Let the Fun Commence

At this time of year it has become something  of a tradition for me to share with you the box I have made for my longest and dearest friend.  Regular visitors will recall that every year  I exchange Advent Calenders with my BFF, we have been doing this for many years.  Over time our 'calenders' have become a little out of the ordinary, the most obvious being that they contain a small gift for every day for the whole of the month of December and, because I struggle to find very small items, my container is larger than most.

For the last couple of years I have made a fabric covered padded box to put my gifts in.  (You can find the 2015 box by clicking here, the 2016 box here and the 2017 box here.)  I have made each box slightly smaller than the previous one so they can be either stacked or nested like Russian Dolls.

Each year I try to select a seasonal fabric for the box with a plain contrasting fabric for the inside.  Each box is hand stitched around thick card.  In places the fabric can be kept in place with glue, I find Pritt ideal for this, but I only use it around the back where it cannot be seen or where another layer of fabric will cover it.

The lid of the box is padded and the tinsel decoration is only temporary so it can be removed after Christmas.  In the past I have also decorated the top of the box with Christmassy things but this year I did not do this because I thought I would need two boxes to hold all of the presents and so I left the larger box plain so the smaller box could stand on top of it.  A the last minute I discovered that, with a bit of careful packing, I did not need the smaller box - I guess I have a head start on next year!  

In the New Year the boxes can then either be stored or re-tasked - perhaps used for storing Christmas decorations or craft materials.

This year's box is currently overflowing with little gifts, each numbered to indicate which day it should be opened.  The plan is that I will be back every day for the next month to share with you the contents of that days surprize parcel.

Let the fun commence.

Dionne

Silver Gray Cardigan with Roses

A little while ago I posted a toddler's lavender cardigan.  I shall let you into a little secret, I made the cardigan for my little niece but she had one of those growing spurts and, by the time I had finished making the cardigan, it was too small for her - which is such a shame because it really was a pretty colour.

So, I decided to have another go, I chose this very soft silver grey Double Knit yarn to make it in this time.  It really is wonderfully soft but, when it was made up, I realsied that it is rather a drab colour for a little girl.

I started to think about ways to cheer it up and hit upon the idea of embroidered flowers.  I had planned to do a row of roses around the neckline as well as these little groupings.  However, I have never tried this before and it was not quite as neat as I was hoping, so I abandoned my plan for a string of roses around the neck.

I love this decorative panel along the bottom of the cardigan and a moss stitch boarder.  The pattern is a old Sidar Supersoft one, reference number 3101.

Dionne

Baseball Anyone?

I love all of my knitting patterns, well all of the ones I actually make, some are more challenging than others but usually if find that knitting can be quite relaxing.

Earlier this year I sat down with my extremely large bag of knitting yarns - OK, so it's 4 large bags, and I started to work my way through my pile of double knit toddler patterns.  I have two young nieces and I had this vague idea of dividing up whatever I made between them.  Unfortunately, toddlers can grow quite fast and by the time I had got their measurements from their mum's I discovered that one of them had already grown too much of this group of patterns.

On this occasion I picked out this deep pink yarn out of the bag and I thought I had more than enough to make this design.  However, after I had made the back and one of the fronts I realised that this jacket was coming out larger than I was expecting and I was fast running out of the pink yarn.  I did not want to waste that I had already done, so I decided to try and give my jacket an American baseball jacket make over.

I'll be honest, I'm not sure it worked that well!

Dionne

Holey Moley

I hope you had a good weekend.  Things are getting pretty busy around here with Christmas approaching.  I sometimes think that all of us crafters take on far too much at this time of year.  Consequently, I am keeping my post today short and sweet.

This is a UK Hand Knitted Association pattern, reference number UKHKA 87.  It is made of pale blue baby double knit.  I love this lacy pattern, it will look so pretty on my little niece.

Well, that's it for today, I will be back in a day or two with another cardigan to share with you.

Dionne

Going Postal

I thought you deserved a break from my seemingly endless posts of knitted cardigans - I am sorry about that.

Today I thought that I would share with you a one of Julie William's Little Cotton Rabbits.  I had a little fun with this one and tinkered with the design to create a little post girl.

My nephew's partner works for The Post Office and I thought that for her birthday she might like a little bunny wearing her summer uniform.  I had to be a little creative here and there, but, I did my best.

I gave her a large fluffy tail and some big comfy knickers.

The Post Office uniform has a red polo shirt - the yellow button is meant to represent The Post Office logo ....

 and grey shorts.

This was my first (and so far only) attempt at making the Little Cotton Rabbit Trainers.

The shorts have a slot for the tail to go through.

These bunnies have really sweet faces.

I 'hop' you have enjoyed my Little Cotton Rabbit.

Dionne

Pretty Lavender Cardigan

This pretty pale lavender cardigan is another of the cardigans I made earlier this year but never got around to posting.

It is made in Baby Double Knit, which is very soft and cosy and has this lovely decorative panel along the bottom and a moss stitch boarder.

This is a old Sidar Supersoft knitting pattern reference number 3101.

Dionne

Mint Jacket

After a brief hiatus from knitted jackets and cardigans on Friday, I'm back with a very quick post this morning to show you this mint jacket.  (My apologies for the poor lighting on the photograph, this little jacket is actually a pretty mint colour  - I suppose you could call it aqua.)

The design has an attractive picot edge and, as you can see, no buttons.  This is a UK Hand Knitting Association pattern, reference number UKHKA 82.  The jacket is made in baby double knit yarn.

I did say it was a quick post!

Dionne

Lucy's Little Monkey

Do you ever wonder why you do something? Well, if I ever doubt myself over why I make the Little Cotton Rabbit ranfe of animals, the look on my small niece’s face when she opened her birthday present, left me in no doubt. She was super excited with her 'Teddy Bear Monkey', as she insisted on calling it. For the rest of the afternoon she spoke to her new friend in their own monkey language, cuddled her and she sang to her for ages.

'Monkey Girl' is one of Julie William's patterns from her 'Little Cotton Rabbits' range, which is available from Ravelry.

The little monkey is made with the softest alpaca Double Knit wool and the briefs and shoes are made with cotton 4 ply yarn.

Our little monkey even has a prehensile tail to help her balance whilst swinging through the trees!

Her shoes are so sweet, they have cute little buttons to keep them on her feet.  

The dress is navy and off white to match her shoes, again made in cotton 4 ply yarn.  Doesn't she look smart?

I hope you enjoyed meeting Lucy's little monkey.  Please visit again soon.

Dionne 

Just Peachy

This adorable chunky cardigan is another of the ones I made for my niece earlier this year.  It is made of a pretty peach baby double knit yarn.  Unfortunately, it is another of my anonymous Internet purchases from ebay so I do not have any details on the pattern.

When I was a little girl, if you went to the cinema you got to see two films - usually a pretty awful B film and the main feature. During the intermission the usherettes came out with their trays of ice creams, Kia-Ora Orange Juice and sweets and, at my local cinema, a man entertained the audience playing a stunning, fully illuminated, 6 rank Compton Theatre Organ which would magically rise up out of the orchestra pit as he played some jolly tune.  I may have only been small but seeing it was such an amazing experience I shall never forget it.

(I am probably breaking all sorts of copyright rules but I had to show you a photo of our local Compton Theatre Organ, as the man played, it changed colour.  Magic!)

Now, you may be wondering why I have taken you on this trip down memory lane.  During the intermission curtains were dropped in front of the cinema screen and the pattern on this cardigan reminds me of those curtain and all the memories they evoke.

That's it for today.

Dionne

Cream Jacket

Hi

I am back this morning with another of the little jackets I made earlier this year for my little niece.

This pattern is so cool, it makes me look like a much better knitter than I really am.  It is full of stitch changes and lots of faux cable stitches.  I cannot get my head around cabling, or rather I cannot get my fingers around it.  I constantly drop the third needle and I end up super frustrated with myself, but with this pattern, who would guess it!

This is one of my ebay purchases and there is no name on the pattern only the reference to 'Knitting Pattern 398'.

I have tried to get some close-ups of  some of the different stitches for you.  I made this one in some soft and fluffy cream baby double knit yarn and all of these chunky stitches make a very warm and cosy jacket.

I'll be back soon with some more of my handiwork.

Dionne

Little Boy Blue Cardigan

I hope you had a good weekend. 

 I am back today with another of the cardigans I knitted at the beginning of the year.

This is another of my favourite patterns. The cardigan is made of Baby Double Knit and has a pretty faux cable stitch edging.

I have checked the pattern and, as far as I can see there is no reference on it to the name of the company or a reference number. However, if you are interested, I purchased it from ebay - 'Baby Cardigan, Hat and Mittens DK Knitting Pattern'.

Take Care.

Dionne

Poppy Wreath

Good morning.

I thought that this birthday card was rather appropriate for today.  This fabulous poppy wreath image is from Delicious Doodles.

I coloured the wreath with my polychromos pencils and mounted it on gold miri card and red card.  The polka dot backing papers are from my stash, as is the die cut fairy.  The sentiment is a Craftwork Cards one.

Have a great day.

Dionne

Simple Blue Cardigan

Good grief, I am so bad at photographing my little knitted cardigans, just look at this layout- on second thoughts, please don't look.  It looks as if I have just taken it out of the washing machine.

This plain and simple cardigan is quick and easy to make and it is nice and chunky.  It is made in Baby Double Knit and, for the knitters, it is a vintage UK Hand Knitting Association pattern number UKHKA 3.

I'll be back in a day or two with more.  Meanwhile, I hope you have a very happy weekend.

Dionne

White Cardigan with Twist Detail

Hi

I have a really massive backlog of knitted projects to post and I thought I would make a start with this old favourite of mine.  I must knit this pattern for everyone I know who had a baby.  It has a really easy mock cable detail, which makes my friends think that I am a much better knitter than I really am.

This time I have made it in white baby Double Knit.  The design is from a very old Robin pattern - for anyone who is interested, the pattern number is 2496.

I find photographing the detail so difficult but, I think you can just about make out the mock cable pattern in this close up.

Hopefully, I will be back with more soon.


Dionne

Rock Painting for the Nervous

My goodness, I really cannot believe how long it has been since my last post, you must have thought that I had dropped off the map.  The truth is that I have been so busy knitting that I have not had time to post any of the things I have made.  However, I have been photographing them, so once I have the time, I should be able to post everything.

For a long time I have wanted to try my hand at rock painting and I do mean a long time, it has been something like eighteen months.  It has not been just the knitting which has stopped my trying this, it is also the fact that I am one of the worse artists you could ever encounter, I cannot draw for toffees!  If buying all the equipment could make you a better artist, I would be exhibiting at Tate Modern.  I have all the paints, the varnish, the brushes, the mod-podge, the PVA glue, the dowling rods to make medullas, paper napkins to do decoupage etc, etc and I have watched endless video clips on 'how to', but still something was holding me back.

Then, me and my big mouth, I suggested a family rock painting day during half term with my nieces and nephews and their small children.  The day was to start with a rock hunt and I promised to make a rock for everyone to find hidden somewhere in the garden, so I was committed to doing something.

As the day got closer I was still putting off actually painting the rocks because I knew I would mess it up if I tried to paint even a simple scene. Then I hit on the idea of using temporary body tattoos to decorate the rocks.   I was not sure it would work but it was worth a try, the results were simple but I think it it worked.

Here is a close-up of the individual rocks, some I simply mod-podged before adding the tattoo and others I painted with pearlised acrylic paints.  By the way, I did put insects on the back of the rocks as well.

This final rock was my favourite, for a long time I have wanted to try this half eaten chocolate candy effect. this was so much fun to do.

I still have a lot of 'naked' rocks, so hopefully next time, I shall try to do something a little more adventurous.  Talking of which, at the end of the day I was given with a real treat, Kat had been sat in the corner all afternoon beavering away and she gave me this Eyore rock as a thank you.  As you can imagine, I was over the moon.  She is an amazing artist, I just wish I could do something half this good.

Take care.

Dionne