Well, another glorious Summer day – boys are naked trampolining, naked swimming and…..naked crocheting. Yes, really!

I love the Summer holidays (when we have a good Summer!) because we are outside from the moment the boys wake up until the moment they drop through the sheer exhausted joy of just being boys. And I have far less washing to do because…who needs clothes?

We really do make the most of the good weather while it lasts and, as I don’t like to leave them in the pool unattended, it means I have a good excuse to relax on the day bed in the garden and crochet/read for a large part of the day. How lucky is that?

As such, my latest blanket is coming on a treat so I thought I’d show you a quick update. This is the Greengate style one that I ended up having to write my own pattern for because Google Translate didn’t do a great job.  If anyone wants it, I will try to work out how to do a PDF for downloading but until then you will have to email me and I can send the pattern to you.

So, here it is so far;

I had a few of my favourite books on the table next to me to dip into for when I got Crocheter’s Cramp. I love ‘The Handmade Home’ by Cherry Menlove (real name, apparently!) and it’s exactly the kind of book I would love to write one day. Hers stemmed from a highly successful blog but publishers are only interested when your blog has more than 10,000 folowers though, so might be a while yet as I’ve only got 20! Still, I can dream can’t I and I do have thirty-plus years of material to edit down first!

After a couple of hours playing in the garden, the boys needed a rest and decided to join me on the bed with their crochet.

Bertie is only eight and Freddy just seven, so they’re not old enough to be put off by the stereoptype that ‘crochet is for girls’. I will encourage them while I can; not that Bertie needs any encouragement – look how big his blanket is getting!

Freddy is short tempered and gets frustrated quite easily, but Bertie has so much more patience than me and quietly explains to his little brother how to put any mistakes right.

I was watching them and I couldn’t believe how fast Bertie can crochet now so I took a short video.

Here it is if you want to use it to inspire a youngster of your own:-

Video of my 8 and 7 year old sons crocheting!

My husband is NOT interested in crochet.

He does Man Things, like cleaning out the pool….