Hexie Caddy Pin cushion

I made this Hexie Pin cushion Christmas eve while cooking Pavlova and watching Carols by candle light from Sydney. I love how it turned out . You can make one too here is the link.Penny's hexie cushion

Loom Knitting

 I have finished the shawl I made on the All in one loom. I brought the pattern from Ravelry. It was supposed to have 8 segments but I ran out of wool so finished it at 7 . I love how it looks with the change of colour.

The Shapely Loom: Innovations for Loom Knitting was the pattern book I used to make this shawl . the pattern book has lots of amazing ideas for the long loom.

Chooks

the craft group in Quorn is called Chester's free range Chook's , It was a quitting group to start with but over the years we have diversifier into any craft . This year we were given a name of who we had to buy a  christmas gift for. I got Ruth which I was so happy about because she is into beading just like me so what to get here was easy , a mix of beads and charms. Roz got me and did I get lucky , she gave me this amazing pashmina and a kit to make a lovely needle case.

Last two christmas baubles 

I decided to make every one of the girls a christmas beaded bauble. The only problem was I only had the idea on Thursday morning while we were shopping . I had to make 10 by Friday at 10 am . I got 7 made by getting out of bed at 6.30  . Having a quick shower and get breakfast and then get into beading again. The two I was short I made last night and will give the two ladies who missed out at Wednesday craft . I also brought so cheap christmas crackers , opened one end and put in a beaded  scissor charm and a fantail toffee in each.

Christmas Cracker 

Christmas Cracker after popping

Two of my handmade Scissor hangers / Bag charm

     

Beading

My latest necklace in progress. its a spiral rope with little dangles off the side...

Crochet Bag

A few weeks ago I brought some yarn made out of t shirting  on the ball there is a pattern for a bag . Its crocheted using a 8 mm hook but I could only find a 7 mm hook. It looks ok , I think. I really like the broomstick crochet at the top. I had it made in just over 5 hours. fast christmas gift maybe ........

Pin Cushion Swap

At the November meeting night for Quilting we had a pin Cushion swap. The guide lines were easy to follow . It was to be hand made then wrapped . our names were written on bits of paper and after the meeting we were called out to take one from the box. Mine was not opened on the night because a few ladies were not at the meeting but left pin cushions. I hope the person who got mine liked it.

Front of my cross stitched cushion

Back of my cushion, the two buttons are pressed glass flowers.

The Parcel I picked was nicely wrapped with a flower decoration on the top. I opened it to find a floral handbag style cushion , when I went to fold the paper I was surprised to find a wheel of pins in the package as well.

loom Knitting

I found an e book on line at Ravelry. I started this shawl which will be circular working in segments on the all in one loom. After I had finished the first segment and was part way through the second one I realized that I had made a few mistakes . In the photo below you can see its slightly gathered in the to right hand side and I had made a few purl stitches were they should not be. every row you move a maker one peg on but I must have missed a few moves and that's made it gathered . I have ripped it all out and started again..

Spinning

I have not had a lot of time to spin wool but I have a bit done. Its so different than my other wheel but I will get it.  

New Wheel

 I have wanted a Majacraft Wheel for awhile but they are bit costly. Then I told Wayne I really wanted one and he was getting a new motor for the boat so I was able to get it. Its an Aura and is totally different than my Ashford Wheel but I will work it out I am sure.

Majacraft if you buy one I recommend it .

Christmas Time

All the ladies Santa's . all very different ! 

 Well its nearly christmas again fro another year. At my Wednesday craft group we have spent the last three weeks making christmas decorations. The first two Wednesdays were spent making a felt Santa who should never fall over. He has wheat in his base the give him a bit of weight. 

My Santa 

  Today we make Christmas tree's out of a polystyrene cone and 5 different cycles with a button in the middle. We covered the cone with bias strips of 1 inch wide covering it the the cycles are glued on.     

Kate

Our first grand child , Katherine Elizabeth

One day old with her Mummy (Nicole)

Our proud son Ashley with his tiny daughter.

daddy holding Kate a few hours old..

Our new Grand child

Katherine Elizabeth Colman arrived safe and well on the 30th of October, weighing in at 6 lb 1 oz. Her mum and Dad are very proud of her , she is perfect in every way. We are going down to meet her on the weekend after they are out of hospital. I can't wait to have a cuddle.  

New boat motor

Wayne has finally picked up his boat from having the new motor fitted, He did most of the fitting but they had to check his work to make sure every thing was right. I am still waiting for my new spinning wheel its coming all the way from New Zealand . Just over a week and it should be here. 

Waterfall cardigan

I have finished my cardigan and am happy with how it looks. I crocheted an edge on it because it was rolling up a bit and this finished off the edge nicely 

Orchid's

Wayne has had a great year for orchid's. We were given some from my grand mother and some from his mother. I love the flowers and how they stay looking great for quite a long time .
 We cut two spikes and sent them down to my grand father for his 98 th birthday.

This small pot flowered with out us knowing , it was at the back of the shelf.

Large Red

Large yellow

Cream with Red center 

Yellow spray's all from one plant

All the orchid's together , you can see how we missed one little pot.

Bead it forward

In the October's  Bead and Button there was a challenge for a  bead quilt.  Squares need to be 1 1/2 inches x 1 1/2 inches, the beading needs to be mounted onto a 2 inch square of lacy's stiff stuff to help join the finished squares to each other.
Have a look here at the Bead and Button site - Bead it forward
my bead it forward pattern

Floor mat

When I was in Adelaide last I brought some thick rug wool cheap , once I got home I decided to use it to make a rug on my all in one knitting board. I used all the pegs which made it 18 inches wide and 30 inches long. We will have it on the floor in the laundry  for Wayne to get wet while  he is doing the washing.

bead test

For Lindsey
Here is your pattern Lindsey 

Free Beading Pattern

I have got a bit behind in designing my bead patterns here is my latest hope you enjoy making this loom pattern     Loom

Waterfall cardigan

I found this pattern/ idea on my knitting forum. you start at the neck and work in one piece. Last night I was at the under arm joining . I am using cheap sock yarn and 4.5 mm needles. It hangs in a v at the front and back. 

Baby Bird

Baby bird is getting bigger every day. He is doing well and trying to fly, last night he flew from my hand to my chest. well it was a jump really . He is going to be blue with a touch of grey. 

Baby Blanket

Wayne's Mum Nell made this blanket out of all my scrap blue wool. She has shoulder problems but was able to make using a corner up pattern and the joined them together. I am sure Jelly bean will love it when she gets here in just 6 weeks.

Baby bird

We are still feeding our baby budgie. We have no idea what sex it is. so we are calling it him . I hope it is male because the male budgies talk much better than girls do.   He is going to be grey and blue.

Mat

While I was visiting Adelaide last week I was  able to go to spinners and weavers with mum at mt barker. they were having a workshop on faux felt. They have a trading table which has different things on it each fortnight. I just had to have the thick wool in different blues. I have started making a mat out of it on the knitting board . its 18 inches wide and I will make it as long as the wool last. I think it will e good in the laundry for Wayne to stand on while he dose our washing. 

Pin Cushion

Side one

side two

At my Quilting group we have different challenge's over the year. At our November meeting we have a pin cushion swap. I hate not having doing thing at the last minuet if I can help it . Here is my pin cushion what do you think. 
The buttons through the middle are glass with a flower shape pressed into it , they are from my grand mothers button tin which I was lucky enough to be given by her before she died.

Socks

Knitting Board is my latest craze. I stated out with a small  10 inch board. I then brought a purple plastic one , which I have used for several scarfs. The  All in one  was my next purchases. I have made a pair of sock's on this but will have to order the extra sliders if I am going to make some more socks. I found a pattern for loom socks but found it hard to understand because it expected you to have watched CD that comes with the sock loom. I didn't have to sock loom but muddled through.

Sock pattern

2 x 2 rib of sock .  

Tammy's Sock Slippers

2 balls 100 mt 8ply yarn 

all in one loom

Set the loom at 48 stitches 

e wrap cast on, mark stitched with tape to help you remember which is purl and which is knit. as you can see from the above photo I used white tape for the purl stitches. repeat rib for about 2 inches or so . then change to stockinette stitch holding thread in front of hooks. I tried e wrap for the stockinette stitch but this is what it looked like    

 in this photo I have 2 inches of rib then stockinette stitch holding yarn in front of hooks but it was very tight and quite hard to make each stitch, so I changed to e wrap with was much easier and fast to do but it was much too loose. So I reversed knitted back to the tight stockinette. 

working stockinette stitch 

first step of purl stitch 

 

placing stitch back on hook for the finish of purl stitch 

to turn a heel you us short rows over half the stitches . I have used short rows in normal knitting so had some idea what the pattern meant. You stop and turn wrapping  an extra loop around the last stitch. in the photo below I have 4 wrapped stitches of the heel .

I hope this help you make your own knitting loom or board socks.