Christmas Booty

Crimbo Present Stash


Gifts, gifts and more gifts my family know just what makes me smile;-) Yes all acrylics(Mt favourite;-) but what a good colour combination. Now that my stock levels are back up! New inspiration is required, mmmmm their already.

(Above is my new project, already inspired)




Web site (my very own shop) Internet speakingly wise.

Up date, the progress so far is fantastic(Rich doing a fabulous job) it is looking so professional.
The proof is in the Pudding as they say at home in the UK.

On a sad note, Rich cut all his hair off today;-(
(So I cant actually look at him, or i'll cry).
The kids laughed as he looks more like his Dad than ever, I cried. Rasmus didn't even seem to notice.

Be-Witched

With a pearl detail added, that now I feel is the final touch to this very delicate top.

I think it is now completed and is actually very street wearable.

Which is very unusual for me I know, as most of my designs seem to end up being a little unsuitable for day wear and more suitable for the stage;-)

One Day!!!!

Knitted Things!

Beany -Joesph Dream Coat yarn

Same pattern a quick knit (Rib) just so that we stock up the hat and mit's basket by the front door.
The hat makes all the difference out on the -degrees dog walk.
The blogger is playing up tonight, the picture wouldn't rotate and the writing underlined!;-(

Hat for T

Beany hat with over sized pom-pom, Stitch n Bitch easy pattern. 2 knit 2 pearl
shape crown, cornflake packet and two cardboard rounds to make the pom-pom.

A late Christmas gift, but better late than never.

Christmas Tea Cosy

Here it is........My new Christmas tree tea cosy!

And just in time for Christmas day, I didn't put the spout hole in, as I figured that It to could be used as a Xmassy hat if ever needed.;-)
Fitted perfectly on my head and my tea pot.

Charity Cotton Shop Bargain

My most recent trip to the charity shop and I was pleasantly surprised!

All cotton and between them they added up to 130kr's that around £13 this is a complete bargain and will last me for a long time, cotton and the beige colour is Hemp I think.

My next project I need cotton for so I was just in the right place at the right time.

Christmas tea! (I mean tree)

Christmas tea! (I mean tree)

Christmassy tea cosy, I used the S'N'B Beany hat pattern 2 knit 2 pearl, ill just leave a big enough hole for the spout.

My S'N'B beany

Progress so far.



Knitting on double pointed needles

I'm currently reading a book by Ruth lee
(Contemporary knitting for the textile artist)
And yesterday I learnt how to use double pointed needles. Using five at once;-)
Tough choice of material to learn with, but needs must. Progress so far.
A knitted Volcano!

S 'N' B beany hat

It's that time of year again and I'm back to my 6.5 and the knit two pearl two pick your size and the pull in quick knit hat.

20 kr (£2) yarn that I brought at the knitting fair, autumn bights colour scheme.

And if it fails (The yarn to stretchy) I need a new cosy for my tea pot (oh so very British)

Be-witched gets sleeve's

The sleeves are Knitted on the round size 15, picked up the stitch from the crocheted sleeve seem.

And then knitted until around the elbow length, the plan is to then pull in tight and make a cuff. The sleeves will end at being 3/4 in length not a full sleeve.

Also unusually for me the same? well as good as they could be as i work by eye only.

Knitting and doll's

They are just too cute!

I was researching something random the other day, oh yer
I remember, I was looking for my friend's cardigan that she was selling on a site. Similar to E bay, Im not mentioning the name, as they are not a good site!

And this picture came up.

Same time last year I was really considering one,The Kenner Blythe dolls. I had seen one on a blog and when I googled tried to research, what type of doll and where to buy. All this once I found the name of the doll
(Well actually Monet found it 1st, kids!)

Shocking is a good word to describe!
EXPENSIVE!

They seem to be very popular with a certain knit culture!

And for me........Santa;-(

I think I have left it to late this year as at the price they come up for on E-bay you would need to take a bank loan to buy one.
(Investment I here you shout!!)

They are very limited and tiny with a mass amount of outfits you can buy! Or as it seems in the knit world, make your self.

I still feel that maybe Im a little old to buy a doll, this was how I talked my self out of it last year.

But here I am again!.........

I never had a new Barbie, Ever! so maybe this is my need to for fill my child hood dream!;-)

Be-Witched Sleeve progress

Two yarns together, fluffy acrylic and sparkly acrylic.
Progress so far above, below the sleeve up close.

So far so good, joining two yarns together and I'm knitting on the round 15 mm needles.

Jelly yarn

I'm on the "I knit london" what's on the city knit wise E mail
I copied and paste below and I could not get the writing bigger!, but look what's for sale in the UK! OMG
I have got to get some;-)


Home > Yarns > Jelly Yarn >

Jelly Yarn® is THE new yarn for contemporary knitters and crocheters! Created from a fiber thin ROUND plastic, Jelly Yarn® knits into a cool glossy texture to make purses, handbags, belts, market and beach bags, bracelets, flip-flops, etc. OR go mad and create your own amazing beings. Jelly yarn has been used for coral reefs, alien life-forms and more - chekc out the Jelly yarn projects on Ravelry for some inspiration. Jelly Yarn® is not gimp or flat lanyard but round, pliable vinyl that is specially formulated for knitting and crochet. Jelly Yarn® is available in 14 yummy colors and 2 weights.

Exclusively available in the Uk from I Knit London.

Jelly Yarn Fine 100% vinyl yarn in DK equivalent weight.

Jelly Yarn: Bulky Bulky Jelly Yarn® (aran weight).

Tatiana's baby blanket

This is for a UK friend Tatiana who's baby is due January so I'm just in time for the Xmas postage rush.
I used up a lot of my odds and ends making this almost clown blanket
(It's Just right for the pram or the car seat)

Broomstick crochet update

The joining ridge below and my just too cute puppy pic above.

Be-witched would be a good name for this top, I think.

I got board making the shawl so I crocheted a back panel the one that you see in the picture.


Then I gave it a top edge with the basic chain stitch.
With this I then went up leaving a gap and then joined again equally so that this would eventually be the neck and sleeve joint.

I used a chain stitch for 4 rows, to get the width.

I then used this part to attach to the back panel that I had raised higher previously.

For this part, I have attached using crochet on the out side, so that you can see the ridge raised where they join. Not sure about this part.
I may up-pick and re-join on the inside.
(That way less of a ridge)

Or I may just make that a feature, that's why I love to free form.

Scarf Central (production line, almost)

Anne's scarf

I thought I had run out of time but when I went through my little bit of a stash
(Stash it can hardly be called, I need new yarn supplies)
But any way what I had left yarn wise, I figured this novelty yarn teamed with a odd ball of fake mohair. Would make a good combination for a quick knit for the maturer business lady.

And I didn't have to buy a pashmina after all;-)
(Save penny's toward January sale stock up on yarn)
I'll be glad once Christmas is here and I can get back to my own knitting.


Becky Scarf

I had some odd and ends left too, So I joined them together to make a multi yarn and on needles size 15, the scarf really was a quick knit.

It's a little short to wrap around as a regular scarf ,so I used the last of my Leeds big buttons to make Becky a broach to hold the scarf closed.

I Think it looks pretty cool;-0

Baker style scarf

It's double the thickness of a regular style scarf as I figured you can where it wide to show it off or fold in half and get twice the warmth.

It's not as long as the original doctor who's gimmick scarf. The reason for this is that I figured.

A fact that we know all to well about our knitted projects, is that the knitting is organic just add water.
NB(organic acrylic in this case)
And it will grow longer!, whether you like it or not;-)

Baby Blankie

Baby blanket but with no lettering, this time round.

This is a free form quick knit, no pattern no theme. My Russian friend Tatiana is soon to have her 1st baby in January.

I think a boy she predicts so it will have only a little pink.
(just in case)

Dr Who

I knit Dr Who
(Tom Baker style)
The original, none of this modern day re-make rubbish.

Well any way it's another Christmas gift, it's for my friends dad David
(Monet adoptive grand parent in Uk)

You know the type of gift that brings a smile, even if your not a scarf person.

But I'm sure he will be pleased. No time for a matching knitted shawl so I'm afraid a Pashmina for Anne, very Swedish;-)

This is me!

Is!
This!
This me!, it's above my husband computer so that you could see the size of this crocheted piece and Rich said didn't I mean that "this is him?"

As he spends all his free time on this computer at this work station;-)
(Now theirs another art installation in the making!)
Good point!

This weeks projects

Turkish

I have been trying this week to remember how to Turkish crochet I managed this a long time ago to make an Eye Pod carrier and I kept my quick written instructions safe and even a sample piece to show what/how I did it.

Now that is organised, but like most systems a year or two later and my notes mean nothing to me;-(

So its back to the drawing board, I'm almost their and I quite liked this stitch and thought that it too may make a nice scarf/shawl but I keep loosing stitches,Dol!
So I will frog and start over;-)
Close up with my made up Turkish.

Catching up on christmas!

I'm a bit Behind on my Christmas gifts, this is part of the brown scarf for my very brown brother in-law.
(I'm edging it with a little of the Kaffe Fasstt)
I had some left from the shawl,adding sneaky little bit of colour

I frogged to Easy knit pattern jumper that I was making and recycled the yarn. My pattern following was truly at it worst with that jumper.

The pile of knitting on the left side of the photo is the jumper, well whats left of it. I could'nt be bothered to wind it up, so I am actually crocheting the scarf straight from the jumper.;-)

This week I have been mostly

Mostly making tags/labels.........
I decided earlier this year to catalogue, tag a lot of my projects as because time passes and you forget and I have a big build up of completed big projects.

As you can imagine this is a tough task in it self, but my blog's have come in very handy, as It counts as a diary almost.

So things that I thought Id remember, dates etc!
(seeing I dont remember last week!)

I could obviously not remember anything!, so I have been going back through my archives to get this information.;-)

This is me! Update

This week I have nearly completed the T, on Sunday gone at the knit Cafe I stitched all the ends in so I only have the ones around the T to complete. That the part that takes the time when you use a lot of colour, it takes more time to stitch the ends.
The little rolled ball on the ME is all the ends, "waste not want not!" as they say, I have attached them all together as I'm sure they will come in handy with one of my many art projects I have on the go at the moment.

Pow!

Almost completed, I need to hurry, tomorrow being the dead line date!



Birthday gift!
What to buy/make a man who you'll know will have everything!.
(But not your knitting)
I know for a fact that he is a comic collector, that would cost way to much.

But if you like Marvel, I can imagine that you can never get enough POW!,Wam!, Bam ,Biff!............

So armed with a crochet hook and quick knit acrylic I was off. Super hero colour combination of Red, Yellow, blue and here is the gift/card even.

Lets hope he likes it! if not what does it matter, I'm sure it will put smiles on faces at the birthday dinner.
And as the saying goes its the thought that counts!;-)

Crochet in the media

Elizabeth Banks & Seth Rogen

Daily mail Film reviews section "Zack & Mari make a porno"(funny title)
But the thing that I'm blogging about is the picture
and I repeat not the funny title;-)
It's what close up, could only be described as free-form crochet.

I have just noticed So much more in the movies and on the funky TV series.
Knitting really is still making a come back. We have alot to do, seeing we lost a generation of knitters.

And I don't mean the regular unnoticeable grey machine knit cardigans, I mean the outrageous stand out one of pieces.

Graffiti lettering

I think that my letters are definitely improving and they look a little like teenage bubble writing.
But in a the form of knitted Graffiti (Well Crocheted);-)

Sandra Backlund

Poster speaks for it self, I saw this whist I was out walking and think that it will be so good to see some of her outrageous outfits worn in everyday life. I will be looking out for this movie, I wont need to understand the words just the outfits will be enough.;-)

Karin's Fantasic Blankie Mania

At the knit cafe Knit Lab Sunday- Karin's Blankie mania stole the show. It's huge and still growing, a fantasic rainbow of random colour.

A Kntting article I found on the internet

Article I found when surfing web
http://www.bbcgreen.com/Lifestyle-Family/Fashion/knitting?CMP=KAC-STK Stitch up

Marissa-Catherine Carrarini Wool: Knitting and the environment When it comes to being a trendy green, making your own knits is just as cool as owning a pair of Stella McCartney pumps Once the preserve of grannies in rocking chairs, the humble art of knitting is experiencing something of a renaissance in the UK.

From celebrities to city workers, balls of wool are back in fashion and making an appearance everywhere from the pub to the cinema. The ethical bit According to Rachael Matthews, founder of London knitting circle, Cast Off, and co-owner of eco wool shop Prick Your Finger, our return to knitting is as much to do with ethics as thrift. “Knitting used to be a financial necessity but it is important for different reasons now. It is much more to do with social and environmental awareness.

” For many consumers, the make-up of a typical high street jumper – its CO2 emissions, conditions for factory workers and cotton farmers – is cause enough to seek alternatives. Knitting is an immediate DIY route to a fairer, more sustainable wardrobe. And you can enhance your ethical credentials even further by opting for organic, local, fair trade or even recycled yarn.

Healthy balance But it’s not all about principles. “Knitting is very therapeutic,” says Matthews. “It is a repetitive hobby and that can be really calming.” Knitting advocates have claimed it can help with stress and anxiety by slowing down your pulse rate. No wonder it has been touted as the new yoga. Then there’s the financial benefit – knitting can be very healthy for your wallet, with a new jumper costing as little as £12 to make.

There’s also the thrill of creating something unique, says Amanda Firestone from the Brighton Stitch n’ Bitch group. “I'm nearly finished with my very first cardigan –it's taken me a long time but it has just been an amazing experience." Beyond fashion Too scared, or impatient, to knit a whole jumper? Quirky hot water bottle covers, cushion covers, mobile phone wallets, bags, bookmarks, curtains, cakes and children’s toys are just a few of the non-fashion items you can create from a ball of wool. “I even knitted a window with a landscape once,” says Matthews. “I chose yarn the same way you choose paint – I used linen to knit a rock so it looked cold and wet.” Knitting isn’t just about new clothes, it is also good way to fix up old favourites.

Why not reduce the charity shop (or rubbish) bag by adding accessories to your clothes? Give your clothes a makeover with old buttons, laces, patterns, or whatever you find lying around. Alternatively, you could unthread a jumper and use the wool for something else. As a broader eco statement, knitting is also a good way to stick to the mantra of reduce, reuse and recycle. Charity shops are great for finding unused wool at bargain prices, while specialist wool shops, such as Eco Annie (Annie Sherburne), sell cast-offs, organic, local and eco dyed yarns.

Social circles Thanks to its rising popularity, knitting doesn’t have to be a solitary pleasure. These days, you’re likely to find grannies happily chatting to students and city workers learning new tricks from housewives. Most knitting groups sit in pubs or cafes, but at Knit-Chicks in London’s Ritzy cinema you can knit while watching the latest romance or thriller.

Amanda Firestone from the Brighton Stitch n’ Bitch knitting group is 25 and loves the social side of knitting, as well as the environmental benefit. “Our group is really lively – we're all very friendly and happy to offer advice or aid where we can. And because we're all different ages and skill levels there's a lot to talk about and plenty to learn”.