Firstly thank you SO MUCH for all your lovely messages, here and elsewhere, about the Black Sheep Wools Blogger of the Month award. You’re all very kind, I definitely had warm fuzzy feelings last week!

After seeing a cable crochet notepad cover pattern in issue 8 of Simply Crochet I decided to have a go at some cables over the weekend during spare moments.

It was different using a 4.5mm hook, any bigger than you’re used to initially feels like you’re wielding a hockey stick rather than the usual toothpick!

My tension’s a bit bleugh at some points, but I reckon it isn’t bad for a first time.

Oh at first the pattern really gave me a headache, like they can do when you’re not sure why and how and where you’re going. I’ve never crocheted triple trebles (ttr) before and had to make sure they were front or back post (FP/BPttr) crochet. That’s not actually particularly tricky after the first row and you see the pattern developing; so can see where it’s all going and what to do next. The trickest thing for me would maybe be the simplest part for you, after skipping stitches and making the twisty ttr cables you have to treble behind these into the third skipped stitch. What a fiddle! But it’s fine after a few times.

My life’s not missing a crocheted notepad cover so I’m not completing the pattern but it’s been great trying a completely new stitch combination and techniques. Next time I’ll try a smaller hook and see the effect but the chunkier one was a nice change too.

I’m typing this on my recent surprise birthday present; a new retina display ipad (crystal clear photos bloggers! Your stitch definition is looking superb!) Lucky lucky me. Now please excuse me as I have to go and try some of the latest stock of Belgium chocolate.

It’s not all chocolate here, I’m also using another birthday pressie and am trying to keep up my 10,000+ steps a day as often as I can (now it’s actually gone up to12433 so far today…Go me!)