Daisy Bag in progress

Well, being back at work fairly impinges on one's crafting and blogging time, but anyway, here we are, I'll show you my Daisy Bag in progress.

Daisy bag comprises squares made of yellow in the centre, several rounds of white for the petals, green for the stalks and surrounding leaves and blue for the sky. All of this is in Rowan Cotton Glace on a 3mm hook. I went for 3mm to firm up my fabric because I used UK trebles.

You make 16 squares, you sew

them together in strips of four, you arrange

the strips in a pinwheel fashion and then you sew them together in an interesting way. I like the construction and I would certainly be happy to make this bag again, perhaps in a variegated yarn to minimise ends. I didn't grudge the ends this time because of all the versions I had seen on Ravelry

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ingas-hakelbeutel-2/people

I seemed to prefer the ones with a cohesive colour scheme.

I like my spring-like colours,

even though summer is now on its way out. Trust me, it was springy when I started it!

All I have to do now is attach the handles and go round the top a few times to strengthen and stabilise.

Hopefully won't be too long until I have it as a finished object to show you. x K

Summer crochet with added real dog goodness

I've got a wee finished object and a work-in-progress to share today.

First is another toys' blanket, this time made in Sirdar Snuggly Smiley Stripes DK in shade 257. The composition is 80% bamboo 20% wool and it has been a pleasure to work with. The stitch definition is lovely and it is easy on the hands.

It's a semi-circle made from UK trebles, then edge with scallops and a

ric-rac final

edge, to use up the yarn. I enjoyed making it and took the chance to learn and practise in the process.

While Esmerelda was modelling it, a red setter was sniffing around us and trying to figure us out. You often see this red setter unaccompanied, but its home is Our neighbours, Balcary Bay Hotel so I am not particulary afraid of it. (Did I ever mention how scared I am of dogs?)

Actually, I'm being urged to get off the lappy so I'll tell you about the WIP tomorrow. For now, I'll just link to The pattern on Ravelry.

x K

Visit to West Kilbride

A couple of Saturdays ago we made the trip down to West Kilbride for the launch party of the new studio for Old Maiden Aunt.

Glossing over my public transport problems, suffice it to say that Jonathan was the hero of the hour and gave me a run down in the car so I could join in for at least the last wee while. Even though he was in the middle of, and dressed for, moving furniture, he kindly offered to take me.

I was so glad he did because I wanted to join in the festivities and was delighted to get a chance to see some friends I hadn't seen in ages. They gave me a lovely warm welcome :-)

The new studio space is great, with room for Lilith to display her dyed yarns and kits out front, as well as more space and facilities in the back-room to make the

magic happen.

This picture shows a selection of Lilith's yarns on display, although many of her products were already packaged up for the grand trip to Knit Nation, where the stall seems to have gone down a storm.

Link to L's Flickr page, showing me on the left, Elaine in the centre and DH on the right, with yummy cake

I also really loved the fabric Old Maiden Aunt bunting in those great co-ordinating fabrics.

I made two yarn selections and eyed up a few things for future purchase :-P

I came away with two skeins of 100% superwash merino 4ply, one in berry good and one in bitterbug, the same colour as my beloved Green Shoots although that was knitted in a yarn base with a different composition. (You can click the Green Shoots link there then scroll down on this page.)

The bitterbug was a special purchase because they way the ties were done during the dyeing process, little flecks of yellow have remained on the yarn in certain places- I love that about it!

I hope those of you who went to Knit Nation enjoyed yourself and have time to have a breather and recover now.

I can join with you in my own way, fondling my beautiful purchases! x K

Slinky silky

Another of last year's makes finally surfacing on the blog.

It's a scarf made from Rowan Purelife Revive, shade Ironstone, 3 skeins I think

It's just k2tog yfwd right sides, purl across wrong side rows, with a little garter stitch border.

When I was almost finished it I saw the striking resemblance between it and Interweave's Montego Bay and although I don't have that mag I was probably influenced by it on some level.

It pulls strongly on the bias and I have just let it hang naturally rather than trying to hold back the tide in the blocking process.

The reverse side is at least as nice as the front side.

I haven't used it yet, in fact it was sitting for months waiting for the ends to be sewn in and fringe finished, so it will hit the world this week.

Needless to say, it reminds me of fishing nets with the ball floats on them.

Crochet blanket for dollies

This project dates from last year when we had our niece over for several weeks of the summer holidays.

I've been prompted to mention it because as of tomorrow, she is back!!

The yarn is a soft washable acrylic which is ideal because she was only six and her dolls and teddies wouldn't take care of finest cashmere.

The yarn came from a magazine, I think it was called Let's Get Crafting Crochet Creative, Issue 23, and Madame helped me choose the ripple pattern from a stitch library and chose the colour sequence and all. Each ball was only 25g but it was plenty for the project and I had enough to go round and stabilise the vertical edges with single crochet in a couple of colours and to add three wee crocheted flowers as well.

It was really well received, and often when you drop in, even unannounced it's out with dolls, teddies or Playmobile characters on it. An all-round-hit, I think it was because she had such an input into its "design". x K

Ingredients for Monster socks

*Regia Galaxy Jupiter Blau Pastel 1553 - few yards of, from the centre of the balls. From experience there is still plenty in the two balls in the stash to make socks for me.

*Pattern Prism by Jaya Srikrishnan, as used in my Pink Boot socks in 2008 (Still going strong). Good pattern in my view because you are carrying over some stitches from one colour band into another, and gives a hint of unity to the Monstersocks or Frankensocks.

*Leftovers of Regia Galaxy Jupiter Blau Color as used in DH's Navy Galaxies. (2008)

*Leftovers of Regia Mini Ringel as used in Stripy Jaywalkers (2006)

*Leftovers of Regia Mi

ni Ringel as used in Ribbed Ankle Socks (2006)

Yes, I admit it, I'm stalling because I can't show you pictures of the actual finished socks yet. Soon, soon I tell you. x K

Jury Service Monster Sockage!

Last week I was on Jury Service at the Sheriff Court in Glasgow. It was stressful, uncomfortable, pointless and generally a right pain in the bahoochie.

However, I did manage to make some progress on my toe-up Monstersocks on the rare occasions that I got a seat, and have now finished both legs.

(The feet and heels were already done. I was doing both socks in tandem to keep track of what yarn to use next.)

All that remains now is for me to graft the heels and sew in the millions of ends.

These Monstersocks are made from remnants of Regia yarns I've been left with over the years.

I'll give more pattern details when they are totally finished, but for now I'll leave you with some pictures of them looking particularly monstrous, inside out and with all those ends to fasten off and with our grass looking like straw.

Blocked and ready for take-off!

Here's Multnomah washed, blocked and ready to face the spring breezes.

I am pleased with this and think the shades in it will complement lots of different colours and look great against good old black.

Down in Galloway for the long weekend for Spring Fling

http://www.spring-fling.co.uk/

Ready to face what the weather holds as we check out some studios, some old favourites, and no doubt some new to us. Enjoy the Bank Holiday if you're getting it. x K

Copy-cat knitting

It's not often you see me knit a garment in the recommended yarn, never mind in the same colour as the published pattern, although some people swear by it.

This case is the exception, I'm making "Feeling Good" by Sarah Hatton, published in Simply Knitting August 2010.

Thanks to Ravelry I know that there are errors in the published pattern, such as the lacy panels on the fronts are identical and not mirrored. These are the kind of helpful things that are easy enough to fix if you know in advance to look out for them, so thank-you Rav.

I'm making it in Rowan Purelife Revive in shade Quartz. I have used this yarn before in a Montego Bay-type scarf which I've yet to show you.

I've bought extra yarn because I agree with the designer when she says in the magazine article that she thinks

it would be nice with kimono sleeves.I've never had great upper arms, and now I'm forty, well... they ain't gettin' any better, so, cover-up it is.

And thank-you for your kind comments about Swoony Multnomah. It has had a nice bath and I hope to have some modelled shots to show you over the long weekend.

That is, if I get a long-weekend, curse you Jury Service. x K

Multnomah Preview

Dodging the April-style showers to take a couple of snaps of a little shawlette I've recently finished.

These are the unblocked shots of my Multnomah by Kate Elsa of HelloKnitty.net.

A lovely little knit which was a pleasure to make in the Colorimetry Swoony Sport yarn I bought at The Life Craft in Glasgow.

I made some minor

modifications- I slipped the first stitch of every row, and I introduced a half-repeat of the feather and fan pattern when I had enough stitches, rather than having fields of garter stitch at the sides and centre. This has resulted in more of a pull on central column rather than the straight as a die lines in the original, but I don't regret it. I just kept going until I ran out of yarn which resulted in a few extra repeats. I'm going to give it a wee bath and then put up some nice blocking and blocked shots.

Motoring on with the patchwork

Getting on well with the patchwork this week. Not much to show you at the moment but I can offer you an archive picture of the fabrics before they all got chopped up into hexagons!

It's nuts, isn't it? You take perfectly good fabric, cut it up into wee pieces then sew it all together again in a different order. The things we do for fun! x K

Slightly leading questions...

What do you think about this lovely pattern by Signe S. Simonsen?

What do you think about the lovely yarn it is made from?

Yes, some yarn handpainted by my friend Tigerlilith of Old Maiden Aunt Yarns fane is gracing the pages of the latest edition of Knitty.

Yes, pages plural as it features as a banner on all parts of this Winter issue.

This gives me a great thrill, especially as it such a pretty pattern, and one which I would love to make. x K

Playing with hexagons

My crafty energy has recently been going into playing with some hexagons cut from Christmassy fabrics.

I've decided on the pattern and it's going to be dubbed something like 'Poinsettias in the Snow', that is red flowers with green leaves on a creamy/gold background.

Here is a wee sketchy layout. Don't worry if you see things like identical fabrics side-by-side or other clashes, it's just to help

me visualise the basic outline. DH helped me with the physical laying out and his keen aesthetic eye too.

I've made a few refinements since then and it's shaping up nicely. The four main flowers are sewn with their leaves attached and the green lozenge in the middle is done with its light row around it.

Yes, hexagons are a bit fiddly to work with, but these babies are 5 1/2" each, so they aren't quite as tricky.

Making progress and I'm sure it will be ready for Christmas 2011. Well, when I say sure... x K

Happy New Year!

Wishing you health, wealth, happiness and craft in 2011. x K

I'm going to come right out and say it...

...I miss the snow!!!

No, I don't miss the travel chaos and the frozen and burst pipes and other hardships people have had to endure, but I do miss the beautiful diamante white stuff itself.

Not so much on the streets of Glasgow, but definitely on the rolling hills and old woods of Galloway.

Sparkly crystalline pristine snow.

I miss the snow!

He he, that's as controversial as I get in this blog ;-) x K

Winter Warmer

Question: What do you do when you like the look of a fair isle scarf from M & S advertised in the paper, but when you see it in-store you realise that although it's lovely, there's something not quite right about it?

Answer: You make one of your own of course!

Mine doesn't really look anything like the original of course because I only used that a spring-board, but I love it all the same. And because I wanted a bolder look I used a unifying background colour (except when I felt more contrast was needed) rather than also changing background colours as in traditional fair isle knitting.

I used some patterns from the thankfully reprinted Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting, combining them as desired, although once the sequence was set, I stuck with it. It all looks different though because the colours were also cycling round too, and by design I didn't get the same motif in the same colour more than once.

I learned a lot about the reading of fair isle charts. Basically the contrast colour is either on or it's off and once I got into my rhythm I was motoring ahead.

I am on the laptop here and don't have all my photos in the drive, but there are plenty more views either on Ravelry or on Flickr for those without Ravelry accounts.

Edit: I should also add that this finished object owes something to Kaffe Fassett's Lidiya Scarf from Rowan 48. (No links but that info should enable you to find it.) End edit.

Hopefully everyone is enjoying the Christmas season. x K

Happy Christmas!

Have a lovely Christmas everyone! x K

Finishing touches

Here are my beautiful new shawl pins. I think they are so nice that even the wee prongs can be used alone on, say, smaller shawls or items which aren't even hand-knitted. :-0

I'm mostly going to let the photos and the links do the talking, but suffice it to say that it tickles me that even though I am not at home, I have four shawls to hand to model the shawl pins!
Shawl pin page on Jannette's Rare Yarns
Zeshane Indian Wooden Handicrafts

A Ravelry for sewing?

It was my intention to show you my new shawl pins from Jannette's Rare Yarns tonight, but that will have to wait...

I have spent a while today uploading my few sewing projects onto a relatively-new sewing community called My Sewing Circle. This link is the join-up and log-in page and This one is the associated blog.

There's not much to see if you haven't joined the community (free and pretty much instant) but suffice it to say it's a place where people can upload their sewing project details, photos, fabric stash and join "circles" for specific interests and locations. Sounds familiar? Well yes, it is very much like what I imagine the big R must've been like in its very early days.

It's good, and it could be very good when the membership reaches a critical mass. It has a lot of the same features as Rav and derives its good ideas from there, make no mistake, but it lacks the amazing link-tastic nature of Ravelry.

I'm glad I found it, I've been looking for something like this and I hope to see some of you in there. My username is.....KEDkrafty! I think some of you may like it, maybe my online friends like Sandra in Croatia and Yvette in France for instance.

This has come at a good time for me because I've been doing a bit of patchwork machine sewing this week. Anyway, My Sewing Circle, let's see how it goes.

New tap

Someone else has done all of the hard work this time!

This is a hand-knitted top, not by me, though. It's a former sample garment for Jaeger Handknits.

I'm really pleased with it, it's a lovely colour and it looks ok now but I think it will look even better as I trim down a bit more. I'm also happy because I don't know how to do this loopy stitch so I have no pangs of conscience that I could just as easily have made it myself.

I bought it from Jannette's Rare Yarns, a shop I enjoyed buying from on e-bay, which is now a normal online shop. Prices are shown in dollars, which is no problem at all if you use Paypal and items are shipped promptly from a UK address

Suffice it to say that I got it for a bargain price, and was quite delighted to see it because in my experience sample garments are usually seen in the first or second sizes. I do not have the pattern book that this came from, but I would reckon this would be the largest size, being a 42".

The T-shirt is called "Sym", and was designed by Amanda Griffiths. It was knitted in Jaeger Albany, colour Damson #270. It comes with a code number, JHGB1113, which I think refers to the pattern book. I can't seem to find it, but my mooching around has thrown up that you can still get Jaeger Albany yarn in selected colours at English Yarns (sidebar).

Lovely new tap, lovely new tap, lovely new tap.