knittery bits I will one day finish # 1

pinky pinkiest pair of pink leg warmers that ever there was....

Last year, during a brief infatuation with ballet I started to knit the little lady a pinky pink pair of leg warmers. They didn’t take too long to knit and gave a warm contented sort of bliss in the making of.

Shortly after the harmonious clackety clack of the needles had started to dwindle so too did miss Ellas ardour for the love of dance and quite unexpectedly one day the mere mention of pointing ones toes in the good/naughty way invoked a tantrum of epic proportion and a steadfast refusal to comply.

Reluctantly, I hastily put away all things ballet including the so very nearly almost finished pair of pinky pink leg warmers.

The other day, during a tidy-sort of my new workroom {star jump  star jump!} I found the forgotten leg warmers hidden at the bottom of the bulging “knittery bits I will one day finish” bag. And so, quite unprecedented, and even shocking my self let alone those around me....I finished them! Yes, done and dusted. Tick. Voila. Hooray!

Do you have knittery bits you need to finish? I’m looking forward to a stitchy gathering with friends this weekend and I’m hoping to sup tea, eat cake and stitch together an enormous pile of grannies from long ago! 

✴ accessorized

{snowheart silver earrings}

I love making pretty girly things like earrings, bracelets, scarves, bags, belts, etc...Perfectly lovely things to give as gifts or keep and wear over the festive period.

I made these silver earrings for a Canadian friend as a much belated birthday gift. I think I'll be making some more as gifts, the snowflake pattern is obviously just perfect for Christmas!

The stash of Liberty fabrics I recently ordered is now being made into tie belts with vintage buckles.

And some crochet with a notion for making wrist cuffs, which I'm still working out a pattern for.

{I'm finding the Mad Men box set perfect viewing for sewing/knitting/crocheting to}

Some good books for accessory inspiration;

In Stitches

Making Vintage Accessories

Bead Handmade Style

Christmas inspiration over at Knicky Knacks.

✴ not so square

I am envious of the expert knitter. The sort of knitter who can shove her knitting under her armpit and produce a perfect piece of woollen wonder while doing the ironing, changing the baby and putting the bins out, you know the sort {may include some slight exaggeration...}.

I am not that sort of knitter. I have to remind myself each time I start {which is often} how to cast on and which is knit and which is purl...and don't even think of asking me a question while I'm knitting. I have to concentrate so hard that I'm pretty sure I have one eye closed and my tongue sticking out.

It's something I've always wanted to be good at and have tried for some years with many frustrating hours of dropped stitches and bad tension and I've never really produced anything that could be considered a 'garment'. When Mr H innocently asks what I am knitting the answer usually screamed back is "..A SQUARE!.." or sometimes with a particularly good run of wool, "..A RECTANGLE!.." 

Alas the rectangle never quite makes it to the desired outcome of a scarf, not even a teddy bear sized one...

So now I am trying really hard to go beyond the square. I'm increasing and decreasing for the very first time and I finally, after much unravelling and starting again, achieved some rows of ribbing. It's not perfect, but then here's the charm; when knitting for an almost two year old, you're unlikely to hear any fashion protests and comments of ill fitting. Any dropped stitches or wonky bits can be blamed on snagging a bramble bush during a hearty walk round the park on the very first outing in the brand new jumper...would you believe.....ahem...

{ I'm knitting a square hooded jumper in 'Parsley' organic wool 

using a pattern from Cool Knits For Kids }

✴ knit one pin one

I think by now my 'Knit One Pin One' Pincushion as part of the great pincushion swap, should have reached it's destination. I hope the recipient enjoys my pincushion as much as I enjoyed making it.

What fun this swap has been. Almost 120 of us taking part all across the globe.

Bring on the next swap I say.....ahem... well maybe not too soon...need a breather......sighhhh...

I'm off to go have a looksee and an 'ahhh' at all of the pincushions, here.

✴ feeling woolly

I have had a horrible cold since friday, it's the curse of all the mama and baba get togethers, rhymetimes and tumble gyms. Today my head feels as fuzzy as a ball of wool.

It's officially summertime here....apparently....We've given up an hour for the sake of it and yet it rains...and rains...and rains.......Ppfffft!

Hooray for the small things that can brighten up a fuzzy day. I know, probably not everyones idea of excitement and joy but a basket of brightly coloured pure wool balls has cheered me up no end today and given some inspiration to the task of the pincushion.....

✴ my creative space

Here is my creative space this week. Because of a horrible cold, which thankfully is now on it's way out, there hasn't been any pushing out of pram and mama tea and chat. But there has been much staying in, cbeebies, crochet and chasing an adventurous and stir crazy one year old!

There has been lots of crochet. In the evenings, after dinner, while watching a film, lovely. There has been some more grannies, obviously!

And there has been some flower crochet, which are then to be beautiful brooches, hopefully, eventually.

There has been some stitching of a birthday gift, shh..... don't peek! Which should be hurried as deadline is looming!

And most importantly, there has been much admiration of Miss Ella's first doodles on her thank you cards.

Isn't she just so creative? I especially love the colours she has chosen. There are 12 of these! Mainly done during her 'da da' period. Whilst chewing on a rice cake. And then the pencil......!

My creative space is back! Pop along to Kirsty's to see what she and everyone else has been up to.

✴ quite contrary

And pretty maids all in a row.

The crochet craze continues....

You know when sometimes strange things seem to happen, like signs. That make you say, 'Oh that is so weird!'

I'm having one of those sort of days.

✴ not exactly Robbie Burns...

 You canna shove your granny off the bus

You canna shove your granny off the bus

You canna shove your granny,

Because she's your mammies mammy

You canna shove your granny off the bus!

But you can make a lovely blanket!

Taking part in Pip's A Granny A Day challenge! 11 Squares so far. It's such good fun.

Happy Burns Night!