New Starts and Inspirations

 Hello everyone,

It may seems silly but the image on the left was just what I needed to hear. I don't know about you but I seem to be full of ideas and light-bulb moments - but that is all they are - moments. I never seem to make anything of them.

That is going to change from now on I will seize opportunities and make good on my light-bulb moments as much as I can.

Starting this week.
I have signed up to Sketchbook Revival - it is an 11 day challenge with various tutors bringing their own ideas and techniques. It is free to join just follow this link to sign up and join in. I will share my doodles with you in future missives, no matter how bad they look to me....

 Easter Weekend I met some friends for coffee at a newly opened cafe called Worsley's  in Godshill. It has a friendly, cosy atmosphere and lots of lovely cakes, including vegan and gluten free. After we finished we strolled back to the car park and stopped at a few shops - one of them had this gorgeous blue tile. Inspiration! I am not sure at the moment if it will be a knitted or crochet piece - watch this space...  if you were using it what would you make? Blanket, jumper, shawl? The possibilities are endless, but I am sure once I have played around with it a little something will leap out and say ME!

I have always had a soft spot for tiles, and this beautiful tiled entrance to another building in Godshill caught my eye. This would make a wonderful shawl or blanket design, although I will probably change the colour scheme. It reminds me of some quilting patterns, but I really think it would be a great crochet blanket. What colours would you use? Brights? Purples, Oranges and Greens?
Or something a little more subtle like pastels?



At the moment I am trying to finish off some projects, I know not like me at all.. Normally I finish one project and then start another 6  😊😊
Just off the needles - My Scrappy Flax Light Jumper, the pattern is a free one from Tin Can Knits and can be found here
Now I am finishing off the cardigan I started for Jo - Vodka Straight Up by Thea Colman, I choose a mid grey and used a hand dyed yarn from Little Boo for the contrast - I will put some pictures up when it is finished.

WIP's at the top of the pile anyway - Juneberry Cardigan, a pair of Solace Socks (for me this time), and lots of lovely things in preparation for Open Studios in July

Well I think I have rambled enough now, so I will sign off.
Until next time
Happy crafting
Hugs
Tracy x

When Life gives you lemons....

Hello again,
Well another week has passed by and it is still raining, any more of this and we will have to develop webbed feet, but at least it has warmed up a bit.

When life gives you lemons - what do you make?

No, not lemonade - Lemon Curd! 
OK, I know life didn't give me the lemons, I got them from Mr. Morrison's - an end of day bargain 7p for 4 un-waxed lemons. Got to love those reduced stickers.

Using a recipe from my trusty preserving book - seriously there are some lovely recipes in there, I made a large batch of lemon curd, yummy. The recipe is below:


Lemon Curd
275ml (11floz) Lemon juice from 5-6 juicy lemons
500g (1lb 4oz) Sugar
8oz unsalted butter
5-6 Large Eggs

Put the Lemon juice, rind, sugar and butter into a large bowl on top of a pan of gently simmering water.
Stir occasionally until the butter and sugar have dissolved.
Lightly beat the eggs in a jug, then using a sieve strain the beaten eggs into the lemon mixture. Stir the mixture well.
Cook gently, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens, do not boil or overcook.
Put into warm jars, seal and label.
Once cool, store in the fridge, the curd should last for about 3 months, but check frequently.

Although it may keep fine for up to 3 months, I tend to find it is gone in a couple weeks when I make it at home.

On Sunday I had a much needed catch up with a couple of friends the awesome Su Douglas and the equally wonderful Clare-Louise Sandell. We have all had a bit of a traumatic time over the Christmas and New Year period, but things are beginning to settle down for us all. We went to a local garden centre which has recently had a make over to include a lovely cafe, great coffee and a log burner, just what the doctor ordered for a rainy day. Open Studios planning starts soon, I will keep you up to date with the news and dates for this summers event.

This week in my infinite wisdom, I decided to get up early to enable me to work on some bits for my Folksy shop.
How early I hear you ask? 5am.... It seemed like a good idea at the time, but 2 mornings in combined with a midnight/all night visit from Frodo and I am beginning to wonder if it was such a good idea. I have some new dishes for the mini cactus that I make
Aren't they properly gorgeous?
I am looking forward to showing them off in all their completed glory next week.


Current Wip's -
Speckle and Pop shawl, I am still working on this although I must confess I am not feeling the love for this project, I will finish it though - hopefully next week I will be able to share some pictures of the FO.

The #fubc Shawl by Susan Crawford in the blue/cream colourway, I have added some more pattern repeats to this so it is slowly growing.

Jo's Cardigan - hmmm, have not worked on this at all this week in my attempt to finish the Speckle and Pop shawl - bad girl

I also have about another 6 projects scattered about the place, but I am trying to focus on about 3 at a time (no really), as they may have more of a chance of being finished. Well that is the theory anyway.

New yarn on the needles - Jamieson & Smith Shetland Supreme 1ply Lace, currently being swatch for a stole design using traditional Shetland lace patterns, more on this another time.

What have been up to this week, please share your Wip's I love to see what people are working on - although it normally means my Ravelry library expands quite a bit.

Until next time, may all your yarn run smoothly and the cat/dog not eat your needles/hook.

Hugs
Tracy x

Well hello there,
I hope that you are not too wet or snowy wherever you are. As I write this the weather is mizzly and grey, with the promise of cold weather, strong winds with sleet and snow to come, brrr...

What have I been up to lately I hear you ask, well lots is the answer.
Christmas saw me making three pairs of socks, and I had forgotten how much fun they are to make. The patterns I used were my normal pattern which came from Regia many moons ago, a basic top down sock with a conventional heel. The other 2 pairs were an adventure, firstly a pair of Solace socks by Anneh Fletcher, the pattern is available here. These were for Jo and I used Devon Sun Yarns Sprightly Sock in Rainbow, a little of pooling around the ankles but it was lovely to knit with.

Jo's Solace Socks

The other pair were for me, I don't know about you but I rarely make things for myself. It tends to be either things for the shop, commissions or items to send to Quay Arts.

The pair I made for me were a Christmas Eve Cast on using a pattern from Little Bobbins - Twas the Night Before Christmas

This pattern has been designed by a lady I have known for quite a few years, Dani has a tradition of starting a pair of socks every Christmas Eve. This is a lovely tradition which I will try to continue going forwards.
I really enjoyed knitting these socks, although my choice of yarn has meant that the little tree design is a little lost on the image, looks and feels great on though.

Twas the Night Before Christmas Socks

Another project I am battling with at the moment is the Stephen West Speckle and Pop KAL which started about the time we went to Yarndale..... So I know, I didn't keep up with the instalments, but am now trying to get it finished by the end of the month. it is 822sts at the moment, half brioche and half garter stitch and takes quite a while to finish a row.
I will post a picture next time.

The other mammoth task I set myself was an Aran jacket for Jo, the pattern is the Saddle Shoulder Aran by Meg Swansen worked in Shetland Aran Wool. I am challenging myself with this one as it is the first time I will have worked with steeks - I may do a little video of the cutting later, we'll see how brave I am feeling.

I think that is enough rambling from me for the time being - what are you working on at the moment?
Whatever it is may your yarn run smoothly and your patterns all be easy to follow.
Bye for now
Tracy x

Sunday morning rambles

Gurnard Seafront Beach huts

Hello,

The weather has been a little unpredictable of late, but the last Sunday was a bright sunny day, just perfect to explore a local yarnbombing project. I had not been able to get over to look at it with all the preparations for Open Studios which just take over my world for a while.

A knitting group that meets regularly in the Gurnard Press cafe and newsagent, together with the children from Gurnard Primary School had a plan to liven up the local area. They also raised funds for a couple of local charities - Mind and Ability Dogs for young people

The creativity was amazing - it totally transformed an ordinary street into a place where people smiled, talked to one another and stopped to admire the hard work. I loved the wrapped trees and the little pom poms in the verge, such a neat fun idea.

  

It also gave me the chance to spend some time with Jo before she went off to France with the Medina Community Choir. They go on tour in Europe every 2 years, this year they are returning to Saint-Didier-en-Velay, although the temperatures should be a little cooler than the 40+ degrees of the last visit.

 

It also gave me a little time to work on one of my current Wips which is the Pimlico Scarf, which is a KAL by the lovely Little Bobbins on her Ravelry Group - Little Bobbins Knits. Of course I had to have a lovely coffee while we were there... and a lovely coffee it was too, I heartily recommend the Gurnard Press if you are ever over that way.

I will keep you updated on the progress of what is on my needles, and going on here on my little island, until then, may your yarn run smoothly and knot free..

=^.^=

   

Making it up as I go along

Well, what a change in the weather, as I sit here writing this it is lashing down with rain and blowing a gale outside. Would the person who has taken the June weather kindly return it.

But onto lovelier things, this last couple of weeks I have been continuing to get organised for Open Studios, but my brain went into overdrive and refused to work that way.

So what do I do? Free-Form, that way I can play, be productive and just enjoy myself.


What is Free-Form I hear you ask? It is a form of knitting and crochet which is fairly organic, there are no rules, no patterns and any yarn goes - in fact the more outrageous the yarn the better. You make it up as you go along.

Below are some images of my progress on the waistcoat so far, I particularly love the fluffy middle of the flower shape

my work table with a palette of yarns, colours and textures

It starts small, then grows...

fluffy flower

The back as of Saturday morning 3rd June

The best person to show all the delights of Free form is a lady called Prudence Mapstone, her website can be found here. I had the pleasure of being taught by her on one her rare visits to the UK quite a few years ago.

Also on the needles at the moment:
The Genista V neck Tee for me in Debonnaire Allure Lace weight merino - it is so soft.
and Lavinia by Anniken Allis, which is a beautiful lacy poncho type garment. I am working this in some Touch Yarns 2ply which I have had in my stash for about 13 years... 
I was just waiting for it to tell me what it wanted to be

I will keep you up to date with my progress on the above projects and if you have time next month  come along to Open Studios here on the Isle of Wight and see the finished waistcoat for yourself.
I will be at Northwood WI Hall, Friday 21st - Monday 24th July, along with the other members of The Creative Collective, more on that nearer the time.

For now, whatever your craft have fun and enjoy yourselves.

Open Studios - its that time again...

Wowsers, doesn't the year go round quickly?
It seems only a little while ago that we were getting ready for the Isle of Wight's Open Studio event, and here it comes again. Only 9 weeks to go and yet again, I do not feel prepared for it.
There have been a few changes over the last year, I usually exhibit with a group of other artists all of whom work in different mediums. We have decided that the name for the group should be 'The Creative Collective', so that it could be as inclusive as possible.
The group consists of:
Su Douglas aka Periwinkle Studio
Clare-Louise Sandell aka LouLouBallou Glass
Jeni Saunders aka Pink Jen Jewellery
and last but by no means least Jan Organ aka JO Maker
We will be exhibiting and I will be teaching at Northwood WI Hall from Friday 21st July - Monday 24th July 2017.
This last week has been a fluffy of things to do with the shop, we have a #PawsomeTeaParty coming up on the 27th 1-4 pm. It is to raise funds for the Isle of Wight Branch of The Cats Protection, there will be lots of lovely cake available, so stop by if you can.

Also Bertie has been tiring himself out chasing flies at home, he was so tired he fell asleep with his head on the crystal bowl....
Below are a couple of images of things that I am making for Open Studios, just to give you a glimpse of my woodland theme for this year.
Until next time, happy crafting.
Big hugs

Tracy
=^.^=



 

Looking forward by looking back

Well, its been a while since I last posted - where has the time gone to?
I have been busy at the shop but also I have just submitted my first exhibition piece, it was a nerve racking but exciting process.

A local arts group have been working with veterans from different conflicts to create an exhibition to highlight the impact of warfare.

I am happy to report that my piece was accepted!

It took me a few weeks to make and a few changes of direction, but I am happy with the piece which is a mixture of watercolour, knitting, crochet, and embroidery. A close up is below, strangely I really enjoyed making my little figures, although knitting with crewel wool on 1mm knitting needles was an experience. 

I think I will be making a few more figure based pictures for Open Studios in July.

Hopefully you will be able to pop along to the exhibition and see all the wonderful artwork submitted by local artists.

Until next time - happy crafting =^.^=