Category Archives: knitting

It’s finished

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It’s been another busy month and I didn’t get as much sewing done as I wanted but I did manage a fair bit of knitting. I knitted a cotton vest top and vintage dress for the new baby and the big news is that I completed Eldora. I really like the patterns and love the colours I have chosen, although I wasn’t such a fan of the sewing in of the ends. For once I have a top whose length is perfect for skirts. I really like the Cotton Glace and will be using it again when I try and finish Debbie Abrahams Mystery cushion from 2012.

 

 

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New Year Craft Resolutions

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I have a large stash. No that’s not right I have a few large stashes. Fabric, yarn, buttons, embroidery they are all there. 2014 is the year I get these stashes down. I know it’s been said before but if I can’t make your present you’re not getting one. I aim to make my Christmas presents early log them on Ravelry with a note about the secret safe place I have hidden them. If I see a project I want to make, if I haven’t got the materials needed I can’t make it. My Christmas list for 2014 is already written with the age children will be beside their name.

I also aim to sell a large amount of my stash off. I will be giving friends first option but the other bits I don’t like or am never likely to use will be sold. I have written a list of all the yarns I want to keep which is probably a little longer than it should be. I want to keep all my non acrylic lace, 4ply, DK and Aran weight balls and anything with Alpaca. I also want to keep a lot of my good quality sock yarns and all my Rowan Felted Tweed, Cotton Glace, Hand knit Cotton, Wool Cotton, Big Wool and Pure Wool. I will be selling all my acrylic, novelty yarns, bulky yarns and what I call stranded cottons. Ranges like Sirdar soft cotton or Rowan Milk Cotton which looks as if you could pull it apart for embroidery.

I plan to sew my way through at least one 35 litre box of fabric and will probably be making little girls dresses in sizes that are too big for them. Last year in Liberty I bought a knicker making kit which I am eager to try to make some for my daughter. The fabric that comes with it is quilting cotton and a little stiff for my liking but I will use this for the first pair and then use Liberty Tana Cotton for the rest.

Watch this space to see how I do.

Happy New Year one and all

Shopping from the stash

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After sorting through my knitting books to see which ones I should keep I decided to reorganise my children and baby knitting books. As my grandson is 16 months old I have put them in age order so that I can knit patterns from the books with the smaller sizes first. I really want to knit two sweaters from Zoe Mellors Nursery Knits but as this goes up to age three I am starting with the patterns in Little Rowan. All of these patterns are knitted in 4ply so I went to the stash cupboard and found some gorgeous RYC Cashcotton. I had red and a lovely royal blue. I gave the balls to my grandson who decided on the blue.
georgie porgie
I am still working on Jo Stories Ash in Rowan British Sheep Breeds chunky. this should have been a really quick knit because it is all knitted in garter stitch on large needles. I however get bored knitting garter stitch so this has been delegated to be my knitting group project, as truth be told I can’t do much more than garter stitch when at knitting group. I only have the front to do now so it may be finished by the end of the year

Busy , busy, busy

jenny stilwell, knitting, sewing Leave a comment

It’s been a busy few months. One might even use the word hectic.
I’ve done lots of crafting, been on a mini holiday, caught up with friends and family and lots of work.
There’s also been lots of time spent with my wonderful grandson who is becoming even more of a character.
Sewing seems to have the main craft over the last few months although I still got lots of knitting done.
Although I have made lots from my stash I have made a few bits for work which I used new fabric for. I made some project bags from the gorgeous Rowan laminate. My favourite is the blue one which is an Amy Butler Alchemy design,there is a matching cotton fabric so I used this to line my project bag. It’s not like standard oilcloth it is much softer and as it is designed for sewing it goes through the machine easily and is soft. I really enjoyed making them the only problem was that I ended up buying some to make presents with.

I also made a cover for my Filofax. As much as I am fairly tech savvy I still prefer a paper diary. I used all my odd bits of fabric to create a patchwork piece of fabric big enough to make the cover. It was a very random pieces of patchwork no two bits were the same. I them experiment with my machine and embroidered various stitches randomly over the fabric. Before I did the embroidery I appliqued a tulip from Amanda Addisona

I normally think too much about the placement of pieces so this free form patchwork was a nice change.

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Do you think they noticed.

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Today is knit group. As usual I was rushing around before hand and on leaving I just grabbed the bags I had been using at various times this week. As it is a bit chilly I also wore my snuggly big wool sweater with the heart. Whilst waiting for the others to arrive I spread my bags out to save the seats. I got my first project out and that’s when it hit me. I have five hand crafted bags with me. Do you think anyone would realise I’m a crafter?

A change of scene

debbie abrahams, jenny stilwell, knit, knitting, rowan, Uncategorized Leave a comment

If this period of waking up in the middle of the night keeps up I may have to think about finding a night job instead of a day job. The only good thing about being wide awake in the wee hours is that I get to catch on on my knitting , television and maybe read a book. On the needles at the moment is still the Building Blocks blanket for baby Jones. I have just finished the fourth of seven strips and am really pleased with the way it looks. However, I am becoming a tad bored with it. I have managed to knit a couple of sets of bootees inbetween sqaures. I must get it finished then I can relax a bit.

I still have the quilt to finish for baby Jones but I have been inspired by a friend to add strips of plain fabric inbeween the patterned squares. This will not only look very effective but will also cut down on the quilting time. I have managed to make a pair of maternity PJ bottoms, shorten some maternity trousers into shorts, insert a jersey baby bump into a pair of skinny jeans (did I mention my daughters pregnant) and three vintage aprons. The PJ bottoms were made from stash and the aprons were from the new Amy Butler for Rowan Lark range fabric.

I am trying to get in the habit of spending at least three hours every weekend sewing to catch up on some bits. Whereas my knitting WIPs are under control with only the blankets, my sewing WIPs are getting a little out of control. It happens when I think I’m being organised by cutting all the fabric and pattern out so it is ready to sew, all this means in reality is that I have lots of bags with projects ready to go.

Next weekend I am going to unearth them all, make one of my lists of what I have, prioritise them and make a time frame for sewing them. I remember a famous seamstress saying once that you should make appointments for your sewing and treat it almost like  a job, You set aside a timeslot and use that time for your sewing and because it’s in your diary there’s not need to feel guilty about not doing other bits. I have to confess I generally put my crafting time ahead of housework etc. The housework will always be there but my sanity without my crafting won’t.

Falling off the wagon

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I have been doing really well with not buying any yarn or fabric. I have sold and destashed various yarns, exchanged ones I’m not sure about for ones I will definitely use but today I fell off the wagon.  I had to go to London to meet some one and as I had plenty of time after we met I decided to go for a wander. I was either going to Berwick Street and look at the scrumptious fabric shops or travel to Waterloo and finally visit the I Knit London store.

Well the decision was made as I’d told hubbie I wouldn’t go shopping in Oxford Street so of to I knit I went. I am rubbish at using the GPS map thing on my phone so had to ask 3 people at differnt stages how to get there from the station. Once there I was in heaven with all the books and yarns. Such gorgeous colours and fibres and yes I did succumb. I purchased a Knit Pro Cubix circular and an Addi Lace circular as I am itching to knit something with Rowan Fine Lace, saw the Scrumptious baby booklet and had to get it and of course I bought some beautiful yarn. Alpaca of course although this is blended with Pima Cotton. I can’t wait to knit with it but must get on with the baby bits first. The yarn is Manos Del Uruguay Serena and yes of course it is in the heather family of colours.

too soft to miss

On the baby Jones fron the Building blocks blanket is coming along well and 2 complete strips have been knitted and sewn together as well as another two squares. I have also managed to knit a few pairs of bootees and the Rice Pudding Cardigan from Knit Now issue 5

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

It’s here

jenny stilwell, knit, knitting, rowan Leave a comment

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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