Baby Matinee Jacket and Hat

I finally gave this baby jacket and hat to my friend.  I met her baby daughter for the first time but couldn’t concentrate for ages as she was too polite to open the present.  Finally, I just asked her to have a look at it.  She was so pleased to have something hand knitted and I was thrilled she liked it.  The jacket was a simple knit but took weeks due to small needles.

Knitted Jewellery, Sewing Course & Hats

I haven’t posted for ages – sorry about that – got a bit of a mental block.  But what’s re-inspired me is seeing how to knit jewellery on the Guardian’s website today.

This weekend, I went on another fabulous course at Oh Sew Brixton sewing studios called Take It Up, Take It In, Mend It.  We learnt a variety of techniques to take up hems and I have finally sewed up some very long trousers that I bought a year and a half ago.  Apparently the golden rule is to take up the hem the same day you buy a garment, otherwise it just festers inside a wardrobe.  Too true.  I also managed to take in a waistline of a new skirt which was more technical.  So it felt like a great achievement.

My kidsilk haze raspberry cardigan has stalled a bit.  Have done the back and both fronts and over half an arm.  Need to get on with it but sleeves are soooooooooo boring.  I have also had a few failed attempts at starting a hat for my boyfriend.  I just keep choosing projects which don’t match the wool thickness I have so either the hats are too big or the needles too small.  Must focus more.

Another project to finish is a beanie hat I made for my nephew months ago.  I just have to iron on a skull and crossbones patch and then finish it with invisible thread.  Hopefully this weekend will be a bit quieter and so I can organise myself more.

Peyton Place

This is going straight on my “to read” list since I read the review in the Sunday Times this week.  Apparently, when it was published in 1956, it changed the whole literary landscape as to how society viewed women.   A critic at the time wrote:

“The ladies of the town are so preoccupied with the mating instinct (with or without benefit of clergy) that they have no time for household chores.”

Herne Hill Stitch ‘N Bitch at the Lambeth Country Show

We had a great stall at the Lambeth Country Show in July.  Thanks in particular to G, C & R for all their hard work organising it and for being there for so many hours.  This is the beautiful banner that attracted so many people:

And this is a sample of the wool and needles that were used to get people knitting again or to teach them with.  We taught loads of kids as well as adults which was fun.

The cushion above is felted.  My friend knitted it and it is only her second ever knitting project.  It is so well done and very soft.

Ribena tea!

This teapot contained Ribena and not tea.  It was all very charming.  One of our team has since learnt how to finger knit and we are all going to learn and take part in an art project.  More to come once things start taking shape.

Knitting and Sewing Update

I finally finished knitting my cushion cover using the lovely Tait & Style slub wool – the wool itself knits up in a naturally swirly way and so stocking stitch was all that was needed:

I was going to put on buttons so that it could be taken off but this was just getting faffy and I’m never going to dare wash it in case it shrinks so it was much easier to sew it all up in the end.  Talking of sewing, check out my bag that I made at the fabulous introduction to sewing class at Oh Sew Brixton – the new sewing studio in south London:

The course was a 5 hour introductory class and we covered so much.  I have used a sewing machine a bit before but was very unconfident and now I’m raring to go.  This was my first time sewing in wiggly lines and I am really chuffed with the applique edging around the butterflies – perhaps not that visible in this photo.

The back of my cardigan is now finished – this is made out of kidsilk haze which is tricky to use at first, although am getting the hang of it now.  Passing one stitch over another is a bit fiddly to pick up the wool but general stocking stitch is fine.  My naughty boyfriend wanted to get in the picture:

Today I put all my unknitted wool into clear bags.  It was on display on some shelves but there are too many moths about.  It was also an opportunity to tidy up my all my knitting projects and accoutrements which have been strewn about in various bags so all is organised….for now.  Projects on the go are: a blue-grey hat for my nephew onto which I’ll sew a skull and crossbones patch, my raspberry cardigan and some baby booties.  Think I’ll need to start a couple of others as I like to swap around so as not to get too bored.

Another vegetable-animal

Can’t believe I forgot this picture on my previous post of vegetable-animals as it’s my favourite.

Ben the tortoise - so cute

Vegetable-Animals

The vegetable-animal stall at this year’s Lambeth Country Fair was of a very high standard and huge crowds formed around it.  Well, maybe up to 20 people which is pretty big for the flower, fruit and veg tent.  Topically, there were 3 Michael Jackson’s this year, including this one – The King Edward of Pop:

King Edward of Pop

These were the other two:

Michael Jackson - red cabbage hair

Thriller - especially with a shrunken mushroom for a face

Note what a versatile vegetable an aubergine is for – both sunglasses and trousers.  Next we see it used on a dog:

The bride was the winner.  Great detail, especially in her bouquet, but was it not a bit of a cheat to have wool for hair?  I’m sure some fruit or vegetable would have worked just as well.  My idea – that hairy bit on the end of sweetcorn.

Fruit and Veg Bride

And next we have a bird (looks like another aubergine) and a cauliflower sheep:

Non-flying bird

Cauliflower Sheep

And finally, here is a picture of our Stitch ‘N Bitch stall.  It proved extremely popular and we taught loads of new people how to knit and encouraged those who had knitted many years ago to knit again.  We had loads of balls of wool and needles and lots of enthusiasm:

Stitch 'N Bitch Stall