Grand Hexie Plans

Oh dear it's been a while since my last post, I don't really know whats happened the last week. No major disasters have occured in my life to explain my lack of presence. Maybe it's because things have been ticking over nicely that I got carried away with the peace and stress free life for a few days.

I even picked up my shuttles and did some weaving on my Lime Log cabin last night. I'm hoping to get it finished and off the loom by Saturday so I can take it to the SpinDyeWeavers meeting to show everyone. Must remember to take the throw I made for Tiggi too.



In my last post I talked about a hexagon blanket I want to make in the future. I've been giving it some thought and started to look on Ravelry for inspiration. So far, these patterns are jumping out at me...

Puffed Daisy Hexagon

I love the bobble of this design. It's simple and effective however it is small so I would have to think how what extra rounds I would want to add.


African Flower

My eye gets drawn to the motif in the centre of this block and I think it would be possible to adapt it so that the outer petals are a bobble style stitch. Also I like how you can use the same colours in each block but in a different place to bring it all together.


The Crocodile Flower

This block is quite striking and very unique. It uses the crocodile stitch which I love using and it has lots of texture. The only problem is that it's currently a square finish and I really want a hexagon, I'd have to adapt this to suit if I choose it.


Granny Stitch Hexagon Crochet Motif II

Where we would be without the basic granny block? I just have to include this one as a strong contender. The simple design will make any feature block pop.



These have definately given me something to think about, I still need to think about the yarn I'll use. I'm leaning towards handspun yarn to make it really special. This leads to another question, what colours and fibre do I need to spin up? What weight yarn do I need to aim for?

Do you have any future projects in mind??

xoxo
Sophie

Oh dear, future WIPs

Oh dear, thanks to everyone’s lovely blogs I have seen and been inspired by many many projects and I want to start doing them all...now!

I've decided to sit down and think, what do I really need (who am I kidding, I need it all!) and most importantly I need to narrow down the project list. I need to find the right pattern for each item so what do I want from each item? First off I want to make a new cowl/scarf/shawl/neck warmer for the winter. My requirements:

• I wear my hair both up and down so I need something that I can put on easily without messing the style up - Nothing that goes over my head
• My hair is easily influenced by static - Nothing too snug to my neck so my hair doesn't get pulled against the yarn
• I don't really want another scarf, I still love wearing my South Bay Shawlette - Narrow the search to cowls, collars and neck warmers
• I want something a bit different - Need to look for something with unique features, button up or unusual method to hold in place

What I have seen lots of lately are Granny Square inspired blankets but with a twist. Instead of the traditional squares, hexagons seem to be the thing to do at the moment. Jumping on the band wagon, I want one! Again, I need to think carefully about what I want and what I like...

• Flower style centre - African flower is nice
• Texture - puff stitch maybe? scallops anywhere?
• Easy to join together - use the same yarn for the border of each hexie
• Warm, cosy & unique - use handspun

Just a couple of things to start off with, don't want to overwhelm myself, I still have all my other WIPs to do. Now time to start hunting around to find the perfect patterns for these 2 projects.

What future WIPs do you have in mind?

xoxo
Sophie

Lime Log Cabins

I've decided to participate in Work In Progress Wednesdays on Tamis Amis blog so I can share with you all what I'm crafting each week. As you know I already submit to Dawns Woolly Wednesdays which is the first Wednesday of the month and I'll be continuing with that.

This week I'm going to introduce you to my latest weaving project, Lime Log Cabin Placemats

These are to be Christmas presents for my parents to be used on their kitchen dining table. It's only a 2 seater table so I'm just making 2 placemats and hopefully a table runner.

It was abit tricky warping this up, took me a couple of attempts to understand what I had to do.

To get the right effect, rather than having the colours alternate in the slots and holes, one colour needs to stick to the slots and the other in the holes. When you want to change the squares to highlight the pattern you switch the colours around. It's rather difficult to explain but it does work honest!

The details of how I threaded the warp can be found on my Ravelry project page, but here it is for you too:

Warp
White (holes), Green (slots) - 4 times
Green (holes), white (slots) - 2 times
Repeat 3 times
White (holes), Green (slots) - 4 times
Warp Length = 60”

EPI = 7.5
Total 44 ends

Weft
White, Green (16 rows)
Green, White (8 rows)

So far I've done the 2 placemats and now  I'm just going to keep weaving in the hopes I have enough warp left for a runner. Fingers crossed this will be done in time for Christmas!

xoxo
Sophie

The nurse maid and teenager

Tiggi Tuesday has come around so quickly this week! Due to the change in weather recently Tiggi toes has been rather sedate and taken to curling up on a blanket in the living room. So today, instead of talking about her I thought I'd introduce you to some other kitties I have the pleasure to know.




These 2 characters are Gordon on the left and Marmalade on the right. Both live with farmer Jon along with a number of other animals who I'm sure will come up in future posts.

Gordon is the local doctor, nurse maid and wants to be everyone friend. He is so in tune with every one and if you're feeling down he'll quickly realise and come trotting over to you to give you cuddles.

Marmalade on the other hand ...




Marmalade is a proper teenager, running all over the place and being goofy. Having marmalade sit on your shoulders is great, he'll drape himself around your neck and his purrs are so soothing. Unfortunately he then realises he's a teenager, get an idea in his head that he wants to go, dig his claws in and jump away.

I always enjoy visiting the farm and seeing all the characters there.

xoxo
Sophie

Happiness in a jar

Happiness is defined as a mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.

I've been pondering lately what happiness is as I've been feeling abit low of late. I know a lot of things make me happy and I could easily fill a jar with happy thoughts.




In my jar I have at the moment my family, Tiggi, Farmer Jon, my spinning wheel, crochet and yarn but complete happiness still eludes me. Living on my own has it's ups and downs. On the plus side I can come and go as I please, do whatever I want and I don't have to worry about other people, but it does get lonely. I don't always have someone to talk to about my day, no one to help around the house and although Tiggi is lovely to have around she is normally asleep somewhere.

So, physically I have lots of things to make me happy but it's the emotionally aspect I need to work on. Money really can't buy you happiness, money can only buy things and although physical things help, they are only half of the story.

That's what I need, I need the other half of my story. I need the story which fills the second jar.

xoxo
Sophie

Owls owls everywhere

Owls are very much on trend at the moment and although I was abit slow off the mark to fall in love with them I did eventually so wanted to share some of my favourite crochet patterns from Ravelry with you. All of these are free and super cute.

Baby Owl Ornaments


Designed by Josephine Wu

Owl Granny Square


Designed by Sarah Zimmerman

Owl Mug Wrap


Designed by Michele Wilcox

Crocodile Stitch Owl


Designed by Virginia McCreedy

What is your favourite Owl pattern on Ravelry?

xoxo

Sophie

Shocking Statistics

This morning I was shocked to read on the BBC website that 8.5 million adults (aged 16 - 65) in England & Northern Ireland have numeracy levels of a 10 year old! Out of 24 countries we are 21st for numeracy and 22nd for literacy. At least we weren't the lowest ranking, the United States were the worst. Just goes to show that the exams are getting easier because every time the results are out they publicise that grades are getting better and better, well they would if you only expect the students to answer questions a 10 year old could.

It's got me thinking, how will those who fall into this category cope in the future? Maths is such a core part of our world it's hard to imagine getting through a day without some sort of calculation. It's not just for the scientists and bankers amongst us, we all need to have a good understanding of the subject. We need to be able to work out how things cost to then know if we have enough money, we need to be able to work out time, when we have children we need to ensure they are fed the right amounts. Other than basic understanding to get us through life unless you want to blindly trust what the what people tell you, surely it's good to be able to look at the information and decide for yourself is what I'm being told right?

8.5 million people is a quarter of England’s population of 16 - 65 year olds, without maths, if you were reading a report, how would you work out what the total population within that range?

What's the hoo-ha over sleep?

Sleep is so over rated! Well it's not, I'm just very jealous of folks who are able to go to bed, fall straight asleep and then wake up refreshed each morning. Lately I go to bed shattered, toss and turn for what seems like hours, wake numerous times during the night and wake up shattered to the sound of my alarm clock.
Life is much simpler as a cat. Tiggi gets to lie about all day, finding a new spot to sleep every day and avoid any decorating even if she is on the dust sheet.




They say we should aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep but there is no single magic number, each individual is different. However, of one finds a box, one must sleep in it.




Then again, if the bath isn't being used, then it's a bed.




There's no end to the possibilities of beds for Tiggi toes. Perhaps I need to try a different bed, think outside the box.
Where's the oddest place your pet has slept?

xoxo

Sophie

New spinning project

First Monday of the month means one thing, spinning evening at the Spinning Weal in Clevedon.
Over recent months I've been spinning a super soft merino batt for a future weaving project and I finally finished it on the weekend so I had to go stash diving for tonight's project. Ages ago I won a hand dyed BFL roving by The Sassy Spinner as part of our spinning groups raffle and decided to make a start on it tonight.




The colour way is Moorland and the base fibre is oatmeal BFL. The oatmeal base really makes the colours deep and heather like and it's a nice fibre to spin.




I want to keep the colours together as much as possible so I'm trying to spin it thinly and then I'll n-ply it to hopefully end up with a 4 ply or DL yarn. At the moment I have no final plans for the yarn, but who normally does at this stage?!?

xoxo

Sophie

Giving love to the unloved room

I moved into my house about 10 years ago and every room has bee redecorated since expect for my bedroom. As B&Q say, it really is the unloved room in the house and it's been long overdue for some TLC.
I visited B&Q a month or so ago and got a number samples from the huge range and when I got home I whittled them down to 2 but in my head I already knew which one I wanted, obviously it wasn't the cheaper one!
I did the complete room from ceiling to the walls to the wood work. This was the first time I'd ever wallpapered and think I did ok.













I'm so pleased with it and will enjoy my room once more.

xoxo

Sophie

Graduation parade

I'm so proud of my big sister. Today she graduated from her open university foundation degree in paramedic sciences and we went up to Manchester for her presentation.




She has worked so hard over the last 4 years and I'm really pleased for her.




Listening to the vice chanceller speak was inspired and going to give some serious thought into doing a course. I just need to think what I would like to study, should I go for a subject that interests me on a personal level or one that would help me in my career?
xoxo
Sophie

Blending samples

A few months ago my local spinning group held a blending day where members brought along their drum carders, hackles, hand carders, combs and lots of fibre to play with. The purpose of the day was to give us the chance to learn and inspire each other.
I thought it was an ideal opportunity to create samples for each method of blending so I can refer back to them in the future when deciding on my projects.

Straight up Rovings

I spun my 2 singles alternating the blue and white roving them plied them together. The end result was a nice smooth yarn which was barber pole in some places and solid colours in others. Due to the fibres being all aligned I did find that the fibre can run away from you if you're not paying attention.

Hackle

I enjoyed using the hackle and it produced a nice blended roving which when spun and plied created a smooth yarn similar to the rovings without the colours being too seperate.

Hand Carders

The beauty of using hand carders is that you can easily see whether or not you need more of a particualar colour to get the result you are looking for. As the fibres are aligned differently, it's easier to spin from these little rolags without the fibre running away from you. The finished yarn is fluffy and full of air.

Drum Carded & spun in lengths

Similar to blending on the hand carders, you can easily see if you want to add more of a particular fibre and if you want a more blended finished you can card the batt more than once. It is possible to diz the batt into strips or you can split it by hand, both gives a nice airy yarn and I have since used this technique to create thick singles.

Drum Carded and spun from the fold

I personally wasn't a fan of spinning from the fold as I found I ended up with a clump of fibre in my hand each time. This may be more related to my technique and inexperience with spinning in this manner so will have to try it again in the future. The end result was very similar to spinning in strips.

I enjoyed each method of blending fibres however my favourite at the moment is spinning batts that have been stripped/dizzed into lengths. I like the finished airy yarn is produces and allows me to have better control at the wheel. The only draw back is that you can get nepps in the batt, but they are easily removed during spinning if you don't like them.

Hope you have enjoyed reading my Woolly Wednesday post!
xoxo
Sophie

Crazy Cat Lady

In life there are three kinds of people, cat people, dog people and those who like neither. I'm a cat person, loud and proud I'm a crazy cat lady. Not sure if I can be called that with just one cat but I have associations with many more which count in my eyes.
My one and only cat is Tiggi

Time to trim the lavender

Every year my lavender bush creeps over the front path denying access to the house unless you're willing to get a hug from it. I've been waiting for ages for the bees to stop buzzing on the pretty purple flowers so I can start the yearly trim.
A couple of weeks ago the bees starting to go away and the flower heads started to turn into plump seed heads screaming pick me. Out I went with my trusty secateurs and trimmed off enough stalks to make these 3 bundles of gorgeous lavender.




Since the first trim the weather went abit down hill and it was too wet to continue the trim. Friday was a good sunny day which gave the flowers time to dry off ready for me to carry on cutting Saturday afternoon. I managed to make another big bundle and three cut little bundles which are hanging in my front porch to dry out. The porch now makes me look like an apothecary from years gone by drying my herbs.
There are no specific plans for all this dried lavender, from last years batch I made this cute sheepy to hang on one of my spinning wheels.




I may have to make some siblings for her this year. In the meantime the lavender bundles will be hung to dry and then put in my fibre stash cupboard to ward off pesky moths.
xoxo
Sophie