Who'd have thought it was so easy!?

I was having a root around in a box of needlework bits yesterday, fighting of the creeping cold that was setting in because our boiler broke down.  Whilst I was delving in the box I found a small Elizabeth Bradley tapestry kit that I got for Christmas some years ago - more than 10 if truth be told.  I think it was before my first son was born anyway. I also found a millenium cross stitch kit meant for marking the year 2000 which I was going to do on maternity leave.  That is nearly 11 years old now and as yet, untouched, but I digress.

I haven't started the kit as I couldn't fathom how the colours printed on the canvas were supposed to work.  Where were you supposed to start and finish the cross stitch in relation to the colours?  It just didn't make sense to me, and being as tapestry kits are so expensive, I put it to one side rather than make a dogs dinner of it. 

Yesterday I again sat there looking at this thing completely flummoxed by it.  And then I turned the canvas upside down and suddenly, there were the first 3 rows with crosses over the canvas that lined up with the holes!!  Eureka, it all made sense!  I have done those 3 rows now and the little crosses have disappeared and again it seems like blocks of colour but I have started so it doesn't matter.  I can count the number of stitchs needed in each row, for each colour and sew them accordingly.  The printed canvas is unnecessary as a guide to the pattern and that suits me fine.  I will post a photo of what I have done when I get a bit further along but I am actually quite chuffed that I have got it.  Another needlecraft that I can say I have tried.  Can't be bad.

Now all I have to do is resist the urge to start buying tapestry kits and making my stash of UFOs even bigger!  Easier said than done.  I am already contemplating whether to make this for my in-laws Golden Wedding anniversary.

This kit comes from One Off Needlwork and I stock it in my shop. I have been thinking for a while that it would make a good pressie for the in-laws wedding anniversary in September but I haven't had the courage to have a go.  Perhaps now I will.

Thanks for reading.



Unexpected benefits of having a lie-in

Yesterday morning I had an unexpectedly leisurely lie-in.  Our central heating is broken so I was in no hurry to get out of my cosy bed and have a bath so I just stayed put and found myself thinking about knitting, as you do!

I started off wondering whether I could make up some kits for my shop.  I need to have a pattern as well as provide the yarn and my pattern designing skills are not, as yet, up to the challenge of making jumpers and cardigans.  I suppose I could do scarves and hats but I haven't yet.  Anyway, I got to wondering about small projects and for some reason thought of knitted Christmas decorations.    Yes, yes I know it is only February but one must plan ahead!!  So, after a quick trip into town for some squared paper and then to the wool shop for some yarn, I came up with this -

I am quite proud of myself.  It may only be one little tree but it is the first thing that isn't a scarf that I have 'designed'.  I have never knitted with sequins but that will be what I have a go at next. After all, if it is to be a Christmas decoration, I will need to decorate my knitted tree.  Alternatively I could sew on some beads I suppose but knitting with beads or sequins is probably easier.

I then got to wondering about decorating it with flowers since Christmas is so far off but I don't think it is a flowering tree shape so I shall leave it bear for the time being. If I did do that, I think I would use felted flowers.  I don't think you could crochet or knit flowers small enough as the finishe size is only about 13 or 14cms.

What I did do was add some stuffing and I ended up with something that looked like a pin cushion so it is at least useful!

 The yarn is lovely and I used Artesano Superwash Merino which I have used before for some fingerless gloves. It knits up really well.  I particularly liked the brown although that might be because it looks like chocolate!!

Whilst at the wool shop I  got some other colours as my lie- thoughts also pondered the possibility of doing some fair isle.  I thought I would have a go at trying to design  my own fair isle pattern too, since I appear to be on a roll.  (Clearly the creative juices require lie-ins to flow properly).  As yet I haven't done anything with them, but this is what I bought.

Not my usual choice of colours but as I say, I love the chocolate brown and the other three go with it well I think.

Watch this space to see what I come up with!

 

Interesting Days.

I went to a business expo yesterday to help out on my husband's stand as he has his own business.  As I haven't been in a business environment for a considerable length of time (ahem....10 years or so) it was a big deal.  And, since I don't have office smart clothes at the moment I had to 'invest' in some smart new shoes which are lovely.  Nice red ones but not too red.  I wore a smart red jumper and black skirt.  I thought I looked sufficiently business like not to show up Mr P anyway.  However, having seen what all the other women were wearing I seem to be very out of touch with office clothing.  Since when did office clothes have to be so dull and boring?!  Is it the done thing to wear a grey or black suit and a white shirt?  I remember now why I am trying to do something else rather than go back to working in an office.  Obviously I am not so shallow as to be entirely put off by the clothing, there is more to it than that, lots more which I will tell you about one day, but it doesn't help!  The irony of it is that the men where more colourfully dressed than the women.  They didn't seem scared a splash of colour and an interesting shirt!

Anyway, whilst I was there I took the opportunity to go to a search engine optimisation talk which is relevant to me and my little website.  It was very interesting despite being a bit geeky.  I now get why my advertising in magazines was such a costly waste of time.  People just don't use them as a means of sourcing their needlecraft materials.  I can't say I am surprised really - I don't much either.  Google is the on-line shopper's friend along with blogs, Facebook and all the other social media. I have much to learn about that's for sure.

What with the talk and a visit from the DMC rep today, I am enthused once more about my little business and how to make it bigger and better.  The DMC rep was very interesting and showed me all the new kits that were coming out in the next few months.  I shall be selling most of them in my shop.  I love new kits - it keeps things fresh, doesn't it?  You have to admire the work that goes into some of the designs too.  To think somebody has to first draw these pictures and then turn them in to thousands of little crosses - what a job!  I wish I had more aptitude for such things - I definitely wouldn't contemplate working in an office again if I could do that!

He also told me about their new, updated website (http://www.dmccreative.co.uk/) and the DMC Club.  If anybody is interested in cross stitch you can join the DMC Club for access to some free charts which can't be bad.  Apparently meerkats are the subject of choice at the moment.  I think that might have something to do with a certain insurance company, their adverts and the Russian branch of the meerkat family!!  I have to admit they are a favourite in this house too - the real ones at the zoo and their showbiz relatives.

And on top of all that excitement I had my haircut today by a new hairdresser.  I got a bit fed up with the old one and so decided to try somebody else.  Not only has she made a good job of it but she said very nice things about what a lovely colour it is and how soft it is.  Since most hairdressers are forever trying to get me to change the colour of my hair it was a refreshing change.  Others also seem to need to tell me that my hair is flat and lifeless, that my hairline is dodgy and the back of my head is flat.  Charming!!  Not the kind of remarks I go to the hairdressers for I have to say.  I thought it was supposed to be a confidence boost.  Actually, my favourite comment was from the one who said I had the straightest hair she had ever seen.  Quite an accomplishment if it were true but is  so not true that I did wonder if she was even talking to me. Admittedly I don't have a head of curls like I used to in my teens (where did they go?) but it certainly isn't that straight!!  She should see if first thing in the morning sticking out in all directions - I wish it were straight then I can tell you!

Thanks for reading. :-)

How did it get to February already!?

Well I said that I would finished my elder son's jumper by the end of January and unfortunately haven't touched it.  What I have been doing is perusing my yarn collection and books trying to decide what to make next.  I really need to start reducing that stash and I admit it is a very enjoyable pastime but not very productive in terms of progress and pictures.  The only really crafty thing I have done is a few rows of my granny stripes blanket which is coming along nicely but is going to take a lot more work until it is finished and not yet worthy of updated photos.

Anyway, with thoughts of  stash reductions in mind, I went to Hobbycraft yesterday and managed not to buy any yarn at all!  Whoo hoo!  I must admit it is partly because Hobbycraft don't have reductions on their wool and our LYS (Local Yarn Store) usually sell theirs for less than the RRP plus their choice is better.  Had I walked through their door instead of Hobbycraft I doubt my willpower would have been strong enough.  Thankfully, the LYS doesn't sell craft paper for children and that is what I needed so it was a blessing to be relieved of the burden of going there! 

I didn't get away with spending no money at all unfortunately.  I succumbed to the lure of this pattern book from Rowan for their 100% wool.

It is full of lots of simple patterns for all of the family including a couple of illusive patterns for boys!  Yay!!  They are not well represented in the knitting pattern world. Girls patterns are two a penny but not boys. I find it really hard to find nice ones  although thankfully my older son is just beginning to creep into the XS adult size these days now he is nearly 11. It won't be a problem I have to deal with for much longer!

I suppose the only question now is where to start with the Rowan?!  Shall I be kind and make something for my younger son or Mr P? Or maybe I should just get on with my boy's jumper and behave and put the Rowan book away for another day!  I am sure I will let you know what I decided in the end!