The one where she learns to knit ...

I still consider myself relatively new to the whole world of yarn. I taught myself to crochet just over 2 years ago and I am still learning.

 

 

And I love it, I really do.

But I felt the urge to learn something new. A challenge. Something to keep the ol' cerebral pistons and cogs turning and stop the rust from taking hold. Feeling reassured by the whole adventures-in-yarn so far, I decided knitting would be the way to go.

 

Knitting?

I recall that childhood memory of squeaky yarn on needles and triangle-shaped pieces of 'knitting', no matter how hard I tried to make rectangles.

But I had been reassured by the well-lush ShabbyChicSarah (on our recent Instagrannies knit-and-stitch meet-up) that I would, indeed be able to knit. Sarah told me matter-of-fact that not only would I be able to knit, but that I would love it.

Game on, I thought.

And so, armed with some freebie needles (thanks to the also well-lush County Rose) and a book (see below) I began my knitty journey:

Lesson 1: Casting on

 

Hey, I can do it!

 

Lesson 2: Making the knit stitch

 

 

Oh, blinkin' 'eck! MAJOR disaster.

This is actually terrible. I felt a terrible sense of doom and disappointment.

(Naturally I blamed the glass(es) of wine which accompanied me on this lesson.)

 

Lesson 3: Try again with bigger needles, chunkier yarn and TEA, not wine.

 

 

Ahhh, a bit more successfull and I have something which actually resembles knitting.

 

A bit more and I'm trying the purl stitch too.

 

 

 

Buoyed by my new-found yarn-confidence, I try this:

 

 

And this:

 

And this:

 

And I feel genuinely chuffed with my efforts.

I don't really know what to make for real yet; I'm searching out Ravelry and Pinterest for something very easy to get me started (any suggestions gladly appreciated) but I'm really pleased that I've tried.

It may come to nothing and I may decide that it's not really for me, but who knows, eh?

 

Have a great week!

Xx

PS the book I learned to crochet with was this:

'Stitch and Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker' by Debbie Stoller:

 

 

And for knitting:

'Stitch and Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook' also by Debbie Stoller

 

 

I would recommend them both! And I bought them from Amazon.

X

 

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Random crochet

 

We have two children. Eldest aged 6, youngest, 3.

 

And a pushchair, also 6 years old.

 

 

To be fair, it's done rather well considering the years of punishment it has suffered; you know the sort of thing- overloaded with shopping, thrown into the boot of the car, holidaying on airplanes, and the everyday abuse subjected by small people and all their muck.

Oh, and being run over by my 4x4. No kidding - I'd forgotten that I'd left it folded up on the ground and reversed right over it. This was recently too.

 

Sturdy old thing, really.

 

But not pretty.

 

 

No, not pretty. Look at the handles...

Yeuuuck.

They have totally perished and become grossly sticky.

 

 

What to do.....?

What to do.....?

 

 

 

 

 

What would any yarn-y gal do in this situation?

Why, crochet of course!!

 

 

(Actually, this was the Mister's suggestion 'like, why don't you crochet something to cover it?' he says.)

 

Tadaaa!

 

 

 

Hehehe!

These make me laugh.

And they certainly do cheer up my travels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Random, I know.

But good fun, eh?

Have a great week, everyone!

Xxx

 

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Wabbiting around

 

 

Hello to you all in 2013!


 

 

I cannot believe that Christmas has come and gone (as have all the icky bugs) and that the New Year is upon us (and has already settled in and got its feet well and truly under the table).

 

 

 

 

 

I have so much to share with you. I really have been a most busy bunny.

Ahhhh, bunnies. Let's start there.

Last year I made little rabbits from a pattern I found here on the Internet. And very cute they were too.


But I wanted more: Bigger. Longer. Leaner.

And I wanted to use my pompom maker (onto that later).

 

So I had an idea.

 

Some people have asked how I develop a pattern.

I begin with a sketch (and not always a good one at that) one which gets the dimensions right.

I then muck around with the yarn a bit; I sort of know how to make sphere and cone and tube shapes, so I try different things.

There is a lot of frogging at this stage.

And swearing.

And cups of tea.

 

Sometimes I draw an actual sized sketch. This helps with shaping a lot.

 

 

 

 

I try things out for size and try to imagine what the whole piece will look like.

 

 

The most important thing is to keep a track of exactly what I've done, writing down every round of stitches. Every increase and decrease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then I get to a point where I'm happy and the Wabbit is finished.

 

This one is going to be a newborn baby's gift.

Nice. I like it when people buy my little toys and there is a story to tell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And once I've made one, I set about making another, straight away (and then another and another) to test the pattern and check for inaccuracies.

 

This one worked out rather well. I love the Peruvian colour print in this yarn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here he is, finished.

 

This one was bought by a lovely lady who gave it to her little girl. She was then kind enough to send me some photos. So I could see my Peruvian Wabbit being hugged and cuddled, taken for a trip in the buggy and fast asleep with his new owner.

It made my heart sing to know he has a story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fancy making your own Wabbit?

There's patterns a-plenty for everyone in my Etsy shop.

 

Oh and the pompom maker?

Not a necessity, but such fun!!

 

(Incidentally mine is made by Clover and I bought it on eBay)

 

 

 

Have a lovely week.

Xxx

 

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Married

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was truly the most magical day.

The sun shone, the wind blew (a lot) and everybody smiled from start to finish.

Even my 3 year old wore her bridesmaid dress (having refused to even try it on for months).

The church was decorated in a unique Christmassy style (imagine something out of the Vicar of Dibley and you'll be close) with life-size Nativity figures and snowman. And a badger. Yes. Badger.

In contrast, the reception venue at Amberley Castle was amazing. Beautiful and elegant and everything I could have hoped for.

And I laughed like I have never laughed and smiled throughout, happy to be married to my wonderful man.

Xx

 

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Busy ....

I love this time of year but boy, is it bonkers!

 

My Instagram network of buddies has bought in lots of commissions and so I've been up to my eyeballs in Imps: brown ones, red ones, lilac and pink ones...

 

I've made Imps for adults and Imps for children (and enjoyed every minute, I must say).

[If you fancy making your own little Imp, you can buy the pattern from my Etsy shop here]

 

And then, I had a wabbitty-kind-of-idea....

 

And Ooooooo, I LOVES a pompom maker!

What a genius little device!

Perfect for Wabbits:

 

Oh and there's another thing keeping me rather busy at the moment...

... I get married this Friday.

And I cannot wait....

Best wishes to you all for this festive time of year. And do enjoy the bonkerness of it all.

Xx

 

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