It was with great excitement that I saw what this years ‘Colour of the Year’ is to be! Tangerine Tango!  Each year Pantone study style and colour directions and select a colour which they feel sums up the trend for the year ahead.

So what do you think? I absolutely love it!  It’s bright, vibrant and warm.  It will definitely brighten any gloomy day and be gorgeous in the summer too.  If I was working with this in a yarn or fabric I wouldn’t get bored of the colour that’s for sure.

I first came across this on the Lion Brand Yarn Facebook page where lots of comments were really negative and saying they didn’t like it at all and wouldn’t wear it.  I don’t think the colour of year is just about clothing, its about home accessories, cars (tho I don’t think I’d buy a car that colour), advertising, cosmetics and all sorts of things.

Well, if you ask me then the future’s bright, the future’s orange!  Sorry, corny I know!!

Please note the image in this post was created using html colour coding and is intended only to indicate the general colour tone of Pantone Tangerine Tango, not to fully replicate it.

I’m not often a very intensive crocheteer, but the past few days I’ve found my mojo – long may it last!

What have I made? Well, you saw a glimpse of colourful pastel yarn in my last post as a teaser. I’ve been meaning to try McKinley’s Sprintgime Hat for ages and finally got round to it!  When I was visiting my family at Christmas time one of my nieces arrived wearing a gorgeous crochet hat her mum had bought her.  I recognised the pattern straight away and remembered it was in my faves on Ravelry.

I had recently made my other niece (I have 2) a beret that just didn’t fit so she was top of my project list for McKinleys hat.  I’ve now made 2 of them and plan one more – she has two cousins who she will share them with!

The red one is Stylecraft Special DK (Share 1010 Matador) and there’s not much to say about it that hasn’t been said before all over crochet blogland.  Hard working yarn that does what it says on the tin etc.

As for the pastel yarn, well…. it’s gorgeous: Sirdar Snuggly Crofter Baby Fair Isle effect DK (quite a mouthful isn’t it).  This yarn is really really lovely to use and feels wonderfully soft yet stable and practical and the colours are super.  I used shade 0159 and on the ball it looks pretty but made up I love it so much more.  The composition is 55% Nylon / 45% Acrylic but it doesn’t have a synthetic feel – if anything it has a lightweight cotton blend handle, without the weight or firmness.  I think it’s perfect for this hat pattern.

I wanted to make the hats slightly larger than in the McKinley pattern so I added one round to the centre pattern, 3 rows to the shells and one row to the banda although I have to admit I spiralled the band so didn’t keep count the same, I’m guilty of not using markers very often.  I used a 4.5mm hook, which for some reason is my preference when using double knit yarn, over a 4mm, unless it ‘feels’ slightly finer than a standard dk.  The flower I used is one I made up myself.

So with these hats some little girls will have cosy ears – much needed after the storms this week!

And what of my other make?  Well, the man who puts up with all my crochet and yarn (which is now in his house so there’s no hiding it) never gets the benefit of it, poor soul.  Time to remedy that.  He isn’t a cosy cable jumper or homemade socks kind of guy, so I whipped up a mega chunky cosy scarf for him.

The yarn is King Cole Magnum Chunky and used 3 balls in shade 349 – a nice manly grey (he was given alternatives at scoffed and each of them!).  I’m going to write out the pattern properly in another post, although it was very simple and I made it up as I went along.

So there you have it!  A big start to my crochet year and lots more to come, if my plans go according to plan!

I’d love to hear what you’ve worked on so far?

I’ve started off my new year with some crochet watching old films on TV. Rather a cosy and relaxing day. Perfect!

Here’s a little glimpse of today’s project:

Today’s other job today is directing some technical wizardry so that next time you visit things will be a bit different around here. I’m rather excited by it all!! It might even all happen by tomorrow but if not I’ll look forward to hearing what you think when I finally hit the big red button!!

In the meantime I’ll get back to cracking the whip with my live-in IT expert!!

I hope 2012 brings you lots of wonderful things and good health to enjoy them xx

And Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a cat!!

So I have a new piece of equipment which I am hoping will help. Ok, it might be cheating, but I’ll live with that!

I have a shiny new second (third?/fourth?) hand knitting machine! It’s a funny beast, but today I managed to create this lovely precious little piece of knitting below:

(apols for the picture – it was taken on my phone as can’t find anything since I moved – camera included!)

So I’m changing things a little around here. I’m refocussing and redefining what I will do here. And that focus will be my first love… crochet! New name, new design, lots of crochet!! Well, when I say lots, there will more than there has been of late, which hasn’t been a lot!!

I have been rather busy in the past few months moving house and moving in with my chap which is rather lovely. It’s highlighted to me just how much ‘craft’ stuff I have and I am now in the process or organising (but not reducing) it!

I still don’t have myself a proper 9-5 job, but I am taking a new direction and more on that here in the near future.

So right now there is a lot going on behind the scenes, web designing, planning and scheming! Hopefully by the next time I am back here it will be with lots to share and a new name and new look.

Until then, enjoy frou-frou while you can. She’s soon going to retire!!