Friday 22 November 2013

An urge for sequins.




So I didn’t finish Hector’s jumper. 



Trying to decrease for the raglan arms and keep the pattern going has tested my brain capacity, slowing the progress right down. But I’m really pleased with how it looks. Luckily the sizing is 6-12 months so I’ve got time, but it is looking rather small. This a picture of the back. I'm just hoping this is correct, as it is really stretchy. Fingers crossed.



Some projects have been completed though. It was my friend Louisa’s baby shower last weekend and as we both love the Purl Bee website I wanted to knit her something from that. I chose this little mushroom rattle. They are so sweet and it’s one of those pieces you want to make lots of.

Alison and Kate from my evening class.
I’ve also been busy teaching my ‘learn to knit’ class over the past few weeks. It’s been fantastic seeing the progress that the ladies have made and I have a nice mix of people who haven’t knitted before and others who need their knitting memory jogged. Alison went away and stormed ahead with my mitten pattern and pin cushion. And has already moved on to hats.


Alison's mittens and pin cushions

I thought I’d better have a little Christmas project on stand-by for the classes, and found these great birds in an old knitting magazine. I changed the pattern a little to make it a single bird. I haven’t used it in a class yet but I think they may end up as little Christmas presents. This time of year brings out an unquenchable urge for sequins and glitter.

Hanging birds by Tracey Todhunter from 'Knitting magazine', Autumn 2012

Happy Knitting! 

Sunday 3 November 2013

Back to Business.


I’m taking small steps but I’m back working after having Hector – both with my jewellery and my knitting classes.




I was back teaching knitting last week at the lovely Carolyn Rose School of Sewing. Two lovely ladies came to my 'learn to knit' class and we had a great time. It was more a case of bringing back forgotten skills than starting from scratch. One lady had a go at my mittens from my last blog. The other wanted to see if it would help with her RSI. We left undecided but we’re going to try again in a couple of weeks.

I love teaching and I get so much from it myself, whether it’s uncovering great patterns or devising them myself, and not to mention meeting some lovely people. There aren't many situations in my life where I sit with strangers and talk solidly for 2 to 3 hours, covering everything from our childhoods to politics, with a little knit/purl and ‘look how tiny my zebra is’.




I knitted some little swatches of basic stitches for last week's class.  Well I started with basics and then carried on creating some swatches for myself of stitches I’ve wanted to try.


Star Stitch

Basketweave cable

Dew drops.
I haven't got this quite correct yet.

  In doing this I realised how unadventurous I am with my textures; I tend to focus on the colour and patterns. So I’ve set myself a project of knitting Hector a little jumper and its main feature is its stitch.

It’s this really cute Bell Rib Sweater by Vibe Ulrik Sondergaard from her Book, Lullaby Knits. But I got the pattern from November's Knitting Magazine.



I can’t say the pattern is coming naturally to my fingers like some do. It’s dead easy really; I think I should blame my brain rather than my fingers. I just started last night. I’ll post the finished article hopefully next week.


Happy Knitting!