Distracted by other things

Its the school summer holidays here in Scotland. My attention is being distracted and diverted by my wee one (who is growing like a mushroom) and a couple of customer orders - one you've seen bits of and another one that appeared yesterday (fab!). Also by some knitting I have been cracking on with. I've read tonnes of books too, and watched loads of films - and generally been not posting anything really. Sorry about that. 

But I do have a load of stuff to show you!

I finished my Louisa Harding shawl, and I love it! Here's a close up of the rows:

And a weird pic of the shawl while its blocking - the pink towel doesnt really go, does it? 

 

I made another one in some old Shilasdair angora mix in a slate-blue, which I LOOOOVE but I cant show you as its a Christmas present. Pattern is Imagine When by Joji Locatelli on ravelry. Colourful yarn above is Louisa Harding Amitola. 

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I finished the non-custom quilt top too :)

Summer sun! A real novelty in our part of the world :) Finished top size 77" x 63" for a single bed. My second version is darker and richer, more autumnal. Pics of that later :)

My little helper :)

And I've watched Kenny (brilliant) Titan AE (ok) Avengers Assemble (again - love) Xmen Days of Future Past (swoon!) among others...

I've read soooooo many books, cant even think of a favourite....

Am working on another shawl, No Fuss shade loving Shawl using Auracania Ranco in the blue green shade, knitting up very nicely. TV knitting. 

And am working on a cardi for the shop using Debbie Bliss Juliet, a lovely cotton mix marl in the denim blue shade.  

And a pair of socks for the wee one in Opal yarn using these little beauties :

KnitPro Cubics - square needles!

Awesome. And I tidied my sewing room, hoovered up about a thousand threads and folded looooads of fabric. Ahhhhhh!.

Hope you're all enjoying the summer :)



 

Continued progress - and other things as well

A latest photo shoot of the commission. Am loving working with these colours. Its the great thing about making things for other people - you get to try out loads of different colourways for things, that you may not have thought to put together yourself. Very stimulating! All pics can be embiggened by clicking on them :)

 

The pic above is the almost finalised layout, depending on instruction from the customer. It'll finish at approx 63" x 77" which is an ideal size for a single bed, or twin as you say over the pond. Blocks are 7" finished. Border round each square is 1" finished.

 

This one is a detail of some of the fabrics used. As usual, the photos don't capture the movement of the fabric in reality and the richness of the browns and golds. 

I've also been busy with some crochet. The cream borders round my crochet granny squares are coming along, although its a bit ... boring ... so I have been tempted by other things....

A wee bit of this:

In a Noro Cash Island yarn - sooooo lovely to work with!

And I was tempted by this cheeky little number when I saw it on the Woolly Brew website:

Its the lovely and deceptively simple Imagine When from Ravelry. I decided to go with the Louisa Harding yarn that Woolly Brew used for the colour changes: Amitola, shade 109 Salsa, which is quite bright, but I think the Scottish winter can take a bit of cheering up :)

Well, I'd better get on with something crafty.... X

Commission in progress :)

Here's a wee sneak peek of the commission quilt I'm working on at the minute....

Client wanted a modern style in blue, black, white, grey, brown and gold. I think this is working out ok. Trying to think how to quilt it - am wondering about a grid effect? The way the top is coming together I'll be having to decide v soon!

LOVE chain piecing :D

Crochet progress

After the lovely pile of crochet squares sat on my side table looking gorgeous for a few days, I attacked it with some cream borders....

So far they're working out quite well, although when I started with my mahoosive 400g ball of yarn, I didnt realise it was aran weight, but the difference is negligible and the weight when its finished will be toasty as anything!

Have also started a new job, part-time, is knitter's heaven here The Little Knitting Shop, Ayr (also in Troon). Getting paid to play with wool *happy sigh* life doesnt get much better than this :) 

Swoon blocks - surfing the Zeitgeist...

I know, everyone in the WORLD has made these, and I am just getting to grips with my first few blocks. 

But that's ok. I like taking time over something, getting my head around it, deciding what I like and what I dont like. 

So here are some Swoon blocks, making me almost half way through the top:

I'm using a dark teal for the background, a fabric I bought a few yards of ages ago and this is finally the right project for it. A few FQ of rich reds, ambers, forest greens, browns and navy. 
Its a surprise for my folks, I know my stepmum really likes these autumnal colours so I hope they like it when I eventually finish it. Its their anniversary in June, but if its not finished then, I'll definitely have it done by Christmas.

4 down, 5 to go then!

Crochet Away!

Hallo peeps. I've been busy crocheting over the past wee while, something to pick up and put down while sitting by the fire - for some reason I don't feel like going upstairs to my sewing room when there's a roaring fire in the living room - can't think why...

This was my pile earlier on:

Its been sitting under the light, above my basket of yarns so I can pick up and put down when I feel like it. I started with a circle, and went from there into a granny square, trial and error really, and I liked the first one so much I stuck with it for another 29 squares :) I'm sashing them with cream by crocheting another 5 rounds around each square, so the finished size will be 10" across. (Inspiration here)
Here's most of the squares:

 

 

I loved making them all, and every one I finished was my favourite :) I decided to stick at 30 squares and see how the sashing went. I'm currently on my 4th sashing so once I've made a few more I'll post them up, see how they're going.

Attic24, you have a lot to answer for! :)

Spring is here...

......and its time to re-emerge from hibernation....

Pinterest

Oh. My. God.

What a flipping timesuck!

Isn't it brilliant though?!

Am totally in love with Pinterest. Have been finding such gorgeous pictures of knitting, crochet, and have barely scratched the surface of the quilts yet. Amazing.....

I need to take some pics of the shawl, crochet squares, tea cosy and Noro log cabin knitted blanket, which has been languishing on my shelf since for ever.

Once the sun shines for 5 minutes..... :D

But I have made a commission tea cosy - thermal, colourful and large!
 

Insulbright wadding, quilt-as-you-go method and some wrangling around the corners. I love the bright colours :)