The Yarn Letters That Never Were and Some Coasters (Mollie Makes Magazine)

Hello there! I hope you've all had a good week. I have to say I am very glad it's Friday. I seem to have spent this week depriving myself of fattening food and alcohol and tonight I am very much looking forward to opening that nice bottle of red wine which is sitting in the kitchen. Not all for me...I will let John have one glass. Maybe.

In between my endless to-ing and fro-ing to school and nursery, shopping, chores, the school disco and other exciting events, I have been doing a little crafting. My Mollie Makes challenge continues but, my goodness, issue twenty was a tricky one. Everything was either too difficult or too time consuming. One little project did catch my eye though, some yarn covered letters. These plain, cardboard letters are quite easy to get hold of. I bought mine in Hobbycraft for a couple of pounds each. And I had the perfect yarn scraps to use up - some gorgeously soft Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino left over from this cushion in the most beautiful colours.

I was all set and ready to go.

The letters stand for Gillian, John, Bella and Angus...I know, I know.

And then I started wrapping the pink yarn around the letter B and I slowly started to lose the will to live. The colour was indeed lovely, and the yarn so soft and silky looking on the letter, but it became clear 1. it would take hours to make these and 2. I would need more yarn.

The whole point of a project that uses up scraps is not to go and spend another twenty pounds on four more balls of yarn. And John, who never really has an opinion on matters crafty, made it clear that he thought what I was doing was bonkers. So I will find another use for my leftover wool (I'm thinking striped garter stitch knitted scarves for the kids) and another use for my cardboard letters. Ideas anyone? I still love the yarn-covered idea but I'll need much thicker yarn, which I don't have. Paint? Fabric?

So I had to find another project from issue twenty and I settled on the free crochet coasters kit which came with the magazine.

This was actually a bit of a revelation - I'd previously looked at these and thought they looked much too complicated for little old me. But actually, they were really easy. You start with a central ring and work outwards, crocheting into the spaces. They are just fancy granny squares! 

It was a bit of an a-ha! moment for me, and boosted my hooky confidence no end, I can tell you.

What are you planning for the weekend? John is not working so we will enjoy some family time. We may go bowling - I am very excited! I see cooking, eating, crocheting and knitting in my weekend too. And maybe a lie in? I'm getting ahead of myself now. Have fun whatever you are up to. Welcome new followers, it's very lovely to have you here, and thank you for stopping by and reading. x