Wednesday 1 August 2012

*~*~* Japanese Flower Scarf: Ta-Dah *~*~*

Hello there and thanks for stopping by, you super, lovely lot. I know I'm probably a bit late to jump on the bandwagon with this, I'm a bit late to the party, the ship has probably sailed and left me waving on the dock but if you can overlook this, I'd love you to stay and have a look at my latest accomplishment, ta-dah if you will.
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I've had this post drafted with the photos uploaded and the text started for weeks now and yet something stopped me sharing (I also have a posted drafted about our week off in July!). I think I am just a weird individual. I couldn't really feel the love for posting about this and yet I love the finished article (see I am weird). I've even had a chance to use it this week when I came down with a rotten cold and sore throat and went into work as I felt I needed to show my face and had some jobs to tidy up. I did this on Monday and Tuesday and felt dreadful and left after a couple of hours, thankfully by Wednesday (today) I came to my senses and stayed at home. Anyway the point of that story is that my throat was sore and needed protected so I wrapped my scarf around me and hobbled into work (haha, a tad dramatic there I think). Anyway I saw a couple of patients and one told me they loved my scarf and I loved telling them that I had made it, just one of the many thrills of wearing something you have made yourself. Another friend in work said she really should learn to crochet so that she could make things like it (sadly she never will but I would happily teach her).
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Do you remember I bought some super lovely Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino with my birthday money, an absolute age ago?
Top row: Lilac (10), Cream (101), Light Pink (601) & Dark Pink (60) 
Bottom row: Dark green (40), Light green (3), Light Blue (202) & Dark Blue (207)

Sadly the above photo is rubbish. The colours aren't as they seem. The light pink look peachy in that photo but it really isn't. Oh well hopefully you'll get the jist. And as mentioned before I purchased the yarn from Fingers and Thumbs and Kate was just lovely cos, yes you guessed it, I absolutely agonised over choosing the yarn for this project (please tell me I will get better at this!!!). I can't recommend Kate's yarn shop highly enough, the thing that sold it to me was that it was a family business and I just loved the idea of that. I hope they are weathering the storm of the recession cos they were lovely people and stock lovely yarns. Anyway thank you Kate*

This is what I have left from all eight balls. You'd think I didn't like the greens but I did, don't know why I have so much left.

I spent many an hour on this project. Once you got the hang of the pattern it was simple to make the flower but I guess the colour changes made it time consuming. It really was lovely to work on.
And as recommended by none other than Attic24 I blocked the scarf after it was complete. 
I have to admit I loved doing this. Armed with a towel and a bottle of tepid water I climbed up into the attic which is usually D's space/bunker were he listens to vinyl and does his podcasts, but he kindly loaned it to me for a short time. Anyway it was a lovely sunny day and I opened out the attic window and listened to the wind (it's usually very noisy around here, one of the many, many reasons we would love to move but sadly can't, but that's a story for another day, or maybe not as it would be a moany, negative, pessimistic post and seriously who wants to read that?!). Anyway my point was I listened to the gentle breeze blowing and I set to work pinning out the scarf. As it happens I ran out of pins. I only have a packet of 34 and I ran out.  
 I had a mini panic and then it came to me - safety pins! A eureka moment. Yippee, the ole brain still works and the safety pins worked a treat!!
So are you ready? I just love this scarf so much I have taken photos from every angle and I do apologise as you are likely to get bored but here we go...

                   
*~*~*~*~ TA--DAH~*~*~*~*

Little R wanted in on the photoshoot! Can you see him above?

Looking splendid on the attic floor, enjoying the unusual peace and quiet
One seriously happy camper. I couldn't get the silly grin off my face for ages.

It is warm and soft, colourful and bright, it is mine and I made it. I feel the love for this scarf. I want to share the love and make some more for special crafty people in my life. I do hope I get the time to do this but time is never on my side!

See you all next time. Happy crafting, happy baking, happy whatever you are doing!

Helen xx

* I'm not working on commission from Kate at Fingers and Thumbs honest, I just love it when you get great customer service.




17 comments:

  1. It looks absolutely stunning! You did very well! And you look gorgeous wearing it. :)
    xx

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  2. Your scarf is really pretty and I love how well the colours go together - Well done :0) xx

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  3. Helen, the scarf is fab and you look wonderful wearing it! Those colours are just beautiful and work so well together - I don't think you need to worry about the colour choosing thing - you have great taste every time! Love little R peeping into the pic! Love your safety pin idea - always great when one manages to come up with an ingenious and lateral thinking solution! Hope your cold and sore throat are speedily on the mend - there are some really nasty bugs going round at the moment. Take care of yourself and don't overdo it. E x

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  4. hello helen,
    the scarf is really pretty........love the color-combinationen.
    and you look beautiful wearing it!!!
    have a nice evening,
    regina

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  5. What a lovely scarf, I would be smiling too....and it suits you. Hope you are feeling better now, I wasn't well with a cold and lost my voice for a couple of days, today it is back but not 100% yet.
    Love Little R getting in on the photos, very cute.
    xx Sandi

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  6. OMG... I love love LOVE your scarf!!! The colours are beautiful, I have serious scarf envy!! I don't know why you didn't feel the love for this post... I certainly did :-)

    Hope you are feeling better after your horrid cold and sore throat.

    Hugs,
    Louise xxx

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  7. oh wow, that is wonderful, how very dare not think about posting this blog post it really is stunning. Love the colours you picked, they really work well together x

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  8. Wow! It looks amazing, your crochet is so neat ! The colours look really lovely together! I still haven't actually finished a big project but I am looking forward to the feeling!

    Becky
    x

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  9. Wow! That is very effective.

    Nina x

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  10. Hi Helen
    Thank you for your lovely comment on my blog, I love your scarf I am always in awe of what talented people like you can do with wool amazing. Oh what a sweet little baby you have and all your yummy baking is making my tummy rumble!!!

    Denise
    xxx

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  11. It's gorgeous! Go you!! Oh how I wish I could crochet, knitting just wouldn't play along if I tried to make something like that.

    Hope you're feeling better now x

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  12. So lovely your work! Sorry my english, I'm a portuguese mom who loves crafts like you. I'm gone follow your blog. :)

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  13. This is so lovely - I found your blog whilst searching for Debbie Bliss yarn in NI. So I thank you for having done the research ahead of me and recommending 'Fingers & Thumbs'. I love the colours you have used - amazing how different your scarf looks compared to Attic 24's.

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  14. Another local blog! Yay! I'm so excited! Your "Attic24" scarf is so pretty! Hope you are on the mend. Cx

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  15. Sorry it had taken so long, i've had a super busy Summer , but I just wanted to say thank you for kind words on my last post, hope you are well,

    Becky x

    P.S I am fairly new to this blogging stuff! What does it mean when you say i'm a no reply blogger - I think I need to change this haha but not sure how?

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  16. Love love love the colours you chose. I adore Baby Cashmerino yarn. Your scarf is lovely.
    Claire

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  17. What a lovely scarf! The right weather is coming right up for it. The colors all work so nicely together.

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