Introducing my new favourite knit!

Let me introduce you to King Cole pattern number 3491.  My first pattern with lace and using cotton and my third ever garment.

                                   

    

I had been eyeing it up for a while but refused to pick up another project until I had used my stash.  This was a terrible idea because I just fell out with knitting, therefore I went and purchased the pattern, some lovely pink yarn and cast on straight away.  It grew pretty quickly and before I knew it I was making the increases.

Here is where I met my first obstacle.  I had never worked with cotton before and found it quite slippy, I worked my increases how I have before but they just looked holey and quite frankly awful so I ripped it back!  I experimented with yarn overs, make ones but eventually settled with making stitches using the cable cast on method, it worked so I stuck with it.

Then I came to the pattern at the top.  To make the bobble the pattern says you are to P3Tog then K1P1K1 all in the next single stitch.  I thought this sounded like it would be easier if I reversed it to K3Tog then P1K1P1... It wasn't and I kept pushing my stitches off the needle when trying to K3Tog.  So it got ripped again and followed as the pattern states.

                    

My next problem was decreasing for the neckline but continuing the pattern, in the end (and with a little advice) I followed the decreases as they are most important and then the pattern fitted around them if it could.  I did make an error in the back and couldn't for the life of me find it so I carried on with it, it has been pointed out to me since but it is so minor I really don't care at all, plus it is on the back so I don't have to look at it.

I cast on the front and got this done an awful lot quicker than the back, that tends to be the way with me, the second half is more exciting because it is the last half.  I worked with the remainder of the ball I had from the front which in hindsight I wish I hadn't.  Somehow I lost a stitch when I introduced the new yarn, I think due to the slipperiness.  I did recover it but something went awry somewhere.  Then when I sewed the ends in it snagged and I have a little imperfection in the front.  I have stitched in some fake stitches to cover the error but I still know it is there which is a little disappointing.

                                  

Shortly after starting the back I read a Facebook status from A Stash Addict about how twisting the stitch made from a yarn over closes the hole.  It does and my increases were so much neater this time!

   

Once the front was finished which I have to admit I found a lot easier than the back it was time to pick up to stitch the neckline and armbands and then sew up.  This was all entirely disaster free and completely painless and I have to admit I adore the finished article.

                     

 

I wore this lovely top to work today with a longer vest underneath.  As I walked to pop some post in an office I was stopped to be told how lovely it was.  I was over the moon, I announced excitedly "I made it!" and then a long conversation about knitting ensued.  Such a big compliment.  Nothing quite like wearing handmade clothes that people envy.  It was also pointed out that the bobbles look like raspberries, they really do, just lovely.

I would highly recommend this pattern to anybody looking for a simple but slightly challenging knit, it provided me with many opportunities to try to fix things and learn about knitting with cotton and a lace pattern.  It combines simple stocking stitch with a more detailed lace stitch.  I am acutely aware there are much more complicated lace patterns but for a first attempt this is a nice achievable target.  The pattern on the other side of the leaflet is quite nice so watch this space as there may be another one in the making.

Happy Stitching. X

Peter Cushion

Last Saturday I was sat chatting to Eleanor when I spotted a reduced ball of Cygnet Grousemoor Chunky.  The colour was just perfect for my lounge (when it is finished) so I thought I would have it, despite being on a strict no more yarn diet.

I had in mind a little cushion that was in the loft with a cover made of what used to be this top.  This photo is at least 7yrs old now...wow!

                                                

Anyway...this did not go in any room so it was time to revamp it to use again so I got started.

        

I had to look up the gauge for the yarn which was 12 stitches for every 4" on 5-5.5mm needles.  From here I surmised I would need to cast on approximately 40 on 6mm needles.  I probably should have cast on 45 to be honest though.  

Once I had cast on I decided on a cable pattern.  I split the 40 stitches up into 2 blocks of 10 at the edge and a block of 20 in the middle and decided on smaller cable two to the fronts on the edges and a larger cable five to the back in the centre.  Then I knitted until I had almost run out.

It was a bit of a squeeze to fit the cushion in, the cover is pulled quite tight however I quite like this effect...more than I thought I would...because it pulls out the cables and makes the cushion feel very sturdy.

And here it is.

      

I put my scissors in to give some perspective as one ball certainly wouldn't make a big cushion.

As for the name, a colleague suggested I name my cushion Peter after the actor Peter Cushing so I did.

 

        

Bath fizzies!

It's probably a well known fact by now that I love a relaxing soak in the tub.  Probably not so widely known that I did an aromatherapy course a couple of years ago and LOVED it!  I learnt a lot but I won't bang on about it too much.  Just after the course I was sent a recipe to make bath fizzies, lovely little blocks of smelly, fizzy delightfulness.  Here is the recipe for you to try. Very easy and they make great, cheap and exciting homemade gifts. 

The recipe calls for citric acid which can only be purchased from chemists in small amounts due to the fact it is used to bulk up illegal drugs, just a warning incase you plan on buying more than one box, don't want you being looked at like a dodgy drug dealer when in actual fact you are making smelly bath fizzies.  As for the essential oils, be sure to choose a smell you like, this can be absolutely anything and most essential oils can be picked up cheaply and easily, my fave combo is lavender, geranium and bergamot.  If you are suffering any ill health or are pregnant then please be careful or just don't make these as essential oils can have a surprising effect.  Maybe some cosmetic grade fragrances would be a better idea.

Scented Bath fizzies

Makes around 25

Takes 30 mins (plus 36-60 hours drying time)

100g cornflour

300g bicarbonate of soda

200g citric acid (available from chemists)

Essential oil

Small spray bottle

Food colouring (optional)

Ice cube tray

Old jam jar with screw lid

1. Sieve the cornflower and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl, add the citric acid and mix with a stainless steel spoon.  Add the essential oil, one drop at a time until you are happy with the mixtures smell.  Keep stirring the mixture as you add the oil.

2. Fill the spray bottle with water and if you want coloured bath fizzies add a few drops of food colouring to it.  Spritz the mixture lightly with the water, stirring after each spritz until damp.  Squeeze a little of the mixture into your hand and if it holds together, it’s ready for use.  If not, spritz and stir again until the mixture bonds together.  If it starts fizzing, it means you have added too much water and will have to start again.

3. Spoon the mixture into an ice-cube tray and leave at room temperature overnight.  Pop the cubes out of the tray and leave a further 24 – 48 hours to harden at room temperature, then transfer to a clean jam jar.

4. Cover the jars lid with a piece of pretty paper just bigger than the lid and glue in place on the underside.  Screw on the lid and attach a label with the following instructions:

‘add two tablets to your bath water and watch them fizz!’

A lovely little cruise

I haven't blogged in what feels like a very long time, I have been a busy bee on holiday and starting a new job.

Approximately 16 months ago my parents asked me if Tom and I would like to go on a cruise on The Queen Elizabeth, what a silly question, of course we said yes.

After lots of waiting the date of departure finally arrived and we set off nice and early to get to Southampton to board for 2.  We were early and managed to board by about 1.  We went straight to our room, known as a stateroom and not a cabin to see where we would be sleeping.  We were greeted by a bottle of champagne on ice and the most comfortable king size bed I have ever seen.  Our room was in the centre of the ship so we had no window but my parents and sister  were booked into a room with a balcony so we planned to use their room as our window out into the world.

We first headed to the Lido buffet restaurant because we were hungry and we both ordered a pizza which was made in front of us, very tasty indeed.  Then it was off to the commodore club to meet the family for a G&T to drink as we sailed off from Southampton.  The Queen Victoria was leaving at the same as us so we got to watch her on her outward journey as well.  From here we explored the ship and took in the many entertainment options on board.

That evening was the first time we dined in the Brittania Room which was where we would be dining for the four evenings on board.  We were greeted by our very attentive waiters Persius and Sanjay who were so attentive it was incredible.  Whilst on the ship I ate some of the most amazing dishes which included confit duck terrine, lobster tail, baked Alaska, crepes suzette and loads of other things.  I even tried one of Tom's escargot and was surprised by how tasty and un-snaily it felt.

After dinner we went to the pub, it is called the Golden Lion and offers a lot of entertainment.  We took part in the quiz the first night and on the third I sang karaoke...not sure what ever possessed me but standing in my ball gown singing was reasonably good fun.

Our first stop was at Guernsey and we had to take a tender from the ship to land, I am prone to sea sickness so this was not the most fun part of the holiday but I did manage to keep my eggs benedict down.  Whilst it is a lot prettier St Peters Port is much like any other British town so we decided that we would catch a bus around the island to see the sights.  It cost £2 each and was a regular service bus but we got lucky because our driver was also a tour guide for a coach company so we got free information whilst taking in the beautiful sights.  I couldn't believe how beautiful the island is, Tom and I hope to holiday there next summer.

That evening we made our way to the theatre, a lovely room with boxes around the edges and terribly comfortable seats.  We laughed as Adrien Walsh cracked many jokes, the one that tickled me most was the story of how after 60 your bottom is replaced by a pleat, I giggled for quite some time.

Fortunately we were blessed with some good weather and managed to spend some time in the pool and hot tubs on the lido deck when we got back from Guernsey.  Tom and I were in the hot tub by about half past 10 on our third day which was to be spent on the ship.

After ordering room service for breakfast which was eaten in bed the ship day was spent mostly reading my book and enjoying the view from the window because not long after we got out of the pool the weather turned and it became very windy, to be expected out at seas though really.  After a lot of wandering and food avoiding we eventually settled in The Queens Room which is a large room with a stage and is often used as a ball room.  It is incredibly beautiful and rather decadent.  At 3 the waiters started to set up for afternoon tea and the string quartet started to play.  We must have drunk a gallon of tea each as the waiter filled us up before the cup was even half empty, it did get a little too much after a while.  We ate lovely little sandwiches, cakes and scones.

That evening was the formal evening so we all headed back to our rooms to get dolled up, I loved it and the atmosphere on the ship reflected this.  Everyone just looked so happy to have an excuse to get dressed up.

Our final day was spent on excursion to Bruges, we didn't have long to explore the town so it was mostly spent in typical Hall style by travelling from one type of food to another.  I really wanted some Moules et Frites which is a Belgian traditional dish, they were huge and incredibly tasty! The streets were lined with chocolate shops, souvenir shops and beer shops.  All incredibly tempting and in most cases impossible to resist.  Bruges really was a beautiful city and I do wish we had been able to spend a lot longer there so much like guernsey I think Tom and I will pay it a visit soon.

Tom and my Dad took an excursion to Ypres and Flanders fields.  I have only seen the pictures and heard what they have told me but it sounds to have been a very worthwhile and emotional visit.

When we woke up the next day it was time to disembark, a very sad occasion as I had started to feel well and truly at home.  To be honest it is hard not to when your every whim is catered for.  We headed down for a final big breakfast and then made our way to The Queens Room to be told when could disembark, we were off by 10 and shortly after heading home.

I don't think we can ever express how grateful we are to my parents for taking us along on this holiday.  It has not only been a wonderful experience but a fantastic way to enjoy rare time spent together as a family.  All in all an incredibly memorable and very special occasion. 

Temporary loss of knitting mojo

Recently I have been looking at my stash bags and trying to force myself to think of something to do with them, this stressed me out and I just didn't enjoy anything I was doing.

My solution was to stop at Knit Nottingham and buy a lovely summery project to get me going again. The pattern didn't take too long to choose and I decided on a lovely top with a little lace work at the top. The colour however took me a long time, I kept picking up warm purples and green which are gorgeous but not all that summery. After much persuasion and convincing I decided on a lovely watermelon colour, something I don't normally wear but does actually suit me.

I've had a few issues in that I have never worked with cotton before so my tension was a little bit uneven initially but it soon evened out as I got used to the yarn. I also made a few hiccups when knitting after a few glasses of bubbly and ended up with a lot of holes where they shouldn't be a few extra stitches. I have since ripped it back and now it looks brilliant. For my first attempt at lace work I am quite pleased, it's a nice easy pattern but it will look lovely when finished.

I have also set up a Facebook page for those of who may not be aware, pop over to Novice Crafter and say hello.

First loyalty card filled!

I filled my first Knit Nottingham loyalty card the other day and have a whopping £15 to spend in store now.

I have seen three summery patterns that I love but can't decide between so I've opened it up to a vote. Follow the below link and vote away peeps.

VOTE HERE

Time for a little change.

I've decided it's time for a little change, nothing mega but it's time to share.

I think my constant wooly updates might be a little annoying for my friends on Facebook who have no interest in it so I am going to set up a page where I will post my blogs and updates.

Watch this space.