Finishing Dream

At last I got my dream finished, I put an undercoat on some time ago and then did nothing more with it, I finally got round to painting it.

I used Pink Teal and Vanilla antique chalk effect paint, now I just have to the partner Relax.

Fishermans Rib

I have made a start on my fishermans rib jumper on the knitting machine

I had a cone of 4ply Merino wool in white so decided to use that rather than go with an acrylic

I got the back completed and have blocked it out ready, all was going well until I snagged a knot in the wool

I was annoyed as I had already started the decrease for the armholes, I am hoping after a bit of steam treatment that the flaw will dissapear a bit.

I have doing this jumper in a single fisherman's rib, I have another cone of Merino 4ply in black I might do another jumper with that in a double fisherman's rib.

Machine Knitted Socks

I got my socks all finished on the knitting machine

Excuse my lily white legs,

I used some Stylecraft 4ply that I had sitting there, it was a good practise project for me to try having had a few years break from the machine, they were done using both beds giving me a seamless circular knitted sock

I did make a few mistakes but was able to rectify it before it turned into a disaster.

the pattern I used was from here

Machine Knitted Socks

The next ones I do I will make the leg longer.

I have been flicking through some of my back issues of knitting machine magazines and found a pattern for a fisherman's rib jumper so that is going to be my next project.

Revisiting Some Crafts

With terrible weather I have spent the past couple of days  playing around revisiting some crafts that's I haven't touch for a couple of years.

First up was Tatting

I like tatting, you don't need lots of stuff, just a shuttle and some thread, I spent years trying to learn tatting but just couldn't get it, then one year at a craft show I came across a group of ladies called the Ring of Tatters, I was admiring there work and explained that I just couldn't get the knack of tatting, so they set me a challenge if I couldn't get the hang of it with there kit and instructions they would give me a double refund, I bought the kit it was £5 that evening I sat down with it and followed the instructions to the letter and miracles of miracles I could do it, within days I was reading patterns and tatting like there was no tomorrow, yesterday I came across a simple pattern for trees and fancied giving it a go, I needed to refresh myself with the techniques it all came flooding back.

Its not perfect but its a tree. I shall add some more to it to make a small woodland.

The next craft I dipped back into was

my knitting machine it hadn't been unpacked since the move, I came across a blog yesterday that inspired me to get it out and set up again, I haven't used it for a couple of years, it works like a dream, I have had my Toyota 901 from new 1985, 30 years Martin bought it for me and a couple of years later he bought me the ribber attachment, I used to take orders for knitwear I also did outwork for a knitwear company and I have designed some patterns myself, 

I use to enjoy doing Intarsia (picture knitting) I still have all my books and knitting machine magazines, it all seems in good working order and it was lovely sitting in the cabin playing with my old friend, I have dug out a pattern for some socks, I spent the afternoon doing a refresher on it so I am ready to go. I do also have a chunky knit machine that I bought new a couple of years ago but much prefer my Toyota.