Another little Owl

Well I told you that there was going to be another Owl in my future. This one I nick named Lucy as she has stars in her eyes. The little blue tortoise laid huge hints on me about the owl quilt she really liked the idea and as I really wanted to make another it seemed like it would be the perfect solution to her birthday present. She has just had her hall way decorated a lovely shade of blue.

A rummage through my scrap bag and I had found all of the blues , just enough. I think will have to start sewing with a vengence inorder to get collecting scraps again. Although this one really doesn't fit anywhere it my house I love the colours. It hung on my wall on the day of completion just so I could admire it. The little piece of Alice Butler on the wings really makes it. Will I make another owl sometime? Maybe...

Can’t quite believe I am showing you this.

I thought I would give you a knitting update. If you are ready to make oooing and ahhhing noises at a lovely finished garment I am sorry you will probably have to wait another couple of weeks. No, something else has caught my eye, Blossom from the new Kim Hargreaves book Misty.
I think it is probably smart enough for work yet pretty enough to wear out. I have to say I love pretty much everything in this book which let us face it doesn't happen very often.

MY friend Sarah and I went to the lovely BaaRamYew in Leeds two weeks ago. If you are wanting a proper old fashioned reasonably priced wool shop with masses of choice combined with Ravelry at their finger tips this is the shop for you! Anyway I digress the yarn I went looking for was Rowan Milk Cotton Fine 70% cotton 30% Milk proteins (what will they think of next) I could have come back with every colour on the shelf but I settled on what is probably my most favourite-ist colour of all time this duck egg blue. It was a hard choice especially as the pattern is called Blossom now I am home I really could have a yen for that pink... :)

A Ravelry friend also fancied Blossom so I am indulging in a KAL . She is a very organised knitter and believes – like the rest of you in swatches! I have only ever made one swatch probably about two years ago and I still haven't finished the socks that I made it for. In other words I really don't swatch but after the recent knitting lunacy and the fact that I will be really annoyed if hers fits like a glove and mine looks like a sack I thought I better make one. So here it is my second ever swatch.
The milk cotton is a little splitty which might be annoying and I think I blocked it a little harder than I need to but it looks like it should be ok so rather than being good and finishing off all of these wips that are strewn around the place I am going to cast on again tonight:

This Knitting is Ridiculous!

I thought of various titles for this blog post déjà vu, seeing double that sort of thing but when I started to take photos I realised how crazy I am beginning to look!

The beginning of the Easter holidays I cast on the Alice top but wasn't very happy with the tension from pretty much the get go the Bamboo stretches like crazy and on the lacy pattern I can fit my fingers through the holes probably not a good look for any type of top. Any sensible person would have ripped it out straight away not me it seems. I finished until it separated for under the arms before I decided I wanted to try it on a smaller needle – which I didn't have.
Feeling incredibly frustrated that my lovely Easter project wasn't going quite as I had envisaged I sent off for a new Addi needle. Whilst I was waiting for my needle to arrive instead of knitting one of the numerous wip's that live in my front room, I cast on Que Sera from this edition of knitty.

I got the tension for the Rowan Handknit cotton on the recommended 5mm but it looked like a string vest so I decided that I would do it on a 4.5mm. Excellent plan except in order for this to work I would have had to go up a dress size which I didn't do so now I have half a cardiganwhich though it will do up makes me look like a blue sausage!
Would be a shame to rip it out especially as I have done so much work thinks I. So I have left it and yes you guessed it cast on again hoping against hope that I have enough yarn to make two pairs of sleeves. Then my Addi's arrived so I have again cast on Alice I definitely like the tension on this version better though I must remember to go up a dress sizeJ

 

64 Paddy Paws!

Way back in July 1996 when Elenya was a tiny baby. I was walking through Brugge when I stumbbled upon my first patchwork shop, Pineapple.

It was a funny shop in one of the back streets by the gates of the old town. After I had struggled through two doors with a pram and the shop assistant had watched me I realised that they really didn't sell much! A few fat quarters in baskets dotted around the vast white interior and a pile of old Quilters newsletter. Now I would probaly walk straight back out but, I wandered around collected a few fat quarters which were a wonderful 1930's chintz and then I spied the April 1996 Quilters newsletter.
The beautiful quilt on the front "Chaco's Paw" captured my heart and the story of how the designer had named it after her kitten who had helped make it captured my imagination. Though as I had never made anything remotely patchwork before I definately didn't have the skills to make one of my own.
The fat quarters were made up into a feedsack quilt ( my first quilt) when Elenya was three and the magazine was stored for safe keeping.
Then last year when I asked Inigo what sort of quilt he wanted he was definate that he wanted a cat one. Now as an eight year old boy I can see the attraction but, I hope that as a grown man he might still like the quilt that his mama makes for him and I felt that a seriously cat one might not make the grade.
Then I remembered "chaco's Paw" I was happy and so was Inigo though he still wants it to have at least one cat. It was a bit optimistic to think I would have the whole thing complete by last week however I have broken the back of it now with a little quilting help from Molly!

My Giveaway Quilt

I keep seeing Owls every where in the craft world.Little fabric sculptures. logos, fabric and knitting patterns though unlike the 1970's no macrame yet!
I think it is rapidly becoming synonimous with anything crafty which is why I decided on a wise old owl for my little quilt. It has been ages since I designed something completely from scratch but I felt as I was giving it away it had to be all my own work. An hour later and the whole thing was mapped out on brown paper( brown paper that somebody in this house has tidied up). I also wanted the fabrics to be cheerful, spring, Eastery type colours which took some serious scrabbling through the scrap bag.
I am pretty pleased how he turned out. I almost whipped up something else as he looked gorgeous on my wall! I think I might make him again as soon as I find the brown paper!

A hive of industry.

It is amazing how much you can get done when you don't have to work. I promised myself this holiday that we would have stay at home time and no visitors as every break we have I fill it with too many activities and too many guests. I love house guests you don't even have to procrastinate about things because you really can't do them when you are entertaining can you? Anyway this holiday is different. We spent a lovely planned weekend with our good friend J and all of her wonderful furry friends she has a huge kitchen and her and the kids got down to some serious baking. Then we have come back I have started clearing some of the wip's that are scattered around my house.
Yesterday with help from Molly,I finished Jo's give away quilt and parceled it up ( I have decided that I will show it once she has it) and I finished my quilt started last summer and then shelved when time became a premium commodity. 100 nine patches and countless other squares
we snuggled under it last night and I felt proud of my day's accomplishments. Today I have been working on a quilt that I started for Inigo, just as I finished Oriana's. I am hoping to have a quilt top complete by the end of the week. Or at least some interesting patches. A few more patches tomorrow but, for the rest of the day we are going to find out how to tame our dragon! What have you got planned for the rest of your holidays?

An Easter Greeting to Every Child Who Loves "Alice."

An Easter Greeting to Every Child Who Loves "Alice."
DEAR CHILD,

Please to fancy, if you can, that you are reading a real letter, from a real friend whom you have seen, and whose voice you can seem to yourself to hear wishing you, as I do now with all my heart, a happy Easter.
Lewis Carroll Easter 1876

Maybe Lewis Carroll was the worlds first blogger it certainly sounds like it.
For the last couple of years I have treated myself to a Christmas Day project. Something really special that I anticipate for a couple for weeks before casting on. This year I decided why not give myself the same pleasure for Easter ( a lot less calories than and egg!).
I had queued the pattern Alice by Katya Wilsher a couple of months ago and I thought it would be perfect.

Cheerful, summery and perfect for warm spring weather. From reading the information on her pattern I know she was influenced by Alice's apron.I think you can really seen a modern day Alice wearing this . But, when I think of Alice I think of her in Disney blue. Sirdar Snuggley Baby Bamboo DK was on my list of yarns to try this year and they had what I consider to be the perfect colour. Sailboat 156. It is what Mamie would have called cornflower blue slightly purple reminiscent of Spring and Easter and perfect for a project called Alice.

Drum roll please

Wow thank you all for entering it was so sweet of you to take the time to enter. I have really enjoyed all of your comments but without further ado And the winner is ....







.

Congratulations Jo! If you could let me know where I am sending your little quilt ( because that is what it is) It should be ready for posting by the end of the week:)

It was worth it.

I have conquered my Nemesis!

The school sweaters are done. They have actually been finished a week but today is the first opportunity to photograph them without them being covered in paint or breakfast.

The five minutes snapping in the garden was great fun. Oriana loved it though her brother was a little more reticent.


Both Oriana and Inigo are happy but, not as happy as me as I can now move onto something else. Woooohooooo!

OMG! 16002!!!!!

I have just looked at the counter on the side of my blog and I have just had my 16002 visitor. Such a lot of people have come to visit and I am really touched. So I have decided to have a give away not sure what exactly but something special and made by me. If you would like a chance of winning the said something, please leave me a comment to this post and I will draw a winner out the hat on the first of April. Thanks again and good luck!

Acres and acres of blue.

Last summer Oriana and Inigo grew out of the school sweaters that I made many years ago so being a good mummy I asked if they wanted me to make them new ones. They didn't. They wanted bought ones, the same as their friends. I breathed a huge sigh of relief, rushed to the well known clothes store beginning with M for the said sweaters. This was good, no scratchy utilitarian yarn and more time to knit things for me. Then the snow came. The complaints rolled in, the bought ones weren't warm enough. They weren't as nice as mummy's and really it was too bad mummy had bought sweaters when she can knit and should have made them. What was I to do, the guilt trip worked. I ordered the yarn all 1200grams of it and started knitting. Two backs, two fronts and last but not least four sleeves. I have to say I am feeling less than enthusiastic about the project but I will keep going, trying to be a good mummy and keep my children happy!

Finished on Friday

The Ravelympics are still on and I set myself up for two projects the Garter yoked Sweater, which you know about. I finished it on Friday, the kids chose the buttons earlier in the week. Lovely shiny green shell buttons which make everyone who sees them smile.
I was pretty unsure about this sweater right till the end but it is actually very flattering and I think I might at some point make another - high praise indeed.

IntSweMoDo2010#5
Garter Yoked Cardigan
Needles 4.5mm
Yarn Cascade220/Noro Blossom
Time 8 Days
The Mountain peaks shawl by Miram Felton was my other choice of project. It is something I have had in stash for ages/ years. I decided to cast it on a couple of months ago.
I managed 5 rows before I put it down so thought it would be a good wip for the games. But it looks like it won't get finished for these either as I am busy with this
and this.

Ravelympics Day 3

I have got off to a bit of a slow start as we have been away for the weekend. I had to pack it all on the Friday night and realised that I have put my 4.5mm circ somewhere safe- not with my other needles so I am having to resort to knitting the whole thing on straights which means that you can't really see what is going on. I suspect the needle will show as I finish the cardigan.
The yoke is completed it is OK. Just OK. It seems that like apples, Noro should not be bought online. On the colour chart colour 272 is a mix of greens and turquoise with a little brown and grey mixed in for good measure. My two balls although the same dye lot and colour were very different. Only one ball had any turquoise and that was only enough for the cast on edge. The rest of it was small bits of green and tons and tons of brown. I have had to resort to breaking the yarn at strategic places in order for the whole yoke not to turn out brown. The texture of the Noro is actually quite nice though I don't think it will ever be a favourite yarn. I might be tempted to use it again. I have just started separating for the sleeve with the grey cascade it should be OK.

Are you ready???

There has been knitting going on here the last couple of days. However, it is all about to be thrown in a corner . Ravelympics starts tomorrow. I really couldn't decide but I am going to be casting on the garter yoke cardi! I cannot take credit for the Noro yoke as I have seen it done before on Ravelry. Usually I really don't like the way Noro looks (hippy) or feels (scratchy) I haven't ever felt the inclination to knit with it. So this really is a bit scary as I could end up with a hippy scratch cardigan that I don't like.

Owls is Finished

I stitched the buttons on Saturday afternoon. All 34 of them by 20 I was kind of losing the will to live but, I have to say it was worth the effort. I love this sweater. Warm, scratchy and very charming I haven't taken it off since the last button was tied on. You can't really see the colour of them but they are a light teal blue. Slightly lighter than Molly's eyes were when she was a baby.Unfortunately you can't really see in any of the photo's because the light is so bad. Perhaps we need more snow? It is certainly easier to take good photos with a back drop of white! Molly has lost complete interest in fighting the Owls since it was finished which I am very glad about as I wondered how I would get on with a kitten permanently impaled on my leg.

IntSweMoDo2010#4
Needles 6 mm
Yarn Purelife British Sheep Breeds 5.5 balls
Time 7 days

Not Many People Have got One of Those.

In recent years there has been a trendy towards the rustic, the vintage the shabby chic. Mainly I think as People try to make sense of a world that is too fast and because of that often slap dash. Most of my friends live in very modern houses made of very modern materials. Many of them are quite happy with the modern but some crave what went before filling their homes with little pieces that they have found in charity shops or on Ebay. I am lucky, my home originally belonged to my grandparents, my dad moved here when he was two. Mamie my grandmother lived here for the rest of her life. When Elenya was two we moved in nothing had been changed well- ever. Mamie's appliques are on the wall,
her table cloths adorn my tables which she either bought at antique shops or her parents gave her. My children play with the mechanno set that belonged to my dad when he was little and my sister and I tinkered with during the our holidays. Her blankets live in the airing cupboard.
This suits me fine I am not a great believer in change, for change sake. It makes me uncomfortable. Sometimes though the 21st century catches up.
Every house in the area is having cavity wall insulation My little fire puts a spanner in the works it may do a stirling job of keeping the room warm, My children assure me that it is a magic door by which father christmas gets in and I love the way it looks but, it hasn't heard of regulations and because of that yesterday it had to be capped off.
So whilst Mario and his friend the plumber were under the floor with lengths of copper pipe.
I decided to embrace change and take one of the very oldest blankets from the cupboard and turn it into something else. I picked up the cushion kits when I was at woolfest last year they are made in a really scratchy yarn straight from the sheep and make perfect cushions for my front room.

I knew that I wanted blanket backs and was going to go to a charity shop to look for such a thing when I remembered the oldest blanket, rough scratchy and perfect to go with the fronts. I am really pleased with how they turned out and I am sure that Mamie would be tickled if she knew what happened to her blanket.


Are we getting rid of the fire? No it is a conversation piece, I still love the way it looks and we really can't have father christmas being locked out can we?.

The Owls and the Pussy Cat

I realise that I keep showing you finished items which in my opinion is not that interesting. I figure that some of you at least would like an update on Molly so I thought I could combine the two things. Molly is now a thriving half grown kitten she is still fairly small and at 5 and a bit months probably will never be big. We worry that her eyes are slightly different shapes probably because they were so infected when we got her. They run when she is teething or feeling cold. Like Tigger she has a very short coat. She never meaows put instead makes a kind of trilling noise and purrs like a revving tractor.
When she went for her last lot of shots the Vet said they were very impressed with my nursing as apparetly they hadn't thought she would make it. Luckily Molly had other plans. Her fur has been the topic of many a conversation. She is now more grey than brown but she has had stripes and bambi spots turned grey and now again sports some very distinctive stripes on her tail. My latest knit is a great hit- with Molly.
She has been very interested in the yarn since it came into the house. Rowan Purelife British Sheep Brands Dark Grey Welsh smells of sheep! I love the smell, warm, cosy and natural. It drives Molly wild, brings out the play instinct and it is almost her colour so good for hiding in.

I was a little bit worried about the shaping of this as it is all at the back a real junk in your trunk look I thought it might be a little puffy but I have tried the body on and it is a flattering shape. I didnt want to take it off as it is lovely and warm. A factor that is very appreciated at the moment as we yet again have snow, just enough to be annoying rather than everything making everything grind to a halt.
I think I should finish Owls in the next couple of days a highly recommmended pattern.
I have just heard that the Designer Kate Davis is in Hospital so I would just like to add my well wishes to the others in Blog land. Get Well Soon!

Hmmm Malabrigo - Just Bliss

It turns out that it is quite apt showing you Bliss IntSweMoDo2010#3 today, as I started it on the first of our snow days in January and as I write the first of february's snow is settling outside.
I was making the katherine Hepburn cardigan but I couldnt concentrate with the children running in and out of the house trailing snow as they went. I wanted a stash buster, something quick and most of all I wanted to make something cheerful. The four delicious green hanks of Malabrigo that I bought at Harrogate seemed like the perfect answer. Coupled with Bliss by Samia Buchan a pattern that I had been eying on Ravelry. It turns out that I only used 2.5 skeins so there will be another Malbrigo knit in my near future.
I struggled a bit with the pattern as it was charted more like a cross stitch than a knit and some of the wording was a little strange. I hated this at first but actually it was a good thing as it slowed me down a bit and I had to think about where the stitches were actually going rather than just mindlessly making them. The cables on this are beautiful, very celtic and the Malabrigo seems to make them pop. The combination of cables and the green I have visions of the Green Man hopefully hearalding spring in the not two distant future. Least I hope so as it is far too cold to wear yet.
IntSweMoDo2010#3
Needles 4.5 mm
Yarn malbrigo worsted 2.5 Skeins
Time 23 days