Bee My Baby blanket

Poised for a ta-da moment?

I started making this honeycomb hexie blanket what feels like absolute yonks ago and I'm over the moon to be able to share it with you at long last! This is my second ever crochet blanket design and, due to my love of both bees and the colour yellow, it's an instant fave.  

After finding the ultimate grellow palette in DROPS' Cotton Merino range, I got hooking. A little bit of maths was required, to figure out how many hexies I'd need in each colour to make one big hexagon. This yarn is an absolute winner - super soft and really good stitch definition. I've been using the leftovers to make cute baby bootees. 

Many, many hexies later and the blanket was complete. My favourite bit was creating the little daisies and the bees with their flappy wings! And, not only am I chuffed with it, but pattern is in Simply Crochet issue 65. 

I'm hoping to be able to give my finished bee blanket sample to a special new tiny one in the fam soon! Not bad for the last FO of the year, I reckon. What's been your fave 2018 make? 

Kitchener stitch and patterns on Ravelry!

Between the day job and my To Be Adorned side hustle, I'm managing to cram in few sneaky rows of knitting here and there. We've moved a little further out of the city centre so my day generally includes a bus journey or two, which is prime stitching time! 

As usual, I had grand ideas about all the amazing yarny gifts I was going to make for Christmas gifts this year, but as the end of November is fast-approaching, I'm going to have to swallow the craft guilt, scale it back and make peace with working on with my WIP instead. When you think about it, it is a bit bonkers to feel guilty about your own unrealistic goals that only you knew about anyway. Currently on my needles is a pair of Edith mittens, and while I shouldn't have to justify making something for myself instead of Christmas gifts, I do actually need a pair.

I'm using the leftover red DROPS Nepal yarn from my Miette cardigan (so cosy) to knit these, and am loving the simple lace design. So far I've completed the first mitten, minus the thumb, and am well into the ribbing on the second. All plain sailing, until it got to grafting the top of the mitten together. Knitting socks isn't really my thing and I've never grafted stitches before, so this Purl Bee tutorial on Kitchener stitch came in very handy. I literally couldn't have figured it out otherwise. I'm not quite sure I've nailed it, I think it could be neater. Do you have any tips or good resources for Kitchener stitch? 

The other yarn-related news is *drumroll* two of my Simply Crochet designs are now available to buy on Ravelry! My Over the Rainbow ripple crochet blanket and Figgy Pudding festive hat topper patterns are out in the big wide world. While I've added the odd simple design to Ravelry before, this is the first time anything's gone up for sale.



It's been a while since I've chatted yarn here, so I'd love to know what's on your hook / needles right now and what's in your Ravelry queue. Fill me in!

baby bootees and a handmade legacy

We owe so much to the women who taught us to knit, don't we?

Nannie, now in her nineties, and Auntie Maureen, who we miss, would never have described themselves as knitters, but it's the skills they passed on to me that give me that identity. In their generations, almost everybody was handy with a needle and thread or ball of yarn. Now they're the kind of skills we have to seek out. 

A couple of weekends ago, I headed south to the seaside town where my parents live. I'd been invited to a baby shower for my friend Beth who's about to pop (so exciting). Naturally, I'd done the knitterly thing and stitched a pair of baby bootees – these ones by Marianna. In the past, I've knocked up little pairs of buttoned Mary Janes using the Saartje's Bootees pattern. They are very cute and it's a good excuse to raid the button stash, but I found this design a lot less fiddly.

The pattern is free (always a bonus), they're so easy to knit and look really adorable. I'll definitely be making more of these! I used DROPS Cotton Merino for this pair, which is a soft DK that's machine washable. I was keen to make them in natural fibres and this yarn fitted the bill nicely. Get all the deets on Ravelry here.

I was pretty chuffed with my handmade gift, but it was by no means the most beautiful or meaningful one given. We gathered round and Beth started unwrapping gifts for her little one. The first present was a pair of breathtaking handknitted blankets. One had a colourwork pattern with hedgehogs and a moss stitch border, the other was a delicate circular blanket in fine white lace. Both were lovingly and painstakingly stitched. The lady I was sat next to had made them. Her name was Jean. She was wearing a beautiful handknitted cardigan - periwinkle blue with complicated cables. It sounds cheesy, of course, but you could tell how much love she'd put into the making those blankets. Jean told me they had taken weeks to make and described how she'd made the round one with circular needles. She'd been knitting for years and had made many, many blankets in her time. Jean said she was even making blankets now for the children of people she'd made blankets for before they were born. That's an incredible legacy of heirloom knitted blankets.

Mama-to-be Beth is a very creative lady, so I know those beautiful blankets will be treasured for years to come. Her mum explained to me that Jean was a family friend who'd taught Beth how to knit when she was younger. It got me thinking about the impact that the older women in my life have had.

Nannie and Maureen taught me to knit. It's a simple thing, but it's had a huge impact on my career, my creativity, my identity, the people I've made connections with and how I think about my creator.

There have been some very significant pseudo-grandmas in my life too. Dodie, Nannie's best friend, gave me some vintage knitting patterns and my first tapestry needle years ago. I still use it to sew in all the ends on my projects. Mary gave me and my sister old books that her children had read, which helped kindle my love of reading at a young age. And Gwyn, who taught me about the power of prayer, even amid heartache, and how it's never too late to learn something new or find joy in an unexpected place. I'm so grateful to all of them.


Who do you owe your craft skills to? Let's celebrate them.

the social heart project yarnbomb

On Valentine's Day I took part in One Social Girl Meredith's annual yarnbomb for the fourth time. It's always such a lovely thing to join in with - spreading a tiny bit of handmade and a message of love where you live. This year, the #sheepishheartbomb became #thesocialheartproject and it was another chance to do something positive in real life and see the results of everyone's efforts online. Here's what I got up to over lunch in Bristol. 

Yes, I felt super self-conscious taking a bunch of crochet hearts out of my pocket and tying them to a gate, you know, just in the park in the middle of the day. But I'm hoping maybe this encouraged somebody. And that makes the small gesture worth it. 

Check out the #thesocialheartproject hashtag on Instagram to see everybody's crafty love notes out in communities around the world. Did you join in? I'll be stitching and sharing again next year!

hello 2017

2016, it's been real. A little too real. I'm so glad it's 2017. 

I hope you managed to have a bit of a break over Christmas and New Year. We had some down time and as usual I'm feeling a little reflective now it's January. 

It wasn't the best year. With all the worldwide negative and dramatic goings-on, as well as some struggles with striving, comparison and not finding contentment myself, it did suck in quite a few ways. But I'm still a silver linings kinda girl. I know there's a plan for me and that I am very blessed. I just need that to sink in properly in 2017. Having a look back over the last year is a good way to bring the positives and milestones back to light.

As always, there were some firsts: visits to Italy and Scotland, gym membership, difficult goodbye, blogging workshop, sponsored post, clay pigeon shooting (don't ask), trip to A&E (unrelated), x-ray, soup run, big festival, serious hangover (never a good idea), falling in love with spreadsheets, 

There were births, deaths and marriages, joyful, rowdy gigs, there was some wobbly mental health, Mr P learnt to drive, I finally visited the wonderful Letty and we went to the Bronte parsonage (literature geek achievement unlocked!), I crocheted my way across Loch Ness with some marvellous colleagues, I had my long hair cut off (finally), we celebrated our third wedding anniversary in Sorrento, went for a windy Christmas Eve walk on the beach and saw in the new year with friends. 

Last year I challenged myself to, among other things, finish two garments. And I totally did! Orange You Glad was my first adult-sized crochet garment and Miette my first knitted one. I'm pretty proud of them both and now have plans for a knitted jumper. I also managed to tick off another crafty goal – designing a blanket. I'll keep you posted on that one! 

I carried on running and yoga-ing, too. With a running buddy, I ran further than ever before (no-one was more surprised about this than me) and am planning a longer run with my sister in 2017. 

By far the biggest stepping-out-of-my-comfort zone moment was launching my To Be Adorned shop in 2016. Here's what I had to say on the matter. It's all been quiet on the western front around these parts lately as most of my free time is now spent dreaming up new designs, crocheting, wrestling with my glue gun and trying to figure out how to run a tiny business armed only with an iPad and a whole load of yarn. I have a feeling 2017's going to be a busy one. 

In the year ahead I'd like to knit a jumper, make the shop a success, pray more, love more and find joy in the everyday. But who knows what adventures are ahead!

Have you set any goals for 2017?

yarn along: The Night Circus, Elegance and a baby hat

It feels like it's been a while since we caught up, so what better way to check in than with a natter about reading and knitting? Ginny's yarn along is always a joy, but especially now it's so dark and cold that all I want to do is curl up indoors and ward off the encroaching winter with yarn and books. 

What are you making at the moment? This tiny stripy baby hat is fairly fresh off my needles. It's a Simply Knitting pattern from their Hand Knits for Baby booklet. The pattern is called Hats Off and I made it for a special little lady who hasn't been born yet! It's a pretty straightforward, knitted flat pattern and I figured out my own sassy stripe sequence. The yarn is Bessie May Smile – a squishy merino DK that is SO soft. You can see more on Ravelry here. 

I've finally finished The Night Circus (sooo good - message me if you've not read it and fancy my copy. I like to pass on good books). The colours black and red have an important presence in the story and there's an amazing bit near the end where a knitter gives one of the characters a beautiful red scarf. Check it out:

"She hands him a red wool scarf, the one she has been knitting on and off. It is longer than Bailey expected from watching her knit, with intricate patterns of knotted cables at each end.

"I can't accept this," he says, part of him deeply honored and the other part wishing people would stop giving him things. 

"Nonsense," Elizabeth says. "I make them all the time, I am at no loss for yarn. I started this one with no particular reveur in mind to wear it, so clearly it is meant for you."

"Thank you," Bailey says, wrapping the scarf around his neck despite the warmth of the train."

It's just brilliant when knitting crops up in a book you've fallen in love with. So what's next? I'm about to start on Elegance by Kathleen Tessaro. I've not read anything else by her, but I friend passed it on to me so I'm giving it a go. I'll keep you posted. 

I'd also like to share something exciting that happened earlier this month - the lovely Sarah of Crafts from the Cwtch featured me in her 'In Conversation With…' series. We had a good old chinwag about Knit Happens and my Simply Crochet day job. You can read it here. 

What are you knitting and reading at the moment? 

  

on the hook: Compostelle shawl

Ooh, it's been a while since I've shared any stitchy stuff here, hasn't it? If we're friends on Instagram, though, you'll have seen me working away on this beauty (see details on Ravelry here).  

Yep, I finally made up my mind about which of these gorgeous shawls to make with La Bien Aimee's glorious Direwolf Graffiti yarn. I let my inner Francophile call the shots and plumped for Eclectic Gipsyland's Compostelle (Pink Champagne in Simply Crochet). The pattern is lacy but with lots of texture. So far, I'm really enjoying the popcorn stitches and seeing the mermaidy curves of the shawl emerge in all different colours!

I'm actually in a bit of a WIP whirl at the moment, with a couple of top secret (very exciting!) projects demanding my attention, as well as my little red Miette cardi that I'm determined to finish by the end of the month. Phew!

I'd love to know what you're making. Anyone else out there juggling WIPs? 

shawl indecision

I have some lovely yarn but don't know what to make with it! What a First World problem, eh? Seriously though, I would really appreciate your opinion on this. Mr P treated me to these stunning skeins of Direwolf Grafitti 4ply from La Bien Aimee on our trip to Paris last year (sorry not sorry, I'm STILL not over it). I decided I'd like to crochet a shawl with it, but have no idea where to start as there are sooo many beautiful designs out there. 

The variegation is pretty out there and unlike anything I've made a shawl with before. I want to be careful to pick something that really shows off the yarn without being swallowed up my the colours, if that makes sense? 

Here are a couple of contenders. Let me know what you think! 

Compostelle / Pink Champagne or Sea Glass by Cécile Balladino

I love Cecile's designs and part of me wonders if a French yarn should have a French design?

Cherry Pi by Joanne Scrace

The Shawl Project designs are brilliant and this one looks like it could be really versatile to wear. 

Byzantium Beau by Annelies Baes

Urg, it's just so drapey and gorgeous. 

I haven't the foggiest!

*Shawl images from Ravelry. See links above.

spinning and dyeing yarn for newbies

I've known maker and lovely creative lady Marina for a little while. She's a fearless textile lover who can turn her hand to anything. Since we don't live in the same city any more, I've spent a lot of time gawping at her Instagram feed where she shares what she's been making (she's just bought a spinning wheel – living the dream!).  Basically there's a lot of gorgeous yarn and colourful fibres (swoon!). I'd been meaning to pick her brains about how she got into spinning and dyeing yarn and then thought why not share it here?

Hi Marina! I know you've been a knitter for some time, but what inspired you to take the plunge and get into dyeing and spinning?

I started both spinning and dyeing around the same time. I had always assumed you needed a spinning wheel to make yarn, so never really looked into it. Then I found out that drop spindles exist, and are an inexpensive, easy way to start spinning - I went to a local yarn shop the next day, picked up a spindle kit and got started! Once I was thinking creatively about the yarn itself, rather than simply looking for existing yarn for my projects, I knew that I wanted to play with colour. I happened to have some pure undyed wool in my stash, and some dyes from some tie-dye attempts a couple of years ago. As with the spinning, I decided I would give it a go, then spent all of the next day dyeing yarn and was immediately hooked!

Do you have any advice for newbies who'd like to give spinning or dyeing a go?

Don’t be scared! Both things can be intimidating, but are really good fun. Spinning can require a fair bit of practice to get the hang of it, but is then a really relaxing process. I’m still working on my spinning technique, and have just bought a spinning wheel, so am constantly improving. Dyeing is very different and makes me feel like a crazy chemist sometimes! I like to mix my own colours from primary colours, rather than buying pre-mixed colours. Working from primaries (usually yellow, magenta, and blue) is a good way to get into it if you are confident in your colour mixing and want to try out a wide range of colours without buying lots of different dyes.

Have you had any spinning or dyeing disasters?

Of course! My first handspun yarn was genuinely comical. It was neon yellow, chunky and lumpy, and so thick it would have been the width of my thumb if I’d bothered to ply it. I called it a practice run and carried on! Each successive spin was then a bit better, looking a bit more like ‘real’ yarn, and more consistent. As for dyeing, sometimes results can be a bit unexpected. The closest I’ve had to a disaster was when I started trying out a new type of dye. I was going for a nice teal and warm brown combo - it came out turquoise and pink and black and all sorts of colours! I realised I needed to make a lot of tweaks to my technique to make that type of dye give the colours I want. 

What bits of kit do you swear by?

Because I want to spend as much time possible doing the creative, fun bits, I ended up resenting the amount of time I was spending ‘reformatting’ yarn. The two things that have been lifesavers are a ball winder, which just clamps onto the edge of a table or surface, and winds a lovely cake of yarn so quickly. The other is a niddy noddy, which I mostly wanted because it’s the best, most made-up sounding name for anything I’ve ever come across. I had previously been winding skeins either between my hand and elbow, or round chair backs, both of which work, but neither is ideal. The niddy noddy makes such short work of making a skein that I barely notice I’ve started winding by the time it’s all done!

What's your favourite thing that you've made?

A couple of months ago I knitted a chunky grey and orange brioche cowl; it was the first thing I made completely from my hand spun, hand dyed yarn. I loved the colour combination and the fact that I’d taken it from colourless fluff to a unique, beautiful, wearable item. I have made other things from my handmade yarn since then, but am still so proud of that one. 

What can you tell us about your favourite fibres and techniques?

I really love Shetland wool to spin and knit; it’s so lovely and soft, and pleasant to work with, and I love the range of natural colours it comes in. Brioche is currently my favourite knitting technique (and I don't think I’m alone in that!) as it’s a relatively easy way to create textured contrast between two yarns. I’m going to try out some more complex variations soon, and am excited for that! 

Your colour combinations are amazing! Where do you find inspiration?

Thank you; I love colour! There are certain combinations that I love; any mix of brown and blue will win me over. I like to have a specific image in mind when creating colour ways; sometimes a scene from nature, or the feeling of a particular day. It can get a bit abstract! I have a Pinterest board that I use to pin any photos I find with interesting colours, which I can use as inspiration if I’m a bit stuck for my next dye lot. Usually my plan changes between looking at the screen and mixing the dyes, but it’s a starting point.

Who are your favourite yarn crafters and where can we find you online?

Stephen West is a huge inspiration in looking at knitwear design from a totally new, unique perspective, and Meghan Shimek’s beautiful weavings make me want to roll around in soft wool all day. I’m on Instagram @marinaskua, where you can see the behind-the-scenes work as I create and continue to learn, and my online shop is www.marinaskua.etsy.com.