Helon Back On The Hook

I realise after titling this piece that you didn't know that it had been on the hook in the first place. There is a reason for this. Just after I finished my own Helon. Elenya requested one, she was very excited about it and paraded up and down in my version even though it was several sizes to big for her. I dutifully started it even though there wasn't much fun it something that I had completed less the a month before. The shaping seemed less than smooth and each stitch seemed to be a struggle. I finished the back in record time but when I held it up to her it looked massive, and the shape looks a little wierd -top heavy. I just stashed it while I thought about ripping the whole thing out.
6months later it looks like it might fit, though I am still unsure about the shaping! I had already completed the bottom lace for the front so it really isn't taking long to do the front and I am enjoying it.
Though I have promised myself no more deadlines, we have a wedding reception to go to in a couple of weeks and it would be nice if she could wear it for that.

Swift

This started ten months ago, a quick use it up project. I was sick of looking at the blue in my stash. I had a cone of pink in my stash. They seemed to work reasonably well together and although the photo in the book Little Knits was fairly appalling it looked quite cute.
I figured I would make the largest size available and see which daughter it fit when it was finished. I started with the back and it really was swift a day at most. Then I decided I would knit two sleeves and then two fronts. A great plan! I just couldn't be bothered to wind the cone into two balls so the project was shelved. I got it back out a week or so ago and wound the cone into two really not that difficult if you don't get sidetracked onto other things. In fact the only fiddle was attaching the ribbons.
It might have fit Elenya but with the sleeves turned back it is perfect for Oriana and she loves it! It was being worn as I put the ribbons on. It was forcibly removed when she was eating hotdogs and ketchup last night as I pleaded that it stayed clean till I had least taken some photos.Since the photos were taken it has been draped around her waist as we went up the road. It has been held out behind her like a cape and as a dollies blanket. I wish that I had finished it earlier, especially when I see the pleasure that Oriana is getting from it. As for the blue and the pink well I still haven't used it all so I will have to bury it at the very bottom of my stash!

Amy Butler Lotus Tunic

Technically it isn't really finishing if you have only washed the fabric and cut out the pattern but, as I had cut the pattern out twice as I had ummed and ahhed over the size I felt it deserved finishing.
This is the first Amy Butler Pattern that I have used (though not the only one I own).After the initial struggle about sizes-the reason for this being that I don't go in and out the way her patterns do. I have to say what a good pattern! Very easy instructions. The only things I would do differently would be put a double notch at the back of the sleeve head so it is easier to remember which way the sleeves go in (I am still not sure that I got it right). I wouldn't put interfacing in the belt,it has made it as stiff as a board and very un yielding you certainly wouldn't want that tied around your middle. Hopefully it will become softer with washing.

The things I did differently, well I didn't line it, for starters I have no idea where you can buy the muslin that she asks for and I also thought it would probably make it too warm in the summer.
I also didn't add the hook and eye at the neck. It always stresses me virtually to the point of hyperventilation when I can't get my necklace undone. I figured that doing a zip up down the middle of my back would be bad enough without struggling with hook fastenings.


I would like to make another of these at some point. There are two more lengths to play with as well as a sleeveless. Also there are so many lovely Amy Butler fabrics (many of them are already in my stash)So maybe more than one! Of course that will be when I have done a little more finishings.

Remembering to smell the flowers.

I was sort of dreading 500g of moss stitch scarf. I mean you can't exactly go fast and rush onto the next project. The rhythmic knit and purl take time...lots of time.Relaxing, enjoyable, time. I was about half way through when I kind of had an epiphany.
I spent ten wonderful years being a SAHM. Now I am working, mainly at home so I still give the illusion to myself and many around me that I am still SAHM but definitely working. Yet I still try and fit in as much sewing and knitting as I did when my children were really tiny- you can get a lot done at nap time. I read blogs by SAHM and feel that my crafting exploits are inadequate(my housework definitely is).
Knitting Jondy's scarf gave me clarity.
Re reading the blogs that I love I realise that it is not that these great ladies achieve more than me but that their blogs exude calm, careful words and pictures. They are not continually rushing onto the next project. It isn't work. It shouldn't have deadlines.
At this moment I have just under ten knitting and crochet projects and several quilting projects on the go. I have decided to finish all of them before I start anything else and I am going to take as much time as I need to enjoy them. To enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed knitting a simple scarf.

London

Well that was quick!I'm back from lovely sunny London.Just before I left I finished my crochet bag. I am pretty pleased with how it turned out,especially as it was really just an experiment with using stuff up.I didn't give it to Pinkie but turned it into project bag as it is just the right size to hold the hexagon blanket. London was a wonderful rest and yet very stimulating. In four days I packed in a lot. I started my Hyacinth Ripple proper on the train down and was quite pleased with my progress managing two stripes. I arrived on Thursday and after lunch we went to find Loop in Islington
I had allocated about three hours to be there but it was a lot smaller than I imagined, Then Jondy and I went to a knit and knatter at iknit where I mucked up my blanket! I met up with Stash, Cakemix and PrincessPea we knit,knattered drank gin and tonics and ate chocolate (what a fabulous place -I really would like to live there!)I was very restrained on buying only a ball of sock yarn (Lang wool and silk) which is a pressie for my mum, who says she would like to make some socks, left the shop with me though it could easily have been suitcases worth.
On Friday a trip to Liberty's Jondy fell in love with Rowan Cocoon in Kiwi and he bought 5 balls,I have promised him a scarf in moss st which is apparently just what he wanted.
We then took a tour of the Royal Academy to look at the Byzantium Exhibition and then we went out to dinner with some other friends. On Saturday we took a trip to the Victoria and Albert museum (my favourite) to look at the costumes of the Tzar's. Where I bumped into my friend Debs who lives down the road from me here at Denby Dale. Just shows what a small world it is. Then we had a quick wander around Covent Garden before going to listen to a lovely, string quartet concert in Bloomsbury. On Sunday we took a wild whizz around Camden Market before rushing to catch the train home.
When I got back DollyDimple had tagged me

Here are the rules:
Link to the person who tagged you.
Mention the rules.
Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that let's them know they've been tagged.

1.I am phobic about synthetic foam it brings on a gag reflex.I get the same feeling when putting on nylon tights after I have just got out the bath.
2.I started out left handed but, now do everything with my right,Though if you saw me knit or crochet you can see I lead with my left.
3.I can do this with my toes which no one else in the family can manage.
.

4.I always read before bed.It only has to be a page but otherwise I can't sleep.
5. I never remember book Titles or Authors. It is only the story that counts.
6. If I don't get something crafty done in the day it makes me really restless and out of sorts like there is something missing.Which also means that everyone around me needs to take cover because I am going to be moody!

My choice of victims(er I mean bloggers) are

BlueADT_Knits
BakeandSew
KnittingintheNorth
PoshYarns
Damn,Knit and Blast it
Attic 24
Only do it if you want to!

When Life Hands You Lemons...

Well I wasn't exactly handed them, I went looking. Four lemons for a pound a bargain I bought eight. On Thursday I am off to spend four glorious days in London with my very good friend Jondy. I wanted to take him a little something. It didn't take long to decide what. He loves homemade lemon curd, in fact I only make it when he comes to mind.

Zest and juice of 4 medium lemons
4 eggs
100g Butter
350g Sugar


Put the ingredients in a bowl over a pan of boiling water and stir till the mixture thickens.
Put in jars and cover.

I doubled the receipe. A jar for home and a jar for Jondy. we have already made quite a dent in ours.
You can strain it before you pot but, I love the way little bits of rind catch your teeth as the curd melts in your mouth. Yummy!

Tea Towel Totes

It has been a while since I had my sewing machine out. But yesterday I dusted it off. A few months ago BlueAdt told me about Tea Towel Totes she got the idea from a blog but I am not sure whose, though I have to say it is a good one. I made some at christmas to hold presents ( a bit more eco than the paper gift bags you can buy). I have had these lovely cheerful Tea Towels for a couple of months a present from BlueAdt.


For a Tea Towel Tote
You will need:-
2 Tea Towels (as tea towels usually come in sets of three I had six towels that way there are none left over)
1 metre of webbing(per bag)
Scissors
pins
and someway of sewing it

First cut off the two hems on the long sides of your tea towels. This will make the sewing easier. Leave the two shorter ones as they will save you having to hem later on.


Then with your right sides together fold your tea towel in half so it is now short and fat. Because they probably aren't that straight sew both sides about 1.5cm from the edge, towards the fold that way your edges will meet.



Carefully fold your tea towel so that the seams lie together and the corners come to a point. Sew along the corner so that you make a triangle. If you are a bit wonky it doesn't really matter.


Then cut the corner off about 1.5cm from your seam you don't want it to fray to a hole.




Repeat this with your other tea towel. Then turn one tea towel the right way out and place them inside one and other. you should be able to see the right sides of both your tea towels.

Pin at the seams. If you make the seams face in opposite directions they will be easier to sew.

Cut your webbing in half and place between the two layers of tea towel pin. Mine are about 9 cm from the seam.

Then sew carefully around the top of your bag capturing the webbing as you sew.



Voila your tea towel tote!


If you get stuck contact me and I will do my best to help.

Come and meet Pinkle Purr

This is Pinkle Purr know mainly to us as Pinkie or Pinkie pudding. She is a funny little cat. She was found at 4 weeks old in the rubbish (I hope that something really horrible happened to the person who did that!) and taken to a local vets where a friend of my sister was working. She came to live with us a few days later. She was tiny as small as the palm of my hand and covered in fleas. Too young for flea powder or spray she had to be combed daily, she hated it and would display her impressive claws in a tiny paw. Even now she will not tolerate you going near her with any kind of grooming implement. we were terrified that Tigger would hurt her as he was very rough when he was young so she had to be left by herself whilst we went out for work. It turned out that Tigger was a great dad and taught her to wash and generally take care of herself. All of her early experiences have definately coloured her life. She loves her family but she doesn't cuddle, lap sit or come for affection though she will purr like a top if you seek her out to stroke her and whisper sweet nothings in her ear. She loves baby equipment, she was only a few months old when Elenya was born and enjoyed sitting in the cot, pram and high chair when ever she got the chance.
She likes wool too if you will give her a strand she will gladly follow it whilst you drag it around the floor.
A few weeks ago I started making my Hexagons.
Pinkie went beserk running around the floor tossing them up in the air and even after I hurriedly put them away ran excitedly around the funiture for another half an hour. Unusual behaviour for a thirteen year old cat. I didn't really think too much about it until last week when I started making my crochet bag.
Again, Pinkie ran around trying to jump on the crochet then as I started the sides she sat in it. As the sides went higher she squashed them down. I finished the body of the bag last night,
she promptly sat on it and stayed there until I started crocheting the straps when she ran around the room leaping from the chair to the sofa to stage an attack at Mario's feet.
Maybe Pinkie was a crocheter in a previous life, maybe she will be one in the next but what ever the reason Pinkie loves Crochet!

The Last of the Christmas Gifts

I finished whooohoooo. I didn't make my deadline of the the 31st mainly because I had got it into my head that the last day of the month was Sunday. Very surprised I was too to find that when I was filling in the blanks on my Ravelry account that I had lost a day.
I am quite pleased with these gifts in that they are all from stash yarn (though not all mine!) The gloves are the last of the Rowanspun tweed that I made my february hat and Juno.The Blackberry yarn was in J's stash so I offered to make her the blackberry for xmas. The sleeves on this are slightly cropped due to a lack of yarn but, actually make it really cute. I am assured that it is lovely and warm which when all is said and done, the main thing! In fairness to me, the gloves and the Blackberry have been finished for some time but, I wanted to give them out at the same time as the Selbu Modern.

The Selbu Modern didn't want to play. I was ready to start this weeks before christmas but I couldn't get hold of the right sized needles I would have loved some addi turbo's but love nor money didn't seem to want to turn up a couple of pairs of these. I finally surcummbed to knitpicks. It was hate at first stitch! I managed to pierce my finger (who on earth thinks needles need to be that sharp-I'm not sewing with them)every other stitch resulted with me being stabbed in the same spot. Not much fun. I had knit about a quarter of it when a little voice started whispering "it's too small"
"Of course it's not too small!" I muttered under my breath "I will take it carefully off of the needles and prove to you that it isn't too small!" Well if the recipient had been a doll it would have been perfect. I then took a deep breath and ripped it out and went up a needle size using my lovely addi's which don't hurt and it was a lovely quick knit and hopefully a good present. I still want one for myself but I think I might do it in a dk yarn rather than a 4ply so that is a lot more slouchy.

Ah Precious Snow Day!

Like most of the country we woke up this morning to beautiful white. It is the first really thick snow we have had since moving to Yorkshire over eleven years ago. There is probably 4 inches outside my front door All the local schools are shut and Mario has worked from home. The kid's day has been filled with sledging, snowballs and hot chocolate.
Mine with crochet! Inspired to make a bag similar to the one on Attic24 I pulled out my oddments of handknit cotton yesterday and started to play. I am not sure that I like the colours. I am not sure that I have enough but, it is bright and it is crochet which are things I seem to be craving at the moment and if at the end it isn't for me I shall add it to this year's gifts. Hopefully someone will love it.

I wish this was smellovision

.
Totally heavenly and I am feeling inspired! A couple of months ago whilst reading PoshYarns blog I came across MoonStitches and her beautiful hexagon blanket. I was curious as to how it was made and had a play. It was then put down after all we have central heating so we don't need crochet blankets right? Then in october the boiler broke. It was quickly replaced but now I am obsessed by beautiful blankets. Mouth drooling examples can be found with Attic 24 and Posy. Mt first, a moonstitch hex is underway.
The little pinwheel circles are very absorbing. I have sixteen different delicious colours in Debbie Cashmerino Baby I want a range of different coloured circles before I turn them into a blanket as I am hoping that each hexagon will be totally different but hopefully I will have something to show in the next week or so if I can be faithful to the hex's but,I see a Hyacinth ripple and a Kidston granny in my future.

The First Finished Object Of 2009

I never seem to blog things as they are started. This is usually because I am so involved in the knitting/sewing that I can't bear to break of -take photo's and blog about it. This project was no exception. The tuesday before christmas was strange it involved a wool shop and a funeral. Not things that often go together but, I was going to say goodbye to my wonderful, Great Auntie Betty. The funeral was held in Durham at 1pm in Durham and I asked Mario if we could stop and visit my Rowanette friend Chris at a Fine Yarn in Darlington. With regards to my Aunt everyone should have an Auntie like her. When I was young she would ask if I wanted easter eggs or yarn. All I can say is that for the egg to equal the yarn it would have to have come from Fortnums!
A fine yarn is lovely, very small with just enough yummy yarn to keep you entertained without making you feel overfaced. It had a very calming affect. This particular cardigan was made up in the shop.The yarn is Sirdar Tweedie which I would have passed by if I had seen it on the internet because of the man made fibre in it but it is a really soft blend of alpaca wool and I think nylon
I really liked it and was going to buy it (though if I had it would probably have ended up stashed). Anyway Mario bought it for my christmas present so after the turkey had been eaten I cast on. I had promised myself that I would only knit it on Christmas and Boxing Day and then go back to the Christmas presents that were still owing....but I just couldn't put it down. I have mastered knitting cables a needle which makes cables bliss if you don't have the annoying cable needle hanging from your mouth(easy when you know how!!)
The pattern had you cast off the stitches and then pick them up again. With the exceptions of the front two pieces I just put the stitches straight onto a circular knitting needle and knit a couple together to get the right number. A lot less hassle. I gave myself until the end of the children's holiday to complete it. I finished it last sunday and sewed it together monday. The buttons were made by Les, Chris's husband and are Ebony. The photo doesn't do them justice as they are wonderfully dark and shiny a perfect compliment to the yarn.
The only thing I would do differently is go down another needle size for the neckline and maybe make it slightly deeper so it is less likely to fall off the shoulder.Now I am back to the Christmas presents.