Sewing This And That

 

The jewellery business has decreased dramatically since Christmas, so I only needed to make 20 bags this month, 10 of each size. 

The doll is a sample for tomorrow's craft group meeting in a retirement home. I browsed through Pinterest for a while before settling on a pattern from Shiny Happy World. Mine looks rather different to the original because I've stuffed it a lot, whereas theirs is more floppy, but it works. I needed a pattern that was simple enough to make within time and dexterity constraints. My idea is to make the doll this week and clothes next week. 

I've sewn the tatted daisies and butterflies to the food net, so it's all ready to be gifted. 

Tatting Daisies Again

 

I'm tatting daisies to put on a food net to give as a birthday gift. I wound a shuttle with yellow thread and tatted all the centres to start with. My plan is to make two flowers of each of five colours. The colours in the photo are a bit strange. The bottom two flowers are orange and the top one pale pink. I made the pattern up, it's very simple, feel free to copy it if you want to. 

More Leftovers

 

Not my own leftovers this time. A friend had this yarn left over from a project and asked me to knit a pair of socks with it. She knows I like knitting socks! I found a pattern and started knitting, but the yarn really isn't suited to socks. It's a single, ie it doesn't have two or more strands plyed together, and it's too soft and easily split to make good socks. I contacted Kath and she said make something that the yarn is suited to. I browsed the pins on my knitting board on Pinterest and decided on That Nice Stitch (cowl) by Stitchnerd Designs. 

I'm happy with how it's turning out. I really like the texture of the slipstitch pattern, and the way it's combined with stripes of stocking stitch. To use the textured stitch entirely would be overpowering.

Leftovers

 

I dyed four skeins of pink wool for the baby onesie, but only used three, so I knitted the leftovers into a pair of fingerless gloves. The pattern is Augusta by Lena Marie Gjerald. I've used the pattern before, but forgotten that it needs more than one skein of wool. I'll write myself a note on the pattern. It looks like cables, but it's actually a mock cable that is very easy to knit. 

Cherry Guava Jelly

 

I'd never heard of cherry guavas, but there's a cherry guava tree in our new garden. I was told that it makes very good jam. The tree was a bit damaged when the roof tiles were replaced in November, but it nevertheless has produced a good crop of fruit. The fruit can just be eaten as they are, but I had a go at making jam with them. Actually, I made jelly, sieving out the peel and pips, because the pips are rather hard. It turned out well, with a nice colour, good set and a pleasantly tart taste. 

I also made loaves for rusks yesterday.

This morning I cut them into fingers and they are currently drying out in the oven

While I was in the kitchen, I made ice cream too, using double thick cream I bought at the market on Saturday

I went to the market as a visitor, rather than a stall holder. After a couple of markets where I sold very little, I decided it was time to throw in the towel. I suspect that all those who want puppets have bought them! My stall holder partner is still there, selling soap, so if I change my mind, I can always return. I may well do the winter markets, as socks and fingerless gloves are popular. In the meantime, it was a relief not to have to worry about preparing goods for market and not having an early start to the day to set up the stall. 

Second Time Around

 

After finishing the baby clothes, I went back to the cardigan I've been knitting for myself and finished it off. The pattern is called Rows of Lavender, by Drops Designs. I enjoyed knitting it. I like this type of lace knitting that requires just the right amount of concentration. I do think it looks better than the cardigan I unravelled. 

Bootees To Match

 

I've finished knitting the bootees to go with the onsie. The pattern I used is called Hop, Skip & Jump, by Kirstie McLeod.  It's a clever pattern, using increases and short rows to shape the bootees. It didn't have a ribbon, I added eyelets and ribbons.