Beaker Button Blog

I've designed a pattern which requires a crochet cord to run through the top (it's a bag and it'll be available as soon as it's tested).  Anyway, I looked at I-cords for crochet, and found some really good websites with very clear tutorials like June Gilbanks video (here) .  However, the I-cord wouldn't work for me as you have to take your stitches of the needle, which was proving problematic with the yarn I was using.  So I came up with this instead.  It's highly probable that someone else has thought of it first, but I haven't seen it yet so I thought I'd share it with you.  It's really fast, much faster than a knitted I-cord, and doesn't require you to take any stitches off the hook.  I've only taken photos of the complicated bit. Start with a foundation chain the desired length of the finished cord.  Double crochet (single crochet if your using U.S. terms) into each chain.  Make three double crochet into the end chain so you go round th...

There was sun today.  You know, the big shiny round thing in the sky that used to come out and brighten the world.  Well it came out today and I decided to make the most of it.  I wanted sea and Mum and Alex are always up for going to the beach so we picked a bit of coast on the map between Milford-on-Sea and Lymington called Keyhaven and headed out with a picnic.  It was a beautiful drive down through the New Forest with ponies, buzzards and trees to look at. As we drove through Milford-on-Sea I spotted an English Heritage sign and we worked out that it must refer to Hurst Castle.  Hurst was originally one of Henry the Eighth's castles.  It sits at the end of a spit of land which you have to walk along to get to it. Hurst Castle and the light house Keyhaven nature reserve seems to be popular with all sorts of people.  We saw kite surfers, walkers with and without dogs and people like us on day trips.  Mum decided to stay in the car and ...