Yesterday I decided to try out another poncho....I just love them.
This one was made with an Aran mix in lovely Autumn shade.
Using this pattern is lovely because the resulting poncho is light and airy.
I was so pleased with it that I made another one but this time in double knitting......
I think I will be making a selection of these.....
My only problem now is where to store all this stock while I am waiting for the people to rush to my folksy shop and buy something.
www.folksy.com/shops teabreaks
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After I finished the chunky jacket I decided to make a little girl's shopping bag. This pattern came from youtube and was only 15 rows in total and so was extremely quick to make.
I haven't lined this one as that would add to the cost of the materials and I made it to help use up some of the mounting stash of left overs.
Each day,. I try also to make a few classic granny squares to try to keep that mounting stash at bay !
Once I have enough, I will join them to make a blanket to sell in one of my shops.
Here is the little bag...
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sadly I succumbed to the lurgy this week.
I am rarely unwell and was not happy when hubby went to the hospital for an appointment and brought home piles of germs. He got affected first and kindly gave it to me!
SO......crochet has been slow this week.
I made another hexagon cardigan, with my own adaptions.
This one I did using two strands of 4ply together to give a chunky finish. It made a lovely thick little jacket

well, here is the finished hexagon cardigan. I adapted the original idea to create a round neck as I wasn't happy with the high neck on the original hexagon jackets. I also didn't like the sleeves being as wide as the body and so I altered that as well,.
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I have been crocheting my little fingers off in the last few days.....I have lots of ideas going around my head and rush to finish one thing, so that I can start the next project.
I started on Saturday with a new Corner to Corner blanket. This one was done in blue and yellow stripes as my other ones have been bright colours or pink and I didn't want to leave out the baby boys.
Yesterday I had an hour to spare and so decided to make a small 6" purse from granny squares.
I am always aware that pennies could fall through loosely crocheted work and so I always line my purses.
However, I hate sewing and so I also crocheted a lining in double crochet (single crochet to the Americans)
This morning I wanted to make a little girl's cardigan and decided to use the hexagon granny square idea. However, I have never liked the fact that using this method the sleeves are far too wide.
You keep making the hexagon until, when folded, it is the correct chest measurement, but this makes the sleeves look ugly.
Also there is no proper neckline on the basic patterns that people use and I don't like that either.
I KNOW, I am fussy,.
SO I made a basic hexagon and then added rows here and there to form a neckline and to make the chest wider than the sleeves.
 I will take pics of that later. The cardigan is finished...just needs sewing up.
I have added a picture of it as a work in progress, along with my notebook and copious notes on what I have done, plus a drawing of how I would LIKE it to look when finished.
What a busy few days...!!

this week, I have been busy with new crochet projects....I have made a lady's poncho in a pretty pink/grey mix Aran yarn and then I made a matinee coat in white and fluorescent pink.
The matinee coat has gone into my etsy shop  www.etsy.com/shop/teabreaks   and the pink poncho has gone into my folksy shop  www.folksy.com/shops/teabreaks    
As well as these items I have been making granny squares and when I have enough, I will join them to make a blanket which will go into my etsy shop.
My fingers never stop.....
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I had some yarn left over from making the Lady's shrug and so , not liking to have too many scraps of yarn lying around, I made a bobble hat....
There was still more left and so with the remaining yarn, I made another infinity scarf.
Sometimes I am amazed at how far some yarns go.
I know from my days working for a well know yarn spinners that you pay for the weight of yarn but you knit or crochet the length.
If yarn has a tight twist on it, then you get less length for your money.
That is why , in my days of machine knitting, I liked to use 3 strands of industrial 2/30's yarn rather than shop bought 4 ply. Using thinner strands together meant that I could make a child's jumper using a lot less yarn than the pre spun shop yarns.
The looser the twist...the further the yarn goes.
Here are the pics of the Bobble hat and the infinity scarf....both are now in my folksy shop
www.folksy.com/shops/teabreaks.
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the last few days I have spent making a lady's shrug. This is a very simple and easy pattern based on the granny square. No real instructions are needed once you know the system.
I made this one in Aran yarn but to be honest, it is more like a chunky yarn than Aran.
I spent many years in the knitwear trade and so I know my yarns well.
The yarn I used was lovely and had a crepe feel to it.
 As I had never made a granny shrug before I wasn't really sure how much yarn I would need and so I stopped short of the size that I really wanted to make. This one is for a smaller lady.....difficult to be sure, as it is a loose fitting style but I would estimate no bigger than as size 12 or 34" bust. Here are some pictures of the finished item which will be listed on Folksy tomorrow (Friday 4th March).
I will deliberately list at a very low price....I know some people will be miffed at this but it is my choice to offer my work to everyone, no matter what their financial situation.
www.folksy.com/shops/teabreaks

Over the weekend I bought some very bright fluorescent yarn ....I am not sure why...I suppose it just caught my eye and jumped into my shopping basket.
I wanted to make a vintage Granny striped blanket and so hook in hand off I went.
Getting the colours in a nice looking order was the most difficult thing and I decided to separate some of them with Navy. I worked until the colour sequence had repeated enough times to make a nice length. Then I did a border in navy, finishing with a fluorescent pink edging.
I am quite pleased with the result and it is now listed for sale in my Folksy shop.
www.folksy.com/shops/teabreaks
I am trying where possible to keep my charges down to a minimum.
I know prices are a controversial subject and I try never to get drawn into the discussions.
We each have our own price ranges and our individual needs.
I choose to keep my prices as low as possible because I feel it is fair to allow everyone the opportunity to afford good work.
Just because my prices are low, it doesn't mean they are badly made or that I use inferior products...I DON'T.