My Knitted Garment - or not!

So I mentioned that I wanted to knit a real life garment, well I have taken the first step and bought the wool (there is more than I have shown here).

It's Rowan Alpaca Cotton and its all fluffy and soft, however...

something is stopping me taking that first step and casting it on. I have the pattern and the needles and all the trankelybobs I need just not the confidence I guess.

I had a word with myself and thought, RIGHT! I must make a start and so I made myself a new 'knitting project bag' to put my as yet non existent knitting in!

I'm hopeless...

I used some pretty Cath Kidston Cotton Duck (I bought ages ago) and used some thick grosgrain ribbon that I had kept from some packaging.

I didn't use interfacing I only lined it as I wanted it to be soft and floppy, I intend to have it sat by my side as I knit this elusive garment.

I also made a long pouch for my knitting bits, needles and stitch markers and such, lined in a pretty tilda fabric.

So it's all ready for me take the plunge and KNIT SOMETHING ALREADY!

The thing is, I spotted a pretty pink Ray of Light Shawl and I have ordered the wool and the pattern to make it from The Wool Sanctuary designed by the clever Suzie, so I might start that first.  

Well it is a garment too, strictly speaking...

I told you, I'm hopeless!

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Testing, Testing ...are you all still there?

Well hello folks, it's been a while hasn't it?

This is the longest I have gone without blogging since my blog started and I'm missing it.  Life has been getting in the way somewhat and with the discovery of Instagram it seems I'm getting my crafty fix over there.

I've mentioned it before but I have a bad back, it's been bad on and off for 18 years now but this last few months its been very sore and I am struggling with it at the minute.  The result of this is that the most I can manage to create revolves around crochet. Crochet requires no special position or extra equipment and when I find my least painful position on the couch I can crochet to my hearts content!

 My little crochet basket is a permanent feature on my sofa!

I started this in August last year and had hoped to complete it by the end of the year, seven months later it's finally done. It is lap size and nice to cosy under when watching the TV. 

I've joined a crochet-along on Instagram and Ravelry hosted by SewCanny and I hope to create enough 6" squares to add to my pile of WIP 6" and 12" squares to hopefully create another blanket, these are my latest efforts, on a pink and grey theme.

I've been inspired to make a crochet hottie cover by Lynda and Vanessa.  Following the pattern on Vanessa's beautiful blog I made this, if you can crochet it was very simple to make and will hopefully be well received.

Unfortunately it is still cold enough to need a hot water bottle!

Thinking forward to Spring and Easter I made a little Easter Bunny following this lovely pattern.

 Scary?

 Then cute.

 I love her little tail.

Well that's it from me for now. I promise not to leave it too long next time.  I have so many blogs to catch up on it will take me forever but I will try!

p.s. heartfelt thanks to the ladies who contacted me asking if everything was ok as it was so long since I blogged, you know who you are xxx

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My Patchwork Pillows

On a recent shopping trip I bough myself a couple of bargain pillowcases.  I only opened them last Friday (after chucking the receipts) and realised that they were crazy huge, continental size 26" square! 

I had wanted standard pillowcases so was a little annoyed at myself as they were very pretty.

Normal pillowcase on the right, continental on the left.

Only one thing for it, I cut them into 6" squares.

My new pillows, I was quite pleased with these I have never attempted a pillow case before.

 Due to the odd size I didn't have enough fabric to make a full back so I had to patch it with white cotton at each end. 

I stripped the bed a day early this week as I was itching to try them out, I would like to report that they were very comfy and are still intact!

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Mini Crochet Bunting

Whenever I'm frustrated or bored with a project I always put it away and go back to crochet.

Crochet is my default craft, it's so easy to do, you don't have to be sat up in the correct position with the right light, you can crochet almost anywhere, anytime it's very portable.

I have an intermittent back problem (for the last 18 years) and when it's playing up I get myself wired up to the TENs machine get on the sofa in a comfy position, pop the telly on and crochet. A week or so ago I had a bad day and thought I'd make some mini bunting for my bare bathroom door transom.

Using the pattern I used for the crochet hearts in my last post I made these little bunting triangles.  I used a smaller hook (3mm) and followed the pattern to make the heart from the bottom up and stopped at the length I was happy with. Joined with a simple crochet chain - ta da, mini bunting!

 The colours complement various shades in my bathroom.

I blocked and starched them, but with them going in a bathroom I though I would add glass beads to the bottom of each one to give a bit of weight to them to hopefully stop them from curling with the moisture.

before...

and after ....

  That's better! 

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Happy Mail Circle of Love

Happy Valentines Day

Over on Instagram Jackie of Sew Special Bears fame has created and organised a happy mail circle of love swap (thank you!).  The opportunity to craft and gather a few valentines related gifts was too good to miss.

I have been seeing these pretty crochet hearts all over blogland and Instagram, they were created and shared on Lucy's blog (Attic24) so I whipped up a few and following the pattern on Flickr by Made by BeaG.

Another little hearty make was heavily inspired (or stolen - I did ask permission though honest) by a little magentic heart I bought from Hookin' With LaaLaa's shop ages ago.  It love it, it lives on my fridge and I thought I'd make a couple as gifts after coming across the little magnetic frames recently.

My LaaLaa Frame is at the top, the bottom two are now with their new owners (grr photo will not rotate).

These were the handmade part of the packages I sent out and I received some beautiful handmade items back in return!

Imagine my pleasure at receiving this little lot.

From Meanyjar

 From Noodle Bubble.

And from Jackie herself

Beautiful and thoughtful goodies from kind and thoughtful ladies, many thanks.

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Keeping my Hands Busy

I am a person who can not sit still. I am unable to even watch a movie or TV without sitting and making something.  I have had a horrible cold for several weeks now and even with that I am unable to just sit!

Lately I have been enjoying cross stitch and embroidery, I bought a beautiful kit designed by Jane Greenoff of Cross Stitch Guild Fame.

This is my current endeavour, the thing with work like this is that many many hours produce little results.  It will be a long time before I have a finished article but I am enjoying making it and it is keeping my hands busy.

I did take a break from this to create a gift for my friend Lynda, the design is heavily inspired by my CSG make but with my own touch.  

 The words are inspired by a note I received from Gill some time ago, it lives on my fridge and is a motto I like to live by.

"Make Much of Time"

Little antique sampler needle roll.

I have joined a little 'Happy Mail' swap over on Instagram organised by @hunnypothouse and I have made a couple of little bits for that but I can't share until they are with their new owners.

So for me it's back on with my needle roll and when I get the chance a little more crochet.

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