Picture: Wool pile :)

Pretty pile of wool making me smile.

Picture: Pretty Greens

Love the pretty greens in this hanging succulent.

Picture: Wild Basil

My lovely wild basil in seed

Picture: From My Garden - Marigold

Picture: 3 bags full

My new three bags full (of wool); not for the master, dame or boy down the lane! This wool is all mine, baby!

Crochet or Knitting

Have finished my crochet hat.  So proud of myself.  Not quite what I started out to do but hey, you can't have everything on the first go.  Looks good even if I say so myself.  I found it easy going but have to perfect a technique that will work for me as I try to knit the stitches sometimes.  Oh well, Rome wasn't built in a day.

Made it too long so just made a turned up brim.  The beauty of creating is that you can do whatever you like.  I love to knit but am not so good at designing pieces.  Usually take pieces from different patterns I have used and put them together, works sometime.

Have spent the weekend on a new project.  Recently purchased a new stash of wool that was on sale.  Couldn't wait to start something with this wool.  Wanted to do something soft and flowing.  What is it?  Well when I finish I will show you.  I just love the colour dusty pink and this is sooo soft being a mixture of wool, acrylic and alpaca.  Just love using it.

Watch this space for the new project.

Got busy and finished the vest, Mr Four was so pleased with it he refused to take it off.  Success.  Was so very happy with this effort.  Took me a while as I decided to knit it in one piece.  Now I know why these kinds of intricate patterns are done in separate pieces.  Soooo much counting, such a long time to knit one row.  Another lesson learned the hard way.

And now for something new.  I am learning to crochet.  I think that the two can compliment each other.  I have found some patterns that I really liked but they had a crochet component and as I couldn't crochet could not complete the project.  So here goes.  I have a basic knowledge of what to do but wasn't sure how to follow a pattern as I didn't know the name of the stitches.  Well, I got the basics down so I am getting adventurous ...

My first crochet hat.  It's going well, so I will keep at it.  Wooo Hooo so proud of myself.

Picture: From My Garden

My beautiful stone fruit 'fruit salad' tree in fruit.

Another one down!

Have been off the radar for a while as I got a bad virus and also have been very busy with family and friends. Started this blog a few weeks ago and just haven't been able to get back to it.  So ....

Finally finished the order for the shop.  So excited that it turned out so well.

Now on with the next project.  We have been busy at our shop making some beautiful brooches.  My partner is a very accomplished lady when it comes to creativity and producing items.  Have a look at the latest.

I will need to finish my grandson's vest.  Mr Four asked me the other day if I had finished his vest.  So this weekend will be spent doing just that.  

Have been working on various projects and finishing none.

This is one I did a while ago for a Baby Shower for a friend.  First time I have tried knitting flowers.

The complete set, excuse the photography, I am still learning.

I am also teaching myself to make crochet flowers, even though I can't crochet.  I figured if I can follow the "How To" instructions I could do it.  Sure enough I was able to complete a flower.  I am so proud of myself.

I have so many projects on the go I really must make a concerted effort to finish at least one this week.  Too many distractions lately but its time to buckle down.

First to be finished this week is a Dino Hat , then the vest for no 1 grandson.  So now it's off to work, hi ho, ho.

Well, started the second vest, but then life took over and have not been back to it since. Will have to get it finished before the cold weather goes away.

Have worked on the frilly scarf some more.  Its starting to get longer, at last.  Will have to make a more concerted effort to finish this one too.

Am looking at my stash and thinking of what to do next.  Something simple and easy I think, something that doesn't require a lot of thinking. Mmmmm. Thinking.

Have you visited http://www.crapivemade.com/?  We have a give-away, so go enter.  Read the interesting blog as well.  Its one we follow.  Very talented.

Well, I'm off for an afternoon siesta and dream of knitting something exotic.

One Down, One to go

Have been busy knitting up a storm. Have finished the vest for the youngest grandson, so now its onto the next one. I am very pleased with the finished result.

Not the best photographer in the world but you get the idea. It is a beautiful cable and moss stick pattern and I so fell in love with with it when I first saw it that I just had to knit it.

Now its on to the next one. I have started it and thought I would try to do it in the round, but it was too difficult. So now am doing the back and front as one piece, much counting and concentrating on what I am doing.

Break in concentration - I had a wonderful surprise this morning whilst sitting on the lounge I looked up to see a family of ducks walking through the back yard!!! I did a double take!! Ran outside and started to take photos just to prove that I wasn't seeing things. Mum and dad herding seven little chicks. It was hard to get close as daddy duck kept attacking me, so I could only get long shots. The poor little chicks were desperately trying to climb the large steps and couldn't manage it, so I gave them a helping hand. Daddy duck did not appreciate this. Finally all ducklings were up with mum and dad and the family went on its way.

My biggest problem is keeping my cat Pierre inside now, he is banging on the door to be let out but he is definitely not going out there!

Now that I have had a little break its back to the knitting.

Today working on the vest, tomorrow will work on something for the shop, me thinks will start something new. Will have to choose the project, then the wool or maybe cotton. The hardest thing I find is choosing a pattern. Once that is done I have to choose a colour, but I find it comes when I choose the pattern, I see the colour I will use. Then its off to the stash to see if it is there.

Well the excitement for the morning is over and back to the needles.

What to do, What to do?

I have been knitting away at various projects and getting nowhere with any. Time to regroup and concentrate! I have had many distractions the past few weeks and now I'm trying to decide what I will finish first. I think the vest for my youngest grandson which has been taking too long. So that's decided finish the vest first. Then something for the shop.

I started knitting a frilly scarf oh so long ago and only take it out when I am out as it takes no thought whilst I am waiting for trains, doctors appointments, sitting around waiting for the car to be fixed, don't start me on the car, so many problems with this lemon. Anyway, the scarf, did I mention that its easy to knit and doesn't take much concentration, well I was wrong, whilst sitting in a waiting room, got to talking and low and behold, not only did I drop a stitch, I managed to drop three, tried to pick it up, what a mess. I haven't looked at it since then. I will get back to it soon (read: some day when I have more patience). Will keep you updated on progress.

I have been busy knitting for the shop, made a couple of scarves, dino hats, love those dino hats, have you seen them on the site? I had fun making these for my grandchildren first, then got requests from their aunts so the hat was a hit. When deciding what to put in the shop this was definitely the first on the list. My partner is the sewer, just love those crayon rolls, such a clever idea. So talented is my partner Tempest.

Follow us on our Facebook page Tempest Ahoy.

Well enough chat, time for "cuppa " and back to the knitting needles.

New blog

Welcome to my brand new blog, where I will be blogging about my passion...knitting.

I'm excited to announce that I'm in cahoots with Tempest over at Tempest Ahoy; we've opened our own little slice of Etsy. You can find our shop here. Come check us out there or on our Facebook fan page.

Will be back to chat more soon as I have been up to my eyeballs in yarn and knitting.