Wednesday 26 November 2014

Liebster Blog Award - Questions and Answers!

Hello my crochet (and knitting) friends,

Recently I have been given the Liebster Blog Award by fellow bloggers Anne and Michelle from Crochet between worlds (http://crochetbetweentwoworlds.blogspot.de). Thank you, Ladies!
They have asked me to answer the following questions - please find my answers thereafter. (I will write an update on my current projects soon separately!)


1. What is the name of your blog? And what does the name mean?

My Blog is called funkycrochet. I first named my etsy shop funkycrochet because I like the idea of Retro crochet, but with a modern ('funky') edge. It seemed a good idea to use the same name for my blog!
 
2. How many blogs do you follow?

Is this a trick question or what??? Well, by my own count I follow approx 200 blogs, however bloglovin says I follow 326 (but that includes people as well as blogs).

Basically, too many! ;) But then again, I seem to be compelled to add a few more - some stuff is just too good not to read! ;) By the time you read this, the figure might have changed again!
 
3. Do you have a creative soul? 

I'm convinced I have! I did lots of crafting/making from childhood on! I have this constant urge to create, to make, to try this and that!
 
4. At what age did you learn to crochet or knit?

I think I must have been about 8 or so when I first learned to crochet and I remember enjoying it very much. I did not take to knitting quite so easily (at school), that came later when I started to make my first jumper around the age of 18!
 
5. What are your future projects?

Just check out my previous posts and you might get an idea what I like making! ;)
To be honest, I have a multitude of inspirational books, pdf files of patterns and even more patterns saved on my Ravelry account. (This doesn't mean that I am a natural follower of patterns, far from it!) Not to mention the constant inspiration I get from other people through blogs or by sharing their projects!!! 

I have so many ideas! So it is very difficult to say! I want to knit some more Fairisle, and I am sure I will do more with Granny squares. I love colour, it's very important to me!

The main thing is to keep experimenting and trying and learning new things all the time. I walk around with my eyes wide open, I look at knitwear/jewellery/accessories in shops with critical eyes and ask myself, how was this made? How would I make it? What would I do differently? and so on. I find inspiration everywhere! I also have an inexhaustable amount of enthusiasm when it comes to making things! This is what keeps me going!
 
6. Why do you blog?
  
Why not? Hahaha!!! This year when I realized how many things I was making, I thought it would be nice to share this with lots more other people! Also I had started reading a number of blogs which greatly inspired me. So it seemed a natural process to start blogging!

To me starting with blogging was a challenge! I wanted to learn (and apply) how to blog! Again, I am basically picking things up as I go along! (Nobody told me how to go about it!)

I want to pass on some of the things I have learnt to others - and likewise benefit from my blog readers' expertise and support , I want to share the fun I'm having when I create something new - to me this is what my blog is all about! 

And I love being part of the blogging community! :)
 
7. What will your Christmas look like this year?

Having a relaxing time at home with my family.
  
8. What are your plans for 2015?

To continue my own path and do the things that I love! Start using up the wool I have!!!
 
9. If you could travel anywhere, which 3 places would you visit and why? 
  
Hmm, that is a tricky question! Obviously there are lots of places I haven't been to yet! I've always loved South America, with the many rich traditions of knitting, crochet and sewing, not to mention the lovely, spicy food!!! Sounds great to me! ;)

Apart from that, of course, England and Germany, because my family lives in these countries and I have strong ties there!!! 
 
10.What made you smile today?

My cat Jasper coming to sit on my crochet blanket as soon as I sat down and started working on the blanket!!! 
 
11. What do you do on a rainy Sunday?

Drink coffee, do some crochet, read blogs, watch a film, go for a walk with my partner (yes, even in the rain!), bake some crumble, or simply enjoy pottering about! 


You know you're a knitter when... you just happen to be knitting in every photograph of you!!! ;)
What comes next?

Well, I hope you all enjoyed reading a bit more about me! A part of this blog award requests that each recipient should nominate a further 11 people to pass the award on to them. 

I know that the award is meant in a positive spirit, but personally I find it practically impossible to choose! Most of all, I do not want to offend anybody! 

Someone might feel put out if I didn't nominate them, others I cannot nominate because they have already been named by somebody else and another group of people have made their point clear that they do not wish to receive such an award!

Ideally I would love to give an award to all of you, just because you do what you do! :)

For this reason I am passing the following (fun) questions on to you, my readers! 

Feel free to answer (or not!) 

Try to keep it short and funny! ;)

You can answer as many questions as you like from the following:

1. What do you prefer, crochet or knitting?
2. How much time do you spend on your hobby?
3. Do you like to follow patterns?
4. What is your favourite stitch?
5. What is your favourite place to sit and crochet (knit)?
6. Coffee or tea?
7. What is your favourite colour?
8. Do you want to tell us about your yarn stash?
9. Do you visit far away places to check out a yarn shop?
10. Chocolate or crochet?
11. I know I am a knitter/crocheter because.... (complete the sentence)


Last, not least, thanks again for thinking of me and giving me this award! And thank you all for reading this and giving your support!

Please leave your answers below - looking forward to reading them! ;)

Wednesday 19 November 2014

A knitted hat, an update on the Harlequin Blanket and a most wonderful party!

Hello my friends,

Welcome back, hope life has been treating you well. Some of you have been extremely busy recently, making decorations, gifts and new clothes! Well done, all of you!

I love reading about the things people have been making, often it sparks off new ideas of things I want to try! I am truly grateful for all this inspiration!!!

Today I have more things to share with you! For those who love a dash of colour, you won't be disappointed!

Welcome to my colourful world of crochet!!!
A Knitted Woolly Hat

First, another finished project - a knitted hat! I cast this on whilst still making the first one, but this time I decided to use moss stitch because I love it. Personally I really love the natural and Autumn colours! It has a slouchy fit but is very snug!

Woolly Hat after finished knitting (laid flat)
15.11.14 Finished Woolly Hat with Pompom!
My Harlequin Blanket

I am sure some of you might remember that I am in the process of making a huge Crochet Harlequin Blanket! (For my new readers please take a look at some recent previous posts, if interested!)

Ok, here are some new photos, to show what it looks like at present!

17.11.14 Harlequin Blanket
Happy colours
Walking on Sunshine!


As you might gather from the first photo, this blanket is getting big! So big, that I had trouble photographing it laid out on the floor. In the end I stood on top of the sofa to get a good angle to take shots! (I know, I know, it's all for you people, no trouble too much!!!)

I decided that I must concentrate more on the blanket now, in order to make good progress. So I thought about this project and realized that it would help if I set myself a (daily) target. So now I am keeping track of how much work I put in each day. It is nice to have a feeling of achievement!

This means, of course, that I need to do much less besides, apart from the odd little bit of knitting project that I could take along on the bus easily. The blanket is definitely not so easy to carry about now and is better off at home.

Launch Party at LN KNITS, Antwerpen

Last night my friend Christine and I went to a launch party in Antwerp, for which I had received an email invitation!

It was for the opening of a temporary pop-up shop and book launch for LN KNITS.

As soon as we walked into the beautiful store, we were being photographed!!! We felt like VIPs!!! Apart from a professional photographer, there was a young man in charge of the evening Cointreau Bar, promoting their cocktails which we could mix ourselves using some fantastic exotic ingredients, such as limes, passionfruit, berries, mint and various fruit juices! Very tasty! :)

Also in the store was a DJ, providing musical entertainment. And of course, there was some yummy food!!!

But first, we were eager to get our hands on the Alpaca Knits in the shop and feel the softness. It was pure heaven!!! The garments were displayed by colour and were breathtakingly beautiful.

Gorgeous Alpaca Knits!
Cointreau Bar!
The shop was filling up as the evening progressed!
LN Beanies

Ellen Kegels, the shop owner and author, was launching her brand new book that evening.
Both my friend and I bought the book (Euro 20), but also benefitted from a gratis 100g skein of Alpaca (retailing at Euro 18)!!! What a fantastic offer! Of course we both picked an additional colour, it was hard to choose (see our photo).
Which colours shall we buy? (PS: Spot my granny square bag with the Harlequin blanket!)
Ellen Kegels with her new book 'In mijn Nopjes'
My Shopping 'Loot'
Some of the wonderful knitting projects from the book


Ellen modelling in her own book!
100% Pure Alpaca Wool
Here is the link to Ellen's website: http://www.lnknits.com/

On her facebook site can you find a few more photos of the launch party:
 https://www.facebook.com/pages/LN-Beanies/174893575508

We had so much fun experiencing all the thrills of seeing so many beautiful and handknitted garments in the most tempting soft Alpaca!

We both left, feeling even more inspired to create something new with our new yarn! And the book is so amazing, both the photos and the projects to make, which are grouped together by the 4 seasons. (The book is written in Dutch and will be available in bookshops in Belgium).

Afterwards we went to the Knitting evening 'T Arm Schaap and told the others about our visit! :) And I managed to crochet a bit more on my Harlequin blanket which I had brought along especially!

And just so you know, I have written this post because I enjoyed myself and because I adore hand knitted things, not because I received anything for writing it! (Hope you enjoyed reading it, too! If only you could have all felt the Alpaca....)

Please write me a little comment below, I love reading them all! And I usually do reply to them, as soon as I get the chance to do so!





















Friday 14 November 2014

Happy Crafts Day! (A new Family, Woolly Hats, Flower Brooches and more!)

Hello my friends,

Hope you had a nice week? Thanks for your kind and lovely comments on my recent makes, glad you enjoyed them! Welcome to my latest followers, it's a pleasure to have you!

Yesterday I had an incredible creative and productive day! I will show you what I managed to make!

But first this: On Sunday afternoon I cast on stitches for knitting a woollen hat in the round. It was finished on Monday, here it is!

12.11.14 Finished Knitted Hat
From above the crown
I had already cast on stitches to make a second hat meanwhile...

The second knitted Hat
Yesterday morning I made the following 7 Flower Brooches. First I made a knitted cord (Knitting Nancy), which I then sewed and shaped into little flowers. A matching button is sewn to the front and then for the back I cut out a grey pure Wool Felt circle to which I sewed a Brooch pin and attached this to the flower.
Here are the finished Brooches!


13.11.14 Finished Flower Brooches

Then I knitted a rectangle shape which I then hand felted. This was a lot of fun!

Knitting a rectangle with Filz It wool, to be felted

This is my first Owl family I made maybe 4 years ago!
Making the new Owl
After attaching the eyes and feet, I sewed the owl together and added stuffing
The new Owls!
All together now!!!
13.11.14 Finished Owl Family (Bottom row) together with the one I made before
 I also crocheted a small piece of Lace according to the South Bay Shawlette pattern.

Crocheting Fine Cotton into a SBS lace!
13.11.14 Finished SBS Crochet Lace Brooch
 This easy Crochet necklace I made on the bus!

13.11.14 Finished Cotton Reel Crochet Necklace
I also did quite a bit of knitting on my second woolly hat!

13.11.14 Progress on the 2nd Woolly Hat
14.11.14 First and second Woolly Hats

Hope you enjoyed this glimpse in my little creative place - I really enjoyed myself a lot, using all sorts of different skills!

Feel free to leave a comment below, I'm looking forward to reading them!



Tuesday 11 November 2014

Colourful South Bay Shawlette finished and Domein Hofstade

Hi everybody!

A warm welcome to you all, especially to my latest followers!

I promised you more news! So here is another post, make yourselves comfortable and enjoy reading this!

On Monday I finished my colourful South Bay Shawlette. I think it measures approx 210cm across and is over 1m long! The last few rows were getting longer and longer, with about 700 stitches in a row! I used over 8 balls x 100 g Fenna yarn!

Here are some photos of my finished Shawl, I am very pleased with it!!!















10.11.14 Colourful South Bay Shawlette is finished!!!

I hope you liked these pictures, I wanted to show off the magnificent colours from all angles! I loved looking at it against the sunlight, it brings out the pattern really well!

A Sunday Walk

On Sunday we drove to a public recreation domain called Hofstade. Just before we arrived, it started to rain! Luckily it stopped just as quickly and the sun came out a little bit later.

Here is a map for Hofstade, you can clearly see the 2 large lakes, one for sports and one for fishing.


The footpath separating the 2 lakes
Sailing boat
Fishing lake
Flotilla of Boats
The Sporting Lake from the Beach end

After finishing both the Shells Cowl and the large Shawl one after the other, I was feeling a bit at a loss as which project to tackle next!

Well, I still have WIPs: my Harlequin Blanket - on which I will mostly work at home, as it is getting larger and larger! I also have the black Alpaca Shawl to knit.

Meanwhile I cast on stitches and started on the rib of a knitted Hat for a change! You can see it below, together with a little Flower Brooch I made yesterday with some of the Fenna yarn from the Shawl.

10.11.14 Knitting a hat with Rico Tasai yarn
Playing with some new colourful yarn - Katia Planet Print

What are you busy with? What is your favourite project?

Do you find yourself doing more crochet or knitting now the days are shorter and darker?

I'd love to find out what you think, please would you leave me a little comment for me to read?
Thanks ever so much, you are such a brilliant bunch of readers!!! <3