Weaving!

The loom has been in the house for just over five weeks, and already I'm in scarf heaven.

This black and white number was my first attempt. The selvedges aren't great, but I'm pleased with it as a first effort.

Then came this multi-coloured effort. It's 100% acrylic, but surprisingly soft. I bought it at Ally Pally a couple of years ago, because I fell in love with it, but never knew what to knit. It's interesting, on the skein, it looked more pink and lilac, so I was surprised at how much yellow came through, but it seems to be well received.

And this was my first attempt at solo warping. I thought that it was going to go hideously wrong, but actually, it was fine. Again, a popular effort.

More to follow - as the stash (at last) reduces.

Recent publications

I've been a lousy blogger - apologies. But here are a couple of recently published items.

Men's accessories for Let's Knit.

I was in the flattering position of being emailed to ask if I could come up with something (given my success at a man's tie!).

Adapting some other patts (including the Long Suffering One's never ending scarf), I came up with the attached. It's in King Cole Mirage - a 50% wool yarn that I really like, it's soft and warm. I had initially suggested blacks and greys, so was surprised when this colourway turned up, but I was very pleased with how the things turned out.

The second pattern (in Inside Crochet) is, again, an adaptation of an old knitting idea, but this time adapted for crochet. The yarn (James C Brett Pure Merino) is beautifully soft.

Something for me!

This is a cropped cardigan made to wear at my friend's wedding.

Based on an Ann Budd knitting pattern (from the "Handy Book of Sweater Patterns") and adapted for crochet.

Hadn't bought enough yarn at first (by over half!), but managed to get more and same dye lot. The border is worked in a different dye lot, but that's a chance I'll take.

Beautiful yarn, plain top

Latest publication - Inside Crochet.

The yarn is gorgeous - Louisa Harding, Aimee. Cashmere and Cotton mix. Great to work with.

Turned out nice again....

.... well, actually, turned out better than I'd hoped! This is the latest published creation (only one more to go, at the moment). This was the second to be made in the "Spicy" colourway of Sirdar Calico and I was very pleased with how it turned out.

Here's looking for more inspiration.....

The joys of being a great aunt....

... I get to make little things!

The bootees are from a really cute pattern by Irene Strange, in last months' Inside Crochet. Made from some generic acrylic 4ply in the stash.

And the jacket is, of couse, a BSJ. This was made from King Cole Mirage. I fell in love with the yarn when I saw it and felt compelled to buy a ball. I'm glad that I've put it to good use.

Summer's coming

A picnic rug for Let's Knit!

Good, and yet strangely disappointing...

This is a tale of my own vanity.Last month, the "coming next month" page had this design as its main feature.

(Let's Knit!)

I got very excited, thinking I was going to get a "cover splash" all my own.

Don't know if focus groups were involved, and it is still on the cover,but a smaller picture.
Not complaining, just a victim of my own vanity.

This one, however, I never expected to be anywhere near the cover.

(Inside Crochet)

And it was! Again - not main feature, that honour was reserved for an amigurumi lion, but I'm still happy to be there!

A train journey, fugly free yarn and a (hopefully) cute hat

So, I had to take a train journey today and wanted to take somethings small and portable.


There is a new baby in the family, so I decided to use the yarn given away free with last month's Let's Knit and to follow one of their patterns for mitts and hat. (Well, the yarn's so fugly, I really couldn't be bothered to design something for it).

The yarn is as horrible to work with as it looks, but I hope that the new mum and dad like the hat and mitts - I think they look quite cute.


As for the rest of the yarn? It's been Russian joined to the scrap ball to be added to the next big blanket. And frankly, I think that's too good for it, but crochet may be a better option.

Starting to find treatment

My last post shamed me and so I've finished the most recent Russian joined ball of scraps on the big "granny square" blanket. And I've finished Emma's mitts.

Emma saw my hand-dyed handwarmers at Christmas and said that she liked them. However, she has a horse, and so I figured machine washable would make more sense. She also likes Smarties, and the colour of this yarn is like a whole pile of them, so I trust that will add to their appeal.

Just need to post them to Kernow, now, and we're done.

Feeling better already!

Help me doctor, it's a bad case of "finishitis"

What is it about New Year turns my brain into some kind of butterfly?





Some of the magazine editors have sent through their themes for future issues, so that's got the grey cells whirring and designs have been popping up left, right and centre.





I am a truly appalling artist, so when submitting an idea to an editor, I put together a sketch (which is little more than a schematic, to be honest), and a photograph of a stitch sample, so that the poor recipient can have some vague idea what I'm trying to show them.





So, at the moment, I'm all over the place with part finished samples, as well as the things that I'm was already working on.





Part of the problem is that I have this panic that if I don't "get in quick" with an idea, someone will beat me to it. This has happened to me in the last week, so the anxiety isn't entirely unfounded.





But a collection of part finished samples is definitely not going to get accepted, so I need to pull my finger out, and finish at least some of the following:

This little collection contains:

• Part finished scrap "blankie" and the next ball of scraps (the round grey boucle)
• A pair of handwarmers for my nephew's girlfriend (the pink/variegated)
• A sample for a crochet idea (the white)
• A sample for a knit idea (the turquoise)
• A sleeveless sweater for me in "Reflections" (the other grey/black/white yarn)
• An experiment using "jelly"yarn (possibly for a mag, but as it's such an unfamiliar yarn, I thought I'd better make the thing first).

And, on top of this, I've got another idea for something crocheted in cotton, but one thing at a time, methinks.

Must get one and finish one of these, at least.

The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades

Mind your eyes, chaps!

This is the latest published pattern, a charming little crochet number for Inside Crochet.

My colour suggestions were purple and gold, but other colours were suggested and as I have no idea what photographs well or is in fashion, I am more than happy to go along with the editor's suggestions.

In this case, the colours as viewed on internet sites did not do the yarn full justice and so these were a little on the bright side when they arrived. To be honest, I think it works, but only just.

I notice that in the mag they suggest classic Chanel type colours, such as navy and cream. Yep - that would work too.

I also made the thing too big - allowing far too much ease. It's not a situation that will recur, although my personal items will still be big enough to swim in!

Of course, the main thing about this design, was the texture, not the colour or shape. I wanted to recreate knitted leaves/buds in crochet and I'm pleased with the result.

Put your shades on and enjoy.