Some soap. A pattern. And a little help please…

Today is my lovely Mom’s birthday!

 So, along with a nice snug and warm pair of slippers we bought her some soap as she luuuuurves smelly bath goods. Vicky told me that her mom had seen a crocheted soap covering which doubles as a face cloth/loofer somewhere. Maybe you have seen them before? I haven’t.

So I thought…”I have some lovely thick yarn just lying around begging to be used, a lonely little hook….”

Hmmmmmmm.

So, with my no-pattern-approach to crochet, this is what resulted.

Get it? You put your soap in the sleeve and use it just like that!

If you will forgive the very unconventional way in which I wrote down what I did, you are welcome to give it a try.

Soap Thingy

Use any DK yarn

• 3.50mm hook
• bar of soap

Ch – Chain

Sl – Slip stitch

SC (or UK dc) – Single Crochet (insert hook, yarn over, pull through the stitch, yarn over, pull through two loops)

DC (or UK tr) – Double Crochet (yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull through the stitch – three loops on hook—pull through 2 loops, yarn over and pull through remaining  2  loops)

Chain as many stitch as you need to go around the soap

Row 1

Sc in second chain from hook, SC in each stitch across, join to the first chain to make a ring

Row 2 – 20 (or so, I did 21 but it was a large bar of soap! Just make sure that your work covers the whole length of the bar)

Chain 1, Sc in each stitch across, join each round

Row 21

 DC in each stitch across, join

(this will be the row that you thread the drawstring through)

(This will now be the top)

Row 22

Chain 3,skip two stitches and Sl in the next (repeat across)

(you have now made lots of loops * pl note, if you don’t have exactly enough stitches – don’t worry! I didn’t and it honestly made no difference!)

Row 23

Make 4 DC the first loop, SL in previous rows slip stich, repeat across

(Bottom)

Make a slip knot on your hook and join to the bottom of your work  (this will semi-close the sleeve)

Row 1 – Ch 1, SC in every second stitch across, join

Row 2 – Ch 1, SC in every second stitch across, join

Row 3 – Ch 1, SC in every second stitch across, join

Fasten off

Finally, make a chain which will be long enough to be a drawstring. Weave through ROW 21 using a darning needle and fix a bead on each end.

Now pull, VOILA!

Ps, my hubby though the frilly bit was a bit too much…maybe he is right so leave that part out if you wish 🙂

AND FINALLY….

I have no name for this “soap thingy” soooo I thought I would throw it open to you smart, clever, creative folk. If you have a good name for it them, please let me know and I will choose one!!!

NIght night

Love Maryanne

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A sneak peak…

…at our new online shop LOGO!

YAY!!!

The Versatile Blogger Award nomination!

What a great feeling it is when you open your email and there is a notification telling you that someone (a special someone) actually thinks your blog is worthy of a nomination!

A huge thank you to J.G Burdette of Map of Time A Trip Into The Past, whose blog is beautiful, for nominating us!

J.G, this is for you…

The Rules for the Versatile Blogger Award are as follows:

• Thank the person who nominated you and include a link to their site (am still smiling, thank you J.G)
• Nominate 15 other bloggers who have inspired you (again include a link to their site)
• Share 7 things about yourself

This is a great part of the process and we are delighted to nominate the following lovely folk, in no particular order:

Drumroll please.

1. Creative Pixie
2. I Like String
3. Made By Patch
4. joyandrea
5. Rainbowjunkie
6. Sincerely, Sara
7. Crochet with Tamara
8. salty*mom
9. crochetmadebykate
10. What Jacq did next
11. maluca yarnbombing
12. show us your crafty bits
13. my place on earth
14. The Green Dragonfly
15. boostitc

                   Thank you all for the hours of visual feasting, new ideas and even the odd tear!

                          P.s, don’t forget to let your nominees know that you nominated them

Right, now for the next part. Because there are two of us, we have each wracked our brains for some tidbits to share with you. So, apart from the obvious love of crochet and colourful yarn, here goes!

Wait, wait, wait…I have a logistical problem. Vicky is not here with me so I have sent her a message asking for some things she would like to share with you…this is no easy feat when under pressure but she did at least send this…and it sums her up so well:

Victoria

1. I love Earl Grey tea

2. …..and tea pots!

that’s it!  …so I think I will fill in the rest!

3. She is the smartest person I know and never one to get into a game of Trivial Pursuit with – you will come off second best.

4.  One of her biggest dreams is to see Leonard Cohen in concert (and I sincerely hope her hubby is reading this)

5.  She loves the colour ORANGE

6.  She has a great love and respect for nature and her kids are lucky to have a Mom that can make the outdoors look like a world filled with treasures. She is a wonderful mother who has not gotten caught up in the fast pace of life and takes the time for life’s most simple and beautiful things.  

7.  She is a vegetarian and a qualified computer programmer – although these two things are not related!

Mary-Anne 

1. I’m 37,  married to my soul-mate and have 3 delicious kiddies aged 12, 6 and 7 months

2.  Victoria is my sister-in-law and co-Woolhog-er. We had our youngest babas 4 weeks apart and spent much of our preggie months crocheting, buying yarn and dreaming of opening a natural fibres shop (watch this space). For the record, Victoria calls herself Victoria – I call her Vicky – so for the future, when I say Vicky, I mean Victoria!

3.  I’ve done all the online tests and come up positive for a condition called Synesthesia – it’s when ones sees numbers/letters in different colours. On the left, is how someone with synesthesia might see things….

(very strange but I spent most of my life believing that everyone saw things like that. Helps my memory though)!

4.  I am half Irish, half South Africa and have lived in both countries –  I lived in Co. Clare on the west coast of Ireland from the ages 9 to 16. I am super proud of my Irish roots and can say the “Our Father” in Gaelic – much to the amusement of my kids who think I sound like a dork.

5.  I am well-known in my circle for a party trick where I can get a cork out from the bottom of an empty wine bottle – with the bottle in tact, and the same cork. I have had to drink a lot of red wine to perfect this trick (that’s a lie, I just love red wine) and  I ALWAYS give my trick away. If you ask, I will tell teehee

6.  My favourite author is Robin Hobb and I have devoured almost every word she has written.

7.  I am a relatively good speller, yet am far too spontaneous – spell check was made for people like me (when I remember to use it)  Oh, yes…I also tend to talk in clichés and use analogies. A lot. I am grateful for grammar check too.

Good luck everyone!