Trying to get organised.

I've been thinking about how I use my blog and I've decided that I'm going to use it as a chronology of my knitting and quilting. I listen to a lot of podcasts so am going to use a similar format to the show notes they use.

On the sewing machine- I love the little project bags that are all over etsy but obviously as a crafter I though ooh I'll make one! Thankfully it turned out really well. I just basically made a quilt sandwich, attached the zip by following a tutorial on you tube and then ran seams down each end folded the corners in and made a little fabric handle. It's not as good as some for sale on etsy but I think it's pretty good for a first attempt. It's is now the project bag for my sock knitting which I take everywhere with me.
That's it for quilting really.

On the needles-
my first pair of socks!! Yes socks! I watch the yarngasm video cast and saw her knitting socks on a circular needle so I contacted her and she told me it was the magic loop method! I'd heard of this but had no idea what it was. Well off to you tube I went and then ordered some giaa goo needles from loop knitting shop and I'm half way through my first sock! It's so much easier than dpn's I love it- as the yarn harlot says be careful it's addictive knitting socks and I may just believe her now, but lets wait to see if I get second sock syndrome!! I'm knitting the socks out of easy knits deeply wicked. It's a lovely yarn, 100% merino and its knitting up to be really substantial. Also the colour is sort of making a swirl effect rather than a stripey look, I don't know if its meant to do that but it's lovely.

I also have an isbel shawl by ysolda Teague on the go in rowan panama and I must say its hard going on my hands. It's not wool!!! What was I thinking? Never again! I like the pattern it's very simple to remember and I put a big dent in it this weekend but I want to finish it now!!

I also have a hitchhiker shawl by Martina behm which I am using superknits Bessie for. If you haven't checked out Gemma at superknits yarn please do her colours are fab. I'm using the electrical storm colourway which is peach purple and its lovely.

Finally I have just started to cast on driftwood with my newly acquired knit picks pallets 4 ply in wallaby. This is the first time I've ordered knit picks so I'll let you know how I get on but it feels so soft!

Off the needles -
My boneyard shawl in skein queen voluptuous alligator colourway. This is one of the nicest yarns I have ever used. Well worth the money and its so warm and snuggley.

You can see all these projects on my ravelry page if you are registered on there and please drop me a line if you are my username is lindarose287

I'll update again next week with some more yarn arrivals too (naughty ):))))
Here are some pics

New year lots of stuff

Happy new year everyone!!! Hope you had a fab break and festive season. I've had quite a lot of time to spend doing my hobbies but mostly I've been knitting. I'll show you first my knitting escapades. The first was my shawl I finished by jarrad flood Brooklyn tweed called terra. Here is a pic. I love this shawl but it really wasn't behaving and the lace pattern would not work properly so I only did one repeat.
The second project I did was the Romney neckachief by jarrad flood again this was a birthday present for my best friend. I love this pattern and will def do this again for myself.

I also did some wool dying. I had already bought some kool aid and my hubby bought me some undyed wool for Christmas so I tried it and i loved it. Here are some pics of the process.


I also made by husband a turn a square hat by jarrad flood again I'm a bit obsessed aren't I!!!

With regard to my quilting,,, I haven't done any!!!!!!
I did make myself 2 project bags out of my favourite fabrics so here are some pics of those too.

I have 2 more projects on the needles and have just treated myself to some gorgeous Bessie 4 ply from superknits. If you have not looked at her yarn please do its lovely.

I'll update some more next week I'm off to watch some episodes of the borgias now and carry on with may boneyard shawl with my skein queen wool :)))))

lost my quilting mojo

do you remember me??? I know I've been away for so long and have done so much but not much quilting as my quilting mojo disappeared. It seems like I either have a knitting mojo or a quilting mojo and the knitting mojo is here with a vengeance!!!
well since I last posted I have been to France to see my brother and had a fab few days, of course I bought some fabric as its so cheap over there and I made these placemats. I used the craftsy block of the month design for these to try something different. What do you think?

As you can see I integrated the matrix design from the quilt along with Leah day and I loved this design its so simple yet so effective. These just need binding now and have become a UFO so really need to get this done.

The other thing I have been really struggling to finish is the bed runner which is a christmas present for my friend. I am really struggling to be inspired by this and consequently get it finished!! maybe its because it's not for me!!! selfish quilting syndrome!!

As you can see I've managed to do a fair amount of quilting on this and have used it to try out new designs. I did the spiral design from this weeks quilt along with Leah and used some favourite stippling to crack this quilt out. I'm sort of disapointed with my quilting on this as I don't feel that I was up to scratch for me really. All I can think is that mojo has gone for a bit and I've not got the same ooomph for it and I don't know why!!! anyone else get this from time to time.

Anyway,, me and my mum also went to the knitting and stitching show for the first time in Harrogate. IT WAS FABBBB!!! if you have never been you got to go and try it. Both of my hobbies were catered for and I was spoilt for choice!! the amount of money I could have spent on fabric and wool, I would have needed to get a loan !! seriously it was massive. We got there at 10 am and already the car park was full and by dinner time you couldn't walk anywhere without struggling past people. I treated myself to quite a bit of wool as sometimes I prefer to feel the wool which you can't do online so I bought some Jamiesons of shetland spindrift for a beautiful brooklyn tweed pattern, some fantastic malabrigo sock yarn for a rock and purl jumper which I love. Also bought my mothers christmas pressie but I can't tell you what it is in case she reads this (hello mum!!!) and we both contributed to some interchangeable circular needles. I've also bought some malabrigo worsted yarn which is so snuggly soft for another brooklyn tweed pattern called bedford which I can't wait to cast on. I've also finished my perry cardigan which I knit in an english wool called lanark wool which is another brooklyn tweed pattern. what do you think?

See can't you tell my mojo has switched back to knitting!!!! well i suppose I've only got 2 hands haven't I!!!

well I will try to keep this updated more and I hope you've enjoyed reading my escapades.
toodles

Anniversary time!!

Hi well it was my third wedding anniversary on wednesday!!! 3 years!! Where did it go?? We've been together for 14 years but obviously he took his time to make sure I was the right one ha ha.
I think I may try to do a wholecloth for my 4th as I couldn't quilt when I got married so this may be a nice way to celebrate the anniversary! Mmmm ill have a think and see what designs I like! The trip to Oxford and Cambridge was for our anniversary so we had a take away and watched a film which was lovely.

Well I've not really done much quilting or knitting this week but I'm shortly going to start making the sashing for the bed runner I'm making so then it will be ready for either basting and quilting next week depending on how far I get today.

Here are a couple of pics of my homework from the free motion quilting project from last week, we did flowing lines and this really did look fab in the sashing of my quilt so this is definately one that is going to be used again.

I also tried some basic spirals to see if I could do this as previous attempts had been horrendous. This time was much better and I just felt more in control of what I was doing.

Again I loved this and think it looks so effective in the sashing.

I'm going to have to hurry up with the bed runner so I can practice some more, me and my mum are going to the knitting and stitching show in Harrogate in November  and they do quilting things too so I'm hoping to pick up some fabric so I can do some of the block of the month on craftsy and can then use these for quilting practice too.
I've been busy trawling Ravelry for patterns so that I have a shopping list of yarn to buy at the show and I've chosen a beautiful cardigan from Brooklyn tweed called Perry. If you've never seen any Brooklyn tweed patterns definitely take a lot. The yarn is not cheap but obviously you could substitute for cheaper.

Anyway, must get cracking on the bed runner!!!!!
Toodles

finished!!

Well I've finally finished my WIP. I've learnt so much on this quilt and feel that my FMQ has massively improved. I used a light brown binding to try to bring out the chocolate brown in the sashing where I did most of the intricate FMQ. Here it is finally finished and proudly sits on my bed.

 Here is a close up of the sashing with the FMQ.

I also finished my WIP knitting. It is a little garter knit vest made from alpaca wool and I adore it, it is so soft and cuddly.

So now onto my next WIP/ UFO. This is a little bed runner for my best friend for christmas and I started to cut the pieces a few week ago but got bored with it. I must say cutting isn't my favourite bit!!  It's made with bits I saved from my favourite fabrics and hopefully when done with look a bit vintage- that's the plan anyway!!

My computer won't let me turn the pic the right way so this is on its side ha ha the columns run down and it's going to have a copper coloured sashing all round it.

So again a pretty good productive Sunday and hopefully next week I'll cut and pieced the sashing and basted the quilt ready for my favourite part of FMQing!!! since I did the wholecloth I think I like those the best I find cutting and piecing drags a bit.

I had a look at sew cal gals blog and the October challenge and saw the wholecloth Terri did, it's absolutely beautiful. Black fabric with different coloured threads to make the wholecloth look like a stunning piece and it really makes the FMQ stitches pop right out at you. I really think I'd like to give this a go so I'll have to save some pennies for some more Isacord thread in different colours and some black fabric. can't wait to try it and if you've not seen it definitely take a look at sew cal gals blog for the picture.

Right am off to start making Sunday lunch and a big chocolate beer bread and butter pudding!!!! YUM YUM
toodles

Lots to tell!!!

Hi again,
well I've had a busy week. Me and my DH took a mini break and went to Oxford and Cambridge as I am ashamed to say I've never been to them. Well I've set that right now and we had a really good time. The weather was fantastic!! Given that we live in the north west near the Pennines we get a loooottttt of rain so it was like being abroad- wall to wall sunshine- made even better because my mum text me to say it was chucking it down at home  ha ha ha.

I did like Oxford but it is so busy and very touristy. We went to the Bodelian library (where a couple of scenes from Harry Potter are filmed) and saw lots of the lovely colleges and I really did feel like I was in an episode of morse (but obviously with a very northern accent!!!) Here is a pic of Oxford above this is the old Bodelian library.

Cambridge was my favourite, a lot quieter and relaxed and was more what I had expected. Again the architecture is amazing. We didn't go on a punt down the river but maybe next time. Here is a pic of Cambridge.

That's me walking ahead with my back to the camera as I hate having my picture taken ha ha. It is absolutely stunning and I would recommend it to everyone.

Obviously as ever knitter or quilter knows when on holiday Google the area and see if there are any wool or fabric shops well that's just what I did and found a lovely little fabric shop in Cambridge so while my DH stood around looking very bored I perused the shop and found this beautiful fabric and bought a lovely fat quarter of a red Christmas fabric for my mum :) she's making a Christmas quilt so it will go perfectly.

Before I went away I also ordered some more Isacord and as Leah Day had suggested that green and grey are good colours for many  projects. I bought some and I think they would go lovely with the fabric above so once again trust Leah for fab advice.

I also did my homework from the free motion quilt along before we went and I love the look of the pointy paisley but found myself having to travel stitch quite a lot but its worth really learning this one as it looks great.

Note to self though! After binding a quilt on the machine with a lovely decorative stitch remember to change the pattern back to straight!! I tried the pointy paisley and thought 'that's not straight at all what's going on??' I don't think I'll forget to put it back again :) I have only a few more sections of my quilt to finish now so am going to get cracking with the new design for this week and maybe throw in some more mctavishing and hopefully I'll finish the quilt by the end of the weekend if I'm lucky!!!

Hope I havn't bored you too much today but I wanted to share my lovely little break with you.
Toodles

UFO Sunday link up

Hi !!
Well today I finished my little wholecloth, completed the binding and put little hanging pockets in the back. I'm really chuffed with it and while I was admiring it in my kitchen I thought ooh that space above it would look great with a wholecloth hung there. Sooooo yep that's gonna be a new project for the new year! I bought Karen mctavish's elemental quilting book and am going to use some of her designs to do it!
I've also been working on my WIP quilt and am still using it to do the practice for the free motion quilting project. I also decided to try some mctavishing I think I've done an ok job but had to travel stitch quite a lot. Looks ok though.
I have a question if anyone can help! My mum is currently working on a little table centre piece quilt and she sent me a pic of it. It's the sort of hexagonal pic at the bottom. The question is we like it with the point bits of the square sticking out to make it look hexagonal BUT how would you bind this??? We've both only ever done normal binding with 4 corners so we are a bit dubious of how to do it! Any ideas would be great!!!
Toodles