A diversion

Woolly Roses

I've had to take a break from stitching over the last few weeks, from a combination of eye strain, and a needle hole in my finger that has not quite healed.

So to give my eyes and finger a bit of a rest I thought I'd try crochet again - something I have failed at rather spectacularly in the past.

And the result is that I can now to basic crochet- single, double, triple stitches and a few others - puff and cluster stitch. I'm not sure I'll ever be an expert but I can put together a scarf and a crochet rose and I enjoy the way that projects come together so quickly.

Scarves are long

The scarf is now finished and now I'm working on a little granny sqaure blanket in a cotton thread - very much reminiscent of Perle thread I've been using for my needlelace and other stitching.

Crochet has taught me a few things applicable to my embroidery - first how to handle wool a bit better - I've previously struggled with the fluffiness - which means I feel ready to take on some crewel work. Also thread tension. Crochet is great practice for getting the same tension across all your stitches.

And now my eyes are rested (and I have new glasses) and my finger has healed, next task is to finish The First Sip.