A busy half-term.

Its been a busy time this week, with various projects under way.

This will turn eventually into a hanging. Not sure how it will look, but the beaded triangles will be linked together with the beads. I imagine a tassel in there somewhere too.

This next project will become a little box. Again, the techniques are based on Japanese folded patchwork. This time, the little scraps of fabric have been stuck on using Bondaweb. Then I have added buttons and will add beads too.

The fabric I used was originally stripes. I cut these up using a rotary cutter with a shaped blade. This idea came originally from a workshop I went to at the Quilters Guild area day earlier this month. Dilys Fronks taught the technique so that we could make a picture. These scraps were left over.

The Amaryllis on my workroom windowsill have been a joy. Such a riot of colour.

I love the flowers as they fade too. Such amazing shapes.

The last photo was taken as we walked into the carpark this evening after having our tea in a local pub. The sky was beautiful.

All this and knitting too. Its been fun.

A knitter goes for a walk.

Its been quite frosty overnight, so I took myself off for a walk taking the camera with me. This local walk follows a farm track to the next village going past fields close to a railway line.

The sky was really clear too, the vapour trails lasting for ages.

A frozen puddle. I just loved the patterns the ice made.

Winter trees at the edge of one field.

Self portrait - woman with shopping bag. Well, I'd planned to get some bread at the village shop on my way. Sadly it was closed when I got there. So I posted some letters I'd brought along instead and ambled on home.

The birds were a delight to hear and so nice to greet fellow walkers out enjoying the morning.

I've been busily knitting this project recently. An aran pullover. The design comes from "The Aran Collection Part Two" from Sirdar. The yarn is one of Stylecraft's aran weight yarns. I haev no idea which one since the wrappings disappeared some time ago. Yes, this is the same jumper I mentioned in an earlier post. I ended up ripping back all my knitting since I had missed something in the pattern. Its been knitting up really well. I shall be altering the design of the sleeves though. The pattern gives relatively plain sleeves with just a cable up the arm. Mine will imitate the design from the font and back and will have the cabled ribbing used there instead of the pattern's plain ribbing.

Detail showing the cabled ribbing and part of the design.

A photo showing the design in more detail. I just love the cabled edge to the raglan. I shall be copying this idea onto the sleeves too.

(Please note the colours in the top photo are the most accurate.)

I am looking forward to finishing this jumper since it will really keep me cosy on future walks. There is a matching hat in the pattern too. Now that would be really useful...........

A "new" old book and knitting.

I was able to go back to my favourite market stall again yesterday. I found a rather fascinating little book. It is 14cm (5and a half inches) tall, 9cm (3 and a half inches) wide and 4.5cm (1 and three quarter inches) thick.

As you can see the end papers have this DMC logo. The stall holder told me that the books probably came from the 1920s. There is no publishing date.

It is packed full of instructions for all the kinds of needlework you could imagine - "plain sewing", mending. "sewing upon white stuff" (whitework), crochet, knitting, tatting, embroidered laces, needle laces, and so on.

I shall really enjoy exploring this book. An unexpected find.

Well, the knitting has carried on this week. I have almost completed my Ice Queen. Hopefully, the last of the bead picot bind off will be finished this evening.

My workroom is currently being graced by the presence of three Amaryllis on the window sill. The first of these flowered for the first time this morning. A double white, it is absolutely gorgeous.

Ice Queen and yarn buying.

Hello again! I've been a bit naughty this week, buying more yarn and beads.










From top left to right - Malabrigo lace weight yarn - violetas, two tubs of beads to match; Lana Grossa Cotton Fun, sock weight yarn; Fyberspates sock yarn in Toffee and Banana. These will keep me out of mischief for a while.











This is a better view of the Malabrigo yarn with the two tubs of beads. The beads are Gutermann Rocailles 9/o colours 6655 and6690. These are intended for a second Ice Queen, the Knitty design. The next photo shows where I've got up to with my first Ice Queen.











The following photos show the Band RR which I mentioned last week. It is now completed and will be in the post in the morning.











For further details on this project, please go to the Stitching Sisters Blog.
The inspiration for this was a wonderful book I found in a Charity Shop. It is so full of exciting photos and illustrations, just perfect for any textile artist.





The photo beneath is one of those I used to base my design on:







The last two show my original design, which got rather altered by the time it was stitched, and a close up of the finished band.

A happily creative 2008 to all!

I hope you have all had a creative start to this new year.

The orchid shown above was given to me as a Christmas present by one of my pupils. A truly delightful, and much appreciated thought. I love flowers.

This holiday from school has been a very creative one for me. I've been very busy with the Band-Robin. The stitching is now getting close to completion. I started the Ice Queen cowl, but have now ripped that back since I really wasn't happy with the way I had knit the pattern. It really wasn't quite right. So I shall start that again once I have got the stitching completed for the Band-Robin. (Photos for this will have to wait until after the sampler has found its way on to the next participant.)

I have also ripped back the Naive socks which I had also started knitting. The wool I was using, although wonderful to knit with, was really too dark to show off the subtle cabling of the design. The yarn will be great for a plainer pair of socks.

The other day I bought myself three huge balls of aran weight yarn (400g x 3!). Its not such an expensive purchase since the yarn is a mix of acrylic and wool. I needed some bright colours to lift my mood. The red is destined for a cardigan and the blue for a warm cowl to go with my blue jacket on windy days. Yes, I do have a scarf. But this is such a nuisance when it is windy, since I really can't keep it warmly and comfortably round my neck.

Amongst all this activity, I completed Hazel. Yes, it is too cold here in the Northern Hemisphere, to wear it just now. I really enjoyed making it though. The cables are such fun to do. I have plans for a cardigan/jacket to go with it.

I also decided this week, to sort out my fabric stash. I'd had to live with such a lot of it blocking access to a cupboard for rather too many months. The cupboard housed my collection of books and a number of other textile bits and pieces. So I spent a useful day sorting it all out. The books now reside in a bookcase in my workroom, just where I can use them. Wonderful! The pile of fabric has also gone, it is now sitting inside a large box in my cupboard and the fancier fabrics also sorted into the relevant drawers and shelves in my workroom. All my stash of fleecy fabric is together at last, sitting on the shelf under my sewing table. I have plans for a couple of new jackets.............

Amongst it all I found this

An unfinished aran jumper that I had completely forgotten all about. I must have left it partly because I was using metal needles at the time. I find I can no longer use these - they make my wrist and fingers ache far too much. Nowadays I use the reinforced plastic needles or bamboo. So much nicer. Now, I am not certain whether to rip this back and use the yarn for something else, or to finish it. I shall wait for a few days. I don't wear jumpers very often, so I could turn the design into a cardigan...................... but a jumper is so cosy when going out on a walk...........

Have fun!

Knitting, stitching and such.

Its been rather a long time since I last posted to my Blog. Work got in the way, and my much-loved sewing machine decided to break down, but I still managed to get rather a lot of knitting done.

I've started two pairs of socks - useful mobile knitting. The first design is "Firestarter" by Yarnissima. This interesting design can be found at http://www.yarnissima.com/.

The second design is "Naive Socks" by Spillyjane. This is a delightful cabled sock design and can be found at http://spillyjane.blogspot.com/.

The third project is using up the Jaeger Trinity yarn I have had in my stash for some time. This poor yarn has been used for two previous projects which I really did not enjoy knitting and so ripped them back. This seems to be third time lucky. The design is Hazel from the Jaeger book JB34. This is another beautifully cabled design which I really enjoy knitting. This is getting on far faster than the socks at the moment. I have already finished the back and have started the front.

Here is the promised photo of the Mocassin Socks. Coco wanted to have her photo taken, so we compromised I took a photo as she posed with my socks. This was not an Elizabeth's Year project I really enjoyed, but I shall use these socks. I think what puts me off is the seam underneath the foot - something that I personally find uncomfortable to walk in. They will prove useful as house socks on chilly days.

The last project waiting to be started is the beautiful "Ice Queen" from Knitty.com. I have managed to get myself involved in yet another knittalong to knit this.The group calls itself Ice_Queen and is a Yahoo group.

As well as all this, I have now finished the design work on the Band Robin. This will be shown after I know it has arrived with the next person on the list. The design was based on a wonderful carved stone design from the 12th Century which I found in a gorgeous book. I shall tell you more another time, but I can tell you that the book was a lucky find. I found it in a Charity shop!

Happy Christmas everyone!

For those who don't share Christmas, may I wish you some very happy, uninterrupted time with your own textile projects.

Sewing again

Well, I have been busily knitting again this week - sorry no photos. I have been working on the Moccasin Socks for the Elizabeth's Year group. My first sock is almost complete and I have knitted the sock cuff on the second. I shall post photos when I have finished them.











I have now completed my recorder bag. As you can see, the recorder fits snggly inside with a pocket free for small bits and pieces like a soft drying / cleaning cloth. I shall let you know how it gets on with the wear and tear of regular use.









The next piece, or should I say pieces have been stuck in my "what am I going to do with this" pile for some time. You may recognise the circular motif, "Leaves".









The background piece is made up of a collection of accidentally dyed "Colour Catchers". These are the remarkable pieces of what feels like a paper-based fabric which you can buy to put in with your washing whenever there is a danger of a piece of the load leaching dye onto anything else. (One of those red sock turning a white load of washing pink times.)


The ones I am able to get hold of can only be used once, but the colours that come out are wonderful! This was an attempt to use them. I only got as far as sewing them on to a piece of sheet I had dyed. I was not sure what to do next.


The other day, I took it out to look at it, added "Leaves" and left it on my wall. More needs to be added, but I need to stop and think about it first.



Also waiting for me to start work is this beautiful piece of stitching. It is the Band Robin from the Stitching Sisters group. It rests on my ideas board. I have a two inch deep section to add either to the top or the bottom of this piece. The talent of the stitchers in the group is awe-inspiring.