No Photo Friday... Houseguests, phones and friends

I have no phone this week, no phone equals no camera !  hmmn, that's my 'large pictures, very few words' blogging technique outta the window..
I'll make do with some musings instead.

Houseguests - should be generous, make their own hot drinks and offer to make you one (even better, make you one without asking) wash up and tolerate the continuous babble of your toddler with a smile. My friends Ric and Dan have ticked all the perfect boxes this week and I'm sad to see them go.

Phones - you should back up your contacts or you will be stuck with ten pounds worth of  mobile phone that you cant actually contact anyone on.

Friends - I am blessed, that is all.

(gosh I miss the pictures)

Wordless Wednesday - my week in pictures

Baps..

No not the bread roll type at all !
A good friend of mine has just written a recipe for a knitted boob (recipe rather than pattern as there are lots of ways to play about with the formation to create the boob of choice) I had to have a go as a newbie knitter, it was my first foray into using dpns, and I have to say the pattern was so well written it made me able to just concentrate on the handful of sharp sticks. Thanks so much Sarah @ Crafts From The Cwtch - her blog tells you all about the reasons behind the boobiecraftage -  It was a dream to follow! The pattern is here.

p.s. I forgot to load pics of this neckscarf/mini shawl I finished last week.

It's the Age of Brass and Steam  - a Ravelry pattern.

A little TaDah!

Just a quicky as lots to do today, I'm reeeeeeally pleased with this hat, The basic design is very simple , It's on my Ravelry project page but I made stuff up towards the end and it worked !! The yarn is Sirdar Crofter Chunky, I love love love the faux fairisle effect, I plan to make a jumper for the small blonde in the Dk version very soon.

and modelled by a very busy track builder still in her PJs at 7am, she seems to love it too.

p.s. Pom Pom makers - if you don't have one, you should. 

hmmmnn Cubics

Trying out my new knitpro cubics.. 

I'm not sure if I can see much of a difference between them and symphonie tips.. I'm using WAY nicer yarn than I usually can afford so is that what's making them a pleasure to use ? 

Either way I am loving this pattern !

Also on the pins is this scrummy yarn called Crofter (chunky) its a faux fairisle and Im loving how it looks like something really complicated but its not. Also new on this item are knitpro (cubics again) but fixed circulars which have teeny short tips, it makes it possible to knit items such as a hat like this with 40cms much more easily, the teeny tips are so cute too ! 

( I knew I would run out of yarn with this hat but for some bonkers reason decided to make it smaller depth wise so Id have enough yarn.. not so stupidly I had the forethought to pop in a safety line at the point I'd need to frog to once I'd finished it and confirmed that indeed it was too small !)

Blogging again has made me realise I really do need a proper camera... 

A Poppy for Remembrance

I have seen patterns for other poppies but none quite looked like the paper ones we see that   people are used to. I decided to try to create my own. The leaf is not the shape usually seen and not technically a true poppy leaf but hey, I like it!

I used dk and a 3.5mm hook,  any yarn and appropriate hook will do but this combination made the poppy  about the right size.

The Red Bit
Round 1 - Make a magic loop, make 10 sc in loop and close it up tight, join with ss.
Round 2 - *ch1, sc, ch1, 2dc in next st, 3dc in next st , (2dc ch1 dc) in next st, ss in next st.  rpt from * around and join with ss.
Round 3 - *ch1 3sc in next 2 sts, 2sc in next 5 sts, 3sc in next 2 sts, ss in next 2 sts.  rpt from * around, fasten off.

The Black Bit
Make a magic loop, 8 sc into loop, tighten and fasten off.

The Green Bit
Round 1 - ch10. work sc in 2nd ch from hook then in each ch stitch as follows.. hdc, dc, dc, trc, trc, 2trc, hdc, dc.          
Turn and work back along other side of starting chain as follows.. 4sc, sc, hdc, 2trc, trc, dc, dc, hdc, sc, ss and fasten off.

Sew in the ends attach the black centre to the red flower and then the leaf to the back (careful to only catch the back of the stitches so your sewing doesn’t show through)

I left a long tail on my red yarn and used this to attach a safety pin, I guess you can attach it to your person however you like.

One A Day - Tuesday Tally !!

Ooops I dont think that's quite one a day *must do better !

 

I'm sooooo addicted to knitting at the moment, I'm loving the new skills, the new patterns, the way I can create the things I've been dreaming of for a long time..

I'm working on this top down jumper which is called 'Seamless Blue' (it's on Ravelry) I'm using Sirdar Wash N Wear in a bright red and I LOVE IT !!!

The progress..

This shows the colour best.. (check out my yarn twisting between stripes - go me !)

On my other knitting projects (the grand total of er... two) I've struggled with a neat cast on, This HAD to be neat as it couldn't be hidden with crochet after :-) , I'm really pleased with how it came out.

Tomorrow will be Wordless Wednesday, inspired by Joan at Lab Tails

It will be a collection of photos of 'things' . Things I like, things I've made, things from Pinterest etc.

A new job and a new skill

Its been an exciting week this week, I have a new little job as Advertising Manager at the Natural Mamas website, it's great to be using my brain, pc and communication skills for something other than Pinterest :-)  (and Ravelry, and blogging, and facebook... ) The admin/moderator team there are great like minded mamas and I'm really enjoying what I've done so far.

I think I can finally call myself Bi-Craftual !!  I'm now on my second (albeit simple) knitted project and its feeling a lot more natural to me. In fact I picked up a crochet hook yesterday and had to think for a moment how to do it - only a nanosecond really hehe.

It's reeeeally hard to capture yarn colours with the camera in my phone, I think I need a proper camera.

I'm trying to emulate THIS, sort of. 

A lovely friend is going to edge it for me in red cotton jersey when I'm done.

wordless wednesday

Ta Dah !!!

It's not perfect but I'm very proud of myself , it's the first thing EVER that I've knitted  !!

The pattern is Love the Earth Baby Cardi on Ravelry by Lion Brand Yarn.

I added a crochet border to hide my slightly dodgy edges and to create the button holes as I wasn't brave enough to make them. 

My gauge and tension improved throughout the piece which is evident as the collar is very baggy, live and learn !!

Only one picture as a certain someone decided to get in on the act..

One A Day - Tuesday Tally

I've just tagged myself onto the One a Day Ravelry group (there's a clicky link  over there>>>) after being inspired by Gingerbreadgirl's Mini Hexagon throw. Mine are a totally different colour scheme to Caroles but it's a stash buster using yarn I already own and I LOVE the combinations all together.

So on my first Tuesday Tally, I have 9 little hex's !! I'm trying to be good and join as I finish each one.

p.s. I bought some buttons at Jumble Jelly this morning to finally finish Verity's knitted cardi - there will be a 'Ta Dah!' later today I'm hoping (but don't get too excited it's far from perfect) 

Nostalgia gone mad ?

So the current trend, well it's been a few years now, has been for nostalgic 'stuff'. Cupcakes are in, bunting is BIG, crochet and knitting are reaching heights of popularity I've not seen in my lifetime. Who knew a granny square would ever be cool ?!
I for one think this is lovely lovely lovely  (apart from those 'Keep Calm' signs, they bore me now hehe)
My 25 year old niece had a village fete themed wedding last year - Mum and I made the cakes.

I'm starting to think I'm taking this a bit far however..

This summer for the Royal Wedding, Fairy (you know  - hands that do dishes are as soft as your face, so dry and a bit spotty  T zone then?) brought out an old fashioned squeezy bottle and I've been lovingly refilling it each time it runs out as I love the feel and look of it so much more than the clear modern ones. There, I admitted it !!

Alpaca baby !!

It's a yarn addicts thing isn't it ? To visit a baby alpaca, see it's recently shorn fleece and wonder what scrummy things its being spun into.. heheh I had to get a pic of this gorgeous baby!

and.. nearly a Ta Dah! moment

Only 4 rows to go on my first ever knitted thing !! 

Woop woop ! It's not perfect and it's going to need a border in single crochet to cover up a few dodgy edges , which were there before I was introduced to a slip stitch chain edge -  Thanks  to the lovely Catherine at Knits and  Knatters -  I'd frogged back soooooo many times by then I decided to leave it.

This weekend I've also been yarn shopping for a very special blanket I'm embarking on (yup knitting again) It's called 'Tap Dancer's Blanket' but I can't tell you why just yet....

Its never easy letting him go

Ethan (nearly 16, I know I know) Is off to London tomorrow for a weeks work experience at the company my brother works for. I know he's more than capable of getting the train and tube, I know he's more than capable of calling if he gets stuck, I know my brother is a great dad, uncle and responsible person but...

Hes my little boy still, Ok hes nearly 6 feet tall and quite hairy but to me he is, mamas get that, yeah ?  He's been to Florida without me, the lake district, even flown to France alone but I still worry!

He's going to have a wonderful time, my brother has a full and active life which he will be sharing for the week. He's very excited !

See ? Hes not changed a bit ;-)

On a more crafty note....

Im still knitting and I love it !!

I like this 'awful' weather

I really do! - I love wearing a jumper to hide the wobbles, I love lamplight in the house, I love pottering in the kitchen with Womens Hour on the radio with a storm raging outside

 I love any excuse to make Mexican Hot Chocolate !

(I dont love the fact that I've got to go food shopping later in the downpour, but shhhh this is not a whiney blog)

Knitting !!!!

After several failed attempts at knitting (it really bugged me that I couldn't) I was advised to pick a project I actually wanted to make and go for it, so I did..

A very steep learning curve later and lots and lots of frogging and help from everyone I could bug and I'm proud to say I'm getting there!!

I can drag this out of my project bag..

and recognize the parts and its actually this..

and there's even fancy shoulder stuff, yarn over increases etc.

One VERY useful trick I've learned along the way is the safety line

I have noticed it does leave a little bumpiness that I hope will come out with a gentle ironing but next time I'll be using much finer yarn for it 

Downfall to learning to knit at last ~ my WIPs have doubled and my Ravelry queue is mammoth !!

Weekend antics

So there was a party to go to.. Pumpkin had a dress but it was chilly and you cannot buy a beige cardi for girls ANYWHERE -  I had 24 hours ! I managed to rustle up this little bolero/shrug which is a very adapted version of a top down cardi that a friend gave me the pattern for (I've used it lots) I got it finished in time and her lady ship wore something else hahaha..

What she actually wore was..

(on her way there with Daddy)

If you cant wear a hot pink tutu when you are 1, when will you ?

And a few pictures from the event itself..

The Happy Couple

Cupcakes to die for !

Pumpkin throwing some shapes on the dancefloor

A proper 'little girl at a party' moment, her first ~ awww