Laziness

Or should I call it, slow living? Whatever it is, I've not felt the need to post anything for a while. Its probably Facebook's fault, or Pinterest, or the fact that as soon as I think I should do something, its then the last thing I want to do. I'm twisted like that.

On the other hand, it does mean a plethora of things to put in one post. Or several. Maybe I should take it easy and see how it goes?

I've been working away at my usual stuff: bit of knitting -

  



...bit of crochet -

   

...and a bit of quilting -

   

...and these are just the things I've taken pictures of! Loads more works in progress. I've been enjoying a lot of reading, baking and generally chilling out, as well as my part-time wool shop work and general mooching about. And looking after the family, of course.

This year, though, we're all about trying something new/. Not too much all at once, though, I couldnt cope :) But we're letting out our house for the Open Golf this year in Troon, which means a great deadline to get all those jobs done that we've  been meaning to do.

I'm going to be leaving my part-time job before the summer holidays so I have the summer with the family and the chance to try something new - teaching classes in crafts at my own house. I have years of knitting experience, much crochet experience, and have taught a few classes already, so I think I can put it to good use without leaving the comfort of my own home. I'd like to offer the participants a good atmosphere as well, with tea and coffee, home baking and comfortable surroundings without distractions (does the cat count?) I have plans.....

Watch this space.

(I'm talking to myself here, am a great one for planning and talking and never getting round to doing)

Kasos Lace Chart - corrected for Ravelry

Hi strangers :)

Wandering through the fun and wondrous realms of Ravelry, I came across a cool wee lace pattern on a recently published top: Kasos by Eeva Saviranta. Alas the chart is, as we say in the western lands, bollocks. So here's an updated version with English translation to boot!

I found a new chart making tool online, which was ace once I had figured it out. Duh.

Here you go :)

I've been looking for a pattern to make up some lacy blinds for the kitchen window. Not decided between crochet or knitting yet, but this wee beauty is pushing the knitted lace very well.

Free Knitting Pattern

It's been a while, so here's a pattern :) 

I've posted it on Ravelry so hopefully lots of lovely scarves will be made. 

Hope you're all enjoying the cold weather!

Bubble Bath Scarf

Loosely cast on a multiple of 2 + 1 sts using EITHER 4.5 mm or 5 mm, depending how tightly you knit.

(I used 29 sts to get a width before blocking of 7.5”)

The next three rows make up the pattern:

Row 1: Slip 1 Knitways, knit to end 
Row 2: Slip 1 Knitways, knit to end. 
Row 3: Slip 1 Knitways, k1, (yo, K2tog)to last st, K1

Repeat these three rows until the scarf is long enough, making sure you can end on row 2 before the cast off.

Block out and leave to dry. The bubbles should stay nice and open, and blocking stops the shape ‘puddling’ at the ends of the scarf.

Have a pic :)

 

And also:

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. 

 -0-

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 :)



 

Creations - of all kinds

Well, the house has been a shambles these last few weeks. With the cold hitting the household very hard, then a few days of building tear-downs and refits (the Blighter's bedroom) and the plasterer going through the house to plaster the bedroom, then today new windows are being fitted in 3 rooms upstairs.....

The place is a skip. A real mess. Dust, plaster, clothes everywhere, furniture has been moved from various rooms to accommodate the window and wall replacement. The sewing room is full of my last craft show stock plus stuff that has been dumped out of the way (see previous comments) so is also a mess.

Am fed up.

On the plus side, have had a birthday with cake:

There's even the gymball I sit on to sew! Fab, fab and delicious :D Although it looks more like my mother than me - this is what I have to look forward to!

And took the Blighter to pony club on Saturday, as a reward for getting enough stickers on her chart of good behaviour (the only thing we have found to really work).

And have been making wee xmas decorations that have worked out chuffingly well:

Just one of my ideas for the next Craft fair - and will hopefully be putting some up on Etsy once I get my finger out. Check me out at Fankle Quilting :)

And I managed to finish this too, which I really enjoyed making:

Single bed size, stitch in the dicth zig zag quilting, plain turq backing

And got this top finally finished too (Space! On the sewing room floor!):

Single bed size, will be big floral patch backing. Quilting - prob crosshatch.

And here's my boy who is just lovely :)

(Spot the sock mitre blanket in the corner, up to 50 squares now...)

Hope you're all having a good Monday. If that's at all possible.
Cheerie!

Return of the Native

Been a quiet holiday for the blog, but I have been beavering away between family outings and driving miles around Scotland for holiday purposes.

M.M.B.A... AHEM, I mean, scenery...

I decided to take a couple of sock wool projects away with me. One was a Christmas present for a friend, so am not putting a pic up on the blog (just in case) but the other is a mitre blanket, and it goes something like this:

Various 4 ply (well, 3-4 ply really) sock yarn oddments, 3mm needles (yup, thats a tiny UK size 11 right there) and a basic mitre pattern which knits each square on as you go along. Totally addictive and great holiday knitting :)

Every other row is decreased by two, so as you get nearer to the finish, the rows are shorter and quicker - its like a race with yourself! And then you have to start another one, and then just do a couple of rows, and then another couple to see what the next stripe is, and then, and then...its 2 in the morning....

Let me know if you want the pattern, and I can rough out a copy :) I have done one already, but I cant seem to find a pic on the laptop - remind me to take a pic of that tomorrow and post it up!

When we came back home on Saturday from our holiday, I flew upstairs to my sewing room, possibly even barricading the door behind me, in case small whiny children appeared. Managed to crank out a couple of cushion fronts which are in the process of being quilted.

This log cabin came about from the centre square - couldnt find a place for a wee charm square and thought it would make a perfect centre. Looks like eyes peering out to me :) Photography shocking, colours bright and orange-yellow in real life.

this was taken in good light. Camera phone not liking, it must be a summer palette :)

Colours even more washed out in this one, but it looks fab really. Or at least it did until l tried grid quilting it. It seems that the walking foot is pressing down too heavily on the fabrics so they bunch up and pucker as you stitch towards the end of the squares where they join the next square. Short of getting a new machine, any hints or ideas as to how to stop this happening? Any and every comment gratefully received!

Hope you are all having a lovely crafty summer - and in fact you are, blogland is, as usual, filled with lovely things :D

XXX

Woolfest!

WOOHOO! Going to this tomorrow and Saturday with my friend, cant wait!

Woolfest!

Will try to remember to take pics and not be overcome by wool fumes. (Ha! Fat chance!)

Note to self - when filling the car with magical and wonderful woollen purchases, try to leave enough space to see out of the windscreen......

Said the Traveller...

It's been a while since I posted, mostly because I have been having, of all things, a social life!
We've been to Spain for a few days, sans child (woohoo!) and had a book club/cocktail party meeting, and I've been to London for a weekend at a friend's birthday celebration.... busy, busy, busy...

Phew.

In between times I have managed some sock knitting, but because they are just bog standard ribbing, they don't look very exciting to show. Work is slowly progressing though. Quite relaxing on the train to read my kindle and knit - because the kindle sits nicely on the table and all I have to do to turn a page is wiggle my pinky :D

And no sewing. But I have found some amazing patterns, and have a couple of cushions to finish and some good ideas for them, and some gorgeous bag patterns thanks to Bending Pins.

Onwards and upwards then!

(after I clean and tidy the house, empty the washing bag, shop for groceries, dig in compost and plant some veg, chop some wood, etc etc)

:D xx

Blankets seem appropriate...

...given that the country has been blanketed with snow for much of the last day or two. Our blanket in Ayrshire has come, gone, come again and is currently hardening under a beautiful clear night sky. At least the stars look breathtaking, so you don't really notice that you're freezing your tits off :)

Anyway. I've made a few blankets over the years, itseems to be something I keep on as low-key background knitting, and I don't mind that they take a while. I can just pick them up, do a few rows, blocks, whatever, and put them down again until it suits me better another time. Some have taken months, and some over a year to do, but I love mindless knitting every so often.

So have some pictures :) There are still a few I've not got photos of so will get round to that soon. I love the crochet one, but they all have a (warm) place in my heart!

This beauty was done on size 3.25mm needles - yes you read right - with Rowan Felted Tweed. I started with the green square block in the centre and carried on out from there. Took well over a year, and just over 23 balls of yarn. Finished size 54" x 72" roughly.

Detail of the ridges - remember every ridge of garter stitch is TWO rows knitted. I must be mad...
Edging was 2 rows of the dark turquoise all the way round:

The crochet one:

This one's about 40" x 65", adore the colours in this.

And my current blanket-in-progress:

Obviously I have had a log cabin love frenzy, but they are very satisfying. This one is Noro Kureyon, shade 161 which reminds me of a Scottish moorland. Love the mix of hues, the brights and the muted, the unexpected interplay of seemingly unrelated shades; unrelated until you look out onto a moor and go 'Oh yeah! I see it now!' This one will finish up at around 4 feet x 6 feet I think.

More soon :D

Getting better every day

I have some sewing going on, despite feeling a bit rubbish - we had complete viral overload in our house for the last fortnight - and there is some sewing progress Yay! Simple stars and contrasting fabrics, am feeling the love on this commission :)

Chain piecing preparation :

There has also been knitting: Chunky wooly beanies and a couple of cowls and snoods, trying out stuff, and there has been selling: been to a couple of craft fairs, and sold a quilt, xmas decorations and wooly beanies. Photos of knitting soon, when I get myself organised...

It's getting better every day! Thanks Mama Cass.

Finish it up Friday - the Sock Version

Hallo you lovely crafters!

Have been doing flip all* quilting myself here this last few days (and I cannot believe it is Friday already) but I have been doing some sock knitting. Because sock knitting is Very Portable. And when the place has been heaving with nieces and nephews and all manner of children needing to be entertained in the holidays, portability (is this a word?) has been essential.

In fact, these socks have been to: Heads of Ayr Farm Park, Troon Beach Park, Fullarton Woods, Craft Daft, Adventure Planet, and any number of stops inbetween. And socks are for niece who has been entertaining us, and esp her cousin, with her presence for a few days.

So as my finish it Friday, I present one Finished (WOOHOO) sock and one ALMOST and as good as finished sock. Used 3.25mm needles and James C Brett's Moonlight Sonata. I am usually a bit snobby about non-natural fibres, but I have to say I am pleasantly surprised by this one, It doesnt feel plastic, and knits up really nicely. I'm not sure how it will wear as a sock, but it has 10% mohair, 10% wool, 75% acrylic and 5% metallic for that extra glamour. This is my favourite colourway out of the lot.

I will be quilting as soon as normal service resumes, which will be from Tuesday because the schools go back. To say I am looking forward to this is quite an understatement.

Any return to normality will be welcome because my hubby, who is already ill suffering from post-viral fatigue (90 weeks and counting), has been struck down with a heavy cold, and has been unable to leave the house even more than usual, leaving us all slightly cabin-fevered. Yay for school and immune system recovery! Yay for me getting some free daytime hours!

* means none, nothing happening, to all you non-Scots out there :)