Hooky Trim

One of the upsides of having a sort out is that I've been coming across some long-forgotten and much loved objects. Look what I found at the weekend! I found my basket! Yaaaayyyyy!! Might seem an odd thing to have misplaced, but misplace it I did, until I went a rooting through the Attic eaves looking for _________ (insert random object) and there it was. Hiding. It was still holding the balls of yarn left over from when I made my bag, and if you go here you can read about the basket makeover and see the beginnings of The Yarn Bag too. Cripes, it seems a long time ago don't you think? Well I suppose it was more than three years ago now.

I've absolutley L♥VED being reunited with my basket, I've been so happy carrying it about the place with my ripple tucked up inside. I've found that if I just keep the blanket, hook and current ball of yarn in it, it makes it very easy to do a little bit of hooky in between doing other things. Cos it's there and it's on view and I can instantly pick it up and work a few stitches whenever. I can also instantly drop it safely back into the basket mid stitch when I'm needed by the Littlies (which I frequently have to do).

Thinking about my sweet little yarn basket reminded me of the above picture, which has forever embedded itself in my memory banks. I know, isn't it just? Just SoOOOOoOooo beautiful?? I kept seeing this image in my mind since my own basket made a reappearance, and  yesterday I rooted out my Japanese crochet books to indulge in a little Visual Upliftment.

The yarny basket image comes from one of the above books, I think it's inside the one with the red and white motifs.

If you've not already come across these delicious books, you can read more about my love for them in this archive post. I bought both books from a great Etsy seller called Pomadour's Craft Café, the one with the red and white motifs on the cover can be found here, and the second volume with the red chair can be found here. In my experience, these books tend to sell out quickly but are also replenished regularly so if you bob along to Pomadour's shop and find them out of stock, give it a day or two and try again OK?

Ahhhhhhhh I really love these books, so so much. They never fail to delight and inspire. I must've looked at these pictures dozens of times, but never tire of them.

My eyes breeze through the pages, my heart flutters and my mind begins to buzz.

Buzzzz-buzzzzz-buzzzzzz.

Ideas begin to fizzle and pop and before I know what is happening, something takes hold and I am reaching for my hook and yarn bag to try it out.........

I have this idea to crochet some sort of sweet decorative trim to add a touch of prettiness to something. It's such an unnecessary, silly little idea really, but I am incredibly excited by forcing it into reality. I am making the creative fluttering and buzzing come alive and it feels wonderful.

Heeee-heeee!!! This is what I came up with after a few hours of frantic hooking, frogging, hooking and frogging. Looks a little silly I know........

.....but I just need to start darning in all those ends.

There, that's better!!!!

Do you like it, my sweet little piece of colourful hooky trim?

I need to join it into a ring in order for it to trim the object I have in mind.

So shall I show you what this pretty trim is for?

OK...

Look..................................................................................

Ta-dah!!!!!

It's a little bit of colourful decoration for my new Home Blessing Candle.

And I'm so happy with it!!

I treated myself to a new candle on Friday, as I felt the tealight-in-the-peanut-butter-jar wasn't quite up to the job. I found this simple little glass jar candle in the supermarket (Tesco, £3), it's vanilla scented (not overly so) and now with it's hooky trim added it's beautifully at home on my table.

Hmmmm, please do try and ignore the Shelves of Doom in the background. My Decluttering Mission is going through a short hiatus, although I do really need to try harder at getting myself back on track where that's concerned.

Oh yes, that's much better, lets just zoom in and concentrate on the pretty little bits in close-up. Ignore the big messy bits in the background.

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ps I'm sure you'll let me know what you think of my potty little creative buzz and if you think it's something you'd like a pattern for? I'm thinking these would make sweet gifts. Right, off to find my basket now, it's coming upstairs with me for a little bedtime rippling xx

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Caroline]

Absolutely gorgeous. I love it. Yes please, please write a tutorial for the pattern. It looks so pretty next to your new hooky basket.

[Hanneke]

Ahhhh Lucy, you are a star! Love that little trim and of course we'd love another little pattern coming from you.
Such a nice basket you have, better not stuff it in hide away places again, too pretty. Keep your lovely posts coming, always a joy too read
Hugs from Stockholm
Ps. I think we all like the shelves just the way they are, at least we can keep our own nicely cluttered without feeling too bad.

[Terrie]

Oooo I likey!

[Nikki Relffe-Arnold]

ah Lucy that's beautiful, and not silly at all! I laughed out loud at your "tealight in a peanut butter jar" description! I love my candles so would love a pattern for this :-)

nikki x

[ZebAlex]

Ooh Lucy, that's spooky. About an hour ago I was looking at crochet books, because I saw 'Cute and Easy Crochet' in my new BookPeople catalogue. So I looked on your blog at 'books' to check if it was the one with the Babushkas and got a bit side-tracked looking at the Japanese book and seeing if it was on Amazon.... 15 minutes later your post appeared. Spooky....

[Michelle]

Yes! Too cute/pretty, just love it!! Also love seeing your clutter on your shelves- it's always refreshing to know "I'm not the only one", heehee!

[Emily]

It's lovely and I like the way the candle light shines through it x

[Joaninha]

Yes, please on the pattern!!!! I spotted a picture of a blanket in a mag, that I ripped out and thought I could figure out how to make -- thanks to you! And thank you for not hiding the big messy bits! I am trying to declutter our house, and it is good to know that I am not alone in having made some progress, but having something that keeps reminding me of how much I still need to do! Lovely pictures as usual! Enjoy your bedtime hooky!

[Sarah]

Haha! That's lovely! The pattern would be great! You have so much patience!I think I need a basket to carry my projects around in. Like your idea of doing a little bit here and there.
Those Japanese books are lovely. I get a gorgeous magazine here (France) called Marie Claire Idées (have you seen it? Lots fo different beautiful crafty ideas with instructions, too) and this month there have been quite a few Japanese designs - sewing, crochet etc - really inspiring.
I liked your recent post about loving your house a bit by giving it a polish and some care. I have resolved to do the same - even in the midst of building work and grumpy husbands!
Thanks again for a lovely cheery post! xx

[Anne Marie]

I LOVE your shelves! Same as Michelle above here. Life's too short to worry about it.

Really like your basket which has given me the idea I have a basket with some lavender stems in. Find another home for them and, bob's your uncle, make a lining and have a hooky basket. (or knitting).

I have made a hanger with trim at the bottom, to give to a neighbour at Christmas, just a little token and she might appreciate the time gone into it.

[jeannette]

love the trim. love the shelves. love the yorkshire RR poster.

[barb]

Pattern, PLEASE!

[Kristen]

Oooohhh! So lovely. And I am re-reminded about how much I love those Japanese crochet books--now I know what to ask Santa to buy me! :)

[Jo]

That is SOOO pretty. You really are very clever and such an inspiration. Thank you for the colour and the joy that you spread. Keep up the good work.
xx

[Gail]

That's just so pretty! And just in time for my current desire to crochet coathanger covers! Have been hovering at your site since early this year, when a very kind woman taught me to crochet, but this is the first time I've left a comment! Would just love a tutorial, and thank you so much for all the ones you've already written.

[Sarah west mids uk]

Dear Lucy you should see the clutter on my landing! It is slowly getting cleared. A pattern for the crochet trim would be just right. Thanks.xx

[carole]

Hi Lucy,
That is so lovely and a pattern/tutorial would be brill. I`m busy atm knitting christmas decorations for a friend who is organising a christmas fair, phew my needles have sparks coming off them, lol!Take care
Love Carole from Rossendale xxxx

[Marion]

Dear Lucy, I love it the colours are soooo pretty, please put a tutorial on as I would love to have a go. xx

[Iris]

Oh... You always make me laugh. Thanks.

Hugs from the Bronx. :)

[Heather Thorp]

Utter gorgeousness - would love the pattern for my kitchen shelves xxx

[Gillie on Nb Vox Stellarum]

Just fabulous...a pattern would be the bees knees!.... :~))

[Kay G.]

I love your hooky trim. You know, you could make it longer and trim a shelf edge with it. Would really make a shelf pop, wouldn't it?
Lucy, I love your colorful eye!

[Heather]

Basket case!

Just kidding :p

I had not realised that you had lost your basket. Seriously. I mean, you haven't had it in aaaany photos for ages but I really didn't know you'd lost it. That's a pretty sizable thing to lose, I am even slightly envious of your eaves-storage as I look around my room right now and see all my crap stacked up. (It's ok though cos my other house is tidy, ho ho.)

Major jealous of your books too, I have long been lusting after them.

See you soon xxxxx

[Jules]

Love it! A pattern would be fabulous :D

[Jill]

That book shelf has soooo much personality! To line up all the books nice & tidy would just look....boring. Your decorating touch is 'somewhere over the rainbow'!! Waiting for next tutorial.....chop! chop!