Tunisian Cluster Mittens

Hello all,

Happy days, Inside Crochet have been so kind and printed my pattern!!!!! Please check it out!!!!

This piece is a pair of Tunisian Cluster Mittens. This piece came about as I played with a new stitch pattern I had found. Once I had made head and tails of it and created the original sample I sent a picture to Rhian Drinkwater and she loved the design. Rhian suggested using the beautiful MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino. This has to be one of the most beautiful and soft yarns that I have ever worked with. I wanted a piece that would test Tunisian crocheter but the pattern needed to be relaxing. This stitch was perfect as it is quite repetitive and builds up quickly. I created the piece and sent it off and it is lovely to see how the piece has been published in the magazine. I was also touched to see a mention on the editors page.

I have a couple more patterns on their way soon and I have just been commissioned for a project next year. It is all very exciting!!!!!

I have started the Christmas presents (I know Christmas crafting already!!!!).....I am designing original pieces for my friends and family and hope that they enjoy them. In addition to this, I have my ticket ready for the Hobbycraft and Christmas craft show at the NEC. I love this show as there is a good range of craft items to buy and also there is a little Christmas Market to look at too. I am heading there on 6th November!!! I'll be there with my knitting buddy Becky and I hope to see you there. 

I am proud to announce that I will be going on my first holiday with my new man!!!!!. We decided to go to Scotland.....which I only recently remembered that it is freezing. This was a perfect reason to knit a new hat. As we are planning to go on hikes I did not want to get lost in the dark so I felt it was a good time to us reflective yarn. I made an order to Wool Warehouse and was sent (very quickly) Schachenmayr Lumio. I am a proud owner of a rib stitch hat.....with a massive pom pom!!!!!!! I am looking forward to showing this piece off and also I hopefully will not get lost with my shiny hat. 

Right, lets get back to it!!!!

Until next time

Happy crafting

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Tunisian Cushion

Hello all,

I'm back from my break and now I'm knitting up a storm :)

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the latest issue of Inside crochet had been released and had arrived at my front door. Inside it contained my latest Tunisian Crochet Pattern  'Geo Cushion'. This project started months ago.

I was travelling to Reading to visit my sister and look one of my usual detours to Yarnfest. This is a lovely shop in an area called Hermitage and stocks a lot of gorgeous yarn. Another reason that a visit is necessary is for the opportunity to meet Ozzy the dog. Ozzy guided me to the yarn I just had to have. This was quite early in the year but summer was on my mind and I found that West Yorkshire Spinners had a gorgeous selection of colours. The way the shelf was stacked had the green and pink together and I loved the combination. It made me think of a watermelon and I knew I had to buy this yarn for something.................I was not heavily influenced by Ozzy's puppy eyes!!!!!!!!


Once back home I began to plot my pattern. I wanted something that would challenge me and develop a new skill. This is when I went to You Tube for Knitspiration. I came across an American crocheter (cannot think who it was) who had made a Super Mario blanket using colour work in Tunisian crochet. Using the different colours seemed to be similar to how a knitter does Intarsia Knitting. The video did guide me to twist the yarn at each colour change to ensure there are no holes. 


With this in mind I decided to look back at an old patchwork book I had for a design idea. The one I selected was a star design. To sew this up it would involve 12 square which was a triangle that was half one colour and half another. If you look carefully at the patter you may see how these square would be put together. I actually did a tension square (I know !!!) to work out the sizing of my work. I had a spare cushion that was in desperate need of dressing and from there the pattern was created.

I emailed my idea to Claire from Inside Crochet and the design and it was a Tunisian cushion which happened to match the theme for an issue of the magazine. I really enjoyed this project and hope to use this technique again for a later design. 

I went to Guthrie and Ghani's Knit Night on Thursday and really enjoyed it. I love the atmosphere of the shop and how relaxed knit night is there. It was a nice place to focus on my latest design involving Tunisian Crochet in the round. Lauren stocks Rico and now Milla Mia yarn in a vast range of colours. There are also a number of different weight yarn available too. I have found much knitpiration here previously as this is where I brought the yarn from Benjamin's Bunting and Nice and Cosy. The next Knit night is on 30th July and well worth a visit :)

Right.........back to work 

Until next time

Happy crafting

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Christmas is around the corner

Hello all,

I seem to have lost the month of November due to my rapid Christmas knitting for family. I love having a skill which means that I can provide truly unique gifts for my family members. I often look to Ravelry for knitspiration and find projects that suits everyone perfectly. Last year I was able to find a pattern for a toy Starship Enterprise and made that up for my dad as he was a Star Trek fan. He loved it and it is proudly hung on the Christmas tree.

You'll be happy to know that I have almost completed all of the required items and I can start focusing on designing and knitting for myself again :) I am really into cable knitting at the moment. I love the effects that can be achieved using this technique and I am hoping to be the proud owner of some new fingerless mittens soon as mine are pretty done for.

I will be displaying my handmade Christmas bunting in my home in preparation for the big day. Inspiration came in the middle of summer (bit odd but there we go). I started to thing about my holiday projects and dreaming about advent calendars. I thought about how I would love to have bigger chocolates each day as opposed to the tiny ones found in the shop brought ones and the only way around this would be to make my own advent calender. I didn't have a stocking as a child and I felt to make it up to myself I would make 24 mini ones as a bunting. 

I found the gorgeous Milla Mia yarn and a beautiful bunting was born. The pattern was in last months Inside Crochet and I really like this piece. I will be putting it up very soon........I don't want to wait for 12 days before Christmas 

I hope all of your festive projects are going well. I will be going to TOFT's open day on the 20th December with the family. It looks great as there are many demonstrations and also the opportunity to halter walk alpaca's (how exciting). The Cornflower Cafe is also amazing and well worth a visit too. I am hoping to be there with a lovely cream tea or a salted caramel cake..............perhaps by that point I wont care and I'll have both. 

Right...back to these mittens!!!!!!!

Until next time

Happy crafting

Sarah

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