Sunday 12 May 2019

Lime Crochet Coasters

Yep, me again.  I can't seem to produce a baby (1 week late today), so I'm producing crafty makes instead!

We've got a games room / office.  It's mainly my husband's domain (especially now I'm on maternity leave so don't need to work from home) and we've tried to be a bit different with the decoration in that room.  We've not actually finished it but we've painted a lime green feature wall that works really well.

We bought a nice desk for the room, but it's needed coasters for a while.  I finally got onto that...

Make these quick and easy crochet coasters

I'm really pleased with this design as it's quite plain, but still has a bit of interest.  I didn't want anything too frilly or "girly" as we want the room to be a bit funky/cool.

The pattern I used is this one.  But instead of using fingering weight yarn, I used King Cole Bamboo Cotton in DK (in 533 green, which I already had) and a 5mm hook.

After making one, I thought they were a bit big, and was tempted to remove a round.  However, I like that it means the outside decorative edge design still shows when it has a mug on it, so I stuck with that size.

Make these quick and easy crochet coasters

It's hard to capture the lime green correctly on camera - the first picture is probably the most accurate and the wall is more limey than it looks here.

It was fun to work on something quick and easy, after making a couple of blankets etc.  It took hardly any time to whip these three up - most enjoyable!



Check out my completed crochet items here.



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Friday 10 May 2019

Geometric Knitted Baby Blanket

I've finished another project!  The beauty of maternity leave - I am actually getting chance to craft, without work getting in the way.

Although, the baby is five days overdue... so now I'm getting impatient!

I cast this blanket on right after finishing my crochet heart baby blanket because, as my husband says, this house doesn't have enough blankets.  (Yes, he's being sarcastic!)

Check out this cute and easy geometric knitted baby blanket

Before I went on maternity leave, a colleague came into work with their new baby.  While everyone ooohed and aaahhed over the baby - I spotted a lovely blanket!  It was knitted by her mum or mother-in-law.  I just loved the texture of it and really wanted to make one.

I did some Google and Pinterest searches for various things and managed to find a pattern that seemed to be the same (or similar).  However, it used 2 strands held together of aran yarn, which seemed a bit thick for a baby blanket for this time of year.  I just used the stitch pattern, but made it with one ball of DK yarn - I only wanted it to be a small car-seat sized blanket.  Also time was running out - I only finished it today, and I'm five days overdue, as I said!

Check out this cute and easy geometric knitted baby blanket

I am covered for bigger blankets anyway, so a little one gives a bit of variation.  A blanket for every situation!

Check out this cute and easy geometric knitted baby blanket


The variations I made to the pattern are:


  • Cast on 86 stitches, rather than 106, to make one less pattern repeat and a smaller width blanket.
  • Completed four and a half pattern repeats rather than nine, to make a shorter blanket.
  • Did not finish with rows 10 and 11, as the pattern doesn't ask you to start with them, so I think it would make it uneven.  In fact, I see rows 10 and 11 as below:
    • Row 10 (aka Row 21) - end of pattern repeat
    • Row 11 (aka Row 22) - start of pattern repeat
  • Therefore if I made this again, I would complete Row 11 before starting with Row 1.  Then when ending the blanket I would complete Row 10 only, before the 6 rows of garter stitch.

I used 5.5mm needles, as I wanted a quick, loose, drapey knit.  The yarn was King Cole Cottonsoft DK in Sky (714) - just one ball.  It was one I already had, so I didn't need to buy anything for this on-a-whim blanket!

Check out this cute and easy geometric knitted baby blanket

Maybe now this little blanket is finished, the baby might come??  Please!




Check out my completed knitted projects here.


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Monday 6 May 2019

YouTube Video / Podcast Four

I've finally got round to recording my fourth YouTube video!  You can find it embedded below...



Or view on YouTube here.


Show Notes

Post on embroidery hoop is here.


Post on knitted socks is here.


Post on knitted baby hat is here.


Post on crochet baby blanket is here.


The crocheted baby gifts were from my friend Anna - find her blog here.



Pattern for the knitted mini baby blanket I'm working on can be found here.



I hope you enjoy the episode!


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Sunday 5 May 2019

Cross Stitch Hoop

Hello!  I come to you today, on my due date!  Still no sign of the baby... but I have finished another longstanding WIP!

I finished those socks on Friday, and yesterday I finished an embroidery I'd start last summer - maybe June or July.

Baby name cross-stitch in an embroidery hoop

This is a present for a friend who has a baby called Ella.  At the time I started Ella was only a few months old... now she's over a year!

There wasn't any reason for the present - I just felt the need to make this.  You know how it is, when inspiration strikes!  However, the inspiration left me for some time... hence this languishing in the unfinished pile.

Baby name cross-stitch in an embroidery hoop

I found a cross-stitch alphabet online that I liked, and used that to make the name.  The flowers were part of a bigger cross-stitch picture, that I also spotted online.  I used just one flower extracted from the picture, and flipped it over to make the second.

I planned it out in excel, and used embroidery threads I already had.  In fact, I had the threads, the aida, the hoop and the ribbon already - it was a "free" project, if you don't count my time!  (And the fact I bought all the supplies at some point - just not then!)

Baby name cross-stitch in an embroidery hoop

I had actually managed to finish the embroidery off by the end of last year - it was just the backing I had left to do.  That's what I completed yesterday, and the addition of the hanging loop and bow.

Baby name cross-stitch in an embroidery hoop

I used running stitch to draw the aida together and covered it all with a circle of felt sewn on.  The aida was a bit stiff and hard to keep down, so the felt backing looks a bit padded.  I think it's fine, though.

All in all, I'm pleased with this and looking forward to giving it to my friend.  Not sure when I'll see her now, however, with the pending birth!!!  But at least it's ready.  I'm finding it very satisfying finishing off these longstanding projects... maybe it's a creative form of nesting!



Check out my sewing projects here.


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Friday 3 May 2019

Hand-Knitted Socks

Me again!  You can tell I'm on maternity leave now - what a difference not having to go to work makes!  (I'd better make the most of the free time, before the baby gets here!)

I have finally finished my first hand-knitted pair of socks that I start back in August last year!  I made the first sock quickly, but ended up leaving the second sock partly done for ages.  I finished it off by the end of the year, all bar kitchener stitching the toe together - which really doesn't take long.  I finally did that today!

Hand knitted socks

The pattern matching across socks has come out pretty well!

The sock blockers are from The Knitting Shed and were a Christmas present, the Christmas before last.

Hand knitted socks

They fit well in general, but I think they should probably be a bit longer in the foot.  I can make them fit, but maybe a little longer would have been better.  I just didn't want to end up with baggy socks!

They are certainly wearable though, and once I've got them on they feel perfectly comfortable.  I've not worn them for long periods of time or in shoes yet (I've not long finished them!) but hopefully they'll be ok.

Hand knitted socks

How many pictures of my feet do you need to see?!

Here's another one...

Hand knitted socks

Ok, now onto all the details:

DETAILS

Yarn
Stylecraft Head over Heels in colourway Eiger.

Needles
3mm 25cm circular needles
3mm DPNs

Pattern
Winwick Mum Sockalong Basic Sock

My Specifications
56 stitches
Rib - 16 rows
Leg - 44 rows
Heel Flap - 27 rows
Turn - Left with 16 stitches
Gusset - Pick up 14 stitches on each side of heel flap
Foot - 37 rows (of 56 stitches)
Toe - Decrease to 28 stitches

When/if I make another pair of socks, I might do things differently - but this is just so I know what I did this time!



Check out my completed knitted projects here.


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