Rainbow Lizard

 

One of the reasons I like selling on ravelry is that it gives the options for people to link up their projects made from a pattern. When I am looking for a pattern myself I always have a look at the projects. Do they look like the pattern samples, what comments have been made, etc. 

Etsy doesn't have this option built it, but I have noticed recently that buyers of my patterns on Etsy are sending me photos of what they have made, or posting them in the review/comment section. I love it when this happens, and was really delighted to be sent this rainbow version of my lizard. Susie who made it contacted me about the wrap stitch technique, but once mastered she has done a really great job. There must have been a few ends to run in, but I love this little rainbow lizard, who is on his way to Spain for her grandchild.

If you have made a project from one of my patterns I would love you to share a photo, and I do take all the comments onboard.

 

Still plenty of time to to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for September.

 

Autumn Garland and Butterflies

After a last burst of summer in the British Isles, it does seem like autumn is now on the way. I am back in London, just until the end of the month, when I am looking forward to returning to Cornwall - hopefully for the rest of harvest. Apples to pick and press, hoping my husband is watering the pumpkins, my son picking blackberries for the freezer for me to make jam, and that the sloes will be ready to pick. 

To welcome autumn and harvest I wanted to share this beautiful autumn garland, made by Jennifer (who also helps me with pattern testing). It is so lovely, and the more you look at it, the more you see. I love the mixture of animals, flowers and fruit and veg. Jennifer told me that there are no hedgehogs in the USA, where she lives, but she put one in anyway. There at the top are two monarch butterflies made from my pattern. It made me wonder why we don't get monarchs in the UK, but a bit of a search on the internet, and it says that very occasionally some do get blown off course, and they have been seen in Cornwall. So I know what to look out for when I am back there.

 

I spent a lot of time over the summer trying to photograph the butterflies that I did see in Cornwall. At some times there were so many, particularly on the buddlea and majoram, but trying to get a good photograph is a bit of a hard task. I probably spent too much time on this. The hand at the top is my husbands, and that particular red admiral butterfly seemed really keen to be caught on camera.

 

Still plenty of time to to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for September.

Cockle Shell Pattern

I have been busy making cockle shells from my new patttern. My idea is that these will be hanging decorations, perhaps for Christmas, as shells can be a religious symbol. So expect a few more photos when I have attached ribbons. Although I also think it would be cute to make a seaside mobile, with some knitted shells and some of my other sea creatures. I may have a go at this.

A cockle shell is fairly easy to make, and another good pattern to use up any oddments of wool you have left over from other projects. I tried to be fairly realistic with the colours (except for the red which I thought would be Christmassy), but you could go wild and make all sorts. I had an idea that they might look cute with some silver bells, like the nursery rhyme "Mary Mary". 

The only technique that might be a bit unusal is making some turns midrow to make the base of the shell thicker. (I have not put in the wrap stitches which I often do, as this didn't seem necessary.) My other tip is not to over fill the shells with wadding, and to a bit of squeezing to adjust the filling, so that the shells are flatter at the edges.) I enjoyed making this striped shell above, which was just done by switching colours occasionally.

The pattern is available on ravelry, Etsy and Loveknitting.

 

Still plenty of time to to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for September.

Ginx Woolly Linx Party September

Thank you for linking all your wonderful projects to the August Ginx Woolly Linx Party.

I loved looking at Sandra of Hakelfieber Austria's Big Food. This links to the Pear Pattern, but there are so many other wonderful fruit. I like the little worm popping out the the apple.

Maya of Little Treasures has designed this Lillah Ruffled Top. So pretty, there is someone in the next room who would love one of these.

Lovely to hear from Inekedc Blog, who has crochet herself, feeding the farmyard animals. It reminded me of my red-haired granny who had chickens. I remember it well, as I was quite scared of them.

And finally Alexandra of EyeLoveKnots, has reviewed a pattern for a Hatching Hamster. This is a really fun idea for a toy, which hatches out of its own egg. 

Thank you to everyone for sharing your projects. I look forward to seeing what you are working on in September.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Cockle Shell

I've not been knitting much recently. Not really sure why. Perhaps it has been the weather, distracted by gardening, and not being near my wool stash. I've been trying to make items for a craft fair in October, and have been working on a pattern for a cockle shell. It is quite like my scallop shell, but I wanted something a bit smaller, and also with more of a hump at the base. Scallop shells are flatter. Still a work in progress, but I thought I would just post a photo. Working on some in different colours and with stripes, which I will show you soon, and have the pattern available in my shop.

 

Still a few days left to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for August.

 

 

 

 

Garden Diary August

Just thought I would do a garden update. Some successes and other failures, and oddly quite different from the year before.

The broad beans, which gave me such trouble last year, are black fly free, and producing nice big pods, and the runner beans and peas also seem to be going better. Only a few runners so far, but plenty of flowers.

Courgettes are also doing really well, and I really can't eat them quickly enough. I have decided to look at last year's courgette lemom drizzle cake recipe. I am also really hopeful for the black kale below, although not quite sure when I should start picking it.

I picked all the red currants, and made a single pot of red currant and raspberry jelly. I then cleared out the freezer of all of last year's raspberries and blackberries, and made more pots of jelly. The raspberries seem to be over, but my husband says we got a small second crop in the autumn last year. But all the wild blackberry bushes are covered in flowers, so look hopeful for later.

This year the sunflowers were doing great, and then a few days ago we had a very windy night, with Storm Evert, and I lost quite a few. This years are called Russian Giant, and are really tall, but I might have been safer with the smaller ones I grew last year. But the sweet peas that are grown from seeds saved from last year, and lovely healthy plants, but without a single flower. Will have to start from fresh next year. We also tried saving other seeds, and the ones that completely failed were the french beans. I guess while I am on failures I should mention the carrots. Last year they were great, but this year very sparse.

In the polytunnel this year we have tomatoes, cucumbers and various peppers coming along. One type of tomato seemed to be getting blossom rot, going brown at the base, so I have tried an organic feed with calcium, which is what the internet tells me will stop this. This year we planted the lettuce indoors in a big tray, and did much better, and also have some pak choi growing. Only one of the loofah plants that my sister gave me seeds for has survived. I keep watering it and hoping.

Have I missed anything else? There are some other plants that are coming along: squash, pumpkins, and sweetcorn. Something has eaten the tops of the jerusalem artichokes, but we are hopeful that the roots underground will still be okay. At one point we thought a rabbit had got into the vegetable plot, but then caught the dog carefully eating pea pods, so are not now sure who was the culprit. The dog is also partial to a gooseberry and raspberry if she can get them.

Courgettes, apples and sweetcorn

 

Also the orchard is not as thriving as last year. I think there must have been wind or a frost at blossom time, as we have had no plums, and only a handful of cherries which we left for the birds. One or two of the apple trees are doing well, but I don't think it will be the bumper crop that we had last year. I don't think we will be making as much cider, but I have my eyes on some of the elderberry bushes, blackberry bushes and sloes, and it may have to be wine or gin this year.

Bit of a messy view of the plot. 

 

 

Still plenty of time left to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for August.

 

 

Tesla Model 3

 

I'm always pleased when someone returns to my shop, as it must mean they were happy with their previous experience.  And a customer recently came back from 2016 (have I really been doing this that long?), for whom I had made several cars. 

 

 

This time he asked if I could make a Tesla Model 3. I started off by thinking I could just adapt my mini cooper pattern, but after one failed attempt, decided to more or less start from scratch for the side panels. It is amazing what can be done with a bit of printing from the internet, and graph paper, and I am really pleased with how the side of the car looks, with its streamline curve on the roof.

 

After that the wheels had to be slightly reduced in size, so they could sit in flush with the side of the car. Then it was all down to getting the glass roof right, and the finishing details.

 

Strangely I keep spotting a white Tesla Model 3 in my neighbourhood just like the one I have made. I know it must have been there all along, and it just because I have been thinking Tesla for the last few days. 

 

I am not writing this up as a pattern, but will file my notes away just in case. I imagine this is probably the only handknitted Tesla in existance. Would you like me to have a go at making your model of car? I am always up for a challenge.

 

Still plenty of time left to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for August.