Freshers Week

Hi fellow tweakers,

I got through my first week at Uni!!!! Yay!!!! I am totally inspired, impressed and raring to go!! I have met new friends and joined a couple of societies - as you do!! Yesterday we had our first lecture, the old grey matter is starting to circulate a bit.

I am still working on a few things in the creative sector as it were! The 'Autumn Berries' cushion cover is nearly finished. I've started an aran jumper for my lovely Steve in a gorgeous deep red, I will photograph it when I have done a substantial amount. Starting off in the pattern was really strange, had to frog a couple of times just couldn't get it right. It's yonks since I knit aran! In my previous blogs I mentioned the Sirdar Blur in green I had bought so I made a little something!!!!

I have a friend Chloe who has just gone to University in Aberystwyth, Wales, to study 'genetics' I thought she might need a companion to sit by her pc as she worked, check out 'Bobbie Bacteria', he's made mainly in Blur with a couple of scraps for other bits!! He is a very simple amigurumi shape, I've put polyester beads in the bottom to make him stand up properly but he does tend to be a bit of a rogue still!!





I am working on other ideas and have loads to do at present, will keep ewe posted!!!

love Cathy x

Every ones a fluffy one .....

Hi fellow tweakers,

This is 'Fluffy Dennis', all finished - not frogged, for a change lol. It seemed to take ages to make but it certainly kept my legs warm, hope my young Emo friend is pleased with it. It came out much longer than I anticipated, it should look fab with leggings.

Today I have gotten rid of my red locks and had loads of blonde hilights put in. Will have to change my blog picture - watch this space!!

I am toying with the idea of what to do with some Sirdar Blur I have in my stash. Its a lovely green colour. Have been playing around with it but havent quite decided what to make. I have to say though it is a beast to undo!!! - wish me luck!!!


Catch ewe soon
keep tweaking
love Cathy x

Fluffy Dennis, Autumn Berries, new start ....

Hi fellow tweakers,

Yeh I know, I am the worst, most irregular blogger on the planet lol!!! Despite not having blogged again for yonks I have been knitting and crocheting like crazy, always having at least one thing on the go. These are two of the most recent:

Meet Fluffy Dennis:

This is a stripey mohair 'Dennis the Menace' like 80's style jumper. The red yarn is a vintage 1970/80's one I managed to find on ebay. I think it is a worsted weight its certainly quite thick for a sports weight. The black yarn is a sports weight, both yarns seem to work well, on 4mm needles the difference in thickness adds texture to the sweater. It is going to be a one size, quite a baggy long number, for a young 'Emo' friend. (I did have another photo, guess what I accidentally deleted it!!!)

and Autumn Berries:



This is going to be a scumble cushion cover. It is made of Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn, on a 4mm crochet hook, as Noro fans will know this yarn is incredible!! All these beautiful colours in one skein - magic!!

This is a little 3D effect flower, with a little crocheted centre bead .... and theres more!



I have really stretched this photo out. You can actually see the variants of thickness and shading even in one colour. Don't you want to touch it?

On a personal note I have now finished work to pursue a degree at University!!! I am really excited and scared at the same time. My dizzy personality (self admitted) will help to bond with the youngsters, my teens reckon I will just fit in great because I'm mad!!!

Bye for now,
take care ya'll
Cathy xx

Berries and Key Lime with Savannah and Scottie...

Hi Everyone,

Even though I haven't been blogging I have been very busy with one thing and another, life took over in a big way!! Haven't done as much crafting as I would have liked, I seemed to have lost my mojo for a little while.

The Make, do and Knit fair in Liverpool, proved to be the catalyst in my recreativity, had a fabulous weekend with the knitonthenet team. Ended up thoroughly knackered, but absolutely fired up with ideas.

Here are some of my recently completed projects - read on ..

This bag is made from a kit by Ingrid Wagner, who was at the fair. I called it Scottie Bag as the orange colours have a slight plaid in them.
The kit includes 2 balls of 'yarn' and a huge crochet hook complete with pattern. I altered the pattern slightly and made different handles, it is fabulous, very hardwearing, and is soooo quick to make, a real instant gratification job. Cheers Ingrid I will do more of these!!















This is Berries Shawl my own design in Sirdar Escape. Just a simple filet stitch rectangle with a loopy fringe, its so warm and cosy, and can be draped in different ways to suit my ever changing moods - lol.


Meet Savannah the lovely little number from 'The Knitter'. Made in Patons, Trentino dk. Of course I had to alter this pattern as well, didn't fancy picking up the stitches for the lacy edging, so I crocheted them instead. This made a surprisingly lightweight but warm shrug.


This next one is called Key Lime and is a WIP. Made from Stylecraft, Sirocco - a linen and cotton blend. The photos do not represent the colour very well it is a definite lime, hence the name. It is quite heavy but I am looking forward to finishing it and of course wearing it!

Bye for now, love Cathy x

Farewell Old Girl....

Hi everyone

We had a very sad event yesterday. Our eldest cat Biscuit (aged 18 years and 10 months) was taken to the vets and we decided it was 'time'. The poor girl had either liver or heart failure, causing her frail body to swell. Her suffering was apparent and it was the last kindness we could do for her.

I took her and stayed with her, it was very hard to do but had to be done. The family is very upset especially my Steve, she was his baby.

RIP little one, I hope you are as fiesty in heaven as you were with us. We love you. God Bless.

Bye for now tweakers
take care
love Cathy x

Picture postcards ...

Hi Everyone,

Apologies for not blogging for 'yonks' (a local term for a long time). I put myself under too much pressure trying to do everything, long hours at work and college assignments have inhibited my creative juices. Thank you for the beautiful birthday wishes I received on Ravelry (for the 7th January) they warmed my heart, a belated and sincere HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!!!

We are virtually snowbound - a slight exaggeration, we are not as bad as some parts of the country, walking and travel are hazardous. I choose to hibernate. I am not the steadiest person on my pins at the best of times, to put me on icy paths would be very very risky!!

How beautiful is this.










As my friend Susan will tell you, despite the hazards, I love to tread on 'virgin' snow, fresh snow untouched, I love to make childlike footprints - guilty pleasures or what!!
I now have a week off work - YEEHA!!!!!!

I want to play with yarn, and watch movies and just C H I L L O U T!! (Pardon the pun!!!)

I really like this:

Recession Ruffle
by Henrietta Dups from knitonthenet.com















A perfect stash buster, a quick and easy project.










I am going to sign off now. I feel the need to design, create and PLAY!!!!!

Bye for now, catch you soon.
Happy tweaking!! xx

Disappointment ...

Hi fellow tweakers,
just a little note today to say how sad I felt yesterday. We have been away to the Lake District for a few days and gorgeous it was too!!! Apart from one thing, as it is a different way of life in 'The Lakes' it is the country, and you do not see as many shops as you see in the towns. I of course, wanted to visit a wool shop, (as usual).



We went to a beautiful place and I saw a sign......
I was so 'excited' at the prospect of a new adventure!!!!










then I turned a corner and saw this ......
a poor empty shop, another victim of the times, it made me feel so sad!!! The proprietors probably felt, and still feel, as passionate about crafting as I do.

Lets hope that the economy picks up soon!!!



keep tweaking
catch u soon
love Cathy x

New Creations

.... from knitonthenet.issue9!!













I have had the pleasure of working with JustCallMeRuby, on this beautiful creation for knitonthenets latest issue. Meet Joplin!! A crocheted collar and cuffs on an old sweater, ribbon binding and a button, it really looks like new.


Meet Martha,

Martha was my Nan (Dad's Mum) we lost her when I was 21.
She was a lady, a real girly girl!! This kind of filet crochet would have sat well on her walnut dressing table, with her powder puff, her silver backed hairbrush, and her Chanel No5. To this day when I smell powder compacts I think of her.

When she was a young
woman she crocheted altar cloths for her local Methodist parish
church where she also played the organ.

I wonder what you would make of this little offering Nan, fond memories, always xx







..... and then theres Lillie!!

A Victorian classic, lace edging on towels they look so elegant, just like Lillie Langtree, eh Ruby!!








Bye for now tweakers,
love Cathy xx

... and there's more!!

Hi Everyone,

As mentioned in my last blog photos of the white version of Sheara!! The only difference is the knitting sample, on this one it is plain and on the
other its cabled.






Meet 'The Wise Lady', mistress of all she surveys, checking out one of our many bookcases.
She is a gift for a young lady at work who celebrates her 21st this month. Happy Birthday Laurel!!













Laurel asked for a 'seventies' owl. I decided to make a french punk girl!! She has random safety pins and buttons on her jacket, and a little on her beret!!

Ooh la la indeed!!











Blue Moon Jumper is finished!!
The pattern is an old Tivoli one I found in my stash. It's very warm and ultra comfy!!











The details do not show up very well as the yarn is varigated, I used Sirdar Denim dk.











The close up of the neck is a little better.








I have taken a photo of Tropicana, a jumper I finished a couple of months ago. Made in Snuggly Bubbly baby yarn with the odd dk stripe out of my stash. I used a standard dk plain pattern, (of which I cannot remember the exact one I used!!! ) Then I jazzed it up made the v neck deeper, its a modern take on an eighties dropped sleeve.
The v neck
is crocheted!
Just a strip of dc(sc) made slightly longer than the v neck so that it will overlap.

I really need to make more notes as I work; I rely too much on memory, which sometimes has the capacity of a sieve. I forget which pattern, which variation, which needle. A lesson learned as I really like this jumper and would have loved to do another, without necessarily starting again from scratch!!!





Well thats all for today fellow tweakers, keep at it.

Love Cathy xx

Back on the radar .....

Well hello there - I'm back,

I lost my camera a few months ago - hence no blogging!! I have a feeling it is in my home somewhere, so eventually it will turn up. I have since changed my phone and it has a pretty decent camera on it so the girl is back!!

I have done a lot of knitting and crochet in that time and have managed to capture some of the items.

This is 'Sheara the Sheep'..

This is my own design isn't she cute!!
I have also made a white sheep, photo to follow soon.











This is fiddly to make but very rewarding!!

I am quite proud of this one!!

My original 'Sheara' was knitted and crocheted, but this is all knitted!!






I have also made this ....
Lucy Ladybird, for a friend at work!!
This is all crocheted. Using kidsilk night and plain black yarn with a little beading on the top.

When I looked at photos of
ladybirds, it said that all
ladybirds have an odd
number of spots, so she
has.




When making amigurumi I like to give them a quirky look
hence the huge eyes!!










This is Blue Moon jumper still in progress, I am on the second sleeve as we speak ..

















This is a simple v neck, 3/4 sleeve. The back is all double moss st and the sleeves and front have a cable and a slight 'aran' feel to them.
I thought it necessary to start my winter woolies!!

Bye for now
Cathy x

Just for Mary ...

Hi fellow tweakers,

My dear Auntie Mary is sadly suffering from small cell lung cancer. When she recently had surgery she met a nurse, who had trouble knitting up a teddy bear. She offered to help and I completed it for her, check this out ..

Cute or what!!

It is made from Wendy Shimmer using Wendy pattern no. 5068.






I have also been getting ready for Easter in my house. For years I have promised myself a basket full of eggs, (and for once not the chocolate variety)!!

I have used polystyrene egg shapes and just crocheted around them using htr(hdc) oddments of yarn, and a few beads sewn on.

From top left:

• a boucle multi base colour black (dk weight)
  
• a fluffy fuchia oddment (dk weight)
• a Twilleys goldfingering in green
• a soft pastel stripy effort in dk
• a cerise pink with pale pink and white stripes embroidered in chain stitch (dk weight)
  
• a lively lemon dk with clear beads randomly sewn on (dk weight)
  
• a soft lime with green long beads randomly sewn on (dk weight)
  

and last but not least, a little number in Kidsilk Haze, with spikey stripes.















I am now off work for a whole nine days!!!!!! As I have been doing a college course I have homework to do. I also want to knit and crochet all the time.

Catch you all soon with more finished projects, (hopefully).
Love Cathy xx

Monroe

Hi folks,

Once again I have had the honour of designing for knitonthenet, the current 8th Issue is gorgeous, glam and sexy!!

This is Monroe which I designed. I have tried several times to knit with lace weight yarn and found it terribly frustrating. There are some absolutely beautiful knitted shawls in lace weight, but they had me beaten - until I tried to crochet with it. I have definitely found it much, much easier to crochet with, hence the result!!

The crocheted fabric feels warm, and has stretch and body despite its lightness, and openess, and it has a wonderful drape to it!! Also using different sized hooks gives it another dimension. I am looking forward to doing more with lace. Check out the other beautiful unique designs in this current issue.

Catch you soon tweakers,

love Cathy xx

Pretty in Pink .... isn't she?

Hi everyone

I wanted to make a token gift for a friend at work who was celebrating her birthday!! She is very pretty, stylish and girlie, and loves animals. I couldn't decide! Then it came to me a girlie cake of course!!

The whole thing ...............







The front bit with the bow .............










The candle, with a bead or two!!!








The basic pattern was taken from Susan Penny (20 to make) 'Knitted Cakes'.
The book is excellent, very clever and is absolutely mouthwatering!!


Of course I had to tweak the pattern in my usual unique way!! Ha ha!!

• instead of making 'piped' icing I used Sirdar funky fur
• I crocheted the centre flower
• used a pipe cleaner for the candle
• I used stiffening for the edges (the kind used to stiffen peaked hats)
• .... and I did stuff it - if you'll pardon the expression!!
• ... and finished with a crocheted chain bow!!!

I didn't want to give it away, but I wanted to eat it!!! Is there something wrong with me huh!!!

Catch you soon tweakers,
love Cathy xxx