Knitting is Addictive

Knitting is addictive. Just one more row. So many patterns, so little time. "Yes of course I would love that big bag of wool you are giving away!" Knit. Purl. Knit. Purl. I am currently experiencing the need for knitting to become more complex like a real addict. Something harder to tackle. A project to push more buttons. So it is with excitement that I show you my latest cast on. 

This gorgeous basket, which I bought in France, is holding the yarn for an intarsia knit. The yarn is all thrifted/donated/gifted. A brand of pure wool called Hjerte from Denmark and a co ordinating brown DK acrylic. A delightful Autumnal palette which I really want to wear. I wouldn't normally mix fibres but this will be a hand wash in the end anyway.

I am going to try and make this Kaffe Fasset cardigan from The Knitter issue 112

I made a start but had some technique problems. I needed 4 colours for each row (on my colour design) so I twisted the yarn on every stitch to keep the four colours trucking along the work.

I liked the colour mixes but the stitches were very twisted on the front and the fabric texture had no stretch at all because the twists locked every stitch. STOP this is not right I decided. I frogged it and started again, this time making separate balls for each diamond motif. It makes a stretchy fabric but now I am knitting with 12 balls of yarn and I feel like some kind of woolley demigod.

So another interesting project to add to my ever growing pile of WIP's.

What do you think? Tell me it is all going to be alright after I have stood up and said, "My name is Joanne and I am a knitter!"

Jo x

Bought some fabric

My New Years Resolution to not buy any craft materials has been going really well. If you consider that everything I have posted, twice a week since January, has been made out of materials I already have you will, I am sure, be impressed with my will power.

However, I really wanted to make this dress but I did not have a big enough piece of jersey to make it so I bought some. There I said it. I bought some fabric and that is absolutely fine by me. 

It is from Sherwood fabrics and I must say that I have had three orders of fabric from them in the past and none of them have sat in my stash cupboard for more than a fortnight before they are turned into something lovely to wear. It always comes wrapped in paper feeling like a little present to yourself.

Anyway it made a super dress with lovely ease in all the right places. Not tight on my armholes, some tummy room but fitted through the thighs. The fabric is such great quality, really thick and stretchy like a top brand long sleeved T-shirt fabric.

I enjoyed wearing it to the office last week and it was so comfortable for sitting in for long periods of time lesson planning on the computer. Too hot for today though...

Bruce was trying to get in on the photo and was licking my toes.

I finished it with a little tab. Love our Earth, Love your neighbours and don't forget to love yourself a little too.

I'm glad I bought it now. It felt such a treat when I had not been buying sale/craft/whim purchases for such a long time, I really did love myself a little with this one.

Here is another version my sewing pal made. 

Really spot on colour choice Beth. Whoohoo!

Enjoy the sunshine.

Jo xxx

The Dog Ate My Scout Tee Homework!

You know the phrase 'The dog ate my homework' 

Well in my case, 'The dog ate my neckband!' 

I bought the Scout Tee T-shirt pattern to use up some smaller pieces of lightweight fabric from my hoard. These pieces were given to me in a big carrier bag. This year, if you didn't know, I am on a stash diet.

I made a test top in this cotton lawn. It is a beautiful quality cotton if a little dated now so I thought I would use it to make the sizing toile (twa:l). I cut a size 10 (the sizing is US so that is a 40" hip and 37" bust) It is a tad too big but I wanted to get the hip size big enough without having to make slits at the side like I always do.

While cutting out my new paper pattern carefully on the lines, Bruce our puppy lay on the rug under the table. I collected all the pieces up and was ready to cut the fabric - I could not find the neckband piece. It was thin so I went through the whole bin looking at each strip I had cut off the pattern - nothing. Then I heard a rustling sound and Bruce had just finished eating it!  

I contacted CJ Made who was my inspiration to buy this pattern (she has so many nice Scout Tees) and she gave me some details on the size of the piece by looking at her pattern. Phew! disaster averted. So here it is finished.

The next one I made on Sunday went down a size and was much better. I made this from a piece of fabric I won in a giveaway from Caroline at CJ Made (all a bit spooky). Thanks Caroline it was a fabulous bag of goodies. My mind is whirring already.

The colour was absolutely perfect as the partner for my new cardigan which my aunt bought over this weekend. Look!

We went on a walk to Benthall Hall on Sunday which is in walking distance from our house. The day became warmer and warmer until I had to remove my beautiful new cardigan. 

The Scout Tee is the pattern for me!
Hope you had a good weekend
Jo x

Crochet 'Happy Colours' Cushion

Using up the last few circles from my happy colours blanket, I made a cushion. 

Another delve into the cupboard brought up some more bright colours left over from other projects. A ball here, half a ball there.

The back is made in stripes using up the smallest amounts of yarn scraps. The down side is there are lots of ends to weave in. The dog has since eaten my beautifully light wooden DMC crochet hook. Aggh!

This is going to be a birthday gift for someone.

six months into 2017 and I still have not bought any yarn. 
Staying Power!

Jo xx

WATG What's Love Vest Top

Summer is here and I have finished a real summer knit - something I have never done before. I always knit for winter but this Tina Tape made a beautiful fabric for a summer top.

The What's Love Top kit consists of 4 balls of Tina Tape, rosewood needles, label, sewing up needle and the pattern book. Tina Tape is a tencel yarn made from sustainable Eucalyptus trees and is suitable for vegans.

The top has a nice summer neckline but I have added a sharper armhole to avoid showing my chewing gum grey bra. I can't go without one, the world is a nicer place when I wear a bra!

I started knitting it on holiday, the sturdy paper bag it came in acted as the perfect lightweight knitting container. It was a quick knit in garter stitch with both the front and back the same shape.

There was a heart stopping moment when I thought the dog had chewed up and buried my last ball but it was just the ball band out of the bag under the deckchair I was knitting in. Phew!

As mentioned I just changed the armhole slightly by casting off 2 stitches at the beginning of two rows when I started the arm hole shaping then continued on with the pattern as designed. 

The fabric weave hangs really well and is a pleasure to wear against your skin.

Wool and the Gang Tina Tape is available in kits or in individual balls if you have something already in mind. 

Thanks Wool and the Gang for your kind sponsorship.

Jo xx

Crochet Raffia Hat

I would hate to just make blankets, or just knit socks or just make scarves. For me, crafting is about trying everything out there.

 Here's a new one - crocheting with raffia. Not just any old raffia this is a strong material made specially for crochet because it does not break. For my Minerva make this month, I thought I would try it out.

I am making a summer hat. I am not good at wearing a hat in the summer, I have thick hair, but one with a good brim would be fabulous for sitting in the garden to read, stitch or crochet.

I got stuck on row 24 but realised I had a pattern reading error with brackets and sorted the problem by searching Ravelry and finding out that somebody else had done exactly the same thing!

As I made it I kept trying it on. It looked like a floppy, wobbly, child's hat. I was getting disheartened but persevered.

I tied it off and decided I needed to really block it well.

I blocked it and sprayed it with laundry starch. It was better but still not right. As a last resort I painted it in PVA glue and put it in the sun to dry. YAY! it worked...

I made a plaited braid to add a finishing touch. I am really pleased with the final result even though it required some problem solving to get it to the shape I wanted. 

My Three Top Tips

Crochet one or two rows at a time - the raffia is hard on your hand muscles to pull it through the crochet loops.

Stiffen the hat with PVA glue on the upper and lower brim only not the crown which remains soft and comfortable

Add a plaited braid to complete the hat.

 I love to learn new things and crochet with raffia was a useful skill to learn. It even traveled well inside my suitcase to take on holiday, popping back into shape on arrival.

Jo xxx