Archie The Wonder Dog

I had two knitted items on my  Q4 2015 FAL list , one was the lace wrap , and one was a honey cowl ( a free pattern ) for Jan , using cashmerino aran in (something like) drake.  Here's how it looked at the start of the quarter: Doesn't look like much, does it?! I managed to remember to take a few progress photos: About halfway Off the needles I don't seem to have taken a photo of it once it was blocked, though. It didn't look much different, but the stitches evened out and had a nice texture to them. It was a really simple (and quick) knit and I imagine it will be quite warm. Cowl stats Pattern: Honey cowl Yarn: Cashmerino aran, 2x50g (had 9g left) Other: cast on 106sts, omitted garter stitch rowsat the top and bottom, used a felted join. I'd definitely knit one of these again and I'd be thrilled to knit with the cashmerino aran again, it's gorgeous! Archie was miffed that I didn't include one of his alternative 'd...

This test block has been on my FAL list for a while now and I've just never got round to making it into a mini quilt.  This quarter ( Q4 FAL 2015 ), I was determined to cross it off! Here's how it looked at the start of the quarter (and at the start of several quarters before that!): The block is hand pieced and was made to test the templates for the block.  I (eventually) want to make a quilt using this block, in pale Oakshotts and pale grey backgrounds.  I have the fabrics, just not the time/energy to start! Impetus to finish this mini quilt came in the form of a new to me in the ditch/edge stitch sole plate for my walking foot (thanks, Sheila !) and a need to test it before I embarked on a bigger quilting project.  I quilted in all the ditches and found that the foot was great for straight ditches but not for curved ones, mainly because the design of the foot means that you can't see where the needle is going to land.  It's also easier if the ditc...

I listed a three-in-one proposed finish in my  Q4 2015 FAL list  - these three tea towels needed to be turned into bags, and they needed to be finished this quarter as they're Christmas presents! I have to confess that these were a really quick finish - two afternoons and I was all done, including ironing and wrapping!  I can't take credit for the idea, that was my very talented friend B - thanks, B! All I had to do was stitch the long sides together (they were already hemmed so no seams to finish!), add handles, box the corners and zigzag the two resulting seams to stop them fraying.  I also added a bit of Fray Check to them, just to be safe.  I also used Fray Check for the raw ends of the handles (cotton twill tape) because, although they were enclosed, I thought the bags might get washed quite a lot and I didn't want the handles fraying out. They don't look like much with nothing in them (which bag does?!), but look much better once they've be...

One of the knitted items on my  Q4 2015 FAL list  was a lace wrap.  This is how it looked when I wrote the list: It's knitted using Sublime extra fine merino (2ply) and is a free pattern ( find it here ).  I'll be honest, it was really boring to knit and I ended up forcing myself to do at least one twelve row repeat each day before I was allowed to do any other (more interesting) knitting or sewing! This is how it looked once it was off the needles but before blocking: Blocking it was also tedious - I've never blocked something that's supposed to be completely straight but has stocking stitch (and therefore curled) borders and it's not something I'm going to rush to do again.  I don't have a picture of it blocking but I ended up cobbling together a Heath Robinson-type affair with pins stuck in the carpet and crochet cotton.  Here it is after blocking: The yarn is gorgeously soft and lovely to knit with - I'd use the yarn again...

Back in July, I put this (very boring) photo on my FAL list (and again in October, on my Q4 2015 FAL list ): That was all I could show as it was a surprise make for a friend, I couldn't even show the pattern, just in case she knew I had a blog (I don't think she does but...) and stumbled across the photo!  I've failed to take a photo of the pattern (by Emie Bishop) and have since given it back to (a different) friend but you can see it here  (in case you fancy making your own). After many (many!) hours of stitching, cutting and more stitching, I have finished this project!  I managed to take some progress photos but not many, I'm afraid!  Here's what I have: I started by cutting the piece of (32 count) linen into four pieces and zigzagging round the edge of each piece (to stop fraying).  I then tacked in the vertical centre (don't think you can see it in the photos but it is there...in pale pink) and then stitched the kloster blocks on each piece, us...

Back in July 2011, Lynne and Gayle started the Hexalong .  About a month later, I decided to join in and, just over four years later, I've finished the quilt!  (I'm not sure how many other Hexalong quilts have been started and/or finished but there are times when I've felt like the only one still plodding hexing along!) This was my initial fabric pull, bought from various UK shops: Not all of these fabrics made it into the quilt (second, fourth and fifth from left were culled) and lots more stash fabrics were added as I went along.  In the end, I used just over 60 different fabrics. This was the first hexagon I made: I found pieced hexagon patterns from all over (Lynne and Gayle's blogs, traditional quilt block books, my head) and decided what to make as I went along.  I took group photos at various stages to help keep me motivated (although that wasn't really necessary, I loved every minute of piecing these hexagons and was sad when I finished t...