Happy Hallowe'en

This week's Gallery subject is 'Birth'.

I'm going for the obvious, but no nicely washed and presented babies here - just the before, during and after of Tiddler's entry into the world. Perhaps not for the squeamish!





 The things we do to have our kids!

The Gallery: Birth

My Roxanne Mystery Shawl is finished!

Here she is with a couple of detailed photo's too:




I used Abstract Cat's 100% Bluefaced Leicester Sock Yarn in colourway 'Soiree'. I started on 4mm needles but didn't like how it was looking so started over again on 3.75mm needles instead.

There were quite a few errors in the pattern but other KAL-ers had discovered these before I got that far into the pattern so they didn't cause me any problems.

Two new techniques for me with this pattern: a garter tab cast on and cables, both of which are easy if you look them up on You Tube first!

I do like mystery knits! I think I might try a mystery sock knitalong next.

Ta Da - My Roxanne Mystery Shawl!

Nipper thinks I've got four eyes! You can read about it here.

New Post over on Non-neurotypical Nipper

I've just finished a quilt in time for the Blogger's Quilt Festival 2011.


Our lovely friends Richard and Emily are expecting their first baby in August. I wanted to give them something handmade that could be used for a long time. Baby knits are lovely but babies grow too fast! I figured a quilt/playmat would fit the bill.

As usual I gave myself a headache with this project by buying the fabric before planning the quilt. One of these days I'll actually plan the quilt before the purchase (actually I probably won't!). I spent a couple of evenings mulling over how I was going to fashion my fabric into a usable item but I got there in the end. I think I prefer 'winging it' projects rather than following someone elses design really. I must do otherwise I wouldn't keep on doing it!

I took photos and made notes along the way so as and when I find the notes I'll blog the process. The fabric is 100% cotton with sashing made from 100% cotton sheeting (bought in Primark for a fraction of the cost of yardage in a fabric shop). The back is also plain white cotton sheeting. The batting is a cotton/bamboo mix with an eigth of an inch loft. The design is 'Farmyard Corne'r by Makower and I can't remember where I bought it (but it would have been an online, UK based, fabric supplier).

I can't get a walking foot for my machine so quilting is a bit tricky. For this quilt I just stiched 'squares' around the animal pictures. I'm not explaining that very well but you can see what I mean if you look closely at the photo. This way I didn't get any puckering.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out. It's not perfect but, to me, that's the beauty of handmade. I know it'll be loved as much as I loved making it.

Bloggers' Quilt Festival 2011 - Baby Quilt

I've finished Clue 2 of my mystery shawl and I'm now partway through Clue 3. After all my stressing about cables they turned out to be a doddle in the end.




The same can't be said for my 'between clues' project. I'd finished Clue 2 but hadn't yet received Clue 3 so was feeling a bit twitchy and needed something new to knit (no idea why I couldn't have finished one of my other wips!).

I found this pattern for a felted bowl with a moebius edge and decided to have a go with my favourite 'love to hate' yarn (Noro!). After attempting, and finally managing, a moebius cast-on I will never stress about a new knitting challenge ever again! I appeared to be knitting from the inside of the moebius loop outwards and was sure that I was doing something wrong - but apparantly not! The turquoise yarn in the centre is where I cast on.


I just kept knitting in the hope that all would be revealed and it was! I just need to stitch the bowl and the edge together and then felt it. Very exciting!

Roxanne Clue 2 and a Moebius Cast-on