Shawl Scrumbles and Celtic Knot Quilt

Update on the Shawl - I only have the loose ends to weave in, and then I can call it finished.

...and here are some closer pics of the latest additions to it

The fluffy 'orange' yarn isn't really that orange. It's much paler IRL.

So, while I was nearing the end of the shawl, I was planning my next project.

UFO's have been piling up over the years, and I have had a search through my cupboards (while packing) and have re-discovered a Celtic Knot Quilt that I started about 10 or 12 yrs ago.

I had got as far as designing and appliqueing the yellow frame and had all that stitched down. The purple Knot fabric is my own hand dyed fabric, bias cut, and about a 6 inch portion stitched in place.

This week I have finished stitching the rest of the Celtic Knot in place.

I'm not sure what comes next now though. I had originally planned on dimensional flowers appliqued onto, and around, the yellow frame...... but now I think I need to stay with the Celtic designs around this quilt.

It has been another enjoyable week.

Happy Stitching

Free Form Crochet Shawl -almost done

Work continues on the Free Form Crochet Shawl.

Back view -

Still a little bit more is needed on the bottom left of the piece, so that both sides are fairly equal in length and drape.

A closer shot of the middle part.

And a couple of flower style motifs of my own designing.

Happy Stitching

Free Form Crochet Shawl update

Hi everyone. I have been crocheting up a shawl for quite a few weeks now.

Here are the latest photos of the work.

Some of the scrumbles you may have seen me posting about before, but here they are sewn, or crocheted, in place on the shawl.

And a little bit of Tunisian crochet thrown in on that last photo above. 

I do love variety in a piece.

The shawl is still not completed yet though. I can look forward to another fun week of scrumbles.

And now for something Completely Different.

Sometimes I like to swap projects that I work on during the day. It helps to keep me challenged and interested in the larger projects if I have a smaller item to work on occasionally.

So here is a lovely lilac purple fun item, and no!, it is not going to be a collar. I have something else in mind for this. 

Happy Stitching

Free Form Crochet Shawl

Hurray!!! I am back on my computer again.

I now have a huge (and I really mean HUGE) monitor, lent to me by DS#1, so happy that I don't have to go out and buy one just yet.

So.................. on to the photos of my free form shawl.

Not all done this week, but I'm losing track of what I have already shown you.

The thing is........ growing. 

I keep creating, and designing, and stitching. 

And 'the thing' keeps on growing.

I'm enjoying this freedom style so much.

 Lots of texture. Numerous stitches and combinations.

Hills, valleys, craters, flora and fauna.

It is very organic looking.

I still have some loose thread ends to sew in yet, so

please pretend that you didn't see them, haha.

And tomorrow I am going to add this creation to it, and fill in some more parts.

Happy Stitching

Crochet White Wrap Progress & That "Eureka" Moment

The White Wrap/Shawl is progressing along nicely now.

I have a lot of scrumbles joined together and it is really starting to take shape.

Lots of lovely texture...... I love texture.

Some lacy delicate dainty parts.

Waves ruffles bobbles and fluffles.

Loose threads still to weave in, and more scrumbles to join up.

It's fun.

And now.................on to the other title of this blog.............

 THAT   EUREKA   MOMENT 

Yes, I have had a 'moment' of that description this week.

I have learnt to knit.

I am able to knit.

I CAN KNIT

All my life I have admired knitters but never been able to master it myself. My mother tried teaching me, my school teacher tried teaching me, various friends over the years have tried teaching me. I even had a 98 years young lady try to teach me.

I couldn't understand how to cast on, and even when someone else did the casting on for me, I still couldn't get the knitting bit right.

I could never get the hang of it and gave up trying in the end. 

I was Doomed to call myself a NON-KNITTER for ever.

Until last week that is.

I have been so inspired by the creative knitters on Tuesday Stitchers:

Debra

Deborah

Judy

and

Barbara

I spent two whole days watching youtube video's on how to knit.

I've lost count of how many video's I watched, but it was definitely A LOT.

And NOW, just look what I can do...... I CAN KNIT......

A tentative start after the cast-on.

Still a bit unsure at this early stage.

 The ribbing starts to appear.

I lost half a row of stitches about half way through this ribbing, and although I managed to recover the loops without dropping a stitch, I think I put the loops back onto the needle the wrong way around, hence the midway 'bumps' along that row.

Oh yes, I think I've got the hang of the ribbing now, so I tried a different stitch.

Hah! So that is how stocking stitch is made, lol. It's all becoming clear now.

More rows dropped, damn it's annoying when I do that.

More care needed, but at least I managed to pick up the loops the right way around this time.

WooHooo look at me go.

I CAN KNIT 

excuse me while I shout louder

I CAN KNIT

That was my eureka moment.

Can you tell I'm excited about being able to knit. 

I'm sure my mother is looking down on me at this moment with a big smile on her face.

Perseverance, see, that's all it needed.

____________________________________________

Lessons learnt this week

• You can teach an old dog new tricks
• If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again
• It doesn't matter if I knit slow and clumsy, as Iong as I DO it somehow
• Slippery needles are, well....... slippery (duh!)
• If it doesn't work one way, try it another
• Check each row for mistakes before moving on
• Big Boobs and a deep cleavage make a great needle grabber in emergencies
• Knitting takes about 30% LESS wool than crochet does
• Relax and enjoy the ride