Fibre Friday (22/12/17)

Hi Everyone

My fibre update today is a bit ‘thin’ again ! I’m blaming Christmas. I’ve been focussing on Christmas knitting and everything else has taken second place. I’ve put some time into the Garland Sweater (check out the pattern here) and am almost finished my second pair of Christmas socks using WYS Christmas yarn (read about the story here). 

I’ve got lots of  ideas for new knitting projects over the Christmas period and thought I would share my favourites at the moment. I’m not sure if this is my final list (it keeps changing) but here are my thoughts at the moment :

                         

I need to search out some patterns for my Mittens, hat and shawl so will spend a little time later on this job. I’ve got loads of yarn in my stash and lots of patterns to choose from. That’s about it for fibre stuff. No spinning at all this week. I’m hoping to spend a little time over the Christmas holidays spinning too.

Have a great weekend and a Merry Christmas (if you celebrate). I will be taking a break over the holiday period and should be back in the New Year. Thank you to everyone who calls in to read the blog. Happy New Year for 2018.

Silver Day 21/12/17

Hi Everyone 

Today is Silver Day as usual but time is short (Christmas lists are growing) so I’m preparing for a new range of designs rather than doing too much practical work at my bench. This preparation will involve new drawings and a materials lists ? I’m rather pleased with last weeks earring designs (I’ve been wearing them daily) and am planning to develop the range into more jewellery. I’m starting the new items with a ring design. I’d like to use Silver Art Clay components with rings, more ear ring styles as well as a broach pin and a bracelet. I especially like the simple organic stone/pebble shaped earrings (as per the photo) and will take the little component and apply to each of the jewellery items. I don’t have a specific design at the moment and will play around with sketches first. I do have a couple of ring bands semi prepared for the organic silver stones/pebble so may get that completed but it’s more about the design at the moment.

                           

I need to order more materials too, so will prioritise this job when I have a specific plan. I’m not sure about the shape and size of the Silver wire I need yet and I may also go for additional, different Art Clay metals ? 

My new ring bands (above) are flat and quite wide so my first rings will need components to compliment the bands, I’m thinking I need quite a large ‘silver pebble’ or maybe a selection of smaller ‘pebbles’. I think this project will run well into the New Year, so lots of time to play with the idea.

Thanks for calling in today.

Hi Everyone

Today, I’m sharing my Christmas decoration inspiration for this year. Usually, we (mainly when the children were young) pulled out all the decorations from years past and up they go without too much thought about any theme or design. The kids have now lost interest in Christmas decorations. This year, I thought we would go for something a little different. I’m developing a Christmas HYGGE.

Hard to explain and even harder to pronounce, the Danish word "hygge" (pronounced 'hooga') has exploded in popularity around the world over the last few years. It translates roughly to "cosiness," but it means so much more than that. So what is hygge, really?  Examples of  hygge include creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people. The warm glow of candlelight is hygge. Friends and family – that’s hygge too. There's nothing more hygge than sitting round a table, discussing the big and small things in life. So my Christmas hygge it not a decoration theme but more of an atmosphere created by my organisation/decoration of our living space over the Christmas period.

My family are mildly amused by the idea and will probably ignore the plan but it’s giving me a core theme for dressing up our house and helping me to create a cosy and relaxing space. Generally, I’ve kicked out the bright colours of Christmas decorations and have limited my palette to whites, greens and a little injection of red. I’m trying hard to look at how our seating is arranged (to encourage sitting around and chatting/ sharing/doing things together) as well as adding lots more cushions and throws with more candles than usual. I’ve turned to the garden for Holly, Ivy and Rosemary for extra decoration ideas. I’ve also changed some of the curtains to white muslin. All of these things together are chosen to create the calming, ‘clean feel’ of our living space to encourage hygge.

Here’s a quick look at some ideas which could inspire my Christmas hygge :

                       

I’m not quite organised for my hygge and it’s all an aspiration. I’m not ‘beating’ myself up about all this, creating lots of pressure  but my aim is to enjoy and relax and I think it’s worth a try and I’m  enjoying working on that. I may get some images to share the outcome of our Christmas hygge, when I get there. I’ll certainly look back in the New Year, to see if the whole idea worked for me.

Thanks for calling in today

Sewing Up The Trees

Hi Everyone

I’m really struggling to get my Making project in today ! As it’s Tuesday, it’s a Sewing Day for me and I was reviewing my very long list of projects which I need to spend some time. There are lots of sewing projects underway, however, I’m very short of time this week. It’s the last build up to Christmas, so lots to do.

My Making decision is to complete the Trees bracelets (from a few months ago). Read back to some of the September posts with more detail on this project. I have one of the bracelets ‘sewn up’ and I wear it often but I do have several more bracelets to construct and lots of beads. This will be a manageable Make for my busy day. I simply need to thread the beads (another name for sewing in my book) and do a little polishing. Hopefully, I can finish two complete bracelets over my day, here’s a quick reminder of the beads I made for the Trees Project :

                   

I’ll get some photos of my efforts by the end of the day - finished or not ! 

There will be some progress, I need to Make everyday, it’s just the rule !

Thanks for calling in today.

Buttons for Mittens

Hi Everyone

Today, I will be spending a short time making some buttons for my new Mittens design. I’ve decided to place three buttons on each of the coloured stitch bands on the Mittens (I will need six buttons). I’m not sure about which colour to go with yet - red or green ? I’ll mix some Polymer Clay in both shades and try them out. I’m reasonably pleased with how the pattern has worked out. The fit is excellent. As I mentioned on Friday, the design is a combination of a couple of patterns I’ve already used (read back to check out the details). One of the mitten patterns, previously made, is not a good fit, much too big - so, I’ve modified the ‘numbers’ and am very pleased with the new fit, very snug and much more comfortable to wear. I need to finish the thumbs and sew in the ends and that’s that ! At the moment, the thumbs will use the plain red shade, so a very quick job.

                       

I’ve used Blacker Yarn for this design , Swan in Bolsam Bog and Gotland in Shower - the colours work beautifully together and I’m hoping my buttons will add a great finishing touch to the design. Hopefully, I will have the job complete by Friday.

Thanks for calling in today.