My Creative Space.

My creative space this week is all about the bowls.

I love making these bowls.

I start each one with no idea how it will turn out in the end.

How many rounds I will crochet for the circumference of the base.

How many colours I will use.

If I will add a pattern or keep to the single crochet.

They sort of speak to me as I go.

The shell bowl.

The pointy bits bowl.

The bobble bowl.

The bowl Bren asked me to make with a lid.

None of the bowls have had their tails woven in yet but they have already been used as hats, as stacking blocks, and to store little bits and pieces in.

For more creative spaces check out the Kootoyoo blog.

Flowers & Bowls.

Yesterday I caught the train ALONE to Melbourne.

One hour and eight minutes each way with nothing to do but listen to the music of my own choice and of course crochet.

I took masses of wool and cotton with me and lots of different sized hooks because I had no idea what I would feel like making.

On the way there I made the flower brooch in the above photo and the grey one below.

I also finished the sides of this bowl that I had started the night before.

In Melbourne we had a family ceremony for my Grandmother Lucy who died last January.

As part of the ceremony we placed these tiles on her grave.

5 tiles, one from each of her Great Grandchildren.

After an incredibly emotional day in Melbourne at the cemetery and then at my Grandfather's for lunch I was exhausted on the way home.

I put my headphones on, selected a Suzanne Vega album and then crocheted myself into a trance.

I went round and round the bowl.

The hook went into the space, the yarn went around and through.

Over and over, all the way home.

Little Stitches.

How things have changed.

The other day I was in Ballarat to pick up supplies when I pulled up in front of this shop.  Only 6 months ago that sign would have made my heart beat a bit faster.  I would have raced inside and grabbed arm loads of those awkward, long bolts of fabric, dragged them through the aisles and to the counter where the checkout chicky would have gritted her teeth at my request for a meter of each. 

I would have chosen spots, stripes, plains and florals because I might need them one day.

Like I said, things have changed.

I now know I have plenty of fabric at home and unless I start making women's wear I am set for a long time to come. 

This time I was looking for yarn.

These delicious colours in cotton, wool and bamboo.

These small balls are what makes my pulse race now and they are so much more convenient to carry around the shop in a little basket while I make my decisions.

While hunting the internet for crochet washer patterns I have come across some cute teacup patterns which I haven't been able to resist. 

The pink one is from here and the purple from here.

As far as I can understand from my small amount of research amigurami is the Japanese art of crocheting little, cute objects. It uses cotton and fine crochet hooks.

After making 2 and a half cups and saucers I have learnt that amigurami single crochet (sc) stitches go through both loops of the previous stitch and that it is best to mark the start of each row, I used a safety pin.

There have been lots of form versus function debates raging through my head while I have been crocheting these mini stitches. After crocheting washers and dishcloths these don't seem so practical or useful but there are some very thirsty dollies about to wake up in their cradles who would love a tea party, I'm sure.

I hope you have a great weekend wherever you are.