Welcome visitors from Pintangle!

Thank you very much for clicking over to see me. ☺

I was very flattered when Sharon asked to include me in her TAST interview series, especially as I haven't been able to join in as much as I'd have liked to.  Also, if you've read the interview you'll know I'm not very good at the exploratory process - I'm very different from many of the artists featured thus far!  However, I do like to learn new things and develop as much skill as I can, so TAST is one of the challenges that offer a constant opportunity to move forward.  I'm planning on looking more closely into the Embroiderer's Guild distance learning courses towards the end of this year, so they may provide the needed impetus.

If you'd like to know more about the wedding dress panel, you can see my series of seven posts on the project, or hop over to the Kreinik Threads Blog to read their interview with me about it. ☺♥☻

I'm having some technology problems at the moment - both my laptop and my digital camera urgently need replacing (the camera I can only use if I seal the battery door up with duct tape, and the laptop is exasperatingly slow, no matter how much I delete, disable or otherwise clean up), so blogging has been rather neglected of late.  It takes a lot of patience and planning to get anything done, so there are a few projects waiting to be published.  Assuming I get my tech up to speed in the next few weeks (as I very much hope to, and Sir has agreed the funds for it ☺) , here's a sneak peek at what's coming up soon:

Here you can see some previews of counted thread and freestyle embroideries, sewing and knitting projects, and preparation for entering some local summer shows.

I'll be blogging all of these projects and more in the near future, including my sewing workshop days and some overviews of all the handicrafts exhibits at the Bingley and Ryedale Shows held later this month and the Shadwell Flower Show in mid August.

You can subscribe using the e-mail service (just remember to complete the verification process, or you won't be signed up), or any of the usual reader services.  There are widgets for some of the most popular part way down in the side bar.  I'm also on Instagram.

If you'd like to know more about my work, please do feel free to have a look at the gallery pages which you can find links for just under the blog header image.

My apologies for a relatively short and dull intro post, but I seem to be in for a bout of tonsillitis (or a cold at least) and I'm feeling just that little bit ropey today. However, thanks very much again for calling in and I hope to host you in my web home often. ☺♥☻

If you haven't seen the interview I'm referring to in this post, click here for a look!


Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2017

Third Baby Jacket

Here's another baby cardy - a 'regular' one this time, as I selected the 3-6 month size.  After putting in loads of work on making a 0-3 months layette for a Chinese baby a few years ago - thinking an Oriental baby was bound to be nice and small, and her being big enough for 3+ months clothes at birth, I decided that I wouldn't be making tiny things for friends again.  I usually do something for when the little one is a few months old.

This one was a new pattern for me and I enjoyed it.  It was meant to be part worked in size 6/5mm needles and part in size 8/4mm, but I felt that the larger needles left the lacy part just too open, so I did the whole thing on 8s.  (Yes, I'm still using the old English sizes, partly as I have a bag of needles from my mum which are mostly in the old sizings).  As the little girl will be mixed race - half Philipino, half Serbian and therefore a little darker than average, I thought cream would be better than white and so got 2 50g balls of cream Sirdar Snuggly.

I found some lovely peach coloured buttons and decided to embroider a bullion rose design to match, as you can see in the drawing.  Multiple problems ensued.  For one, I'm still not confident with bullions, despite having experienced success on the wedding gift bellpull and a few previous projects, and so I delayed it, and procrastinated, and put it off.

Eventually, I realised I was actually getting stressed out by tiptoeing around it and just made myself get on with it.  The results were not good.  Not good at all.  For one, the thread was far too fine and I didn't have the right sort of colours in thicker types, so the knots didn't show up well at all, nor did they sit well. So, I abandoned the whole bullion idea and did a design in whatever suitable shades of pearl cotton #8 I could find.

I have almost a whole 50g ball of the yarn left, so I'm going to have a go at the matching hat.  Look out for that soon.

I've almost finished my black cardy now.  I've knit all the pieces and am working on the button band.

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2017

It's time.

Time to what?  Don't worry, not time to stop stitching or blogging or anything like that.  It's time to make a few changes to what I'm stitching/making and for whom.

You see, for the majority of the time I've been doing a lot of needlecrafts, i.e. the last 15 years, almost every thing I made was for someone else.  I have a hardanger needlecase, an XS bookmark, and there are some pictures hanging up around our home and two scatter cushions here on the sofa I'm sitting on, but the vast majority of things - including all of the 'masterpiece' projects - I've made have gone elsewhere.  Don't get me wrong, there's not a single thing wrong with that.  In fact, it's a good thing.  Not only would I never had done those stretch projects in the first place without the impetus of giving them to someone else, but I would have been inundated with stitched bits and bobs and, of course, it's not good for a body to be entirely focused on themselves.  Not good at all!  However, having said that, there's a balance needed.

You're probably wondering what the pictures of worn out bags are, right?  Well, they're my things.  The things I've been using, whilst they were clearly shabby, worn out and, frankly, falling to bits.  My handbag is terrible too.  I recently bought one on eBay - a cheap Chinese made thing in horribly hard fake leather and without the inner pockets they advertised.  (No photo at the mo, but I will take one soon, as I intend to use the fixings for a new one.)  My knitting needle bag that you can see here could be as much as 70 years old as my mum said her mum bought it for her.  I'm assuming it was when she was quite young and living at home.  The colours are lovely, I like that about it, and the shape is pretty much perfect for needles, but the fabric is horrible and you can see what condition it's in!

I stood one day looking at my disgraceful manicure pouch (seen above) which an old friend gave me when I went to Taiwan the first time 20 years ago, having in mind the knitting needle bag with its side coming away from the zip and thought, "You spend hours on end making beautiful things for other people, whilst your own stuff is dropping to pieces.  Why on earth don't you start making things for yourself?!"

So, I decided I would.

Then I looked at my clothes.  That wasn't too pretty a sight either.  Not that all of them are falling apart, but the ones in the best condition are those that I can't wear anymore thanks to having gained weight.  I threw out a lot of the far too small stuff before we moved a year last February, but some more have 'fallen into disuse' since.

To be honest, I could have bought some new things, but when money was tightest and Sir needed clothes too, it was more important for him to look smart at work every day than me to do so at home, so I told him to get what he needed and I'd take care of myself later.  At the back of my mind too, was that I wanted to shape back up a bit.

Another clothes buying challenge is that I just plain don't like a lot of styles that are around.  You either have to deal with fabrics, colours or shapes you don't really like or try to compensate for insufficient fabric as so many dresses etc are less than modest these days.

"Enough!" thought I.  Time for a change.  A big change.

As you've probably guessed, I decided to make, not only accessories for myself, but also to knit and sew the clothes I really wanted in fabrics I loved.  I came to this idea from Lydia of Made My Wardrobe, who gave herself a year to replace all her clothes with ones she'd created herself - from first principles in her case, as she's a trained textile expert who could design and draft her own patterns.  (Thanks to Amanda of Amanda Jane Textiles who 'introduced' me to Lydia's project via her own blog.)  I thought, if Lydia could do that, why couldn't I?  I knew how to sew and knit a bit, so why not develop those abilities further and replace my clothes at the same time?

I haven't started on the bag making yet, although you can now understand including 'Start on bag making tasks' in the list for the month, but I am on with my knitting work as you've also seen.  I've started with things that I can use straight away and am focusing on tops until my sizing is more stable.  I'm currently working on knitting the 4th of the 5 large pieces needed for a replacement for the very shabby, thinning at the elbows, has a hole in the pocket front and is seriously bobbly old cardigan I've worn to death over the past seven winters and, of course, am wearing right now!

I've also completed this double stocking stitch scarf in yarn that matches a pair of gloves my mum gave me and goes nicely with my black coat - which also rather needs replacing......

I've bought umpteen sewing and knitting patterns (you can see what I've bought as well as some inspiration on my Creating my Own Wardrobe pinterest board), and am already booked in to two sewing workshops to help me learn more and gain confidence.  If I like the format etc, I have my eye on a few more for the autumn, such as pattern adaptation and drafting.

So, whilst I'm going to be continuing to stitch and embroider - especially in the run up to the summer Show season, I'll also be doing a lot of dressmaking and knitting, and then reporting on that in due course.  I plan on embroidering some of my own clothes and even aspire to a crazy patchwork jacket in the fullness of time.

What about you?  Do you make any of your own clothes and/or accessories?  Any tips or experiences that you can share?  Let me know if you have any ideas and what you think of the selection on the pinterest board too.

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2017

Some Trimmed Up Baby Jackets

Today I'm going to share two of the four things I've stitched since my monster wedding projects series.  They're both baby knits and, yes, I knit them myself too.

I've got really into knitting lately, which partly explains the absence of embroidery projects shared on blog.  I've also recently completed a scarf and am well on with my first adult sized garment - a blanck chunky cardigan for me.  More on those another time.

The first two are premature sizes and were done with a view to entering the completed items into this year's Otley Show as there's always been a category for premature baby clothes before (afterwards to be donated to a local hospital's premature baby unit ☺).  However, when I saw the Show schedule for this year, they'd actually changed some of the categories and, with 10 weeks or less to Show date, the charity knitting class was changed to 'baby blanket, max 1m'  So, the two tiny cardies I'd knitted were no good as far as exhibiting there goes this year and the only other category that I'd something almost ready for, a scarf, was also dropped in favour of a knitted household item, so I decided to scratch from the Show all together.  I felt much better afterwards too as it would have been a fair strain to get all the pieces ready in time, as I like to enter enough to get myself a free ticket.

Anyway, I have two pregnant friends at the moment, so I decided to keep hold of these preemie knits just in case one of them arrives early and then later on either put them in another Show that has this sort of charity class or send them to a suitable unit or organisation myself.

This first, blue one is made to my usual go-to girl's pattern in beautifully soft cotton DK (King Cole Cotton Soft yarn) and stitched on in various Anchor & DMC Coton à Broder #16 shades.

The second one, in white Sirdar Snuggly DK was a tricky one to knit as it was more or less a one piece construction - but a good learning experience.  I decided to trim it up very simply so that it could serve for either a boy or a girl.  It isn't exactly what I'd hoped, esp. as I had to use Coton à Broder #25 instead of #16 (lack of colours in the range), but it's slightly more interesting that just plain white.  I also managed to mess up the buttonhole spacing, but I dare say the little mite who wears it won't mind in the least.

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2017

Stitchmaynia 2017 - a stimulus to get going again!

Apart from finishing off this small violets needlepainting (which I still need to write up for you) and doing some motifs on new baby knits (which I have written about, just not yet published), I haven't done a lot of embroidery this year so far.  Yesterday, however, not only did I start on a small hardanger piece for a sympathy card, but I also discovered one of those on-line stitching community challenge kinda things called Stitchmaynia.

I immediately interpreted this as getting as much stitchery done as possible during May, but apparently, that's not quite the original aim.  The 'pure' version is to start 15 items during May, but, unsurprisingly, many are creating their own permutations and I'm certainly going to be putting my own spin on it.  I mean, can you really see me running 15+ WIPs in one go?  The original Queen of 'a limited number of projects on the go at any one time' and 'no UFOs'??  As if!  So, I decided that I would take it as a stimulus to get on and finish two of the three things I have on the go just now - the hardanger card (more on that one in a later post), the Paradise Island XS:

(untouched for at many weeks - I know I didn't work on it during April and probably not March either), and a black chunky/bulky cardigan I'm knitting for myself:

I will also be starting and, hopefully, completing a few new things.  Here's the list of needlecrafts stuff I'd already posted on my other blog complete with comments on progress etc:

* Get on with 'Paradise Island cross stitch    65-70% complete so far
* Do some other embroidery  goal already met thanks to my hardanger work yesterday, but more to come
* Make a t-shirt  mostly at a workshop on sewing with knit fabrics I'm going to on Weds 10th
* Finish black chunky cardy  very much in progress, back and both sleeves already knit
* Knit Veli baby hat  to match a jacket I'll be publishing a post on soon
* Knit Tang baby cardy  another new start, but a fairly quick job
* Start on bag making tasks  i.e. Sat-Nav bag for Sir, backpack, knitting bag, manicure pouch

More on the sewing, and even the knitting, soon, as that's part of a major new project that will last a good couple of years or more and I plan on writing about that separately.

Other than just that, I have these to stitch on:

Intrigued?  Well, more soon!

Are you joining in Stitchmaynia?  If so, what is your personal version?

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2017

The Sunday Yarn - 19 Feb 2017

At the moment, I have a virus - possibly a touch of the 'flu, so I'm not getting much embroidery done.  However, I have been able to do a decent amount of knitting and I wanted to share the results with you this afternoon.

First of all, I've completed all the knitting on a new baby project, the cream cardigan above.  It needs a bit of a press, some buttons and some embroidery now.  The arms seem a little too long to me, but it might also be that they're a bit 'thin'.  The pattern said to use size 6 (5mm) needles with the DK yarn, but I found it a bit too loose, so used size 8's (4mm).

The sample here is me having a go at cabling using an on-line tutorial I found last night.  I changed direction twice (to see how it worked), thus the odd look about it.  I also used up an old 4 ply yarn on this, so that was good. ☺  Always pleased to use up odds and ends.

And I'm almost at the end of my first ball of yarn on my scarf.  I wish I'd use another 10-20 stitches in this one so that it'd be wider, but I'm certainly not starting again now!  It'll be fine in use and will be long enough to layer up.

Next, apart from the finishings on the two recent baby knits, will be making a start on the full size things for me! ☺  I'll be using mostly chunky yarn, so it'll be similar to knitting a baby garment in 4 ply.  The 4th thing I have in mind to do for me is for super chunky, so even quicker and easier!  My mum's ordered a waistcoat using the oddments of chunky yarn too, so shouldn't have much in the way of bits and pieces hanging around afterwards.

Back to embroidery tomorrow and, all being well and I'm able to edit a post in time, there'll be some more detail on the silver thread work on the wedding dress project.

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2017

The Sunday Yarn - 5 Feb 2017

How long is it since I last wrote a Sunday Yarn post?  A long time, methinks.  Perhaps for some of the baby projects last year?

I have two pregnant friends again (different ones from last year) and I'm also planning to enter the knitting categories in one or more shows this coming summer, so I'll be keeping my knitting needles busy as well as my embroidery ones.

As you can see from the photo of the blue cardigan above, I've worked my 'go-to' baby girl pattern again - I think this will be the 5th time now, but the first in a premature size.  The Otley Show has a class 'specially for baby jackets to go to the local premature baby unit, so I wanted to join in. ☺  I got some lovely, pure cotton yarn for this one.

Below is my 60% worked, rather narrow, bright pink scarf.  The yarn for this one is wonderfully soft too - 50% cotton and 50% bamboo.  It's done in double stocking stitch and will be for me.  Mum gave me a pair of bright pink gloves and so I decided to knit a scarf to go with them.

Last, but not least, we have the two bigger patterns I bought the other day with some of the yarn to work them in.  The jumper/sweater (on the right) is in a girls' size rather than adults', but I'm sure I can size it up OK.  I bought the same yarn as seen on the photo for that one, and another one I really liked to work the other one in.  I might even make two of those - do another in black.  We shall see.

More updates when I've more progress to share.

Back to embroidery tomorrow.  I only write yarncrafts posts on occasional Sundays - my blog isn't changing direction.☺)

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2017

Baby projects complete!

It's a rare occurrence for me, but I managed to finish off all four baby projects in accordance with Prince Albert's maxim: 'It's always best to complete a task well ahead of schedule.'  They were all done a couple of weeks ago (I needed to clear the decks of other projects before I could focus on the wedding pillow) and are ready to hand over to the prospective parents tomorrow. =)

Above, of course, is the finished up red baby cardy.  I used little star shaped buttons for novelty value as embroidery would have been overkill on this one.

Next I'm proud to present two baby cot/crib quilts, one in reds, neutrals and orientals for a mixed race (white/oriental) baby boy:

And one in pastels and florals for a white girl.  I asked the father-in-waiting which colours they'd like and he suggested blues and greens.  I didn't have very many of those (most of my fabrics seem to be reds, pinks and purples), so I added in a couple of florals and some lilacs as well.  I like both combos, but this one is my favourite.

My next sewing task is to make a new Bible cover for my husband whose old one was a disgrace - worn out and shabby well beyond being fit to be seen.  He liked the colours in the red quilt, so I fished out the little scraps left over from making that to put together for his cover, which will be the remaining part of his anniversary present this year (he had the rest a couple of  months ago).  I also need to make a card and found some cute cross stitch designs that shouldn't eat up too much time to make.  There's already another baby knit in progress and I'll show you how that's coming on next weekend.

Plenty coming up this summer as I haven't even started talking about the Show pieces yet!

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2016

Having pregnant friends means.....

lots of baby makes!

While I haven't been blogging much over recent months, I have been doing some needlecrafts of various sorts.  Here are the results of having pregnant friends in my circle and my wanting to use up my knitting yarns and some of the padding stuff I had stashed away.

First of all, another cardigan in my old favourite pattern for a little girl due in June/July:

As you can see, it's finished, but I was over-zealous with the ironing and flattened it out too much. Yesterday, a new crafting friend told me it would plump up somewhat when washed, which I had wondered about too.  Can anyone with good knitting experience advise here, please?

The second baby cardy, for the son of the Franco-Malaysian couple you may remember me making a wedding ring pillow for and who is due late July is almost finished.  I've done a fair bit more on the rib button band than shows here and hope to finish this one off soon.  Not sure I'll stitch anything on to it as it would probably be OTT given the nice diamond pattern.

This one has been an interesting project as I've been using up a yarn that claims to be 4-ply, but certainly isn't.  It's not quite DK either and when I did some tiny knitted up samples to test it against scraps of 4-ply and DK, it measured as mid-way between them.  Seems to be about 6-ply.  So, I'm using a 4-ply pattern at the 0-3 months size, but the 3-6 months lengths along with size 9 and 11 needles and it's working out OK.  I may try to do a pair of matching mittens - even attempt to put the diamond on them, in order to use up more of the 100g ball as I really won't be able to use it alongside other yarns.

Onto the quilting now and I'm also working baby quilts for both of these summer arrivals.

The girl's one is almost done.  I just need to mitre the corners and then slip stitch the backing in place.  I'll probably be saving that final sewing to do when with mum as it's a fairly easy task and I'll be able to carry it around with me.  She enjoys seeing what I'm doing too and has been following along with my knitting. =)

The boy's one is a bit further back and needs the 'X's putting in at the square joins, then the backing trimming and pinning before it gets to the above stage.

I've various fair sized scraps of DK yarn left, so I thought I'd get a 50g ball of white and then make a sort of patchwork cardigan at 6-12 month size for the little girl.  The colours won't suit a boy - pink, lilac, peach etc, but should be good worked in squares with white to break it up a bit and for the edges.  Hopefully that will sort out my odds and ends.  The wadding needed for these two quilts has used up 80% of my supply too, and the also a number of bits of fabric, so that's all great in helping me use up stash.  The only things I've bought for these projects were the flower buttons for the lilac cardy as I don't stock buttons.

Other than that, there are two engaged couples and one or two more who probably will be later on this year, so there are weddings galore to stitch for.  I'm working on a design for the first one and will share that soon.

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2016

Finished the Pink Baby Cardy

I finished the knitting part of the cardy yesterday morning and did the embroidery part today.  The buttons are a bit too big, to be honest, but they can be squeezed through the buttonholes eventually!!  I sewed them on with yellow pearl #5 thread in order to make a flower centre look.

Here's a close-up of the embroidered part.

The frustrating part now is that I had worked hard to get it done in time to take to my dentist tomorrow morning when I was to go for the second part of a treatment needing two sessions.  I got a call this morning to say she'd actually had the baby over the weekend (so I daresay a 0-3 months size would have been OK!!) and, not only does my poor tooth have to wait another fortnight to be sorted out fully (owww!), but I don't know how I'm meant to get the cardy to new mum!  I plan to drop it in at the surgery tomorrow and ask any of her colleagues who are going to visit to take it with them....

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2013

Knitting again....

OK, it's no longer Sunday anywhere on the planet, but I thought I'd just quickly share this with you as I haven't a suitable update on my stumpwork dragonfly.  Basically, I made a mess of the first needlelace wing and couldn't quite get the hang of the body, so I put it on one side for a little while and got on with another baby cardy - this time for my dentist whose having a little girl very soon.  The poor lady has had to put up with me a lot recently, and it's not over yet - I still have another treatment a week on Wednesday, so I thought I'd make a little something for her baby.  Besides, I've rather missed knitting...

This won't be unfamiliar to anyone whose been reading my blog for a few months as it's the same pattern as I've already worked in white and pale green for another baby.  I decided to work this one again as it was relatively quick and easy and, as I want to be able to hand it over when I have the next lot of treatment, speed was of the essence. What you see in the photo here was all done between Wednesday mid-afternoon and Sunday evening, although I don't think I got much done on Saturday.  I did loads yesterday afternoon and evening - from finishing the first sleeve, through the whole of the second to almost completing the first of the fronts!

I plan to look for white flower buttons in town later on and to do some embroidery on it similar to the first, white set that I did a few months ago.  This time I've plumped for the 3-6 month size as the other baby was so big at birth that the 0-3 month was already too small for her!  She's now about 4-5 months and is well into 6-12 month clothes in width, if not in length. I've never seen such a fat baby!

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2013

The Sunday Yarn - 31 March 2013

Here is my latest baby knit finish, very likely 'the last in the present series', i.e. until any other babes are in the offing!!

I put off and put off doing the neckline edge on this one as the pattern stated to do the whole thing on one, straight needle, but I couldn't see that being possible as it would stretch the small space at the button band dreadfully.  So, I bought a 60cm circular needle and used that instead.  It took a while to get used to it and it still stretched a lot (I should have used a 40cm one, it seems), but I managed it in the end and the whole things was finished late this last week.

Below is a close up showing the yarn and the knitted fabric more clearly.

So, I don't know when my next yarncrafts post will be, but I think the next project will be to make myself a warm wooly, esp as patterns using the thicker yarns seem to require about the same amount of stitches and rows as a baby cardy in double knitting!!  I need to get hold of suitable materials and take it from there.

I'm pleased with all that I've learned in knitting over the past six months and I feel that I've picked up some really valuable skills that I can use again later on for practical things.  Let's see how soon I can get back to it...

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2013

Finished in February

(Incorporating this week's Work in Progress Wednesday and Sunday Yarn postings!)

These were the goals I set myself for February, complete with photos on progress etc:

* Finish the rabbit - done!  I finished this yesterday, on 28th, so it just qualifies for Anna Scott's Finished in Feb challenge (and I'll post the photos there soon too...)

This was how far I'd got at the beginning of the month:

And this is how it looks finished:

With a side-on shot to show clearly the raised elements:

I just need to decide what to do with it and who to give it to.  A Chinese friend has just been telling me how much she loves it and wants to see what it looks like in her room, 'wants that rabbit' etc, but I'm not quite soft enough to give in to that.  I'll decide who it goes to and, as I was taught never to ask for things, but always to wait until offered ("'I want' never gets" was one of my mum's favourite phrases!!), it won't go to anyone who tries to wangle it out of me!!=)  Besides, she was waggling away at the raised ear and, if it was in her possession, I'd give it a week before the wire was through, she'd be forever fiddling with it!  You know how some people just cannot seem to keep from playing with things like that?  Well, I won't be giving stumpwork pieces to them....

* Finish the feather I wish I could say this was done too, but it's only got this far after, I think, two sessions:

* Finish the peach baby knit  I'm almost done with this, coming up to 95%, and indeed would be done if only I hadn't felt that getting all the neck edge on one straight needle was going to be both uncomfortable to work and would over-stretch the button bands.  I'm going to get a circular needle to work it on.  Wouldn't you??

So, during the month, I finished the front as far as I could, did both the sleeves, then also did the button band and buttonhole bands.  

* Try some of the cabling pattern samples in the book  Didn't get to this.

* Try some miniature bedding ideas now I've got some fabrics for them  Didn't get to this either.

* Get to '50% complete' level on sampler  I think I did manage this one.  Here are the month beginning and end photos (nothing new as I haven't touched it since 12 Feb!):

* Make a start on one or two projects from the embroidery list - when first two on this list are done!  Didn't finish anything in time to start this.

* Continue CED challenge  Yup, keeping up, no problem.  Creativity is to found in so many areas that it's almost easier to do it than not!

* Report back on 1 March and continue to post regularly in the meantime.  Doing so right now and made 8 posts during the month.  Not too bad - an average of two per week.

I've decided not to set any goals for March as I'm feeling really weary after so many colds etc and I don't need the stress of feeling I have to do certain things at the mo.  I'll probably do them anyway, but I felt quite a lot of pressure to meet goals towards the end of last month and didn't have the energy to put much time in on them, so it was disappointing in the end.  So, I'll give myself a breather for now.

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2013

The Sun- er, MONday Yarn!

Well, it should still be Sunday somewhere, still 133 minutes to go....

I've now completed all the main pieces on the peach baby wooly.  There are only the neckband and button plackets to go now and that won't take long.  After that, there's only construction to go and I should have the finished item to share with you on Sunday.=)

It's been a bit tricky to get on with creative things of late, although I have fulfilled the 'Creative Every Day' challenge come rain, shine, snow, nasty cough, house guests or hospital visit!!!=)  I should get at least two of the three things I wanted to finish during February done and will try hard on the third as well.  I'm really confined to home at the mo with a bad cough that gets irritated by exertion, (even talking!) and cold, so it's a good time to relax with my essential oil burner on and get up to date with some goal work.  Even all the ironing is up to date, so I can create with a good conscience.

Have a good week, all and I hope to report back on Wednesday.

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2013

The Sunday Yarn - 17 Feb 2013

Just a quickie today to show you the sleeve I finished yesterday.  I'm still using the second ball of yarn, but there really is only enough left for the trims on the front now, so it's a good thing that I found a third.=)

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2013

The Sunday Yarn - 10 Feb 2013

I'm very pleased to be able to share this photo.  As you can probably work out, it's the front of the current baby knit I'm doing, but it caused me some difficulties and this photo is the proof of my having 'got it' and overcome the troubles.  Hurrah!

I was having awful trouble working out what all the bits hanging around on safety pins were, but reading on in the pattern and closely comparing the pattern photo and my work so far helped me to understand what was expected and that cleared up a lot of mist.

Another problem I had was learning, the hard way, to both make a note on the pattern where I've got to and also to compare the pattern with the completed side of the top before knitting on regardless and missing out about half a dozen rows that were key to keeping the pattern and level of the tops genuinely even!!  So, there was some unpicking done - 15 rows worth, and that's not easy with a pattern that you just daren't pull out and then pick the stitches back up onto the needle as there are extra loops made that don't pick up well like that and all sorts of things that are over-challenging for a novice like me, so I had to remove them stitch by stitch - in effect, knitting backwards!!  Well, it's done now!=)

As I mentioned on one of my CED posts, I've managed to get hold of a 3rd ball of this yarn - even the same dye lot (I happened to be keeping a label in my diary so it was on hand if I had a chance to get some more), so I can complete the sleeves in the same colour.  I now just have to decide if I want to do them in pattern, or to do it the easier way and stocking stitch them.  Whatever I decide, I hope to get one of them done this week.  It feels good to have got over a real stumbling block with this one and to feel that it's moving forward again.  So, yes, I'm very pleased indeed to be making this post.

:-)

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2013