March 21, 2018 · 4:11 pm

New Embroidery Hoop

I decided I needed to be able to stitch two-handed and I didn’t want a frame and a stand and I am not a huge fan of Q-Snaps I find they hurt my fingers getting the plastic bit on and off.

I decided to try a hoop – a two layer hoop to be precise.

This is the stitch ezi hoop from here – I believe it is made in Australia.

I have used it once and so far I have liked it. I can rotate the top hoop so I can weave my ends into the back and I am sure once I get better at using two hands I will speed up.

In the above image I am working on My Lady’s Quaker from Jardin Prive. I love this chart – my progress is slow, but it is about the journey not the destination.

I have also ordered this hoop, which in retrospect might not be as good, because you cannot rotate the top hoop. However, it might pack up smaller and that has to be a good thing. That’s not due to arrive for a while, so I will see how I get on with my stitch ezi hoop. I can attach one of those peg book lights – one like this and it works really well.

 

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March 15, 2018 · 5:02 pm

Winter Rose Socks

Winter Rose Socks

This is the current progress on my Winter Rose socks – so far all is going well, the pattern is easy to remember and they are knitting up quickly.

I am knitting the large size, but only cast on 68 stitches (instead of 72) and I have altered the pattern accordingly – the pattern is amazingly detailed.

I am not sure I will finish these by the end of the month, which means I will fall behind in my goal of a pair of socks a month.

Next month I am going to knit Louise Tilbrook’s Green Gable socks.

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March 6, 2018 · 2:10 pm

Another Project Bag

My completed project bag

A close up so you can see the ‘Baa’ fabric at the bottom

I finished another project bag – this one is for my knitting. It is bigger than the previous one – I can fit my plastic box of notions, the pattern (A4), yarn and a small notebook.

I still want to make more – I have two more embroidery projects and several knitting projects to house.

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March 2, 2018 · 5:30 pm

February Socks are Finished

Finished Socks!

I finished my February socks. These have an after thought heel, which at first I didn’t like, but now that I have finished and tried them on I like it.

Next time I do an after thought heel – I will place a marker where I want the heel to start, so I can make each sock identical.

I also like the wedge toe, which I found here – I need to write myself some notes, so I remember it.

Next up Winter Rose socks – As I want to use my Addi Crasy Trio needles, I will probably alter the pattern to suit whatever gauge I get.

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February 23, 2018 · 4:18 pm

Quaker Lady

Cross Stitch Progress

I have been working (slowly) on my Live Simply sampler and I have started work on my My Lady’s Quaker from here – it is big (for me) 160 stitches by 160 and so I shall be working on it for a long time.

I have continued on my sock and hope to have it finished by the end of the month – my aim is a pair of socks a month. There is a lot going on in the next month, so I might not get there, but then I am going to knit Winter Rose Socks – I have this yarn in mind – in colour 2170.

There is not enough time to stitch and knit all of the things… I suspect this is a nice problem to have.

 

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February 15, 2018 · 11:20 am

Multi-Project Update

Project Bags and a Sock

I have been rotating through my various crafting activities; knitting, sewing/quilting and embroidery.

I decided I needed to make project bags for my various projects – the image top right is my first attempt. It is great – my Live Simply cross stitch fits inside with the chart and my box of floss. However, my A4 pages (in a plastic slip) don’t fit easily inside, so I decided the next one needs to be 2.5cm bigger in both length and width. I have started another one (top left image). Check out the fabric, it’s sheep knitting! The front and the back are quilted and it is fully lined (no raw edges).

I finished one of my after thought heel socks – this is not my favourite technique and I will revert back to normal heels for my next sock (which is going to be Winter Rose Socks – I have joined the hand made sock society and they are going to send me a new pattern bimonthly.)

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January 31, 2018 · 11:55 am

More Socks!

First Sock

I wanted a project I could easily do on the plane and I also wanted something that I hadn’t started so if my needles were confiscated it wouldn’t be a problem.

I decided on socks – plain vanilla socks – although I am going to attempt an afterthought heel. I bought this colour because it is the colour of my girls’ netball team, so either I will wear them when I coach or one of the girls will wear them (probably Miss P).

I am using my Addi Crasy Trio needles – the needles are 2.25mm -, the yarn is Fortissima Mexiko Cotton Stretch  (Shade 59). It is quite rough so we will see what it is like as a sock.

The toe is a wedge toe and I used Kate Atherley’s 3/2/1/0 recipe – you can find more information on Knitty.

I have Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Knitting without Tears, which discusses how to make an afterthought heel (essentially she knits another toe – and it is a basic toe a decrease round followed by a plain round until 20 stitches are left and then she grafts it).

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January 30, 2018 · 4:55 pm

Live Simply – Update

Progress on my Sampler

I have made some progress on this – after a disasterous counting error, which involved much ripping. I am very slow, but it is all about the process rather than the end point.

I have been using the diagonal pin stitch to start, which has been a revelation (no weaving in ends – well at least at the start).

I bought myself a new light with a magnifier (this one). I thought it was like my other light and was charged using a USB cable, but no it has batteries – 4 AAs. It has made a difference but I find it a bit tricky to orient myself, my hands and the light.

I have been watching flosstube and wanting all of the charts they mention, but I already have two on the go and the cost of shipping the charts from the US is prohibitively expensive (I need downloadable PDFs, but I appreciate that it is easier to pirate these than paper charts).

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January 20, 2018 · 5:14 pm

Finished Christmas Socks!

Finished christmas socks

I finished my christmas socks – I think one of them is inside out in the image above.

So now I am going to start knitting a pair of Smooth Operator socks using Fortissima Mexiko Cotton Stretch (in colour 59).

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January 13, 2018 · 5:48 pm

Live Simply

Live Simply – Cross Stitch Progress

I have continued to work may way through my Craftsy class – I now know how to do the pin stitch on linen (brilliant – why didn’t I know that?)

Once I get going, I find this quite easy. I am thinking 32 count Belfast Linen might be my thing. I tried to buy more at Spotlight today, but I had to buy the whole 10m role – that’s $880 – so I said ‘no thanks’ to that and I will buy more from the Crewel Gobelin.

Second Christmas Sock

I am still knitting the second sock – I have reached the toe decreases.

I did a much better job on the gusset this time. I found this article on avoiding holes and it was fabulous (no holes!).

The yarn and the needles have both been great – yarn from passionedflower (on Etsy) and the needles are the new Addi ones.

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