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.

Two crochet blankets for the prem baby unit

I have finished off two blankets for the prem baby unit at Bolton Hospital. They were made primarily from donated yarn so are somewhat darker in colour than I would have chosen if I had been buying yarn but I suppose they will do the job of keeping babies warm no matter what colour they are. I have lots of pink that has been donated still to crochet or knit into cardies, hats or blankets so let's hope there are preemie girls to wear them or the boys will look pretty silly in pink bonnets. The blanket in lilac shades with white was from a book I got at Amazon - Cute crochet for Tiny Tots by Helen Ardley. It is a small size in the book so if you make it for a full term baby you will need to start with extra chain and work more length. The other blanket was just a shell or fan pattern with alternating oddments of colours. I didn't have a pattern for that one.

I spent a very nice couple of hours yesterday teaching Vicky to crochet.(well not so much teaching as pointing out a couple of things she hadn't grasped already) She is taking to crochet like a duck to water so it won't be long before she is well and truly hooked! I should have warned her how addictive crochet is. Vicky knits anywhere at different odd moments, and is cataloguing photos on her blog showing when and where ( one shows her knitting with the Daleks so that gives you some idea!) but crochet is far more transportable, only one hook and one ball of yarn, so new doors have opened up for you Vicky. Have hook will climb up and around things to crochet! You need less elbow room for a hook I used to crochet on the bus and the train. I suppose I have always been a little eccentric as I was one of the first to walk around junior and senior school at playtime doing my knitting. Irene Carr was my inspiration. She used to knit 2 coloured T cosies in infant school at the age of 6 or 7 yrs. I bet she never knew what an influence she had on my life. I wonder if she is still knitting now?

Today I have had a pyjama day. One of those days when you just can't be bothered to get out of pj's and face the day. Eventually of course I had to get dressed to take the dog for a walk. Bah hiss. I went out to find signs attached to lampposts in my street announcing that the road will be resurfaced ( well actually it said cosmetically enhanced with a light dusting - does this mean a machine will hurtle past at 40 mph scattering tarry pebbles in it's wake?) so between 8am- 6pm next Mon - Fri ( why they can't say which day I don't know cos it's not that big of a street) it is no parking or vehicles will get towed away. Now this should be fun as lower down my street it is maisonettes without drives and my street is like the street of a thousand cars on a good day. First home gets a space the rest circle the block hovering like vultures waiting to pounce on a spot.

I will offer my drive to the guys across the road so that will solve their problem but I can only fit 2 or 3 cars if they are very tiny on my drive. It will be something to watch and keep the dog amused next week!