Tape Measure Bunting

Bunting! Just single sided, cut with pinking shears. I bought some cheap (55p) tape measures and sewed the triangles to that instead of bias binding or cotton tape. I think they look pretty snazzy.

Fabric Covered Letters

Papier mache letters (bought from Fred Aldous in Manchester - £5 each) and covered in Amy Butler fabric. I traced the letters onto the fabric and glued the face pieces down with PVA. I then snipped v shapes around the curves and wrapped round the sides. I then made a sort of bias binding to fit round the edges, and glued with PVA again. I am going to use them as display items in the workshops I run at work.

Knitted Elephant

Here is 'Flo' from Knitty.com. Done in two balls of Rowan Pure Wool Aran with domed buttons for eyes and some toggles for tusks. I bought some blue tapestry wool to do blanket stitch round the ears and feet but I quite like it as it is. After a bit of trial and error I upped the needle size to 4mm.

After I started knitting this I saw this article and thought it was quite serendipitous: http://bit.ly/hXYekb

I also think it is a he, unsure of a name, we await the outcome of the football today as I have promised my boyfriend if Manchester United win I will call him Ferguson, if not he is being called Everton.

Pattern available here: http://bit.ly/bnZum1

Sheer from Rowan Studio 22

This jumper is pretty cool. 3/4 of the body and sleeves are done in Kid Classic - a mohair mix yarn, then the top 1/4 is in Kidsilk Haze - a mohair and silk yarn that is super fine but with lots of fluff.

By keeping the work on the same sized needles though out it creates the fine top panels. Done in reds in the book, I have gone for these taupe shades: Bitter Sweet in the Kid Classic and Majestic in Kidsilk Haze.

It knit up very quickly and not with any real effort - it just seems to have appeared before my eyes.

Now onto something more appropriate for the sunny weather we have been having. (Why do I knit 'winter' garments as soon as it gets warm??)

Page from Cherished

'Page' short sleeved cardi from Kim Hargreaves 'Cherished' pattern book. Very quick to knit in Big Wool, with an interesting nipped in pattern. To get the scalloped pattern you increase either side of the stocking stitch panels and then knit 4 together/knit 4 together to nip it in. Success!

Suspend in Big Wool

This jumper is from the latest Rowan Studio book. By wrapping the wool round the needle 10 times for each stitch and then dropping all the extra loops on the return row you create these really long dropped stitches. Had to invest in a KnitPro 1m long circular needle to get all the stitches on at the sleeves. The jumper is worked from hem to hem, casting off and then casting on for the neck opening. I am pretty pleased with the result, though I have tacked a length of black ribbon to the shoulder seam to keep the arms from drooping.

Dress for Annabelle

I had to make this otherwise she would have grown out of it before it was finished! A little dress in Organic Cotton DK. Because it is organic and naturally dyed it has some fading and variation in colour but it will even out after a couple of washes. I knit the 12-18 month size but I had to make it a bit longer than in the pattern because Annabelle is pretty long/tall for her age. I like the little key hole at the back.