Menemsha Pullover, another Wiksten Tank, yummy cake and giant insects!!!

I started another knitting project! The Menemsha Pullover from the Summer edition of Interweave Knits is a gorgeous garment.  It is just the sort of knit that I enjoy - some interesting cables and some stocking stitch for a speedy finish. What is more, I am using some yarn from my stash.  Rowan Luxury Cotton dk is a really nice yarn to knit with and seems ideal for this design.

 
Following the success of my first Wiksten Tank, I have made another in a beautiful Liberty Tana Lawn sunflower design. I have a few other pieces of Liberty fabric that I am looking forward to sewing up soon.  It is really quick to sew with just 2 main pieces and some bias binding around the neck and armholes.  Couldn't be easier really! I reckon you can make one of these in a couple of hours from start to finish.
 
  I love this fabric and it is a dream to work with. The tank is very comfortable to wear and looks great.  I am particularly proud of the way the pocket matches up.
 
 There is now a pile of patterns and fabric waiting to be made into wonderful things.  Next project will probably be a Summer Dress in some more of my favourite Tana Lawn fabric.
We had a belated Jubilee Party in our street last week, which was a great excuse to bake a fabulous cake. This was the plumpest, creamiest Victoria Sandwich that  have ever made...

 
...and it was delicious. Sometimes the simple recipes are the best. I also found a great recipe for Orzo and Tomato Salad in a recent foodie magazine which I took along. The salad was colourful and quite easy to throw together. Lots of fresh herbs. It was really tasty and will definitely get made again.

Alfie loves to sit and watch us cook. Ever hopeful of some scraps.

Last Friday, Watford town centre was taken over by giant insects as part of the" Imagine" arts festival which is happening this week. Giant ants, an immense praying mantis and a supersized spider were so impressive that you barely noticed the puppeteers working incredibly hard to bring them to life.   These amazing puppets towered over the crowds and breathed steam over us as they moved around drawing gasps of amazement from everyone. They were absolutely awesome!!!

I have never seen anything quite like these.

The Wiksten Tank in Tana Lawn and some cute baby hats

My new sewing machine arrived in full working order and within the week!  It seems that the terrible internet reviews of the store I purchased it from had stressed me out unnecessarily as I really can't complain about any aspect of the experience. Of course, I could just be lucky. Anyways - the machine is just what I wanted and really was great value. Once I had given it a trial run on some scrap fabric I made a start on the Wiksten Tank that I cut out last week. It took very little time to run up this beautifully simple garment and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the pattern.  The Liberty Tana Lawn was a perfect choice of fabric being light but firm to handle. It is also a totally gorgeous print which I will enjoy wearing. With French seams and bias binding on the neck and sleeves, this top is very well finished, looks excellent and is very comfortable to wear. I will probably make a few more of these.
 
 Having rediscovered my enthusiasm for sewing I am keen to make a few more garments and have several patterns lined up already...
 
Baby hats are very quick and fun to knit. I have thoroughly enjoyed making each of these little beauties.  Firstly, another Baby Deer Hat.

Secondly, the unbearably cute striped stocking cap.

Last but not least, the ever wonderful Little Pumpkin Beanie.

Liberty print roses, vintage style sweater and honey cake

After becoming completely bored with the ZigZag crochet skirt that I was working on last week I decided to dig out a project that I abandoned a while ago.  Yes, the Jan Sweater is back! I don't know why I got tired of making this as I am now finding it quite enjoyable.  There are just a couple of inches of the back to finish and then the tiny cap sleeves to knit so it could be completed fairly soon.  I am hoping that this will be a really wearable jumper. The Drops Baby Alpaca Silk yarn is lovely to work with and I think the colour is perfect for this cute vintage style. I am undecided about whether or not to frog the crochet skirt - I feel it is turning out too short and a little too small. It may be best not to waste any more time on it. I can think of other projects that the yarn could be used for.
 
I did finally get around to blocking my cotton crochet shawl. The lace has opened out a bit and it lies a little flatter.  I hope to get a chance to wear this at some point - at the moment is is just too cold outside.
 
I have recently decided to start sewing again after a long break. I found this beautiful piece of Liberty Tana Lawn in my long neglected sewing box and downloaded the perfect pattern for it.  After carefully sticking together the pattern pieces and then cutting the fabric, I was keen to get sewing. Unfortunately I hadn't considered that my sewing machine might not want to cooperate!  After "resting" for about 7 years it was unwilling to get back into active service. Also, a couple of small parts such as the bobbin cover seem to have got lost. After consideration, I decided that it would be cheaper to buy a new basic machine than to get my old Brother Super Ace II serviced and repaired. However, I think I may have just made a mistake in ordering a machine from a company with the worst customer service reviews that I have ever read. It would have been better to research the company as well as the machine. After I had paid, I started reading about terrible customer experiences, dodgy practices and even verbal abuse from the shop manager all over the internet. Now I have very little confidence in receiving my new sewing machine in satisfactory condition or in the 2 working days as promised on the website. I really hope they prove the reviews to be wrong.  Meanwhile, my gorgeous Liberty print top is waiting for some stitching up...
 
Later today I am off to a local Jubilee Celebration Party and have spent this morning baking cakes. This is my first attempt at a lemon and honey cake in a fancy new cake pan. It looks ok but we'll have to see how it tastes.

 

Crochet Zig Zag Skirt

 This week the weather has taken a turn for the better and it seemed appropriate to start a more Summery project. So I dug out the pattern for the Zig Zag Skirt by Mari Lynn Patrick from an old copy of Interweave Crochet and some Patons 100% Cotton 4ply. I am sticking with the colour scheme of the original skirt as I particularly like it. I am not sure why this pattern is written to be crocheted flat and then seamed at  the sides.  It would surely make sense to work it in the round - as have several crocheters on Ravelry. For some reason I decided to just go with the pattern and have now done so much that I couldn't bear to frog it and start again. Although I think the design is very effective and striking, it is really boring to crochet. Two panels of rippled stripes with decreases in the ripple pattern every few rows for the shaping. I am hoping that I can manage to finish this project before it becomes so boring that I abandon it and start something more interesting.
 
Another little Deer Hat is on the needles - baby size! This one is to a baby of about 6 months, so it will be perfect for wear this coming Winter. These hats are always a joy to make as they are just so darn cute - Tiny Owl Knits patterns are pure genius.  Every baby should have one!
 
Alfie has had a haircut which should make him more comfortable in this heat. Just back from the Pet Emporium, he is looking unusually tidy, sleek and handsome...

The Rosy Cosy

This tea cosy was based on several patterns that I have seen and admired on Ravelry.  It is a very basic cosy knitted in 2 pieces and sewn together leaving gaps for the handle and spout.  Then it is a case of making a whole load of pretty roses and leaves to arrange on top. The cosy is knitted on 7mm needles from Rowan Cocoon and the flowers are made from a variety of scraps of wool from my stash. It took an evening to make the parts and then another to sew it all together. The teapot is quite an unusual shape - a bit taller than most teapots so I had to make sure the cosy was long enough. I love the finished result. Pretty and practical.
Alfie was also quite interested...
 

May flowers

I am loving the little rose shawlette.  After blocking it is just big enough to wrap around the shoulders with the pretty filet crochet rose showing at the back.  The leaf and picot border is particularly attractive. All considered, this was a very enjoyable and successful project.
 
 I am keen to make another of the lovely shawls from my Japanese pattern book but have a few small projects to complete first. This tea cosy is inspired by several patterns that I have seen on Ravelry.  The tea pot is an unusual shape so I had to add about 5cm to the height before starting the shaping. The flowers are made from colourful scraps of yarn that I have saved up for just such a project. There will be more flowers, leaves and maybe a lining for the cosy. I got this far in one evening , so it shouldn't take long to finish.

Coming up roses...

I have now completed the rose pattern on my filet crochet shawl.  I like the way it is turning out and can't wait to see the finished item. The pattern is from this Japanese craft book...

There are several more patterns that I want to make in this book.  I am finding it fairly easy to follow the Japanese charts and there are really good photo tutorials on any special stitches.  The main problem is that I cannot tell what kind of yarn and size of hook have been used to achieve the given size.
 
My rose shawl seems to be turning out smaller than the one pictured and I am thinking that they may have used a worsted weight yarn. My yarn is a light dk and I used a 3.5mm hook.  I may have another go with a thicker yarn if I can find anything suitable in my stash.

Japanese Rose Filet Crochet Shawlette

I started this shawlette a few days ago.  The yarn is a 50/50 wool and silk mix that I was given by a friend at knitting club. When I saw this pattern in a Japanese crochet book I knew it would be a perfect match for the yarn. I love Japanese patterns - they are so stylish and the charts are really easy to follow.  Filet crochet is fun.  You have to concentrate but it is great watching the picture appear as you work. The shawlette will have a beautiful leafy edging if there is enough yarn.
Yesterday I was asked to make a cute baby hat and managed to knit this little Deer Hat by Tiny owl Knits in an evening.  I used Sirdar Snuggly 4ply held double and knit on 4.5mm needles for the hat.  The antlers were knitted in Rowan Kid Classic, which felts brilliantly.  It is really the ears and antlers that take a while.  Attaching them in the right place can be a pain but I am satisfied that they are now positioned for maximum cuteness...

Speaking of cute...
 
Alfie rolled around in something unpleasant and smelly today and had to have a bath.  He is now looking gorgeous with his fur freshly washed and styled. He also smells a lot better.

Colourful shawls

This weeks weather has been appalling - cold,wet, and windy. The sunhats that I made last week are in no danger of being worn for a while yet. Ah well, they are ready as soon as the sun comes out.
Meanwhile, I have been working on two shawls. One crochet and the other knit. Both are beautiful colourful pieces that I can't wait to wear. Neither have been blocked yet, so these are the first pictures that I am sharing because I am so excited to have finished.
 

 I finished the Ananas Crochet Shawlette  last week and am loving the shape, pattern and colour.  I used Patons 100% Cotton 4ply. It is a very economical yarn that comes in some amazing colours. two balls was just enough to complete this pattern. The shawl still needs blocking to open up the lace and shape the edging into points.  This will be done as soon as the weather warms up enough to enable me to leave it outside to dry.  It is quite large and forms a crescent shape when laid out so I thought I might try tweaking it into shape and leaving it on the trampoline to dry.  If I leave it in the house, the dog will have it for sure.
 
 I may try this pattern again in a thinner wool yarn to see how it looks.
 
The knitted wrap is Sheer and Easy by Iris Schreier.  This very simple one row lace pattern was a joy to knit up on 7mm needles using Nimu Sizergh. 

The Nimu yarn was purchased at the craft show I went to at Olympia recently. It is a gorgeous blend of silk and mohair that has been handpainted in the loveliest colours. The variegated colours look amazing both on the skein and when knitted up. I finished this one today and have managed to find a corner of the house to block it in. 

Flowers on my hat

I love my new hat! It is yet another version of the wonderful Ewa hat , which is a free pattern that I found on the Ravelry site ages ago. Every version of this has been a success.  It is an excellent shape and the brim is just the right size and holds it's shape brilliantly.  This one is made from RYC Cotton Silk, which I bought in the John Lewis sale 2 years ago. It took two and a half balls to create this gorgeous Summery creation. The yarn is quite stiff and hard on the hands - I got a small blister making this but consider it worth the effort.


 
 Making the flowers was the best bit. I used a variety of different flower patterns - some from a Japanese pattern book that I bought from Ebay recently.
 

Just before making the pink hat I revisited the Ewa pattern to make this beige version of my favourite hat.  I used 4 balls of Purelife Organic Cotton, doubling up the yarn. The resulting hat is larger, thicker and floppier than the pink version but still lovely. I bought the cotton yarn in my LYS , Mavis in Bushey, a while ago for just 50p a ball from the bargain bin. I have been told that the colour of this yarn fades really badly when washed or in sunlight so it may not be a great choice for a sunhat.
 
The Turmeric Top is another pattern that I discovered on Ravelry - where else! I liked the simple top down construction and the front pleat with feature button. I used Rowan Panama which is a 4ply yarn that I have been wanting to try ever since it first arrived on the shelves.  It may not have been the best choice for this design as the yarn has a tendency to stretch. It may be necessary to thread a thin elastic through the neckband to stop it slipping off my shoulders. Although it was mainly just stocking stitch, I enjoyed knitting this top and would probably make it again in a different yarn.



Determined to enjoy Panama yarn, I knitted a quick shawl using three balls in the lovely orange colourway.  Another free pattern, the "Easy as Pie" shawl is just lovely and a really easy knit. I had trouble blocking the shawl sides into points due to lack of space and had to be satisfied with straight edges. The Panama worked perfectly with this design, giving a heavy shawl with lots of drape.
 
I am loving shawls at the moment and this next one was a joy to crochet. This was the first time I have used a lace weight yarn and it was not as fiddly as I had expected. The Manos del Uruguay lace yarn comes in the most amazing colours and there is just enough in one skein to make a small shawlette like this. I bought this skein at Nest in Crouch End which is now probably my very favourite yarn store. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and it carries an amazing range of wonderful special yarns. Oh yes!...and they serve amazing homemade cake and tea as well. What more could a knitter want.
 

The Plume pattern was easy to follow and can be made to any size. It is another freebie that got discovered on Ravelry.
 
After Plume, the Ananas Crocheted Shawlette feels relatively chunky. I'm using Patons 100% Cotton 4 ply in a beautiful bright orangey colour. So far the pattern is easy to follow, but I haven't reached the spectacular pineapple edge design yet. I wanted something really bright and cheerful to throw around my shoulders on warm Summer evenings.  Hopefully the Ananas will fit the bill perfectly.
 
 
This cute little brooch is the result of fiddling around with small scraps of yarn left over from the hat brim embellishment. I used this easy pattern.  It didn't take long and I will be making more of these.