well it is warming up a bit outside now and we have had a few nice warm days.
As I now have more time on my hands I am doing more crochet.
I crochet during the evenings when the light is too poor to paint..
This last week, I have been making more matinee coats that are for sale in my folksy shop
www.folksy.com/shops/teabreaks
.I keep the prices as low as I can to enable everyone to be able to afford them...here are some of the most recent listings and designs.
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having done the last matinee coat, I decided to do another one......
working on from this I then adapted the idea to another cardigan in the same colours....
Once you have one design that you are happy with you can change it around a bit, so that each design is slightly different from the precious one.
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Now that the weather is improving and all the snow has gone (although we didn't have much here) I am thinking of summer and pretty baby outfits.
I made this matinee coat yesterday from a pattern that I used, way back in the early 70's.
I made literally hundreds of them and sold them (pre decimal) for just 12/6d.... around 65p !!!!!!!
When I was expecting my son I would sit and make them and always took ready made ones to the clinic and sell them.....I always loved selling !
Now, all these years later, this design is as popular as ever.
I change slightly, each one that I make...
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This week I have been working out patterns for collars and hooded jackets...
Lots of pieces of paper and lots of work unpicked and re done but I think I am happy with the pattern now.....
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I also made two of my sideways cardigans.....
For many years I made loads of sideways cardigan for ladies but have never actually sat down and sorted one out in a baby size.....again, lots of notes and crochet that was thrown away......but I now have two that are listed in my folksy shop...   www.folksy.com/shops/teabreaks 
Each one of the sideways cardigans is different as there are not specific instructions. Everything is done by measurements.......I work like this, so that on each cardigan I can work different stitches on the main body of the garment...
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...Here is a photo of me, taken over 24 years ago....crocheting one of my lady's jackets and wearing one as well.
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this week I have been crocheting  a few of my sideways crocheted baby cardigans. They are fun to do as each one is different. Each one has different colours and each one has different stitches.
I make them using measurements rather than counting stitches......and I never know what I will choose for each row......
No two are ever alike.

I have been busy lately trying to get some new designs ....especially something that would suit baby boys,.
SO much of the beautiful crochet that is around today is lacy and extremely pretty. However, there are people out there that would not want to put a baby boy in something lacy.
Yesterday I designed this baby cardigan which will be another option for those boys.
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I also made a striped jumper for boys but although it was fun to make, sewing in all the many ends was a bit of a nightmare !
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well, it has been a busy winter with me experimenting and trying out different designs.... I decided to make some cardigans that were based on the Hexagon jacket. This is using two hexagons joined together to make a jacket. However, I was never happy with the way the neckline came right up to the top so I decided to work out my own pattern that gave the garment a proper neckline and had welts and cuffs on the sleeves.
It took several attempts to make cardigans that were to my satisfaction but I am now happy with the finished product....
I also did some baby lacy cardigans and have made several of those in different colours......
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Like anyone else that does knitting or crochet, I get lots of small quantities of yarn, so this week I decided to make a traditional granny square lap blanket....Nothing unusual about it ...just the same as many other blankets. This one is for sale on folksy
www.folksy.com/shops/teareaks
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I have also been playing with my butterfly loom with a view to making some baby shawls in the future. This is just one of the experimental squares
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I have decided that the sensory play mat is now finished.....I shall offer it for sale in one of my shops in the next few days. It will be £25 plus £5 P&P....there are many hours of work in it and lots of different yarns. The idea of it ,is a mat for babies and children to sit on, to touch the texture and be inspired by the colours. It could also be a lap cover for special needs people or people with dementia...in fact for anyone who loves to lose themselves in a fantasy world....at the widest point it is approximately 30" across and on average is 27" across...it is not intended to be square or have straight sides...
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It will be for sale in my folksy shop from October 1st
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www.folksy.com/shops/teabreaks 
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I have had a very busy week this week ...sorting out family matters and attending meetings, so the progress on the play mat has been slow.
I have still added a few more scrumbles and next I need to start straightening off the sides a bit. I don't want to make it completely straight but I don't want to leave it circular.
Here is the photo of progress so far.....
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this week I added some bullion circles and some fluffy yarns.......the blanket is getting bigger.
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another few days have gone by and lots of bits of crochet have been added to the sensory play mat....It is fun taking yarn and deciding where that colour should go and then what stitch to use.....
Here is the latest picture....can you spot the new bits?.....

It has been a bus few days with family staying for a visit. However I still managed to add a few more pieces (Scrumbles) to the play mat.....here is the progress so far....
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another day and a few more pieces have been added to the sensory play mat.......It won't be long before it is up for sale...I am really enjoying making this...I just hope that I can part company with it....
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It is growing...a little more has been added....just a few bobbles and a few trebles....and a couple of curly pieces too.....
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the sensory play mat is growing and looking good.....
here are the additions for today...
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Thursday 7th September.
The play mat is growing and the days are becoming colder. It will be nice to sit with this on my lap, keeping me warm while I add to it each day.
Here is the progress so far....
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today I have added a few more motifs to my freeform crochet scrumble piece...it is coming along nicely now..nearly 12" at the widest point.....
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I cannot promise to do it every day but I am hoping to keep adding to the freeform crochet scrumble until it is large enough for a play mat or lap cover.....
I added some more today to yesterday's scrumble........so far so good...
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Because of recent changes in my circumstances, I now have a lot more time to crochet and so I have decided to start a new sensory play mat. This one will be offered for sale in my folksy shop (might be a while before it is finished) but keep looking .....
www.folksy.com/shops/teabreaks

I shall show pictures of the work as it progresses.....
Here is the very first scrumble.
A scrumble is the technical term for a small piece of freeform crochet.
There are no rules, you just work some stitches in any yarn, add more yarns , change direction and add some more.......
People make the most amazing wall hangings, garments, afghans etc.
These are works of art...like painting with yarn.....
I shall add more pictures and it grows......please come back and watch it grow.....
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