Crochet pain

My latest project is abandoned in the middle of a shell stitch. The ruffles are patiently waiting for me to continue. But I can't. I'm on crochet restriction.

The pain shoots down my index finger and thumb and pops like lightning in my lower arm just below my elbow. The wrist is fragile and weak, my upper arm is buzzing with low grade pain. My shoulder is stiff and my neck makes funny noises... I am in crochet pain - again!

My doctor's orders are rest and treatment. No crochet for a while. And if I have to, because I just can't stay away, I will have to make it "crochet tummy time". You heard me right. Tummy time it is. I can lay down on my tummy with a pillow under my chest and crochet for 5 minutes. It is all about keeping the neck up high, you see.

My chiropractor told me she can't do miracles. She looked me steady in the eye and made it very clear that she alone can't fix this, but together we can. So like I child being giving strict orders I have chosen to obey.

I am stretching and doing my exercises every day. I am looking at my WiPs and ignoring them. I had so many "almost done" projects on my hands... The V-stitch blanket (just a few rows left), the Lacy Square pillow (just 2 more sides to join), Maybelle garlands (just the joining of flowers left to do)... Now they all have to wait.

I am frustrated and restless, being on crochet withdrawal is tough. I am taking one day at the time in hope to get better soon. So my advice to you:

♥︎ Don't ignore crochet pain for too long
♥︎ Don't crochet for hours on end
♥︎ Take breaks and do a Crochet Stretch
♥︎  Be careful with your neck, try and crochet in the height of your shoulders to keep the neck straight. ♥︎ Rest your arms on a pillow on your lap to bring your work up or sit at the dining table.
♥︎ If you already are in pain, go visit a chiropractor or physio therapist for treatment and take a break for a few days or weeks.

Crochet pain sucks. But the last time this happened I couldn't crochet in almost 6 months. I will do anything it takes to avoid that disaster to happen again. Well, I guess I might just have to escape to my sewing machine again. And maybe I will finish some of all those patchwork WiPs that has been lying in slumber like Sleeping Beauties. There is always a silver lining, right?




Kärlek
Annette

Note: Read about good Crochet Stretches in my blog post 8 Great Crochet Stretches.

My village

I live in the country side somewhere between Geneva and Lausanne in the Jura mountains, not far from Lac Leman, also known as the Geneva Lake in Switzerland. From my bedroom window I have the views of the Alps and Mont Blanc in France and from my bathroom window I spot the cows on the field. I can pick wild flowers on any street around my neighborhood and the forest is only in distance of my eye.

When driving down towards the big Auto Route, I pass fields of gold and lush greens (although the golden fields are fading quick now...) Sometimes I have to stop to give way for the local farmers' cows who are moving from one field to another. I don't mind stopping my car for a couple of minutes and sit in silenece listening to the symphony of the cow bells when they pass by.

There is a lot of farmer's land where I live. The village is small with only 2030 habitats, but we have everything we need here; grocery store, pharmacy, post office, bank, hair dresser, flower shop, restaurant, café, school, medical office, library, hardware store, gift shop, paper shop, local dairy shop, daycare, sports center, mechanic garage...

When we moved here many couldn't understand how we could choose such a back country place to live. The smell, the farmers' mentality, and so far away... Far from what I wonder? We are all different. We have different needs. I need fields and nature, silence and a village. I wouldn't want to have it any other way. I truly think I am lucky.

Kärlek
Annette

Den Nordiska sjalen - mönster på svenska

Kära svenska läsare
Efter en mängd förfrågningar har jag äntligen lyckats översätta mönstret till Den Nordiska sjalen till svenska. Mönstret finns nu att köpa i min Etsy butik eller här på bloggen direkt. Kontakta mig för mer information. Priset är 9.50 USD vilket är ca 65 SEK.

Du kan nu också finna mina andra mönster på svenska under menyn Mönster på svenska. Jag håller som bäst på att uppdatera och snart kommer alla mina mönster finnas tillgängliga där för er som föredrar svenska virktermer framför engelska.

Den lättvirkade Nordiska sjalen har en intresseväckande bård gjord av blandade basmaskor i olika färger vilket ger en typiskt Skandinavisk folklore känsla. Det är ett snabbt, roligt och mycket tillfredställande virkprojekt.

Mönstret kan med lätthet modifieras om sjalen önskas bli större eller mindre. Bara lägg till eller dra ifrån ett jämnt antal rader av basfärgen före eller/och efter det multifärgade partiet. Ett tips, ifall ni använder Tilda garn, är att lägga till ca 6-8 varv extra och inhandla 1-2 bollar garn extra av basfärgen eftersom Tilda garnet är tunnare än det jag använde.

FÖR ATT GÖRA DEN NORDISKA SJALEN BEHÖVER DU:
♥ Kunskap om basmaskor i virkning
♥ 6 nystan av garn i medium vikt, gärna ett mixgarn med ull/syntet eller bomull/syntet (50g=125m)
♥ 6 nystan av kontrastfärger i samma garnvikt till de mixade maskorna
♥ Virknål 3,5mm
♥ Sax
♥ Broderinål med stort öga

PDFen INNEHÅLLER:
♥ Information om garn, färger, virknålsstorlek, masktäthet mm.
♥ Ett skrivet mönster i SVENSKA termer
♥ En tydlig presentation av de olika maskorna som används med bilder
♥ Bildinstruktion steg-för-steg för spetskanten.
♥ Bilder av olika maskor varv för varv.

Mönstret är perfekt för nybörjare såväl som erfarna virkare som finner nöje i leken att kombinera färger och maskor. 


OMEDELBAR NEDLADDNING AV PDF
Mönstret skickas automatiskt till din emailadress som är kopplad till ditt Etsy-konto i form av en nedladdningsbar PDF-fil så snart din betalning kommit oss tillhanda. För att kunna öppna PDF filen behöver du Adobe Reader.


Kärlek
Annette

To be featured - soon in Handarbete & Pyssel

Handarbete & Pyssel out 21st of May!

It is always fun to be featured in a magazine. I used to make magazines as a graphic designer... I love magazines. And to see stories about my crochet and myself as a blogger in a magazine is really thrilling. Talk about self esteem boost! :)

I've never asked to be featured. No, it has always been the other way around. Which is even more flattering to have someone contact you because they find interest in what you do and create.

I haven't been so talkative about my few articles. I am a bit shy and humble about it, but this time I thought I would raise my hand and speak out loud in front of you all.

Thursday the 21st is the official release date for the next craft filled issue of a Swedish craft magazine called Handarbetet & Pyssel. It is distributed as an insert of the evening newspaper Expressen and is also available as a subscription, coming out 7 times a year. So if you are interested to see my 4-page spread (!!!) in this upcoming inspirational craft magazine you can purchase it anywhere you buy your Expressen. The edition is limited and sometimes it sell out but usually it will be in stores for a good 2 weeks. I can't wait to get my hands on my own live copy. What is it all about? Well... The Maybelle flower, all in Swedish for my Swedish readers!!! ♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎

Kärlek
Annette

Seven

Every day has a story to tell.
If we only could stop and listen, maybe we would actually hear it. Can you hear the stories?

It was the day before her 7th birthday. The excitement were big.
What will tomorrow bring? Cake and gifts? Birthday songs and lit candles?
Hugs and kisses? Happiness and love?
I gave her everything I could but she always gives me so much more.
She is the girl with an everlasting smile, singing her way through life.
Always on the go. Running not walking.
Jumping not standing still. Dancing not just tapping her feet.
Loving every moment, every day.
Forever and ever my Little Emmy. Forever and ever her Mama.


Kärlek
Annette

Today's crochet WiP

The house is empty. All children ended up on sleep overs at friends' houses last night. We are watching morning news having morning coffee, Jay and me. Or, he is watching news and I am crocheting. Vaguely listening as I am the kind of person who avoids news as much as a can... I prefer living in my own little world... It can be painful enough as it is.

On my hook is a nice and simple pattern project from the book Haken & kleur written by the lovely Dutch crochet girls Saskia Laan from Haken bik Saar en Mien and Claire Boeter from Haken en meer. It will hopefully become a round pillow in the smoothest pink. With frills and neat stitches. More about this later as I have a signed copy of this fabulous book to Give Away. But not today. ow I am going outside to help my man in the garden. The sun is shining today and the wind has settled.

Kärlek
Annette

Lyon - a city to come back to

It took us just about 2 hours to get to Lyon in France. The hotel was a hit with the most superb staff. Carlton Hotel is located in the center of Lyon and our views were of the big shopping street below. Still we hardly heard anything of the nightlife outside.

I had no expectations and I knew nothing about this city and I have to say I was happily surprised. I am not much of a city person but Lyon fits me like a glove. It reminds me a bit of Stockholm with the water and bridges and the architecture, which at places dates back to the 13th and 14th century. The buildings are magnificent. The streets are clean. It has a vibe of modern and vintage, mystery and simplicity. It is elegant and has a fresh feel.

We went out for a traditional Lyon dinner at a popular bouchon restaurant that first night. A friendly and simple place serving rustic meat dishes. It was good. The next day we ended up in an authentic Lyonaisse restaurant and that was a totally different story. If we had known that 90% of the menu was made from organs we would have chosen another place, we were slightly out of our comfort zone if I say so,  but it added to the adventure factor... The cheese platter was good and we finished the evening with ice cream and drinks to re-set out palettes. Being a tourist is not always easy.

We strolled the streets of Lyon, in rain and wind, stopped for lunch sandwiches and coffees. First up was the shop with the Liberty fabric but the announcement of selling this lovely fabric for 15 EUR a meter was restricted to a few pieces of fabric on sale... I still enjoyed the visit and just to touch teh Liberty fabric in real life was an experience in itself. I am not sure about using Liberty fabric for quilting though. It is more of a light garment making fabric in my opinion. But of course I didn't leave empty handed. No no no. I spent WAY to much money in there. I'll show you some other time.

The old town of Lyon was filled with Antique stores and Boutiques, Wine bars and Second Hand shops.  We visited shoe shops and clothes shops, quilt shops and how many hat shops were there??? Many! We just had to little time to explore it all, which gives us a great reason to go back. Soon! And do all the museums, markets and down town restaurants as well. And even some more shopping.

Kärlek
Annette

Crochet Workshop - Making Maybelle Flowers

I get to the Spice Your Life Shop about an hour before every one else and set up my little space; printed patterns, hooks and yarn, nibbles and drinks, pillows and blankets for inspiration...

And then the girls come. Because so far no man has shown up (anyone who is surprised?).  The last two classes have been all about Making Flowers, and it has been so much fun.

It is not easy to calculate the time for a class or an item to make. I mean, I thought to myself that we would have to make a few different flowers for the 2 hour class to keep ourselves busy. But as we chat and giggle, get stuck and need guidance, read patterns, fail, have to frog and start over, the time is out in - what it seems - a blink of an eye. Time flies when you are having fun.

Tomorrow we are doing it again. This time we are adding the square to the Maybelle flowers. Wish me and my students good luck. I am sure they will pick it up in no time.

Would you like to join us? Contact me to reserve your space and read here for more details.

Kärlek
Annette

The Little Garden Helper

She stole my sunhat.
"I need this one, Mama."Of course.
She kicked her shoes off and grabbed a rake. "I want to help, Mama."
Of course.
She got to work with her BIG rake, singing while raking weeds out of the soil.
"It's very hot today, Mama. We need some water."
Of course.
She went inside to grab a pitcher of water and a cup.
"It is important to drink water when you work hard, Mama."
Of course.
We have a sip of water together.
"That is so good, Mama..."
Of course.
She sits down to check out beetles and worms, rake a little and sit down again.
Her work might not be of the most productive kind but her presence is essential to fully enjoy the garden work.
A little garden helper is always good to have.


Kärlek
Annette

Project Studio Make Over - The beginning

Have you ever started a project and once you've started all your energy goes dead and you can't bare to continue... To finish... Not knowing where to actually "start to continue"...

That is pretty much what happened to me when I, with huge excitement and lots of energy,  packed all my bits and pieces in my studio into boxes and bags to clear the space as I decided to do a make over... Bad idea! Very bad idea... I should have just done a good tidy up.

Well, well... Somehow this project will be finished and I am hoping that it will be an inspiring place to escape to within the next week or so. After all furniture are in place, new book shelves are purchased and assembled and all the bits and bobs are sorted in their own little space.

I'm putting my head down and I'm going to do this. Even if every part of my body feels exhausted just by looking at the half dozen boxes filled with everything from beads to fabric, yarn to buttons, scissors to Washi tape and a million other things... Just things! I am for sure a collector of crafty stuff I have realised...

Wish me luck because I need it (Can you see me swipe my forehead with the back of my hand to get rid of those sweat pearls of stress???). I'll show you the result when I'm done. Now, lets tackle one box at the time...

Kärlek
Annette

A little trip...

With my blanket in hand and the black and white yarn skeins in my bag together with my hook, I am ready for a somewhat 2-3 hours drive to Lyon, France. I am bringing this blanket WiP in hope to finish it during a mini get-away with Jay, my husband.

A luxury hotel and dinner reservations are made and tomorrow we will stroll the streets of Lyon (and I will most definitely visit the fabric shop the sells Liberty fabric for only 15 Euros a meter!!!). When I get back I'll share some iPhone photos of our little trip. Until then au revoir!

Kärlek
Annette

The time is here

For months I was longing for the light. And the light came, shone through my lace curtains making the most beautiful and delicate shadow arts on my walls.

For months I was longing for green fields and wild flowers. And the flowers came, filling my vintage vases in rooms and windows with its beautiful colors and smell.


For months I was longing for warmer weather. And the warmth came, invited me to some outdoor crochet on the bench and to walk around bare feet and wiggle my toes in the garden.

For months I longed for the Wisteria to decorate the front of my house in the most beautiful lilac tones. And the Wisteria bloomed, prettified my house and spread the most wonderful fragrance at night.

For months I was longing for this time and now it is here. I better make the most of it before it is gone.


Kärlek
Annette