Well hello and happy new year.....

It's been a while hasn't it?

I did think I'd start the new year with a new enthusiasm for crafting and a sparkly new and exciting blog. Well, that was in my mind....in reality we have had a crisis ridden few weeks here. First the laptop died, then aboy got sick, then he recovered and a mama got very sick (the kind of sick where she couldn't hold her baby for 3 days never mind a knitting needle!!). Then a dog got held to ransom by an overenthusiastic dog warden and cost 2 days of worry and an 85 quid ransom fee. Then another boy got sick then, the baby got sick, and still is. Oh and we had a radiator die and need replacing, then two windows replaced, so afreezing house for two days. No, it wasn't the best of starts to the year...........

So anyway, things are getting better and I'm going ahead with my crafty plans for the year :)

2013 is going to be the year of being organized. 

And the year of the sock!

Every month I'm hoping to finish one pair of socks, one gift knit, and work on one larger item. If I can fit anything else in then all good, but these are my main targets. 

I was going to say I wouldn't buy any yarn until I'd used all the stash too, but thats boring isn't it? And besides I've already bought 3 skeins of Manos Silk and a lovely hand dyed sparkle sock yarn from the lovely Sarah.

So a peek into my craft bag:

Do you remember that bag? It's been hidden away in the bedroom for ages but I found it when hiding the yule gifts and knew it had to come out. It's such a happy, smiley bag isn't it? So now it's my project bag, and just the right size too:)

A closer look at the contents:

This months socks, starting with an easy basic pair, and probably destined to be the gift knit too due to losing so much of the month to all the above....I know, cheating already, ahh well..... Yarn from stash though so there's a plus there.

The larger item: 

Well thats for a baby we're going to be meeting late April. Yes, I'm going to be a Grandma for the second time, Jen is expecting a baby girl. Woohoo, isn't that exciting? Another of our girls all grown up and starting a family of her own.So the knitting? A baby blanket knitted with the super soft, squishy Manos I mentioned earlier. Soo enjoying knitting this, and thinking of that new little baby all bundled up in it's softness..... The plan is to try and knit through one skein per month for three months and so have a blanket all finished up by time Jen is 36 weeks. I'm thinking this way I won't get bored, and I won't be caught out at the last minute. What do you reckon?

And if you peek closely you'll just see that skein of sparkly sock I mentioned earlier. I already know what that's going to be, but I'm not ready to share yet. Hopefully if it will be this months gift knit, but if I don't get round to it then I will be looking forward to next month.

So there we go, my crafty, yarny plans for 2013. I wonder how long I'll keep to them?

Oh and it goes without saying - more blog updates, less webtime, yadayadayada..... (lot's more watching all my House box sets though whilst knitting - the broadcast tv is gone again and hopefully not coming back and I do love House....).

Ooops baby awake and big girl wanting her laptop, gotta go. See you soon :)

-x-

Bathing beauties.....or a gift idea!

Many, many weeks ago I posted a giveaway on my other blog to celebrate: my 40th birthday, my 3 year blogiversary, and my 400th post. Well this week I finally sent out the mystery gift. How lax am I? I can't excuse why it took so long. It wasn't a difficult make. I didn't need to specifically buy anything. I didn't need to think up an idea. I guess I was just too forgetful, the bane of my life. My memory isn't so great any way but I'm sure turning 40 has made it even worse ;) Funny how I can remember where I acquired virtually every scrap of yarn in my stash, but I can't remember something as simple as carrying a parcel to the post office!

But hey, it's done, and should certainly be in it's new home now. So you want to see what it was that took so long:

It involved my default craft - knitting:

And a little cross stitch:

A bit of sewing too:

A handknitted bamboo/cotton facecloth, an all-nasties-free handmade (not by me!) lemongrass soap in it's own little knitted bag, a hand rolled beeswax candle, a little cross stitch trimmed lavender sachet:

All packed away in a pretty little cross stitch trimmed drawstring bag:

I hope it's well liked, especially as I have a few more in mind for yuletide gifting! Always on the lookout for more inspiration though, so what do you have planned?

-x-

Guess what?

Yes, you guessed - another bag but this time a knitted one:

A dinky one this time, just about big enough for a mobile phone, a coin purse, keys, hankie, the bare essentials. Pretty handy for the car boot sale maybe? Oh dear, I remember when I used to buy bags to match every outfit and for every night out. Now I'm making them to wear to a car boot sale!

The yarn is Paton's Trentino in the Mexico colourway (shade no. 00080). It comes in a 200g weight but this little bag only took 40g in total so lot's left for future projects. The yarn is 90% acrylic/10% wool and is lovely and soft to work with. The tweedy effect is produced by 3 separated threads of variegated yarn being plied together so creating an everchanging colour blend. This makes it very pleasant to work with and to see the colours coming through and it is easy to forgive it being a mainly acrylic yarn. I think I would buy it again although it goes completely against the usual yarn snobbery!

The lining is made from fabric from a ring sling I made a couple of years ago and is one of my favourite fabrics, although I have no idea what else to make with it right now:

The strap is an 8 stitch i-cord which took forever, or so it felt although really the entire bag only took a couple of hours. Yet again Helen and Jen have both asked for it but I might just keep this one for myself and make more for the girls in different colours.

So thank you for visiting again only to find yet another bag. I promise I will find something different to share soon.......

-x-

And another one!

Yes, I made another bag:

Sewn up from the kit that came free in one of my birthday gifts, this book. Adapted slightly as I added a lining and stitched the straps down rather than fiddling with buttonholes.

Another project to show later as I am just finishing it off and then maybe I will get back to the half done pile!

Thanks for all the lovely comments on the last bag post, although blogger seems to have eaten some of them as I have email notification of them but they aren't appearing here?

I have read them though and am so pleased that you choose to follow and comment.

Thank you.

-x-

Prettying for pretty's sake.

I don't know what's happening to me lately? I have always been a straight to the point, functional, no frills person but lately that seems to be changing. Maybe it's the little girl's effect on me. I never imagined I would have  little girl who would wear pink and sparkles and frills, none of my big girls did. But this one loves all things pretty. And now it seems this mama does too. And if proof is needed then here we go.The only thing I picked up at the car boot sale yesterday - 50p for a woven bag which I thought would be ok for storing the latest project in:

But arriving home I realised that my wools would get snagged and so a liner would be needed. And if I was going to line it then why not hide that wording too? And so lot's of hand stitching later and this is what I have:

See, functional before, but now as pretty as pretty can be!

Care to share any prettying up's with me?

-x-

And Sunday sewing too!

Heather had a bag, so Cain wanted a bag!

That spotty stuff he said, pointing at one of the fabric crates. That fabric's a bit thin I thought, knowing what things he might like to carry around with him. So I suggested we add a different fabric for inside. And so he chose orange. This boy has a good eye for colour I'll tell you. 

This is what we ended up with:

He has had it slung over his shoulder all day, and it is now hanging at the side of his bed. 

 Mama is quite taken with it too, as is a big person. There may be another two or three of these appearing here very soon ;-)

-x-

Saturday sewing.

Today I sewed trousers and a bag.

The trousers are ok for under a dress I guess, I like way this hides the fact that they are a little bit over-fitted across the bum ;-) I'm still not reminding myself that you can never go too big when guessing at the excess needed for seam allowances!

The bag was far more of a success. But then I did imagine it might be a little bigger...............

 Oh well, keep on trying.

I do have something else to share that I'm far happier with but first I need a button and to do some blocking.

Maybe later.

Happy saturday.

-x-

And another one.

Helen showed me a feature on knitted accessories in one of her magazines and I spotted a really cute slouchy bag which I knew I had seen a pattern for somewhere. So again I flicked through my stack of knitting magazines and found a pattern in a supplement from one of them. So I set to work with yarn I had in my cupboard and in only a couple of hours I had this:

The ripple effect is created over a 4 row repeat and is very simple. It is just one row knit, next row knit again but wrapping the yarn around the needle twice on each stitch rather than once. The third row is knit again but you let the extra loop just drop from the needle and then the fourth row is purl. I remember working a very simple technique way back in the mid 80's when I was a teen and made myself a ripple effect batwing jumper, only I think I used three wrap overs and had a very loose, open pattern. I wonder what happened to that top as I really loved it at the time?

Technical details:

Yarn: James C. Brett Marble chunky shade MC14. 

Amount: approximately 80g from a 200g ball.

Needle size: 6mm.

Buckle: free gift from a knitting magazine.

Lining: 40cm x 40cm black cotton from fabric stash.

I bought two balls of this yarn about 18 months ago just because I liked the colourway and had lots of ideas of makes but none that I liked enough to go with.....until now. In fact I have liked working with it so much that I have just completed another project with it which I will reveal later if I get a decent photo. And it's not even a bag this time!

Thank you for the lovely comments on my crochet bag. They really made a cautious crocheter feel good about her abilities and all the kind comments I have received through this blog have really inspired me to keep developing this new skill.

-x-

If a blanket seems too big of a job.........

First up, do you remember this post?

It was such a long time ago wasn't it? So I never did finish crocheting all the squares to create the planned gift. Instead I reached about twelve and then gave up. For a long time! But when I was routing through my knitting cupboard I found the squares again and decided to use them for something else. I hooked up a few more squares so I had 24 in all and then joined them together with DC and some pastel green yarn:

And then I made a very long strap, and some cute little crochet flowers:

Before lining the whole thing:

And ending up with a pretty little crochet shoulder bag:

(Not a very good last photo actually but my battery is about to die so I can't upload another just yet!)

You know I still feel so inordinately pleased with myself each time I create something with the hooks, it took me such a long time to try crochet and every new piece of work feels such an achievement. Knitting just doesn't hold that same finished thrill. I love knitting, but I know it, if you know what I mean? Even if the pattern seems challenging at first I know I will get it and end up with a good finished article. And there's no fear of adapting patterns, or creating my own. Knitting is my comfort zone. But crochet is different. I'm still learning, not far progressing past the basic stitches, but I'm just so excited when the piece is done and is admired by my ever patient and thoughtful husband. I'm pretty sure he isn't that interested in yarn, or hooks, or bags, or the rest of it but he knows me, and he knows how to make me feel.

So back to the bag.

Technical details:

Yarn: Playtime microfibre DK shade PP6. approximately 150g.

Sirdar in pastel green (will edit when I remember the name!) approximately 30g.

Hook size 4.5mm.

4 buttons.

lining fabric approximately 40cms x 70cms.

Pattern: Simply knitting magazine issue 55 June 2009. 

All materials from stash, both proper stash and the scraps bag, even the fabric, which used to be the bathroom roman blind!

The pattern suggests buying bag handles but I am still working from stash and had none suitable so had to crochet some instead. The pattern also stated adding buttons to the centre of each motif but as the yarn I used is so colourful I didn't think adding so many buttons would enhance it any further. The handles were held on with the buttons and stitched right through the lining for strength. The flowers and buttons just helped the bag look tidier and stopped the handles looking like an afterthought.

If you read my other blog you will know I'm cutting down on internet usage hence the long time since the last post. I will be back later though to show you what else I have been making whilst I have been away. 

Going to have a nosey round all your inspirational blogs now and pick up some new ideas for the stashbusting.

 

Oh one more thing - still no yarn bought this year! See, the willpower of a ........... whatever has good willpower lol.

Happy crafting everyone.

-x-

From disaster came.........

So I mentioned that I accidentally felted another cardigan. This one. I've blogged about this cardigan a couple of times, mainly about how long it took (moss stitch on a large cardigan eek!), about the bargain price of the wool, about the search for one last ball to finish it off, and about how wonderfully warm it was when wrapped around Heather and I when we were out and about. Well after all that I couldn't bear to see it all shrunk and stiff, yet neither could I just throw it away. And so yesterday it was transformed. I chopped and stitched. I crocheted. And I finally ended up with this:

What do you think?

I actually prefer it in it's new incarnation and have already had a request for something similar from a very particular and devoted to style, young person. I'm always pleased when I get a pleasant comment from those harshest of critics - young women! They all preferred it over the cardigan it used to be which they said looked as if it had been knitted for an old Granny. Mind you, if the cap fits.........!

Technical details:

7 balls of Paton's Shadow Tweed knitted up into a rather lovely moss stitch cardigan. Although I guess knitting it up into a couple of squares and a long thin rectangle would be far easier if you didn't want to wear the thing for a year first ;-)

Shrink all the knitting down on a very hot towel wash. This cardigan reduced down from around a size 14 to about an age 7-8 so very densely felted.

Scraps of Ikea fabric for the lining left over from making curtains for the caravan.

Bag handles free from one of my knitting mags at some point over the last few years.

Crochet flowers made up as I went along from scraps of Paton's fairytale color4me pure wool DK left over from a pumpkin hat. (I am rather liking the "make it up as you go" aspect of crochet, something that is much more difficult to do with knitting).

Running stitch stems for the flowers from scraps of green wool found in a bag of wool oddments at a car boot sale.

All in all a no-buy bag. Now to have a look at what else I can "accidentally" shrink in time for Christmas makes.

Happy crafting everyone.

-x-

One down......

I finished the bag......at last!
Only I'm not so sure I like it now it's done.
Oh well at least it's off my list of things to finish.

Works in progress.....

Be warned, there are a few!
So to spur myself on into making them I thought I'd list them here.

Number one - a knitted bag from a pattern in simply knitting magazine. Different yarn to the one used in the pattern but this one is so much nicer I think. I really like the way the colours have created stripes and especially how the stripe changes match with the bobbles so each bobble is different. And all by chance. Started - 4 weeks ago. Reason it's hanging around - I had to teach myself to crochet after I realised the finished edging is in double crochet as are the bobbles on the strap! So a crash course in crochet has ensued.


Number 2 - More cabled 2 needle socks for dearest husband. Read further down the blog and you will find a blue pair I knitted not long ago. The pattern needed a few amendments but once it was sorted out I was very pleased with the finished result......apart from one thing, they were pretty BIG socks! So this pair I have gone down a needle size and hope this makes for a better fit for the wearer. Not that the original pair went to waste, my 16 year old daughter has claimed them for bedsocks. Started - last week. Reason they are hanging around - spring season swaps to craft. GP forum members know what I mean ;-)


Number 3 - The latch hook rug. Quite enjoying this. Its very therapeutic as the making is so simple and can be done whilst listening to music, watching the boys play, chatting with olders and so on. Well so can knitting really but this demands a lesser degree of concentration I think. Also the mathematical approach appeals to me, read the chart, transfer the information, make the stitch. Simple. Quite looking forward to having it done though so that I can create the rug I have in my minds eye next. Started - 3 days ago. Reason it's hanging around - well actually it's not, this is the WIP I keep turning to when I sit down.


Number 4 - a stripey top for the new bump. Lovely soft bamboo cotton and easy to make. Started - 10 weeks ago! Reason it's hanging around - maybe because theres no urgency, babe has another 14 weeks ish before she needs clothes. Or maybe the weaving in of the loose strands is putting me off, there are lots of them with this stripe pattern.


Number 5 - patchwork blanket for baby. This is knitted with lots of balls of Sirdar click which were sold as lot ends in the local wool shop for £1 per ball. Too good to resist. It's a "make it up as you go" kind of project so not sure how it will end up. I am getting three squares from each 50g ball and have three balls each of the three colours knitted up already, so I should get 27 squares altogether. I have 4 balls of the final colour, shown unknitted, so will use that for edging and possibly a thin border to join all the squares, although I'm not sure yet. Started - around 4 weeks ago. Reason it's still hanging around - because I take this to work with me and so manage only a square or two on each shift, and I only work two nights a work.


Number 6 - another baby knit. Absolutely gorgeous wool from Mirasol, my favourite yarn brand. Hand dyed merino with an amazing colours. I think this will be a little hoodie but not quite sure yet. Started - 14 weeks ago. Reason it's hanging around - I forgot about it until I found it at the bottom of my yarn drawers yesterday!
I think that's it for now. Although I do have a considerable list of planned makes which I won't bore you with just now ;-)