Monday 30 December 2019

Floral Finch Cushion


At the beginning of June this year I went to the Farnham Maltings festival of textiles - Thread.  So many lovely things to choose from, so along with some lovely buttons I bought myself a cross stitch kit to make a cushion.

I've used aida before, but never linen, so I was a little nervous, but I loved the look of it so had to have a go.  The kit was from bobostitch and had everything I could possibly want including a little booklet explaining all the stitches and how to read the pattern etc.
Once I got started it was really straight forward, so I've just been plugging away at it in between all the other things that have been going on.

While I loved the cross stitch I didn't enjoy the outlining so much.  However the finished cushion looks amazing and I'm so pleased with it.  It sits very nicely with my chicken cushion in the big arm chair.


It's a lovely way to finish the year, and I'm looking forward to deciding what project to start 2020 with.

Saturday 14 December 2019

A Pair of Bears

This summer I met up with some old friends who I haven't seen for ages.  
One of them bought her 2 little boys, Dylan and Franklyn, with her.  I'm not really a kids sort of person, but I was really impressed with them.  They were very well behaved considering they had had quite a journey to get to us and then had to sit with 5 ladies that they didn't know, talking about boring adult stuff.

So I decided to knit them a pair of Herman bears.  I choose 2 dark colours as I know what can happen with a loved toy and I don't want them to be put away and not played with because they 'might get dirty'. 

To try and make the noses a bit better I used triangles of felt.  Better than my other attempts but still not quite right.
I sent them off this week.  I hope they will arrive in time for Christmas and they like them.

Saturday 2 November 2019

Paprika Mustard Classic Knitted Cardigan in Platinum


So earlier this year I knitted myself a cardigan.  It went well but I wasn't sure about the colour and then my Mum saw it so it found another home.  But I still wanted a cardigan, and with a new job coming up and a little time off I suddenly had some time to have another go.


This time I used King Cole Glitz Chunky in platinum.  It's a lovely light grey with silver flecks and it's really soft.  Going up from Aran to Chunky made the cardigan a little bigger too, which I love.  


At the last Thread festival at the Farnham Maltings I had come across some beautiful butterfly buttons by Kate Holliday.  They are ceramic with butterflies printed? on them.  They are so wonderful I bought 8 with this cardigan project in mind.


 While I was happy with the purple cardigan, I absolutely LOVE this one.  Its exactly what I was aiming for and it's soft, warm and comfortable and will look great over a dress or jeans.  I am so glad I had another go.


Saturday 26 October 2019

Another Knitting Thimble


Last year I created myself a knitting thimble to protect my poor finger while knitting a big project.  It's been invaluable, but I've finally knitted through it and needed to create myself a new one. 
The original had used old chamois leather but I had run out so I bought a new chamois leather and tried that.  But while it was soft and beautiful, it was also very thin, distorted easily and didn't offer much protection.


So I had a little think and wondered if I combined the leather with some fabric if that would do it? I used a little off cut of cord fabric from some trousers I made a couple of years ago.  I used PVA to stick them together then sewed it to the right size.
It works like a dream.  And being a little stiffer if doesn't keep falling off my finger.
I need to use it a bit more to see how it changes as I use it, but I think I've found a good combination.  And my finger is happy again.

Sunday 20 October 2019

A Matching Cardigan and Bear


In August I finally finished knitting myself a cardigan.  I wasn't sure about the colour, but then my Mum saw it and she was sold!  So I got it finished off in time for her birthday.   


Of course it needed buttons, but what it really needed was a little bear to hide in the pocket. I've finally worked out how to knit him in the round without having to turn him inside out.  I just need to work on my bear faces now.  They are a bit hit and miss.


She was absolutely delighted, especially when she put her hand in the pocket and came across a little purple bear.  Everyone loves a bear.

Sunday 13 October 2019

Lino Printing


At the beginning of the summer I was taking the rubbish out when the front door slammed shut behind me.  I didn't have a key and my phone was inside.  Doh!  'im outdoors has just left on an errand and I wasn't sure when he would be back.  So what to do?  There isn't any side access to the house, but I wondered if I could get into the garden from next door?  I rang their bell and hoped someone was in.
June answered.  Of course I could try her back gate.  But that didn't work.  Maybe her husband could help but he was out walking the dog.  While we waited for him to get back we chatted and she ended up showing me her sheds.
June was a fabric artist who was also a printer.  She doesn't do so much now but she showed me all her stuff and I was quite jealous. 
(her husband was able to get me back into my garden and so into the house.)


I'd told June about my paper making, so a couple of weeks later I put some of my paper through her door as she'd sounded interested.  She thought it was amazing and asked if I'd like to try some printing.  I jumped at the chance.
We finally found a date that worked for us both and she told me to bring some simple line drawings that we could turn into a print.


As it was my Mum's birthday that week and she lives by the sea, I was inspired to try and make a print for a birthday card featuring a seagull.
We went down to Junes shed and she showed me her equipment and what to do.  Her shed is perfect.  It smells like an art shop, full of ink and paper and tools and odds and ends.  I have a room that is trying to be like this but I have a way to go before it is as good as June's shed.


We started by preparing the lino square with a light sanding.  I then drew my design on in pencil.  This requires some thought as you have to think hard about what you want to show in black (or whatever colour you are using) and what should be white.  Also any lettering has to be the wrong way round to come out right in the print.


With the lino all cut away then came the messy part - printing.
First we had to decide which ink to use.  Damp and heat and cold can all change how an ink behaves so it's a bit trial and error.
We also had to decide how to press the print.  We could use a big press or hand burnish it.  Both have their pros and cons.
After a couple of test prints we got the combination right and printed my square.


First we used a piece of plain white paper.  Then we tried some of my garlic paper, lastly a piece of paper with a different texture.
I can't believe how well it came out.  The letters read fine, the bird looks great and the textured background puts me in mind of sea and wind.  Its such a clear print, I keep having to look at it again and remind myself - I made that.  
Once the ink was dry I cut the paper down and stuck it to a bigger piece of card to make a birthday card.  My Mum loved it.
I'm really inspired now and I'm starting to think about what else I could do like this.  Christmas cards maybe?  (but not this year!)

Saturday 21 September 2019

Garlic Paper part 2


In 2015 I made my first batch of paper using garlic skins.  I loved it so much I started collecting them again straight away so I could make some more at some point - garlic skins being very small and fine you need a lot of them to make paper and collecting that amount takes some time. So some 3 1/2 years later, with a big bag full, I decided it was time to try again.


It really is beautiful stuff.  I love the look and feel. I made a good batch this time and just need to press it flat before I can use it.  I made a mixture of A4, A5 and A6 sheets, so I should be able to find some uses for it.

Saturday 14 September 2019

Chester the Bashful Bunny


At the beginning of the year I made Herman the enigmatic bear.  He was tricky to make because he was so small, but that was also his charm.  So when I found there was a bunny pattern too, I wanted to try it out!
Again Chester was tricky because he is small, but I also love that he is that small.  He was also easier to make as I had a better idea of what I was doing this time.  
Annoyingly I messed up one of his ears - it's inside out, but I think it has helped me realise why I've been having trouble with my knitting-in-the-round.  So after some research it seems that if you use the back needle, which I do when using circular needles, then the right side of the knitting will be inside, however if you use the front needle, which I do when using DPNs, then the right side will be on the outside.
So switching between the different types of needles meant that sometimes the right side was inside and sometimes outside.  Now I understand why I can try again and see if it makes any difference to my knitting.
I look forward to having another go.    

Saturday 31 August 2019

Coco Top


In 2015 I made my first dress.  It was Tilly and the Buttons Coco Dress and I still wear it now.  But I loved the idea that you could also make a top using the same pattern and have been on the look out for nice material ever since.
You can't really see it in the photos but this sweatshirt material is glittery!  With super soft fluff in the inside.  


So on a really hot bank holiday weekend I decided to make a nice warm top ready for the autumn!  It actually went really well as all the templates were ready cut from making the dress.  The only thing that really slowed me down was the front pocket as I had to design that for myself.  In the end I was inspired by the pocket on my dhb sports top.  Using ribbon to edge it makes a pretty little detail.
I'm really pleased with it.  I just need some cooler weather to wear it in!


Friday 16 August 2019

Paprika Mustard Classic Knitted Cardigan


I love to wear a dress, but you need a nice cardigan to go over the top, or at least I do as I'm always cold.  But I couldn't find one that I liked - they were all too thin and short.  So I started looking at patterns instead and came across the Paprika Mustard Classic Knitted Cardigan and fell in love.  It can be as long as you want and it has pockets and it can be any colour too!


It's taken me ages to make though.  I started knitting around Easter time and it went quite well but then I got stuck on how to do the sleeves and worked on the Woven Wonder Cushion until I could work it out.  Of course once I did work it out they were easy!
And now its finished, except for some buttons.


I think I need to block it out as it sits a little funny in places, but otherwise I'm very happy.  Firstly it actually fits which is a great achievement.   If I do it again I might make the sleeves a little longer but otherwise I'm very pleased with it.


Also I'm not 100% sure about the colour.  It's a Sirdar Supersoft Aran.  I do love a purple, but this is quite bright.  I'd like to try it again in maybe a teal or a storm gray.
I love the pockets.  Again I couldn't get my head round them until I did it, then they were easy! 
It's definitely a classic for my wardrobe.

Sunday 14 July 2019

Gorgeous Cakes - part 29


This week I was back cooking from the Gorgeous Cakes book, an Upside-down Apricot Cake. I had to wait for fresh apricots to be available before I could have a go at making this pretty simple cake.  The sponge is quite lemony and dense and I'm not sure how it will last the week, even in the fridge.  It's also quite sticky so taking it to work will be interesting too.  Still it tastes nice so not all bad.

Verdict:

Sunday 7 July 2019

Woven Wonder Cushion


I love making cushions so when I came across a pattern for an entrelac knitted cushion I had to have a go!  The best thing about this cushion is that it was free.  The pattern was a free download and the wool was all from my stash.  The only thing I had to buy was the cushion insert.


It might look super complicated, but once I got my head round what I needed to do, it was actually quite a simple pattern.  And because of the way it's knitted the only sewing up was sewing the back and front together. 
I love how its turned out and it sits very well with the other cushions.  If I keep this up there won't be any room on the window seat for Milo.

Saturday 29 June 2019

Shorts - re imagined

In 2017 I attempted to make myself some new shorts for sleeping in.  But when I added the waist band it kinda went wrong and I ended up giving up.
Last year when it was so hot all summer I really needed to try this project again, but because I wasn't sure how to take it forward I kept putting it off and putting it off, until it was getting cold again and there wasn't any point. 


I had Friday off work this week and had been planing to make myself a sweatshirt, having found some lovely material, but it didn't really seem appropriate in a heat wave, so I dug out the pattern for the shorts I made last time and had a think about how to improve them.


Once I got started it really wasn't that hard.  And I made sure to write everything I did down, so I can easily make them again (if they turned out OK).
I'm not sure about the material, it was in a sale somewhere so cheap but not that soft.  I'm hoping wearing and washing will sort that out, but now I have a pattern that works I don't mind spending a bit more on nice material.
And I have a few ideas on how to tweek the patter to make it even better, but all in all I'm chuffed and relieved to finally have finished this project!
I just have to try sleeping in them to see if they really work.

Friday 31 May 2019

A New Lunch Bag


I've been taking my lunch to work with me for years now.  Most recently in this tatty plastic bag.  Mostly it gets shoved into my big bag, but its useful in case there isn't room as it has handles. 
However the blue colour comes off on everything (including my work laptop - don't tell) and a couple of weeks ago I put my finger through it as I tried to force it into an already over stuffed bag.


So I decided to make myself a replacement.  I found some rip-stop nylon on the web in a lovely shade of purple - this is really light weight but durable.  Then I just needed some time to put it together - a cool May Bank holiday was perfect.


I didn't have to do much except copy the bag I was already using.  So I cut out a paper template then cut out my material and sewed it all together. 


With the body put together I added the handles and now have myself a lovely light weight bag which takes my lunch boxes perfectly.  It only took me a morning and hopefully it will last much longer than the tatty plastic bag.