Monday 24 December 2012

I used Green!

For those who know me, I am really very much a 'blue' person when it comes to colour.  However, in a change of taste I suppose you would call it, I knitted up something in Green!

TA DA - here it is.....  A very Green Shawl.

The entire shawl with the yarn label.

Knitted with Panda Astraka (300g = 300m)  - 100% acrylic on 8mm circular needles and knitted in stocking stitch, making a different texture on each side.

I really like the effect of 'tiger stripes' in the yarn as it knits up.

1 single ball of yarn = 1 shawl.   So very, very easy.

A close up to show the texture.

The shawl has been gifted to a friend who is having a major life change and moving away so that on a cool evening she can wrap it around herself and know that her friends are close by in her heart.

Monday 17 December 2012

Possum Baby Wrap

One of the nicest things I think I have ever knitted.  Soft, warm and cuddly with an incredible texture.  The raised garter stitch pattern has given the wrap an interesting look and stops it from being boring to knit.

Possum Baby Wrap.
Pattern:   from Issue 15 of YARN Magazine.
Wool:     Supreme Possum Merino (made in New Zealand)  colour - Natural
             40% Possum Fur;  50% Merino Wool;  10% Silk

Very, very soft and very light in weight (50g of 4ply  = 210m)

Opened out

And... Closed
Once I started to knit with this wool, I really could not put it down.  It was really very addictive knitting.

Several people have wanted to know how you can make knitting yarn from a possum.  I have no idea.  I think to find out will require some research, although I'm not that bothered, I just want to keep on knitting with the wool.  :)

Tuesday 11 December 2012

Challenging Challenge!

Way back in February this year when Donna asked several people if they would take part in a challenge which she would host.  

"Yes" I said.  "It will be great, especially as it is using Australian Gum Leaf fabric."  

How difficult can this be?  I wondered to myself.  After all, it's not the first Australian Fabric Challenge I have taken part in.

Boy Oh Boy - if something was going to go wrong, it did on this particular project.  This has been the most cursed project of my existence!

For 4 or 5 months I wondered what I could do that was different to previous projects - because you should challenge yourself with a challenge shouldn't you?   I eventually found a great project in a McCall's Quilting Magazine which looked like waterfalls.  I loved it.  I cut out the blocks and then disaster struck... I had a major oops with my fabric.  Laundry + bleach + hot water = faded fabric - moral of the story - do not knock red wine over in the sewing room when bathroom cleaner is sitting in the laundry sink!  Sheesh... My poor cut out pieces of fabric, they looked like little cleaning rags in the laundry.  The fabric lost all of its colour.  Ordered some more fabric.  It arrived.  Cut out the pieces all over again.  Laid out the quilt -   WHAT WAS I THINKING?  The quilt top looked terrible.  Quite awful in fact.

I put the project aside.  At the same time we had some major family upheavals going on.  I simply couldn't figure out what to do with my cut out pieces of fabric to have them redeem themselves and play nicely together.

Back to the drawing board!

A few weeks later, it happened... Brainwave!  Suddenly an idea hit me like a lightning bolt out of the sky - A BAG.  Yes, that's it.  Make a bag.  Why didn't I think of that before now?  Quickly, only a couple of weeks left until the great unveiling of the Challenge.  I searched through my multitudes of bag making books and patterns until I found it - the perfect pattern.  Now, the pattern gave another challenge; to make my already made and cut out pieces of fabric fit. 

Frogging (unpicking).  Lots and lots of frogging.  A little retro fit of the pattern and voila - it works.  My excitement was mounting because in my minds eye, I could see the finished project and see myself using it.  By this stage, there was less than 1 week left until the dead-line.  I'm sure I can finish this - how long can it really take?

Unfortunately I didn't get my challenge finished in time for the unveiling and a last minute issue meant that I missed out on seeing the other challenge items at the 'reveal' lunch.  Such an anticlimax.  All that work and excitement only to miss out completely.

The photo below shows how far I have gotten with my challenge item.



Although, all is not lost.  I plan to add two zippered pockets to the bag - one outside for keys and the other inside in the lining.  Maybe a mobile phone pocket too.

Watch this space - I plan to show you the completed bag very soon.

And -  I would like to give credit to the ones who completed their challenges - you can view them here - Quilt Challenge 2012.  An incredible group of wonderful and talented ladies.

xxx  Andrea

Monday 3 December 2012

Floral Trellis

Take one Layer Cake, some extra fabric off the bolt and some white for contrast; then have a play and viola!  The recipe produces a large single bed quilt top.  I know it's not quilted yet, but it will be - my plan is to quilt while it's the holiday season.

Floral Trellis
My own design - the first time in a long time that I have made up something by myself.  It's a very bright and happy quilt and I am really looking forward to quilting it.