Reassurance

As I have mentioned a few times, Eve is off to university at the end of next week.  Today her friend, Emma, who she has known since her first day at primary school, 14 years ago, goes away to Cardiff University.  They have been in the same class throughout their entire school life.

This has had a big emotional impact - the biggest change in their lives so far is now taking place.  It is a difficult time - excitement but also apprehension and even, at times, terror.

I made her this little card for some reassurance - with a simple embroidered message.

Sometimes, when you are feeling apprehensive and your confidence is low, it isn't enough to know you are loved, being liked can be just as important.

I'm sure emotional levels will reach fever pitch by the end of next week - not just for Eve - it's a big change for us all.

Not Middle-Aged

I'm pleased to see that a recent survey shows that people do not believe themselves to be middle-aged until the age of 55.  You can see the article over on the BBC website, here.

I believe that age is what you want to make of it - you're as young or as old as you feel.  I'm bouncy and jolly (most of the time); I like to skip around the house and dance in the kitchen when I'm cooking the meals.

I intend to remain a Spring chicken for as long as I can.

Enjoy every moment - and have a great day.

Fingerless Gloves Finished

My lovely new gloves are finished.

A great pattern - easy to follow and quick to make.  Full details can be found on my Ravelry page, here.

They look very dainty and feminine - just what I wanted.

Now I should get back to working on my Fair Isle - it seems to have come to a bit of a stand still.  One final push and I'll be there.

Having said that, there may not be much time for knitting though.  This week and next will be spent getting Eve organised to go away to university.  There's still so much to do and all of a sudden the date she leaves is looming closer.  One by one her friends are leaving - it's all starting to get very emotional.

Fingerless Gloves Update

Following on from yesterday's decision to knit some fingerless gloves, I can tell you that I am finally making some progress.

As I mentioned previously, there are a lot of beautiful patterns and many of them are free (my favourites!).  I'm planning on using some old 4 ply cotton yarn, frogged from a crocheted camisole - that was never really wearable.

I eventually settled on a pattern called Spring Buds by Robin Currier.

Spring Buds by Robin Currier

These are lovely and feminine - just what I wanted.   The pattern is available as a free Ravelry download, here.

I started this but part way through the cuff I felt as though it was on the large size.  I changed down a few sizes of needle but, even then, it was too big and loose.  It really is a lovely pattern and fortunately the instructions are written for both 4 ply and worsted weight yarn.  I may, at a later date, retry this pattern using the heavier weight yarn.

So I frogged what I had done and went back to the patterns on offer.  Plan B is a pattern called Lacy Fingerless Gloves by Rosemary Falk.

Lacy Fingerless Gloves by Rosemary Falk

An interesting diamond panel on the front.  Again, it is available as a free Ravelry download, here.

To help with my knitting, this week on the television, we have the Tour of Britain cycling race - Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins - our heroes.

This gives me an excellent excuse to sit and knit - so I'm now making wonderful progress with the gloves.

If I can knit as fast as Bradley Wiggins can cycle, I'll have no trouble finishing these gloves very soon.

Welcome and Thank You

I've just spotted that I now have 500 followers.  That's amazing!  Welcome to you all.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read my posts and leave your lovely comments, they are very much appreciated.

Today, seeing as the weather has turned distinctly autumnal, I'm looking at some fingerless gloves patterns to keep my poor cold hands warm - so many lovely patterns to choose from, I'm loving them all.  I can't decide yet - I'll make a decision after I've been to the shops - and start them this afternoon.

Photos will follow.

Have a good day - whatever you are planning.

No More 'Back to School'

I've enjoyed reading numerous blogs this past week on the theme of 'summer holidays are over and it's back-to-school time'.  I must admit that it has always been one of my favourite time's of the year.  A new beginning, better than New Year because it's not too cold or too dark to do anything.

This year is different.  No more back to school.  My girls are all grown up and their school days are behind them.  We are now counting down the days until Eve goes away to university.  Some of her friends have left to start their university courses already, but Eve still has three weeks to go.  What an exciting time - oh to be young again and to have all these opportunities and experiences in front of you.- I so envy her.

I couldn't resist knitting some little gifts for her to give to her friends before they left.  I used Grace's Teeny Tiny Mochimochi book again and made some human beans.

I thought they'd make a cute little buddy for them to take away.  Very quick to make and easier than you think.  I might make some for myself - to keep me company.

But Where Will I Put It?

On Tuesday I dropped off a bag of clothes at one of the local charity shops.  I can't resist browsing these shops and so inevitably I end up buying something I don't really need - this beautiful, dainty cup, saucer and plate.

Whilst in the shop I spotted a lovely old, wooden shelving unit in the shape of a dolls house.  I thought about it, but well, what would I do with it? where would I put it?

Two days later I was still thinking about, so much so that Eve and I went back to the shop to see if it was still there - and it was - so, of course, I bought it this time!

Still not sure where I'm going to put it, but I'm glad I went back for it.  It has a wonderful homely feel to it.

And as you can see, some residents have already moved in.

I Love Fair Isle

I love Fair Isle so much.  It just has a life of its own.  You start off with an idea of the colours you wish to use, the patterns you want to incorporate and the overall design - but once you start knitting it up something completely new emerges that seems to create itself.

My latest Fair Isle project is for a V-necked slipover.  I was inspired by the Ralph Lauren Autumn 2012 collection.  I wanted to use up odds and ends of DK yarn from my stash, so inevitably my colour scheme was to be based on pink and burgundy - with a touch of blue.  This, however, is what has developed.

I just love the way the colours dictate to me how they want to be knitted up.  They can be quite bossy and insistent!

Hopefully I'll have this finished soon and then I can start yet another new Fair Isle!

The Cutest Gnome

For her birthday recently I bought Grace some knitting books by Anna Hrachovec that she had been wanting.

They have the cutest patterns in them.  Despite the fact they are all knitted with DPNs (which I avoid if possible) I couldn't resist knitting the little gnome.

He's adorable.  He took less than an hour to make - he's not as fiddly as you would think.  Now I'm itching to make some more of the little lovelies - Grace, can I borrow your books, PLEEEEEASE!

Sunny Days Coaster

This motif features a jolly sun surrounded by pretty flowers – what a happy design. 

The motif measures 12 cm in width.

You will need oddments of double knitting weight yarn in orangey-yellow, yellow, green, pale pink and medium pink.  A size 3.50mm (US size E) crochet hook– and that’s all. 

The pattern PDF is available for free, HERE.  

You can of course experiments with different colour combinations. 

I hope you enjoy this pattern.  

Doily, Experiments and a Coaster

Sometime ago - a few months maybe - I lose track of time - I made this doily.

It's from a pattern from 1894.  You can see the pattern here.

It's very pretty but as soon as you put anything on it the beautiful centre is obscured.  I was looking at the centre again yesterday and thought how good it would look on its own.

Being in thread weight it would be rather small, so I thought I'd try something in double knitting weight yarn.

I had to modify the pattern somewhat but this is what I came up with.

A very nice coaster.  But when I looked closer I thought the centre looked rather like a sun and maybe I could do something with the edging.  So this is what I made next.

I love it.  Pretty and jolly - my two favourite descriptions.  I think the edging now looks like flowers in a sunny garden - so I'm calling this pattern Sunny Days Coaster.

I'm in the process of writing out the pattern and will share it with you very shortly.

I haven't felt that inspired lately - possible overkill of all the knitting and crocheting whilst the Olympics were on - but wow, this little coaster has given me a buzz and I'm itching to create.  Bring on all that lovely yarn.

Grace's Birthday

Grace had a wonderful birthday yesterday.  We called to see her in the evening, after she had got home from work, and so were able to share part of the day with her.  She received lots of lovely presents but I'll tell you about the ones that I made for her.

At last I can show you pictures of the sweater I knitted her.

The sweater has a beautiful cable pattern up the front but unfortunately the photos don't do it justice.

The pattern is by Martin Storey from the booklet Rowan Casual Classics.  You can see something of the pattern in this picture from the booklet.

Here she is on her birthday, modelling the sweater.

It looks lovely and snug.  Grace chose the yarn.  It's Sirdar click dk.  She loved the colouring - a lovely blend of blues and browns - she thought it reminded her of the seaside.  I've since discovered that the shade is actually called seashell.  Full details of the pattern and yarn can be found on my Ravelry page, here.

I made this card for Grace.

The parcel opens out and there is a pop up smiling robot inside.

Her blog is called The Smiling Robot, so very appropriate.

I also made a little booklet for her.  I found a picture of a robot on Google images and embroidered it on to some calico.

I covered some card with paper and added the robot embroidery together with some ribbon and a large brass button.

Inside I devoted a page to each year of her life.  I took photos of house numbers that I saw on my morning walks and coupled these with old photos of Grace.  Here are a couple of the pages.

This is the collage I made from all the numbers.

And the collage of all the photos of Grace.

It was lovely to look back and see how she has grown over the years.

I also crocheted her a flower corsage from my pattern, here.

Finally I wanted to give her 21 £1 coins.  Besides robots she likes owls, so I crocheted a tiny owl coin bag to put them in.

I'm so glad she enjoyed her day - but enough's enough - I can't allow her to get any older - the last 21 years have gone far too quickly.

It Can't Be True...

...but it is.  Grace is 21 today.

It seems like only yesterday I was blogging about her 18th  birthday.

We're off to see her this evening to give her her presents.  In the meantime -

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY GRACE
HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Granny Square Bag

I've just completed my bright and beautiful granny square bag.

It's made from a very large granny square - 60 cm in width.

It's lined and I bought some lovely plaited handles for it.

It's my new knitting bag and it's very roomy inside.

I based my bag on the free pattern from Pierrot Yarns.  You can see details of the pattern, via Ravelry, here.  The pattern calls for 4 ply yarn used double but I used double knitting weight yarn and a 3.5 mm hook which works out the same.

It's quite an easy project to make and the beauty of it is that you can really personalise your bag.  I might add some flowers and tassels but I think it probably looks jolly enough as it is.