15 March 2024

One scarf done

One of my scarves is done.  This will go to a charity unless a friend wants it. 
There's enough yarn left to do another so that'll be my 'nattering' project!!  First I need to sew in the ends!!!

I need something to do that's relatively simple when I'm with the crafting groups that I go to!!!




14 March 2024

Small progress on the Sashiko

Too much talking gets in the way of stitching but I need my lovely friends around me!!!  I'm making progress though.  Slowly, slowly, catchee monkey!!!



12 March 2024

The cardigan

A good start has been made on the new cardigan.  
It's not easy but the pattern itself is brilliant.  This is where I got the pattern from and this is what it will (hopefully!) look like - but on a MUCH younger body!!!




11 March 2024

Monday moan

Here we go again!!! Another moan from the old lady in England!!!
My moan today is really about new designers. My goodness we do need them as I'm going to fall off my perch one day along with others of my generation. 

A few months ago I helped a lady with her pattern which she was going to publish and sell on Etsy. Great. Pattern was nothing exciting really but I couldn't find a copyrighted one so off we went on an adventure. She was a delight to help as she took all suggestions on board (unlike another who gave me the sack and blocked me from seeing their work on Facebook a year or two ago!). 

What really surprised me was her lack of knowledge about the very, very basics of the craft. Even about hiding tails at the beginning of the work and she didn't use an obvious technique to add a bead which made (IMHO) a much better way of working a large bead into the design rather than sewing it on at the end. 

Another issue that has been annoying me INTENSLY is the trend for new designers (and now their followers) to change tatting terms that are already well established. IF ONLY they would get more experience and do more research into the craft they would realise that most tatting terms have been established for many years. 

I'm particularly thinking of the new 'trend' to call a ring on top of a chain (originally RoCh) a 'thrown ring' when a thrown ring is actually a ring thrown off a ring.  This is shown on this video.  The current trend is for people to call the ring on chain a 'thrown ring' or  'floating ring'.  PLEASE can we all stick to the established names?  It's causing much confusion to oldies like me and to the upcoming youngsters too.  

Do your research, PLEASE.





1 March 2024

I must be MAD!

No need to agree with me although I think it’s true!!!
I’ve bought this pattern from Ravelry and have just started on a new adventure!!

Please wish me luck with this new challenge!!!  It’s knitted from the top down and probably has quite a few other challenges hidden within it too!!!  Time will tell!!!

Least it’ll keep me out of mischief for a while!!!



29 February 2024

Another pair finished

Well you thought I was talking about one pair of gloves but actually this is the second pair I’ve knitted!!!  While I was in the ‘glove zone’ I thought I’d just carry on!!!
The first pair went to the new owner last week and this pair (she’s found the two she’d previously lost!) will stay with me!!  I keep a pair in each coat I’ve got so I don’t have to keep looking for them when I need them!!!



28 February 2024

More work on the bag

I’ve made a tentative start on the second side of the bag I’m doing for our community summer party.  This is how far I got last week.  

I tend to just add to it on a Tuesday morning at our local group.  I’ve got a long way to go!!!  

Very enjoyable while chatting to friends and neighbours which is why our group is called ‘Neighbours and Needles”!!!


27 February 2024

My nattering project

This project just grows and grows while I talk and talk!!!  
It’s a scarf that will eventually probably go to a local charity.  I’m really enjoying it as it’s so, so simple and I just love the i-cord edging to it too.  

I got the pattern from Ravelry and here’s the link.  

I think there maybe enough yarn to do another scarf - I must weigh the remaining yarn and the scarf when I’ve finished it.



26 February 2024

Monday moan - back today

Yes for all the fans of my Monday moans (both of you - you'll be offered a pay rise for reading it!!) I have one this week.
As you know from previous moans I belong to a lot of Facebook tatting groups.  I'm never totally sure how Facebook 'works' but I've got no secrets (only the ones I never share online - like my love of all things chocolate etc!) so rarely have cause to add anything to conversations.  

There was a post on a very popular tatting group over the weekend which I followed but didn't comment on until it was seemingly abandoned.  The group has a strong ethical rule about naming the designer of anything that members post which is a GREAT idea as it means we can all find the pattern either on a website or in a book. 

What a surprise to find that the owners of the group had changed the header picture but NOT NAMED THE DESIGNER AND SOURCE.  It wasn’t something I’d want to make but I do want to see what other designs that person has done.  Those who make the rules seemingly have the rights to break them too!!  I felt sorry for the poor moderator who’s been left ‘holding the baby’ by the admin team.  

Life never ceases to surprise me.  

Meantime another wet walk on Saturday but fortunately, just for a change, it didn’t rain!



22 February 2024

Yet more progress with the gloves

I remembered to take a photo of the gloves before I got too far.  

Can you see that I’m working in the round but with two circular needles.  Now you could work with just one or you could use dpn’s but the pattern suggests this way and I really find it so much easier - particularly as my circulars have two different colours joining the needle ends.  

Because of this I use the red needle for the palm of the glove and the grey one for the back.  Keeps BC3 on the right track!!!  First of all you join the three longer fingers and work a few rows.  Then you add in the ‘pinky’ and the palm is then very straightforward until you get to the thumb.  



20 February 2024

Sashiko progress

If you take a look at this post you’ll see what a group of us are doing on a Tuesday morning with Neighbours and Needles.  We’re using a technique called Sashiko and you can find out all about it here.

This is my one side of the bag but I’m not sure if I’ve finished it or not!!!  





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Happy Beaks

Happy Beaks
I beg your pardon? I didn't quite catch what you said.