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.

Blue 2CV

This blue hand-knitted 2CV has flown off my needles, and is now with its new owner in The Netherlands. Despite a lot of the rest of my country wanting to sever connections with Europe, I think the love of the 2CV just brings us closer together.

Blue Lexus

I've been busy knitting a car again. This time I had a request to knit a Blue Lexus CT 200h. There are photos of the real car below.  

I made a lot of adaptions - different wheels, side panels, roof, windows, lights, and front grill.

I am pretty happy with the finished car. What was especially nice was that this was an order was from someone who has bought my cars before.

I am becoming a complete geek about cars. I spend a lot of my time looking at them as I drive around. I think I may go for something a bit more vintage next.

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.

Edith 2CV

I have really enjoyed making this version of my knitting pattern for a 2CV, which is on its way to Norway. If you follow my blog, you probably know that I enjoy embroidery with wool, so making this car was the perfect job for me.

Here are some photos of the real Edith. 

I hope the knitted version is loved just as much as the full size one clearly is.

I slightly altered my pattern to get the white doors, and boot and bonnet sections, and the striped roof. Normally I knit the windows in white, but I thought this would mean that there was just too much white, so I used light grey, which I think has worked.

If you would like me to make you a knitted version of your own 2CV then please send me a message through my Etsy shop. The pattern is also for sale if you want to make your own.

BMWi3

 

I received a request to make a new car, and have adapted my mini cooper knitting pattern to make a BMWi3. Although it is the same basic structure, I had to completely alter the shape of the side panels, as well as making the front windscreen much deeper, and adding an extra raised bonnet. The parts I am most happy with are the wheels, the bonnet and the back view. 

I have now got pretty good at spotting a BMWi3 on the roads. I'm not quite sure where this fits into my idea of eventually having enough knitting patterns for a book of vintage vehicles, but it was a fun challenge.

So I have been reading about the BMWi3 on some review sites. (Am I turning into a sort of knitting Jeremy Clarkson?) It is an electric car, and does seem to be comparable in size to a mini cooper. I can see why owners love it, as it is instantly recognisable and very stylish.

The knitting pattern will be for sale on ravelry. It is all typed up, but I am just going to test knit one more car to check there are no typos. This first unique car was for sale in my Etsy shop, but has already been purchased. Please message me if you are interested in buying one.

P.S. I have slightly lost my enthusiasm for this project when I saw the original pattern customer had put my car photo on a BMW facebook page as if it was her own creation, and saying it would be for sale in her shop. (It is a closed group, and I guess she thought I wouldn't see it.) Got a sort of apology, saying she hadn't been careful with the wording. Still fuming, and have resumed my teddy bear project.

"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"!

Knitting Orders

I have been doing some knitting to order. I don't do very much of this, as sometimes it is hard to judge how long the knitting is going to take. But having intended to put some of my more popular knits in my Etsy Shop for Christmas, as usual I somehow didn't get myself organised, so was really pleased to get a few unprompted orders.
 

So as you can see my classic 2CV is driving off to someone named Pam

Some of the knits have been for a lady I met through one of the craft fairs that I did several years ago.

This is my Cherry Berry, but knitted in a smaller size for a toddler ...

... with matching mittens

and some baby bee shoes and shoe bag ...

... and finally my blueberry clutch bag, in sophisticated black, with a tiny silver fleck, and tartan silk lining.

I do like revisiting my own patterns from time to time. It is sort of reassuring to see that I can produce the same item. 

Also fun for me if someone wants a slight variation on one of my patterns, which is what I am working on at the moment ...