Daisy Cardigan - Ta Dah!!!!

Hello there!! Long time no see.....I know, I know but there you are. Busy little bee and no time to blog but I'm here now and that's the important thing. Even more important is that I have a Ta Dah for you!!!

What do you think?

I made it for the 2 year old daughter of a friend of mine and I used Elle Premier Natural Cotton in rose and grey which I love. The combination came out really well. A kind of vintage old fashioned look with a hint of romance and a smattering of sheen........

Have a look at the picot edging.....

Isn't it gorgeous?  Here's the sleeve edging....

It was a wonderful pattern. A freebie from Ravelry. Here's the link to the Daisy Cardigan pattern. It's by Marie Grace Smith and was very simple. It's top down on circular needles and was my first top down project so it was extra special to get it right first time!!! I'm in love with top down knitting now and intend to do many many garments this way. I love the way you can try it on as you go to make sure it fits and feels just right. Perfect.

There's an adult version of the Daisy Cardigan too. It's called the Lily Cardigan.....

Here's the link to the Lily Cardigan - it may well be my next project. Kinda like that colour too......

Anyway, that's me for now.

Til soon.

x

Book Review : Crochet Borders

Oh my. I got a new book yesterday. It was this.

I'm sure that many of you already have this book as it was first published in 2010 but having made a couple of blankets now and struggled with border patterns, I decided to buy it. I am NOT disappointed as it's gorgeous!!! There are 150 (yes, you heard correctly, one hundred and fifty!!!) crochet border patterns inside all beautifully presented with easy to follow charts as well as written instructions. Here are just a few to give you an idea.......

So pretty.

Interesting and uber vintage!

Compact and tidy. LOVE those colours!!!

Buttons and borders......

How about this to border a Summer Blanket???? Gorgeous.

Well, what more can I say? Just a little taste of the stunning patterns inside this book. If you don't have it on your crochet reference shelf, then get it...today....now! You won't regret it, I promise.

Book details:

Title: Around the Corner - Crochet Borders

Author: Edie Eckman

ISBN: 9781603425384

Amazon link:  Crochet Borders

Til soon.

xxx

Summer Waves and Stitch Markers.....

Oh my goodness. I had so intended to post more often and yet I notice that my last was 30 Aug and here we are on 23 September .... almost a month difference to the day! Still, I'm nothing if not consistent...! (That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!!)

Anyway, on to good stuff. Firstly I've been a bit inventive and (dare I say) a wee bit creative and I've made myself some stitch markers...

I used the Teeny Tiny Flowers pattern from Lucy which you can find here. I had some left over crochet cotton in this rather funky purple and a couple of beading rings left over from some long forgotten beading project and ended up making 4 of these beauties. Here are they being used in my latest knitting project -

I am making my first top down cardigan and am using some cappucinno yarn which goes rather beautifully with the purple, don't you think? Never thought of putting the two together but now that I have I'm loving' it!!!!

If you're interested in what I'm making, it's this Summer Waves Cardigan and you can find the Ravelry link here

Isn't it gorgeous? I needed something light and short sleeved to wear over sleeveless summer dresses when I'm feeling a little conscious of those upper arms (anyone else get those moments?) and also something that can go with jeans on a cool spring or autumn day. I love the simplicity of the style with just a dash of 'girlie prettiness' on the front borders. Exquisite.

I'm off now to make meatballs for D and A but have already got another couple of ideas frothing around in my head for more stitch markers. I think I could get quite into making these little poppets out of all sorts of things, so watch this space!!!

I may just enter my stitch markers into The Made It Challenge over at Woolhogs which is where you'll find Rene's version of the Summer Waves Cardi so pop over if you have time and have a look.

How was your weekend?

Have you created anything beautiful recently?

What are your plans for the week ahead?

Til soon.

x

Things Happen For A Reason....

I am a fatalist. By that I mean that I believe certain people enter our lives for certain reasons and that all things happen for a reason. Let me explain....

A while ago I discovered Kate who has a wonderful blog called Needled. Not only is she the most amazing textile designer and her knitting patterns are lip-smackingly gorgeous, but she is also the survivor of a stroke which she suffered in 2010. I don't know her exact age at the time but I think she was in her twenties. When I first stumbled across her blog I couldn't believe that someone so fit and healthy could suffer a stroke at such a young age. Weren't strokes only for old people? How wrong I was. I read Kate's blog avidly and especially her posts about her stroke and her long and slow recovery. At the time I didn't know why I read them, I just did. With each one that I read I felt more and more humble in the light of what she had suffered. She is so brave and her courage shows through her posts like a beacon to anyone who is recovering from an illness. She takes life one day at a time and revels in small achievements no matter how mundane or insignificant. She is a true inspiration and I often wondered why I found her posts so interesting and enlightening. Now I know.

As I've mentioned before a very close friend of mine suffered a stroke just two weeks ago aged 45. Whilst this cannot be compared to someone in their twenties, it still came as a huge shock to us all. A true 'it took my breath away' moment. As soon as I heard, however, I thought of Kate and her amazing journey and by going back and reading her posts I knew that my friend would come through this just as Kate did. Without the knowledge and detailed descriptions that Kate wrote, I'm not sure that I ever would have understood what my friend has been through but because of her blog I was able to find the strength to support her and her family through this very harrowing time.

I'm pleased to say that she's doing well and is recovering daily. The neurosurgeon has said it can take from 3 months to 3 years to fully recover from the type of stroke she had so it's going to be a long road. All I can say is thank you Kate for 'finding' me and educating me before this event took place. Without your words it could have been much harder to bear.

Was I meant to know about strokes in younger people? Most definitely.
Did I find Kate's blog on purpose through some strange spiritual path? I'm certain of it.
Are these type of 'meetings' coincidental? Not to me.

How do you feel about your life's journey? About the people you've met and why? Can you link certain events in your life to random meetings that at the time made no sense? I dare you to think about it......
Til soon.
x

WIP Update and Running!!!!

Sorry it's been a while...... Things have been pretty hectic around here what with preschool, hockey matches,   junior school plays and the general running around that mums have to do! In amongst all of that a dear friend of mine had a stroke last week and she's only 45!!! Very scary......

Anyway, here's what I've been up to in the few quiet moments that I've had recently. Firstly, remember these lovely things that darling Shelley from all4meggymoo sent me a while ago???

Well, I have procrastinated and pondered, dithered and doodled for weeks and weeks. I've knitted and I've frogged and hooked and ripped until I didn't know whether I was coming or going! You know when you just can't decide on a project, when the yarn is sooooo gorgeous and sooooo beautiful that you want only the most perfect thing to create with it? That's where I was. Eventually tho I put it away and left it for a couple of days then out it came again..... I put a hook in my hand and just went for it and this shawl/wrap is what's emerging.....

It's a very basic pattern (trebles only) but it seems to be creating itself. I can't tell you how thrilled I am because it's like the yarn is deciding what it wants to be without any input from me. It's been so easy too. No  frogging, no mess ups, no nothing. Just hooking merrily away and growing slowly and steadily which I love. I know it's going to be beautiful and I can't tell you how soft this yarn is. It's going to be like wrapping myself in a cloud.... thank you Shelley soooooo much.

On another hooky note, a close friend commented the other day on a crochet blanket I'd made for the preschool where I work .....

It was made of odds and sods and the kids love it! My friend was admiring it and said how much she loved the colours and the whole vintage feel of it so I decided to make her a vintage crochet blanket all of her own. Here's what I've done so far.....

What do you think? Will she like it??? I hope so. It's going to be a giant granny square and I'll just keep going round and round until I'm fed up with it. At the moment I'm totally besotted and could happily do it all day every day! Do you like it?

This week was also quite momentous as I started a running program!!! I've always wanted to run and have tried before but it's never worked out for one reason or another. This time my hubby (he's soooo clever) found a program on the internet where you download podcasts for each week of your training. The podcasts are like having your own personal trainer with you and it guides you through your run with music. The music has the right rhythm for you to run / walk to and they tell you exactly when to run and when to walk. It's more of a jog for me at the moment (no-one could ever describe it as running!) but I'M DOING IT!!!! If you're interested in joining me and want to get fit (they reckon you'll be running 5kms in 9 weeks) then look at this link Couch to 5km - please let me know if you're using it - maybe I'll start a forum somewhere!!!!

Anyway, that's me for now. Hope you're well and enjoying the Summer/Winter wherever you are!!!

Til soon.

xxx

A very different Ta Dah!!!! A knitted uterus!!!!!

I've been asked to knit many different things in my time but nothing quite as bizarre as my latest FO! A knitted uterus...... here it is.

Why would I knit such a thing I hear you ask, well, let me explain..... Here in South Africa we have people called Doulas (pronounced Doolas) who are African midwives. These wonderful women go out into the rural areas and teach women about their bodies and about childbirth. There is still much tribal folklore and superstition wrapped around the miracle of childbirth and it's the Doulas who are trying to educate the rural women so that they have a better understanding of what having babies is really all about.

In order to do this fantastic work they need three dimensional models of the inside of a women's body. They need to show these women (most of whom do not read or write) how the baby grows inside the body and then makes its way out. They could use pictures but these would not clearly show how the whole process takes place whereas a knitted uterus, cervix and vagina are perfect!!! The Doula can use the model with the vagina piece attached to the cervix and then remove it to show how the cervix dilates when the baby begins to emerge.

A friend of mine knows a Doula who is training other women to be Doulas and she asked if I could make a knitted model so she could show her students. I've finished the first one but am sure she'll ask me to make more which I'm only too glad to do. The Doulas of South Africa are doing a fabulous job in educating and helping many hundreds of women who would otherwise remain in the dark about how children are born and I'm proud to be associated to them.

I'll bet many of you have never seen a knitted uterus so I hope you've enjoyed the experience!!!

Till next time.

x

Finally....some FOs!!!

There were times over the last couple of months when I really felt that none of my WIPs would ever be finished! Do you get those feelings too? When you've got a ton of ideas flying around inside your head, various projects on hooks and needles strategically placed around your house and yet nothing ever seems to 'come together' ???? Am I alone in this or is it a common crafters lament?

I have good news tho. At last, things have 'come together' and I seem to have had a finished object to love and cherish every day this week. Let me elaborate.....

Remember these?

I think I called it the Circus Hexagon Blanket. Well, it's finally become this.

What do you think? I wasn't sure how it was going to work whilst I was doing it but I just kept adding more hexies until I got to the size I wanted. Then the question of squaring it off with half hexies cropped up but I decided I really liked the quirkiness of the edge so I just did a quick edging in yellow and there it was!!! I know many of you will hate the lopsided look but I think it's gorgeous! I'm giving it to a very good friend of mine who has just had her second baby and I know she'll love it as she adores all things retro! FO 1 - done.

Seeing as it's Winter here I decided to have a go at making some fingerless gloves. These are really good for me as when I'm on playground duty at school I can still do up buttons and zips on little coats and jackets but my hands stay nice and snug! 

It's a pattern that I've had for ages and I really can't remember where I got it from but I'll post it if anyone is interested in making them.  I made them slightly longer than normal gloves but on the pattern the girl is wearing a pair almost up to her elbows!!!! FO 2 - done.

A few weeks ago my Mum came to stay with us and she bought down one of her spare hot water bottles. I'm not sure why because I have an electric blanket but there must have been a reason which made sense at the time. Anyway, the cover on the bottle was years old - one my Mum had knitted way back when - so I decided to make her a new one. I LOVED this project and it was such fun to do. It used up all my bits and pieces that I simply cannot throw away so if you have lots of scraps then this is the project for you! 

The front

The back

Close up of the stitches (doubles, trebles, treble clusters and bobbles)

Don't you love it??? It's given that old bottle a completely new lease of life and now I really want to use it despite the fact that I have an electric blanket..... FO 3 - done!

Those are my FOs so I hope you like them. I've also got this on my needles at the moment.

No, it's not a giant tutu for a remake of the Black Swan! In fact, it's a shawl that I've made up from scratch and although the colours don't really show up, it's a deep purple base (the colour of a good bruise!) which is self-patterning so it changes shade as you knit. It goes from really dark to two paler shades and then to white with a hint of lilac. It's very pretty, believe me. It's an Elle Escapade yarn called Mulberry Burst (isn't that a great name for a yarn?) and you can see it here.

I took this next pic to show you how sometimes the shading changes are very subtle and other times sudden and dramatic.

The scalloped edge is Fan Fair from Nicky Epstein's book Knitting On The Edge and here's a close up.

If you like knitting and making up your own patterns then this book is a MUST. It's full of inspiration and Nicky does things with yarn that I didn't think was possible!!!

So that's what I've been up to. My favourite is the hot water bottle cover but the shawl is growing on me..... literally!

Til soon.

xxx