Cat-ching up!

Over the summer some ideas have been quietly purr-collating, and taking shape! 

The finished cat-alogue is quite different from the original idea - 

but the new owners are pleased with their pets!

 Free styled spiral vessels provided a purr-fect base for a cat body.

.....the cat back! 

The purple cat had some fun in the sun!
 

His new owner is fond of his whiskers or mus-cat-che!

I really enjoyed going with the flow again, and love the random shapes, there are short ends and trimmings inside each....

It has caused a paws for thought involving more adventures with a spiral vessel....
all will be revealed, in seasonal time!

Presents!

The spring months bring many birthdays for family and friends....

a pastel heart with a vintage vibe to match the new colours of a young lady's bedroom

 several yarns and threads crocheted with a chunky hook

with a co-ordinating flutterby!

Another hanging heart...

I love the colours of this wool...I picked it up on holiday last summer....

the cake had no label but I was told it was a DK British sock wool that didn't catch on. 

It is hooked with two strands - one from the centre of the cake, the other the outer end,

and is combined here with a thin variegated cotton thread...

It was given with this card - one of several being sent this year!

This red rosy bloom is a combination of an altered commercial rose pattern and my own daffodil petal pattern...I played a bit of woolly roulette with the last of my red sparkly yarn, hooked along with another thin red!

It has been worn with pride this week by my friend.

The next two presents use exactly the same wools...

A textured purple cashmere and wool blend, (from the same holiday shopping as above!), a pink and purple teeswater hand-dyed, and a purple cotton cashmere blend (generously donated to my stash...)

The lighting prevented true colour capture, I had to make the most of strong sun between very grey days!

The knobbly bits can be moulded into many shapes!

The second item, a present for my talented, creative friend Jacqui,
you may have seen here on her fabulous blog

the body of the pouch with the cashmere/cotton blend is hooked using 'Sedge'
 from Sarah Hazell's200 Crochet Stitches

the freeform flap a spontaneous addition: the original drawstring idea was a bit bulky,
and I fancied a little less formal structure!

For my birthday, Jacqui very kindly sent me this vibrant knitted pumpkin pin cushion..

with crochet green leaves!

It gives me the feeling of nostalgia, and squidging it today I realise it reminds me of childhood lovingly knitted cardigans, jumpers..and hats!

One more photo....I have found a book to alter - I'm going to re-read it before I get started, although my mind is already racing with ideas!

Green sproutings!

All over the garden the first signs of spring growth are sprouting!

The green shoots reminded me of the freeform vessel made for my mums birthday in November, that escaped the photo stage.

Mum kindly brought it back to have its picture taken!

The spiral is hooked with three very different yarns, a slender multi-coloured wool, a silky cotton, and the wonderfully woolly Wheeldale Woolcrafts variegated green also seen in the Christmas trees.

The varying thicknesses and finishes produce a naturally occurring knobbly wibbly undulating terrain....

...and lacy cobwebby holes!

Hope you are finding plenty of green shoots in the wintry bumpy earth!

A very Happy Accident....

.....one of the things on my to do list for a looooong time has been a purse for myself.

I eventually got round to it, and had in mind a drawstring design with a flat spiral bottom, that would be felted to cater for wear and tear.

Selecting two wools from my feltable stash I began the spiral....

..the two selected wools were different weights....

and it was tricky to keep the spiral flat....

 ...it grew quickly and was rather inflexible..

 it began to take on a different form...

So I continued going round in circles and made a freeform vessel.....

It seems to have found a place on a shelf that we see several times a day...

I love the knubbly bits on the edge!

So, this got me thinking.......

There were lots of sequins in one of the wools - but only a few are visible...the rest hidden between the stitches!

 

This sea inspired vessel is different from every angle - 

an ocean of photos follows, come for a paddle...

some sewn sequins for sparkle!

sunlight on the waves!

There are 17 yarns and threads in total - some singles and lots of combinations

This is a gift for a very special friend who spends holidays by the sea!

 Both randomeanderings have used plenty of wool!

The first wades in at 39g and the sea waves weigh 68g.

I loved the going round in random circles, 

freeforming is definitely my favoured hooking method at the moment very therapeutic and relaxing.

The purse is still on my list!