made and yet to make

I never do what I say I'm going to, do I? The bunting in a box is still unmade and instead I have crocheted an egg cosy. But honestly, is it not ridiculously adorable?

And just look how cosy the previously naked egg looks. Eep! I'm making three of these (one down, two to go) for my nephew and nieces for Easter. Each one is going to be made with a different colour of wool and a different colour of duck. I'm loving them. As with the ripple blanket, it took me a great deal of head scratching and frustration before I got going, but once I had worked out how to make a loop and crochet into it (which, like the crochet blanket again, I think I did a bit wrong, but it worked so what the heck) it was the easiest thing ever. Bish bash bosh and the job was done. I used a very simple free pattern from The Sunroom, but I'm sure anyone with a bit more crochet know-how than I currently have could probably work it out for themselves. I'm not quite at that stage yet!

As promised earlier, here's some pictures of the gorgeous fabric I bought earlier. Mandors are selling bundles of Liberty fabric samples and they are just too nice to resist. You can get a bundle of 20 10cm x 15cm pieces for £2.

My £2 bundle included these beauties above...

... and these beauties.

You can also get a bundle of 25 15cm x 20cm pieces for £5. It took me a long time to select my £5 bundle. Some bundles had 25 pieces that I liked a lot, but none that I loved. The one I chose in the end had five pieces that I didn't really like at all, but it had so many that I really, really loved...

... like these four coastal scenes (which I am thinking I would like a bigger piece of to make a top from, but am I brave enough to use gorgeous Liberty fabric for my first attempt at seamstressing?)...

... these four lovely florals...

... and last but not least these frankly crazy rainbow '70s landscape type designs.

It was so restrained of me to get one £2 bundle and one £5 bundle, but I think I really do have to go back for more, so if you are based in Glasgow, please wipe this info from your mind and don't go buying these before I have a chance to! I am planning to share some of the fabric around (can't say who is going to be lucky enough to get some in case they read this and it spoils the surprise) so it's not totally indulgent/selfish really (right?!) and I am getting better at using up small and precious pieces of fabric. I'm not entirely sure what I'll use these ones for yet, but I'm happy enough just to drool over them for now.

Incidentally, why is it that things which look downright amazing in the outside world look a bit down at heel as soon as they enter my house and get their photograph taken? I fear I have not done this fabric justice at all. I think I might need to make some sort of a light box for photographing stuff (it would help with photos for my shop too) but then I think it's just one more thing to clutter up the place and I'm not convinced that it's just the light that's to blame really. Photography is not my strong point, but I'm just happy to be able to crochet an egg cosy :)