Busy Bee

I haven't posted lately because I have had a lot going on but I am still here :)

Here is what I have been up to...

I finished the Rowan Felted Tweed 'Fyne' sweater vest and I love it.

I wanted to bake a cake! I had recently seen a rather tasty one featured over on One Sheepish Knit of a Zebra Bundt Cake. I have never made a bundt cake before nor what we call a 'marble cake' over this side of the pond but I gave it a go...

And it's rather tasty too!

I won this bundle of crochet goodies in a competition run by Maria of Maria in the Wood There are so many nice things to make in the book too :)

With the sweater vest finished I need a new project and as some of you already know, I had the Fawn-cho from Tiny Owl Knits lined up in readiness...

I can't believe how quickly it has knitted up! I like a challenge and this had a few new ones. Working with circular needles, working intarsia in the round and contending with a variety of colour-coded stitch markers.

But I have to say that they weren't as bad as I anticipated! In fact I loved working on circulars. It never occurred to me that working stocking stitich on circulars meant that you only ever knit (you didn't have to turn to purl). I think this is why it knit up so quickly.

I did make a couple of adjustments to the pattern as it was a little bit short. I added a few rows in under the cute fawn and then several under the armholes too. Now it fits perfectly.

Its not completely finished as yet though. I have to block, sort out the back of the intarsia, add some stitches to the fawn and stitch up the arm-hole flaps too but it is sooo snuggly :)

I'm off to knitting group shortly so am taking this to do there :)

Thinking about the next project at the moment but I may open it to a vote as I have several possibilities :)

What have you been up to lately? 

Sweater vest update...

I am loving knitting the sweater vest... :)

But as this is a first for Fair Isle I have discovered that you really have to pay attention to what you are doing. I have had to frog several rows once I get to the end and realise that the pattern is out by one stitch. And it is so noticeable, not the kind of mistake you can get away with.

I have just started decreasing for the arm-holes, which means I have to pay even more attention. Decreasing and different coloured stitches eek!

My knitting is 'Fyne'

After finishing the Big Needle Knitted Throw I wanted a new knitting challenge. I was trawling through my folder where I store all patterns and things of prettiness that I swear blind I'll make one day, umming and ahhing and it jumped out at me. A tank top by Rowan called 'Fyne' and made using Rowan Felted Tweed yarn...

Great... I have my pattern! On a high, as Fair Isle is definately a new challenge for me, off to my knitting box I went and found the right sets of needles - fantastic! now I just needed the yarn :/

So, a few weekends back I poottled off to the nearest Hobbycraft which have quite a large yarn / wool selection. After walking up and down the aisles several times and to my dismay I realised that they didn't have this highly sought after Felted Tweed. I quickly whipped out the Blackberry and searched for the elusive yarn only to discover that over half of the shades I needed are no longer available! (turns out that I had pulled the pattern from Simply Knitting magazine in 2008) I made a snap decision to buy the closest matched Rowan yarn that Hobbycraft had and be on my way. It was a hard decision as the colours were all different and I wanted what was in the picture.

The same day I started knitting. I did the waistband which was now in a mottled dark grey colour and then changed to the main body colour... la la la

The following day, I wasn't 100% happy with my substitute yarn so went on a trip to John Lewis in Southampton. Yayyyyy!!! They sell the Felted Tweed!! :) and lots of it. Although half the shades are no longer available, the range of colours in this yarn created a kid in a sweet shop scenario and I matched the missing colours as near as I could with the above picture.

I then frogged everything that I had previously done and this is where I am up to so far...

Luckily the colours that they still had in production were the blue for the waistband, the fawn for the main body and the striking ginger

I love it and cannot wait until I am finished :) I'm tempted to go and get an extra of the blue and fawn though... just incase I run short and then find that they have changed their stock :s

What are you working on at the moment?

Can you crochet?

I recently read a blog post that has spurred me to learn how to crochet...

Penny of Planet Penny recently posted on her blog about some mice that she crocheted from Nicki Trench's Super-Cute Crochet and I was visually 'hooked' :)

Oh so cute!!

I've got the book...

I've got the yarn and hooks...

I just need to teach myself how to crochet now :)

Two big finishes

I have been a busy bee lately at work and play but I have still found time to be crafty :)

For some reasons all of the crafty projects that I start appear to be mammoths!

Well in this past week I have finished two big projects - the 'big needle knitted throw' and the cross-stitched 'Lizzie*Kate Flip-Its'.

Here are a few pics...

I love it. It feels heavy and comforting and definately keeps you warm. For an idea of size that's a kingsize bed.

I used all sorts of yarn throughout... fluffy, sparkly, soft, textured, glittery, velvety.

And here are my 'broomstick' needles again :)

The other big project - the cross-stitched Lizzie*Kate Flip-Its...

I started this a long time ago but half way through the August Flip-It (the one with the sunflower) about 6-7 years ago, it was put in the craft box and temporarily forgotten about.



I think my favourite two months that I stitched were January and February because of the snowflakes and the colourings :)

Which are your favourites?

At the start of this year and due to one of my new year's resolutions, I re-discovered several crafts and projects that I had boxed up. A sudden thirst made me charge on to the finishing line and I am delighted to have finished these two big ones :)

What projects are you currently working on? 

Wool...

A while ago, I went to a big craft fair up at Olympia or was it Ally Pally?? can't remember it was that long ago! but I was inspired by a variation on a great craft... knitting with big needles. We're talking B.I.G. needles. The type that you couldn't really wip out of your oversized bag on the train in fear of not only taking someone's eye out but possibly knocking their head off!!

Here they are... (that's not me by the way!)

I was intrigued and I wanted to give this new found craft a go but I didn't want to pay the extortionate amount for the giant needles, so I set about a plan to create my own.

I purchased a broom handle for a couple of pounds and chopped it in half. Then I used a stanley knife to sharpen one end of each of my 'sticks' to a rounded point. I then needed something on the other end to stop the wool slipping straight off, so I got hold of some oversized elastic bands and wound them round the ends very tight. Perfect! I now had my own giant needles.

And this is what I created...

It's folded in half but it is a heavy throw to go on a bed. Its wide enough to span the width of a bed but is only two foot deep. I had originally given it to my mother-in-law who admitted that it doesn't get the use that it should.

My plan is to expand...

I discovered that there is a wool shop in town, Sandcastle Yarns, that for some reason I had never ventured to before (maybe because it is a fifteen minute walk from the high street) but I decided to have a lunchtime walk today to check it out and get some new yarn for the throw...



The treasure trove...

Wool, fabric and threads...

Fabric and threads...

More wool (oh and fabric)...

Buttons galore... (I restrained myself, I was coming for yarn!) 

So, this is the little stash that I purchased. I was specifically looking for the textured variety. I was quite amazed and the variety of craft materials that they sold, I will definately be going again :)

I've added them to my existing stash, which is now ready to let the throw extension commence.

I would definately recommend Sandcastle Yarns to anyone remotely insterested in craft. A fabulous find :)

Updates on January Monthly Makes

I had a slight panic at the weekend because I have been so busy and felt that I hadn't been crafting with the possessed-glaze that I had at the beginning of the new year. The difference being that I am back at work now and I work full-time. The last couple of week's have been a little full-on at work.

I have managed to finish the Cath Kidston Patch bag though...

             

I am quite please as this is the first thing I have sewn (bar buttons and odd repairs) in a long long time and I have to say that I really enjoyed myself. You may notice that I have substited the suffolk puff that is meant to be in the middle with a large blue button. I wasn't keen on the puff ;)

When I sat down to work on it I was amazed at how quickly it came together. However, when it came to sewing and hemming the actual bag I resided to the fact that I 'needed' a sewing machine.

Those of you who follow me on Twitter or read my blog will know that recently got myself a small sewing machine. I wasn't sure what to expect about it's quality and what I will be able to achieve with it.

I can however say that I have had a little play with it on scraps of material and got a little frustrated to say the least! Not wanted to be defeated, a little browsing and research about using sewing machines followed on the t'internet. I learnt a few key things and attempted another dual. This time I came out the victor.

I have a project lined up and I feel that the Beldray will be a vital asset. With my love of Cath Kidston, I bought a bundle of mixed Cath Kidston fabrics already pre-cut into 4" squares. I am going to endeavour to make a feature for a quilt cover. I fear that I won't have time to complete this Make before the month is out though, so am planning ahead for a February make :)

In the meantime, my make is two-fold. I signed up to Me and My Shadow's - Take One Jumper Challenge and the produce is going to be part of my January Monthly Makes.

Now this was my first time at felting, so off I went and I found myself a 100% lambswool sweater from a local charity shop. I felt a little bad as its by Jaeger but I justified the planned felting of said sweater as ok because it was three sizes to big for me anyway and it only cost £2.99. So I proceeded to whack it in the washer on the highest setting, followed by a hot tumble - as per the instructions that peeps had given me and I have ended up with a sweater that would easily fit a six year old!! (and duly felted of course)

As I said, I am not going to divulge my plans for the sweater but will post them as I go along :)

Sew sew sew...

I am quite excited, as I have got myself a sewing machine!
I didn't want to spend a fortune and I got bored of waiting for anyone to reply on the freecycle groups I am party too, so when I saw that a local shop was selling Beldray 7 Stitch Sewing Machines for £20 (apparently meant to retail at £59). I umm'd and ahh'd for a few days and thought - go for it!

It's nothing extravagant though... but I will give it a whirl. I have never had a sewing machine before and I only want to try it out and dabble a little. If I like it, then I can invest further if need be :)

According to the box, its ideal for creating clothes, making curtains or simple repairs... we'll see!

I am planning a patchwork quilt and after that, who knows! :)

A new craft

I have had the particular pattern book, Easy Chain Mail, in my mitts for quite some time...

I was passing a Hobbycraft a couple of years ago. I hadn't planned on going in nor buying but that day something made me. Once inside I skipped through the aisles, oooing and ahhing at all the lovely goodies when this book caught my eye. I had never tried chain mail jewellery making before but a particular pattern in here took my fancy. I bought the book, a couple of pairs of pliers and more than enough silver jump-rings to complete the pattern I liked and headed home.

The book and it's friends were placed into my craft box never to be seen again until this week, when with my new-found crafty venom linked with signing up to Monthly Makes, made them re-enter into my mind and mitts.

This was the bracelet that had caught my eye... the Tryzantine Bracelet...

I would say that I am quite confident in the crafts that I have dabbled with but I knew from the instructions that this was going to require some serious concentration and patience. I even had to consult a friend at one point because I just couldn't see what I was doing wrong.

After a quick natter I set off again and my bracelet grew...

And here was the final item.

I love it so much that I made a matching choker necklace too :)