Getting things finished

I started this post 2 weeks ago….

 I’ve been feeling overwhelmed recently, some due to David’s health and he’s getting much better now. Some of it has been due to having a lot of projects in progress and slowly these are getting completed.  I’ve had a large quilt ongoing since I picked up the quilt kit in August. Last month  I also picked up a couple of kits for Project Linus West Dorset. So let’s start with those.

I had a SCBU quilt, a small one given to those in the unit at Dorset County Hospital (I’m guessing some may go to Bournemouth Hospital too) and their size (about 30” square) makes then easy to put together and finish. Sweet, is it? It’s now been passed on to go to Dorchester this week.

Last week I put together a larger quilt and on Saturday layered up and quilted.  Adding the binding I stitched this down and it was also finished. So that can go too. I had to trim off top and bottom as the backing fabric was literally the size of the top (the pack did say to trim if needed). 

Both quilts have now gone to my friend who took them to Dorchester on my behalf, but I’m not getting another kit at present. So that’s 2 done and a quilt top put together and layered up.

I started knitting socks for David as he had difficulty to get normal socks on and had a few pairs of knitted socks which were easier to put on. I made the socks in just 5 days with just enough of the main yarn!

Like me he has small feet so I used the West Yorkshire Spinners self striping yarn that I’d used to make him some fingerless gloves. It’s called Brenda, a Yarndale exclusive wool named after one of the mascot sheep in 2024 and I combined with plain WYS yarn in Nutmeg for heels and toes.  I had just a tiny smidge of the yarn left.  I made a 64 stitch plain socks using 2.5mm needles (so a slightly larger needle than I would use for my socks) but I refer to one of the Bakery Bears patterns for heels and toes and toe shaping. 

Now today’s update…..

This week has been a busy one so not much chance of sewing, so knitting had been on the agenda as it’s easy to pick up.  I have been working on a cardigan for my youngest granddaughter. I’ve used a King Cole pattern but I’ve found that I made the back too short so I’ve made the fronts and undone the back to the armhole shaping.

I’m making progress on a Quilt for Care Leavers from a kit picked up back in August.  It is sandwiched together and I’ve started machine quilting.  Being bigger than the Linus Quilts I had to put the layers together working on one half of the quilt, then shifting along the table to work on the other half.  I use spring clamps to keep the layers taut while pinning together. This is how it looks at present. I’m hoping for a bit of time to get in with more quilting next week.

I’m pleased that I’m clearing things and a chance to ‘breathe’ and tidy up a bit.

Yesterday (Friday 28th) was my birthday and I am now 70 so officially old, though I don’t feel it. David reached the same milestone 2 weeks ago.  We have been spoiled with various events and look forward to a family get together this weekend.   David’s health is a lot better since his recent operation and is walking well, so all is good.

We now have the spectre that is Christmas approaching and made a start on that already. Have you? 

November Starts

Above is my monthly marker for November, which is a dahlia flower at Kingston Lacy near Wimborne. 

I recently did a Wool Warehouse order of yarn and started a cardigan for my youngest granddaughter using their Yarnsmiths Lagoon acrylic yarn in blues and purples. The pattern is by King Cole.  

The back has now been completed and I’ve made a start on the front.

I’m hoping it’s big enough for her as she’s grown quite a bit!

Unfortunately it’s the time of year for secret making on the run up to Christmas.  But one thing I can share now is the mystery gnome, Gnumpkin. Below is a photo of him sitting on the mantle piece. 

That’s him in pieces.

I love making the mystery gnomes but I can’t make each one, so I do have to dip out.  I enjoy the different knitting techniques used to make them, there’s always something new to learn.  The pattern is by Sarah Schira of Imagined Landscapes. There’s a Christmas one called Gnandad’s Adventure coming up, which I won’t take part in this time.

Last weekend I got out my Botanical journal and decorated a few pages.  

It’s an ongoing process that I can take my time over. I’ve painted some of the background pages, added old book pages and decorated with paper washi tape, taken pictures from old greetings cards and also done some stamping.  It’s something different to keep creating.

This week I got out a kit that I bought in Koblenz, Germany, earlier this year. It was one of the stops on the river cruise on the Rhine. I went into a fabric and yarn shop and bought this along with some yarn. The shop is called Die Tupfelchen. The instructions are in German, but having watched the demo on You Tube and with my knowledge of making pouches, it didn’t take long to put together. 

So that’s been the starts for November so far.

The end of October…

And a finish or two.  I finished off a cardigan, which I’m disappointed with and yet to make a decision to frog or not.  But a better finish was these pair of mitts for my granddaughter, using up leftover yarn from a couple of previous jumpers I made her. The mitten pattern is from Sirdar’s Accessories book.

I finished some fingerless mitts for myself.  The pattern is from The Wool Shed and design is Lewes. I’ve only shown one here, but believe me I have made a pair.  Lots of ends to sew in as you can imagine, but a lot of fun to make and good for using odds and ends of yarn.

I’ve taken part in a mystery gnome knitalong by Sarah Schira of Imagined Landscapes and this gnome is Gnumpkin, an autumal gnome.  I hoped I could share here as I don’t have many followers, but not for another week (sorry, I’ll have to keep you in suspense).  I enjoy the gnome patterns as they are not only fun to make but also there’s also something to learn too, so a real skill builder.

As for sewing in September and October saw me making a lot of quilt as you go squares to make pouches. The picture below shows them matched up with zips and below that one of the pouches completed.  They were sold at the local Townswomen’s Guild charity meeting along with other crafts.  Some were given to my friend for another charity sales table.

I’ve made a small 24” quilt from a kit suppled by West Dorset Project Linus group for Dorset County Hospital’s SCBU.  It’s a really sweet quilt with vehicles on it.  I’m now putting together a bigger quilt, which I hope will be ready in a couple of weeks. This will be a girly quilt with the main squares having handbags on it.

At Dorset Creative Embroiderers I made a purse from kit and instructions from Sarah of Sixty Four Packing Cases . She supplied the materials from which I made the purse, which is on a wool felt base with fabrics to free machine onto the base.  The following day I handstitched the purse frame with backstitch.

Another small bit of embroidery I’ve completed are these magnetic needle minders from a kit I purchased earlier this year at the Brockenhurst Needlework Fiesta by Sue Hawkins Needleworks. They have quite strong magnets in them and they’re only 1” square. A lovely accompaniment to my stitching.

I’ve also been doing some paper crafting, which makes a real change.  A couple of years ago I bought a journal kit from Janie’s Originals called The Botanist Sketchbook.  I made the book fairly quickly, but I’ve taken my time with collecting and putting in pictures, painting or gluing in backgrounds. When showing this to my friend week before last she gained me a number of floral picture cards to put into it, so I must get busy and find homes for the cards. Here’s a couple of pages, one painted and one with an old book page.

This was a page I made up with a background of paper from The Works (last year’s autumn pad) and washi tape stamps. 

I’ve also made and ATC for the TG online ATC swap and the theme this month is Green.  As I have offcuts of card and paper I sought out the green pieces and did some weaving with narrow strips. I painted over with Mod Podge, added the word Green and added a few green sticky gem stars. All on a green card back.

During this month I went to the Knit + Stich Show at Alexandra Palace, which I wrote about here so that made me more inspired.  The only trouble is that I need more time! 

So that was my October and it went quick.  November will see more knitting content as I’ve just today picked up my Wool Warehouse delivery and I’ll get cracking on a new cardigan for my other granddaughter.    Keeeeeep. Busy!!