten off in first V-stitch.

Round 11 – Oatmeal:
Join Oatmeal and ch 3 and 3 tr. In every V-shape 4 tr. Fasten off.

Round 12 – Pebble:
Join new colour and ch 4.In the space between the trebles: 1 dc.
Ch 4 and 1 dc in next space. Repeat.

Round 13 – White:
The last round exists of white petals.Join White and work 1 dc, 4 tr, 1 dc.
Repeat in every space of previous round. Fasten off and your mandala is now done!

Well, almost. Don’t forget to weave in all ends with a darning needle.

Have fun with you mandala!
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De Nederlandse versie van het gratis patroon is hier te vinden.

Finished :: Mandala Summer ’15

When I placed a photo of my finished mandala on my Facebook-page I didn’t expect to receive so many likes. I was really flattered and happy with all the nice and friendly comments I got. Crocheters and knitters are nice people! Thank you, all, so very,very much.
This mandala was my own design, as I just made it up while working on it. Some ladies asked for the pattern and I am happy to share it. There is just one minor detail …. I forgot to write it down. I did write down the first few rows, but then I stopped doing that as I could not imagine anyone would be interested. How wrong I was (me, flattered again). As promised on FB I’ll write down the tutorial, well, I write down what I can remember …. Now, today is going to be a very hot day, so please be patient, it might take a few days before it is finished.
The mandala above was made with Drops Paris cotton and a 5 mm hook. I really do like the colours but I didn’t like working with this yarn, although it is very soft. It splits. A lot. I still have six balls Paris left and I am not sure what to do with them. Maybe I make one big granny square or one big mandala. We’ll see.
The colours I have used are:
17 Off White (NL: Naturel)
58 Powder pink (NL: Pastelroze)
59 Light old pink (NL: Lichtoudroze)
60 Dark old pink (NL: Donker oudroze)
When I had my shower this morning I thought of making another mandala, and this time with proper photos and taking notes. With other yarn. Well, I’ll better get on with it then.

Have a nice weekend!

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Pink Monday

Do you remember my lovely new white and flowery dress, the one I wore when showing of my new blanket?
About the new blanket, first of all, a big massive heartfelt THANK YOU for all of your compliments and positive reactions, here and in the Facebook groups and elsewhere. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much. A lot of you  have asked me for the pattern. I am working on that, but as it is bloody hot over here in Holland (we had an official heat wave) it simply is too hot to do anything. At this moment, when typing this, my arms are sticking to the table. Another hot and sunny day, although it might rain tonight.
Which is A) not good as I expect visitors tonight, the reading club, and B) very good as it is a welcome treat for the garden and the flowers.
It’s also way too hot to work on my Drops Lima-blanket, as that one is all wool. I can’t handle that on my lap now.So I keep starting new, smaller, projects, just to do something. I think the project in the above pic is going to be cushion cover. It looks like I have used red in it but it is actually a very dark pink. I want to do some knitting too, make a sweater or a skirt, but I haven’t found a pattern yet (read: a simple pattern for an absolute beginner like me).
Right, back to the dress. It is not white anymore. It is pink. And so are K’s shirts, five of them, and a pair of his trousers. Maybe I shouldn’t have washed that pink shawl together with the rest of the clothes. Maybe I should have used a colour catcher. K, he was not amused. I, on the other hand, could not stop laughing. I mean, what can you do about it? The dress now matches my new Crocs. Light pink they are. The Crocs were for sale at the supermarket and the ones I wanted were already gone. At 9 am! This pair was the only pair left in my size, and they are okay, but I liked the other ones better. Basically, someone else is walking around in my new Crocs. Anyway, the pink clothes are back in the washing machine, for the third -and last- time. With a colour catcher.

Finished :: The Seashells Blanket and Some Exciting News … !

This blog post is a bit of self promotion, but also about hard labour, a new blanket and some excitement. It has all to do with the business I am starting, a web shop. A web shop filled with …. yarn! Yay! Yes, I am going to sell yarn. And yes, we are open!  This is not a business that is going to make me filthy rich (although I wouldn’t mind), but I do hope I can make a small living out of it.
It all started in 2014, when K and I were in Leicester. I found some lovely yarn by Cygnet Yarns Ltd. in a tiny shop and I really loved that yarn. The colours, the texture. I bought a couple of balls of DK and Aran and took it home with me. At home I used it for blankets, of course. And then I ran out. Bummer, as it was not for sale in Dutchland. So I did what every smart personwoman would do: I emailed the company: “Can I please sell your yarn over here?”
“Yes, you can”. That’s the answer I wanted to hear.
After months and months of work, K made the web shop which was a lot of work, we are now officially open for business. Of course we needed stock and from the first big box of yarn that arrived I made a blanket. You know what they say about nibbling from your own stock … But it is all work-related, so it’s okay. Okay?The plan is to show this blanket at fairs (unless I sell it) and I am also writing down the pattern for this blanket, as it is my own design.
I got the inspiration for this blanket from this postcard. Those pretty seashells have the most amazing colours, colours I found in Cygnet DK’s Harvest, Heather and Mother of Pearl. These are all mixed yarns and I added some Beige, White, Marine Mix and Bluebell for that ocean and beachy-feeling. I must say, I am pretty pleased how the blanket turned out.

Some blanket facts:
Size: 130 x 180 cm / about 51 x 67 inches
Hook size: 4mm
Yarn: 17 balls of Cygnet DK
Colours: Harvest – Heather -White – Marine Mix – Mother of Pearl – Bluebell -Beige
I wanted some nice weather so I could take decent photos outside. And I wanted to be on the pic, but without my head. Doesn’t my dress look very Summer-ish?
Right, the blanket had no name yet, after finishing it. I was thinking of Shells-blanket, Nautical-blanket, Long Island-blanket, Granny’s on the beach-blanket. After a bit of thinking I wanted to call it The Seashells Blanket.
I am working hard to write down the pattern, the Dutch version. I’ll do my utmost best to translate it into English as well, but please be patient as I am rather busy right now, selling yarn …. 😉 Plus it is way too hot this minute to sit in front a computer and write/translate a pattern.
Ow, I completely forget to tell you the name of the web shop, it’s called Cronelia. The name Cronelia is a combination of the first three letters of crochet and Cornelia, that is my Christian name. I was named after my grandmother, my Dad’s mother, who was a very talented crocheter, btw. And so was my other grandmother.
Starting a web shop is not only hard work, it is also a lot of fun as you can order cute labels, like these wooden labels. They are so me. I really like them, very simply but very nice. What do you think?

Voor mijn Nederlandse en Belgische lezers, mijn webshop is hier te vinden: www.cronelia.nl. In juli 2015 krijgt u 10% korting op uw bestelling!

PS: British knitters, have you seen my blankets in this issue of Knitting Magazine?