Creative Mess......

They say its a sign of creativity when one is in a mess. That said, I think I am way overdue for a cleanup of my creative space....... where everything is piled up.....

And squished together.........

And in a post rummaging tangle.....

And where what isn't crammed on the shelves....

Has fallen to the floor.... woops.....

Even the new sewing space is piled with half done jobs......

And we won't list all those half finished yarn projects will we? Lest we get a fright? Oh how about just one? A little Xmas house awaiting a wreath, (I don't have any dark green yarn)... sitting upon some newly washed fabric.......

I should probably be in there cleaning it up right now instead of blogging about it, but in my own defence I am currently supervising a math lesson.  And soon I am off to the airport to pick up my daughter who is coming to stay for 2 weeks! Yay! 

Here is my almost finished effort for In-a-spin week 2. I am still waiting for the border colour to arrive to finish the next round. 

Hope you are having a wonderfully creative week in a much tidier fashion than I. 

Hugs and smoochies lovely people. xoxoxox

Eucalyptus Dreams - Take 2

Does anybody remember this one? It's looking a bit worse for wear there isn't it? And please excuse the  icky mark on the sleeve (no idea what that is as its been packed but hoping it comes off when washed)  and the pile of junk on the floor waiting to be ejected out the front door. ;-) 

Re-discovered while sorting out my many unfinished projects the other day. This is the cardigan I took on holidays last year. It saw a bit of flying off the needles in the car, a bit of getting caught on things as it was moved from pillar to post. And big boys sitting on it on occasion. And then the poor thing was all forgotten and lay forlorn in its bag for a long long time. Of course Sibel has also now tried to help and given it a couple of pulls...arghhhh.....

I figured I should do something about getting it finished and it now only has the buttonhole side edging, the sewing and the neck to be finished. Not sure how one would block this as it is knitted together but the yarn does say it can be ironed so I might try that after its washed.  Hoping to get some time for this in the next few days. 

Wish me luck lovelies. 

Hugs xoxoxox

Week One

Deb posted a link to this CAL, In a Spin Sampler Throw (Ravelry Group)  over at ........... Spinatomy  (blog) and I could not help but sign up. 

There will be a different pattern posted each week for a granny square.  Which will eventually be made into a blanket. 

I have been planning to make a blanket out of my odd balls and left over yarn bits for ages so it did not take much encouragement for me to join in.  And now in my usual fashion I find myself wanting to order more yarn. Why? 

Well I am just loving these colours (this is mostly just one variegated ball with the Autumn glow in the bigger square) and as I have similar yarns in pastel blues and pastel green blends,  I thought I might buy some solid greens, some more Autumn Glow, some Mink, Some Yellow,  and some Denim blue as my borders. 

I know, its kind of cheating on the random yarn thing but after all, it will still have all the random yarn, just a few colours to bring it all together. ;-) These squares are waiting for one more row of SC, to finish them off. I wanted to do that in the Denim, but am having trouble getting my order through with Bendigo Woollen Mills. Seems to be a problem with their server. 

The one more row will bring my squares up to their right measurements. One at 30cm square...

And the other at 15cm square.....

I am planning on using mainly 8 ply yarn, however, this yarn is more like a 10ply, thick and squiggly. Not quite sure what it was but feels a lot like Alpaca. The Autumn glow is left over from my shawl and is 10ply. I will re-order in 8 ply. 

For now, its all tucked into its basket while we wait for next weeks instructions. I must find the lid as it turns out we have a thief in the  house. Ahem.........Sibel!!!!!

Nothing is safe around here anymore my friends, nothing! In fact my little square up there went missing this morning. Despite the fact that it was put away in a bag last night. I found it after much searching attached to my sons bodyboard stuck in the velcro leg rope. Nicely tucked away where it could not be seen.   Hmmmmm. 

Click on either of the links up the top if you would like to join in too. 

Hugs, Have a wonderful week. 

xoxoxox

Pretty things...

While I was on a course a couple of weeks ago, I met a most lovely lady who when I admired her necklace, let me take a closer look.  While she told me a little bit about it, I got to play with it and admire it and tried to take a decent picture with my phone which of course just does not do it justice. 

The necklace was purchased for this lady by a friend from a market stall in Turkey. It was crocheted from very fine cotton with small crystal chips threaded throughout. Needless to say, I NEED one of these. I do! 

Oh how I wish I had taken my camera with me that day. I am however, most grateful that she allowed me take photos at all.  And I have added this project to my never ending list of "things to do".  May this lady be eternally blessed for her kindness. It is the little things in life like the kindness of a stranger that make my heart sing. 

Namaste 

xoxoxoxoxox 

Catch UP

The last few days I have been "catching up" with quite a few things. Learning to fit my own creative urges around those of my youngest sons learning has had me feeling just a little bit frazzled at times. (I had gotten quite used to those six hours a day to myself). While we are getting back into the homeschooling swing of things I am finding the lack of personal time a little bit challenging. 

However, I know this is the right choice for him and I want to support that choice so I am once again learning to fit things in where ever I can.  So after a rather slow going morning of him getting a bit frustrated over his math work and me tapping my foot and watching the clock lest he NEVER finish. 

We pulled out the artwork, (he is working an Ecology  photography piece right now), and his big sister had him running around the house trying to find some different surface textures to add to his background......

giving me some precious moments to sew some motives onto fabric (those on the Everything Zen group may recognise these, which were supposed to be for my Japanese flower scarf that I never ended up finishing).  And sew it up into this....

A holder for all those plastic bags that we are not supposed to have in the house because we use canvas shopping bags. Ahem. I will teach them one day, I will! For now we will recycle those we have. I still need to make a handle but at least its a start. 

In between all this I also managed to start another small crochet project for xmas and I re-discovered my Eucalyptus Dreams Cardigan which had become buried in the depths of the craft room and started knitting away again. I will share pics of that later. 

What exactly is that? 

Amongst all this fun, Miss Sibel was enjoying meeting Charlotte. And after Charlotte harassing her to play constantly for the first day, she decided who was boss in a rather forceful manner. 

Ummm, Sibel, thats my foot! Sibel!!!!

What? 

Learning to share was another cause for concern......

Don't touch my toys....

Get off my cushion....

But I thought this was my cushion? 

Poor Charlotte was scratched and bitten into place, making room for her majesty to snuggle down in HER cushion.....

And eventually we came to a compromise and shared for an afternoon nap......Nawwww, how sweet.....

Charlotte however, is not so sure about this new addition to the family now..... and later she manages to secure the cushion once more, all to herself. 

"Oh Nana! I'm not sure about this, I'm not sure at all!"

Poor Charlotte. 

Have a wonderful weekend all.

Hugs xoxox

Ladders..... free pattern....

Ladder's Fingerless Gloves

4mm (size 6) set of Double Pointed Needles

Patons Zhivago 100g

Size: Large Mens

Note: If you want a smaller size I would suggest using  smaller needles and/or finer yarn. This pattern is quite simple but needs to stick to the same amount of stitches due to the pattern placing. 

Abbreviations:

CO Cast on

k Knit

p Purl

kfb Knit into front and back of the same stitch

pfb Purl into front of stitch and then knit into back of the same stitch

PM Place Marker

SM Slip Marker

BO Bind off

CO 40 stitches and distribute evenly over 3 DPN's

Work 16 rounds of double rib (k2, P2)

Knit One round

Beg Pattern

R1: * P1, K1 *, rpt to end of round

R2: * K1, P1 *, rpt to end of round

R3: * P1, K1, P1, K7*, rpt to end of round

R4: * K1, P1, K9 *, rpt to last 9 st, P1, K8

R5: (rpt row 3)

R6: (rpt row 4) (These six rows form the pattern)

R7-12: (Rpt pattern sequence once)

R13: Rpt Row 1

R14: Rpt Row 2

for thumb gusset

R15: P1, K1, P1, P2, PM, Kfb,K1, Kfb, PM, K2 *P1, K1, P1, K7 rpt to end of round.

R16: K1, P1, K3, SM, Knit between Markers, SM, K3, * P1, K9 * rpt to last 9 st, P1, K8

R17: P1, K1, P1, P2, SM, kfb, Knit to last st before M, Kfb, SM, K2, *P1, K1, P1, K7* rpt to end of round.

R18: K1, P1, K3, SM, Knit between Markers, SM, K3, *P1, K9 * rpt to last 9 st, P1, K8

R19: (as row 17)

R20: (as row 18)

R21: P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, SM, Kfb, K1, P1, K1 to last st before marker, Pfb, SM, *P1, K1* to end of round

R22: K1, P1 to end of round

R23: (as row 17)

R24: (as row 18)

R25: (as row 17)

R26: (as row 18)

R27: (as row 21)

R28: (as row 22)

R29: P1, K1, P1, K2, remove marker, BO 14 stitches, removing 2^nd marker before the 14^th. *K1, P1, K1, P1, K7* to end of round.

R30: K1, P1, K4, (turn your work and cast on 2, turn back and continue) K2, *K1,P1 K1* to end of round.

R31: (as Row 3 of pattern)

R32: (as Row 4 of pattern)

R33-40 (Work Rows 1-6 once and rows 1-2 once more)

R41: Knit

R42-46: Work in double rib (k2, p2)

Bind off.

Sew in ends.

Enjoy xoxox

Kittystripes....

I have decided to challenge myself to finish at least one stripe a day of my daughters crocheted coat in the hopes of getting it done in the next few weeks. While I did start off with a pattern I soon found out that it was not working with the yarn I used. So I am doing what is becoming just a little bit cliche for me.....changing the pattern...wish me luck.....

So far I have half of the coat length and one sleeve. 

Now if only my new little helper would learn what NOT TO TOUCH, I would be most grateful. 

We have had words about this. We have. And despite the fact that everything was nicely packed away in this bag and up on the couch. She knocked it down and helped herself......

"Sibel get out of there young lady!"  "SIBEL!!!!"

"What?" 

"I is helping!"

Yes my friends, she is very helpful indeed! Lucky she is so damned cute hey? 

Have a beautiful day! 

Hugs xoxox

Honeycomb Wrist Warmers

I finally had a chance to do a bit of blog hopping the other day and was having a lovely time reading all your delectable posts when I stopped by the lovely Kepanie's place and was enticed to join in on this knit along. I was in fact so enticed that I queued 3 of the projects on the list of choices and after just knitting one of them I am already planning a pattern of my own. Just for something different you know? 

As we all know I really should be finishing ALL the UFO's on the go but they are all BIG projects after all. And amidst all the crocheting I was doing that day, the temptation of knitting a little project was too much for me. It had clearly been a WHOLE day since I finished knitting the socks. Hehe, any excuse will do now won't it? 

I chose the Honeycomb Wrist Warmers to begin with. 

I used a set of 4mm DPN's. And Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury Yarn in 10ply. Autumn Glow. 

I found myself lacking in stitch markers so I had to quickly make some. Would have been nice if my beading tools were to be found (ahem daughters, which one of you has made of with them huh?) for now they are in a semi unfinished state, but meh, they did the job nicely.....

The pattern was easy to read and follow. I tried to stick to it. I really did. However, and here it comes... my habit of making holes when ever I use the m1 (make one) method.... had me going......eeeeeeeek.... I am not sure why this happens but I don't love it... I really don't. 

Yep, you can see it right? I had to fix this. So, I changed it just a little (for the sake of my nerves you know?)....

So where the pattern says on row 40: K4, slm, m1, k2, kfb, slm, knit to end.

I changed it to:  Place the marker after 3 stitches instead of 4.  K3, kfb, k1, kfb, knit to end. Continuing the increase in this manner to the end. It worked out much neater for me. 

My fussy soul was appeased for the moment and the project continued with ease and grace...as it should........

And since I finished so quickly despite my woes, I rewarded myself with a huge slice of this.....

Twas rather nice! ;-)

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend all. I am off to play in my garden and then start another pair of gloves. 

Bright blessings to you all. 

Hugs and smoochies xoxoxox