Catching Up

It had been my intention to catch up with blogging and recent projects before Five on Friday came round again but here we are and Friday is upon us. Slowly, slowly I am becoming more familiar with the new laptop but much slower than I would wish. However, here a few projects I have been getting on with recently - happy distractions from technology.

1. Happy Scrappy Patches

Back in March I shared the Spring patch here using a Jessie Chorley screen printed patch. It was so enjoyable doing some simple stitch that I decide to create patches for the rest of the seasons in a similar style. Eventually they will be made into a wall hanging.

2.  New Pattern

Baby Kimono Jacket

This little baby kimono jacket was made from a Joji Locatelli pattern on Ravelry and was completed just in time for the arrival of the latest member of the family. My niece and her husband had a beautiful baby boy at the end of March. They are all well and very happy.

3. Old Pattern

Cardigan and Hat

This is an old family favourite pattern and has been made dozens of times over the years. My mother knitted it for me *!#*# years ago and every family member since. I changed the lacy panel to a cable pattern as I thought it was more suited to a boy. The hat is a very basic one given to me by a friend and again knitted numerous times. 

4. Sock Knitting

There is generally always a pair of socks on the go as they are so useful to take to appointments to while away the time if there are delays. This is a child's pair using up the leftovers from my last pair of long socks. Progress is slow but that is okay as it is useful to have something to pick up and go. 

5. Rainbow Blanket

The Rainbow blanket is growing, although again progress is quite slow. It is lovely and relaxing to do a few rows in the evening when I am tired and not in a mind for stitching or anything else that taxes the brain. The coloured stripes are completely random with no master plan, just bits and pieces of Stylecraft Special DK left over from other projects. There will be a lot of ends to stitch in and I keep thinking it would be sensible to do a few as I go along but it hasn't happened yet! 

Joining with Tricky and Carly at FASTblog for Five on Friday.

Click on the link to find out what others have been doing.

Winter Projects

It had been my intention to join in with the Winter Link Project hosted by Jennifer over at Thistlebear during the darker months of winter. I have been following Jennifer's blog for a while and really enjoy seeing all her projects and those of the other bloggers taking part. Today is the final day of the Winter Link Party and Jennifer has kindly invited anyone who would like to, to join in. Often late to a party I can usually be found in the kitchen so here I am sitting at the kitchen table and would like to share some photos of projects I have done this winter.

This is the third pair of long socks I have made since learning to knit socks last year and were started at Christmas. It has been a long, slow project as I kept putting them down to do other things. Shorter socks and children's socks are much quicker and more fun so it may be a while before there is another pair of long ones on my needles. There is quite a lot of yarn left over so I think some children's socks might be next.

The baby blanket above was also started around Christmas and has now been gifted to my niece for her baby due at the end of the month. This was a real pleasure to make and I enjoyed experimenting with different patterns for the five different squares. I wrote about it here.

This shawl was started while I was on holiday in January and completed on my return. It is the Close to You pattern on Ravelry by Justyna Lorkowska and has been worn almost constantly since it was finished. It is light enough for warmer days but great to wrap round twice when there is a stiff breeze blowing down your neck.  I have some more yarn from the same hand dyer in a rusty red colour that will probably be knitted to the same pattern. 

My lovely sister in law gave me the Edward's Menagerie book by Kerry Lord for my birthday and this is Emma the Bunny. She was supposed to be for my niece's new baby but the alpaca yarn she is made from is a little too fluffy for a new born. Her tummy is over stuffed too (she must have been at the carrots). I shall make her again in cotton left over from the blanket and remember to not over do the filling next time. Emma Bunny has found a home as my Mum claimed her and she is very happily ensconced in her living room.

The rainbow blanket is my current project along with a cardigan for the new baby that was cast on yesterday. It depends on my mood as to whether I want to crochet, knit or sew. There has been some stitching going on too but for some reason there are no photographs of that. Another job to go on the To Do List.

It has been fun looking back at my winter projects and I am very grateful to Jennifer for prompting me to do so. Thank you for enabling me to join in at the last minute. 

Five on Friday - WIP's and a Ta Dah moment

How did it get to be Friday again so quickly????

But it is lovely to be joining with Amy at Love Made My Home for the Five on Friday roundup.

There seem to be rather a large number of bags around my house that have WIP's in them and I am trying to reduce that number before starting, or dare I say, purchasing more yarn/fabric/pretty embellishments for new projects. There are lots of ideas buzzing around in my head - that's the problem/temptation with Instagram and Pintrest, with all the lovely, creative projects going on in the crafty community. Well so far, so good, the only purchases I have made recently have been sewing thread in colours I had run out of and they were half price so that doesn't count does it?

1. Pear Napkins

I made some table mats last year using left over fabric from another project and the plan had been to embroider a set of napkins to match. The napkins were purchased, threads sorted and that's as far as I got. Earlier this week I met with stitching friends from the Embroiderers' Guild and decided it was time to finally get started.

It is ages since I have done any hand sewing as knitting and crochet have been my preferred crafts during the winter evenings. I had forgotten how much I enjoy hand stitching and the rhythm of the needle is very soothing.

2. Preparation for JETS

Not so soothing is preparing materials for the JETS (Junior stitch group)! The volunteer helpers met last Saturday and we have planned the monthly activities up to the Summer holiday. As mentioned in a previous post the group now has a sewing machine so often two activities are going on, a hand stitched project and a machine stitched one. In February we will be making embroidered heart brooches and a soft toy puppy. As the purpose of the puppy project is to learn to machine stitch round shapes it was decided the pieces should be cut out for the students. I prefer them to cut their own patterns out but this can be tricky for the younger members of the group. A set of puppies are all cut and ready in a range of coloured fabrics so the bonus is not having to transport a whole box of fabric to the session. It limits decision time on what fabric to choose too!

3. Baby Blanket

Work has begun on the crib/car seat blanket for my niece's baby, due soon. Ooh, it is getting exciting now. The yarn is a mix of cotton and merino and is soooo soft and lovely to work with.

So far there are four heart squares and three and a bit cross treble squares. I was originally planning to make the blanket 3 x 4 squares in these two patterns with a deep border on it. I am now leaning towards 4 x 5 squares in five different patterns - four squares in each pattern. I have enough yarn to do the larger size but will probably have to get more yarn to complete a border. 

Who knows? I'll let you know the final decision later.

4. Long Socks

These socks were started at Christmas but had not been out of their bag since New Year.

I was delighted to discover the heel had been turned on the first one when I pulled it out of the bag to photograph this morning! A good incentive to knit to the toe and finish it. Another good incentive was finding all my hand knitted socks in the wash this morning so I had to put on a shop bought pair.

5. Ta Dah Moment!

Completed shawl

The Close to You shawl that was taken on holiday and very little done is finished - hurrah!

I really enjoyed making this and love the colour blend of the hand dyed wool from Abstract Cat Yarn on Folksy. The pattern by Justyna Lorkowska is simple and straight forward but really effective.

The picot edge complements the pattern beautifully.

Blocking was completed on Tuesday and I have been wearing it ever since. There is something very satisfying about wearing something you have made - especially if you are happy with it. (A few disaster have been recycle or found themselves in the bin!)

Well, now I have shared my WIP's I am going to have to get on with them so there can be a few more Ta Dah moments. There is a deadline attached to the blanket so that will take precedence but the socks may have to take a back seat - it will depend on how chilly my feet are........

Five on Friday - Five Firsts

Joining with Amy at Love Made my Home.

This is my first Five on Friday of the New Year so it seems appropriate to share five firsts of the year. 

As mentioned in my short post yesterday I have recently returned from my first holiday in several years. In the past I have often traveled alone, usually meeting up with family or friends in different parts of the world. This latest trip was the first time traveling with a wheelchair

This poses a number of issues like, luggage; how to transport the crutches; not to mention the anxiety of wondering if the assistance booked will work. Luggage was kept to a minimum as it had to fit in the backpack pictured, which would go on the back of the chair. A couple of strong elastic loops stitched to the bag held the crutches neatly in place and I was all set to go. There was also a small cloth kit bag that sat on my knee. This filled up with all the layers of clothing peeled off  as the journey to warmer climes progressed. When there is not much luggage room it is amazing how many layers of clothing you can get on before expiring from heat.

The assistance worked well apart from a slight hiccup at Birmingham Airport on the way out but obliging strangers were happy to help.

First knitting project

I started a pair of socks over Christmas, (which still need to be finished). They could have been taken on the journey, but that would have involved two balls of wool and as already mentioned space was at a premium. What a good excuse to start a new project! This lovely hand dyed yarn from Abstract Cat  Yarn on Etsy and Close to You Shawl pattern on Ravelry fitted perfectly into a small bag. (I took a circular needle but have transferred it onto straight needles to photograph) As you can see, not a lot of knitting was accomplished, although it was a great conversation piece on train, plane and ship. 

First daffodils

On returning home one of the first tasks (after the mountain of washing - how did that happen with such a small bag, but, just like Mary Poppins it just kept coming) was to stock up at the supermarket. There is something very depressing about an empty fridge. Steering my fully laden and decidedly wobbly trolley towards the check out, I almost ran over a box of daffodils. They looked a bit neglected propped up by the sweet rack so I liberated a couple of bunches for myself and my lovely mum. They look much more cheerful in the beautiful studio pottery jug a friend gave me for Christmas.

First bowl of fruit

One of the rewards of the dreaded shopping is a cheery bowl of fruit. I could not resist the carton of Sweeteenie with glossy skin and leaves. (That name has to be  the figment of a PR person's imagination).  It is no doubt an extravagance paying for leaves you cannot eat, but they look so pretty and the fruit are very sweet and juicy too. 

First Craft Club meeting

This morning was our first Craft Club meeting of the year. A small group of us meet up once a month to "make" together. One of us, hosts and provides an activity, tea, coffee and cake and we take it in turn through the year. We lost one of our members last year, which we all found very hard and difficult to carry on. Doti would be very cross with us if we did give up, so we have begun this year with new enthusiasm. The bag of threads we were using this morning were Doti's, so she is still with us and part of our group.

Stephanie organised the activity and we made an early start on Easter creating eggy motifs for cards or a garland. None of us quite finished our creations, but there was cake to eat and lots of chat to catch up on!

Still not quite finished but nearly there.

I am looking forward to catching up with all the other Five on Friday posts. 

It is good to be back with a fresh start to a new year.

An Eclectic Five for Five on Friday

It is lovely to be back with Amy at Love Made My Home after a short break for Five on Friday.

My Five this week are rather an eclectic group as it has been difficult to decide what to share. The elves elf has been busy making Christmas gifts so they will have to stay under wraps for a little while longer - no peeking allowed. That includes most of my recent makes so forgive me for this rather odd five.

1. December 1st and the countdown begins

The Autumn wreath was replaced yesterday with this one. 

I have a growing collection of wreaths and several different Christmas ones that will be coming out soon. I saw this wreath on a stall selling traditional baskets at a Craft Fair recently and fell in love. The baskets were amazing too and I could have happily brought several of them home.  The wreath was tucked in a corner and bare of any adornment and I could imagine decorating it in lots of different ways for different seasons. 

Simple lights and a ribbon to welcome the month of December. The fairy lights have a warm and cosy feel and cheer up a dull day.

2. Winter has arrived

The garden turned into a winter wonderland on Tuesday and by Wednesday the frost had frost on it! Although my garden faces south and is lovely and warm during the summer months, it remains in shade during the winter because of the angle of the land. This creates some spectacular frosty scenes if there are several days of low temperatures. This year, for one reason and another, I have not cut back the plants and shrubs, which have left it looking untidy. So the pretty frosty leaves definitely improved the overall appearance. There have been lots of little birds foraging amongst the old leaves, so perhaps they prefer the untidyness.

3. Felt angels

These little angels are for JETS (Junior embroiderers group). The adult helpers volunteered to help make a Christmas decoration as a gift for each of the girls. I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else has made as we all decided to do our own thing. The angels were a combination of several ideas from Pintrest. I can loose hours looking at Pintrest imagining all the things I would like to create rather than getting on and actually making.

4. Felt scarf

This was an experiment following on from the felt vessels. I had seen examples of felting onto fabrics at craft shows, so while the felting equipment was still out I decided to have a try. After some research in craft books and good old google, it looked fairly straight forward. The wool fibres need to be able to work into the fabric so a piece of chiffon seemed ideal. I cut a length of the fabric and gently felted fine layers of merino wool tops into the edges. It is not perfect but I was amazed at how sturdy the felted area was, despite being quite fine, once it was dry. The chiffon feels very flimsy in the centre and it would be interesting to see how other fabrics work.

5. On my knitting needles

This delicious hank of wool from Truly Hooked has been in my stash for a while. There have been many occasions when I was tempted to wind it into a ball but Christmas gifts had to come first. Although all the Christmas cards are not quite finished and a few other things need to be completed with the sewing machine, all the knitting and crochet projects are done. 

Finally the hank is wound and a Couthie shawl is on my needles......

.......and this one is for me! 

Well there is no law that says you cannot give yourself a Christmas gift is there?

I hope your week has gone well and all your preparations for the festive season are progressing smoothly. I am looking forward to catching up with everyone else at Five on Friday.

Five on Friday - A Crafty Five

As the evenings draw in, time for crafting increases. The garden pots no longer need watering and as the light fades in the afternoon the knitting needles and crochet hook come out. For some odd reason I have no problem with sewing during the daytime, in fact these days I need daylight to stitch. However, sitting and knitting or crocheting during daylight hours at home seems totally decadent. and downright wrong. Crazy, as knitting on the train or waiting for appointments is fine but if I sit down on the sofa at home to knit, I immediately feel guilty. One of the bonuses of darker evenings means more knitting and crochet time.  

So for Five on Friday with the lovely Amy at Love Made my Home this week here are five crafty projects, some completed and others in progress.

1. Birthday Gift

These bags and notebook were completed for a friend's Birthday. J and I have known each other since school days and have shared knitting and crafting projects through the years. She travels regularly from her home in Cheshire to London and had asked if I could make her a bag for the smaller projects she takes with her on these journeys. I found this great fabric with knitting sheep (we share a love of sheep too!) and thought it would be perfect for the project.

Even the sheep's face was the  perfect size for the covered button on the larger bag.

I am happy to say J was delighted with her gift.

2. Gothic Lace Cowl

This lovely baby alpaca has been sitting in the stash for a while. It was found in the "end of line" basket of a department store and I could not resist the gorgeous, squishy softness of it, not to mention the bright, cheery colour. There were only two skeins left and surprisingly they found there way home with me - does that happen to you or does yarn just leap into my basket? 

There was not really enough yardage for a shawl but I found a cowl pattern Gothic Lace by Tin Can Knits. Rather than being joined or knitted in the round like many cowls it fastens with a row of buttons so can be worn as a collar too. I like adaptable patterns and the lace is a simple 12 row pattern. The alpaca is knitting up beautifully and sooooo lovely and soft to work with. When finished it will go in the Christmas present box - another one ticked off the list.

3. Taggy Blanket

The Taggy blanket started a few weeks ago, mentioned here, is finished and ready for the new arrival next year. The pattern from Kate at Just Pootling is so cute and was a pleasure to make. The rabbit's ears are perfect for chewing. 

4. Shirley Notebooks

The notebook stock has been going down slowly so some time was spent earlier in the week creating a few more Shirley notebooks. A black sheep has joined the flock along with some new red covers. 

5. Christmas Crochet

On Wednesday I met up with a friend for tea and some hooky time. As my current crochet at the moment is small Christmas gifts for our craft group, I could not take them with me. The free magazine gift above has been sitting in the work room for a while so was ideal for our get together. 

The cute stocking pattern turned out well and a string of them would make a lovely garland. I must get back to pressie making though and if there is enough time, a garland may be created. If not this little one can hang on the tree. 

Perhaps if I get over my fad about crocheting/knitting in the daytime it might help!