Thanks Zuleika for my wonderful patterns

I have said this before and no doubt I will say it again - I have got some great friends. Maybe there is something about knitters (and crocheters) that binds us together but I can honestly say that I have never known such friendship and camaraderie since I joined knitting clubs, Ravelry and online blogs and met the circle of people I am proud to call my friends.

Today the postman rang and I got a parcel from Zuleika (click on title for her blog) and she had sent to me not only 2 boxes of Pattern a day crochet calendars but her copy of Interweave Crochet Fall 08 which she knew I had been scouring the net,without success, for. I was blown away by her generosity. I was like a kid at Christmas I didn't know which to look at first. I will make really good use of the patterns Zu. Many many thanks for them.

I just love my crochet patterns. I can sit and read them like other people read novels. I have already got the cover shawl on the Interweave Crochet in my plans as a present for someone. There is a lovely scarf pattern by Doris Chan in the magazine that I think is simply gorgeous and I can see that being in someones stocking this Christmas.

I finished the pink crochet premature baby blanket and started another one in peach but I am going to unravel it as it is too small and has lethal holes in the shell pattern that could trap an unwary tiny finger. I think I will stick to the closer stitch pattern.

I made the hat in the photo today for Sarah. It is James C Brett's Marble Chunky. I just love that wool as it's so soft.It has turned out to have more gaps in the pattern than I would have liked but could be worn over a headscarf or a skull cap to get around that. As I have mentioned before she is just beginning her fight against Breast Cancer and may possibly lose her hair with chemo. She is being very positive and humorous about the whole thing, joking about choosing her style of wig and 50 ways to tie a headscarf etc and so I thought that I would make her a selection of hats. I am unable to help out in other ways, shopping or housework etc due to living so far away from her and having no transport these days. I am still banned from wielding a hoover but I could have whisked a duster about if I had lived nearer. My thoughts are with her.

Kathy - you asked about crochet baby blanket patterns on the net. I have used a lot from Crochet Central and Bev's baby patterns which also includes premature baby sizes. Lion yarns have lots of free patterns for knit and crochet. You have to join but it's a free membership.