Author Archives: Jenny Stilwell

I am going to be a nanna

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I have some amazing news, well it’s amazing for me. My daughter is expecting our first grandchild in late April/early May next year. Yes she was the other family member I spoke of previously. I have lots of knitting and sewing planned and aim to make complete outfits. I will knit a cardigan and sew two or three outfits to be worn with it. My daughter told me when she was 6 weeks when she came round with “food poisoning” to be looked after by mum. I put her to bed and ironically for the first time in two weeks didn’t ask her if she was pregnant. As well as being excited with the prospect of becoming Nanna Jen I am so very pleased for her and her husband. I really want to get stuck in and get the baby bits started but I must concentrate on Christmas gifts first. Although I have been buying some fabric for the baby as I  will be making the cot bumper , quilt and play mat, as well a few bibs

I have recently come back from holiday where I managed to finish Fetching and do some more on a girls comforter. THe A-Z 2011 is going quite well and I stand a good chance of finishing it. Pictures will follow shortly

It’s baby season

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Baby season has arrived and I now have three, possibly four people I know that are with child. With this in mind I immediately started going through my numerous baby books and deciding what to knit. There are so many gorgeous knitting patterns that I am having a tough time deciding which one to do first. I cant wait to start raiding the stash properly to knit all these quick knits . I’ve already started with an impulse baby knit. In The Knitter issue 36 there is lovely mini layette designed by Sarah Hatton called Cherish in Rowan wool cotton. A great quick fix for a finished item, so far I have knitted the hat and one mitten in a blue grey Rowan Wool Cotton.
As I can be prone to do I was panicking about getting lots of baby bits done as well as the Christmas knitting when I had a lightbulb moment to replace the doh moment. The first baby is due in February so the baby bits can wait until after the christmas knitting is done. I am still working on the A-Z for the year which Cherish threw off track a bit. I have a few possibilities for the remainder of the alphabet before 2012 so hopefully my aim will be achieved. I have 4 sets of gloves, scarves and hats to make for Christmas so it’s time to get knitting

Knit Nation 2011

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Yesterday I had a fantastic time at Knit Nation. Stashbusting went out the window and more luscious yarn was purchased. I did get almost everything on my shopping list and of course a bit more.

There was only one yarn on my shopping list and ironically it’s the only thing on my list I didn’t get. It was mainly needles as I need to get another sock circular in various sizes and a couple of pairs of tips for my Knit Pro. I needed a 9mm and 10 mm tip but as they are sizes I don’t use a great deal I decided to try the Spectrum points which I bought from www.kraftykoala.co.uk.

At www.brownberryyarns.co.uk I bought all my Hiya Hiya mini circulars. There were about seven sizes I needed and later in the day when I got fed up with losing stitches off my DPNs I went back and bought a 40cm circular to continue knitting it. I was going to take my Mystery Cushion knitting but decided to take a couple of small items I wouldn’t have to think about. I knitted the Snowflake hat from Making magazine except for the swiss darning and a small purse from Knitting magazine. Coincidentally both projects I took with me were designed by Erika Knight.

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At last it’s the phot of my haul from Knit Nation

It’s here

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Why do all the lovely knitting bits come at the same time. Yesterday my members copy of the Rowan magazine 50 arrived. It truly is a thing of beauty. The postman knocked whilst I was on my way out and handed me a cardboard covered package. I looked at it and thought it can’t be can it? Rowan 50 wasn’t due until 15th July. I decided it must be , excitement took over and I ripped open the cardboard. I was so excited I couldn’t sit down I was running around the front room saying OMG its gorgeous. I semi calmed down and looked at each page, taking in the beautiful photography ,scenery and of course the amazing designs. There is so much I like in this issue. Some I adore but won’t wear as they won’t suit me and at least six I love and aim to knit.
I am a book worm and the dark grey with gold lettering hardcover is something to behold I wish all my Rowan magazines came like this. Can you imagine how good a shelf of these would look.

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Then the following day the latest issue of Knitting magazine arrived with a gorgeous coat with matching collar/cowl by designer Jo Sharpie in Rowan British Sheep Breeds Undyed  as well as a lovely pair of cotton wristwarmers by Sarah Hazell. I plan on making the coat as I can wear it to work and have it on the shop floor to show off the yarn. I need to knit Cordial from Rowan 50 first though

Mystery Cushion 2011

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I recieved my mystery cushion parcel at the beginning of June and it has an interesting mix of colours. All the yarn is from Rowan, most of it is Belle by Amy Butler Organic Wool Cotton DK. All the previous mystery blankets I have knitted, I have given away as gifts but this cushion is a keepeer. As soon as I finished the  first square I knew I had to keep it. The swiss darning has yet to be sewn on the first square but it still looks good. Debbie Abrahams is such a great designer. I would never have thought to put those colours together. I am also knitting this years Mystery Blanket but have only knitted the first square. My plan is to stay on top of the cushion squares and then knit as many of the blanket squares as possible before the new Rowan magazine is realeased. Hopefully I’ll be up to date by then. Unlikely but as ever optomistic

Yarn Package for mystery cushion 2011

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The Big Knit 2011 begins

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Worldwide Knitting in Public Day, Sat 11th June, marked the official woolly launch of this year’s innocent Big Knit and they need your help.
They want to raise £160k this year for Age UK by knitting 650,000 little hats which will go on Innocent smoothie bottles and be sold in stores in November. For every little hat knitted, they’ll give 25p to Age UK to help them make winter a little warmer for older people across the UK.  They need your help to reach this huge target – they have 3 different patterns to start you off and there will be lots more going up on our website very soon.  You can find the patterns by searching innocent’s Big Knit on ravlery and the pdfs will also be going up on the website next week
Every hat counts- so why not get together with your Knitting chums and make a few hats for innocent’s Big Knit?

I’ve knitted these previous years and they don’t take long and are great for using up the smallest scraps of yarn.

Back in the swing of it

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My sewing table is clear so I finally got down to some serious sewing. I made two sample bags for a workshop next month in some Amy Butler fabric, altered one of my dresses and even managed to hem my nans trousers for her. I did a perfect blind hem only to discover I’d sewn it the wrong way around. I guess it’s true what they say practice makes perfect!
I also finally started this years mystery blanket from Debbie Abrahams. Still only on the first square but am enjoying using the different yarns. This last week I knitted a lovely work colleague a hat & mittens. Photos will be uploaded once I’ve given her them

It’s finished

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Well I am pleased to announce that Dominika from Rowan Knitting Magazine 48 is finally finished, well all bar the blocking and sewing. I also decided that as the knitted fabric was so nice I want to line it. In my stash I have the perfect fabric colour wise and have cut it out ready . The sleeve linings will be in a plain lining fabric as I didn’t have enough of the Cotton. One front and the back have been blocked so once the rest is done I can sew it all together. Hopefully this will happen before Monday but I’m not going to rush it so we shall see. I really enjoyed knitting this and love the yarn. Rowan Felted Tweed Aran a dream to knit with. My only minor complaint is that I’m not over keen on the moss stitch top of the sleeve.