We're off to the seaside!

Yes we are going to the seaside for a few days! We are going to Devon with some family, including my pregnant sister so I have had to get on and finish the things I have been knitting for her:

This wrap cardigan was quite demanding as I had never made anything that was more than one piece before!  It has a few imperfections but hopefully they add to the charm!  

 

And another pair of booties.  This was my very first knitting project so trying to work out the picot edge was quite tricky!

So I now only have two projects on the go - the mystery stripy thing and the cushion covers.  Hopefully I will make some headway on holiday and get one of the cushion covers finished!

I would also like to add that I have found yet another blog to read obsessively.  Most of the craft blogs I read are American so its great to find a British one.  Yarnstorm

See you in a few days!

Long time no blog

How terrible of me, I haven't posted in over a week!  One of the reasons for this is that we had my young sister to stay for a couple of days last week.  We took a family trip to the zoo where we met this lovely zebra.  My favourite animal at the zoo is always the Marmoset Monkey but I do love the stripiness of a zebra.  I feel a zebra related illustration coming on...

In knitting news I have started on the cushion covers.  I have made up the simple cable pattern myself and am pleased with the results so far.  I think they will look very nice.  Unfortunately I'm only part way through one and have three to make altogether.  Lets hope I finish them this side of christmas.

The flowers in the photo are my wedding bouquet which has dried out nicely and seems to match this piece of knitting perfectly! 

More knitting!

I have got this lovely soft sage green yarn burning a hole in my knitting bag:

I have ear-marked it for yet another baby project.  I have borrowed a fantastic old knitting book from my Mother in law and I am going to knit this little dress and shoes as a christmas present for my sister's bump.

But first I must finish the mystery stripy project and knit some cushion covers for the living room. I may have to start working on two projects at once...

Can you see what it is yet?

This is what I am knitting at the moment.  It is my first time knitting stripes and I am finding it very satisfying!  I won't say what it is going to be but it will be featuring in my shop when it is finished.  I am kind of making it up as I go along this time.  I have adapted a pattern I found but made quite a few changes so we will see how that goes!

What's your style?

So today I am formatting lots of images which is VERY boring so to have a break from it I did this quiz, found through How About Orange.  Turns out my style is International Chic.  I'm only partially convinced.

I do like some of the stuff they picked out for me though.

In other news, I have nearly finished my biggest knitting project yet, a little wrap cardigan for the new niece.  I will post photos just as soon as its finished!

Home sweet home

Hello,  its monday again after another busy weekend.

The husband and I did a bit of shopping for home things which is one of our favourite pass-times.

We have decided our living room needs an accent colour to go with all the cream and mushroomy brown and decided on a dusky pink.  We got this lovely soft spotty throw by Ditton Hill :

but unfortunately it is too pale to go with our other colours so it has to go back to the shop. Boo!  Its a shame because i really love it but the husband is right - it looks a bit insipid against so much cream.  The hunt will continue.

We also paid a visit to Laura Ashley one of our most favourite shops, as we hadn't been in for a while and needed a fix of lovely things!  We got a sample of beautiful wallpaper which we would love to cover a whole wall in but as we rent we are not able to.  Instead we have framed it to go on our bedroom wall above our new bed which will be delivered in 17 days!

Today I have been working on...

My handmade book project.  I have been planning for ages to get some little handmade books up on my shop page.

This Little Red Riding Hood story has been hanging around nearly finished for months being worked on in between commissions so I have decided to finish it at last.  All I need to do now is the cover.  This is a little peek at the rough version.  It will be printed in black on lovely brown paper with the red spot colour hand painted on afterwards.  Hopefully a limited run will be available in my shop from the end of next week.  Hopefully... 

I'm becoming craft obsessed

So I have always loved all things crafty but since the wedding I have gone craft crazy.  I want to start making stuff and learning new things like crochet and quilt making.  It frustrates me that I can't do everything at once!

My mum has promised us a sewing machine for a wedding present (luckily my husband doesn't mind this joint gift) so I am already thinking about sewing projects I can start.  I definitely want to get some Built By You patterns from Built By Wendy - its so refreshing to find clothes patterns you would actually want to wear!  I also plan to get some fabulous fabrics such as these from Anna Maria Horner and maybe make a quilt or design some little toys...

I Love Knitting!

I learnt to knit about a month ago.  The lack of wedding planning in my life now that I am married left a creative hole that knitting has filled very well - I just can't stop knitting!  I carry my lovely new Cath Kidston knitting bag round with me just incase.  I am currently on my fourth knitting project but these are the two that I have finished completely so far.

My sister bought me a make your own socks kit before christmas when I said I wanted to learn to knit so I have finally made them.  I admit it took me two attempts to get them right as the first time you couldn't actually get them on your feet due to using the wrong casting on and off methods!  I will now force her to wear them.

All my other projects so far have been baby knitting.  The same sister is expecting her first baby which we know is a girl which gives so many opportunities for knitting tiny pink things!  So far I have made these little wool booties with lovely candy stripe ribbon ties.