Union Jack Mini Cooper

So much for all my New Year resolutions to post more often. I have just finished this mini cooper with a Union Jack roof, for a customer on Etsy. I always like making this version of my car pattern, and it is off to be gifted to Harry in New Hampshire. His name is on the numberplates, which you can't really see in these photo.

I have been knitting, but have been working on a jersey for my husband. His Christmas present, which may be ready just for when the weather warms up, and he doesn't need it.
 

 

A Neighbourly Mini Cooper

I've been busy making another mini cooper, this time for my neighbour at my new home in Cornwall. Being a neighbour here in the country is a different thing, than in London. There you could easily hear neighbour's conversations, as they were a matter of feet away, but here even a close neighbour is a bit of long stride across a field. 

We seem to have a lot in common, as we met at the local craft fair. And both owners of a mini cooper, a lovable black dog, and a black and white cat. 

For this mini cooper I slightly altered my pattern - adding details to the wheels, and adding a spoiler to the back. Rather a sporty model.

Black Mini Cooper

Another Christmas knit, which I could not show until it was given to the recipient, my sister-in-law. Her previous red mini cooper had a little knitted version on the dashboard, but when we saw her in the autumn we heard how that car had come to a sad end in some flood water. But she was in a new black mini cooper, which I have made a version of. Had to sneak out and take a few photos, just so I could get all the details correct.

Knitted from my own pattern, which you can find here. I have made a lot of these little cars over the years, and I am currently working on another one for my mini cooper owning neighbours.

My Very Own Mini Cooper

I have made my fair share of knitted mini coopers over the years. I have tried to do a count up, and think it is at least 15, but I have have missed some. But finally I have made a car for myself, and it is going to live on the back shelf of my very own mini cooper.
  

This knitted car is smaller than the usual cars I make from my Mini Cooper pattern, as I decided to knit it in Cornwall over the half-term holiday. I rather stupidly only took the needles for the wheels. The body of the car is knitted on larger needles. So I had to really adapt the wheels so they were in proportion.

It sort of upsets me that real life minis seem to be getting bigger and bigger.  Occasionally you still see an orginal mini, and they really are like a different car to the mini countryman. Little confession - I was quite keen to get a Fiat, but was over-ruled, and now we have the mini (called Neville) I really love it. It is very easy to park, but also quite nippy when needed. I am taking my daughter out in it for driving practice, and she finds it a lot more powerful than the driving instructor's car on which she is also learning.

Just a reminder that there is still plenty of time left to join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for March. Click on the photo above or at the top of the page to find the party. I would love to see what you have been working on this month.

Most Personalised Mini (so far)

This is probably the most personalised mini I have ever seen. Isn't this photo of the car great? It was quite a challenge to make a knitted version. The purchaser, from Wales, was OK with me not making the roof rack.  A shame, as it is part of the look, but I think would have needed wire etc, and I like to try to just use wool.

This knitted version was bought for the owner by his girlfriend for Christmas. I wonder if I will ever get a more personal mini to make? I very much doubt it, but who knows.

Just a reminder that there is still plenty of time left to join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for February. Click on the photo below or at the top of the page to find the party. I would love to see what you have been working on this month.

Cooper's Dad's Cooper

I love making personalised versions of my mini cooper pattern. This one was very special, as this man loves his mini cooper so much that he named his son Cooper. So Cooper decided to buy his dad a knitted version of his car. 

Isn't this picture great. The pristine mini cooper, and also the beautifully organised garage, and Cooper's dad, who used to race mini coopers. (Think on husband - although my husband only has a shed, not a garage, it does not look as tidy as this.)

I was lucky as I already had the perfect colour blue wool, and personalised it by making it just a bit longer than my normal mini, with the black roof, and some of the stickers in the back windows, and the numberplate WUTZAT. 

Unfortunately mini cooper no 1 was mailed, but did not arrive.  So below is Cooper's second cooper. I can just about tell the difference. It has been sent, this time tracked, although not quite in time for Christmas.
 

UPDATE Oh postal services! Cooper No 1 has now arrived. It took 3 weeks. We have decided to blame Trump. So Cooper's dad will get two coopers I guess, so that will make 3! 

Just a reminder that if you are looking for somewhere new to share your projects I am running a new monthly woolly party. There is a link to it in at the top of the righthand column 

Licence to Knit

I've been knitting one of my mini cooper cars for someone in the States this week. Often I embroider a name or real number on the plate, but this time the customer asked for 007. Great idea, for James Bond and Mini Coopers are both British icons, and this also the version with a union jack on the roof.

Then I thought I would see if I could find a link between James Bond and the mini. A mini moke does appear in some films, and I found this picture of Daniel Craig and a mini, but I think it has been photoshopped from the original poster.

But there is a link between James Bond and knitting. Here is a picture of a very young Roger Moore in the days when he was a knitting pattern model.

Yin Yang Mini

I just wanted to show you a mini that I have made for a customer in France. The car has arrived, and she is very pleased with it. Isn't it the coolest car: the full size one and my little knitted version. 

I really like it when I am asked to make a personalised version of my mini cooper, and this is one of my favourites.

Mini World Magazine

You will have found me recently lurking in the motoring magazine section of WHSmiths, where I have been eagerly awaiting the Janaury issue of Mini World Magazine. My Mini Knitting Pattern has been featured on their shopping page.

I was really pleased with how prominently it has been placed, and that they were happy to use my own photograph. Perhaps it will lead to a few orders, although it is always hard to predict these things. The patterns is for sale, and I also make minis to order (which can be ordered through my Etsy shop), so I have been stocking up on wheels, to give me a head start, in case anyone wants one for Christmas.  

I try to make each mini as close of the owner's car as I can, so a photograph to match colours and model is useful.  I love the Mini Traveller on the cover of the magazine, and if you click on Mini Cooper in my labels you will find the posts with minis in that I have made. I really enjoy adapting my pattern, and would love to be asked to make one of the checkerboard roofed minis.

So now to settle down with a nice cup of tea, and read the rest of the magazine.

Red Mini Cooper

I have been knitting away, but don't seem to have much completed. Several projects are just part way through. But then I remembered that I hadn't written about another of my customised mini coopers, sold through Etsy, that was made a short while ago. 

I tend to think of my minis as models, but this one was bought for a grown up daughter, and the customer says she takes it to bed to cuddle. 

And this is the real car, which is also rather cute.

"It's A Mini Thing"

I've been asked recently to knit some variations on one of my favourite patterns - Mini Cooper. The Mini Cooper is the sort of car that owners seem to not just like, but fall in love with. This first Mini Cooper is already in Texas, with Alex. It follows the basic pattern, with the Union Jack roof, but this time there are black stripes on the bonnet.

... and here is the customer's own car.

Next I was asked me to reproduce a mini with a Paul Smith roof.  I really enjoyed matching the colours for the striped room. You might also notice that I altered my pattern a little, as this car is a five door mini. Minis seem to be getting less and less mini! This one has gone all the way to Taiwan.

And finally a mini cooper convertible. I have given this one the look of a roll back roof, so there is no window at the back. I also tried to recreate the look of the bonnet and black wheel arches.  I had a job trying to match the colour with this one, but the customer was delighted nevertheless.

So this is a new line in my Etsy shop. I wonder if I will be asked to make any more. There is such a variety of minis on the roads. Strange that I am turning into a bit of a car buff, as I am the sort of person who if asked what car I drive, say something dopey like "a red one"!