Monday 28 December 2009

Fleece hats


Have been busy with my sewing machine today. As well as finishing the three shopping bags off, I made three fleece hats as well. They have a home to go to...and have been made with love for the recipient.

I hope they keep him warm in the winter months.

Re-useable shopping bags

This one has fairy tale princesses on it
This one farm animals with their names in English and French.

This one the fabric is inspired by old fashioned cardboard dressing dolls


And here's a shot of all three of them.

I keep making these and they seem to find new homes elsewhere.




I have got to the stage where remembering to take at least one with me when I go out has almost become automatic.




Made from Swatches of curtain material they last much longer than plastic carrier bags. I have been asked why I don't sell them. If someone wanted some making, I would. I had to make a few more, as I gave some of the one's I keep in my car boot to a colleague who had gone into Asda without her stash of carrier bags.
I think they are rather jolly, and usually cause comment at the supermarket checkout.

Wednesday 23 December 2009

Sorry

I meant to send you tonight's episode of Robin Hood...1 and 1/2 hours to get off car park

Sunday 6 December 2009

Wrong size...then wrong size again!




I have been knitting ...or trying to knit, an earflap hat for Oliver. I thought I had used the pattern I used earlier this year, but, after two attempts, it is obvious I didn't use the pattern I thought I did. I do remember writing down somewhere what I had done, but can I find it?
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The first attempt came out too small, so I have finished it off for a work colleague's son, think he's 3 in January. The second mistake one...I think I will pull back...as it is too long and still too small, excellent if your head is the same shape as a police helmet...lol.

The hat should look like the picture....but as I have said, one is too small, and one too long.
I'll try again an see if I can get it right a third time. The reason I am knitting Oliver another hat is because he has misplaced the black one in the picture above, and wants a hat to keep his head warm. My friend would like me to make him a hat as well, so I will try to sort out this week, and the spiral scarf can go on the backburner for a few days.

Sunday 29 November 2009

A finish!


I have finished one of the cardigans I have been knitting, the grey one, it seemed to take forever to knit the front band, as it was knitted all in one, almost 500 sts.

I'm quite pleased with the result, this is the first time I have made anything large for quite sometime. It does need pressing, but otherwise I'm very pleased with how it has tu

rned out, must be almost 16 years since I have knitted anything like a cardigan for myself.

Wednesday 25 November 2009

Food fidgetting...plus a big bag of lovely yarns


Whilst at work today I was providing technical help in a food lesson. The product being baked was carrot cake, it set me thinking, I don't know why...possibly because some pupils said they didn't like carrots. If you can use carrots, why not parsnips?

So tonight I tried my own variation out. A picture of the finished muffins is up from this. You wouldn't know unless told what ingredients had gone into them....but they are delicious, and both Sam and Edwin like them.


The big bag of lovely yarns is from Kemps...a smashing variety of yarns that I will probably use for more scarves.......Perhaps I should try to sell some of them?

Monday 16 November 2009

Not finished?




While I've been ill I have been knitting something less taxing, short rows, etc.


However, I've nearly run out of the jade coloured mohair mix, am wondering whether to cast off at the end of the ball and use as a trim on another future project, or should I change colour? I have white and cerise that are the exact same yarn make up.

I'd like some input, I am tempted to join on the other colours.

Tuesday 10 November 2009

Grey Cardigan

The grey cardigan that I showed in my last blog is now in the final stages. However, as I have swine flu progress will be slow...there are almost 500 sts on the front band. It's all scrunched up at the mo. Am not fidgetting much at the moment as I keep dozing.
I might tackle a tiny project that will not need so much concentration.

Wednesday 28 October 2009

Larger projects




I know I haven't posted for while, for a couple of reasons. I have been working on larger projects, also, I haven't been so well so progress has been slower than usual.
The top picture is a chunky knit cardigan in stocking stitch, so quite quick to work. As you can see I have almost finished the second front. This pattern is odd to me, as I am used to knitting the back of a garment first, then the fronts, then the sleeves.
The lower picture is of a double knit cardigan with cables, at one point I couldn't find my regular cable needles and was using a plastic bent needle, which totally annoyed me. I was quite happy when Shadow's teeth found it. Just glad she didn't hurt herself on it.
I will post pictures of the finished cardigans, as soon as they are done. I have also cut out two aprons for my Mum, and am going to make some reusable shopping bags for her, for her birthday. It was yesterday, but she's in France right now, so I have a few days grace.
I am considering starting a seasonal cross stitch project, but don't want to bog myself down too much.

Saturday 26 September 2009

still fidgetting

I haven't stopped making things, just the stuff I have been working on lately is bigger than the small projects of late. Will post photos when they look something like.

Sunday 13 September 2009

Octopus

This took me a little longer to make than I anticipated. I think the main reason for that was that my TV went on the blink, so I watched programmes online, and watching online isn't very well paired with knitting. I'm quite pleased with the result, however if I tackle another I might plump for a size smaller needle to give a firmer fabric.

Thursday 3 September 2009

Bent cable needles?

Would anyone like these two bent cable needles I have?
They were free with a magazine. I presumed that they were easier to use. Maybe they are if you are new to Aran and cables. But I'm not...I made my ex a four ply cricket type jumper....all in Aran stitches. The bent cables slow you down if you are a confident Aran/cable knitter, although I can see how they help a beginner. No chance of dropping the cabled stitches.
Anyway...I'm serious..anyone who would like these...they can have them. They are blue plastic, one for work up to about 5mm size needles, and one for thicker work.

Wednesday 2 September 2009

Working on a UFO

I haven't been lazy since I finished the shawlette last week. After washing it etc. I started to sew some beads on it, but they were quite frankly too clunky and looked numb. Luckily I'd only sewed two on when I decided this.
On the needles at the moment is a cardigan, and I'm making an amigurumi.
I have got three pairs of trousers to turn up for Becki, Edwin's gf, have done one, two to go. I won't share a picture of that. I'm also making myself a couple of very simple underskirts, a bit like a dirndl skirt in grey anti stat lining.
The UFO I am currently working on is one of giraffes, will post on here when I finished. I joined a UFO blog, to "spur" me along. The blog is called "I've started so I'll finish...eventually"
Think that's about it.
I get The Knitter magazine monthly, and follow a couple of knitting blogs. It's nice to see what other people are doing. One blog said how difficult Kitchener Stitch is...for a seamless finish. So I searched for a video. There were quite a few, but this one is fairly simple and only 2 and 1/2 minutes long.

5 to 10 in the evening. I've done the other two pairs of trousers, done a bit of mending, and only have to thread elastic around the underskirts. No photos, cos there's nothing worth taking a photo of, at the moment.

Friday 28 August 2009

Shawlette


Tonight I cast this off, wove the ends in and washed it as the pattern says. It is now drying on a towel. I am deciding whether to attach beads to the points, as they aren't obvious at the moment. I love the shape of it. As I said on a previous post, this is from a "one skein" book. The ball of wool I used had more yardage than the one specified, but I had to scour the web for a second one of the same shade. I must have knitted looser or something.
However, I am really pleased with the shape of it. The rest of the second ball will be used to make gloves in a few weeks I think.
I have almost completed all the projects I wrote down at the start of the summer break, so am quite happy. The back bedroom project is slow, but part of the reason for that is because I had to pay the excess after I was run into in my car at the start of the holidays.

In the picture Spark is inspecting my work, I just put it on the floor for ease whilst taking the photo. I will take another picture tomorrow after it has dried, and after beads are attached, if I decide it needs them.

Sunday 16 August 2009

Big Fidgetting


It is now over 8 years since I moved in here.

What with one thing or another I have not been able to finish the decorating. [The whole house needed doing]

The stairs and one bedroom have not been done. However, Edwin is moving bedrooms into the one that is not finished, but not until it is finished. I finished doing the painting last year, but as I said above, due to ill health, I have not finished.

This has annoyed me, as I hate not being able to do things I used to do without thinking twice about. So, yesterday I put up the baton for the curtain rail, the curtain rail, and the curtains. With Edwin and Becki's help. When I finished I was ready for a rest.

This morning I stained the wood of the floor to ceiling cupboard frame, prior to putting in shelves, filling in the sides and attaching doors. Once that is done, it should swallow most of the stuff that needs storing. Some I might put in plastic boxes with lids, and try to store in what little loft space I have.

The pictures show the curtains, and part of the cupboard frame, stained. [For some reason the second picture hasn't taken, mind you, tiz only blue stained wood.]

I have been continuing with knitting as well, and have two projects on the needles at the moment.

Wednesday 12 August 2009

Catch up post







Have been a busy bee while I was without my car and pc.



I made more Barbie ballgowns, and a couple of scarves, (3 actually, but one is like one I have made before,) and started a shawlette, see previous post.



I made Easy wave, but did it wrong, so I have renamed "corrugated" and "Linked Rib", the third one was another "striped Wedges" but done as a rainbow.



Perhaps I should just show the pictures, there isn't one of the rainbow, as I have knitted the exact same thing before.



Monday 10 August 2009

Wrong chart?

I have been without my car and pc for the past few days.
I have knitted and read quite a lot.
I did start a lace weight shawl from Luxury Yarn One Skein Wonders by Judith Durant. However after the set up rows I started on chart A, and although I have never knitted a shawl before I just knew the chart must be wrong, as the yarn overs and ssk and k2 togs were not falling correctly.
So, I pulled it off the needles and started all over again.
I'm just about to go to bed, but thought I would check if there were any erratum/corrections for the book, and guess what? Yes! you're right! The shawl I has started had some mistakes in the chart. I have knitted lace patterns on jumpers before today, and could just see it was going wrong. I have printed out the correction, fingers crossed the pattern will look right now.

Monday 27 July 2009

New Wave scarf


Have finished the "New Wave" scarf from the previous post, only I am going to rename it "corrugated", as when I looked carefully, the waves are supposed to be on alternate sides of the scarf, mine are all on the same side, and because I have made in a brown yarn, it looks a little like corrugated cardboard to me. Also it has only worked out "muffler" length, so it will definitely be a Yule gift for the person I have in mind.

Ah well! Will have to try again.

So, that's another scarf from Knitting New Scarves, but gone slightly wrong.

Saturday 25 July 2009

Work in progress [aka WIP]




Today I went into Lancaster. Got black fabric to make the tie skirt. I have to unpick the ties now, and construct the skirt.


I have also done a "swatch" of "carumboa" from Knitting New Scarves, and made a start on a experimental version of "Easy Wave"...both from the Knitting New Scarves book.
Sorry one pic is fuzzy. I have to make 44 of those for the Carmuboa scarf.

Friday 24 July 2009

Spiral scarf




I finished this last night, but things got a little out of hand and I have only just made the tassels for it.


The yarn used is Rio by James C Brett, the colour is Meadow. The spirals are created by short row shaping. The pattern requires that you only knit it 16"18" between spirals, I made it longer, as I knew I had enough yarn to do this, and I wanted the scarf to be able to wrapped around the neck once completely.


It was loads of fun to knit. The upper photo is a closer look at the spiral.

Sunday 19 July 2009

Another rainbow


I have just finished this rainbow scarf. It's an adaptation of one of the scarves in Lynne Barr's book, Knitting New Scarves. It's the second one I have made. I gave the first one away, then decided that I would like one for myself.

Tuesday 14 July 2009

Three more ballgowns


I had a look around in my stash, and found enough to do more of the ballgowns. There may be more to follow. I definitely want to knit another rainbow, Carumboa, and,,think is called "twisted"

May also knit some little bunnies I have a pattern for. Only around 2 inches high and very cute

Sunday 12 July 2009

Up date on enrichment

The pupils were totally stumped by knitting. I think perhaps one-to-one tuition is the best way. They did however produce some cross stitch, and out of 10 pupils, 5 took Aida, threads and a needle home to be "creative" with.
I think next year I will stick to assisting an activity.

Flapper and ball gowns







Here's my latest "creations".
Flapper, is the scarf, again, from Knitting New Scarves by Lynne Barr, and the ballgowns are from a calendar that Blue sent to me for Yule. I don't have a Barbie doll, I did have a Sindy when I was young, but she was a real proportions Sindy, not like today's supermodel ones. I might make a few more ballgowns, as they are quick to make, and I think might actually sell at the right price.

In Lynne Barr's book the Flapper scarf is in black and grey, I chose a variegated pale colour for the main shade, and black for the flaps, so that when the flaps, do flap, they reveal something unexpected. The paler picture shows the reverse of flapper. There were loads of ends to weave in, but well worth it.

Tuesday 7 July 2009

Enrichment at school

On Thursday and Friday of this week I am "leading" an enrichment activity at the school where I work.
Enrichment is when the pupils and teachers are off timetable, the teachers/staff offer activities and the pupils choose to take part.
On Thursday and Friday of this week I am "leading" an activity, I seriously hope it goes well, and if it does, I really don't mind turning it into a once a month after-school activity for the pupils.
More on Friday evening.
Apparently several of the pupils are looking forward to the activity.

Saturday 4 July 2009

T-shirt


Am not entirely happy with this t-shirt, as the neck is a little saggy. Think I will look for something to add to neckline to make it look better. If I find something, I will post a picture.

Have also started another scarf from the lovely "Knitting New Scarves" book. This time I am knitting "Flapper"

Friday 3 July 2009

Aria scarf







I finished this last night, and I love it to bits, but a work colleague is leaving in a couple of weeks, and emigrating to Canada. I thought as I finished this that she would like it.
Am very sorry I made her blush when I gave it to her, but there was only one other person present. I wish her all my best in Canada, and I will definitely miss her.

I'll have to knit myself another one, as I really like the result.

I made this one in two fancy yarns, an eyelash and a "straggly" one. The scarf is violet, but the photos may not show that.

There are photos of the yarn used, and the finished scarf.

Wednesday 24 June 2009

A quick project


I don't know why it took me so long to get around to making these. Someone at work was admiring my pinny, [apron,] and asked me to make a waist one for her Mum. Mine is a full length one.

It didn't take that long once I applied myself, I suppose that just shows how down I have been.

I made two of them, the one in the photo is folded in four lengthwise.

Sunday 21 June 2009

Another bag and a blanket







I promised Blue that I would make a messenger bag from the denim and UJ material as she gave the last one I sent to her friend India. The bag with Mickey Mouse inside it is the one Blue gave to India.

The blanket has been "ongoing" for ages, when I had spare chunky yarn I would knit a leaf, that's why it's a bit random. I made it because each of my children have a double knit version of this that I made them before they were born. They call them the "baby Bu@@&*" blankets. [That isn't a swear word, just not putting the surname down, am sure you understand.] They kept commenting how it would be nice to snuggle under one when they are ill. If they curl up, they'll be able to.

Monday 15 June 2009

A few things finished at once.











I've not had a mad burst of activity, just several things all seem to have been finished at once.
At the top there is another scarf from the Knitting New Scarves book. Both yarns were supposed to be the same thickness, and it's obvious they aren't, however they are different textures so make it interesting. I only had a small amount of the colourful yarn, so it is only "muffler" length. I will be knitting another in more suitable yarn, but I like experimenting, so that was fun.
The second picture is Cookie Monster, I saw a crocheted version of him on Craftster, and decided to try to make my own knitted version. The only thing I'm not happy with are the eyes, as they are a little on the small side, but as I used long eyelash type yarn, it's practically impossible to pull back.
Third picture is of stitch markers I made , for when I decide to knit something other than a scarf, that might have a pattern, or I may need to mark the stitches in some way. I'm really happy how they have turned out, and intend to look for some larger rings to make some for thicker gauge needles.
The last thing there is a rucksack and purse that I have made for Blue. I am still making the messenger bag. [There was enough fabric for all three, and I think I still have some spare.] Putting the eyelets through the top stumped me at first as they just didn't want to be put in, then they just did. I did have to pre-punch the holes though, as they went in through at least 2, maybe 3 layers of good quality denim.

Friday 12 June 2009

New blog, just for crafty stuff

I seem to be creating quite a few things lately.
So.....I thought I'd create a blog solely for the purpose of sharing what I've been up to craft wise.
I've called it Fidgetty fingers, as that is what my Mum used to say I have when I was young.

A bit more about me and what I like to do.
I grew up around people constantly creating things, from wool, fabric, food ingredients, and other mediums, and I suppose it has rubbed off on me.
I knit, embroider, [mainly cross stitch,] can crochet, but in a very unconventional way with conventional results. Love sewing, and have recently purchased an embellishing machine, have had a go at jewellery making and bead weaving.
In the kitchen I have made most things, and love trying out new recipes.
I don't do as much jam making and pickling as I did when my children were younger, but I don't think you forget how to do those things.
I've also made home made wine.

This is the only photo-less post I will be making on this blog, as I intend to use it as a record.