Baby blues!

Apologies for the lack of blogging. I've a rotten cold and have had tonsilitis. I thought my cold had gone but its come back with avengence to add sinutis and teeth ache. On a more positive note I've finished my baby knitting for my friend and here are the finished articles.

One Completed Prom Dress !

It's all finished. Butterflies completed and stitched. Sparkly shoes have arrived too.

I've ordered some lovely rowan felted wool in violet. My next big summer project for the holidays is going to be Rowan 's hawthorn cape. I can't wait ...

Sparkly butterflies

Still finishing off knitting my pink cardigan.

I have made some sparkly butterflies though. I cut out 10 butterfly shapes from the taffetta. Ive singed the edges with a candle. I've then sewn sequins on the top one laving a small gap on the body. I used silver thread to sew the bottom layer and sewn the two together along the back, pinching the back in to make the wings 3d. Ive made 5 to attach to the prom dress.

My personal sewathon?!

I've had a great making week but back to work tomorrow ! I set myself a challenge this week of making Beth's prom dress and two summer dresses for myself and I finished !!!!  The dress is lovely I'm so pleased, it was hard work but looks beautiful and Beth will look fab in it. I'm not going to post a picture yet as I want to completely finish it. I just have to make some silvery butterflies to attach to the front instead of the ribbons and roses. It is view D and its in a lovely pink/lilac two tone taffeta. We decided not to put any net on the upper bodice, just on the skirt.
The hardest part I found was attaching a net ruffle to the slip lining. There was so much to ruffle and then to get it at the right height half way up the skirt with the right amount of gathers drove me bananas but I got there in the end. I will post a photo soon when the butterflies are done. Here is the pattern image though. I started Tuesday and finished Friday night.

Saturday and Sunday were spent making my two summer dresses. I loved Beth's so much I made one for myself (although we have made an agreement not to wear matching dresses at the same - we are not that sad!).  Then it was onto a Kaffe Fassett Millefiore Orange one. It looks beautiful as a shirred sundress.

Fancied a change!

I fancied a change after all my knitting. I'm nearly finished on my pink cardigan just finishing the main part and one more sleeve. It's taking me ages but will be worth it. I 'm still going to have loads of wool left so looked up a couple of crochet patterns to maybe use the remainder up.

I've also looked at Pom Pom rugs after my friend Angela told me about them. They look lovely I found one on google that looks like a fluffy marshmallow. I'm not sure I'd have the patience though for making all those Pom poms!

Anyway I've tried shirring for the first time. I bought some lovely feather fabric by MAKOWER and started it yesterday. I'm definitely hooked. I've made a summer dress for Beth, a nightie for myself using some Sarah Kay fabric I've had years and am now onto two little girl dresses. It's so rewarding and a bit compulsive!

 

 I'm thinking of doing one for myself soon in some Kaffe Fassett fabric I found.

Knitting away !!

First of all I gave my embroidery present on Saturday but disaster struck - after it was all wrapped up I realised I had forgotten to take a picture of the finished article so will have to get my mum to take one and send to me. I will post it some time soon.
I've started on my main body cardi now. I haven't done much as I had parent evening meetings last week and was late in. I've started but its so fine it doesn't knit up very quick

 Body part lace

Anyway I thought I would share with you my beginning attempts at hexi puffs. It's from Stephanie Dosem Tiny Owl Knits for the Bee Keepers Quilt. They are along term project that I started just before Christmas. The idea is you slowly fill up a basket with your hexi puffs made from wool oddments. after a few years you hopefully have enough to join the corners and make a quilt - I love it. I m making it in the hope that one day, probably in many years to come we will be able to have our own narrow boat and this will feature on our bed - we may even retire or downsize  to one instead of a conventional house !  Here is the link to Stephanie Dosen

http://tinyowlknits.wordpress.com/the-beekeepers-quilt/

Stephanie Dosen The Bee Keepers Quilt

One sleeve and body to go !

Managed to complete a sleeve this week. Not much else to report as a very busy week. Didn't even make it to craft group :( anyway here is my completed sleeve ;) it's such a fine yarn that it's very slow going but should be worth it when finished. My Rowandean was completed by the framer. I will endeavour to post a piccy sometime this week or next before I give it away :0 !

Teddies and lacy summer cardi's

Not sure how much I'll get done this week as I feeling worn out. I managed six teddies for my blanket and a few rows of my throw. Here is one of my teddy squares -pre embroidery.

I decided to start my summer cardigan. I completed another late December in orange. This time I'm going for pink !

 
It's from Louisa Harding 'Little Cake' and is called Oaksike. This is the beginning of my pink summery one. 

Good news too, my embroidery was ready for collection last Friday but haven't managed to collect it yet. Hopefully I wil get there before closing tomorrow. 

Finished!!!!

I've finished, I'm so pleased. I broke the back of what I had left to finish yesterday. Today I just had to finish half the mountains tonight. Now it's ready to go to the framers on Wednesday, hopefully to be ready for the 26th.

I wanted to post my other one that I completed last year. Another Rowandean it's called 'Footpath to Quarndon'

It's really lovely, the colours are beautiful and the foxgloves are a mixture of embroidery and shredded stitched chiffon. 

Just a short post tonight. Up early to fit in a hospital appointment before work to collect my pair of glamorous compression over the knee stockings. Hopefully an improvement on my knee high ones. 

My beautiful mohair throw is coming along and I've started my blue cotton Debbie Bliss teddy blanket. Although the cotton I bought on the cone is not the easiest to knit with. I'm going to make it a fairly small blanket. Then I'll probably use the rest to crochet up a pattern from one of my Nostalgic Peter Pan Crochet pattern books. 

Nite ...

Colour variation

The Rowandean kits vary between colour. The top left is the original.  They are both lovely. I think 'Footpath to Quarndon' is stunning made up. I will post it in my next blog. 

Spot the cheeky cat;)

Nearly there!

Such a demanding and tiring week at work.  I found it so helpful to do my embroidery to take my mind off work. Although I was absolutely knackered. Anyway almost finished my Rowandean i just have the mountains and foreground tree to finish - so nearly completed.

 I bought some Drops Safran wool for my proposed Debbie Bliss Baby blanket. I want to make it in 4 ply blue cotton with the brown teddies for my friend's daughter's new baby Charlie ! I'm going to adapt it slightly though by knitting the motifs separately and then crocheting them together.
I finished some other baby patterns from Debbie Bliss for my mum's friend - who is a new granny.

  Excuse the cat she wouldn't budge!

My other ongoing project is 'The Bee Keeper's Quilt' from Stephanie Dosen. I love her knitting patterns and at Christmas treated myself to her book. I am so spoilt for choice but might make some felted antler hats for next Christmas later in the year.

Making Good Progress!
I have really made good inroads with my embroidery this weekend, especially today whilst watching the brilliant film "Little Miss Sunshine" (so funny).  I have definitely broken the back of it. I am trying to finish it within the next two weeks so I can take it for framing ready to give as a present.

 In the meantime my daughter and I started needle felting just before Christmas and I thought I'd post a couple of things I made as presents.

Not quite sure what the correct terminology would be - a riot of robins maybe?! They can be very territorial and bossy ;)

Two little owls on a branch which was my secret Santa for a knitting colleague who loves owls. 

Anyway I actually went from absolute beginner to absolutely making myself sick of it as ultimately I did too much too soon and basically put myself off needle felting ! 20 robins and various other little projects has left me without the felting bug for a bit. That and having to be on warfarin for a while,   Warfarin and needle felting needles def do not mix well!

I also made a Martin Storey design cushion which I really enjoyed making as a present. I really admire Martin Storey designs and was interested to read about him in one of the Rowan magazines.

Latest embroidery and knitting project

I finished two of these lovely projects two years ago but have decided to do another for a present. I'm just under half way and am aiming to finish in spring. I have other things on the go too, I m afraid. I always finish things eventually and like to start new things when I'm motivated. At the minute I'm working on a beautiful throw kit which I bought from a lady displaying at the Bakewell Wool Fest. I do this one if I'm feeling a bit tired and save the embroidery for when I more awake !

My throw kit from the wool Fest at Bakewell, from a lovely lady, Meg. 

My previous kit from Rowandean, my second is underway ! I also did 'Footpath to Quarndon' which I'll post another time.