Harbingers of Spring

I posted this on my facebook page today in the hope that winter really is gone. However in the UK we all know we could easily face snow storms or torrential rain or inch thick ice tomorrow or the day after or next week or even next month. But its nature and our gardens that convince us Spring really is springing.

I've been using some spring-like colours to crochet too.  I don't usually make much for babies or young children but I read a blog post about what sells at craft fairs and it seems baby makes are popular so I thought I'd try a few items. I found the pattern for these pretty rattles and balls in Greta's Etsy shop ATERGcrochet. I used Petra No3 crochet cotton and bought some rattle inserts on ebay.

Afriend said she would love a jar full of the flower rattles for her windowsill but they are rather time consuming to make - all those colour changes - so it wouldn't be practical time and price wise to make them in large enough numbers to fill vases - if you know what I mean.

Of course you could simplify by using fewer colours and I might try one to see how it works out. On a practical note, I would love to have jingle bells inside instead of a rattle but I haven't been able to find any inserts small enough or make something suitable. If anyone knows of a supplier of jingle bell inserts about an inch square do let me know.