Spiders in my garden....

This past week has been a very busy week, its felt a bit stressful at times as I'm trying to pack too much in but with a pending trip to my homeland - Scotland - I felt I had to get a lot of things sorted....so, I've knitted for Etsy and I'm now thinking about my next project for it.....

I've completed my next project for Ravelry and I think its pretty fab....watch this space for instructions...

I did my first skirt workshop last weekend which I really enjoyed......

   

I had my first workshop booking via my blog ... Yay!.....and received some lovely cabbage flowers from friends who came for dinner a couple of sundays ago ....

 and I've been given a vintage Bernina by a friend: she's soooooo good to me....

and there's been lots of spiders in my garden!!!

and I really like spiders....

Happy Halloween!

Fairislerona knits for Etsy...

Today has been a stinker of a day - weatherwise - after glorious weather on Sunday : wall to wall sunshine and really warm, today it has rained all day and our village has been fog bound.  But its days like this that I absolutely love - because I don't feel bad getting on with my own 'crafting'.  
I think its about time a told you a bit about my own design work that I do.....I have a part time job that keeps things financially afloat but when I'm not working and I get the opportunity I like to do my own knitwear design and I do hand knitting and machine knitting.  I LOVE my knitting machine, I think its about 40 years old and I bought it second hand 20 years ago - from a knitting shop in Glasgow and its a Knitmaster. I love using machinery to create: I had the same feeling when I used to weave at College.

So, this is a picture of my trusty knitting machine in my 'creative space' of our house....

And this is the rest of my little room which is in a very tidy state in this photo - but is generally a designers mess....but I'm fortunate that I can close the door and not look at it!  There is nothing that I like better than looking out at the rain, listening to Radcliffe and Maconie on 6 music in the afternoon and doing a bit of designing....BLISS!

At the moment I am working on items for my Etsy shop and they are Fair Isle items made of Shetland yarn.  I have made some cushions so far.....

And some Kindle sweaters......

So if your thinking Fairisle this winter check my Etsy site out....

How to make a skirt - that fits!

This is the next workshop I will be running @ Up Country on Saturday October 27th. If by any chance you are like me and not a 'perfect' size then you'll have had problems getting clothing to fit you.  Shopping for clothes can be a miserable experience - but this class will show you how to make a skirt that fits YOU!  And in the long run you will save money....

There is a material list available at Up Country but if you are unable to get there just contact me through this blog and I will e-mail the list to you.  

Come to the class and be inspired!

Knitting and Crochet Club

I thought you might like to see the gorgeous work being produced by the lovely ladies at the 'Knitting and Crochet club' @ Up Country.  Some are very experienced, some are beginners and some are securing their knowledge but we are all there to have a bit of knitting time together, swap notes and enjoy each others company - I know one of these ladies is addicted to it: she just doesn't realise it!
The club is held in a lovely space and we generally have the constant hum of Holmfirth traffic outside - and its a bit of a reminder of how busy everything is outside but inside its a haven of calm...
so, to the ladies and their 'creations'....

There was lots of 'ooing' and 'ahhing' when we saw this!  We were very impressed but 'S' who only learnt to knit a few months ago - and has finished her first knitted jumper - said she was very competent at crochet and had just finished this....how fab is it!!!!

This lady 'R' has been making this fabulous ripple blanket for some time its a WIP - work in progress- she has lots of WIP's: like me .  This is going to look amazing when finished...

This lady 'M' is a very good knitter - although she does not think so!  She has an amazing production rate and produces very neat, well made creations that she wears to the club.... 

This was 'M's' first visit to our club as she learnt to knit at one of my 'Learn to' classes, she made us laugh when she said she was doing 'Special Needs' knitting - a square cushion with a heart in garter stitch - but hey! we've all had to learn somehow dear!!!

This is our 'literary lady' who tells us about the books she writes - I am in total admiration of this as I struggle to write anything!!! Yes I know: blogging! She brings her crochet with her and is currently working on a bag made of granny squares from a Nikki Trench book...nice colours dear...

And this lady is a very experienced knitter who happens to be making a scarf from Rowan's Kid Silk Haze - knitted double.  I've also made this scarf and its easy peasy and really effective....

'M' has nearly completed her Kim Hargreaves cardi and I'm hoping to show some pics of this soon, but meantime she's been grannying and I know where she's got the idea from for this blanket. She's been through a lot lately and its nice that she has had the distraction of her knitting and crochet....

so that's the Knitting and Crochet Club and if you feel like joining us there's a spare chair, a brew, a cake and good company...