Winter Chills and Spills

Hi my loves,

    A conversation started while test knitting the Fereday Shawl by Petra Breakstone at a women's meeting on a Sunday afternoon.

Potential customer (PC):  Can you make the scarf that goes over your head and hugs your neck?
Me: Oh, a cowl, sure I can.
PC: It's for my grandson who is 2.
Me: ok. no problem.
PC: I'm going to need another for my granddaughter.  She's older so you can make the one that wraps around.
 Me: Sure thing. (all while thinking, here's a chance to really test your skills, Melissa)

My potential customer informed me her grandbabies live abroad (yes, yes, hoot, hoot, my work will be taking a trip, before I do)

No colour scheme provided, no delivery time but I was so excited I went home, search my stash and started thinking of what design should I use.  Should I search the numerous saved patterns I have, should I search Google, YouTube, Ravelry etc, then the thought came, why not make your own pattern.  I decided on the yarn I was going to use, and being that I have never actually made a child size cowl before, I reference YouTube and some patterns I had to assist with sizing.

I have been crocheting for over 20 years but took up knitting over a year ago (and fell in love), so when the option presented itself I decided I was going to knit my very own cowl.  I went for something simple, I cast on the number of stitches needed, did a bit of calculating to ensure my cables (yes I did say cables, and yes I said something simple) would be equally spaced.   To make it more interesting I chose 3 colours, army green, yellow and blue.

After finding my rhythm, in no time my cowl was completed. I felt like a child on Christmas day, sure its just a simple cowl, but I knitted it, without a pattern from someone else.  This was mine.

I now have the tasked of designing the little girls scarf.  I chose a skein of Red Heart super saver stripes.  I needed a nice pattern so decided to scout YouTube, still in the hopes of making my own design.  I stumbled on one of my subscriptions (Knitting Stitch Patterns), I browsed their catalogue and the Flame Chevron spoke to me "pick me, pick me", and so I did.

 

The video was watched and found to be doable.  I cast on the number of stitches needed for the width I wanted and just like that, knitting had started.  I worked on my scarf and within a day or two, it was completed.

Here it is on the blocking board.

I love the way it turned out and those colour changes.... wow.  There was only one issue I found after completing this scarf.  It rolls a lot (note to self....... do maybe a garter stitch edge).  With both projects completed, it's photo time.  My baby agreed to be my model.

"Peek a boo"

"my neck is so warm"

"I know my hair is a mess, but my mommy made a pretty scarf"

To be continued........

Bag, bags and more bags

Hey loves,

I was given the task to make a few circular bags, I was shown a sample that was done and was told it wasn't sturdy without being lined but the lining was out the equation for these. I was just to make them but the closures (buttons, velcro etc) will be done by someone else. The threads were supplied and I was on my way home to start creating.

I pondered how  I should really make them, yes, they should all be circular, but should I really make them all the same? 🤔 🤔.   Day 1, 2, 3 and counting... Then my creative juices started to flow and before I knew it, I had a dozen bags made.

The End!!!

Sounds quite simple right?  It really wasn't,  I had to decide which stitch to use, should I do single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc) or double crochet (dc)? I played around until a decision was made. Now that I've decided on the stitch/s I'll be using, the next step is deciding what I'm actually going to make, how should I start them, how should I end them, how should they be closed.  If you are a crafter you might have the same feeling I do when working with yarn. The yarn actually speaks to me, it tells me what to make with it just as the material to a seamstress/tailor or the wood to a carpenter.  Some give off a funky more upbeat vibe while others are more subtle.

I really had fun designing these and even though they are all circular (or half a circle in some cases) in design, they are all different.  The handles are different, the closures are different.    The bags are made by first crocheting 2 like circles (or hexagon as in the case of #1) and then the joining, closure and strap are all done in one go.

I really hope she likes them, I sure do.

These are what I came up with.

This army green yarn was so easy to work with, and the purse was even easier to make.  It just needs a contrasting colour button and you're ready for a night on the town.

This variegated yarn was the first one I made something with as it's so pretty.  This purse is the 3rd piece made out of the yarn.  Its design to close with a single small button at the centre of the front of the bag.

This yarn was my least favourite as it felt a bit rough.

With this design, I really wanted a little more dimension.

This bag was completed with the wrong side showing as I thought it gave the bag a more stylish look.

This yarn though pretty was my second least favourite as it too was a bit rough.

Now here's #1.  It's the very first one made.  If you look a bit closer you'll see its not really a circle it is a Hexagon. 

This one took me back to basic.

I really love how these colours compliment each other, what do you think?

Now here's our basic wristlet.

My Halfmoon.  This at the time was my favourite, until........

With the ease of the yarn to work with this became my ultimate favourite.

These pictures, though taken in natural light, honestly do not show the true beauty that they actually are.  I truly enjoyed making each and every one of them.  There's just something about seeing your thought/vision come to life.  They even brought other future ventures into perspective, so just wait and see...

The bags were delivered, she barely scan them and said "they are nice".... That left me wondering, does she really liked them?.... I left unsure.... But reassurance came when she sent me a voice vote.  I felt elated as she really liked them.

Now that's a crafter's dream.... To have others, not just themselves loving their creations.