Fox Jumper and My Thoughts on Foxes

I have designed a new knitting pattern, which I am calling Fox Jumper. My Child's Fox Jumper Pattern is selling well, and as I had some of the same wool left over, I thought I would knit a similar garment for myself. This fox jumper is loose fit. I guess you might call if a boyfriend jumper or a sloppy joe. I love this style of garment and designed it using one of my favourite shop-bought jumpers as a guide. The sleeves are quite loose, but then gather in to a neat fitted cuff. The neck is a boat edge, which I thought fitted with the stripes on the sleeves to give a bit of a retro feel.

I have thought a lot about the foxes while knitting it, and toyed with the idea of having more of them maybe higher up or on the sleeves, but in the end settled for a single row about the base, like the child's version. I have added the fox coloured stripes on the arms and cuffs, as I wanted to highlight the cut of the sleeves. These sections could be knitted in the main shade. Or indeed the row of foxes could be left off, if they are not your thing.

The Fox Jumper Pattern is for sale on Ravelry, and will be in the other places soon. 

 

But enough about the fox jumper, and on to foxes. I do think they are lovely creatures: the long noses, pointy ears, beautiful colour, their family groups and cunning, or what I would call intelligence. When I lived on the edge of London foxes were a regular sight. If you were out walking at night it would not be unusual to have several cross your path. When our neighbours house was empty for a while we had the pleasure of seeing a fox family being brought up in their garden, much to the annoyance of some of the other neighbours.

  

Now I live in the county it seems much harder to see foxes. Below is one that I unexpectedly saw when I was trying to photograph rabbits. I was sitting in a bush, and he was also very interested in the rabbits, so did not notice me.

On Boxing Day a local hunt sets off from the town square. I was on my way to work (I know, work on Boxing Day!), and have to say I was much more on the side of the small group of anti-hunt protestors. This is a scent hunt, as fox hunting is not legal, but I am not sure if a pack of dogs caught the scent of a real fox it would be possible to call them off. 

So I am a fox fan, but I am also a chicken owner, which does put me in a bit of a dilemma. We lost one of our chickens, but I am not convinced that it was a fox who took her. Below is my favourite photo of the three girls. I would occasionally let them out of their coop to have a peck around the garden, which was possibly rather foolish. It is a balance between keeping them safe, and letting them have some quality of life. Called out by some sqwaking - Nugget, the chicken in the middle was just gone, and the other two had flapped up onto a fence and were very upset. Despite searching the whole area, we never found any sign of what had happened to Nugget. Not a single feather or trail in the undergrowth. So I am not sure that I can blame a fox, and have my suspicion it might have been a stoat. I saw one kill a rabbit in the garden once, and despite its small size, drag it off. Either that or it was alien abduction!

The other two chickens are still with us, and although we did think about getting a replacement for Nugget, they seem happy as a pair. I still let them out to the garden from time to time, but only when I am out gardening to keep an eye on them. And I guess foxes are just doing what they have to do to survive.

Ring Up The Curtains

 

I have been very preoccupied this year with curtain making. I think my friends and work colleagues may have got a bit bored with my answer to "what have you been up to?", always being making curtains. But they are done, and I am very pleased. Although I have made curtains before, that was quite a while ago, and making 8 was quite a job. 

They definitely make the living room cosier, and also less echoy. Although we are now thinking that they may stand out better with a slightly different wall colour. But I suppose there is always something to do.

My pets always seem to want to part of a photoshoot, and although our cat Joey can be a bit naughty, he at least does not seem to be a curtain climber. 

The fabric was bought from Lenka Dresses on Etsy, and called Sole Raya Grey Stripe. I was very pleased with it, and the whole ordering process. It is extra wide, with the stripes going across the width, so I was able to make full length curtains without having to have any seams.

I have always used pencils pleats before, but this time went for pinch pleats, which I think has worked quite well. 

And although I am planning to get back to the knitting, we still have a bedroom without curtains, so I have been browsing at fabric again.

Snowdrop Yoke Jumper Photographs

I have been waiting to see if there were snowdrops in my new garden, and have not been disappointed. The original photos that I took for my Snowdrop Yoke Jumper knitting pattern were taken in June, so there was zero chance of a real snowdrop to pose with.

I really hate having my photograph taken, and was hoping I could persuade my daughter to be the model. But she is not at home at the moment, so it had to be me. As usual my dog wanted to be part of the action. She is such a good girl, and I think very photogenic.

Although I guess it is the snowdrop itself that comes out best in a photograph. If you are interested in the pattern it is available on Etsy, ravelry or LoveKnitting.

Clarence the Pheasant

 

I just realised that although we will be in February I have not posted very much this year. So here is a photo taken from my kitchen window this morning. I call him Clarence, as that is what the lady we bought the house from called him when we saw him while viewing the house, almost a year ago. I'm assuming he is the same pheasant, but I suppose he may not be. If only he had been there at the weekend, when I was counting the birds for the RSBP bird count. I picked a bad time, as even all the usual little garden birds were not appearing, I think because it was so windy. Time to hunker down. Would a knitted pheasant be a good idea for a new project? Most likely someone has already done it.

I am crafting at the moment, but with not much to show for it. Making curtains for the living room, which is taking me such a long time. The header tape has arrived at last, so I may be nearing the end. Perhaps curtains are not that exciting, but I may post a photo here. And in the evening I am working on a pullover for myself, which may end up as a pattern. But that is also a long job, as I am only nearly at the end of the back piece.

 

 

Tortoise II

For some time I have had buyers of my Tortoise Knitting Pattern contact me, as the wool that I originally knitted the sample tortoises with is no longer available. This was upsetting, particularly as the wool used for the shell was particularly tortoisey. 

I hunted around for some more tortoisey wool, and recommended Rico Creative Melange, 50g Beige/Brown 007, and for tan sections one ball of Rico Essentials Merino, 50g, Ivory 22. But it was concerning me that I should not really recommend a wool unless I had used it to make the pattern.

So here is Tortoise II, made with the wools above. It does work, although I am altering my pattern to increase the needle size by a half. I use small needles, as it needs to be a fairly tight knit, but I thought I could go up a little. It is odd knitting my own pattern so long after I wrote it. Particularly liked how I shaped the head!

I am happy with Tortoise II, although feel the colours of the first Tortoise were slightly more realistic. So I am still on the look out for other tortoisey wool. But perhaps other knitters are not as obsessed with realism as I am, and a tortoise could look great in all sorts of colours. But if you purchase the pattern from now onwards, these will be the recommended wool, needles, and photos used.

... And someone got a little bit too involved in my photoshoot! 

 

Puffin Christmas Cards

Wishing You a Happy Christmas!

Every year I plan to do a bit more linoprinting, but some how I find a year has passed, and the last time I got out my kit was the Christmas before. 

This is the card I made this year, and although it is a bit early for resolutions, I am definitely going to try to do a bit more throughout the year. Perhaps I may need to get a new tube of printing ink.

Tavistock Dickensian Lantern Parade

I have been hinting at this post for a while, and am so happy that this year the Dickensian Evening Lantern Parade took place. Last year it was cancelled because of gales, and although this year was rainy, we did manage to parade our lanterns. Above is me, with my chameleon. I have been thinking about chameleons a lot this autumn. You can't see from the photograph, but some of his lights were colour-changing, and there was a hoop of willow so that he rested on my head, which made carrying a bit easier.

Below is my son, with his spider lantern. It was very impressive, and is now going to the Tavistock Youth Cafe to be displayed. My chameleon is going to a local plant store, Leaf and Stone, to be part of their display.  

 

Final photo shows us gathered at St. Eustachius Church, waiting to set off. My husband got roped into carrying the anomalocaris from last year. 

I feel that The Chameleon, Spider and Anomalocaris sounds a bit like a children's book title. What adventures they could have!