It's All About the Scraps

It has been such a finishing kind of week. You get those sometimes, where knuckling down and getting things to the very end seems woeful in your mind but then it doesn't really take very long.

I think I have falsely shown you this as a finish in the past but really I knew after 'finishing' it that the large grey border swallowed up the patchwork centre and needed more work. I started to machine stitch it but it just made a huge pucker at the end of each row. This is when I might have shoved it in a bin bag for a day when I felt more motivated/less sweary.

I got it out again earlier this year and began hand quilting it. I really made some progress and then, as any hand quilter will know, I got a touch of RSI in my hands. Away it went, for a second time, back in the black bin bag.

Things started to get a bit more crucial of late because this quilt is for my friend's son on his 18th birthday which is a week away! Out is came for the third time however, to my surprise, it took me one more evening of stitching to finish it. The back features some of his old shirts which he doesn't know his mum gave me for the quilt. It will either feel like a big surprise or that I have been stalking him by stealing shirts off the washing line! All wrapped up and ready to go now.

Finishing something arduous always makes me believe I can do anything. On Saturday afternoon the girls had a friend to play so I had couple of hours thinking about how to join these scrappy strips together which the girls and I made in January 2021 school lockdown. 

I hope some of the followers here can spot some of their gifted fabrics. These are the long strips which I collect from sewing;anything rectangular gets sorted into the 'strips' box. At the end of the afternoon I had sewn the ready-made long strips together and assessed that I need about four more to make a single quilt. A long way off yet but a very satisfying afternoon of enjoying the quilting process rather than the eventual outcome.

Another scrappy Ski hat (Free pattern) flew off the needles this week. One more for the present box. Making the pom pom even used up the last of some balls completely without a scrap of waste.

Finally, for myself, I have completed a crocheted sock yarn shawl. The pattern is on my sidebar if you have scraps of sock yarn or 4 ply to use up but it would work for any yarn. It has been a year long project (from last Christmas I think) to use up all of the sock yarn ball ends. Between larger projects, I would add a row here and there to use the yarn up to the very end. Recently, I have added some of the 4ply wool from Heidi's fair isle jumper and leftovers of leftovers from the socks. It is finished with some bought pom pom trim. Well why not?

Honestly, I think I love creating with the leftovers more than the initial product choice! Are you making for Christmas?

Jo xxxx

Happiness is Easy Crochet

Sometimes happiness comes from the most simple things. Reaching the end of a few complex knits and garments, my brain wanted something simple to truck along with - something more inline with cruise control rather than a four stage rally.

One evening, I reached into the yarn basket and started to make a granny square, then I simply kept on going.

The yarn is Araucania Luxury Merino blend 4ply which I made an Ankers sweater from but I still had loads left. I can't find a link for it unfortunately. My old neighbour gave it to me after she got a bad wrist and couldn't knit anymore.

I made a little car seat/pram blanket for my friend who is having a baby in January. This one is all tied up ready for the gift box.

Other things that are making me happy at the moment are: progress in the new garden; a jug of flowers I knocked off while gardening and everyday sunsets.

Hope you find some happiness this week even if Covid19 news is sounding bleak? 

Jo xx

A Yarn Tale

This is a tale of two happy halves. My Auntie was knitting a pair of gloves a while back however she stopped because the needle gauge was so small that it was making her hands ache. The gloves were from my favourite knitting book - Knitting from the North by Hilary Grant - my aunt has a copy too.

She said she had stalled on the gloves. Quickly I chirped in with some sympathy for her aching hands and the suggestion that she pop the whole project in a gift bag and give it me for my birthday in January!

 With a handmade card and a little poem to spur me on, she did just that.

I found the pattern in my book which I had previously admired, but never had the right yarn for, and set about knitting the second glove. Shirley had done the rib so it wasn't long before I whizzed up through the colour work. I followed her graph paper pattern which was different to the one in the book. She had interpreted the book chart differently but it didn't matter - so long as they were both the same. 

Trying to knit slightly tighter than normal knowing that my tension is quite loose, is actually very hard. This is particularly difficult on stranded work because you also have a tension associated with your floats at the back of the work. Ironically, by trying to be tighter, it was actually a little too tight in the end but they are wearable.

I have never knitted fingers before. They are fiddly on such small needles so I can see why she was struggling with finger pain. 

I had a 50/50 error on the mitt flap. My mitt has the wrong side showing when it is in the Mitt position but really the wrong side would be showing one way or another so I was happy to carry on.

I really wanted these gloves for dog walking. Mitts to keep my fingers warm and then my fingers free to tie a poo bag! To eliminate any ghastly brown accidents I added a button to keep the flap out of the way with a little hand worked loop. Stylistically is is probably not the best match of button, but I loved these ceramic buttons and they reminded me of the cardigan I knit for Heidi when she was little. I plundered them from the garment when it was too small for her and had saved them in my button jar ever since.

So there you are...

...a quite complex pair of gloves which I love. Shirley said I can keep the rest of the yarn so maybe I can make another pair or a matching something for myself - I feel an all done post coming on.

Jo xxx

Easy Peasy Sewing Time

I was looking for a nice little starter project for my sewing group and this came up on my pintrest feed. It was so easy to make, I thought I should share.

The pattern was a tutorial from here.

The curve at the top of my first one was not the right shape but I nailed it on the second version. I used up some recycled denim and some precious Liberty left overs. It was a great make without the need for zips, button holes, studs or spring clips. 

Simple is sometimes the best.

I am going to knock out a load of these for teacher/colleague gifts. I guess mine will have to be the pilot one! Why not have a go. It uses fusible fleece which can be expensive but I used normal wadding left over from a quilt. A great way to use up some scraps.

I won't be needing sunglasses for a while, but for now, my close work glasses can stay safe. Thanks for dropping in. Jo xxx

An Old Favourite

 Sometimes it is best to simply visit an old pattern; tried and tested. I love making these gloves and they give me a lot of knitting pleasure.

I don't normally knit with bamboo needles but I thought I would give them a try and I really liked how light they felt. My shoulder did not ache so much after an evening of knitting with these.

The pattern is from an old Louisa Harding book called Fade to Grey. A quick flick through the book also reminded me of a cardigan I no longer have which I knit about eight years ago so that has landed on my wish list for 2020. After a quick search on raverly, I found this pattern is now published free here. 

I used a skein of hand dyed yarn from Weavers Loft which I picked up at Wonderwool this year. It has a mottled pattern so I just knit with that instead of adding stripes. You could actually see the different patterns a lot more. I felt this pair didn't need a flower because the yarn was singing on its own.

These are destined for my 13 year old god daughter who has a very individual dress style (she wears a fedora hat to Guides!) So I think she will love these eclectic gloves.

Are you still making for Christmas?

Easy Peasy Presents

I am spending my evenings making some gifts using what I already have. The sock yarn scraps are a little lighter after making these cowls. I don't like a saggy cowl but a neck warmer is much more cosy I think.

I chained just enough to go over my head (about 68 I think) and then crocheted rows of granny stitch to my hearts content.

The pink and coloured yarn is drops fabel which I have made a pair of socks from. I have no idea where the the fawn colour has come from...

...but they made a good mix.

Next up I tried a blue version to wear with a denim jacket. 

These are ready to wrap for a couple of young ladies at Uni.

Little M saw me crocheting them and said can you make me a purple one so I made her one too which she loves wearing. It is a bit long for her because I used my own head to measure the initial chains. Duh!

My sock yarn has not disappeared completely, there is still a little pile to play with.

Here is the link to the gift wraps that I use. You might find it useful if you make things.

Are you making any gifts? Jo xx

Crochet Bunny

Here is a new creation: a crochet bunny. It used up some of the Drops Muskat cotton yarn left over from a baby blanket. I forgot how much counting was involved with toy making but I pressed on. Making two of something is not my forte. I go off piste all the time and then have to remember how to replicate what I have done for the other leg/arm/ear.

Anyway, it was fun to make and will make a lovely addition to the baby blanket gift.

Making the face for a toy is always a deal-breaker. This one is a better style than the one in the book but could be better; it is satisfactory even if he/she does look a little pensive.

The ears are really tactile, all soft and squidgy, due to the double layer of crochet and the addition of felt. 

I like his proportions and can imagine him being dangled from a toddlers small hand by either his arm or leg - but not his ear that would hurt him too much!

The pattern is from the DK book of bumper Crochet which was given to me in a bag of stuff the week I was trying to declutter but I couldn't resist keeping this versatile book of patterns and techniques - I have more ideas in the yarn bag.

Thanks for dropping by.

Jo xx

All Done #17 - Victoria Shawl

This is my 17th All Done post. These posts will hopefully inspire you to use up some kind of craft stash all the way to the very end - no saving a bit for later, hiding it under the bed or stuffing it in a cupboard.  With nearly four balls of Drops Alpaca in this beautiful shade Golden Rod, I have made two scarves. It was given to me by my good friend Christina. 

I seem to be linking Christina in many of my posts in 2018 but I am using her free sock patterns at the moment and she is often kind enough to lighten her own load by sending me spare materials as happy post. 

This is my second go at the the Victoria Shawl by Cherry Heart.I made the first one in a highly patterned sock yarn and you could not really see the little puff details or the spaces that create little butterfly shapes. I always said if I did this again, I would do it in a plain colour. 

I ran out before the border was complete so I used grey sock yarn to complete it. The border isn't quite as the pattern but it is similar and met my yarn requirements. I would have preferred a lighter grey but I didn't have any however, this alternative is actually quite striking.

As with many a crochet project, wet blocking is what makes this shawl special. The holes open up and the border becomes pinpoint perfect. This one is for my friends birthday in March.

Victoria uses up the rest of the yarn after my previous scarf, One and Done by Casapinka which I have kept for myself and worn quite a few times already.

What wonderful yarn but it is all done now and has made me very happy. Thanks for dropping by.

Jo xx