Remake No. 2

When I first started knitting garments, I decided I wanted to learn how to make sweaters out of my hand spun yarn.  Maybe the reason behind this was due to being slightly intimidated by normal knitting patterns.  Also I just wanted to knit the simplest of designs. I tried to learn how to make pieces that fit me.  I love to learn how to do things.  It all began with learning how to knit t toppers because I also wanted to knit in the round.  As great as the process was, I found I didn't really want to wear t toppers.  I made three.  I have ripped out two and reknitted them.  I will be tackling the 3rd soon.  This is the second t topper that got frogged and reknitted.  I spun all the yarn used.  I didn't dye it.  Purchased the dyed top off Felt Studio Uk years ago.  The natural coloured wool is Blue Faced Leicester which is always dreamy.

Lexi met a pal today and they had a great time.

Look at them ears xxx Love Love Love xxx

Feet and Flowers

This is a Notecard from the Roman Holiday Series.  You can find it at the Ellie And Ada Etsy Shop.  I love my cat figurine.  It was a lucky find at a second hand shop a couple years back.  I actually got myself this print on a tote bag from my Society Six page.  I love it so much and use it everyday.

Was going to do a granny square with a lot of sock scraps.  I stopped here a long, long time ago.  Laziness and uncertainty got the best of me.  I don't know if I want to knit/crochet another wool blanket.  I do love the look of an auld granny square, not going to lie.  What do folks do with sock yarn scraps?  I've knitted log cabin blankets with mine.  I might make a Lifesavers Cardigan with some of the sock yarn leftovers.  It is another Tanis Fiber Arts cardigan.  I mostly knit worsted/Aran or 4 ply yarns.  In Ireland, you pretty much need some sort of sweater or cardigan all year round.

The flowers are my pansies from last year.  Hardy Soldiers, I think they're going to be just fine this Spring.

Going to work on some soup and finish off a present of socks.  If you are a sock knitter and want a really handy chart of all the shoe sizes.  This way, at least this is what I think, if you know their shoe size, you can figure out their foot in inches or centimetres.  In my experience, it is hard to get people to measure their feet.  Funny but true!

Giving Thanks

Lexi and I celebrated two years together yesterday.  We took this photo to capture this momentous occasion.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, one of my favourite holidays.  I love spending time with my family and eating- just two of my most favourite things to do.

20% off with the coupon code THANKS in the Ellie and Ada Etsy Shop until December 1, 2014

The Mountains

The mountains are calling and I must go. - John Muir

The socks that I am working on at the moment.  I dyed them and really like the colourway, more autumnal colours.  I love autumnal colours.  I used to get more socks done.  I guess we all go through phases.  Looking forward to wearing these.

This is the cardigan I am working on. It's a mon-petit-gilet-raye cardigan.  It is my second one and I already started a second one.  The blue is some vintage silk merino from Jaeger yarns and the maroon and smoky colour is Rowan Kidsilk.  It is like a soft cloud of warm coziness.  I am going to make another cardigan with whatever is leftover.  Will have to add another yarn and colour to make up a second cardigan.

Looking forward to finishing a lot of projects.  Might just concentrate on getting them finished.  Though I have to do that scarf and knit a few other gifts.  Wish there were more hours in the day.  I would spend them walking the dog, drinking coffee, reading, cooking/baking, eating, drawing, knitting and watching a bit of netflix/movies/tv.  Though on the tv front, haven't really found anything that I really want to watch.  I like to veg out a bit when we come back from a walk, I like to watch something and knit.  Should probably read instead.

I better get cracking and start drawing.

New prints are going up in The Ellie and Ada Shop.

I sent my Aunt a Ellie and Ada Birthday card.  She liked it.  I think my two grandmothers would have gotten a kick out of the fact that I named this venture after them.

Also new discovery!  I have found out that the most loveliest hat, nice slouch, smurfy- slouch, cozy hat style. The best hat for my head is a hat that I knitted John.  It was the first hat that I knitted him.  Need to make more!  In my favourite yarn, Studio Donegal!

Roman Holiday

New prints will be coming into the shop shortly.  The above print is from a series of prints that are called Roman Holiday.

I made the sun glass cases this weekend along with one tote bag, a cushion cover, another sun glass case for my mother, 2 zipper bags and a dog collar for Lexi.  It was a good weekend's work.  I'm a bit tired.  Was very happy with the cushion cover.  We need a few more around the house.

In knitting news, me thinks I will have to rip back the scarf.  Think I will leave things and have a think and take serious action tomorrow.  Nothing like a night's sleep and a fresh morning to help make the right decision.  I leave most decisions for the morning.  Think I'm going to call it quits soon. 

Summer Scenes

I love summer and the town I live in.  Here are a few summer shots.

I got very little sewing done at the weekend.  I did manage to get one thing done- a little project bag using samples from college.  Word of advice to future me- cheap thread will only break your heart.  Only buy the good stuff.  My thread kept breaking until I changed it for some good stuff.  My enthusiasm seriously waned and productivity fell.  Was tired to begin with and had very little interfacing, I knew I wasn't going to make much.

I can't find the photos of the items that I sewed for my mother for her birthday.  I have them photographed and the photos are somewhere saved on my computer.  I will share them as soon as I can find them.

New cards are going up in the Ellie and Ada shop.  Say Happy Birthday with a nice card.

Enjoy the summer!  Lexi looks happy!

Knitting Sweaters for the Sun

The weather here in Ireland has been lovely.  One must always make time and appreciate the good weather whilst we have it.  (It can rain a lot here in Ireland, in case you never heard.)  Also one should make hay while the sun shines, so I killed two birds with one stone and sat outside in the sun and drew in my notebook.

Last summer was lovely and not typical Irish weather.  It was funny because I was too warm for most of my sweaters.  When the evenings got cooler, I was too warm for my mostly worsted/Aran weight wardrobe of sweaters/jumpers.  I am now trying to knit more 4 ply/sock yarn weight sweaters and cardigans to wear when the evenings get cooler. 

As per usual, I have many sweaters on the go.

This is my mon-petit-gilet-raye.  I already have another one on the go and have a few other colour combinations planned for the next one(s).  I want to make the neckline a bit smaller.  I didn't bother with the waist shaping because I don't like fitted things around my waist. 

 I'm putting more prints in my Ellie and Ada Etsy shop.  I am also working on new prints. This is Majorie Blue.  It is available in the shop!