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Saturday, April 29, 2006

m's Socks


m's Socks
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Finished DD's socks - spent all day doing the second one as the pattern wouldn't match so wasted a lot of wool breaking winding off and rejoining yarn! Nearly got them the same but was loosing the will to live by the toes - never mind they'll be inside her shoes!

Now back to some real sewing...

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Links for the Blackwork article

PS to yesturdays exciting news :) I have now read through the article and realised that the info about the chart for the crinolone lady was missed out. Linda Barraclough of Chloe's Place made these charts available at www.flickr.com. The charts Linda had posted on the internet were actually 'charted from a very old doiley'. Linda has made them available for anyone to use.

While you are looking at the charts have a wander round Linda's other photos and get some inspiration for other projects too :)

Meanwhile, I have been knitting socks :) but I need to make a sister for the one I have already finished before I show you, as I might not get it done otherwise and DD would not be happy with one sock.

I also have to get moving on my row by row project as the second deadline is approaching. I have chosen a pattern from Quilter's Cache . This is a great resource for foundation pieced patterns (but the music drives me nuts!) so check it out if you are looking for a special pattern.

Also just signed up for some swaps on the craft forum: fibre postcard, christmas decoration, a new CQRR ,and still in the art quilt challenge.

And finally, if you are interested in crazy quilting you are invited to join the flicker crazy quilting group. This group grew from Sharon Boggon's class at Joggles (there will be more so check Sharon's blog for details, inaminuteago.) but it is open to everyone interested in CQ - see you there, I hope :)

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

I'm Famous VBG

I've had an article published in CQMagOnline.

This is very exciting and I am waiting to see if there is any reaction, and keeping my fingers crossed that if there is, it is positive :) One of the editorial team saw some blackwork I had done in my Flickr photos and emailed to ask if I would write an article. With lots of help from Belle, I did just that, and it goes online today.

DS1 says now that I am famous I have to "get married, get divorced, have a child, do something controversial, die in mysterious circumstances and become the subject of a conspiracy theory." As the child of a famous person he has to "get a drug habit, be outrageous in public, spend the rest of his life living in my reflected glory!"

DS2 says I'm not really famous as it's 'only embroidery' and not many people are interested in that, and DD agrees with him wholeheartedly "It's only old wrikly ladies who are interested in that!" and they both refuse to pay for my autograph or fetch me a cup of tea! Ingrates! Bet they don't know anyone else whose mother is published on the internet. But it's ok, I will cut them out of my millions (hey? What millions - no fee) Sigh! Kids, don't you just love them, wouldn't even let me enjoy my 15 minutes without bringing me back to earth! Bah! But I am determined to be happy and FAMOUS, so there!

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Another hat!


lhat
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Remember the Noro hat? Well, here's hat number 2 to the same pattern. I thought the Noro one was a little too big so I went down a needle size. I do knit loose - well everything comes out big *shock, no really* This one is in a very old stash find in nylon yarn (which yarn would admit to that these days? I think you'd say Acrylic) and in 1oz balls. The model is my middle DS, Liam, who is only ever photographed juggling - because he is permanently juggling *rolls eyes* it's his 'thing'. Don't ask me I just feed them!

Hat looks like this when it's not on his head.

I have finished my crochet 'sampler' - I made it out of dishcloth cotton so it will have a new life in my kitchen :) .
Now to dig out some fine crochet cotton and have a go at some doilies :) Have given up on the US crochet terms altogether - old dogs and new tricks :) but beginning to get used to the crochet charts *wonders will never cease - shock, horror!*

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Dream a Seam templates arrive!


das
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Look what I got! :) Now if this doesn't get me back to my SharonB block nothing will, LOL. Templates are lovely, can't wait to try them out, but the accompanying literature is scarey! Very detailed and technical and not at all easy reading - however nothing worth having is easyily won or however that saying goes ... not one of my usual mottos *rolls eyes, shrugs shoulders and puts shoulder to unfamiliar wheel* Anyway - more cq to follow.

While I'm here couldn't resist this link to what not to crochet. Made me smile. I have been crocheting (sp?) this weekend to practice my stitches before trying to make some lacey edgings and motifs for the cq stash - just wish I could follow a pattern. Recently bought the
Happy Hooker to brush up on my skills and there are some doable patterns in it - but oh dear, US crochet terms make my head ache, so now I can't follow patterns in two languages ROFLOL guess I'll just have to wing it - wish me luck.

Leeanne asked about the pattern for the hat - it's from 'Simply Noro' which I bought on eBay. I would print out the pattern (it's easy) but that'd be infringing copyright and all that *shrugs*. Anyway Leeanne you could work this out yourself, go on you can do it - can't be any worse than my 3 fingered glove. Cast on the correct ammount of stitches to go round the head size you need (work it out from your tension will depend what yarn you use) and then knit ( a rib for elasticity) straight for about 6.5 " for an adult head - adjust for kids- than decrease evenly across row and pretty rapidly over about 8 - 10 rows, pass thread tail through few remaining stitches and pull up tight then seam up the back. If not then try a google for 'free knitting patterns'+hat and get yourself a coffee, there are loads!

Sunday, April 16, 2006

noro hat


norohat
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Bit of a cheat, knitting flat hat and seaming up the back, but here it is :) Could have found a knit in the round DPN kind of pattern if I'd tried but this took just one evening and was easy peasy.

Pattern is from 'Simply Noro' and it is made with left over Blossom from my Booga Bag. Just one skein of the Blossom left to find a use for and then that bit of stash is used.

DS said it's good but he doesn't want pink! So this is my hat now :) I thought he'd want navy or balck but no "White" is what has been ordered! So white it is. Will use smaller needles as this came out a little loose (well, it might tighten up a bit when I wash it but may have to hold onto it in a high wind).

Sadly I look stupid in hats. Yes I do. It's no good telling me otherwise - I know I do - it's the glasses *rolls eyes* but I'm not wearing contacts again just so I can put on a hat *stomps stubburnly (sp?) to the corner and pouts*! However, on a positive note, the colours are lovely - a bit richer than the flash makes them look - and it's really warm. Just the thing for when DH insists on bragging me up a mountain to look at the view. There wont be anyone else to see how I look up there. Well, apart from DH, and he already knows I look stupid in a hat, and, he doesn't care because clothing is entirely utilitarian for him and if it keeps you warm when it's cold then that's the end of that! Sensible man. Until you want him to tell you how lovely your new hat is, of course. "It looks warm."

Thursday, April 13, 2006

I got a postcard!


pcbelle
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Look! I got a postcard! Wow!

I was in a fibre postcard swap on the craft forum. But due to other pressures and a general lack of organisation *rolls eyes and shrugs shoulders* I pulled out before the end of the preperation period. So I wasn't expecting to receive a postcard this time. I watched everyone else revealing theirs tho' and felt not a little annoyed with myself for missing out on the fun, But I need not have regretted pulling out because my dear Belle made sure I wasn't left out. This beautiful needle felted postcard arrived yesturday morning. thank you, thank you, thank you!

It shows the track Belle walks down to the beach near her house. If I did one of out local beach right now the sea would be grey, the sky would be grey and the beach would be COLD! So this was just the tonic I needed and especially lovely for being unexpected. Isn't the internet a wonderful thing and aren't the people you meet via it wonderful too?! I shall look at the sun and think of summer and feel warm and loved. One to treasure! Thank you, Belle :)

PS must have a go at needle felting :) I think Belle has found her forte.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Booga1


Booga1
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Okay so this is a little fuzzy - the photo I mean, we know the booga bag is fuzzy, right? The finished size is about 8 1/2" x 8" x 3". I deliberately made the straps shorter than the pattern, i cord was 5 ft before felting. Didn't measure the bag pre-felting but the photo on my first post has an unsharpened pencil in it to give you an idea of scale.

Love this bag - will try again with the kureyon yarn after I finish my yarn fast ;)

Booga2


Booga2
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Lovely bag, stroke my lovely bag, you want one, you know you want one :)

Jan's Heart1


Jan's Heart1
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Heart sewn down. Basted over paper, slippstitched to background (which I got back to front *roll*) slit in the back to pull the paper out closed with a ladder stitch across the back. Wrapped up and off to Oz in the morning, signed for international post. Pleased with it until I look at it on the screen now and see a very strong seam across the top, hmm, note to self - remember to look at things on pc before deciding they are finished, but hey, near enough... right? Happier with the SRE roses this time - used a wider ribbon 13mm variegated. Now I am wondering if I could have done another bead trail from the flowers at the bottom up into the centre, could keep going forever I guess :)

jan's Heart


jan's Heart
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Basted onto a paper template ready to be apliqued onto a white on white background square.

jans heart with bits on


jans heart
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

... and here it is with the hand sewing completed. I just need to cut it out and sew it onto a white on white square and then it's off to Aus for maureen to make it into a present for a friend who is having a hard time at the mo. Another symbol of the wonderful connections made thorugh the world wide web :)

Pretty pleased with how it came out - maybe i could get into this heart thing - i even managed to do all the 'slow' work in one evening - the heart is 4" across. Spiders web ribbon roses, mother of pearl buttons, beaded flowers etc.

jans naked cq heart


naked jans heart
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Time is pressing so I reached for my cq fabric stash and of course the fabrics from Sharon's class were to the top - as this project is a heart they seem appropriate :) Here it is before i began the hand work...

Sunday, April 09, 2006

pre felting


DSC01363
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Here's Boogs pre-felting and post felting to follow, ... if it ever dries! Impatient, me? Pah!

Booga Bag


DSC01367
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Here's a piccie of the Booga Bag drying over a cereal box (Special K, if you're interested!) Blocking should help it keep it's shape. The pattern uses Kureyon but I had Blossom in my stash and it has a high natural fibre content so I thought I'd go for it and it has been successful so far. Besides I'd have to wait until after the stashalong if I wanted to buy new yarn! Wait? Pah!

This will probably be a present for my niece (who has a bag thing going on) but don't tell her as it is my first felted bag so I might change my mind and keep it myself *shock*

Pattern for boogs bags here Boog Bag

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Those Gloves - second time around.


gloves
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Following on from my knitwear design disaster - I thought I'd just prove I can knit gloves! My first ever pair are finished ad DD wont take them off - have loads more of this colour so in the spirit of stashalong more purple things to follow :)

Saturday, April 01, 2006

CQ Siesta

Started this CQ RR today and added this lace to the bottom corner



I am pleased with how the central beading came out



I thought I was going to have a problem. I wanted to hoop the block but it was too small and I needed to sew right up to the edge of the block, but then I remembered these



they're called Siesta Frames Bars and I used to use them with Aida for cross stitch. Makes so much more sense for a block than a circular frame :) and also proves I am right to never throw anything away ;) Well, it might come in handy one day - and it did.

Don't Give Up the Day Job!

This evening DD asked for some purple fingerless gloves. I have the wool in my stash so I thought - "yay, an early start to my stashalong". Quick search on Kitty.com and the perfect pattern, just needing slight adaptation to make all fingers fingerless, "I can do that" - thinks I. Feeling newly confident as I've been a member fo a knitting forum for quite a while now, where people talk about designing their own, and adapting other people's paterns all the time. So how hard can it be - right?

Then horror, I haven't got the DPNs I need - "Never mind" thinks I - "I'll make it on straight needles , flat and seam it." I'll adapo the Knitty pattern a little further. So confident am I that I can do this, I sit with my pad and pen writing down my stitches so i can make the second one without any problems. All going well, feeling smug, i start to plan how I will share my adapted pattern for people who don't want to knit them in the round. People will read my blog and think "what a clever woman she can design knitting patterns as well as everything else - wow!"

Still quite happy, i begin to sew up the seams and to try on the glove to see if it fits ... which it does, beautifully. Apart from what DS (aged 14 and heavy with sarcasm) describes as a "minor flaw."

See the error?

Yep, that's right, we will have to amputate one of her fingers to make it fit! A three fingered glove.

You gotta laugh! And we did. Thought I'd share anyway so you can have a laugh too :) VVVVVBG