Knitting and Crochet

I am a bit of an obsessive. I get 'into' something and everything else falls by the wayside. This time last year I had just bought a new sewing maching and was sewing for England; I taught myself to crochet in September and I have the crochet and knitting bug at the minute.
I am sure it's something to do with the fact that you can sit and knit or crochet in front of the TV whilst being with the family and making relatively little noise. Machine sewing takes me away from everyone with my machine going ninety to the dozen it is not great for conversations.
I have been doing some hand sewing over the Christmas break, I was between knitting projects and picked up my hexie tin.

Each time I recieve some fabric from swaps and friends, I snip a row of it off and add it to my hexie tin. This means that the fabrics I use to make up a cushion will have nice people sewn into it too. When I look at the individual hexies I can remember where the fabric was from and the person or project connected with it, which adds another dimension to the finished article. This will be another cushion when I get back to it.

Back to knitting; if you are a knitter you will know all about Ravelry, if you are new to knitting and crochet you might not, so pop over and check them out, there is loads of help and patterns there for all levels of experience and I have found it a great resource. Just recently I was inspired by the lovely Lynda - Hookin with LaaLaa to join the 'Crochet a Long ~ Block a Month 2011' on Ravelry with the purpose of making a block each month and at the end of the year joining them all up to make a blanket. So this is what has just fallen off my hook, it's a mess and it's very wonky, I am sure I missed stitches somewhere or perhaps even added extra, but it will do for a filler square ~ I will try harder for the 12" version (as my Nanna would say "a blind man on a fast horse won't notice it"):

I am a novice knitter, I was taught to knit as a girl but never persued it and now I wish I had; but like the crochet I am practicing and teaching myself as I go. I have been buying this magazine for a few months now and have eventually given in and subscribed as I would be gutted to miss an issue, it's been an invaluable help to me.

There is at least one thing I want to make from this mag each month and usually do, remember the big chunky cable scarves, they were from this mag.

Here is my latest make from this month's mag these little hearts (top left above), I didn't turn them inside out to seam them, I tacked around the outside as I liked the finish better and I added beads instead of buttons, and added lavender to the stuffing, but it's close enough. Oooh and I finished off with the sweetest little bows, courtesy of the lovely Alex ~ thanks again honey!

I did tackle a knitted purse from a previous magazine which came with a free purse frame, it turned out nice but was such a pain to do, I will show you that later this week.

Oohh, can I ask you seasoned knitting and crochet ladies, how do you store your yarns? Mine is taking over the house and it's so bulky I don't quite know what to do with it. It's current home is stashed in multiple carrier bags behind the couch, under the bed and wherever I find a crevice~ this can't be the best method???

p.s. don't forget my little Stitch giveaway, it closes on Friday.

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~