Unfortunately, whenever I get the slightest virus, I end up sleeping even more than usual but, because I had a raging temperature with it, I kept on waking up sweating like mad, and in more pain than usual. The thing is, when I'm like that, all I can do is get hubby to help me get as comfortable as I can, then settle back into bed. This then leaves me in too much pain to sleep, or to concentrate enough to read - and this is when I turn to my crochet work.
The really good thing I've found with crochet work, is that, even though I can only do it for a short time, it can be so absorbing that I can block out the pain for a while - but then, of course, it catches up with me, and it becomes a vicious circle :(
But, despite extra helpings of illness, I feel as though I've had a very productive month :)
Firstly, I managed to complete the Laptop Cover I promised to make for my mum, and it will be posted off to her as soon as possible next week.
I'm really happy with this, as it came out really well, and the yarn I used - from the ICE range, was really very pretty once made up.
I didn't use a pattern for this, as I'd done something similar with my daughter's notebook cover, and some crochet hook cases I'd made for family and friends, but it came out just as I'd wanted, so I'm very happy with it :)
After I had completed this, I joined in with The Crochet Crowd's March challenge, by making my own Spring Fling Pillow, which I completed a few days ago.
I was going to write my post as soon as I had finished the pillow, but I had been unable to find the battery recharger needed for my camera batteries. Bob searched the house high and low, but couldn't find it anywhere so, in the end, I went on to eBay, and found a little cheap USB one that plugs into the laptop, and charges while the machine is switched on.
I have to admit to being a bit dubious as to it working, as it was really cheap, and so lightweight that it didn't feel real somehow, but I put the batteries in, plugged it into my laptop, and waited the 5 hours it was said to take.
Much to my surprise, it worked perfectly! In fact, my old charger, which was quite substantial in size and weight, took 16 hours to charge the same batteries, and only lasted one or two goes with the camera. This new charger, even though it only took 5 hours, has charged the batteries so well that they seem to be still in full strength even after being used a lot this last few days.
I guess it really was time to have a new charger :)
Anyway, because it worked, I was able to take quite a few pics of my new cushion, so here they are:
I took this one with the cushion pad inside, but it didn't show the details off as well as I'd like, so I removed the pad, and took some more with the case flat.
This is the front view again, but flattened out, so that you can see the details of the variegated leaves that I crocheted to go with the main flower (something not included in the original pattern, which you can find here:
http://www.redheart.com/files/patterns/pdf/LW3125_corr.pdf )
I used quite a mix of Red Heart Yarns for this - in fact, I've almost used up what I had, which means another online shopping trip for me - something I never grow tired of where Yarns are concerned :)
For the main front, I used Red Heart Chunky - Fire - and, for the flowers and leaves I used up the last of my various Red Heart Sport colours. For the back, and the edging of the petals - plus the cushion edging itself - I used Red Heart Curly Q - Calypso - which, admittedly, wasn't the most obvious choice, but I liked the springiness of it, and the way it caused the petals to curve inwards.
Here's a photo of the back, using the Curly Q:
As you can see, I created a flap, to keep the cushion pad inside the case, and I used two lovely, big and bright, buttons from my stash, and then I crocheted the cords to hold the flap snugly closed. The little ornament you can see in the center of the flap is my usual Owl Logo :)
Even though it wasn't on the pattern, I decided to add another flower to the front and, as it was called the Spring Fling Pillow, I decided on a Daffodil :)
As it happens, I've never crocheted a daffodil before, so I went online, and found a great tutorial that showed me how to make one. There wasn't a written pattern, but I wrote it down as I went along, so I can do it again without having to go online for it. The tutorial is on YouTube, and was made by a lovely lady known as the Crochet Geek, and it can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwcwC1eBMEk
I couldn't find any daffodil leaf patterns, so I looked at a few images to see what they are like, and I made up a pattern on the spot - a very simple one. I must admit :)
The stem was made by putting three different green shades of yarn together, and crocheting a chain until I thought it was long enough, although, unfortunately, I had meant that particular stem to go on the main flower, and sewed it onto the daffodil by mistake. I guess I should have unstitched it, and used the same shade as the leaves for the daffodil but, by then, I'd had enough of sewing, so left it as it was! :)
The variegated broad leaves I'd added to the main flower, were from a pattern I'd found online, by a lady called 'yolandasotolopez', and her tutorial can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=befwIfyPX5c
To finish off the two flowers, I also added a pale yellow glass bead into the center of both of them as, when the light catches them just right, it gives an added look of luxury :)
So now my two main projects are out of the way, I'm going to spend the next week or so before the new challenge arrives, by creating some baby blankets. After I'd finished last month's challenge, the Octagon & Square Throw, I still had some squares left over so, as they were the pale blue ones, I decided to use them up by creating a few baby blankets from them.
I've made a start on them and, once I've finished, I'll put them on here to show you :)
Anyway, this is how I've been keeping as busy as I can, and occupying myself when I couldn't do anything else, and I have to say that, despite feeling as though I were a wrung-out dishcloth for most of the time, I've also felt a good sense of achievement, too :)
So, until the next time . . . .
Keep on crocheting :) x x
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