Category Archives: Crochet

Moving on, new ideas…

There’s nothing like climbing out of a rut with a flash of inspiration and some new ideas.

And I’ve had to work hard to get into the right frame of mind, but I’m getting there! A lot of the problem has been the ‘swimming through treacle’ effect of mountains of STUFF. I’m really bad at parting with things, and my little cottage is filling up rapidly with all the things I can’t bear to part with from my mum’s home, not just yet anyway. (I’m also filling my studio, my shed, the veranda…)

So you can see that with all that going on, there hasn’t been much room to be creative and have any new ideas at all.

However, here’s the first one, a Planet Penny Newsletter. I wanted to be able to add a little something extra to what goes on in my woolly world so I investigated MailChimp and found it was actually jolly good fun finding out just what I can do. If you would like to find out more the sign up is on the sidebar, it’s a work in progress!

Planet Penny Products photo practice digital SLR camera

I’ve had some new ideas about the Planet Penny Cotton Colours yarn too. So many people have commented on how lovely it is to work with but I know those gorgeous rainbow brights aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, and I can do subtle as well, you know!

So this is the first proposed set, delicate pastels which work beautifully together and also with the white ‘Snowdrop’ yarn. I can really see these as a baby blanket or something cuddly for the cot.

New ideas Planet Penny Cotton And the other collection is this… new ideas - Planet Penny yarn I think it’s just scrumptious,and I can’t wait to try out some new ideas with these soft colours!

It’s all in the planning at the moment so I’d love to know what you think. And maybe I will be able to do some limited editions via the newsletter.

I’ll be back soon…x

A Crochet Retreat with Frank and Olive

Way back in March, when I had no inkling of how life was going to change so irrevocably, I booked a weekend away, on a crochet retreat with Frank and Olive.

Crochet retreat with Frank and Olive

It’s taken quite a while to get my welcome pack, and with so much else to think about I’d almost forgotten about it. However it was a lovely and welcome surprise to receive this pretty box of patterns and information, and promises of jolly things to look forward to at the end of next month. Crochet Retreat with Frank and Olive welcome pack

I’ll be relaxing with fellow crocheters, there will be surprise guests and a special workshop, all in a lovely B & B a short distance from York. I’m looking forward to taking lots of pics so I can tell you all about it when I get back! Special guests at the crochet retreat with Frank and Olive

I have so much to sort out as you can imagine it’s meant I’ve been struggling to get my Planet Penny mojo back. Today a lovely lunch with a friend, Kay of Arts Desire, when we arranged dates for a couple of needlefelting workshops as well as having a general brainstorming session, has been a great help. I’ve found some amazing ‘blasts from the past’ to share with you while sorting through my mum’s house, my old home, so I’ll be back soon.

And meanwhile I am really looking forward to the Crochet Retreat with Frank and Olive, do go along to the Frank and Olive Facebook Page to find out more.

See you soon…!

Happy Friday Number 16

Skittering along in a hurry with a late Happy Friday post!

Not only have I been out all day, but dear husband has been battling for two days with a computer with total amnesia, which has been a worry. I mean, I’m the one losing brain cells at an alarming rate, computers have the benefit of plug-in memories and stuff, don’t they? I could really do with a plug-in memory…

Anyway, my Happy Friday is all about my lovely day with two fellow bloggers, Lisa of Bobobun and Celia of Purple Podded Peas. We met up at Lisa’s gorgeous little country cottage, full of pretty things, to arrange the layout for the Do You Mind If I Knit blanket which we are making to raffle in aid of mental health. A great deal of laughter as well as hard work went on and we now have a section each of the blanket to sew up before we get together again for the final assembly. I’ll be telling you all about it as things progress, and I’m sure all of you who followed and loved Vanessa Cabban’s wonderful blog will want to join in with this tribute, so watch this space.

If you would like to take part in the draw please follow this link, it’s open worldwide.

Do You Mind if I knit Blaknet for Happy Friday Blanket design for Happy Friday

So how about your Happy Friday? Do write about it on your blog and join in with the Linky below. I really look forward to finding about your week.

Happy Friday Number 15

Eek! A whole week gone, it’s Happy Friday time again!

Every week I intend to fit in at least one other post and I just don’t know where the time goes… Anyway, here’s a little potted summary of Planet Penny goings on.

The lovely bag of yarn last week? The Silk & Wool blogger (sorry I don’t know your name) was asking about my project and here’s a sneak peek… crochet for Happy Friday About a month ago I mentioned that I had been asked to contribute to a crochet website but was still waiting to hear more. Well, it’s really real! I’m going to one of three bloggers on the site, and this will be my first ‘make’. I’ll let you know all the details as soon as it goes live, but it’s one of the things which has kept me busy this week.

Springtime Happy Friday Spring has really sprung here in Norfolk, and it’s been wonderful to have a few days when I can have the doors open in the studio and enjoy the fresh air. Higgins likes it too, but always manages to get on the wrong side of a closed door and then summons me with an imperious ‘WUFF’!

And I’ve found my sewing mojo! Being tall I always struggle to find something as long as I like off the peg, but this fabulous pattern from Merchant and Mills is perfect, and very adaptable. Merchant & Mills

My practice run recycled two tops from the back of the wardrobe which weren’t quite right for various reasons and were never worn. Reinvented, I’m want to wear it all the time! Merchant & Mills pattern recycled linen Happy Friday And I rediscovered Croft Mill, a company from which I used to buy lots of fabric years ago when I was sewing for the children, and bought some fabulous fabric…

Coates Fabrics for Happy Friday So all in all, It’s a very Happy Friday for me…how about you?

Please join in with the Linky below, and tell us all about what has made you smile this week. Don’t forget to link back to this post in your own so that people can find all the other links.

I don’t want to add a grumpy note, but I’m still getting people joining in with irrelevant posts which don’t mention Happy Friday anywhere, and the whole point of this is to link up like minded people and find new blogs to follow, so please play fair…

But enough of all that, have a very Happy Friday and a lovely weekend x

Crochet Eggs for Easter

I’ve been putting all my crochet eggs in one basket this week!

crochet eggs in a basket I’ve had the whole rainbow of Planet Penny yarns in play and twiddled around until I perfected a pattern for these colourful eggs. (I can just about do them with my eyes closed now!) I’ve written a pattern, which is here… Crochet eggs close up … and played around to my heart’s content arranging the eggs in jolly ways as Easter decorations. Would you like to see?

crochet eggs on ring crochet eggs on tree tree full of crochet eggs These are the smallest flowers I’ve made and they work really well with a french knot or a bead in the centre when you stitch them on. I think they will now turn up all over the place!

Don’t forget, you can buy the whole rainbow of colours to make these crochet eggs at the Planet Penny Etsy shop, and there are other patterns there too. (Made with this yarn the eggs are about 5cm/2″ long. If you use your own choice of yarn make sure you use the appropriately sized hook, the size will vary accordingly.)

See you soon…x

Happy Friday Number 5

Helloooo…! What’s made you smile this week? Here’s one of my own Happy Friday moments…

Pink & Blue Crocs for Happy Friday …it doesn’t do to get dressed in the dark!

As mentioned in my last post, I got my mum knitting again. This not only made me happy, but all the rest of the family too…

Knitting Nan for Happy Friday

And I finished and posted my lovely ‘Zing’ squares to Lisa of Bobobun for the ‘Do You Mind If I Knit Blanket’ so I had a great sense of achievement.

Stylecraft Life 'Zing' Squares for Happy Friday

So now it’s down to you. What’s made you happy this week?

Tell us all about it by joining in via the Linky below. If you haven’t done it before, don’t be shy. You can find out just what to do here. It’s a great way of making new blogging friends, and for people to discover you and your blog. Please remember to mention Planet Penny in your post and link back to the Happy Friday post here so that you send your readers to the Linky Party and all the other participants

Enjoy a Happy Friday, have a lovely weekend and I’ll be back soon…x