Girls Cotton Top

I have now used up the rest of the Sirdar Luxury Soft DK.  I knit a girls version of the sleeveless cotton top.  This would fit someone around age 7/8.

I now have one more top to knit, and that will be one bag emptied from my corner.  Hopefully, it will be done this weekend, but I think I need to get some more white double knit to finish it.  I'll just do as much as I can with what I have until I can get to town.

While  I have been knitting, I have been rearranging the furniture in my mind.  I think I can get a larger table into the room to make it easier for cutting out and piecing fabric.  I have a few projects in mind I want to do, but they may be kept waiting until I can uncover the table from the garage.  I need to get the boys in a good mood first as they will be doing the moving.

Catching Up

Since Sunday, I have been catching up with computer work, paperwork and the housework will have to be next, unfortunately.  In the process, it became obvious that my corner by my seat needs a clear out too.  There seems to  be an accumulation of yarn, so it's a toss up between taking it upstairs and putting it away out of sight, or knitting my way through it.

The second option seems to have won out.  Knitting is easier to do whilst watching the football and Wimbledon.

Yesterday, I finished this girl's top that had come to a standstill when the bamboo arrived.  It's gone from being neglected in the bottom of the bag to a finished item.

I have now done three ponchos and two children's tops, and there are still over two balls left of the Snowflake yarn.  Gaynor, I think it must breed in the bag.

I am going to do another of these tops to fit my friends little girl and then see how much is left.  Before that though, I am using up the remainder of the cotton.  There has to be a bit of variety in the clearing up process.

Friday Night Sew In

..became Friday Night Knit In for me.  By tea time, I had got to the neck shaping on the front of this top and just had to continue until it was finished.

I finished sewing up the seams about half nine, so not a bad day's work. and sewing was involved.

This is knit using Sirdar Luxury Soft Cotton.  This was OK once you got going with the knitting, but it splits very easily.  I wouldn't recommend this for someone new to knitting, it would get very frustrating.  Saying that, I do like the finished result and would probably use it again.

A long time in the planning

Last year, I knitted a waistcoat and was left with nearly three balls of the yarn.  I decided then, that I would knit a bag and felt it.  I've eventually got around to doing it this week, and got a button to finish it.

I made it up as I went along, and, more by luck than judgement, it ended up a decent size after felting.

I knitted a strap which was wide enough to fold in half and turn out to give strength, The back and front was knitted separately with curved corners on the bottom and top. I then did a flap with a buttonhole tab. As there was still wool left over, I made a pocket. Once I had all the component parts, I stitched them together.

I even had enough to do a flower which was sewn onto the handle where it joins to the main bag.

The whole thing was then put through the hot wash with the bedding and this is the finished result.

The Teddies are Breeding

Yesterday, I went into town and bought some more toy filling, so that these two little ones could be finished up.  Although, they are all basically done the same, they all end up with slightly different expressions.  I love doing the heads, especially the ears.

I also did another "Teddy".  The boys weren't happy because the buttons I used only had two holes rather than four.  They reckoned it changed the look of his face.  They will just have to go with it, as all the buttons have come out of my button tins.  I'm using what I've got.

I am not making any more teddies this week, although I do have the yarn to do another style.  I will do that in a few weeks I think.  Time for something different for  a few days at least.

Knitted Teddy

This was another fun knit, and quick to do. The body is all garter stitch and the jumper is knitted separately.  The shoulders are sewn up once fitted, so it is a permanent fixture.  The eyes and nose have been embroidered to make it child friendly.

This is a great way to use up small quantities of leftover yarn.  I think there might be another one appearing soon, I have some pink yarn that needs using up.

Mobile phone holder

I made this to go with the polka dot bag.  The long handle means it can be looped around the handle of the bag, and keeps the phone from being lost at the bottom. 

There isn't much left of this fabric now.  It will be a challenge to work out what to do with the remnants to use it all up.  Looks like there may have to be a bit of patchwork.

Creative Tuesdays-Nook

Noun 1. nook - a sheltered and secluded place

retreat - a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet

This weeks theme for Creative Tuesday was nook.  Using the above definition, I thought of my retreat.  In this house of boys, it's the bath.  I can go and escape, with my cup of tea and a book, and know I can get half hours peace and quiet.

This is my dream Victorian roll topped bath on legs, filled to the top with steaming water with plenty of bubbles.

I was going to add it to  a bag for holding bathroom smellies, but there was a bit of a miscalculation.

I boxed off the corners the wrong way, so I ended up with the seam at the longest side. This meant the stitching wasn't going to be on the facing side, so.......

I ended up with this- it can be a door hanger or a picture.  Maybe next time, I will follow the tutorial and make a fabric basket.

Just Bamboo

I have never knitted with bamboo before, although I have seen lots of patterns that use it.  In town the other week, I saw some reduced and bought a pattern for 50p.  I felt sure, that although the yarn was half price, I would be able to get it cheaper on EBay so I came home and checked.

The yarn arrived on Monday, with a pattern, so I ended up knitting something completely different to what I had intended.  This is knitted using Sirdar Just Bamboo and I love it.  It is so soft and has a lovely drape.

I need to go and block this now, and I still want to knit the pattern I originally bought.  I'm off to see if I can get another packet of yarn at a good price.

Not my choice

The other Saturday, DS1 was bored and wanted to go out.  There were a couple of things we needed, so he went into town.  While there, I asked him to get me some yarn I needed for the poncho's, the yellow yarn.  He came back with "dark yellow", orange to me!  I was going to take it back and exchange it, but in the end decided I would use it. 

This is Little Havana taken from the May '09 issue of Let's Knit.  It is a girls cropped cardigan and will be perfect for summer, if it ever comes.

Whilst waiting for the boys to get up the other morning, so I could get on with things, I made up another pencil case.  This time it is has pencils both sides.

I have some more fabric remnants left, so I may get some more of these done in the coming week.  I am hoping for a day with the sewing machine.

Even more dots

While I was in the fabric shop last week, I spotted this fabric in the bargain bin.  It's perfect for making some more pencil cases.

This time, I attached the binding by machine.  I've never had the confidence to do it before.  I've always attached one side by machine, folded over to hand sew in place.  It certainly made this a lot quicker to stitch.

I have another one prepared to do for pencils, but as I have quite a bit of fabric left, DS1 will get me some more felt tipped pens to do some more.  These are perfect as children's gifts.

Polka Dot Bag

After all the knitting, it was quite refreshing to get the sewing machine out.  I got the white fabric while I was out last week, which meant I had the perfect lining for the polka dot bag.  The straps are long enough to fit over the shoulder.

I did  box corners again, which makes it easier for packing.  It's perfect for those summer days, all we need is some summer.

Now I am getting the hang of making these bags, I am going to try and add pockets.  Keys, purses, and mobile phones always seem to get lost in the depths, so a pocket or two should keep them in order.

Then one became three

As there was plenty of the snowflake yarn left, another two ponchos came off the needles.  I now have them in three sizes.  The largest size, I have used yellow DK, but personally, I think I still prefer it with the white.

The snowflake still hasn't disappeared, so I think there will be at least one other jumper coming in due time.  First, I think I'll have a go at something else.

Poncho

I used to love poncho's when I was a girl, so I was delighted that one of the pattern I had were for poncho's.  What was even better, it was quite easy to knit and, with no sleeves, quick too.

There is still plenty of the yellow yarn left, so I am near to completing a second poncho, the next size up.  Today, I am hoping to get some yellow DK.  I think there is enough of the Snow Flake to do at least another top and poncho.

Amy's BOM-Double Friendship Star

I did it again!  All the pieces were laid out on the table correctly.  I picked up the pieces and checked I was joining them in the right place, but somehow, between getting from the table to the sewing machine and back, the pieces had moved!

It wasn't until after I put everything away, that I noticed the one piece that was the wrong way.  I am thinking of naming the quilt -Spot the Difference!  The difference being, what you see and what it should be!  Oh well, there is always tomorrow.

Amy's BOM-Road to the White House

I think this is one of my favourite blocks so far.  There were less pieces to cut out, and it was a lot easier to put together.  It was lovely to have a block put together in less than an hour.

Looking at the pattern, I did think it would make a good quilt for the boys.  The colours would have to change, but the bold design would be perfect for them.  Maybe, one day!

Quit Knits

A little while ago, I acquired some yarn from Gaynor who had a swap blog going at the time.  Not only did I get a full bag of yarn, but there were some patterns included too.  It's taken a little while, but I have finally started knitting it up.

The yarn is Stylecraft Snowdrift and I just had to add some ordinary DK wool to go along with it.

This little girl's top was the first thing  done, and was very quick to do. I like the way the pattern gives the jumper a scalloped edge.

 I have now started a poncho, though I imagine it will a little longer to complete than this one.

Amy's BOM-Scrap Happy

I managed to keep the boys away from the computer long enough to do another block, and they didn't moan too much.

Looking at the blocks, I sometimes get the feeling they are beyond me, but following the directions, step by step, they seem to come together fairly well.  I like the look of this one.

Before the eagle eyed among you comment, I know there is one piece darker than the others in the central arrows.  I stitched all the end pieces on the right way, (a first) cut of the end and then realised on one piece, I had sewn it to the wrong side of the fabric.  Of course, after cutting, it cannot be turned the other way and the points be in the right direction.  As there was no more of the lighter fabric left,  I had to improvise. 

As the final quilt will be for me, I can live with it as, it is a learning quilt and I am hoping it will get lost amongst all the other blocks.

Well not only did I get computer time, DS1 cooked dinner!  Don't think that will be happening again today.

Jelly Roll QAL-Block 7

I've managed to do the next block on time, something that hasn't happened for a while.  This wasn't too bad to do and I only stitched one of the  pieces the wrong way once!

I now have a week before the next one is due, so I might catch up with some more of Amy's blocks.  Just need the boys to be kind to me and let me have the computer long enough to follow the instructions!