Tuesday 31 January 2012

Bright blocks

This is the other Jacob's Block I made. I'm making two quilts on our journey with the quillow. I absolutely love the bright colours of reproduction thirties fabric. I didn't at first because I've always loved a muted colour palette, but when I saw a Alison's first thirties quilt I was smitten. I especially love the 'conversation' prints with bunnies and cats, windmills and sheep. Not everyone's cup of tea I know but these are for me!

Sunday 29 January 2012

Finished Cowl

Very quick to knit and lovely and cosy to wear. I also used the kitchener method to graft the two ends together. Thank you YouTube. I bought the wool in the Fenwick's sale and have enough to knit some wrist warmers (already started). The patterns are Sirdar 9496 which are in a booklet (410) called Chic Winter Knits. Now I'm going to do some housework so that I can continue, guilt free, with designing the Flying Geese block for February.

Wednesday 25 January 2012

Bad hair day for Gladys

The Jacobs ladder block didn't quite go to plan. One of the units is the wrong way round.   I didn't notice when I sewed it. Top right hand side is the wrong way round. Then I left all the instructions at home and had to go back. It wouldn't have been so bad except that I was much later than normal because I had a late meeting at work and poor Mavis had to start the class without instructions. Then I forgot the milk for the coffee and had to scrabble about for enough change because I didn't have my purse which was back at the Crafts House.  My change purse which I keep for car parking was, for some reason, not in the car but in my bag.  Then the next day I found out the pictures on the instructions for the mystery quilt were back to front. Sorry everyone - normal service will be resumed next month.

Finished at last






Well I feel like I knitted this about four times I had to unpick it so much. I'm glad I persevered though cos it's lovely to wear.  The name of the pattern is Swallow Tails and is a free Ravelry download.  You can't really see them but it has lovely little beads knited into the bit before the border.  The purple scarf I knitted earlier is also from Ravelry and called Summer Flies.  I've started a new turquoise cowl which is really fast to knit but I'm a bit clumsy with 6.5mm needles.  I like the delicate 3mm although the knitting is much slower.  Still it's the process I enjoy as much as the end product.

Sunday 22 January 2012

Lovely Steph

A bit of a grainy photo but Steph looks glamorous even in her scrubs. Congrats on her new job and career as a dental nurse. Proud mammy (2).

Sunday 8 January 2012

Sandra's Secret Mittens




These are Sandra's mittens - knitted as a present for Christmas - the surprise?  I texted her, before Christmas,  to say I needed to hurry up and finish them.  Not sure if there is a problem with my mobile messaging, software or liveware.  If you see her ask her what I texted last night.....

By the way the lovely Steph is modelling the mittens - I didn't knit her jumper but I would love the pattern.


Block protector

This folder protects my quilt blocks when I'm hand sewing. I used two pieces of mdf and covered them with fabric. It's 14" square. I used fusabond and put the fabric through my bigshot to cut the letters.

Sunday 1 January 2012

Mavis and Gladys on the Hill

January class details on the Mavis and Gladys Tab.  For details of how to contact Sandra to book a place click on the link to the Crafts House on the right hand side of the page.

This one worked

This was a pleasure to knit and took two days. It is made from Barbara's hand dyed wool (Ring a Rosie, Whitley Bay). The blue/violet is merino wool and the pink is wool and silk.

Christmas Knitathon

This is probably the most frustrating thing I have knitted. Like Morecambe and Wise on the piano - all the right notes, just not necessarily in the right order. Please note the lovely giant pink cup which tames the ball of wool.  Alison gave it to me for Christmas but at my time of life I don't really want to be drinking giant cups of liquid.  It is perfect for stopping the wool dancing across the room picking up fluff and crumbs.  (Housework gets slotted in when time allows). When the project is finished it will be a lovely (?) lacy shawl. Watch this space.