A New Crafting Crush

 New is probably not quite the right word for this craft but I have recently got back into cross stitching after many years break and many half finished projects and it seems that we now get on really well.

It started innocently enough with my temperature cross stitch (which still needs some finishing touches).

Then a little dalliance with Blackwork and Samplers at the stitching show in the spring. Stitching bloggers led to flosstube and suddenly I have a selection of kitted up projects.

To date I seem to be sticking with this infatuation and have my first ever completely finished by me cross stitch.

I got close once before but needed someone else to do the French knots for me.

So far I seem to be a monogamous stitcher, waiting to finish the Xmas before I started my Blackwork project.

However that might all be about to change as I've signed up to a 6 month long stitch along starting in January! 

Fighting the FOMO

 It's October and for many knitters that means Stephen West's Shawl MKAL. I have knitted a couple of these and, even though I am nervous about the unknowwn mystery aspect, I have enjoyed the knitting and the outcome. The major downside with these shawls is that they require a significant amount of yarn - five 100g fingering weight skeins for each of the last 3 shawls. This added to the mystery element and the "fear" of not liking this year's design meant that I wanted some sort of distraction project so that I didn't sign up for the MKAL (this does not mean that the shawl will not get knit at some later date*).

What better distraction from a Stephen West Mystery Shawl than another Stephen West shawl - to be specific Pierre. This DK weight shawl had caught my eye some time ago and based on an idea from the (on hiatus/ended) Wool Work podcast (formerly Knit British podcast) I decided to knit it in British undyed yarn.

(Apologies for the poor lighting I mainly work on this in the evening so photos are often taken under electric lights).

The yarn I chose was Fleece Jacob DK from West Yorkshire Spinners, taking the opportunity to work yarn from a breed I have never knowingly used before (although I have to say I generally am not great at tracking the breed of sheep my yarn comes from but anyway...).

This shawl relies on texture rather than zany colour combos for its feature. I'm liking how it's working up to date. The shawl should be thick and squishy, perfect for the threatened cold winter and all the other possible fun and games this winter. I think the colours may give it a rustic but wearable look. As to the feel of the yarn, at the start I thought it felt scratchy but I wouldn't say that now. I haven't had it next to bare skin (other than my hands) but I think it will be wearable and am interested to see what effect blocking has on the yarn texture.

Part of me thinks to go with the flow and let this be a long term project, that's the part that is aware of my two other WIPS, projects needing finishing and my long list of wanna makes. The other part of me wants this off the needles as soon as possible - winter is coming! We'll see how that goes. And either way I might actually rememebr to share the finished item!!! 

*And it also doesn't mean that I won't cave in and cast on a MKAL shawl befoe the final clue is released

September FNSI - All About the Patchwork

I joined with Wendy of Sugarlane Designs and friends around the world for this month's FNSI on, unsurprisingly, Friday night.

Having just driven 2 and a half hours home from work I thought I might be too tired for much of an FNSI but it turns out I have reserves of energy for crafting.

I started off working on a couple more blocks for my neutral scrappy Trip Around the World quilt...

and had a quick check that my planned layout would work...

This is for a king size bed and a rough calculation is that I will need 48 blocks to fit the bed - so this is going to be a long term project.

From sewing I moved onto cross stitch and my Mini Christmas Patchwork Sampler.

I'm making steady progress on this and there's a realistic chance of this being finished by Xmas (I even have a frame which might fit it).

And for the last bit of the evening I worked on the sixth square of my Cozy Memories blanket.

This is quite additictive and it's tempting to just make more squares but I'm trying to only use scraps from projects I have finished this year (and following years as this requires several more squares to become a blanket - currently its table mat size!).

If you want to see what everyone else got up to visit Wendy's blog or look up the FNSI Facebook group.

Newark Park and the unheralded quilt

 I'm currently on a stint of working away from home from Sunday night to Friday evening, so me and my partner/boyfriend/other half (not sure which term I prefer, probably should decide) are trying to make the most of the weekends.

Last weekend we paid a visit to nearby Newark Park (near Stroud and Tetbury), which is a National Trust property. Despite it's name there is a park, garden and house to visit.

It was a really interesting place - built as a tudor hunting lodge (though not visited by a Tudor monarch - I suspect not many of them were*), modified and extended several times and finally lived in by two Americans who restored the building on behalf of the National Trust and were living there to the early 2000s.

As well as beatiful location and views...

It was possible to see some of the original tudor structure, giving a feel for the original building; this was helped by a really interesting talk with a model of the house demonstrating the phases of the building.

It's not a massive property and very little of the contents are original to the house, and as such there is little explanation of the furniture etc.

One item did catch my eye...

This quilt was evidently random scraps of fabric...

Hand sewn onto a blanket. 

Maybe technically not a quilt as that generally sugests three layer of fabric but I'm not picky! Absolutely zero details about its history but interesting notheless.

If you're ever in the area I recommend a visit, and a walk in the grounds if you have time.

* The original builder's main property, Acton Court in Iron Acton, was visited by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn - we haven't visited it (yet).

A Break in Cumbria

 We've just returned from a very relaxing few days in Cumbria with my family. Here follows my random (but scenic) holiday snaps... 

The only knitting I managed was in the car on the way up. 

From the 1900ft summit of a pass we could just about see Scotland.

Hidden away in the village we were staying we found this miniature village all made by one may over 25 years and now raising money for the Great North Air Ambulance. 

The final full day was dedicated to waterfalls... 

Low and High Force

And a rather gnarly Juniper tree (probably)... 

Knitting Pile

 Showing off WIPs either artistically staged or one be one seems to be a thing. Due to some TV watching last night I had dug around in my knitting back for some suitable projects and when I looked next to me on the sofa* I saw the following...

Almost all my current knitting WIPs in a pile with the exception of two that are NSFTV**. There are the TAAT socks, a Musselburgh hat, my Tree Tram Tro slipover and to at the top left is a previously unmentioned project. 

This is the start of a scrappy blanket based on the Cosy Memories Blanket pattern. No definite plan for this but I think I'll use leftovers from 4 ply projects as I finish them, I've also got some other plans for 4 ply/fingerings weight leftovers but more about that another day. 

*couch or settee 

** Not Suitable For TV

FNSI - Best Laid Plans

 Actually despite the title I didn't deviate too much from my planned FNSI.

I had Friday afternoon off work so amongst running a couple of errands I manged to start crafting early in the day.

I got totally sucked in by a cross stitch which hadn't received much love recently.

I probably need a larger frame for it, as I'm having to move my round one frequently as can be seen from the creases. I think its called Mini Christmas Patchwork and there's a chance it might be complete by Xmas. 

I finally got round to seeing in the threads on a t shirt I have recently seen. 

Then I moved onto cutting up strips for my low volume scrappy trip around the world quilt. 

I think I need to cut 38 far quarters into 2.5 inch strips to have enough to make blocks for a king size bed. I'm a few fat quarters short, but I have enough to keep me busy. 

And this is the point my plans changed.  I had intended to have dinner and then continue pressing and cutting fabric, maybe sew in the threads on a pair of trousers and then knit. 

What actually happened was an impromptu trip to a couple of bars in Cheltenham.  A very enjoyable distraction, but we were back early enough (and sober enough) for a few rows of knitting for me and a bit of X Box for my partner.

All in all I think I had a bumper FNSI. 

If you want to see what everyone else got up to pop over to Wendy's blog Sugarlane Designs

Snaps From The Weekend (13/14 Aug)

 

A Satisfying Heel Turn

 I'm currently working on a pair of Geek Socks (Knitty link) two at a time (TAAT) as an Xmas present. The pattern directs you to use an afterthought heel so as not to break the stripe pattern. I've done afterthought heels previously but to date I have a 33% failure rate (socks ending up too small despite following measurements that work for other pairs). The other thing is that the point of doing TAAT was in an attempt to make the sock knitting process feel quicker, which afterthought heels feel the opposite of - two socks almost finished and then having to work two individual heels. Anyway I decided to go freestyle and use short row heels instead.

At this time I can't quite figure out how to do these heels TAAT but it was possible to do them in tandem and then continue the sock feet TAAT.

To me these heels seem to be working out perfectly, I love the slightly offset stripes. These heels do break the continuity of the wibbly stripes (they don't seem to work out in the intended zig zags with this WYS yarn) but with the little extra knitting I've done I think I can live with it although maybe boomerang heels would've been a little less disruptive. Now on with the feet.

Hooked On Bags

I've finished my first crochet bag...

 It's the Molly Market Bag by Iron Lamb (not a Ravelry link) in the suggested Drops Paris yarn. 

I loved making this bag - simple enough for a novice crocheter, quick (it took me but a few days and I was working round other projects and general life), and the yarn is very cost effective. The only issue I had was self created in that I don't think the bag is made to the expected measurements as I didn't check my gauge beforehan, which I also think lead to me using 4 balls of yarn rather than the listed 3.

And I say my first crochet bag because...

...I may have purchased a little bit more Drops Paris!

Scratching the start-itis itch!

 So as happens to many crafters I seem to be going through a bout of start-itis.

On top of my other WIPs I just had to start a crochet project...

This will be a Molly Market Bag by Iron Lamb, so far enjoyably simple and quick although I think I probably should have considered a gauge swatch. The reason for this start made sense, I want to make a number of these bags as gifts for Xmas so as it's currently Xmas in July in my world this seemed the ideal time to make a test run. (Yarn is Drops Paris)

This is the early days of a Musselburgh Hat by Isolda Teague. Currently I'm living in two places due to working away from home during the week. With the current warm weather I was sure I would need some suitable for outdoor knitting at the weekends and the two projects on my needles at homedidn't really lend themselves to that (heavy DK wool and white yarn) so the Musselburgh Hat made sense. I also had a quiet hour to myself to try out the Pinhole cast on (Tin Can Knits tutorial) for the crown. Cast on was so fun I might need to cast on another Musselburgh! (Yarn is dyed by Felted Fusion - Black Rainbow colourway I think)

And last night I decided I needed another at work project just because so thus started the cuff of the first of a pair of socks in beautiful limited edition yarn from Meadow Yarn.

And I don't regret a single cast on. And don't feel that I'm neglecting any of my other (4) WIPs. I might regret a second Musselburgh before I've finished the first though!

Christmas in July - The Start

 Not intentionally I seem to have a spate of Xmas projects underway and more planned. The majority are destined to be presents but the cross stitch is purely for me. It's the Mini Christmas Patchwork by the Historic Sampler Company. It's already become quite addictive, I have to rememebr that I have Xmas presents that need to be ready in the Autumn to be taken to New Zealand.

The socks, Geek socks from Knitty.com in WYS Xmas yarn, are the first Xmas present. I was hoping two at a time socks would work up quickly but these are dragging a bit.

The blue tencel yarn is destined to become a Star Shower cowl. The Drops yarn will be crochet bags, if I have time.

I'm also planning a Musselburgh hat and a pair of socks as further Xmas presents. Hopefully at least one more Xmas project will be started in July but they definitely won't be finished in July (hopefully they'll be finished by December!).

Impulse Knitting - or I can make that

 During a recent shopping trip I spotted a tank top (slipover?) in the Barbour shop that would be perfect over summer dresses.

I was very tempted to buy it but then I remembered I'm a knitter so a search for a similar pattern began.

I've settled on the Stockholm Slipover by Petite Knit. It's a very simple looking tank top, similar to the Barbour one but without the split at the waistband. I've gone with the recommended yarns - Sandes Garn Petite Knit Sunday and Sandes Garn Tynn Silk Mohair in shades of cream. My swatch indicated that I needed to use 5.5mm needles rather than the recommended 4.5mm to achieve stitch gauge, I can't achieve row gauge so I'm having to modify on the fly. The one issue I have with the Petite Knit pattern so far is there is no schematic so I can't see what length each element should be. Other than that it seems to be going well and thanks to the 5.5mm needles is growing rapidly.

There are also some neat bits of technique including a practically invisible pick up of the cast on shoulder seams.

Hopefully I'll have a finished tank top to show off soon and we might have some appropriate weather for me to wear it!

Seasonal Stitching!

 

First garden knitting of the year. Feels a little later than usual but we're experiencing a mini heatwave this week (likely to be all over by the weekend - typical!)

And yes the colourway is intentionally festive; these socks are destined to be a Xmas present. I've started early, felt like I'd get done in plenty of time but I keep on extending my list of people who deserve hand crafted presents!

Tilly and the Buttons Jessa Trousers - Progress

 About a year ago my mum helped me cut of the pieces for a cord pair of TATB Jessa trousers. I then procrastinated trying to find the perfect material to use for the inside of the waistband and the zip facing, assuming my sewing machine would not enjoy multiple layers.

I've finally bitten the bullet and decided just to use the cord fabric for everything, a slightly unusual to me fabric with vertical stretch only.

Turns out my concerns about my machine not liking multiple layrs of cord were not necesssary. On the pocket above most of the stitching is through 3 layers, the top corners are 5, possibly 7, layers of fabric; not a single complaint from my machine (except for when I forgot to drop the presser foot once or twice).

On Friday evening I started with sewing the pockets on, after about 3 and a half hours of sewing I had what definitely looked like a pair of trousers with a zip fly.

 Back

Front.

They fit pretty well, with the only mod so far being using a 10mm seam allowance rather than 15mm for the side seams. Luckily the stitching thread matches the fabric colour really well so its very hard to critique the top stitching.

Next I need to add the waistband and hem the legs, and then I will hopefully get a good photo of me wearing them!

Progress (or What I Could Have Achieved If I'd Stitched More Last Year!)

The photo above was taken on 9 April, the one below on 8 May.

Over the last month I have made the temperature project my main crafty project from dinnertime on Friday to dinner on Sunday, and its really paid off.

Surpringly, even to me, I have not spent every waking hour of those weekends stitching. I've been out and about, Saturday evenings have been for eating and drinking and I even spent the best part of one weekend on holiday. I did sew over the long Easter weekend when not doing other things. I'm so pleased there's only one row of houses to go (and not a full one at that) and then titles and key. It will be so tempting to work on this on Friday evening rather than my planned project ...we'll see how it goes.

 

Trying New Things

 (With no reference to aging canines!)

In my knitting I actively look to try out new to me techniques and tools, within reason as I obviously can't afford to buy every new, this will make your knitting better gizmo. So far this year I've tried more complex brioche and cabling without a cable needle - both something I will do again (actually no choice with the cabling as I've still got a lot of pullover to knit!). I'd also like to get a steeking attempt in this year.

With my sock knitting a lot of my eperimentation currently is around needles - which method works better for me and which brand. WIth my latest sock I've decided to knit the whole item on a small circular.

I've done sock legs on a small circ previously, but switched to another method for the heel onwards. This sock has a heel flap and I thought that may prove too difficult but as you can, sort of see, I managed it. I actually kept all the stitches on the small needle while working the flap and it wasn't too awkward. I'm not 100% sold on the small circulars, they will probaly not become my go to sock knitting needle, but I will more than likely use them again, And for info the needles I am using are knit pro zing short circulars (purchased by me) and the beautiful yarn is from Yarn Pixie, bought several years ago and has finally been paired with the perfect sock pattern.

As a new garment sewist most techniques and tools are new to me. I became aware of the use of sewing weights to hold patterns in place through the Great British Sewing Bee and my sister kindly bought me a beatiful glass tile set for my birthday.

I had to cut out some small curved pieces from some chunky cord and wasn't having a great time pinning them so this seems the ideal time to try patterns weights and a rotary cutter. I think it was pretty sucessful; I love the flatness of the weights, the rotary cutter follwed the pattern piece neatly, i just need to figure out how you transfer marking and notches (I managed it but I suspect there's a better way).

All in all I'm pleased with my latest experiments.