~Baby Gifts~

This Saturday is the baby shower for my new niece who is due in July, so we will zip across the Pennines to Manchester for some tea, cake and fun.
Here are some things I have been making.
First, another Puerperium Cardigan from Ravelry - this time it's the long-sleeved version in a dark pink yarn (Wendy Sorrento) with chunky wooden buttons. Pictured here with Mrs Bunny, a one-off for my new niece, inspired by soft toys and cuties I've admired on other blogs. 

And finally, my biggest reveal...
Who would have ever thought I would complete a crochet project? No more crochet-fear here -well not much :)
Thanks to the 2 crochet lessons at Me and Mrs Fisher in York, here is my cushion for the baby's room...

 The wool is a bamboo cotton type in 3 lovely shades of pink and the big granny square is just stitched onto a cushion I've made from Laura Ashley cream woven fabric.

Hope you like them!
Made with love x

~Crochet-fear resolved~

I've written about my 'crochet-fear' before and I am happy to announce that thanks to a Beginner's Crochet Course at Me and Mrs Fisher in York yesterday, I have finally got there and am well on my way to being crochet-fond!

Me and Mrs Fisher, Lord Mayor's Walk, York.

The course was run by the endlessly patient Trish, and was hosted in the upstairs craft room next to the Sunday Nest haberdashery.  After a lovely hot chocolate downstairs we went upstairs for the 10.30am start. The course was 3 hours (which went so quickly) and cost £25 with the end result of producing a granny square.

The craft room. Image from Me and Mrs Fisher

 There was plenty of individual attention as the group size was nice and small, which was brilliant for me as I couldn't get my head around even how to hold the yarn.  Trish brought inspirational books and completed projects along for us to look at.  Laura went along with me as she fancied learning so she can crochet on the bus and train.  This is my granny square from the actual day...

Not very neat, but I do like the coincidental choice of colours - I had another attempt last night and made these...

Laura is so speedy now, much better than me and her work's much neater too.  This is a cushion front that she started last night...

I've been looking at how to join the squares on YouTube and I've signed up for next Saturday's improvers course.