Winter Warmer Tutorial

There's nothing like snuggling with a hot water bottle on a cold night.  I like to have one handy to snuggle with in my arm chair while I watch tv and this mini sized hot water bottle works a treat.

I wanted it to look pretty while it wasn't in use though.

So I created this pretty jacket with Moda Vera Marvel Soft 8 ply in white.

I used a 4.25mm hook.

The pattern is simple.  Just UK sc, tr and increase/decrease.

Ch 26
Row 1, tr in third chain from hook, tr to end 23 stitches.
Row 2 chain 3 turn, 2 tr in second stitch, tr to second to last stitch 2 tr in second to last stitch, tr in last.

Rows 3-15 chain 3 turn, tr in each stitch 25 stitches.

Row 16 ch 3 turn, dec in second/third stitch tr to 3 stitches before the end.  dec in 23/24th stitches, tr in 25th.

The increases and decreases give a nice curve to the top and bottom of your cover.

Make another exactly the same.
Sew or crochet the sides together.
Pop it on your hot water bottle to check where the neck sits.  (Mine was about 5 in from the edge on each side.)
Crochet the top together leaving a gap for the neck.
Crochet a row of sc around the neck hole. Join with a ss and chain 3
Crochet a row of tr around, join with ss and chain 3.
Increase by crocheting 2 trs into every other stitch. Join with ss and chain 3
1 more row of trs and join with ss chain 1
1 row of sc and tie off.

Weave in your ends.

I've sewed a small zip on the end of mine to facilitate removal and for washing but you could use buttons.

This pattern is loose in that it can be adjusted by increasing the size of your foundation chain to make a cover for a full sized bottle.  The same principles apply to the neck of the bottle.

I decorated with a rose and some leaves from Attic 24. Lucy has a lot of different flowers amongst her tutorials or you could just as easily cross stitch or put something else on it, like maybe an owl.

Stash busting

Recognise the colours?  This is left over yarn from the Zig Zag Granny throw I made for my Grandmother's 100th birthday.  Seeing as it is allegedly returning to me now that she has sadly passed on, I decided to use the left over yarn to make a hottie cover.

I haven't perfected my technique yet, the edges are too square and messey but it's quite warm and much nicer than  a rubber hot water bottle on my back.

I started with a foundation chain of 35 stitches.

1st row sc
2-end of front (a panel big enough to fit end to end minus the neck of the hot water bottle) alternating sc and trebles to make the textured stitch.

I then made two more panels for the back half the size of the front each.

I crocheted button holes on one by missing crochet through two stitches and just making two chains the same way I make basket handles basically.

I think I will have to decrease to shape the tops.  I'll keep you posted and when I get it right I will post the pattern.

Meanwhile in an effort to use up more yarn....

Here is the front of a cushion I am making.  I have wanted to make a granny square with a flower on it for ages and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to play.  I found the pattern on pintrest.  It's not very easy to understand though so I only made the one.   I am busy crocheting the back now.  Just plain alternating rows of trebles and singles.

Work has been busy as ever, Winter is usually a quieter time for us but this year it just doesn't quit.

Mt Tongariro erupted last week.  That meant writing an emergency plan in case it happens again.  Apparently it's not a matter of if but when.

We seem to be having more than our fair share of natural disasters lately.

Back to school at last

This weekend signified the end of the summer holidays.  One last weekend to prepare for the buying of stationery, ironing of uniforms, finding of p.e gear and polishing of shoes for the man child.  For the wee girl it was all about choosing first day clothes and hair styles.


The man child started year 11 (known as fifth form in my day) Tuesday.  The wee girl started her last year of Primary school as a year 6 today.


I'm working so the husband has the week off to get everyone back to reality.  The wee girl is thrilled to bits with her hairbands and ties.  I have been playing with african flower hexagons.

I have made a dozen or so out of the gelato acrylic/cotton mix so far.  I'm not sure yet where that is going.

I've also been inspired by Lucy from Attic 24 again.  She's crocheting covers for her trash.  


I recently came across a rather beautifully shaped iced tea glass bottle and on pintrest a tutorial for cutting glass using string and nail polish remover.  A friend drinks the iced tea and is saving the bottles for me.


When the children are back at school properly and the husband is back at work. I have some plans in mind to up cycle my own trash.


My mind is exploding with different ideas for this straight sided bottle!

I'm still working on my top and my blue and white china inspired granny stripe.  I'm finding as the weather alternates between almost chilly of an evening or stinking hot during the day, having a variety of projects means I can do whatever suits.  Chilly evenings see the blanket grow, quiet times see me working on the top and hot days mean more flowers.


Days off are coming up and a trip to Wellington for work looms in the not too distant future.


Today however, is housework day!  I have a nightshift to work tonight, and this day is always the big clean up prior to days off.  This year I am trying to be organized!  I want to divest us of a lot of the clutter we have and hopefully start turning the jungle outdoors into a garden over the autumn/winter months that will explode into beauty next spring!

More flower scarf

All done!  I'm feeling proud!

My Wee Girl is going to love this and it's going to look just awesome with her denim jacket.

I crocheted the flowers together top and bottom using two petals for strength, then for added security, I used lime green cotton to edge the whole thing in single crochet.  I used a 1.75mm hook to do the edging and that raised the petals slightly .

I also added a decoration to each end, a flower bead and a circle made of the same cottons one end and a simple flower at the other.  Both hang off a chain.

It's not super long nor is it super thick or warm, this is purely decorative.

I so cannot wait to go pick her up from her friends this afternoon and give it to her.

Each flower measures 8cm across and there are 14 in all.  I'm so, so happy with the way it turned out!  I'm considering using left overs from her blanket to create a winter scarf for her with hearts and or stars.  It's the perfect time of year to make smaller projects.

This morning saw my husband wake up with the worst stiff neck in history.  He's had a stiff neck that has slowly got worse since Boxing day, he has no idea what he's done to it but the pain was so bad last night that he was up every other hour.  So this morning saw us off to A+E for some relief for him.  He has the added complication of being on duty for Fire calls so he can't take any really decent medication.  Hopefully the muscle relaxant and will help.

Between projects

Having finished the granny striped blanket and it being Christmas break, I find myself with time on my hands.  It's also a little hot and humid to be playing with wool quite frankly.


So I've been doing this...

With 2 ply crochet cotton and a 2.5mm hook.  I've decided to make a flower scarf.  I've seen a number of them on line including Lucy's at Attic24.  I found a flower tutorial here  at Revving it up,designed by Revlie Schutte and modified it slightly as follows.

Do the first three rows as per the tutorial, 

chain 6, sl stitch into ring
Round 1: chain 4, dc1, ch1, dc1, ch1 around, slip stitch to join (12 dc)
Round 2: chain 5, dc1, ch2, dc1, ch2 around, slip stitch to join (12 dc)
Round 3: chan 3 + 3dc in 1st loop, 4 dc in each loop around, slip stitch to join

Then my modifications 

Round 4: *chain 4, skip 4, slip stitch to join, continue between * around, slip stitch to join

Round 5: *1 sc 8 dc 1sc in each loop, slip stitch to join* around finish with a slip stitch. 

Crochet together with a slip stitch by placing flowers with two petals matching and right sides together.   I've done a dozen flowers so far and this is how it looks.  This one is going to be a lightweight summer version single row, but I will make a woollen version with three rows or maybe four for winter.