How to Crochet Corners

Since we moved house two years ago I have thought that it would be A Good Thing to make blankets for all our beds. I'm not claiming that these would be heirloom items, treasured for generations, but you know, nice ones to match the boys under said blankets. I'm not sure why I recently and suddenly embarked on Son One's last month. It could quite possibly be that the sight of so many unfinished projects overwhelmed and I needed, absolutely needed desperately, to start something different!

There seem to be three main criteria:first  there must be turquoise and red rounds, and second the blanket must use of lots and lots of wool from The Basket. I make no claims of A Stash. There is nonetheless a basket, and 'twould be good to use up bits and pieces, of the turquoise and red varieties in particular. The starting circle was one left over from the only blanket I have yet managed to produce for our Tanzania link, so the blanket did at least start as I mean to go on!

The last complete round is in a gorgeous petrol blue from Debbie Bliss's Rialto DK. Oh my goodness how I love this yarn. Being such a novice compared to the rest of you, I am impressed that I have a favourite yarn, but this one thrills. The threads bounce between your fingers, as if filled with air. I was also not a little pleased with the shells that I managed to cobble together- the third criteria seems to be that all the rounds are as different as my very limited repertoire can make them.

Which led to a dilemma. How to crochet the corners? Which then led to the dilemma you all helped me with last night: how to progress from favourite shells in favourite yarn without dimming the glory of both? Which made me think about how to crochet corners. Not the actual crocheting of a corner, but the finding of little corners where you can sit with like-minded folk and learn to crochet. How-to-crochet corners.

It has been a thing of great blessing for me over the wondrously many years we have been crocheting corners and more together: this sitting together on Wednesday nights through times of illness, of babies, of school issues, work issues, life issues, hooking (and knitting for the truly accomplished) and chatting and quietly supporting.

So, thank you for my corners (all of them)!

Knitting Kitty

I'm not sure whether Flic wants to learn to knit and crochet or whether it is her stamp of approval ....

My winter waistcoat

Blanket for Tanzania

St Mungo hats for the homeless

Throw for Rachel's bed

New baby -Evie's blanket

Coast picture

New baby - Conor's blanket

My large all purpose bag

Blanket for Tanzania

And if all else fails just hide in the knitting basket!

 If I leave wool down at all she is all over it!

Hombolo Handover

The 'Hookery Three'

Hombolo team and honorary ' MC' Mags

Tonight's Hookery saw the handover of various creations to Ricky, Grace & Matthew, who will be bringing them out to Hombolo on Saturday 19th October.

Comments had been made that in previous years the male residents of the village had benefitted greatly from the visit, and perhaps it would be nice to do something more for the ladies. Well Angela started the whole thing off with a beautiful crocheted blanket and followed this up with patchwork bags from her sewing group.  Other ladies provided blanket - Helena, Heather Boss and Queen Niqi.  Then some baby hats and teddies were provided too.  Leigh came along with some 'pillowcase dresses' for young girls which were so beautifully made.

Grace, Matthew and Ricky were very surprised by the huge amount of handmade garments we have gathered for their trip.   They also remarked on the amount of detailed work that had gone into each piece of work.

Bon voyage to our three travellers but also to the whole group of 12 from Northern Ireland who have gone out.

And teddy went too

Blanket coverage

Well, the time has finally arrived.  My son, Matt, and two other friends will be heading out to Hombolo in Tanzania NEXT Saturday!  The time has come around VERY quickly.  This will be Matt's second visit with the Northern Ireland Leprosy Mission to build houses for the villagers.

Way earlier in the year I asked my hookery friends if they would knit/crochet a blanket each for him to take out and give to the ladies of the village to use as bedding or to wrap sick children in.  WOW!  so far I have 12 blankets in all sizes and colours.  A massive thank you goes to all the ladies who have so far provided these.  I have also been given 4 baby hats and 8 wonderful patchwork bags for the girls in the village.  Thanks to Angela in Leicestershire for these.

Last weekend I also hosted a fund-raising coffee morning for the Hombolo team and I raised £600.  Thank you to all those who came or donated.  This money is to buy a GPS to map out the village and also to start funds off to sink a new well.

On Wednesday 16th October the hookit's will officially hand over their blankets to Grace, Matt and Ricky.  Photos will appear here soon.

Lots of us have also been making different blankets for ourselves and these too will be on show next Wednesday - Oceania, Mania, Pebbles and Lemony Snicket have all been crocheted from the same pattern but made using different colours and wools.  This was a very interesting experiment.  Watch this space for photos.