STASH-BUSTING #20

Meet Lockdown Lucy…

We have been self-isolating since Saturday. Stuck at home during a heatwave is no joke and my WIPs are both suffering- far too hot to be working on blankets!!!

We can sit in the garden first thing in the morning and late evening but far too hot the rest of the day. To keep my needles busy I have been trying to make a bunny and here she is. I have chosen the name Lockdown Lucy because the only other name I had up my sleeve was Isolation Isabella!

I need to work on her as she is a flawed bunny. One leg is fatter than the other but hey a lot of us suffer from swollen ankles at this time of the year, she’s also got odd ears (it comes to something when you can’t follow your own pattern notes🤔). Her eyes also need some work!

I’ve made her a little dress as I’ve got time on my hands. I won’t be entering the Sewing Bee any time soon 😉 Her little dress is a sort of tabard affair. The words of one of Victoria Wood’s Dinner ladies springs to mind “no one looks good in a tabard”! However, I need to work on my sewing skills before trying a proper dress😄

Off to do a bit more self-isolating and try my hand at another bunny!

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

CUTE KITS

One from the hoard…

As I have confessed in the past I have a weakness for crochet/knit kits. I get drawn in by the cute picture on the box, buy it and then stash it🤔 I have a load of them hidden in the garage that I may or may not get round to completing!

The snail came in a crochet kit from Aldi. Everything that I needed to make 2 snails, including a horrible plastic hook. Less complaining Jane! I have made one snail and there is plenty of yarn left, might even be enough to make a third? So for £3.99 it was quite good value, not that I will be making another one any time soon. The pattern was quite straightforward and I have finally mastered crocheting in the round without too much swearing 😉

I might dig out another kit next month and see how I get on but in the meantime back to my blanket😊

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING IN 2021 #19

Buzz buzz buzz busy little bee 🐝

I’m still dabbling with crochet and have been trying out amigurumi. I have made these little bees using a pattern from Hannah Cooper. Amigurumi creatures are fun and very sweet but they are quite a faff. A lot of fiddling around for hours to produce a tiny creature🤔

They haven’t even made a big dent in my stash🐝🐝🐝. However, they have taken up all my focus so great little mindfulness activity 👍

I did try posing them in my honeysuckle but the yellow one had a bit of a nose dive! Anyway back to my dabbling. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

MACRAME MONDAY

My kind of morning 😊

I took the day off work today and signed up for a macrame workshop. Some of you may remember my feeble attempt at macrame a couple of years ago… But I am quite proud of my efforts today and have a pretty bookmark to show for my efforts.

The workshop was run by Louise from Lilly Dilly’s and was held at Bodenham Arboretum. Louise talked us through making the bookmark and showed us how to do the individual knots against the backdrop of the lake and the sound of the ducks quacking. A very productive yet relaxing morning❤

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

CAMPER CRAFTS

Chevron blanket

I have tried to set up a separate page for things relating to Lucia the camper but have failed miserably.

Lucia is currently at the garage having her brakes sorted – a sort of spa break for campers!!!

I have started a throw for her:

I am using DK acrylic yarn (I won it last year) and a 4 mm hook. I possibly should have used a 4.5 mm hook as there is a slight ruffle but I wanted a tight dense fabric so some careful blocking will be required when I have finished.

Having fun with zig zags!

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

WINDING UP JUNE!

Flaming and raining…

June seems to have flown by. All of my excitement at the end of May has waned. Work has been incredibly busy and I barely feel as if I survived the month but I have a few days off now to recharge and get back on track 😎

I have sold one item at the craft shop so a long way from making a profit but thrilled that someone liked it enough to pay for it.

I have started a baby blanket in white (a divine bamboo and cotton mix) which I am working on when I have the energy to focus but the rest of the time I am playing around with bits of yarn and a hook with the intent of making a blanket for Lucia N’s little camper.

And my nephew finally sent me a photo of him modelling the cable knit that I recently sent him. 😆

So bring on July, I’m looking for energy and inspiration! !!

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

WIP WIP HOORAY 2

The finale…

Remember the Aran cable-knit that was posted to my nephew well here he is wearing it and it fits. So pleased. Haven’t seen him in a few years but hopefully soon.

A very happy knitter😊

Woolly wishes,

Jane ❤️❤️❤️

BAMBOO ON BAMBOO…

But what about the pandas 🐼🐼🐼

I have started a baby blanket in white for a friend who is going to be a grandma later this year. The pattern is an old Sublime pattern that I have used before and shown off on this space.

So difficult trying to prevent white from looking grubby.

I am using my bamboo needles and a bamboo and cotton mix yarn. It is sooo soft. I really feel the urge to work a shawl or a scarf in it in the future as it is doing a good job of draping so far.

More to follow I’m sure😉

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING IN 2021 #18

Swatching. ..

My next big project is going to be a crocheted throw for Lucia the camper. Now I’m not a natural hooker but I would much prefer to do something in one piece and I don’t think I have knitting needles long enough to hold all the stitches that I need 🤔

So I have been experimenting with stitch combos

As can be seen these haven’t been blocked but I’m just practising the hook movements. I quite like the trebles with the raised circles but think that might be a bit ambitious plus my maths may not be up to the task of working out the spacing evenly. I really got my knickers in a twist with the basket weave stitch but thought I could manage the chevron.

Obviously that is only a tiny chevron so ta dah

*A bee kindly obliged and visited the clematis while I was taking this snap. I returned the favour and waited until he had finished before removing my chevrons!*

I have done a few rows to give me an idea of stitches/width and blocked it. So my throw is going to be all ziggy and zaggy😉

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

MORE REPURPOSED JARS AND YARN…

I really need to get out more 😉

Still on the look out for the inspiration for my next big project. In the meantime I have been making more cosies for old jam and pickle jars.

Though I say it myself I am quite pleased with these. Super chunky yarn on chunky needles worked in garter stitch. You may recognise the yarn from the toy basket I made a couple of months ago.

So great way of using up old bits of yarn and I should have the tidiest desk in town with all of the desk tidies I have been making but sadly it just looks cluttered with desk tidies 😂

Anyway I have decided I need something to get my teeth (or needles) into so I am going to start a blanket for Lucia the camper. I’ve got a bag of little balls of DK that was free with magazines so I’m going to use that up. It will be a real mishmash of colours but it will be a great stash buster 😋

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡