Wind Knitting

Seedlings 2010

sown 10th April

Sunflower Velvet Queen x 10
Nasturtium Summer Carousel x 15
Sweet Pea Old Fashioned Mix x 20

Knitting - Felted (NOT) Messenger Bag

First blogged here then here and then here.. using this pattern by Claudia Olson (Ravelry link), although its no longer a messenger bag!

Cut up and sewn back together.  It now measures 13" wide and 8.5" tall.

I had thought I would embellish the bag with some felted/knitted flowers but the pink blanket stitch is quite distracting... maybe I should have used black...

I think I will 'create' a button for the tab instead...

And of course give it a shave...

Knitting - Felted Messenger Bag

First blogged here and then here... using this pattern by Claudia Olson (Ravelry link), although its no longer a messenger bag!


Well...  BEFORE washing it measures 24" wide, 4" deep and 14" tall and the strap is 32" was long.

I estimated one third shrinkage to 16" wide and 8" tall with a strap of 28" long.

AFTER one 60 and two 40 degree washing cycles it shrunk to 19" wide, 3" deep and 8.5" tall and the strap is 24" long.

Its too wide...

I think drastic action (and a pair of scissors) is required to salvage something...

Painted Quilt by Linda and Laura Kemshall

Some more recent notes...

Painted Quilt: Paint and Print Techniques for Colour on Quilts by Linda Kemshall and Laura Kemshall

Knitting - Felted Messenger Bag

First blogged here... using this pattern by Claudia Olson (Ravelry link).

Its a monster!  My wool is thicker and my needles bigger and I did run out of wool so now its a bucket type bag with an over shoulder strap.

BEFORE felting it measures...24" wide, 4" deep and 14" tall.  The strap is 32"

The proportions are all wrong, far too wide, I should have cast on less stitches.

After felting it SHOULD measure 16" wide and 8" tall with a strap of 28".  This assumes a third shrinkage which is a good estimate...

knitting - fingerless mitts

another attempt to make myself some handwarmers/fingerless gloves. I have tried these:-

easy peasy - tension too tight
albertes (ravelry link)
orchard (ravelry link) - didn’t like the moss stitch
alices fingerless (ravelry link) - don’t like lack of thumb
eyelet handwarmers - photo below.  They came out a bit loose and holey but nice, I would use a smaller needles next time.

I am now trying these (scroll down for Mericash Neck and Wrist Warmers).

So, I'm doing lace knitting on double pointed needles... eek.  I've done one so far and I like it!

The photo below makes the pattern look very impressive, some mistakes though,  but not very noticeable.

Seedlings 2010

I've sown seeds before but I'm still amazed by them!  These were sown on 27th March. 

Tomato - Gardeners Delight x 20
French bean - Blue Lake x 10
Courgette - Black Beauty x 10

backside of cross stitched colour

Whilst attaching some loose pages into my sketchbook I came across this cross stitch sample.

I did it ages ago by blending single strands of red, blue and yellow threads.  The front can be seen in this post

However the backside (as usual) looks so much better!

Pockets Pullouts and Hiding Places by Jennifer Mason - some notes

Some more notes from my notebook (04/06)

notes from Pockets Pullouts and Hiding Place by Jennifer Mason

Creating Sketchbooks by Kay Greenlees - some notes

Whilst having another clear out I flicked through my notebook I used in 2004/06 whilst doing my City & Guilds in Embroidery at Dundee College.

The tutor and students often brought in books they had bought and were kind enough to let me make some notes.

notes from Creating Sketchbooks for Embroiderers and Textile Artists: Exploring the Embroiderers' Sketchbook. by Kay Greenlees.

(a very long title!)

my library card April 2010

Jamie's ministry of food : anyone can learn to cook in 24 hours
"Good Food" The family meal planner : Thrifty recipes and 7-day meal plans
The knitter's handbook : yarns, needles, stitches, techniques
Help your child to read and write
Retail marketing
Guerrilla marketing : easy and inexpensive strategies for making big profits
Wrap style
Knitted gardens : imaginative designs, practical and decorative
The painted quilt
Knit and felt bags : 20 quick-and-easy embellished bags

On Order
The best of Interweave knits : our favorite designs from the first ten years
85 inspiring ways to market your small business :
The enormous crocodile
The wish fish
Fun & funky knitting : 30 easy accessories to inspire
Lace & eyelet stitches : 250 to knit

Link Within

I've added a Link Within gadget to the blog.

(found via A Stitch in Time)

I wonder what interesting links it will make....

blue on orange

from the ongoing paper quilt project...

Knitting - Ballet Cardigan

E 'needs' a ballet cardigan... yes its baby pink and its 4ply...

walls

Knitting - Messenger Bag

I'm using some donated wool (black and dark brown) to make another felted bag for the Sea Queen stall.  I have used some already to make this 'tote'.

I found this pattern by Claudia Olson on Ravelry and quickly cast on.  However  I'm using thicker wool and bigger needles and did not reduce the number of stitches... so its bigger than expected.

Also, I'm running out of wool....  so I can't make it taller to keep the proportions right or indeed knit the flap to make it a messenger bag!

I'm going to make it a bucket bag and hopefully have enough wool to make a long (across the body) strap.

Its a monster!

Easiwork Kitchen Cabinet

Part of an exhibition at St Andrews Musuem on the history of St Andrews. I think its from 1930s.  I love it, especially the suggested menus on the door.

inspirations in nature - part 18

St Andrews Botanic Gardens...

weird, scary, wonderful, colourful and delicate