Am so overdue in finishing Mystical Stripe… Winter and Spring are over and it will be far to warm to wear this until Autumn. I know we all have WIPs and UFOs hanging around but this one is really annoying me. Am knitting both sleeves at once, so at least they’ll be done together! I did a bit yesterday and need to just have it out, so I’m looking at it and it can make me feel guilty!

I’m never content in making just one thing for a gift, especially for little people, so when I cast off the second sleeve on this cardi last night and saw how much yarn I had left over, I just had to make some little shoes. (That was a long sentence!) Am using the Debbie Bliss Fair Isle shoe pattern but have added a little yarn over motif instead and kept it plain. Must get that done tonight, so I can go in search of some pearly buttons tomorrow…..more anon.

The alphabet blanket has been cast aside for the time being but it was always a long-term project.

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Princess Amelia is wearing a new dress. She got a bit lumpy for the last one and wanted something new for summer.

Well, it’s more of a pinafore and based on Molly Chicken’s double-sided dress pattern. Does my bum look big in this?

Popularity: 5% [?]

She’s a sleepy wee girl. Made from corduroy recycled from a skirt, some thrifted felt, Liberty print and batik fabrics. The pattern is here courtesy of Nest Studio. No probs with pattern, very straight-forward and fun.

I also made some quick little birdie cut outs from the leftover curtain fabric. Am thinking I might make some more for a hanging mobile.

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I had the personalised labels made up about 6 years ago and I often forget to use them or end up not using them because they’re too scratchy to put on little people’s clothing. So, after seeing the lovely gift tags floating around in blogland at the moment, I thought it would be a good idea to use up some scrap fabric, which I have tons of, and also put the labels to good use. I got a bit over excited about using up quilting offcuts, so I have a pile of about 40 tags waiting to get sewn up. I suppose I could glue them to the paper if I wanted, but they’re in the tin awaiting a purpose. This way they’ll be really useful, especially for knitted garments, which need care instructions, so I can write that on the back instead of including the ball band. Marvellous.

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Are you in the UK? Near to Milton Keynes? A keen stitcher/quilter? Available on 2nd or 3rd June?

Threads & Patches are having some charity stitching days at their shop. Sally needs stitchers to help make up quilts for children who arrive (often with nothing) at the Womens Refuge in Milton Keynes.

They aim to make as many quilts as possible in that time and need as many willing stitchers as possible. The times are 1pm -10pm on the Friday and 8am - 6pm on the Saturday, they do not expect you to stitch for more than a couple of hours at a time but if you could give any of your time and expertise they would be grateful. Fabrics, patterns and instructions will be provided along with suppport, tea, coffee and probably too much naughty food to mention.

If you would like to help but are unable to attend they are collecting money for the Womens Refuge or if you wish to donate wadding (esp. needed) or fabrics (new 100% cotton patchwork fabric pre washed only please!), then it would be very appreciated.

Get in touch with Sally White here:
Threads and Patches
48 Aylesbury Street,
Fenny Stratford,
Bletchley
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
MK2 2BA
01908 649687

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I love my bump!

The purpose of my blog is more of a craft diary for myself and not something I wish to use for personal stuff and I have my reasons for that. However, I thought I’d share this with you. I love being pregnant but I am enormous and so my answer to the question of ‘How long do you have to go?’ is……soon. This is something that is constantly being asked of me, mostly by shop assistants, so I choose to be vague. All women are different, some carry small and I carry in a big way! And, no, it’s not twins! Thank God for that. Anyway, we, the bump and I are doing well and enjoying each other’s company.

More TILT lovers here.

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I promise that I do, and I will knit something other than green……I did say some posts ago that it had become a trend and it will continue in the Jaegar pattern I’m making below.

We had a lovely weekend in Glasgow and I managed to get to John Lewis and have a nose around. Some Noro in the bargain bin but other than that, just the usual suspects on offer. I thought they may keep some scottish wool but clearly not. So, we headed to Hillmead on the subway yesterday and walked for about 10 minutes to get to K1 knitting boutique not far from the Botanic Gardens. The display was lovely and there was super selection of Noro, Colinette, Habu, Jamieson’s DK & 2ply, some scottish angora (forgotten the name) and South West Trading Soy Silk. They will be starting on online store in July, so look out for that. She doesn’t list all her yarn on the site but keeps a lovely range of needles, Interweave Knits and Vogue Knitting. Worth the visit if you’re heading to Glasgow at any point.

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Well, the pattern’s called Bob and it’s for Dylan…….so here’s the simple vest for a little man’s first birthday. The pattern calls for mega-stripes but it’s a bit too much for my taste, so plain and simple it is. I had four balls available but almost used three for anyone’s reference.

Bob
Rowan Babies ~ Kim Hargreaves
1-2 years size
3 balls Rowan All Seasons Cotton 189 Safari
4.5 & 5mm circs

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I’ve been trying to get some projects finished that have been on the backburner for ages….new cushions for our family room, presents for friend’s babies, two quilts that need finishing and my mystical stripe cardigan……………anyhoo, I found some time to procrastinate even further by making this little purse for a friend having a birthday next week. You can see it perched on one of my new silk cushions. More on those next week after we’re back from a long weekend in Glasgow.

Here’s the purse and moss stitch cardi wrapped up and ready to go!

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Ribbed Jacket
Special Knits - Debbie Bliss
Rowan All Seasons Cotton Organic 178 - just under 3 balls
5mm circs

This is rather cute and I wish I had a model in this country to show it off! I made the 3-6 month size, which looks huge. The pattern called for 4 balls of cashmerino aran but I only needed 3 balls of Rowan. I have lots of it leftover from various projects and am using up what I’ve got. I was more keen to do the edging in moss stitch and just picked up as many stitches as I felt comfortable with, which was probably about half what the pattern called for. I like the look of a purl edge when I cast off, so I always cast off on the wrong side of the work. However, the cast on edge for the back is curling up quite a bit, so next time, I’ll knit the first two rows. I also added a small one-stitch buttonhole in case they prefer to add a button rather than use a kilt pin to fasten. It’s off to that great southern land this week for Miss Marli.

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