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)

Button Up Purse

Am designing away here! What do you think of this little crochet number?

 

Button up Purse

Beginner/Easy Intermediate

Materials

50g Aran weight yarn (80-100m approx.) I used Adriafil Stella Jacq (100m per 50g ball)

3.5mm crochet hook

2 buttons 10-15mm

Measurements 10 cm high x 8 cm wide x 8 cm deep

Notes

Magic loop or chain circle to start, instructions are given for both. There should be enough yarn left over to chain a strap or an inner division if desired. Work is carried out in rounds, with the end of the round slip-stitched to the beg chain.

Abbreviations

BEG – beginning: CH – chain; DC – double crochet; HTR – half treble; RD – round; SS – slip stitch; ST(s) – stitch(es)

Starting the purse:

EITHER:            chain 4, ss into first ch to close loop

OR:      magic loop

THEN:  ch1, 5dc into loop. Join to ch1 with a ss.

Rd 1:    ch1, 1dc into same space, 2dc into every dc to end (12 sts) ss to ch1.

Rd 2:    ch1, 1dc into same space, *1dc, 2dc into next st; repeat from * to last st, 1dc, ss to beg ch      (18 sts)           

Rd 3:    ch1, 1dc into same space, *2 dc, 2dc into next st; repeat from * to last 2 sts, 2dc, ss to beg ch (24 sts)

Rd 4:    ch1, 1dc into same space, *3dc, 2dc into next st; repeat from * to last 3 sts, 3dc. Ss to beg ch

            (30 sts)

Rd 5-8: Continue in this way, increasing as set until work reaches a round of 54 sts.

Shape Base:

Rd 9:    ch1, 1dc into each back loop only of previous round, ss to beg ch (54 sts)

Rd 10: ch1, dc into each st, ss to beg ch (54 sts)

Rd 11-25:        As Rd 10.

Create buttonholes:

Rd 26:             ch2, htr into next st, ch1, 5htr, ch1, 10htr, ch1, 5htr, ch1, 5htr, ch1, 18htr, ch1, htr3, ss to beg ch (54 sts)

Rd 27-28:        ch1, dc to end, ss to beg ch (54 sts)

Shape flap (worked back and forth):

Rd 29:             Turn work, ss 7, ch1, dc 15 (16 sts)

Rd 30:             Turn, ch1, dc15 (16 sts)

Rd last 2 rounds 3 more times.

Rd 37:             ch2, htr2, ch1, htr8, ch1, htr3, turn

Rd 38-41:        ch1, dc to end (16 sts)

Rd 42:             ss1, ch1, dc12, ss2, fasten off.

To make up:

Sew in ends.

With front of purse facing, count 5 htr in from the ch sp to the left of the flap, and place button here*.

*To sew button, fasten yarn to fabric, pinch thumb and finger between fabric and button, and use this gap as the measurement from the button to the fabric – the space is needed to cope with the folds of fabric when the purse sides are concertina’d together

Repeat with other button on other side of flap.

Fold fabric and close using ch sp as buttonholes until button appears on front of purse. Fold over flap and button closed.

Global Warming

Thank flip it is now cool enough to sew. 

My sewing room is in the loft conversion, and the heat that builds up in there has to be experienced to be believed. I am not accustomed to such giddy celsian heights of mid-20 deg and can usually be found slowly melting into a greasy puddle before turning completely mental a la Dave's Syndrome (Black Books - fantastic). But without the beard.

So I've made my pal's wee guy a sun hat, after the success of my daughter's one. 

My daughter's hat

I used a cut up pair of jeans for the fabric, and it turned out - ok, useable but not as neatly finished as the first one.
Could have been due to the fabric, the bias stretch; the different needles and thread; or because I havent been properly sewing while the room's been cooking, so am a bit out of practice :)

Anyway. I wil try to remember to take pics tomorrow, and let you see for yourselves....

And for all you other peely-wallies out there, remember - slip, slop, slap!

(slop your fifth iced pint of water all over you accidentally on purpose; slap your other half for saying its lovely, what's wrong with you; slip into a coma as your organs turn into a puddle on the floor)

Friday Finish - only 2 days late! :D

I know, I know, bit of a cheek really :D but I have been looking after a sick almost 6-year old, so couldn't really get anything done before now. She's a lot better, started arguing back today after a day of being sick (Friday) and a day of lying on the couch shattered (Saturday). Poor wee soul. Kids are at their most forlorn when they're ill.

Anyway.

I've been a busy bee today - the long weekend has been a fantastic aid to sewing. And the sun has meant a request for a sun hat for said almost 6 year old.
Thanks to Riley Blake and April Cobb, I have a fantastic pattern to work from. Kt chose the colours, and off I went...

First I fused interfacing to the fabric, and then cut out some shapes:

Two fabrics, as the hat is reversible. Three pieces for the brim, three for the sides and one piece for the crown from each fabric, and interfacing ironed behind each bit.

Quarter inch seams used to sew the pieces together, then topsewn with an eighth seam to secure. You can see that on the back of the red spot. Then comes the hard part - sewing the round shapes together. Not v good at this, but got better with practice - black one is better than the red one I did first :)

Spot the deliberate mistake? Yes, I had to unpin this one ... Just as well my hubby spotted this!

I put the two hat pieces together WS out and sewed them round the brim. All the curved seams and the brim were 1/2 inch, cut down to 1/4 to reduce bulk with notches cut into them to ease the curves.
Leave a 3" gap, turn right sides out, and topstitch around the edge. Et Voila!

One reversible hat. It's a teeny bit big, but better that than the alternative! Took me a few hours over the day but I am really pleased with how it turned out. I love the colours she chose too, they look amazing together. I'd like to say she gets it from me, but I reckon the wee smasher has her own style. I'd love to show you her modelling prowess but she was in a foul mood by the time I'd finished so this is the best shot I have:

 Hehehe :D

A welcome return to productivity

Thanks to Crazy Mom I have a couple of yay finishes to show you :)

The first I have already mentioned here and am chuffed to bits about it. Really couldn't have been much easier (unfortunately I never took pics of the process - my all-singing, all-dancing phone is still new and I have yet to realise I have joined the modern generation that can take pics whenever they choose)

but I can show you the finished object and describe it to you! TADA!!!

This lovely looking item was covered in a stained ratty floral horror up till yesterday. I took the old cover off, pinned it to the new fabric and cut around it, and took the old gathering string off it to use on my new cover.
I then cheerfully rolled up the old cover and binned the bugger :D
Then I double folded the edges of the new fabric, keeping the gathering string inside the fold so I could sew it into the new hem and use it to gather the new fabric.
Worked like a charm :D
Here's a close up - cant remember who the manufactures is, but isnt it sweet?

So now I have a lovely new cover - and I found an excuse to use it.

Because I have ANOTHER finish!

This wee charmer is another cushion for my cousin, knitted in Rowan Kid Classis, Rowan Tapestry and backed with the same cord fabric I used for the first one:

Finished size about 18 inches square. Second use of buttonholes, I think these are slightly better than the first ones, although again not quite in a line. Better every time though :D
The stitch pattern is from one of my stitch books, 4 rows with two slip stitch rows, and another 4 rows with the slip stitch slightly offset, giving a wave effect. I used three colours, so every 12 rows another slight change. Here's Johnny! a close-up - 

The Tapestry is variegated, so adds another dimension to the pattern. I'm v pleased with it, and also with sewing it to the backing.
I used a 1/2 " seam and a walking foot and chugged my way through. Worked out pretty well. Am liking this experimenting!

You'll get a peek at my sewing room soon :D

PS It will never again be as tidy as it is in the photos....

Small things continued...

Have finished a few more cards for my craft show tomorrow -

Hope they get a good reception :)  Made some more today but camera playing up, typical. Very satisfying though!
Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts for a Friday Finish!

Appearances can be deceptive

For example, it looks like a gorgeous spring day - sun beaming down from the blue sky, birds singing - until you step outside and the chill wind goes right through you and freezes your kidneys.

For example, it looks like I am sitting at the laptop, surfing the web, playing Words With Friends and listening to Radio4 Extra - whereas I am actually pondering the commission I have to do and email off in the next couple of days.

Honest.

Making like a bee...

Busy, busy!

More later :D


PS 100th Post! Woohoo! Should have a giveaway.....

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

Blue Funk

I feel a bit sluggish of late. This is most likely a mixture of things - flu-type virus reappearance, looking after my hubby who is suffering another attack on his immune system, and my daughter who is being 5 and a half as well as she knows how. Thoughts of passed family members are weighing heavily too, especially poignant with Mother's Day tomorrow - well, today now. So have been a bit melancholy and low-spirited.

Surprisingly, there has been productivity despite this malaise. I finished knitting a pair of men's socks for a friend; made a cafetiere warmer for another friend (well, for her cafetiere technically) and finished the last square of a blanket I have been knitting for ever. It only needs sewing together and knitting a border round the edges. I am currently wrapped in a blanket I finished last year - a monster effort which took over a year to make, and no wonder: I used 3.25mm needles (that's old size 10, for the UK folk) to knit a single bed-sized blanket out of Rowan Felted Tweed. It was a labour of love, log-cabin stylee, and I really truly enjoyed it. I still havent taken a picture of this beauty, but now that I think of it, it deserves to be shown off for it's example of my fragile mental state testament to perseverance.

I'll get on it. And pics of all the other finishes.

It is nice to know that even in the midst of the lassitude there is comfort to be had in creation.

And I'm going for a cycle tomorrow.

Experimenting

Time for some quality experimenting, now that I have my latest commissions done and dusted.

Have been browsing some fantastic home design and storage tutorials online, such as Lunch bags, Buckets and Cushion Zip installation with a view to my next project. What really interested me was this: Round bottom storage buckets!

Picture from Film in the Fridge, an excellent blog if you havent found it already :)

Genius.

So inspired by this clever idea, have been experimenting with my own fabric stash. I had no interfacing at the time, nor much in the way of decor-weight or heavier weight fabric, so tried it with quilt batting instead.

First attempt - oookaaaaaay. Lot to be improved upon, but still functional.
Second attempt - better. More in proportion, working out a few niggles.
Third attempt - much happier with the results!

Check this out, in order of making from left to right (Tall one = first one, green one = attempt number three):

I didnt use anyone's pattern, just a rough idea in my head. This is how they were done, roughly:

• Cut out a circle for the base from one layer batting and one layer fabric, quilted together. 

• Quilt more batting and fabric together, and cut a length of this to use as the sides, (used my rusty maths skills) and measuring the circumference of the circle by using Pi x D. Sewed the sides together, sticking in one of my labels about half way up.   

NB Make sure you sew the base to the right end of the side fabric or you will have your label upside down. This is the voice of experience...

• Sew the base to the sides (right side together) using LOTS of pins and a slow speed with approx half inch seam.

• Turnedight side out and put aside for a minute.

• Cut second base and second sides from lining fabric, making them half inch smaller diameter and according side length. Sewed side, sewed base to side as above.

• Put lining into outer with all right sides showing. Pin sides together at mouth of bucket.

• Cut length of lining fabric for rim overlap - I wanted to have a good 2 inch overlap so used a 6 inch deep piece. Same length as side for lining. Sew short ends together. Fold in half lengthways, iron fold if desired.

• Pin raw edges to pinned raw edges of bucket, with fold on the inside of the bucket.

• Sew all three pieces together at top (inner, outer, rim). Fold rim overlap over the outside edge of the bucket, as in picture. 

My favourite one so far:

I was using some scrap fabric to experiment with so colour choices will be better in next batch. I also bought some interfacing so will try that variation out too. The quilted version is nice in an organic way but bulkier round the seams, so I imagine the interfaced ones will be firmer and finer.

     The overlap is not perfect either but I like the effect. The beauty of this version is that the seam at the top allows a sewn-in hanging loop while still having the overlap; the fantastic ones from Film in the Fridge dont have that option without a separate add on loop.

      The mathematics has not been perfect either - there was a fair amount of fudging it going on, and a few creases. Still, it mostly worked out, and sewing can be very forgiving :)

The lining looks the best in this one too, much less crumpled and it reaches all the way to the bottom nicely!
 
Et Voila! Sorry if my instructions don't make sense,  I have not taken any pictures of the process yet. And I still want to make some with the hanging loop so I can have a wee row hanging over my sewing table with all my bits and bobs in them. I'll just have to keep chugging away till I perfect them! Or till I get bored and try something else.... :D

Ta-dah! A finish!

Guess what I managed to finish? My two commission quilts, Oh yeah!

Have some loverly photos :)

This is the two of them together, not identical but fraternal twins. I used the same fabrics for both but went with whatever star fabric content I felt like at the time.

 

Another shot of the pair of them against my lovely beech hedge :)

I am quite chuffed with how they turned out, after being a bit ho-hum about them to begin with. I still have to finish some pillow covers but am not going to be long with that (despite all the ills that have been hitting me this last 2 weeks. Am beginning to think we are a secret germ-testing laboratory).

Really enjoyed this finish! Really looking forward to making something new! I sense some buckets in bright spring colours in the near future...