Blog Post 1 – Crafty Me

Welcome to my new look blog, I have changed a few things around. I wanted to start writing a fortnightly blog on my hobbies and crafts. This will be the first edition in this new format, so I hope you like it. I have been very inspired by watching a lot of Youtube podcasts on knitting. Just to let you know you can find me on Ravelry as ‘zoeb90’ and on Instagram as ‘zoecornishmumofone’.

A bit of Chatter

Since I started Instagram I’ve had a lot of great responses about my knitting projects from friends and family on Facebook. I decided to put those pictures out there after watching a lot of fabulous podcasts Youtube. I always thought my hobbies might be deemed a bit boring and grannyish, but I’ve recently found a whole community on Ravelry who love to do, what I do and they are Young, Old and from all different walks of life.

Podcasts

The podcast I’m going to discuss on this post has to be Molly from A Homespun House. Molly has such a personable character and I feel like I’m watching a friend talk about her knitting with me. After watching Molly’s most recent videos I decided to watch from the beginning of her channel. I find the videos really relaxing and I love to knit along. Great job Molly!

I would love to do my own podcast but I wouldn’t know where to start and I would definitely find it totally cringe worthy editing videos of myself. So I thought I have a blog, so I would give it a go at incorporating some of their podcast ideas here.

Finished Objects

Posy 4ply version by Georgie Hallam

I used 3mm KnitPro Karbonz interchangeable needles with Drops Alpaca 4ply in Pink Colour: 3140

This was my first attempt at a top down pattern and I really enjoyed it. I hate sewing up knitted seams with a passion so this pattern was perfect (not a seam in sight). I also learnt to magic loop on circular needles from a Youtube video to complete the sleeves. I have to admit it’s not perfect I got very confused with the pattern placing after dividing for the sleeves but Lilly wont notice and I do now know what I did wrong so next time it will be perfect. As for the yarn, I am very happy with the fabric is has made, its so light, soft and squishy. I only used 150g to knit this cardigan even though the pattern states that it needed a lot more.

Socks for Beginners – Adult by Louise Tilbrook

I used 2.5mm Double point bamboo needles from Addi with Drops Alpaca 4ply in Dark Grey Green Colour: 7139. My first pair of socks and they don’t have any holes…. yet. This was a fast education into the world of sock knitting. I’ve watched lots of podcasts and everyone loves knitting socks, and now I wish I had been listening, as you all seem to opt for a mix of yarn with nylon in. Well I went for pure Alpaca, they sure are toasty but they don’t hold their shape very well. I don’t know whether it’s the yarn, my first attempt at socks or the pattern but something’s not quite right. I think I would knit a longer ribbed section and leg next time. If you have any advise on knitting socks please post in the comment I really need help.

Birds of Happiness

I have decided to decorate my daughter room with hand crafts, So when I saw these birds of happiness I thought she needed a little branch in her room to hang all these colourful birds off of. I am using all the yarns I knit from this year to create lots of little birds of happiness for her. They are a little fiddly but so quick and every time I finish one it makes me very happy to have created something from such a small stash of yarn. Great if you need a boost whilst working on a long project.

Works in progress

Cove Cardigan by Heidi May

I am using 5.00mm KnitPro Karbonz interchangeable needles with Drops Nepal 65% Wool 35% Alpaca in Grey Colour: 0501

This beautiful Cardigan is my main project at the moment, I have already completed the body of the cardigan in the size 2/3 which is a great stretchy fit which I think will last her over this autumn/winter season. I am going to knit a full-length sleeve, as I want the cardigan to fit her during our very windy winters down here in Cornwall. The yarn has knit up incredibly neat but the lace leaf pattern will need a bit of stretching out when I block it.

Garter stitch striped scraps blanket

This blanket doesn’t have a pattern its just a simple garter stitch blanket that I am making to use up acrylic yarn in my stash. I think acrylic yarn is great for making crochet blankets out of but I hate knitting with it. So this will be my long running project that I will keep coming back to for a simple knit when I don’t need full concentration on it.

Pretty Purchases

I brought these a few weeks back now but they are just too pretty not to show.

These fuzzy skeins of beauty are from Fondant fibre. I recently purchased a course from Craftsy about drop spindling. The idea of making my own yarn from a ball of fuzz, to then be cast on and knit up into something useful blows my mind. First up 100g of Hollyhock on the Norboo base, it has very light moss Green and Cream tone, which changes into Pink/Purple tones for the middle of the skein. It’s the fuzziest skein of them all and I think this will be the one I pick to spin up first. Next is 100g of Vintage Tulle which is 100% fine Shetland this is a beautiful vintage, as in its name Pink. Its slightly tonal but I think it will spin up all one colour, its very soft and airy and last but not least 100gs of Summer Lovin’ which is a Super wash Merino and Nylon blend. This has to be the prettiest skein of them all, in fact so pretty I don’t really want to spin it up. Its a lot denser than the others but is super soft, It has so many colours in it but it a Purple/Pink with Midnight Blues followed by sky Blues with Creams and Teals then moving onto jungle Greens and Yellows. The lovely people at fondant fibre also gave me a stitch marker, a tasty sweet and a small sample of different fibre mix, which was so lovely and I will definitely be going back to purchase more in the future.

Well that’s my first post on my knitting projects I hope you liked it. I will have another one for you in two weeks time. So keep posted. Please leave comments, I would love to read them and maybe have a natter with you.