Easter holiday

I haven't written in so long... Life got in the way. 

We went away on Easter weekend (3-6/4/15) to celebrate my son's 11th birthday. While we were away, I have started a knitting project, making a little baby cardigan, using only stash yarn - hurray! It's a beautiful shade of Almerino DK yarn, a blend of alpaca and merino, in icy blue.

I love it so much! I'm on the sleeves now, and so I need to decide which baby will be the recipient. Two baby boys and a baby girl to choose from.

While on the subject of knitting, I am hoping to finish a knitted shrug for my friend's birthday. Again, using stash yarn. Maybe I'm getting the hang of this after all! Photos in the next post. 

Finally, my lovely friend has a new blog here: http://littleblackbarn.blogspot.co.uk/

Go take a look!

Until next time...

Elly

A bad, bad week!

It's been a bad week, where nothing went to plan at all. I am not impressed and if such a thing is available, I'd like a refund.

On the upside, though, I have finished my crocheted Bobby Bunny Backpack.

Isn't he lovely? He will be going to my friend's daughter as a random gift. It took a long, long time crocheting this with doubled-up double knit yarn and a 4mm hook, but I am pleased with the results!

Here is the link to my Ravelry project page: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/EllySmith/bunny-rabbit-amigurumi-kids-backpack---bag

I have also made lots of progress on my second knitted sock and I should think another night of knitting in front of the TV should see it completed! 

I still love all those crazy, bright colours together! 

I'm not sure why I always write this blog at such ungodly hours, I guess this is the only time I'm too tired to do Important Things, so I can spend some time writing instead.

On the to-do list:

*A Mother's Day fabric trug for my mother-in-law.

* A pillowcase (36"x36") for my husband and another for my daughter, both patchwork.

* Finish socks!!

* Finish the reversible dress for my friend's baby before she stops being a baby!

* Some top secret crocheting.

But for now, it's time for bed...

Elly.

Made some things...

First of all, I have knitted a sock, for the first time ever! I had some help from my mother-in-law, but most of it was done by me!!

The yarn I used is Adriafil. It came in a kit from Knit and Caboodle, which also includes a pattern and double pointed needles (DPNs). These are bamboo and I find they don't slip out of the yarn when they are not in use. The only problem is they do chip and then the yarn snags on them. Swings and roundabouts!

I have also cut out a pattern to sew my first ever reversible baby dress for my friend, who's just had a baby girl. I'm a bit nervous, if I am honest. I still need to decide on fabrics to use, *all* from my stash! More on this next time.

Finally, I am working on Bobby Bunny Backpack, a test pattern I'm making up for a designer on Ravelry. It's almost finished now, I am just attaching all the parts. Not sure how happy I am with it, I reserve judgement for the finished item.

I am still buying crafty bits, but at least I am also using them! Not much I can say about that. Seems to be a hopeless situation... For Mother's Day, my husband is buying me some pretty storage to help me get more organised. I shall take photos of the lovely, wooden storage units and post them when I write next.

Elly.

Keep trying and some knitting

Cold Turkey was a bad idea. I even bought more patterns which I haven't done in quite some time!

New tactics, then:

I've merged all my stash bits into my existing stash so i have some desk space to work on. I have also resumed crochet on a long abandoned Chomper plant for my son, which made him very happy! When done it should look like this:

I have also resumed knitting this scarf for my husband's grandad. He is in his nineties and must be finding this cold weather very uncomfortable.

I hope to finish it soon for him. This is the first time I've been able to knit and watch TV without making mistakes! I feel very proud about that.

Not much else to report right now...

Elly

Failure to launch

Well, that was a disaster!
In the past week I bought some more fabric, yarn, notions and ended up subscribing for a stash club with Simply Solids! At least it's only once a month...

But why do I buy this stuff? It's so depressing, but I think it really is some form of retail therapy. I have a stressful, crazy life and the pretties make me happy for a few minutes. But now there's just no money left, so I am going to have to go cold turkey, or there won't be any money for food.

I went to a sewing class yesterday (it was a Christmas present, so it doesn't count!), at Abakhan's Liverpool. In order to learn to measure and cut fabric, we made a little pinny apron with pockets. I am very proud of mine! I bought a piece of Broderie Anglaise (44p per metre) and added some to the bottom of the pocket. It was a bit of a nightmare adding it and sewing all these layers, but I am quite pleased with the results!

I have also discovered, while at the shop, that they now sell lace edged zip on rolls, so if I should ever run out of mine (ha!) I could get some more there. I love a lacy zip!

But I digress... During the class I realised that it's best for me to have a to-do list of projects, so I can work towards something, have a short-term goal. So as I now have ridiculous amounts of supplies (fabric, felt, thread, trims, zips, BUTTONS, etc) I can start compiling some ideas. To do that I turn to Pinterest and my various boards on there...
1. Kimono Slippers - I have already drawn around my mother-in-law's feet and have tons of fabric and some wool blend felt to make a pair for her. She has some problems with her feet so hopefully these will be nice for her and fit her well. If they work for her, they may become everyone's favourite Christmas present! :-)
2. Exposed Zip Pouch - I have a few lace edged zips and I am just dying to use them, they're so pretty! So as I have already made some pouches and bags, this seems less intimidating than fitting one into a dress, say.
3. These cute elephants for my friend, Emily and for me, too. This gives me a perfect opportunity to play with colours and textures. Might try and make some in plush fabric. Eek!

So now I have a reasonable list compiled, the next step is getting dressed and leaving the house. Obviously!
Elly

Let's get started!

I am a serial shopper of fabric and yarn, notions and kits to make lovely, crafty things with. My bedroom, which is very large by any standards, is full of drawer units, boxes and projects bags; the shelves of my bookcase are full of craft books, magazines, patterns, folders, all in an attempt to control the ever growing problem that is habitual yarn and fabric shopping (and ribbon, buttons, thread, notions, hooks, needles.... But you get the gist).
They say admitting you have a problem is the first step on the way to recovery. In an effort to reduce the clutter and to actually use this enormous stash I built over the past year (what?!), I have started this blog. I intend to write once a week or so, about projects that I have started/continued/finished, accompanied by photos, when possible. I will share some links to patterns, if I have them, too.

Above all, I will attempt to use what I have and not buy any more stash building materials for the rest of the year!

This is going to hurt.... :-(

So, I am currently working on:
1. A test pattern from Ravelry for a child's backpack (crocheted), which is due to be finished on the 28th of February. Not sure how much I can share about this, so I will ask...
2. I have started on a baby blanket for my friend, who is very heavily pregnant and is due any minute now! But I fell out of love with it. All I needed to do was crochet 48 squares, then join them and maybe line with some fabric, and that's it! But I can't bring myself to do it.


In the pipeline:
1. A crocheted granny stripe top, no pattern, made in Patons Smoothie DK.
2. A knitted short scarf for my husband's grandad in a beautiful had dyed aran yarn by Mosaic Moon. https://www.flickr.com/photos/friedathurman/7818931192/
3. Fingerless gloves (crocheted) http://crejjtion.com/pattern/fingerless-gloves-2/

This is it for now...
Elly