Eggstra Special High Fibre Eggs

This month is really flying past and Easter will soon be upon us!  For those of you who fear that the Easter Bunny may do too much damage to your waist line,  I have a high fibre alternative for you… (I know, terrible pun)

Meet Clutch my trio of knitted eggs featured in this months Let’s Knit Magazine (Issue 78).

You can download your copy of Let’s Knit Magazine today and get cracking with your eggs (still bad?) here

As always I would love to see your finished eggs on my Facebook page,  Happy Knitting, take eggstra special care of yourselves x

Cute sheep, but

Or should that say Butt!  In this months issue of Let’s Get Crafting, Knitting and Crochet Magazine (issue 59) I have a cute knitted purse pattern.  The purse is perfect for storing your bits and bobs and plenty big enough for an iPad mini or similar size tablet.

The sheep is worked using the intarsia method and the pretty flowers are crocheted and slipped over the buttons. It is finished with a zip closure, if you are new to putting zips into your knitted projects I can highly recommend this tutorial from  Knitting Daily.  In the video Eunny Jang shows you Techknitter’s technique for making zippers knitable objects so you can knit them into your garments instead of sewing them in by hand.

I thought the rear of the sheep was missing something and mischievous side got the better of me!

This would make a fab Easter present.

As always I would love to see your finished purse on my Facebook page.

Bear Necessities Crochet Pattern for Clip on Bear Ears

Katie came home from school last week and announced, “I NEED a bear costume,  not a full on proper bear costume, but STUFF!”  Those of you with knowledge of ten year olds will know that the word STUFF is inserted into every sentence regardless of the context.  Anyway, after much questioning I discovered what she actually required was some bear like features for the part she is playing in a performance this week.

So I sat down with my hook and yarn very late Monday night determined to create a pair of clip on bear ears and this is what I made….

The ears are actually very simple to make, you could change the colours and make polar bear ears etc.   I am sharing my pattern with you so that you too can produce animal ears at very short notice. (instructions are written in UK Crochet terms)

Modelling debut for Mini Me – Updated

Yesterday Katie made her modelling debut for Let’s Knit Magazine.  She was modelling a pair of socks I designed for Let’s Knit!  Words can not tell you how incredibly proud I was of my little girl as she took direction from the photographer like a pro.

The photo studio were incredibly kind and allowed us to take photographs to share with you.  Obviously I have had to blur the socks until they have been published (I will post unedited pictures when I am able).

 

 

I was thrilled that I was able to be at the shoot of one of my designs and see what goes on behind the scenes.  Of course Doug thoroughly enjoyed all the tech and gadgetry.

I get to check out the shots

Reviewing the pictures with the photographer

And it’s a wrap!  ‘That’s what they say when they have finished filming isn’t it?”

Thank you very much to everyone who made today very special for Katie (and myself).

I just had to share this with you! Meet Chummy

I just had to share this with you!  For those of you who watch ‘Call the Midwife’ (If you don’t, why not?) You are going to love this! A friend sent me a link for a freebie pattern for Crochet Chummy!   It is just the cutest crochet project I have seen for a while.  Her attention to detail really is awesome,  I am desperate to crochet myself a ‘Chummy’.

Designed by the talented Amy, from Amy’s Gurumis meet….

Crochet Camilla Fortescue-Cholmeley-Browne

Amy has kindly allowed me to use the images from her blog,  but I won’t share them all here, you really should pop over to her blog and  check out Sister Bernadette and her transformation into Shelagh.  Amy also has an Etsy store where you can see more of her fantastic creations.

Keep hookin’ Amy, I can’t wait to see the rest of the cast.

 

New Butterflies for my branches

I like to crochet to relax,  I still get to play with yarn but I get a much quicker hit of satisfaction with crochet than I do with knitting.  You may recall back in December I set about hooking some snowflakes for my branches,  then for Valentines I made a few hearts.  Well now the hearts have neighbours,  five pretty little butterflies have taken up residence on the branches.

My copy of Simply Crochet magazine arrived in the post on Saturday and I promised myself when I had been a good girl and completed a significant amount of knitting I would make something from the magazine.  I know that every month there will be at least one small project I will be itching to get started on.  Something that will fit right in, here in my den.  This month I was not disappointed,  I instantly fell in love with the ‘Butterfly Effect’  a beautiful garland of butterflies worked in DK cotton.

Meet the latest additions to the branches….

Issue 16 of Simply Crochet Magazine is out now and you can download your copy here from the App Store.

Image courtesy of Simply Crochet Magazine

 

 

Knitting & Stitching Show ticket offer, keep it to yourself!

Knitting & Stitching Show, Olympia 13^th – 16^th March 2014

I may have mentioned a while back that I am teaching at Olympia.  My beaded bracelet class is now full but there are some places remaining for the Learn to Knit with Double Pointed Needles class, on Sunday. In this class we will make a pretty Napkin Ring on double points, fearlessly!

Knit a Napkin Ring with Double Pointed Needles – Class code 129

Sunday 16^th March 2014

2.15 – 3.15

Have you ever watched in orr as others knit their way around socks and mittens using double pointed needles?  Need some help?

During this hour long class I will teach you how to cast on using double pointed needles,  show  you how to join your work into the round and get you knitting in the round with confidence.  You will knit yourself a napkin ring with the materials provided.  We will also discuss working from charts and the pro’s and con’s of knitting in the round.  Come and learn a new skill and have some fun with other yarn loving dare devils.  It is also a great chance to sit down for an hour!

I have a special offer especially for my readers, you can get your entry ticket to the show for just  £11 (normal online price is £12.50 or £15 on the door)  all you have to do is enter the discount code TEA14.  The offer is only available until midday 12^th March. 

You can buy your tickets here…. http://www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/spring

And the winner is……

Drum roll please…… Jane Newsome. Well done Jane, you have won a pair of tickets to The Knitting & Stitching Show at Olympia 13-16th March. Please message me on Facebook or email me with your address and I will get the tickets in post to you. I hope you have a fantastic day out, drop me a line and tell me all about it.

Jane
x

Heads Up! I am a cover girl, well kind of……..

I am a cover girl for Simply Knitting Magazine this month, well not me but my hat.  Oh the very notion of being on the cover of a magazine, to have that confidence.  It took all my restraint to ‘pose’ for my latest blog picture and even then it was all I could do not to poke my tongue out.  I hate having my photo taken, how about you?  In my next life I am coming back as Ysolda Teague, not only does she produce the most fantastic designs but she always looks so great and natural when she models her designs.

Anyway, as usual I digress a little.  In this months issue of Simply Knitting I have a quick and easy to knit beanie hat, it is worked in King Cole, Merino Blend Aran.  The yarn was nice to work with and had good stitch definition, which really shows the moss stitch panels off nicely.  The moss stitch adds just enough interest to keep your attention, but still makes for great TV knitting.  Although the hat is modelled by a woman,  this hat looks great without the brim folded back but worn as an oversized beanie on a guy.

There is more!  Also in this issue is a pretty little lace collar that will add a touch of glamour to a plain tee, a jumper or even a dress!    This piece is worked in Sirdar Ella, the picture doesn’t quite do the yarn justice.  The yarn has a shimmer thread running through it (which is nice and soft, unlike some of the shimmery yarns available on the market at the moment).  It is a simple lace pattern that is great for newbie lace knitters.

My favourite design in this issue is by Amanda Jones,  her sausage dog Fair Isle tea cosy is a riot!

Issue 118 is out now and can also be downloaded from the App store here