Today's Theme Is Crochet Shrugs

I have been busy making shrugs suitable for weddings (not mine I hasten to add) My friend Claire has been designing some wedding dresses for a fair in March and wanted to display some kind of cover ups for either the wedding day or the evening. These are two samples that I have made in acrylic from machine cones. Once we settle on the right design then they will be crocheted again but in something special like merino, silk or alpaca.

Both of the patterns that I am showing today came from Etsy purchases from Berniolies Designs. This first one is simply called short sleeved shrug.

This design came out a bit larger than I wanted it to be but I can always use a smaller hook or cut out a pattern on the back as it is worked firstly side to side as a rectangle. I do wish that my tailors dummy would arrive as it will make taking photos much easier. This bolero has turned out probably to fit a 36-38" bust but not all brides are super skinny are they?

This bolero is called Rainbow Shrug as it is featured on the pattern in rainbow colours. Please excuse the model flashing her fake plastic boobs but as this shrug is a smaller size than the first one I couldn't stretch it to cover her modesty.

 I think that out of the two boleros this one is my favourite. It would look nice in other colours as a cover up for summer dresses and not just as bridal wear.

I have still not started on my knitting machine although these shrugs have whetted my appetite for combining machine knitting with crochet to make individually designed shrugs and boleros for wedding and summer wear. I have oodles of machine cones so watch this space.

I rang the supplier of the tailors dummy and he has assured me that it is  going out on the van today so I should receive it today or tomorrow. I hate waiting in for things when I don't know when they are going to arrive. I have to get out today to shop as I am running out of basic food items and also it's my Brother's birthday tomorrow and I must buy and post his card.

I seem to have found my crochet mojo. I just wish that my knitting mojo would reappear as I have so many things to knit for my niece's baby. The colours of cotton and bamboo that I bought are staring at me accusingly from their box. I also have a jacket for myself that needs two sleeves knitting and I promised my elder niece to make her one very similar. She chose the wool from my stash so that is also in my box in the corner giving me the evil eye. I think that I need to have more that one pair of hands or cut out sleep altogether. I seem to be busier now in my retirement than I ever was when I was working. Back then though I didn't do any knitting or crochet. I had a gap of over 10 yrs when I didn't touch a hook or needles. I only returned to my craft about 5 yrs ago in retirement and whilst I was recuperating from my operations. Now I feel incomplete if I haven't done any crochet at some  point during the day.

I hope that you are all enjoying your day. Once again it is dull and miserable here in Manchester but at least it's not raining -----yet!