Exams Are Finished

So g has finished her exams for this year and is now on holiday's, oh the joy of having kids home from school. I now have to schedule my time on the computer so that we all get a chance to do what we want.

So this year I have made a suggestion to her, I thought we might get out in the veggie patch together. She has a tendency to spend a lot of her time reading as she loves books, so later today we are going to weed the veggie patch and plant some seeds.

I have another idea for g, I am trying to make suggestions to her to encourage her to do other things in the holiday's. What do your children like doing in the holiday's? I was thinking seeing how I am learning to crochet maybe she will join me and learn also. I was thinking maybe this could be a good mother daughter session, something the two of us could learn together. 

I've tried teaching her to knit but we find that slow going as she always has so much homework. Also when you are learning to knit, you mainly make scarves. Which are useful but learning to crochet you can make many things and really feel that you have achieved something. Also this time of year in Australia is very hot to knit and it's slow going for that reason. To crochet this time of year is not so bad as you are not holding the yarn like you do with knitting. 

Well I hope everyone is having a good weekend:-)

Happy knitting
Sharyn

Cyber Week Sale

Wanting to get some Christmas shopping done, well the SPSTeam is celebrating the holiday season and hosting a Cyber Week Sale. You can use the coupon code SPST4U  in any of the participating shops to receive a discount. Here you will find shops that celebrate handmade, vintage and will supply you with all your craft needs.

The sale is running from November 24th until December 4th.

'Celebrating Cyber Week Sale ' by sharynmae

The SPSTeam is having a Cyber Week Sale from Nov 28 - Dec 4.Use code SPST4U at any of these participating shops for a special discount.

Cyber Sale Save 25% with cod... amydscrochet $12.5	White Santa, Vintage Clothti... northandsouths... $29.99	Hanji Paper Coasters, Tradit... HanjiNaty $22
Vintage Slate OOAK Handpaint... SlatedInSpirit $21	Franklin Mint Winter Home Co... BridgetsCollec... $12	A Warm Smile Gift Set Snowfl... joliefemme $12
Chunky Knit Infinity Cowl s... DawnLovesWings $19.75	Owl Bobby Pin with Yellow Fl... RetroCuties $8.99	Christmas Ornaments Caramel ... Ceraminic $12
SALE Walenty, the spaniel pu... MagaFabler $52.5	Raw Amethyst Transluscent Pu... WithTheseHands... $37	Joyful Christmas Card - Vint... PrettyByrdDesi... $4
Holiday Gift Box. Aromathera... YoMoEssentials $32	Crochet Christmas Angel orn... Corkycrafts $5	Teal Eleganza Cowl, Crochet ... FabricMuse $29.99
Brass,Glass Bead and Swarovs... TwinklingOfAnE... $18

Powered By Handmadeology

My Granny Hottie

So here is my yarn collection so far for the granny hottie, I need to get a few more colours as I need to make 24 mini squares. I want to have a bit of different colour in them, g has choosen mauve as the boarder colour.

So I've made a start on my granny hottie and I am  really enjoying the crocheting. I can now master the mini granny square. The only problem is all the ends but I've taken to doing them as I go. At the moment I have 5 completed squares, only need 19 more and then I will be ready for the next stage. Just as well it's summer here and she doesn't need the hottie just yet but it will be ready for next winter. If you need help doing the granny square on my previous post I linked to some helpful pages.


Happy knitting everyone
Sharyn

Learning To Crochet

I've decided to teach myself to crochet. I follow a couple of blogs and they do crocheting. I have to admit that they have inspired me to learn. You will find Lucy at Attic24 and Sandra over at Cherry Heart.

I myself learned to crochet when I was a child but somehow even though I could crochet when it came to following a pattern, well it just never seem to work. So I have decided to learn again and this time I will be working a pattern.

I've decided I want to do something basic but I also want to make something. So from another blog I follow I am going to be making a hot water bottle cover. The pattern is made up of mini granny squares and then joined together. You will find the pattern here. The good thing about this pattern is you can use up your leftover yarn. 

So I am using the pattern from Foxes Lane and Sandra over at Cherry Heart has a second blog called Crochet Corner and here are all the techniques I need to teach myself to make the hot water bottle cover.

So now all I have to do is choose the colours. I have chosen these as my colour palette but I don't know if I will be able to get the colours. I may have to make an adjustment as I am shopping for the yarn. I always use natural fibers when doing my craft work but I have decided that since I am learning and I don't know how I will go so I am going to use an acrylic yarn. I don't know what the colours will be like or what the yarn is like. What type of yarn do you like to use for your craft work?

Anyway i will let you know how I go with my yarn shopping.

Happy knitting
Sharyn

Sock Knitting Journey - Two At A Time On Two Circulars

So now I come to a new challenge and I only thought about doing this because I was taking a Craftsy class with Stefanie Japel. I was taking her Knit Lab - In the round and in one of the classes she demonstrates knitting two mittens in the round on two circulars. This gave me the idea to try it making socks, I know this is not a new idea but it was for me. I always make my socks one at a time and this has always been okay for me as I don't suffer second sock syndrome but for anyone who does this is a good way to knit your socks.
I also like the idea of two at a time as once you have finished the socks you have a completed pair already to go. Also by doing it this way you know they are going to be the same. 

When making your socks it's best to use 2 x 24" circulars and Stefanie uses needles with different colored cords. I myself use one bamboo and one metal needle, so that I can keep track of whats going on.

So I cast on my stitches to the bamboo needle and then moved half onto the metal needle. Next you cast on for your second sock to the metal needle and then move that half to the bamboo needle. You know everything is right if your yarn is on the right side of the work.

Look what happens when you get it right, a pair of socks start to emerge.

But of course it does taking some getting use to, When I started it did not matter how hard I tried I kept getting in a tangle. I would have both balls on the floor, one each side of me but it did not work. So then I tried having the balls on each side of me on the arm chair, that was a great result for me.

Here's my socks, where I have turned the heel and picked up the stitches. I am now on the home straight. I can see myself doing this again as I did not get it totally right. 

Anyway I hope your having a great weekend.

Happy knitting
Sharyn

Kitchener Stitch The Easy Way

I don't know about you but I find that I always struggle with doing Kitchener stitch. I don't know why but even when I tell the kids and hubs to not talk to me and I repeat the steps out loud to myself I still get lost.

My solution was to knit the stitches that I needed to graft together with waste yarn but I have not been happy with that solution of late. 

Then I graft them together.

But through a Facebook Group I belong to I was able to come up with a better solution. Well it didn't suit me as it was a solution for grafting when you have all garter stitch. You will find that link here. But it made me look for a solution and I found one that I think is really easy. Instead of using a needle to graft you use a knitting needle and once you have it set up you only have to repeat 4 steps. You will find the link here.
Here I am knitting the toes together for a pair of socks.