Kiddie's Draw string bag!

As Christmas is quickly approaching I am trying to not only get stuff ready for the Christmas gift fairs but also for all those lovely nieces and nephews I am blessed with.  This draw string bag was an idea i wanted to try, without a pattern you never really know how it will turn out.  Thankfully, I am pleased with the end project and I think it will be a hit for the younger ones to put their toys and books in.

The Loopy Scarf

Tina in the Loopy scarf

On a trip to the London Stitch and Craft Show I came across the Loopy yarn.  The name of it alone made me think that I wanted to work with it.

Generally the yarn was great and easy to work with and I love the overall effect.  Unfortunately part way through the project my work came of the needles in my bag and i had to roll the ball back up and redo a good portion of it which was an incredibly frustrating experience as the yarn twisted around itself making it very difficult to work with.

As it was a Mothers Day gift for my mother-in-law, it had to be finished.  The end result is great, I can't wait to work with again.

Noro Bucket Bag

Noro Bucket Bag

So, I have some fabulous Noro yarn that I have had for way to long.  It's sits in my craft room and each time I think about using it I then thing that the project might not be special enough for my wonderful Noro yarn.  I have no idea why I think this way, clearly it's value and worth and been mixed up in my mind somehow!


I finally decided that I would use it on a bucket bag.  I thought it would be great to work with.  I have looked at this yarn many times and I was now very excited that I had decided what i would do with it.  I wasn't five minutes into the knitting process when I became very disappointed.  The yarn was tough and almost bugged my fingers with its harsh texture.  I was already thinking that this project might not be a good idea.


Well, being as determined as I am I did finish the project.  Actually  it  has turned out wonderfully.  I am really surprised with the end result.  It felted up so soft that it almost feels like a baby blanket.   It's amazing what a little hot water can do.

Noro Bucket Bag

CanCan Brooch

Black/Grey CanCan Brooch

After the CanCan Scarf I had just a small amount of yarn left.  

I thought this would be a great way to use it and it looks great with my black pashmena!

Felted Shoulder bag

I was up in my craft room the other day thinking I would like to try out a new pattern, this is generally a great idea as it can turn out well but, I have also had the experience where you spend all the time working on it and it doesn't work out and then at that point you also don't have the yarn to try again as the felting process has damaged it.  So... i was wondering what i would try that would have the least amount of room for error. This is also the time in the process when I wish I was taught how to properly read patterns.

Anyways.... I did go ahead and attempt to create my own pattern, and this happened to be one of those times that it turned out great.  Exactly what I was going for.

Now I will bring it to the upcoming craft fair to see how the new style goes over.

Grey felted shoulder bag

Grey felted shoulder bag with flower

Red Felted Bucket Bag

 

So as you all know I love making bags!!

This one was made on a request order.  I really like the way it turned out the felting process seems to have created an extra texture in it that makes it very unique.  I might not want to give this one up!!

Mobile phone case

So... i has been a while since i made a mobile phone case/cover but it is always a great way to finish up all the extra little bits of yarn.

I love projects that are practical, nice looking and that i can get done quickly!!  I managed to make 3 while watching a movie last night.  I guess i will have a full basked for the upcoming craft fairs.

Button Flowers

What do you make with all of the little scraps of fabric when you are done with the big projects?  Often I can't bring myself to throw them away, it just seems like you shouldn't waist them. 

I have finally found an answer for some of them!  Button flowers! 

This was the first one I attempted to make.  I think it turned out pretty well. 

A full view of the Button Flower

up close to the Button Flower

Button up Cowl Scarf

This is a Button up Cowl Scarf, made from a chunky hat yarn. 

I made it on circular needles and seemed it up with the buttons.

It looks so warm, almost makes me look forward to the cold weather coming back!

Emma in the Button Up Cowl

Button Up Cowl

The thought process.....

So, the idea of this blog is to put pics up of things I am working on and also to share the process. I have wanted to share the process for this item for months but couldn't. It was a gift for a friend and not knowing if she would be reading this or not it couldn't go up until she received the bag! Now that it is safe in her hands I can tell the reasoning behind the finished bag.

Last year my friend mentioned to me that I had never made her something, this shocked me. I make things for everyone! How could someone so special and dear to me have been forgotten? The reality is... She makes lots of stuff for herself so, I simply forgot that I hadn't made her anything.

Taking this fact in I started thinking about our friendship and the things that are special to both of us. The first thing that came to mind was God, well clearly I couldn't make that with the whole make no idols rule. I then thought maybe a way to carry her Bible. So the idea of a bag began. Well, a bag to carry her Bible seemed like something she could make herself so I thought I would think bigger, bigger is always better right? Probably not.... But I was still going for bigger. I needed a bigger bag!

Thinking about my friend and the various aspects of her life I wanted something she could use for work, her studies and even just in normal life! Well, that should be simple right? I went for the boxy look as i love it!

The last stage in the though process was the Color. The Burgundy is a color I love and the blue is a Color she looks great in!

A simple gift.... With lots of love and thought put into it!

The CanCan scarf

The CanCan Scarf

YEAH!!  I have finished my first project from my list of idea's from the knitting show yesterday.   It is a CanCan scarf knitted in black/grey.  I am not sure who it is for yet but I love it.

This was great to knit as the yarn is a really fun texture very different from 'normal' yarn.  You actually only knit into the side of the yarn.

Nicole in the CanCan scarf!

A day of idea's

So i am of the opinion that it doesn't matter how busy you are, you still need time to play.  In light of that opinion yesterday I took the day off and went with a good friend to the KNITTING AND STITCHING show.  As always I had had a wonderful time and came  home with a very long list of many things i now want to make.  I am always amazed with the many idea's i see around these places.  

The picture is of the Royal Wedding which is very impressive as it hasn't even happened yet!  There is a lady who has sat down and knitted the full Royal Wedding.  I was very impressed and thought it a great picture to have!  I didn't write her name down so can't even give her the credit but thought it worth showing ya'll the picture.  Although i am impressed with her project I am still not going to take up knitting little people! 

Felted Bags

                                                

So... today i went up into my craft room thinking i really needed to relax so i would just spend 30 minutes working on something quickly.  Before i knew it there is was working on another felted bag.  I seem to always get drawn back to making them.  I love the fact that you can work out the design and have it clear how it will turn out. The reality is, i can put as much effort as i want into making the bag exactly as i want it but, i can not control the final felting process. I am looking forward to seeing how the new nora bag will turn out.  Here are a couple of pics of previous felted bags.









The baby hat

It seems like over the past few weeks I have been spending a lot of time making baby hats.  They are something i always enjoy to make. Below are two pics, the green one is for a premi and the pink is for a newborn.

I learned to make baby hats after we lost our daughter Jessica.  She had been in the baby special care unit at the hospital and as she was so small the hats we had brought for her didn't fit.  Many generous women donate hats they have made to these units for such babies as her. We were thankful for that hat and I continue to knit and crochet hats that I take in to help out other families.