Healing amigurumi!

I have been nursing a corker of a cold for the last couple of days, and we all know how rotten they make you feel. I have been in bed most
of the time, so no housework or packing has been done!

I have been looking at all kinds of amigurumi on Ravelry and they always cheer me up. They range from real life objects to total fantasy objects. This little fella is a picture from my Annie Obaachan's Amigurumi book. I think he's a gecko, my Jess wants me to make her one that size. Yeah course I will babe, and I'll visit the optician pretty soon too!! I have to say the more I see of amigurumi the more enchanted I become. It is so absorbing and creative, each piece of work is unique!
I wish I had discovered it years ago.










I have frogged my Escape and started a pattern with it, the contrast stripe is an odd ball of purple Debbie Bliss dk from my stash.

It is a cardigan designed by Hilary Mackin called 'Blackberry Tweed' and was published in the March 2005 edition of 'knitting' magazine. It is a four row mock cable pattern which is easy to do and grows quickly, (I am all for that!). I have made this before in a lovely mottled chocolate colour with a plain brown stripe, I put it in the dryer and forgot about it, how many of us have done that!! It didn't shrink widthways but had a dramatic effect on the vertical aspect, I was so annoyed at myself after that. Another lesson learned the hard way.

Now I will have to move myself and try to catch up on things.

Bye for now,
Cathy x

Packing and paperwork!

Hi everyone

Apologies for not blogging for a while, I have had some excellent news. Our house is sold and we have found another one. For a few days it was like being on an emotional roller coaster, we had fallen in love with a house and not sold ours. I had a few sleepless nights and on the fourth night I couldn't sleep with excitement. The family are delighted too!

I have started packing and had to be selective with my stash!! A lot of it is packed away.
It is a wee problem deciding what to leave out. As usual I have several projects on the go!

I am crocheting another shawl in my favourite pattern, previously made in jade and blue, photographed earlier in my blogs. Once the first set of rows are completed it can be done without the pattern and is a joy to make. The one I am currently making is in a pale mustard colour in a cotton blend dk, the colour is actually called 'corn'. I bought this in a sale a while ago. Strangely enough I bought a dress in a sale and it has the same colour in it. A perfect combination!!









A new yarn shop has opened a few doors away from where I live now, I was there on the opening day, as a blatantly obsessed yarnie should be!! This is what I got ...

Its a dk yarn called 'Escape' by Sirdar. (There might be a little pun there!). It is self striping and the colours are very rich. I had to go for green because I love it!! I am making a very simple cardigan. I need to have projects that are very easy as my mind is very distracted!!! (I am soo excited!!)




This is Ethel she is one of the amigurumi I made in Wales. I love to make these.












I made this little cat for a girl at work who is leaving to go to university. Good luck Shabs we will miss you!!!









Thats all for now folks, keep tweakin
love Cathy xx

A welsh tale ..

We had a lovely break, the weekend weather was great, hot and sunny!!


Nick and Jess on the beach!!


















Then this happened ..

Heather, on the beach in lots of rain!! We had intermittent heavy sunshowers for the rest of the week! All plans for sunny days out were scuppered.








We did manage a trip to Portmeirion were the series 'The Prisoner' was filmed. The weather was very wet and windy and cold. It is a beautiful Italian style village, on a clear day its gorgeous. On
a wet day its like this ...













A cute little visitor
came to see us
when we went
for coffee!!!







Sunset on the sea in North Wales - gorgeous!







I made four amigurumi friends while I was away, will get photo's soon. The change in weather reminds me to make warm and cosy things for the coming months ahead.

Bye for now Cathy x

Holidays are coming ..

Hi fellow tweakers, well I am delighted to say that I am going on holiday tomorrow!!! Yeeha!!! So I will be out of touch with the www for one week. I am going to North Wales in a caravan, with my hubby, my kids and a friend of my daughter.

I have spent the last two days sorting out washing, drying and ironing you forget what a pain it is to pack!! Almost done, apart from footwear I am glad to say. If we haven't got it sorted now then it is tough!

One of the hardest things to pack was my knitting/crochet to take with me. I finally decided on a little open knitted wrap I have started in 3ply green, (this could end up frogged and a little crochet wrap instead) and enough kit to do a couple of amigurumi should the mood arise!!

My daughter's friend wants me to teach her how to crochet while we are away which I am delighted to do. I feel its an honour to be able to PASS IT ON!!

The last couple of days of crafting has been very indecisive (that's not like me at all lol, it was a case of start-frog, start-frog!! I have however made a little friend for a little friend, she was born last year - the Chinese year of the pig, and her mother loves pigs, this is just an ornamental pig for her nursery. Little Edith this one's for you ..

Meet Mama Pig!

Mama's side view







Mama's front view












Mama's back view, look at the curl in that







Do you think this hat will be suitable for the WI meeting next week folks!!









Well I'll have to sign off now I need to get some shut eye!!

Catch u all in a week!!

keep tweakin'

love Cathy x

My first amigurumi ...

Meet Henry he's my first amigurumi, ok I'll admit I've botched up his legs, and he does look like he has had a real fright, but he's kinda cute.

I am looking forward to making more, will have to use a much smaller hook next time, and go easy on the stuffing!! My tension wasn't that good!

Practice makes perfect she says!! When I look at his face I can't help but giggle. The design was based on Annie Obaachan's Amigurumi, - sausage dog!! The book is wonderful I dare anyone not to be inspired. The gallery at the back of the book is a real inspiration!! Well my daughter has fallen for him and wants to keep him.
Amigurumi is an ideal spare yarn user, especially if you have bought just a little expensive yarn to try and don't quite know what to do with it. I am definitely converted and want to do more!

Bye for now

Cathy x

FREE KNITTING PATTERN- MINTY FLUFF CUFF

Materials: 1 x 25gm kidsilk haze Ivory
1 x 25gm kidsilk haze Black
3mm needles
2.5mm circular needle
1 pair of 40cm round black shoelaces

USE YARN DOUBLE THROUGHOUT CARRY IVORY YARN UP THE SIDE OF THE WORK, BREAK OFF BLACK YARN AS NECESSARY.

Row 1. Using Ivory and 3mm straight needles cast on 70sts. K1 row.
Rows 2-9. Wk 2 x 2 rib (*K2, P2 rep from* to end)
Row 10. Eyelet row. K2 yfwd K2 tog (K4 yfwd K2tog to end of row)
Rows 11 & 12 knit
Rows 13-16 K in black
Rows 17-22 K in Ivory
Rows 23-25 K in black
Rows 26-28 K in ivory
Rows 29-31 K in black
Rows 32-36 K in ivory
Rows 37-40 K in black
Rows 41-43 K in Ivory
Row 44 Continuing in ivory repeat the eyelet row as in Row 10
Rows 45-52 work in 2x2 rib as before
Row 53 K
Cast off or bind off knitwise

Making up: with right sides together sew up the little bit of seam which you used at the start. Darn in ends. Turn to right side thread through shoe laces.

Aruba Blue Notes: this was made for a large wrist, can be made smaller by casting on fewer stitches. I would suggest 60sts for a medium and 50sts for a small size.

Enjoy

love Cathy x

... a little Beatrix

I went to several charity shops in town today looking for a specific book for my father-in-law. I found the book - and several books for me!! One of them is called The Beatrix Potter Knitting Book by Pat Menchini first published in 1987 this version was published in 1995, take a look at the front cover ..

.... and then closer ..












ok I'll never win prizes for photography but it's still cute ...











Tom Kitten Edwardian sweater and sleeveless top for mother and daughter.








a closer view of the sleeveless, I love this! I'm just sorry the detail hasn't come up very well but you get my drift!! It's very pretty lace made from Patons Cotton Perle on 4mm needles, a 16row pattern, with a 21 stitch panel.

I suppose any glazed cotton DK would do!






This is a closer look at the sleeved sweater, you would definitely need a floaty skirt and boots for this one Renee!!

It has gorgeous picture knits, a christening gown, even a tufted rug with flopsy bunnies on it, with full detailed instructions! Potter fans would love it!! Pass me my hat and parasol and we can go and have afternoon tea!!

I have also been doing more work on Orange Sorbet I have decided it is going to be a wrap of sorts!! Take a look:




... the futures bright, the futures orange!


Bye for now

love Cathy xx