Nayu's Craft Time #235 Fleeting snow flurry

Sadly I lack Elsa's power to create snow. (Frozen)

Last week we had what could have been a snow flurry, but turned into definite rain by the end of the day. I guess the possibility for snow this season is reducing fast. Never mind! I dreamt that it snowed the other night is good enough for me. 

It's been a fairly quiet week, mostly gaming as my body didn't like the weather, but I did some craft too and I baked cupcakes! 1 lot of gluten free and another batch were vegan. Both turned out ok, I'm frosting them this afternoon so will take photos then and share in my next post. It's lunch time so I need to make this a short post (sorry) but wanted to wish you a...

Nayu's Craft Time #76 Another Snowflake Post

Nature's own jewels

I've yet to do craft today, as I try to blog in the morning, so I haven't anything new to show you, but I am going to talk about snowflakes! 

As you can see from previous posts linked below, I have a mild snowflake obsession

I first mention snowflakes here
Part 1 and Part 2 of my New Shiny Things and Snowflakes Post Part 1 and Part 2

Who can blame me? They are sparkly, every one is unique, and ever so pretty. I am slowly starting to some: 

I'm working my way through this book...

Here's the 1st snowflake pattern which I added a loop so it can hang up. The ones I'll be selling will be in a thinner yarn.

Thinking about it, even though I don't actually see a lot of snow (we had none where I live last winter which was bitterly disappointing), I've realised it's no surprise that I love snowflakes, as it features in a lot of anime which I watch: 

As previously mentioned there are winter fairies in the Disney Tinkerbell movies who make snowflake.

One of my favourite series, Winx, has a snow themed ability in season 4 called Lovix

Then we come to Disney's Frozen. Young Elsa makes snow...

...so too does older Elsa, with even more finesse.

You might want to look carefully at Elsa's snowflake...

 Disney gave Elsa a signature snowflake!!! How cool is that?! Pun honestly not intended. I hope one day to find (or if I get good enough) crochet an Elsa snowflake, which I think does appear in Once Upon A Time season 4 when Elsa features ^o^ 

I have to point out that despite her early, not exactly friendly actions, Elsa isn't then enemy. There's a snow queen!

Snowfakes are everywhere. I'd love to know when you see them, and if there are other films/series which use snow!

Nayu's Craft Time #72 This week's plans

Read the post to find out why flowers are needed for this summery blanket

It's too early in the day for me to have done much crochet, so I thought I may as well chat about my craft plans for this week.

I hope to put up at least 2 new items for sale by Sunday

I hope to make a pair of fingerless gloves for a present

I hope to continue making flowers to decorate an almost finished blanket (top of post)

These are so tasty!

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I hope to make some more truffes!

1st of many snowflakes!

I hope to make another snowflake, a different pattern to this one.

I'd love to hear what your plans are, be they crafty or not!

Nayu's Craft Time #50 New Shiny Things and Snowflakes Part 2!

My snowflakes come from here!

Ah, my first 2 part post! Nayu's Craft Time #50 New Shiny Things and Snowflakes Part 1 of 2! was posted yesterday; I introduced you to my new hooks and my very first snowflake. Today I'm going to explain the rest of the snowflake experiment. I wanted to show you have different sized hooks used on the same yarn produce different results, and a part of me wanted to see whether the 1.5mm hook or the 2.5mm hook is best with this particular yarn. 

1.5mm hook snowflake vs 2mm hook snowflake

My second snowflake, seen on the right, was made with the 2mm snowflake. I've decided that there isn't really much difference between them (other than a few more yarn issues). I like the pattern, although I'm tempted to change the single chain in the last row to 2 single chains, to make that space at the top of each hole more distinct. What I did next was make the snowflake using my trusty 4mm hook, which I love not only because it's purple but because it's such a versatile size. 

Ho hum. Upon starting to crochet I instantly knew this yarn was wrong for this size hook. It isn't as neat and tidy. It doesn't feel steady while using it. It annoyed me, but for the sake of experimentation I carried on. I have to say now I've used a smaller hook I may wait until I have my 3mm and redo the few motifs I've made for a shawl, since I think it will be a bit neater (if a bit smaller...) 

Current shawl starting motifs

To make myself feel better I used a thicker yarn and made a 4th snowflake (still using the Frost pattern). 

It makes a huge difference! I loved every moment of creating this orange snowflake. I wanted to make more, but my experimenting time was up. I'm glad I can make snowflakes on both a smaller and larger scale - I'm sure in the future I will join some together as a shawl/blanket, and others I'll make with the teeny tiny hook so they can be snowflake charms on blanket. 

I'm so excited about my lovely snowflake patterns! I was going to promise to make all 100 - I may still do that, but I didn't quite understand the first snowflake so I don't know if I will make them all. I'm hoping as I go through the ones I can follow I'll eventually be able to do the ones I found trickier. Practise makes nearly perfect in crochet. I'm looking forward to showing all of my experiments and attempts with you!

Here are all the Frost snowflakes!

Back to shiny things!

I've saved this point til last to justify why this part 2 features new shiny things. What is really nifty about the new hooks is the special metal cover for the 1.5mm hook, I guess to stop it being squished by a crochet book or whatever else it gets squished by. Yes it amused me taking the cap on and off a few times. It's the little things! (Vague pun intended). 

I hope you've enjoyed this 2 part post - expect more to come over the next few months!  

Snowflakes make me as happy as Elsa is here!

Nayu's Craft Time #50 New Shiny Things and Snowflakes Part 1 of 2!

This says it all!

This is my first every 2 part post - whoohoo! Thought it would be easier for you to digest than a super long post. That and it gets you coming back for another visit to see what happens next! Mwhahahaa.... 

My shiny things!

Ahem! Tuesday heralded the arrival of the smaller hooks which I've already talked about (or not - yes there are times I make posts up in my head and then don't post them).  As you can see they still have funky handles, and the close-up below reveals just how thin the 2mm (green) & 1.5mm (yellow) hook are compared to the not new 4mm (purple) hook. 

My pretty hooks!

Now I've been crocheting with a 4mm from the time I started. I haven't really needed a smaller hook since none of my projects so far were required to be a certain size. However, with my future projects most definitely needing some delicate work and the suggested  yarn for all the snowflakes I hope to make, smaller hooks were needed. 

The source of my snowflakes!

Once they arrived today I thought what better than to test them out using what I think might be 4ply cotton yarn and launch into snowflake #2 called Frost. It perhaps wasn't the wisest decision to try a teeny tiny hook out on an unknown pattern, but I went for it. 

1st ever snowflake!!!

It took a a few tries of the first row to get used to the smaller 1.5mm hook. It was a bit tricky as the stitches are teeny tiny and occasionally the yarn twisted (cue me glaring & mentally thinking 'grrr' to the hook - as a good craftswoman I rarely blame my tools-yarn isn't a tool!) 

My version and the book's.

I was happy with my first attempt, and quickly moved on to making the same snowflake with the same yarn and different hooks. You'll have to wait for part 2 link will take you there to see how why I'm as happy as young Elsa from Disney's Frozen is when she makes snow regarding my snowflakes!

Nayu's Craft Time #44 Snowflakes!

Yes, I really am talking snowflakes at the height of summer. If you like using your imagination, then I'm sure you'll like the Disney fairy version of snowflakes being made by Tinkerbell's sister Peri's friends, the Winter fairies. 

A Winter fairy making snow

Or it could be made by Princess Elsa from Disney's Frozen 

Regardless of their actual origin, I adore snowflakes. I love the distinct trudging sound when I walk in fresh snow, which barely happens as we've had snow-free winters the last few years. 

I love how magical the world looks with snow covering everything in a white blanket. I love seeing my cat & other animals' footprints. 

I love knowing that every single snowflake is unique - that's really amazing, and is one of countless reminders how great this world God created for us is. Knowing I like snowflakes, I was super excited to find the perfect crochet book which has 100 of them! 

I'm hoping to get this before the end of Autumn, as snowflakes can be used all year around since there is always somewhere on earth which has snow, and my snowflakes can be multicoloured, unlike the ones which fall from the sky!