I found the greatest Apple Flapjack recipe. It is quick, simple, few ingredients and tastes AMAZING! I made 2 batches in quick succession and they all went! I convinced myself that because they contained mainly oats and 2 apples that they must indeed be healthy and I chose to ignore the whole pack of butter and the huge amount of sugar and syrup.
I love those recipes where you have to melt butter and sugar and syrup in a pan - it's like some kind of magic going on in there! It's a great recipe for children to make too as it's so quick and there's not a lot of messing around.
I've also been making a lot of teacosies! (I'm never sure if it's one word or two). I just can't seem to stop. I've hit upon this pattern which I invented and which I now love and have to keep making in as many colour combinations as possible.
I found this pile of granny squares in a bag the other day. They were the first things I worked on when I returned to crochet and I had just wanted something easy and pretty. I had then obviously just stuffed them in the bag at the end - not being able to face all those ends and the trouble of turning them into an actual blanket.
I was never very good at finishing things but I am working on that!
I'm going to border it in navy blue. I'm not so keen on the classic black granny square blankets and I think the navy will make all the colours I have used so far really 'pop'.
I've also been working on a new tea cosy pattern and some different colour choices.
Ron, meanwhile, has mainly been working on eating my magazines!
The New Year is well and truly here. Today both of the children are back at school and it feels as if January is definately underway. It was so dark and damp here this morning that I feel in need of sharing my recently made Snowdrop inspired garland.
Having seen the first signs of Snowdrops on our Stourhead walk it made me yearn for a little of that fresh spring green colour, that first glimmer of hope that we are moving forward into the year. Also, it was a great use of my ribbon which I have had for ages (I think from Hobbycraft) but couldn't find the right thing to do with it.
So here is the pattern:
The large flower
Round 1
Ch 4, join with a sl st to form a ring.
3ch (counts as a tr), 11tr into the ring. Join with a sl st to top of beginning 3ch. 12 tr.
Fasten off.
Round 2
Join new colour in any st.
3ch (counts as a tr) 1tr in same sp.
1ch, 3tr in each st around.
Sl st to join the round.
Round 3
Join new colour in any 1ch sp.
3ch (counts as tr), 2tr in same sp.
1ch, 3tr in each 1ch sp around.
Sl st to join the round.
Fasten off.
Round 4
Join new colour in any 1ch sp.
4ch, sl st to next 1 ch sp around.
Sl st to join the round.
Do not fasten off.
Round 5
5ch, sl st to first sl st around.
Sl st to join the round.
Fasten off and sew in the ends.
The colours I am using are Stylecraft Special DK in Parchment and the aptly named Spring Green. I am also using a white which is not Stylecraft but something I already had lying around.
So now the smaller flower:
Round 1
Ch 8. Sl st to join the ring.
Ch3 (counts as a tr), 17 tr into the ring.
Sl st to top of ch3 to join.
Fasten off. 18 tr.
Round 2
Join new colour in any tr.
Ch3 (counts as tr), 1tr in the same st, ch2, skip 1tr.
2tr in next st, ch2, skip 1 tr around.
Sl st in the first tr to join.
Fasten off.
Round 3
Join new colour in any ch2 sp.
Ch1 (does not count as a st),
1dc, 3tr, 1dc in each ch2 sp around.
Sl st in the first dc to join.
Fasten off and sew in the ends.
I then threaded mine onto ribbon which I love the effect of but of course you could crochet a chain to attach the flowers to.
I hope that all makes sense. It is such a contrast to be looking at these simple colours after all the vibrancy of Christmas. It's like a clean slate.
Of couse no photo opportunity is complete without one of the animals sneaking in there for a bit of attention. If I'm looking at something, Crumble likes to make sure that it's him!
