Yarn Love Challenge - part 1

If anyone is on Instagram they may have seen the #yarnlovechallenge that's been happening throughout February. I have loved it. I've loved taking part and I've loved looking at other people's posts. It's been great. So I thought I'd bore you all...I mean show you all what I've shared as my yarn love challenge. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only blogger doing this but I had fun so want to share.


Also, so this isn't the longest blog in history, I'm splitting it in two. 28 entries with explanations could go on a bit!

This whole thing has been great for getting to know just a little more about the people we follow in pictures on a daily basis. Some I found really hard and some were easy. See if you can spot which is which. Here's my yarn love challenge (pictures below the description).

Day one: introductions. 

Introducing me!

My name is Josie and I'm a crochet addict. I love taking (supposedly artistic) selfies and enjoy a good amount of self-deprecation. I took up crocheting 4 years ago now when my sister shoved a hook in my hand and said "Here - try this." I'll be honest it took a while for me to get in to but once I did I was hooked!

A couple of years later someone suggested people would buy my work. Since then I've been trying to set up my own business whilst struggling with illness, which hasn't been easy. But my friends keep me in business enough to improve my ego.

The best things...well I should really call them people so ...the best people in my life are my kids and husband and family. I have an amazing circle of friends and am one lucky lady to be surrounded with love and yarn!

Day two: close up!

Here's a close up of the x-wing blanket I made for my son. Look closely to see if you can spot the dog hair! He snuggled up with the dogs in the sofa the other day and some hair stuck. There's always dog hair in whatever I Crochet. Luckily most people don't notice unless you do a closeup.



Day three: currently making.

This is the hoodie I'm making for my daughter's birthday which was back in January! She keeps growing!!



Day four: speed.

I'm not that fast but not that slow! It's finding the time that's the issue for me. My speed totally depends on what I'm making.



Day five: community 

For me my main yarny community is online plus my mum and sister and a few friends. I don't get out to any knitting or crochet groups like I'd like to due to having small kids. I'm still searching for one in Bristol, England that I can either bring my youngest daughter to or that doesn't clash with other family commitments. Any tips?



Day six: mistakes 

Oh, I've made so many mistakes. The top two are the granny squares my son made. He got so frustrated and I had to remind him what he always tells me: "It's good to make mistakes because we can learn from them". Too right.

The next is a pink butterfly I attempted. I've no idea what went wrong as I'm sure I read the pattern correctly. Perhaps I'll try again one day.

Third is my struggle with crochet cable-stitch . I'm determined to get there however long it takes.



Day seven: stripes!

This tied in nicely with the crochet hoodie I'm making my daughter as it's very stripy. Stripes that work out nicely are somehow very satisfying.



Day eight: where I craft

Oh my goodness this is hard to tie down. Everywhere I can! I've been known to sit at the side of swimming pools and at kung-fu classes, in my car....the list grows every day. But my main two places are the two squishy seats you see photographed (with my baby photobombing one!) My husband calls them both my crochet corners.



Day nine: tools

Oh, so many! Here is a selection of my lovely essentials. Hooks (of course), Tunisian crochet hooks (for when the need arises), scissors, yarn needles, stitch markers, yarn, a pattern (sometimes) and of course a cuppa of some variety.



Day ten: oldest stash. 

There's nothing too special about these other than my sister gave them to me with a selection of others. I've tried using them but every time I see them whilst looking for yarn for a new project they just don't jump out at me or there is yarn that suits the project better. Simples.



Day eleven: travel project. 

This is not an elaborate doily despite it looking as such. It's actually the beginnings of a summer shawl. I started it in France last summer and was enjoying sight-seeing so much that I never got around to finishing it. This summer I'll finish it...I hope.



Day twelve: progress.

I've never make progress that I'm happy with until the finishing stitch! After some really good Christmas planning (even if I do say so myself) I'm suddenly behind having not finished either my daughter's birthday present (the crochet hoodie from January) and my own birthday present (eventually some crochet cable-stitch slippers) and it gets frustrating. I often run out of time to sit and crochet but when I do I try and make the best of it.



Day thirteen: selfie!! 

I thought about a selfie of me larking about on holiday over the summer and then I thought about a selfie of me wrapped in something warm and woolly and then I thought "You know what?! I want a classy selfie". Here is my version of that. I was dressed up for a launch night of a 1940s production I was directing. Wish I looked that classy all the time!!



Day fourteen: yarn love.

I'm fickle with my yarn love it has to be said! Currently I really love working with this massive 400g ball of aran. It's big, it's purple and great to crochet.



I hope you have enjoyed my first installement. In this batch my favourite was the entry I also found hardest: community. It really made me think about how I live my yarny world more on line than face-to-face with others. It made me realise that I really want to make that connection and I'm looking again into a crochet/knit/yarn-orientated group.

Tune in for the next instalment....urm soon!

  

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