Winter Woolies

I took a couple of days holiday from work this week and finished off some garments that I had started recently but not got around to completing.  I didn't actually take the days off so that I could sew all day (honest), I just needed to take them before the end of the year.  Anyway, this is a brown wool jacket that will go well with lots of my other clothes - it's not lined but hopefully it will be warm enough with layers underneath.

This is a green version of the brown cardi that I knit during the summer.  I started this one straight after the other but wasn't really motivated until this week, plus I couldn't find buttons I liked until now.

And this hat was inspired by the socks which I rediscovered from last year (shown in my last post).  I remembered that I had some left over wool, not enough to knit a hat but enough for a crotched one.  It was really quick to do - just trebles for the body and a row of doubles around the rim.  I made it up as I went along, starting with 14 stitches around the first row and gradually increasing each of the next 6 rows until 56 stitches.  I then just kept on with the same number of stitches row after row until it looked right.  It actually looked quite ridiculous as I kept trying it on for size and my husband probably wondered what on earth I was trying to produce, but I'm pleased with the result.

Autumn Colours

I realise that I showed you this recent bag a couple of days ago but I couldn't resist a close up today (it was semi hidden in the previous photo), I just love, love, love the colours!

So, whilst in the Autumn colours mode I photographed my socks.  These are ones that I knitted last year, so they are a bit worn, however I love this random wool and having brought them out of Summer hibernation am now inspired to get the four needles out again and make some more - there's some amazing yarn out there that gives a sort of fair isle design from the one continuous strand.

And here is a scarf in another random yarn that I just finished today,  I was very happy with the result because it was so quick and easy and it only cost me £1.45.
Here are the instructions so that you can all make one (if you like knitting of course).  It's a double knitting yarn and I used 6.5mm needles but it will work for any yarn with different needles - just experiment!

Cast on 40 stitches
1st row:  knit 2, (knit 2 tog) 3 times, (yarn over, knit 1) 6 times, (knit 2 tog) 6 times, (yarn over, knit 1) 6 times, (knit 2 tog) 3 times, knit 2.
2nd row:  purl a row
3rd row:  knit a row
4th row:  purl a row
Repeat these 4 rows until you have the length you require then bind off with a knit row.

I know the 1st row looks a bit tricky but it's quite straight forward and it makes sense to you very quickly.  Do have a go.

A Few Random Things

Here are a few of the bags that I made this weekend, I've taken a couple to the museum craft shop but I couldn't part with the Elephant one - I think it will be quite happy staying with me!

My daughter brought me this lovely piece of plum coloured fabric which I will use with one of the patterns from my new book - a little top I think, it's keeping in with the lovely autumnal colours surrounding me at the moment.

And last but not least, Emily also gave me this cute owl that she made.  She used to sew them by hand but since she became the proud owner of a Bernina she's rattling them off at top speed.  You can find them on her Etsy site here.

Bright Leaves

I have had some offcuts of this wonderful fabric for a while now and have eventually got around to cutting it up into rectangles to make some drawstring bags.  It features flowers and leaves in a machine stitched chain stitch on a plain cream canvas - amazing colours so I matched it up with some bright velvet ribbon.

I'll put them on my Etsy and Folksy sites when they are finished later this week.

Here are three bags that I finished and did get around to putting in my online shops.  It's a shame to separate them as they co-ordinate rather nicely don't you think?

Inspirational Sewing Book

I received this fantastic sewing book as a gift this week.  Here are a few more photos from inside:

It's a Japanese book that I have been looking at for a while but hesitated to get because up until now I have always made my own patterns or adapted existing ones.   However, I feel that I am stuck in a rut regarding clothes and need some new inspiration.   This book has 8 basic patterns that can be adapted to make 25 garments so it's right up my street.  I love playing around with patterns so I may even find more than 25 options! 
I was so excited by it that I decided to look at other Japanese sewing patterns and found some on Etsy which I have put onto a new Pinterest board.
I now need to go fabric shopping, (but in moderation as it's easy to get carried away with fabric isn't it?)

Loads of Logs

We finally finished one of the new log stores that we needed and had a delivery of our latest load of logs, (try saying that quickly!) James wheelbarrowed them around to the store and I stacked them up. I love stacking wood, it brings a great sense of reassurance getting ready for the winter and knowing that we can stay warm whatever happens, but also I love the process of fitting them all together. This is only a few of them, there were 742 logs in total, yes I'm afraid I had to count them - strange but true!

 

We also took the trailer to another log yard to collect our own and as you can see they have been chopped and split quite differently to the other ones. I'm sure this doesn't really matter but it does upset the look of my wood pile - I don't think the overall shape is half as pleasant to look at.

 

Birthday Weekend

It was my birthday this weekend, and also my husband's, so we packed a picnic and set off for the Duddon Valley.  It's a very beautiful part of the Lake District not too far away from us which is quiet at this time of the year, partly because most of the tourists don't really venture here as there are two mountain passes to negotiate - Wrynose pass and Hardknott pass (a 1 in 3 gradient).
As we were driving along we saw a lovely waterfall which we decided to explore. After finding a parking spot we walked down the path and came to the river - this was the only way across - thank goodness there was a tight wire to hold onto; we've had a lot of rain this past couple of weeks!

It was rather scary in places but worth it on the other side, it's a magical place that gives you a feeling of going back in time, I imagine it hasn't changed much in decades, it's so peaceful.

 

On our return journey home we stopped at Tarn Hows, one of the most popular photographed beauty spots in the Lake District, and was very surprised to see this new 'installation' - I hope it's only temporary, although our dog Skye seemed to enjoy taking advantage of it!

 

Autumn Clothing

I've had this lovely piece of cotton velvet in a drawer for over a year now (as you can see by the creases - I'm a bit reluctant to introduce it too much to the iron though).  It's a mossy shade of green which is one of my perfect autumn colours and it has a tiny bit of stretch too.
I made it up in my usual 'pinafore' pattern so that I can wear it with a long sleeve t-shirt underneath, however, the neckline is a respectable height (I don't like anything too low!) so that I can dress it up with a necklace and my little cashmere cardi too.
I have to say that it does look better on me than on this stand - it's not very often I can say that - it fits so that the armholes and neckline are not gaping (it's probably my lack of large bust!). 
It's basically a front piece and a back piece and it's finished off with satin bias tape, no fastenings, it just pulls on over my head.
It took me about an hour to make and only 1 metre of fabric, so if I find more fabric I like there will be more photos to show!