Hottie Cover

My recent collection of tapestry skeins  whilst op shopping has compelled me to make a hot water bottle cover. I think that my thinking had been influenced by Kate at Foxes Lane with her hot water bottle hook along. Anyway I must have purchased these tapestry colours with this in mind as the very next day after purchase I proceeded to become absorbed in my little hooky project.
Sometimes I think I become so consumed with the desire to complete something that I ignore all else and  tend to enjoy hiding in my bedroom whiling away the hours quietly (or sitting in the sunshine as I did on Saturday)

I became a little more flamboyant with the use  of colour towards the end.. grabbing whatever thread was large enough to make a few rounds around the neck of the bottle as I was getting low on threads by then. The flowers were a last minute addition and a nod to spring .

I have found a bag full of colourful bright tapestry threads in my cupboard and think a bright cover might be underway.

Mid Year Sampler - June - The Month That Was

Better late than never .... June Sampler for the month that was.
1. Bird life on the Onkaparinga River South Australia. 2. Brighton Jetty South Australia. 3. Op Shop renovation, telephone table 4. hot water bottle cover. 5. waffle weave crochet cushion. 6, Jordana's sunflower printing 7. Bobble cushion 8. Sunset at Brighton 9. crochet bed socks

and more photos from Handorf...lots more

1 &2 charity op shop Handorf -pretty bunting 3 & 4 Handorf The Old Mill - good fun in summer to sti outside and drink beer

1 &2 lovely cafe settings to relax and eat,,, 3 wagon 4 Old Mill stonework

1.0Great worn paint wall.2 the old well 3. model sheep outside sheepskin and wool wear shop. 4. pretty fronted yellow cafe

 1. A big lick 3. German Arms  Hotel - act like your german ancestor 4. lolly shop - lots of cute milk bottles full of lollies

Lunching it in Maccesfield

HOTTIE 2

The green ball of wool that I picked up off the craft sale table has been utilized to make another hot water bottle cover. As I suspected it wasn't going to be enough wool but I decided to go ahead anyway. I had another green in the stash that was near enough the colour anyway, although when you look at it in the bright light it looks remarkably a different shade. Oh well .. I am not going to undo it now!

A slightly more cabled neck but I still haven't mastered the cable properly.
And the back of the hottie really shows the variance in colour

I've started a pair of bed socks with the left over wool (because it was handy and feels snuggly warm) and currently I feel very cold and would love warm toastie toes. I have already varied from the pattern - mainly because I don't read the pattern correctly. But I'm making it to fit my foot as I go along - hopefully both socks work out the same. I am taking note of stitch numbers as I go along.

Hope you are all warm and snuggly 

Lucky you if it is summer where you are. It's mid winter and I'm dying for summer all over again.

I never know whether to show a finished product first and then yabber on about the progression or show progression and work my way to the finish line! What do you do?

Anyway I have  taken a few photos as I have progressed with my crochet hot water bottle cover and have decided to present it as follows

Making the neck of the hot water bottle was done by reducing 2 stitches each end of a row four times and then a row of treble. Followed by four rows of rib stitch (Basically treble formed in the front or back of a stitch) It feels really springy and would make a really warm scarf or a lovely textured pillow....I'm thinking textured pillow , my next adventure after I produce a cabled hat for Jordy

A lovely snowflake motif for the front of the hot water bottle.

I picked up a really great hint from Lucy at Attic24 to shape your crochet - pin it to your ironing board, set your iron at the lowest steam setting and hold the iron above your work for ten seconds with steam. Then allow to cool and voila your work is set
Nifty idea for small pieces!

I still like using a board with nails for square work then I don't have to muck around setting up the iron especially if I have multitude numbers of the same kind of work.

 Testing out placement.

If I was sensible I would have made the motif first and sewn in place on the front of the cover before sewing together - but I'm not overly thoughtful that way

Sewn in place

Antique buttons for the buttonholes
I like the first ones, my son like the second - so I went with the second- seeing as I did ask his opinion!

Super large button jar one of three white jars I have. I should sought through and make a mounted frame with my favourites on it

One more button to sew and I'm done, just have to source the hot water bottle - the one I have is missing the cap, so I found out yesterday!