Time To Craft...

Hey Everyone...

I hope you're all well? I'm still getting back into the swing of blogging so please bare with me...

One of my new year's resolutions was to craft more! I love crafting, I really, really do. I feel such a sense of achievement when I finish something and can say - I made that! But what always stopped me was time - there is always something more important to do, more pressing, and usually more mundane. But this year I vowed to make more time to craft.

So far the resolution is going pretty well! And last Sunday was a perfect opportunity to get into the swing of it. I met up with the lovely Gem of Little Gem's Diary for a spot of tea and crafting at a gorgeous North London cafe - The Haberdashery...

I had seen this little place mentioned in various places before and was browsing through my 'Tea & Cake London' book when it caught my eye - nice and local for the two of us - and as I was trying to visit everywhere in the book this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

The place didn't disappoint! It was already packed when we arrive and there was a lovely hum of people. The place was decorated with bunting, gorgeous china and some lovely gifts including a gorgeous canvas bag I may have to return for! Take a look at Gem's blog for some more lovely pictures, mine were a bit rubbish as I was too focused on getting crafty...

Gem wanted to learn how to crochet a granny square - so after filling up on some delicious food and ordering lots of tea - we got started! Gem was a very fast learner and dealt with my confusing instructions very well - soon she had her very first granny square!

Teaching Gem also gave me a great excuse to finally start my granny blanket - for which I had bought some gorgeously soft wool in some sweet ice cream colours from Hobby Craft with some Christmas money...

This was my progress whilst out with Gem...

We both had our first granny squares! Of course I couldn't stop there so as soon as I got home I had to carry on...

I was so excited that I got carried away and used the wrong colour - so had to start the round again. But soon I was back on form.

And by the end of the evening it looked like this...

I was determined to keep crafting and so I decided to be brave and finally attend my WI's craft club!

I had been attending the WI meetings for a few months and had been involved with them for a year or so - but I was always too shy to join the craft club - I always felt they would be way out of my league.

Well that was still true but the ladies were all so lovely and welcomed me into the group.

I took my granny blanket but also a scarf that I had started for The Husband back in the summer of last year. I started knitting it - but as a first time knitter and being self-taught I struggled and kept making it too wide and having to frog the whole thing.

Just before Christmas I finally got the hang of it and had made it this far...

But I decided the craft club was the perfect opportunity to really get into it and by the end of the evening the scarf looked like this...

And I even added another round to my granny blanket too...

So there you have it - my post Christmas crafting so far - and I am determined to keep it up!

Wish me luck!

Love Jewel xXx