Hi, It's been a while but I'm still around, busy enjoying our summer break. Five and a half weeks off work- the advantage of working in a school- I know that should have given me more time to blog but in my world it gives me more time to do so many other things I haven't had time for it!
So, what's been happening?
Two weeks visiting family- we do this every summer- it's hard not seeing them for months on end so we try and make the most of invading their houses and spending time with them all...
Then a week and a half of high stress waiting to find out if Tom had got the grades to get into University- he did!- and also to see a Skin specialist to find out if I had skin cancer- I don't- the specialist said it was a skin coloured viral wart in an unusual place probably because it was where my sunglasses rest on my nose!!!! Anyway that was a relief and she froze the thing off so it looks better too. Still my lot are all taking using suncream more seriously now so hopefully they will never get skin cancer...
As part of looking after myself more I also started doing more exercise. I like doing DVD's at home as it's so much more convenient and cheaper than going to a gym. My asthma is playing up so doing aerobics is too much, so I've started doing pilates. Although it's really hard I actually enjoy it, it's good to feel strong and actually feel your muscles... it makes me feel good.
For the last week I have been able to relax more, Kieran got his GCSE's today, he was so laid back we had to beg and nag him to even get his results- they were really good even though he didn't exactly over do the revision for them!
I'm also making a new quilt topper- I saw two gorgeous polka dot fabrics in a shop last week and just decided to make it with just these, so that pattern is a simple checkerboard design, its working out quite well- pictures to follow soon...
I've been doing a lot of crochet- amigurumi and hats so far- again pictures to follow. I also just decided to do a crochet along with Inner Hooker on Facebook- ( see also
http://oxfordfam.blogspot.com/2011/08/crochet-along.html ). I love making granny blankets but think it will be even better to do it to meet targets- so often I start something and then after a little while it gets put away while I do something else...
.....that's just the way I am I suppose....
So until next time
Gillian
I took six complementary colours of wool with me to Portsmouth so I could crochet on the way. I've done 40 hexagons to round 3 already and really love these colours. I intend to try and make each one different. If I've worked it out right this means I can do 120 different hexagons. 
The maths part now- 40 hexagons to row 3 weighed 105g. So my six 100g balls of wool should be able to make around 240 hexagons. I plan to do row 4 in white to join the hexagons. Based on the Flowers granny 40 hexagons to round 4 is about 190g so for 40 hexagons round 4 alone would need around about 85g of wool. (If you've spotted a mistake in my maths I don't mind if you gloat quietly!) I bought 1200g of white not long ago so I've plenty and will probably do a picot edge when I'm done. 
One is in coffee colours. It's hard to see in the photos but the centres are very pale cream, very pale flesh and off white. I find crocheting this one very soothing.
Yesterday I dug out a blanket I started crocheting some time ago- I don't even know when- but fortunately I had some wool left and so I decided it had to be done. The only problem was that I hadn't left a crochet hook with it and I couldn't remember what size hook I'd used. I tried a 6mm but the stitches looked too big compared to the row that was already started. So I unpicked it and used a 5mm hook, this time the stitches seemed the same size so I carried on for three rows to finish the pattern repeat. I then held the blanket up to decide how to finish it. This is when I noticed that the blanket was not so much a rectangle as a trapezium. It was several inches wider at one end than the other...
This is my starting point. It's just a simple spiral but I'm going to add to it... More will follow in the coming weeks.
Today we've been out shopping in Truro and I visited my favourite wool shop. As well as some lovely wool I bought some large diameter crochet hooks (my plans for them will be revealed another time) and a Tunisian crochet hook. This is really a hook with a long handle the size of a knitting needle. It's basically worked so one row is worked onto the needle whilst the next works off the stitches off the needle.
I have a lovely book I bought a few months ago called Ami Ami Dogs by Mitsuki Hoshi. I noticed it again yesterday and it just seems to be calling to me. I think I'm just going to have to make a dog as well as the ongoing knitted dolls. It's crochet so I find that easier and more portable, so I can do it anywhere even when travelling...
