A Make For A Swap

I am part of a craft group on face book and I signed up for there swap

Its only a small group that suits me.

I have just sent off my swap for this month.

I made a pin cushion and scissor case, the embroidery was done on my machine

Have to get my thinking cap on for next month now.

Also the group is running a craft challenge, find a new craft to do in the new year

 I have decided to have a go at Bavarian Crochet, I have had the book for some time and never got round to trying it, I have looked out some cotton yarn and have my hook at the ready to make a start tonight.

 My machine knitting magazine arrived today, its the last issue in my subscription,

I am not re-newing, I enjoy the magazine but decided to try a different magazine

 We don't have a UK machine embroidery magazine, I have found two in USA I have set up a short subscription for both of them so I can see which I prefer, they both arrived this week.

I might just do one for a year then switch to the other, I used to stock an Australian one in the shop,

Its a shame we don't have a UK one, but machine embroidery is big business overseas and the market is still small in the UK.

Perhaps one day we might have one.

Unfinished Projects Finished

I know I haven't posted much about crafting but I have been nibbling away at a couple of unfinished projects, I want to clear the decks and I am resisting starting anything new until I have finished off a few things.

I have finished this, its a small rag rug, it now lives in the downstairs toilet. Rag rugging is a great way of using up those little scraps of fabrics.

I also finished this crochet blanket, its made out of oddments of yarn left over from past projects and is just a made as a giant granny square.

I wanted to get it finished to be used on the travel cot, all ready for my visitors tomorrow.

So that's two projects finished out of the way, still several to go.

Ripple Cushion Ticked Off

With everyone getting there ripple blankets finished I was inspired to get my ripple bolster cushion finished.

It was being crochet in cotton and was taking an age to do, today I got it out

and worked out I only needed to do another 10 rows for it to fit the bolster innard I bought ages ago

I added a big button to each end the green matched the green cotton yarn perfect.

I do have enough of all the yarns left over to make another cushion, I would like to do a crochet pinwheel cushion with a big button in the middle, I am going to good and not start it yet until I get a few more WIP's finished, I am pleased that I have got this one finished its a great feeling to get a WIP finished.

Socks Socks and More Socks

Yes its all about socks, I love hand knitted socks, they are warm and cosy, hard wearing and fun.

I have always knitted socks on the round using double ended needles, when I was visiting a friend the other month she showed me some socks she had just finished and they were knitted on the straight, intrigued I ordered the book she had knitted them from and got started with a pair last night 

I am knitting them in King Cole Riot, its some yarn I had left over from another project. 

While browsing on Amazon for the book I came across another 3 sock books that I just had to have 

I will have to give crochet socks a go there is some really interesting designs in these books.

Back to knitting socks on the straight, the instructions are very clear and easy to follow, and the book is spiral bound great for staying open were you want it, there is some lovely designs in the book and some great tips on joining seams. 

Right must get back to finishing my socks.

New Hat

While having a lazy day in front of the fire, I dug out some chunky yarn to crochet a hat, some-one in blog land was showing a hat they had crocheted, a Cloche Style hat and it took my fancy, (sorry cant remember who it was) I searched the web some time ago for a pattern and came across this one Cloche Hat I decided to do mine in multi colours to finish up oddments of yarn.

It didn't take long to do and is a good fit.

 Kara isn't the best of models but you get the idea.

Ripple Crochet

Today was not the best day for working on the Autumn Panel, intermittent power failures due to the storm, this meant every time the power went off the sewing machine lost its place and every time I managed to get it back were it stopped the power went off again, I only managed to get one section completed

This was the section I got completed 

This is were it will be placed in relation to the others.

I wont get any more of it done now until the week end as I am away at the shop for a couple of a days.

Without power I went back indoors and sat in front of the fire doing some of the Ripple Crochet

I first saw the design on Attic 24, I started it when we were moving, It is being done in DMC cotton yarn, and its going to be a cover for a bolster cushion, I think its about half way there now.

That's about all the crafting I have got done today.

More of the Autumn Panel

The other day I completed section 3 of the panel

The  one that went wrong

I was having a bad day, and didn't notice until I finished it I had put the background fabric on back to front,

so I had to re-do it 

Section 3 re-done

Having re-done I then decided I didn't like how section 2 had turned out so I made another section 2

Section 2 I didn't like

Section 2 re done

Today I got section 4 done

 Yes I am happy with this I love the material that's been used for the sky

And this is where it sits in relation to the other sections

Having to re-do 2 of the sections has put me back a bit I was hoping to have at least 2 of the panels completed, never mind there is bad weather coming so I can stay in the cabin and get it finished this week I hope, although I am heading off to Milton Keynes to spend a couple of days in the shop. 

This morning I went to craft club in Pendacar and spent the morning showing them how to make the little pumpkin ornaments

Last year I made the big one out an old pair of jeans and used real dried leaves to decorate, I also made the little crochet one last year, looking at it now it needs a leaf added to it. 

The week end I want to get my Autumn display out so I better get a move on and get it finished.

Make and Takes For the Shop

Yesterday I got stuck into making some of the samples for the make and take sessions we run at the shop 

 Autumn pumpkin decorations, with stalks made from twigs and leaves made of felt

 A Biscornu pincushion with a decorative wooden button

The Crochet block of the month is a Back Loops block 

Last week end I got some of the other make and take samples done 

A gold painted money box

Painted and embellished wooden photo frame

And the shoe bag I did originally. 

I haven't finished the knitted cable block yet and I still have some halloween ghost coasters to make and a screen printed tea towel as well. 

Then that will be the October make and take things done, then its time to start Novembers.