It feels rather odd to write a review before I have actually finished a book. But I believe in the case of this book, I am pretty safe in doing so.
What Would Boudicca Do? is a book celebrating the women of history in brilliant bite sized chunks, perfect for a few pages before bed. The book has a chapter dedicated to each women, and with a couple of pages gives us a synopsis of their life, giving us both the good and the bad, and how we can channel them into our everyday life.
The book has a feel good vibe to it, and gives us the history which we might not think to look for, and shows us women who we may never have heard of if we didn't know where to look.
The book is written in a relaxed, and fun to read style which I find easy to follow and doesn't have me scratching my head trying to understand what it is saying.
Overall I am enjoying this book, and it is giving me so much more information about the women of history that I never knew I needed to know about, and something to look back at history and smile at how strong and amazing these people were.
Book rating: I feel like I need to explain myself here, as this is the first time I have written a book review and I want to set up a book rating system to give the book a score out of 5. So I have thought about what I want to see in a book and have come up with the following three categories, each category will be rated out of five, then all the scores added up and divided by three to get the final score out of five. They are as follows:
1 - Readability: Is the book easy to read? What sort of language is used? Does the writing flow? Is it easy to get from page to page or am I fighting to the next chapter?
2 - Content: Is there a lot of subject matter or are we going around in circles? Is the subject made interesting by the writing? Is there depth to a story or plot? Are there backgrounds to each character, situation or decision? Does the writing give you loads of information at once or does it evaluate and pick out the good bits or the important bits?
3 - Put-Down-Ability: The last and final category kind of speaks for itself. Does the book make me want to keep turning the page? Is there so much going on that I just need to put it down to get my head around it? What is so "Just one more page" about it? Is there just one more thing to find out before you stop?
I hope this rating system makes sense, and perhaps if you have anything to add, anything to make it more interesting, or something I haven't thought about, leave a comment and I will try and get back to you, or improve the rating system.
So for What Would Boudicca Do?:
Readability: The language used is informal and easy to relate to. It flows nicely and is easy to follow. There are minor minor areas where I feel the subject jumps around a little bit, but overall I can read it quite nicely, so I'll give it a 4.
Content: The content is so much more then I realised I wanted to know. There is a lot of information that I don't think I find all in one place in many other places. I've enjoyed how individual parts are picked out and applied to everyday life and even the bad bits are not just glossed over but spoken about too. But there are some places where I am wanting more, I want to know more about specific stories and more about certain aspects of the people's lives. So I am going to give a score of 3 for content.
Put-Down-Ability: This book doesn't have any kind of cliff hanger, nor does it actually have a plot! But it is delightfully potato-chip-y. In that each chapter is so small that you just want to read one more. They are perfectly bite sized and perfect for reading a few pages before bed. The only thing making me want to come back to the book is the curiosity of who is going to be next. So for that, it is getting a 3.5 for Put-Down-Ability.
So the added total for each category is 10.5, so the final score out of five is 3.5.
Not a bad score for the book at all, and a lovely read if you want to find out just a little bit more about what some of the most important women in our history have done.
My all time favourite though, has to be Gráinne ní Mháille (Grace O'Malley), Irish pirate queen who did the f**k she wanted!
"The factory of things" as Mr M says. The modeling, knitting, sewing and crochet progress of me, Lemmon. Instagram: lemmonjuicer
Tuesday 29 October 2019
Thursday 10 October 2019
Episode 19: Summer Holidays
Welcome to the Lemmon Juicer Podcast, I hope you have a lovely time watching.
Instagram: @lemmonjuicer
Ravelry: sockbug97
Ravelry Group: Lemmon Juicer Podcast
Blog: www.lemmonjuicer.blogspot.co.uk
Extended Shownotes you will find on the Blog or in the Ravelry Group.
Finished Objects:
Bronwyn Shawl: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/bronwyn-shawl - A lovely crochet shawl that I am pretty sure I will get a lot of wear out of. It is made with DK yarn in four different colours, Green - Countess Ablaze, Grande Merino, Footloose, Light Blue - Malabrigo, Arroyo, Cian, Yellow - Babbles Yarns, Delicious DK, Solid Gold, Dark Blue - Fyberspates, Vivacious DK, Deep Aqua.
Colin's Triceratops: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/triceratops-head---taxidermy-dinosaur - a commossion from my brother for an excellent piece of livingroom furnature! ;) This is made from Cygnet Seriously Chunky in the Fawn colour way for the pale colour and Meadow Green for the main colour.
Gift Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/c-socks - A pair of gift socks from Christmas, these are 64sts on 2.5mm needle, in a 2x2 rib pattern. They are made from West Yorkshire Spinners, Signature 4-ply in the Pheasant colourway.
Margot the 2nd - Tilly and the Buttons pattern from the book Love at First Stitch, a wonderful book for getting started sewing your own clothes.
Spinning: Shetland and Icelandic blend, spun into a simple two ply that has come out as a light sport to fingering weight yarn.
WIPs:
F1 Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/sams-f1-socks - I have two pairs of F1 socks on the go, with a range of different yarns from CoopKnits in their Socks Yeah! base. The colours I have used I've listed on a previous post, so go back and have a look if you want to find out more.
Deck The Halls Stitch-a-long by Caterpillar Cross Stitch - a lovely stitch-a-long which is not too late to join in if you want to! I'm loving it!
In The Shed:
Handmade Notebook
Kiwico Eurika Crate - Pinball machine
Podcasts Mentioned:
Babbles Travelling Yarns
The Project Bag
Crafty Historian
Real Talk:
These are some links to the people leading the conversations around racism and inclusion in the
knitting community, take a look at their stories and discover some new people - please respect
their spaces:
@su.krita - https://www.instagram.com/su.krita/?hl=en
@thecolormustard - https://www.instagram.com/thecolormustard/?hl=en
@ocean_bythesea - https://www.instagram.com/ocean_bythesea/?hl=en
@booksandcables - https://www.instagram.com/booksandcables/?hl=en
@ggmadeit - https://www.instagram.com/ggmadeit/?hl=en
Layla F Saad's workbook: https://www.meandwhitesupremacybook.com/
Unfinished Object: https://www.unfinishedobject.com/
Vox Article: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/25/18234950/knitting-racism-instagram-stories
Music:
"Inspired" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Tuesday 10 September 2019
The Reading Challenge: September 2018 - September 2019
It won't come as a surprise to you all that I didn't manage to complete my reading challenge. It was very definitely challenging, and once I fell behind on the blog posts, I really felt like I fell behind in the reading. Without the blog posts keeping me accountable to my own challenge, I really sucked at sticking to it!
The challenge also opened my eyes to what books I find easy to read. I went into the challenge thinking that I could read any book, be that factual, or fiction and do absolutely fine. But I was suddenly more aware of writing styles and the types of words used. I realised that what worked for me was more of a narrative, then a factual style of writing, and that using words that are more complex and unusual tend to make a book a lot harder for me to read. This in itself is not going to stop me from reading any book in particular, but at least I will now know what books I am more likely to struggle with.
So let us take the list down from the wall and have a look at what I have actually managed in the last year. So the list tells me that I started to read a total of 17 books in the last year. Which personally I don't think is too bad. As a self confessed bookworm however I would like that number to be higher, but this girl also has hobbies!
I specifically say "started to read" because there were a couple of books that I started, and didn't finish. These books I may well go back to at some point, but the challenge seemed to give me a reason to put down a book that I wasn't enjoying, or really making much progress through, which I think is what is to be said for the three unfinished on this list. There was a thought in the back of my mind for many years about reading books, that once I had started to read a book, I then had to finish it. I mostly stuck to that rule for many years, only once or twice putting a book down that I really didn't enjoy (or got rather angry with the main character - The Paper Magician I'm looking at you!), but during this challenge it became clear to me that really I am just wasting my time that could be spent reading and enjoying the books I love.
So we take out the three books that I never made it to the end of and we are left with fourteen books read from cover to cover. Not too bad if I say so myself. Looking at the titles they are a delightful mix of genres, we have a couple of autobiographies, fiction and nonfiction. I have to say that I did enjoy every one of them, and it did feel good to get some of the books on my shelves read. I still seem to have a somewhat shameful amount of unread books on my shelves and I keep buying more - help!
I feel that it is only fair to share with you the list of the books I managed to read, and mostly in the order that I read them in. Although I did start some before I finished the ones before it (shhh no one needs to know!) and I will include the ones I didn't make it all the way thorough, and maybe you'll see something there you might want to pick up yourself. The first few you will recognise if you have seen some of my previous reading challenge posts, where I have written a little bit about them.
The List:
1 - The Tales of Beedle the Bard, JK Rowling
2 - Handbook for Railway Steam Locomotive Enginemen
3 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, JK Rowling
4 - Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook, Terry Pratchett
5 - Worms to Catch, Guy Martin
6 - Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them, JK Rowling
7 - First Light, Geoffrey Wellum
8 - Giants of Steam, Jonathan Glancey (Unfinished)
9 - We Need to Weaken the Mixture, Guy Martin
10 - Death on the Nile, Agatha Christie
11 - Underground, Overground, Emily Kearns
12 - Girl Up, Laura Bates
13 - Felix the Railway Cat, Kate Moore
14 - Crimes of Grindelwald, JK Rowling
15 - Love at First Stitch, Tilly Walnes
16 - The Craft of Handspinning, Eileen Chadwick (unfinished)
17 - Empire of the Clouds, James Hamilton-Paterson (unfinished)
I really did enjoy the challenge I set for myself, or what I did of it at least, and I have decided that I am going to try again. I am thinking of starting on the 1st of January, a slightly more typical date for year long challenges, and I will probably reduce the amount of books to see if I can still reach that goal. Perhaps if I manage to reach a goal of say 20 or 15 then I can ramp it up and maybe another year I will complete 25 books.
I am also hoping to be back a little more regularly with blog posts (I know I say it every time but I am trying!) and perhaps bring you more information on my sewing projects as well as a couple of book reviews and things I have been reading.
I hope you have enjoyed this and continue to enjoy reading my blog. Until next time, all the best. xx
Tuesday 3 September 2019
Episode 18: Wipseseseses
Welcome to the Lemmon Juicer Podcast, get the kettle on and we'll get stuck in.
Instagram: @lemmonjuicer
Ravelry: sockbug97
Ravelry Group: Lemmon Juicer Podcast
Blog: www.lemmonjuicer.blogspot.co.uk
Extended Shownotes you will find on the Blog or in the Ravelry Group.
Finished Objects:
Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/b-socks
- Just a plain vanilla sock, with a german short row heel. Made out of Opal sock yarn, on a 2.5mm needle with 64 stitches.
Irma Hat: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/irma-hat
- Another gift knit, this is the Irma hat by Aneta Gasiorowska, knit up in Countess Ablaze, undyed Grande Merino. This was a lovely quick knit, maybe I'll do another!
WIPs:
Bronwyn Shawl: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/bronwyn-shawl
- This lovely crochet shawl is the Bronwyn Shawl by Toni Lipsey, it is going quite nicely and I am loving the outcome so far! The yarn I have used is, Countess Ablaze, Grande Merino in the Footloose colourway, Malabrigo, Arroyo in the Cian colourway, Babbles Yarns, Delicious DK in the Solid Gold colourway and Fyberspates, Vivacious DK in the Deep Aqua colourway.
F1 Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/sams-f1-socks
- These I am really enjoying, and is a pattern made up by myself, and there is one pair for me and one pair for Sam, made out of pretty much the same colours:
Grey: West Yorkshire Spinners, Bo Peep - Tin Can
Black: West Yorkshire Spinners, Signature 4 ply - Black
Ferrari - CoopKnits, Socks Yeah! - Carnelian
Red Bull - CoopKnits, Socks Yeah! - Benitolite
Mercedes - CoopKnits, Socks Yeah! - Chryso
Torro Rosso - CoopKnits, Socks Yeah! - Larimar
Colin's Triceratops: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/triceratops-head---taxidermy-dinosaur
- This delightful dinosaur was a request that I was happy to fulfill. The yarn is Cygnet Seriously Chunky in the Fawn colourway and the Meadow Green colourway.
Gift Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/c-socks
- Another pair of gift socks in readiness for christmas. This pair I am not knitting to a pattern again, but I am thinking of doing them as a 2x2 rib all the way down. They are 64 stitches and on a 2.5mm needle as always! The yarn is West Yorkshire Spinners, Signature 4 Ply in what I think is the Pheasant colourway.
Margot the 2nd - Tilly and the Buttons pattern
Spinning: Shetland and Icelandic blend
In The Shed:
Handmade Notebook
Real Talk:
These are some links to the people leading the conversations around racism and inclusion in the
knitting community, take a look at their stories and discover some new people - please respect
their spaces:
@su.krita - https://www.instagram.com/su.krita/?hl=en
@thecolormustard - https://www.instagram.com/thecolormustard/?hl=en
@ocean_bythesea - https://www.instagram.com/ocean_bythesea/?hl=en
@booksandcables - https://www.instagram.com/booksandcables/?hl=en
@ggmadeit - https://www.instagram.com/ggmadeit/?hl=en
Layla F Saad's workbook: https://www.meandwhitesupremacybook.com/
Unfinished Object: https://www.unfinishedobject.com/
Vox Article: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/25/18234950/knitting-racism-instagram-stories
Music:
"Inspired" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Thursday 15 August 2019
Lemmon Juicer Podcast Ep 17: All the Socks
Welcome to the Lemmon Juicer Podcast, I hope you're comfy!
Instagram: @lemmonjuicer
Ravelry: sockbug97
Ravelry Group: Lemmon Juicer Podcast
Blog: www.lemmonjuicer.blogspot.co.uk
Extended Shownotes you will find on the Blog or in the Ravelry Group.
Finished Objects:
Pop Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/pop-socks
- A vanilla sock knit with 2.5mm DPNs and 64 stitches. Made out of Austermann Step yarn in the Nordcap (046) ? Colourway I think. These were knit for a gift, so will be put away ready for Christmas!
Triangle Knit Shawl: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/knit-triangle-shawl
- An asymmetrical shawl made from Bernat Pop! yarn cakes, in the radical botanical colour way. This isn't the chunky bernat pop, but is incredibly snuggly.
Spinning: Green Merino Silk Braid
- A merino silk braid that I got from the Wool on the Exe shop, which was a joy to spin and I have another skein which I have spun, so we will see what that grows up to be!
WIPs:
Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/b-socks
- Another pair of gift socks -I know organised and everything! These are again knit on 2.5mm DPNs and with 64 stitches, and is just a basic vanilla sock with a german short row heel. The yarn is Opal, but I'm really not sure what colourway it is at all (sorry! :s)
Bronwyn Shawl: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/bronwyn-shawl
- Oh I needed another crochet project! This one was perfect, the shawl is by Toni Lipsey and is a lovely asymmetrical triangle shawl. The yarns are:
Green - Countess Ablaze, Grande Merino, Footloose
Light blue - Malabrigo, Arroyo, Cian
Yellow - Babbles Yarns, Delicious DK, Solid Gold
Dark blue - Fyberspates, Vivacious DK, Deep Aqua
F1 Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/f1-socks
These I am soooo enjoying, maybe a little too much. The yarns used are:
Grey - West Yorkshire Spinners, Bo Peep - Tin Can
Ferrari - CoopKnits, Socks Yeah! - Carnelian
Red Bull - CoopKnits, Socks Yeah! - Benitolite
Mercedes - CoopKnits, Socks Yeah! - Chryso
Torro Rosso - CoopKnits, Socks Yeah! - Larimar
Colin's Triceratops: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/triceratops-head---taxidermy-dinosaur
- This deightful dinosaur was a request that I was happy to fulfill. The yarn was Cygnet Seriously Chunky in the Fawn colourway and the Meadow Green colourway.
Margot the 2nd - Tilly and the Buttons pattern
In The Shed:
Sadly nothing...
Real Talk:
These are some links to the people leading the conversations around racism and inclusion in the
knitting community, take a look at their stories and discover some new people - please respect
their spaces:
@su.krita - https://www.instagram.com/su.krita/?hl=en
@thecolormustard - https://www.instagram.com/thecolormustard/?hl=en
@ocean_bythesea - https://www.instagram.com/ocean_bythesea/?hl=en
@booksandcables - https://www.instagram.com/booksandcables/?hl=en
@ggmadeit - https://www.instagram.com/ggmadeit/?hl=en
Layla F Saad's workbook: https://www.meandwhitesupremacybook.com/
Unfinished Object: https://www.unfinishedobject.com/
Vox Article: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/25/18234950/knitting-racism-instagram-stories
Music:
"Inspired" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Wednesday 17 July 2019
Lemmon Juicer Podcast Ep 16: All the finished things
Welcome to the Lemmon Juicer Podcast, settle down with a mug of something and we'll get started.
Instagram: @lemmonjuicer
Ravelry: sockbug97
Ravelry Group: Lemmon Juicer Podcast
Blog: www.lemmonjuicer.blogspot.co.uk
Extended Shownotes you will find on the Blog or in the Ravelry Group.
Finished Objects:
Galewood Gauntlets:https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/galewood
- Made from John Arbon Devonia 4-ply in the bleeding heart colourway, using the pattern by Honor Adams. I definitely enjoyed these more after I had blocked them, very much fell back in love with them.
Fraternal Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/lottie-socks
- A pair of socks knitted for myself on a 2mm needle using Bergere de France Goomy 50 - Imprim Jaun, and West Yorkshire Spinners Bo Peep 4-ply in the teddy bear colour way. A fun pair of fraternal socks just to give it a go.
Lyne Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/lyne-socks
-The pattern is by Dawn Henderson and is a beautifully thought through shorty sock, I've made it with Gamercrafting Yak sock in the lagoon mist colourway, which an incredibly beautiful purple and soooo soft.
Trophy Ram's Head:https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/faux-ram-trophy-head
- From a kit bought from Sincerely Louise, which was incredibly fun. Going to be entered into the Village flower and produce show, so we will see what we win!
Mum H socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/mum-h-socks
- I pair of socks knitted for my best friends mum for her birthday on Schachenmayr Catania cotton yarn, they are now being posted off the their new home, and I really hope they fit their new owner!
Stevie Top: https://shop.tillyandthebuttons.com/products/stevie
- A Lovely pattern by Tilly and the Buttons, it is now a favourite and I do like the style of the top. This top I have made from some cotton fabric found in my local fabric shop. It is so me and I made it for my birthday top, something that I feel might become a tradition in the future!
Baby Quilt: Fat Quarters for the front pieces from various fabric shops, backing fabric
from Hobbycraft.
- A quilt that I decided to make whilst looking through the scrap bin in a fabric shop near my best friends house, they had some seriously cute things and I was sold! I picked up a couple more little pieces at one of my local fabric shops and got started.
Spinning: John Arbon Corriedale
- A lovely bag of undyed corriedale for me to try came along with my John Arbon Mill membership, which I really enjoyed spinning and looking forward to spinning the rest!
WIPs:
Pop Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/pop-socks
- A pair of vanilla socks made in Austermann Step yarn. This was a yarn that I bought with the intention of making a gift pair of socks, we will see where they end up!
Triangle Knit Shawl: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/knit-triangle-shawl
- An imaginatively named shawl from a Bernat Pop! ball band. I loved the colours of the yarn and bought it with the idea that maybe I should try and knit more shawls and I could start with this one on the ball band.
In The Shed:
Noste Pinne - Made from windfall wood and utilising my whittling skills, which haven't really been used for a while, and I kinda miss it.
Letter Opener - I would say the words above again, but I don't need to, look up! ;)
Real Talk:
These are some links to the people leading the conversations around racism and inclusion in the
knitting community, take a look at their stories and discover some new people:
@su.krita - https://www.instagram.com/su.krita/?hl=en
@thecolormustard - https://www.instagram.com/thecolormustard/?hl=en
@ocean_bythesea - https://www.instagram.com/ocean_bythesea/?hl=en
@booksandcables - https://www.instagram.com/booksandcables/?hl=en
@ggmadeit - https://www.instagram.com/ggmadeit/?hl=en
Layla F Saad's workbook: https://www.meandwhitesupremacybook.com/
Unfinished Object: https://www.unfinishedobject.com/
Vox Article: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/25/18234950/knitting-racism-instagram-stories
Music:
"Inspired" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Sunday 9 June 2019
Me-Made-May 2019 - The Turtle Skirt
This post will be the last of four posts that I have finally got around to writing for Me-Made-May 2019. They have been posted in the order that they were intended to be posted throughout the month, so you will most probably see this one first then scroll down to see the rest. So I hope you enjoy.
The last Me-Made that made its way out for Me-Made-May was my 3/4 circle skirt that was one of the very first pieces of clothing I made for a mostly adult me. I say mostly adult, I think I had just turned 18 at the time. I'm not entirely sure but I remember drinking a horrible bottle of wine to celebrate redecorating my bedroom at the same time.
The pattern was a self drafted pattern from some instructions that I found on Pinterest. Whether the formulas from this website or my maths at the time were off it is hard to say. But the pattern I drafted was meant to be a full circle skirt, and I did cut out enough pieces to create the full circle.
The fabric I used I found in a box in our house, and if I remember rightly was originally used to make toddler Lottie a pair of shorts and a vest top. Which I seem to remember wearing on a family holiday to the Isle of Wight. I may be corrected later by Mam. The fabric was a white jersey type fabric with cartoon turtles on it, which is quite cute.
I had never sewn with jersey before (and never have done since) so on the actual sewing side of things, it is a little bit of a car crash, but its held together and still functions as a skirt, so why not just wear it around the house on a summer's day?
I mentioned that I was intending to make a full circle skirt, and yes I did have all the pieces, but I did find that once I had sewn three of the pieces together that actually that size fitted around my waist and that actually if I added another panel in it would have been horrendously too big. So I left out the last panel and sewed up the skirt. Which to be fair wasn't too bad.
But there ends all the different makes for Me-Made-May 2019. Writing this on the 9th of June I can say that I did indeed wear a Me-Made almost every day for Me-Made-May. Whilst it was challenging at times I did manage it, with the exception of one day, where I wore a skirt I had made for an hour before deciding I felt too uncomfortable in it. So here's to a successful May, and to many more Me-Made clothes in my future.
The last Me-Made that made its way out for Me-Made-May was my 3/4 circle skirt that was one of the very first pieces of clothing I made for a mostly adult me. I say mostly adult, I think I had just turned 18 at the time. I'm not entirely sure but I remember drinking a horrible bottle of wine to celebrate redecorating my bedroom at the same time.The pattern was a self drafted pattern from some instructions that I found on Pinterest. Whether the formulas from this website or my maths at the time were off it is hard to say. But the pattern I drafted was meant to be a full circle skirt, and I did cut out enough pieces to create the full circle.
The fabric I used I found in a box in our house, and if I remember rightly was originally used to make toddler Lottie a pair of shorts and a vest top. Which I seem to remember wearing on a family holiday to the Isle of Wight. I may be corrected later by Mam. The fabric was a white jersey type fabric with cartoon turtles on it, which is quite cute.
I had never sewn with jersey before (and never have done since) so on the actual sewing side of things, it is a little bit of a car crash, but its held together and still functions as a skirt, so why not just wear it around the house on a summer's day?
I mentioned that I was intending to make a full circle skirt, and yes I did have all the pieces, but I did find that once I had sewn three of the pieces together that actually that size fitted around my waist and that actually if I added another panel in it would have been horrendously too big. So I left out the last panel and sewed up the skirt. Which to be fair wasn't too bad.
But there ends all the different makes for Me-Made-May 2019. Writing this on the 9th of June I can say that I did indeed wear a Me-Made almost every day for Me-Made-May. Whilst it was challenging at times I did manage it, with the exception of one day, where I wore a skirt I had made for an hour before deciding I felt too uncomfortable in it. So here's to a successful May, and to many more Me-Made clothes in my future.
Me-Made-May 2019 - Hermione's Everyday Socks
My last actual pair of socks for Me-Made-May I wore on day 14, and they were a lovely pair of Hermione's Everyday Socks, a free pattern that you can find on Ravelry. These were a pair of patterned socks that I had my eye on for a long time, and I managed to get just the right yarn for the project.
The yarn I got was Malabrigo Sock in the Ivy colourway. The sock yarn is 100% Merino and very soft. This is the first time making socks out of merino, so I will have to see how it holds up and maybe not wear them when I am likely to be hard wearing on my socks.
The socks didn't take me too long to make. The pattern was easy to remember and once I was going I was off. The only modification as such that I made was to adjust my needle size. I didn't gauge swatch but I knew that if I was to use the patterns required number of stitches then I would need to go down to a 2mm needle instead of the recommended needle size for the pattern. I also used DPNs instead of two circulars mainly because I think I prefer that method, and because I only really have one sock size circular, and that is my one super long one!
The socks I came out with at the end are lovely, they are comfy and I am in love with the colour. I would definitely make it again.
I believe I wore these socks a few times throughout Me-Made-May and they stood up pretty well. One day I did wear them to work, and the heels did become a little felted at the back. Which was a bit sad, but I will see if there is anything I can do about it, the felting isn't that bad really. I think I won't wear merino socks to work again though.
The yarn I got was Malabrigo Sock in the Ivy colourway. The sock yarn is 100% Merino and very soft. This is the first time making socks out of merino, so I will have to see how it holds up and maybe not wear them when I am likely to be hard wearing on my socks.The socks didn't take me too long to make. The pattern was easy to remember and once I was going I was off. The only modification as such that I made was to adjust my needle size. I didn't gauge swatch but I knew that if I was to use the patterns required number of stitches then I would need to go down to a 2mm needle instead of the recommended needle size for the pattern. I also used DPNs instead of two circulars mainly because I think I prefer that method, and because I only really have one sock size circular, and that is my one super long one!
The socks I came out with at the end are lovely, they are comfy and I am in love with the colour. I would definitely make it again.
I believe I wore these socks a few times throughout Me-Made-May and they stood up pretty well. One day I did wear them to work, and the heels did become a little felted at the back. Which was a bit sad, but I will see if there is anything I can do about it, the felting isn't that bad really. I think I won't wear merino socks to work again though.
Me-Made-May 2019 - The Last Pair of Leftovers
Day 13 was for the last pair of leftovers socks I own. Both socks from this pair are made from the same brand of yarn - Drops Delight I think, and both pairs of socks were made around a similar time.
The red sock was made first, and was leftover from a pair of socks that I made Mr M for christmas. He loves those socks and I am very glad. The second one was a leftover from a pair that I made for my Mam. Although the socks were a little bit on the tight side, I still think she wears them... hopefully.
Looking back at the photos I got when I was knitting both the socks I thing they were made on a 2mm circular needle. Which means that they will by 64 stitches all together. The red sock, was made cuff down and I think with a heel flap and gusset heel construction. It fits okay, but is a little on the small side in terms of length and does like to slide down my foot. Which can be rather annoying as it is a shortie sock and the cuff doesn't do anything to help. But I like to wear it because I made it and I can be a little strong willed like that!
The purple sock I believe I tried a new type of sock construction. I did this sock toe up, but also on a 2mm circular needle. For this one I needed to learn how to do a turkish cast on, which was interesting, seeing as all the tutorials I could find all used two circular needles, instead of one long one. At the time I tried to start this sock I was away from home and only had one needle, which was rather frustrating.
I managed the cast on, and then created a video explaining how I did it, which is on my youtube channel if you are ever curious (it is one of the first videos I did so you might have to scroll back a little to find it).
This sock was also the first time I think I had ever done a different type of heel then the heel flap and gusset that I had learnt to do first. I think it was a german short row heel, or it might have been a wrap and turn. The two I find are ever so similar, so I'm not sure what I used.
I then seem to have done a little more knitting on the leg of the sock before starting on the cuff. Which was unusual seeing as I normally go straight from the cuff into the heel. I don't know if I was trying to give a little more height as I would have in a heel flap, but it seems likely. Without actually having written down how I did this sock, which was a very bad idea, I did manage to create a sock that fits quite nicely. It cups my heel more and is a lot more comfortable then it's pair. Maybe I should try and recreate it sometime.
The red sock was made first, and was leftover from a pair of socks that I made Mr M for christmas. He loves those socks and I am very glad. The second one was a leftover from a pair that I made for my Mam. Although the socks were a little bit on the tight side, I still think she wears them... hopefully.Looking back at the photos I got when I was knitting both the socks I thing they were made on a 2mm circular needle. Which means that they will by 64 stitches all together. The red sock, was made cuff down and I think with a heel flap and gusset heel construction. It fits okay, but is a little on the small side in terms of length and does like to slide down my foot. Which can be rather annoying as it is a shortie sock and the cuff doesn't do anything to help. But I like to wear it because I made it and I can be a little strong willed like that!
The purple sock I believe I tried a new type of sock construction. I did this sock toe up, but also on a 2mm circular needle. For this one I needed to learn how to do a turkish cast on, which was interesting, seeing as all the tutorials I could find all used two circular needles, instead of one long one. At the time I tried to start this sock I was away from home and only had one needle, which was rather frustrating.I managed the cast on, and then created a video explaining how I did it, which is on my youtube channel if you are ever curious (it is one of the first videos I did so you might have to scroll back a little to find it).
This sock was also the first time I think I had ever done a different type of heel then the heel flap and gusset that I had learnt to do first. I think it was a german short row heel, or it might have been a wrap and turn. The two I find are ever so similar, so I'm not sure what I used.
I then seem to have done a little more knitting on the leg of the sock before starting on the cuff. Which was unusual seeing as I normally go straight from the cuff into the heel. I don't know if I was trying to give a little more height as I would have in a heel flap, but it seems likely. Without actually having written down how I did this sock, which was a very bad idea, I did manage to create a sock that fits quite nicely. It cups my heel more and is a lot more comfortable then it's pair. Maybe I should try and recreate it sometime.
Me-Made-May 2019 - The Stevie
Day 12 of Me Made May was my Stevie and I fell in love pretty quickly. I took my newly made Stevie out to Bath for a weekend away that I had planned and got some lovely photos of it out in the wild as I was enjoying myself in sunny Bath.
Stevie is a pattern by Tilly and the Buttons, and you can get the digital download or order a paper pattern to be posted out to you on their website here. The pattern is both a top, and a tunic dress which makes it quite versatile. I however am not really a dress person, so I stuck to the top version.
I used some 100% cotton that I picked up in my local Hobbycraft, I'm not sure what sort of weight cotton, but it was on the medium side I think. (Hobbycraft don't really like to put labels on anything...) The sewing went well and I really did enjoy it. The only thing that started to frustrate me was that there wasn't enough of a seam allowance to create a rolled hem. The instructions just give to turn up the hem on both the sleeves and the body once and then find a way to finish the raw edges.
To start with I only pinked the edges with a pair of pinking shears, but after wearing it once and loving it I suddenly felt terrified that the edges weren't quite strong enough and I was scared I was going to loose my beloved top! That probably won't be the case, but I am the kind of person who is always worrying about something.
So after wearing it for the day, I very carefully turned over the tiny bit of hem left and hand stitched a running stitch through it to try and hide the raw edge and hope that it wouldn't want to fray.
The last adorable thing I love about the Stevie is the back. There are two options, a tie back, or a little button and loop. I had to pick out the perfect button for this project and I am so glad I found it. It may be designed for a child garment, but those who know me and indeed the fact that I am still really a child at heart will agree that this is the right button for this project.
Now I am writing this post a little while after I wore this, and in fact a little while after the end of May, and I have already been able to make adjustments to the pattern for myself and make another one, which became my birthday top. I added an inch and a half hem allowance for both the sleeves and the body, which allowed me to create a rolled hem and not worry so much about fraying. I however didn't use the whole inch and a half allowance on the sleeves which does mean that they are ever so slightly longer, which I quite like - but more about that top on my next podcast.
For now, here is the picture of the cute little button on the back, and this top will certainly get more wear for years to come.
Stevie is a pattern by Tilly and the Buttons, and you can get the digital download or order a paper pattern to be posted out to you on their website here. The pattern is both a top, and a tunic dress which makes it quite versatile. I however am not really a dress person, so I stuck to the top version.I used some 100% cotton that I picked up in my local Hobbycraft, I'm not sure what sort of weight cotton, but it was on the medium side I think. (Hobbycraft don't really like to put labels on anything...) The sewing went well and I really did enjoy it. The only thing that started to frustrate me was that there wasn't enough of a seam allowance to create a rolled hem. The instructions just give to turn up the hem on both the sleeves and the body once and then find a way to finish the raw edges.
To start with I only pinked the edges with a pair of pinking shears, but after wearing it once and loving it I suddenly felt terrified that the edges weren't quite strong enough and I was scared I was going to loose my beloved top! That probably won't be the case, but I am the kind of person who is always worrying about something.So after wearing it for the day, I very carefully turned over the tiny bit of hem left and hand stitched a running stitch through it to try and hide the raw edge and hope that it wouldn't want to fray.
The last adorable thing I love about the Stevie is the back. There are two options, a tie back, or a little button and loop. I had to pick out the perfect button for this project and I am so glad I found it. It may be designed for a child garment, but those who know me and indeed the fact that I am still really a child at heart will agree that this is the right button for this project.
Now I am writing this post a little while after I wore this, and in fact a little while after the end of May, and I have already been able to make adjustments to the pattern for myself and make another one, which became my birthday top. I added an inch and a half hem allowance for both the sleeves and the body, which allowed me to create a rolled hem and not worry so much about fraying. I however didn't use the whole inch and a half allowance on the sleeves which does mean that they are ever so slightly longer, which I quite like - but more about that top on my next podcast.
For now, here is the picture of the cute little button on the back, and this top will certainly get more wear for years to come.
Wednesday 15 May 2019
Lemmon Juicer Podcast Ep 15: The One With All the Sewing
Welcome to the Lemmon Juicer Podcast, put the kettle on and get stuck in.
Instagram: @lemmonjuicer
Ravelry: sockbug97
Ravelry Group: Lemmon Juicer Podcast
Blog: www.lemmonjuicer.blogspot.co.uk
Extended Shownotes you will find on the Blog or in the Ravelry Group.
Finished Objects:
Madison Scarf: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/madison-scarf - Made out of Malabrigo Rios in the Purpuras colourway, and knit on a circular needle at quite a loose gauge. It was a fun a intuitive knit and was finished pretty quickly.
Spinning: Green Batts - Batts I picked up from a yarn shop, no idea what sort of fibre content they have, just know that they are wool and they are green! Spun into a simple 2-ply with my wheel.
Stevie Top: https://shop.tillyandthebuttons.com/products/stevie - A lovely pattern, and as I has discovered easy to wear! Made out of a blue cotton with a button and loop fastening on the back. Fabric and button were from Hobbycraft.
Delphine Skirt: From Tilly and the Buttons book Love at First Stitch - This I made to try out some new skills and techniques, not sure what it will go with in my wardrobe yet though. Fabric from a bargain bucket in a fabric shop near my LYS.
Hoddie: A self drafted hoodie pattern from YEARS ago, finally finished it. - Made from a pigs flying fleece from many many moons ago, I finally put some cuffs on it and it is now rather wearable.
WIPs:
Baby Cross Stitch:https://www.sewandso.co.uk/product/train-birth-record-cross-stitch-kit/1001851 - Whilst I did not show this today, it is very much still a WIP, although some progress is being made. Next time I'm pretty sure it will be done.
Galewood Gauntlets:https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/galewood - Finally got cracking on making the second one and fortunately the mojo is returning. Made with Devonia (John Arbon) 4-ply in the Bleeding Heart colourway.
Lyne Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/lyne-socks - Slow progress but I do have a HO, one sock done and the cuff of the other also completed. Loving the pattern and even more so the yarn: Gamercrafting Yak sock, in the Lagoon Mist colourway.
Socks for me: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/lottie-socks - A pair of sock I'm making without a pattern for myself. On a 2mm circular needle with 64 stitches. It is a fraternal pair, one is already finished and the next one is getting on. Yarn is West Yorkshire Spinners, Bo Peep in the Teddy Bear colourway the other is Bergere De France Goomy 50 in the Imprim Jaun colourway.
In The Shed:
Niddy Noddy: Making a niddy noddy out of windfall wood.
Real Talk:
These are some links to the people leading the conversations around racism and inclusion in the
knitting community, take a look at their stories and discover some new people:
@su.krita - https://www.instagram.com/su.krita/?hl=en
@thecolormustard - https://www.instagram.com/thecolormustard/?hl=en
@ocean_bythesea - https://www.instagram.com/ocean_bythesea/?hl=en
@booksandcables - https://www.instagram.com/booksandcables/?hl=en
@ggmadeit - https://www.instagram.com/ggmadeit/?hl=en
Layla F Saad's workbook: https://www.meandwhitesupremacybook.com/
Unfinished Object: https://www.unfinishedobject.com/
Vox Article: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/25/18234950/knitting-racism-instagram-stories
Music:
"Inspired" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Tuesday 14 May 2019
Me-Made-May 2019 - Another Pair of Leftovers
Day 10 I wore another pair of leftovers socks (I think I have three pairs, so prepare yourself for one more after these!) these leftovers were from my first ever pair of socks, and a pair that I made for my friend Emma.
The first shortie sock made from the yarn from my first pair of socks I believe I made on a 2mm circular needle. I can't remember if this was the first time I had used the needle or not, but the sock wasn't without it problems. I had vastly misjudged when I needed to start the toe in the sock, and I was quite glad that I tried it on before grafting the toe.
It was indeed too short and I had to rip back the toe to put on a few more rows and starting the toe again. This may have made it wearable, but it is still too short. It likes to slip off my ankle, but oh well. It was a learning point, and we moved on.
I think that I made this sock with a 60 stitch count, which also makes it a little too tight on my foot. It was around when I made this when I realised that going down a needle size and not going up in stitch count meant that whilst the sock fit more tightly, it was a little on the uncomfortably small size. But we learned for next time.
The second sock is a leftover sock from when I knitted my best friend a pair of socks. This shortie was made a lot lot later then it's pair here, and was made on 2.5mm DPNs. This sock kept me company when I was working up in the office on the last month or so of my placement before I got my job. I became known for always having my knitting with me and taking it out everytime I had a break. I also took it on a course I was sent on as well, and everyone seemed to be interested in what I was knitting.
The stitch count on this sock was 60 stitches as well, but the needle size is larger. This size does seem to fit my foot nicer than the other sock. Both of the socks are made with one inch of 1x1 ribbing on the cuff before going straight into the heel. The heel I used was a heel flap and gusset type. Which at the time was the only one I felt confident in doing. I had tried a wrap and turn heel for the socks I made for my best friend, but I didn't really feel it went the way I wanted.
These socks are now in regular rotation and I enjoy them a fair bit. Here is the instagram story post from day 10:
The first shortie sock made from the yarn from my first pair of socks I believe I made on a 2mm circular needle. I can't remember if this was the first time I had used the needle or not, but the sock wasn't without it problems. I had vastly misjudged when I needed to start the toe in the sock, and I was quite glad that I tried it on before grafting the toe.It was indeed too short and I had to rip back the toe to put on a few more rows and starting the toe again. This may have made it wearable, but it is still too short. It likes to slip off my ankle, but oh well. It was a learning point, and we moved on.
I think that I made this sock with a 60 stitch count, which also makes it a little too tight on my foot. It was around when I made this when I realised that going down a needle size and not going up in stitch count meant that whilst the sock fit more tightly, it was a little on the uncomfortably small size. But we learned for next time.
The second sock is a leftover sock from when I knitted my best friend a pair of socks. This shortie was made a lot lot later then it's pair here, and was made on 2.5mm DPNs. This sock kept me company when I was working up in the office on the last month or so of my placement before I got my job. I became known for always having my knitting with me and taking it out everytime I had a break. I also took it on a course I was sent on as well, and everyone seemed to be interested in what I was knitting.The stitch count on this sock was 60 stitches as well, but the needle size is larger. This size does seem to fit my foot nicer than the other sock. Both of the socks are made with one inch of 1x1 ribbing on the cuff before going straight into the heel. The heel I used was a heel flap and gusset type. Which at the time was the only one I felt confident in doing. I had tried a wrap and turn heel for the socks I made for my best friend, but I didn't really feel it went the way I wanted.
These socks are now in regular rotation and I enjoy them a fair bit. Here is the instagram story post from day 10:
Me-Made-May 2019 - Winging It Jumper
Day 9 for Me-Made-May is a cozy, stay at home jumper. This is the first adult sized garment I had ever knit. It started from when I had just finished a baby jumper and I thought "How hard can it be to make one adult sized". It turns out, pretty hard. I managed it, and it was the plainest and squarest jumper there ever was.
The jumper is made out of super chunky, acrylic yarn. I had one huge ball that my friend gave me, but she had got it from Aldi, and I couldn't find any more when I realised I wouldn't have enough for the whole jumper so had to find something else that would do.
I started off swatching to find the right needle size for the type of fabric that I wanted. I'm not a very good swatch maker, I just don't really know how to do them properly, and I always feel like I'm using up yarn that could be useful somewhere else. Which is probably why I have never cast off a swatch. Which may have been my downfall.
I cast on in the end, writing down everything as I went, although I am still yet to actually write up what I did! I went for a top down jumper in the round. Which is how the baby jumper was constructed, and the only way I knew how. Needless to say it has quite a wide neckline, I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it is what it is.
I knit down the plain body, I added one little stripe before I switched to the other colour in a hopeless attempt to make it look like the colour change was intended. I finished off the body with a rib. I then started on the sleeves, these I was quite pleased with in terms of matching the body of the jumper. I wasn't so pleased with the cuffs though.
I had made the sleeves longer then the body, but probably not long enough, sadly only something I realised much much later. One of the things I was proud of when knitting my sleeves was picking up stitches in the armpit before knitting the rest of the sleeve and avoiding holes.
The jumper sadly just got worn for the finished object photos and never again. For part of Me-Made-May I am trying to finish off or fix garments I have but I don't seem to wear. This was one of them. I decided that one of the reasons I don't wear the jumper is because of the cuffs.
I had no experience of jumpers, and I didn't even know that sleeves had shaping in them - such a rookie. The cuffs were the same size as the rest of the sleeves and just kind of flopped around my wrists, I didn't like. So I ripped the sleeve ribbing out. I knit 2 together for every knit stitch in the first row of ribbing and then I knit the same amount of ribbing as I had done originally. This made it so much better. I felt that I was able to wear it around the house then.
Only after wearing it for Me-Made-May, I then found out the things I don't love about it. But they are livable with. I'll be wearing it again sometime, and maybe thinking of how I can improve it. I will now leave you with the instagram story, hopefully this jumper will get more wear in time. Perhaps I will grow to love it - Happy making!
The jumper is made out of super chunky, acrylic yarn. I had one huge ball that my friend gave me, but she had got it from Aldi, and I couldn't find any more when I realised I wouldn't have enough for the whole jumper so had to find something else that would do.I started off swatching to find the right needle size for the type of fabric that I wanted. I'm not a very good swatch maker, I just don't really know how to do them properly, and I always feel like I'm using up yarn that could be useful somewhere else. Which is probably why I have never cast off a swatch. Which may have been my downfall.
I cast on in the end, writing down everything as I went, although I am still yet to actually write up what I did! I went for a top down jumper in the round. Which is how the baby jumper was constructed, and the only way I knew how. Needless to say it has quite a wide neckline, I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it is what it is.
I knit down the plain body, I added one little stripe before I switched to the other colour in a hopeless attempt to make it look like the colour change was intended. I finished off the body with a rib. I then started on the sleeves, these I was quite pleased with in terms of matching the body of the jumper. I wasn't so pleased with the cuffs though.I had made the sleeves longer then the body, but probably not long enough, sadly only something I realised much much later. One of the things I was proud of when knitting my sleeves was picking up stitches in the armpit before knitting the rest of the sleeve and avoiding holes.
The jumper sadly just got worn for the finished object photos and never again. For part of Me-Made-May I am trying to finish off or fix garments I have but I don't seem to wear. This was one of them. I decided that one of the reasons I don't wear the jumper is because of the cuffs.
I had no experience of jumpers, and I didn't even know that sleeves had shaping in them - such a rookie. The cuffs were the same size as the rest of the sleeves and just kind of flopped around my wrists, I didn't like. So I ripped the sleeve ribbing out. I knit 2 together for every knit stitch in the first row of ribbing and then I knit the same amount of ribbing as I had done originally. This made it so much better. I felt that I was able to wear it around the house then.
Only after wearing it for Me-Made-May, I then found out the things I don't love about it. But they are livable with. I'll be wearing it again sometime, and maybe thinking of how I can improve it. I will now leave you with the instagram story, hopefully this jumper will get more wear in time. Perhaps I will grow to love it - Happy making!
Monday 13 May 2019
Me-Made-May 2019 - Blue Three Quarter Circle Skirt
I have now caught up and I am writing this post about day 8 on day 8, but it won't be published for a few days! Oh well!
Now Day 8 is a little bit of an unusual one. Those who know me will find the idea of me in a skirt a very odd one. I am not really a dress or skirt kind of person, but for some reason I have three Me-Made Skirts. All of which I never really know when or where to wear them. So Me-Made-May is the perfect time to put some thought into it, and find out what goes nicely with what and what sort of outfits I can wear.
This skirt is a three quarter circle skirt, from a pattern that I drafted myself, and had made another skirt out of before. Although that first was was a little unsuccessful, but you will be seeing that at some point soon.
This skirt is made out of what I believe was the skirt of some sort of evening dress. I was helping out my Granny clear a couple of boxes that had come from another lady's loft somewhere and it was full of yarn and fabric. This showed up, and I was really taken by the colour and the shiney-ness of it. So I took it home and it spent quite a lot of it's days hiding with a lot of the other fabric in the house and nothing really became of it.Until recently when I decided to get my finger out and make something. I dug out the old self drafted pattern and set about making something.
One of the modifications I decided to make however was including a waist band. There wasn't one on the original skirt and I felt that this skirt needed one. It also had a zip, not really done many zips before but the internet is a wonderful thing!
The skirt was whipped up in a couple of days, I had started and finished it around October time and it had it's first outing at a new years eve party later that year. I have to admit it is the first time it has made it out since.
I love the re-made nature of this skirt, and I kept some of the original seams from the previous skirt in it, and it seems to give it a little piece of history. So here is me trying to squeeze it into an outfit for Me-Made-May, I paired it with a yellow shirt, but being me I'm never sure of how I look in these particularly girly things - luckily I don't have to go outside today!
PS - I may have forgotten when I posted the insta story that it wasn't a half circle skirt. It really is a three quarter, I had a mare while drafting the pattern, but more about that later!
Now Day 8 is a little bit of an unusual one. Those who know me will find the idea of me in a skirt a very odd one. I am not really a dress or skirt kind of person, but for some reason I have three Me-Made Skirts. All of which I never really know when or where to wear them. So Me-Made-May is the perfect time to put some thought into it, and find out what goes nicely with what and what sort of outfits I can wear.
This skirt is a three quarter circle skirt, from a pattern that I drafted myself, and had made another skirt out of before. Although that first was was a little unsuccessful, but you will be seeing that at some point soon.This skirt is made out of what I believe was the skirt of some sort of evening dress. I was helping out my Granny clear a couple of boxes that had come from another lady's loft somewhere and it was full of yarn and fabric. This showed up, and I was really taken by the colour and the shiney-ness of it. So I took it home and it spent quite a lot of it's days hiding with a lot of the other fabric in the house and nothing really became of it.Until recently when I decided to get my finger out and make something. I dug out the old self drafted pattern and set about making something.
One of the modifications I decided to make however was including a waist band. There wasn't one on the original skirt and I felt that this skirt needed one. It also had a zip, not really done many zips before but the internet is a wonderful thing!
The skirt was whipped up in a couple of days, I had started and finished it around October time and it had it's first outing at a new years eve party later that year. I have to admit it is the first time it has made it out since.
I love the re-made nature of this skirt, and I kept some of the original seams from the previous skirt in it, and it seems to give it a little piece of history. So here is me trying to squeeze it into an outfit for Me-Made-May, I paired it with a yellow shirt, but being me I'm never sure of how I look in these particularly girly things - luckily I don't have to go outside today!
Me-Made-May 2019 - My first socks
Day 7 was another pair of socks. This pair the first ever pair I made, and I was ridiculously proud when I finished them.
I knitted this pair about a year and a half ago, I picked up the first ball of sock yarn I could see on the shelf in a craft shop that was in the town I had temporarily moved to at the time, and a few days later went back for the right sized DPNs. The pattern was a basic sock pattern that was on Love Knitting, although has now been taken down, and I set about trying to knit the first sock.
My first hurdle was the cast on, and then all the jargon used to describe the different parts of the sock and what to do! I did refer to the internet, and the delightful "For Dummies" website which has a lot of brilliant tutorials on a lot of different things. I really had to look things up and do a fair amount of reading to finally understand what I was doing. I also believe it was the first time I had come across a SSK.
I remember finishing the first sock on a weekend away in Cornwall. It was October time and I had spent the day watching the first public runs of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car at Newquay Airport, and was cozy-ing down for the night under a blanket. I was so proud I put it on straight away and demanded that my boyfriend take photos!
The second sock followed shortly afterwards, I had no problems with second sock syndrome, and before long I had my very first pair of socks. I also wrote a blog post here about them. They were far from perfect, they weren't the right gauge to fit my feet and all kinds of things, but I still love them, and I still wear them!
I made them quite a while ago that I don't actually have any photos of them to hand, so you will have to do with the instagram story! I hope you are having a wonderful day!
I knitted this pair about a year and a half ago, I picked up the first ball of sock yarn I could see on the shelf in a craft shop that was in the town I had temporarily moved to at the time, and a few days later went back for the right sized DPNs. The pattern was a basic sock pattern that was on Love Knitting, although has now been taken down, and I set about trying to knit the first sock.
My first hurdle was the cast on, and then all the jargon used to describe the different parts of the sock and what to do! I did refer to the internet, and the delightful "For Dummies" website which has a lot of brilliant tutorials on a lot of different things. I really had to look things up and do a fair amount of reading to finally understand what I was doing. I also believe it was the first time I had come across a SSK.
I remember finishing the first sock on a weekend away in Cornwall. It was October time and I had spent the day watching the first public runs of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car at Newquay Airport, and was cozy-ing down for the night under a blanket. I was so proud I put it on straight away and demanded that my boyfriend take photos!
The second sock followed shortly afterwards, I had no problems with second sock syndrome, and before long I had my very first pair of socks. I also wrote a blog post here about them. They were far from perfect, they weren't the right gauge to fit my feet and all kinds of things, but I still love them, and I still wear them!
I made them quite a while ago that I don't actually have any photos of them to hand, so you will have to do with the instagram story! I hope you are having a wonderful day!
Thursday 9 May 2019
Me-Made-May 2019 - Necker Socks
My Necker Socks were made a little while ago and have a love/hate story behind them. I made the pair of socks when I got a book called the Op Art Sock Book. It's a great book full of sock patterns that use either colour or texture to create an optical illusion on your socks. The idea is great, and the patterns are great too!
So I set out with great intent to create a pair of Necker socks, one of the first patterns in the book. Unfortunately my choice of yarn let me down substantially. I loved the pattern, I loved the yarn. Together they made something icky and somewhat soul destroying to knit.
The yarn I chose was West Yorkshire Spinner Signature 4 ply in their Bluetit colourway. A Beautiful yarn that really does encompass the colours of the bluetit, of which we have many in our garden. I loved the yarn, and I believe at the time I wanted to knit these socks the only sock yarn in my stash was variegated and patterned. I knew that you shouldn't really mix patterned socks with patterned yarn. I threw caution to the wind because I was inpatient to get knitting, and I learned my lesson the hard way.
To not do things by half I also decided to try making socks two at a time for the first time while attempting to knit these socks as well. My word I know how to make life difficult for myself...
I very quickly fell out of love when I was knitting these socks, and gave up fairly quickly before all the pattern repeats had been done. I cut them short after picking the socks up and filling with dread for knitting them. My stubbornness did help in that I refused just to put them in a corner and forget about them.
I did finally finish the pair of socks, knit on a 2mm circular needle, at a knit night, and in the same night cast on the shortie sock you saw the other day. The leg is a lot shorter than it should be, and the pattern does not show off the yarn at its best, and neither the yarn show off the pattern.
My boyfriend did ask if he could have a pair of Necker socks a little while later, and I did start them. Unfortunately I didn't like the yarn I was making them with and I thought it wouldn't do for a pair of socks, so it got frogged. I haven't quite got around to having a second go. I should sometime though, if only for the satisfaction of having beaten the pattern! :P
So here is the photo from my instagram stories. I was at work the day I wore these socks and they were quite comfy in my work boots, which is all that matters really.
Happy Making!
So I set out with great intent to create a pair of Necker socks, one of the first patterns in the book. Unfortunately my choice of yarn let me down substantially. I loved the pattern, I loved the yarn. Together they made something icky and somewhat soul destroying to knit.
The yarn I chose was West Yorkshire Spinner Signature 4 ply in their Bluetit colourway. A Beautiful yarn that really does encompass the colours of the bluetit, of which we have many in our garden. I loved the yarn, and I believe at the time I wanted to knit these socks the only sock yarn in my stash was variegated and patterned. I knew that you shouldn't really mix patterned socks with patterned yarn. I threw caution to the wind because I was inpatient to get knitting, and I learned my lesson the hard way.To not do things by half I also decided to try making socks two at a time for the first time while attempting to knit these socks as well. My word I know how to make life difficult for myself...
I very quickly fell out of love when I was knitting these socks, and gave up fairly quickly before all the pattern repeats had been done. I cut them short after picking the socks up and filling with dread for knitting them. My stubbornness did help in that I refused just to put them in a corner and forget about them.
I did finally finish the pair of socks, knit on a 2mm circular needle, at a knit night, and in the same night cast on the shortie sock you saw the other day. The leg is a lot shorter than it should be, and the pattern does not show off the yarn at its best, and neither the yarn show off the pattern.
My boyfriend did ask if he could have a pair of Necker socks a little while later, and I did start them. Unfortunately I didn't like the yarn I was making them with and I thought it wouldn't do for a pair of socks, so it got frogged. I haven't quite got around to having a second go. I should sometime though, if only for the satisfaction of having beaten the pattern! :P
So here is the photo from my instagram stories. I was at work the day I wore these socks and they were quite comfy in my work boots, which is all that matters really.
Wednesday 8 May 2019
Me-Made-May 2019 - Leftovers Socks, Blue Tit and Kingfisher
Day 4 of Me-Made-May was a sock day. I feel like wearing my socks for Me-Made-May is not putting in much effort, especially when it wasn't a work day, I need to remind myself that homemade socks are just as important.
This pair in particular are what I like to call my Leftovers Socks. Most of the time I get 100g of sock yarn to make a pair of socks, and every time there is a fair amount of leftover yarn. In fact there is more than enough to make myself one shortie sock. So I do, and seeing as I give away a lot of the socks I knit, it is a lovely reminder of what I have made. There is a bit of an odd sock nature to making my leftovers socks, so I will often make one straight after I've finished the pair it is from and I'll end up having one sock without a partner for a little while. I also occasionally mix and match the shorties, but usually they stay in a little mismatched pair.
The first sock from this little pair that was made was one made from the leftovers from my Necker Socks, and they were knit on a 2mm circular needle with 64 stitches. They were knit in West Yorkshire Spinners signature 4 ply in the Bluetit colourway. It was finished quite fast but then stayed on the side for a very long time waiting for a partner.
It was also the first time I had used a cardboard cut out of my foot for measuring the sock against to work out when to start the toe. Fortunately it worked quite well, and I have repeated the technique several times, getting cut outs of feet for the people I knit socks for regularly.
The second leftovers sock is from a pair of socks that I made my Mam. She picked out a ball of West Yorkshire Spinners in the Kingfisher colourway. So it was the same base as the first shortie sock. The socks that I knitted for my Mam were knit on 2.5mm DPNs, and so I used them for this sock as well, using a 60 stitch count for my thin foot.
I did knit this second shortie in a little bit of a panic as I thought that I hadn't got enough pairs of socks to last me a shift at work over Me-Made-May. Having this second sock would create another pair and enough for the shift. I soon realised that I actually already had five pairs of hand knitted socks and another would make six. So I had one day extra - thankfully!
So having pooped out that second sock it got paired up and put away with the Necker shortie sock ready for the day it was to be worn. Which was day 4. The pair did quite well, and they got put through their paces being walked around Richmond and then playing a badminton match. The fact that they were both knit at different gauges was noticeable however. Which isn't surprising really.
They were still a joy to wear and will be put through the wash for another day, so here's the instagram the story shot, happy making!
This pair in particular are what I like to call my Leftovers Socks. Most of the time I get 100g of sock yarn to make a pair of socks, and every time there is a fair amount of leftover yarn. In fact there is more than enough to make myself one shortie sock. So I do, and seeing as I give away a lot of the socks I knit, it is a lovely reminder of what I have made. There is a bit of an odd sock nature to making my leftovers socks, so I will often make one straight after I've finished the pair it is from and I'll end up having one sock without a partner for a little while. I also occasionally mix and match the shorties, but usually they stay in a little mismatched pair.The first sock from this little pair that was made was one made from the leftovers from my Necker Socks, and they were knit on a 2mm circular needle with 64 stitches. They were knit in West Yorkshire Spinners signature 4 ply in the Bluetit colourway. It was finished quite fast but then stayed on the side for a very long time waiting for a partner.
It was also the first time I had used a cardboard cut out of my foot for measuring the sock against to work out when to start the toe. Fortunately it worked quite well, and I have repeated the technique several times, getting cut outs of feet for the people I knit socks for regularly.
The second leftovers sock is from a pair of socks that I made my Mam. She picked out a ball of West Yorkshire Spinners in the Kingfisher colourway. So it was the same base as the first shortie sock. The socks that I knitted for my Mam were knit on 2.5mm DPNs, and so I used them for this sock as well, using a 60 stitch count for my thin foot.I did knit this second shortie in a little bit of a panic as I thought that I hadn't got enough pairs of socks to last me a shift at work over Me-Made-May. Having this second sock would create another pair and enough for the shift. I soon realised that I actually already had five pairs of hand knitted socks and another would make six. So I had one day extra - thankfully!
So having pooped out that second sock it got paired up and put away with the Necker shortie sock ready for the day it was to be worn. Which was day 4. The pair did quite well, and they got put through their paces being walked around Richmond and then playing a badminton match. The fact that they were both knit at different gauges was noticeable however. Which isn't surprising really.
They were still a joy to wear and will be put through the wash for another day, so here's the instagram the story shot, happy making!
Tuesday 7 May 2019
Me-Made-May 2019 - Brigitte Scarf
I went away for the weekend, so I'm catching up with blog posts now I am back with my laptop again.
Day 3 of Me-Made-May I wore my Brigitte Scarf. A little head scarf that I made very shortly after I got my Tilly and the Buttons book (it's a Tilly and the Buttons pattern suprise suprise! ;) ) and it is the first pattern in there and brilliant for new beginners. It is also on her website as a tutorial, so follow the link above if you want to find out more.
I did this pattern just as a little something to keep my fingers busy before deciding what the next big sew was going to be. The fabric was from a scrap bin in a fabric shop near to my LYS, and I thought that the blue with little birds in flight was lovely. It seemed the perfect thing to make with it. The Brigitte scarf itself is very versatile as well. I have worn it in so many ways since I made it and I really do love it.
The fabric scrap wasn't long enough to make a scarf the exact same length as the pattern says, but I made one as long as I could out of the fabric I had. Fortunately I have a small head so there wasn't going to be many problems.
I wore this on the train journey up to London for the weekend and it helpfully kept my hair out of my eyes - and I have a lot of it!
Unfortunately I don't have a close up photo of the scarf, so you cannot see the stitching, but I did make some changes the following time that I made this pattern. This particular scarf when I turned the scarf the right side out, I ran a length of top stitching along the edge with the hole in it. It looks fine and when wearing the scarf it isn't noticeable, but for some reason it bugged me. I have a basic sewing machine, so I don't have any of the snazzy top stitch settings that some do, which would have finished the edge of this scarf off beautifully.
I did make a second Brigitte scarf, which you will probably see later on in the month, but for that one I hand stitched the hole closed in a way that hides the stitching from the outside, which I feel makes it so much better. But I am happy with this one! I will leave you with the picture from my Instagram stories for day 3, I also was wearing my Margot Pyjamas, well, because they are my pyjamas! ;)
Day 3 of Me-Made-May I wore my Brigitte Scarf. A little head scarf that I made very shortly after I got my Tilly and the Buttons book (it's a Tilly and the Buttons pattern suprise suprise! ;) ) and it is the first pattern in there and brilliant for new beginners. It is also on her website as a tutorial, so follow the link above if you want to find out more.
I did this pattern just as a little something to keep my fingers busy before deciding what the next big sew was going to be. The fabric was from a scrap bin in a fabric shop near to my LYS, and I thought that the blue with little birds in flight was lovely. It seemed the perfect thing to make with it. The Brigitte scarf itself is very versatile as well. I have worn it in so many ways since I made it and I really do love it.The fabric scrap wasn't long enough to make a scarf the exact same length as the pattern says, but I made one as long as I could out of the fabric I had. Fortunately I have a small head so there wasn't going to be many problems.
I wore this on the train journey up to London for the weekend and it helpfully kept my hair out of my eyes - and I have a lot of it!
Unfortunately I don't have a close up photo of the scarf, so you cannot see the stitching, but I did make some changes the following time that I made this pattern. This particular scarf when I turned the scarf the right side out, I ran a length of top stitching along the edge with the hole in it. It looks fine and when wearing the scarf it isn't noticeable, but for some reason it bugged me. I have a basic sewing machine, so I don't have any of the snazzy top stitch settings that some do, which would have finished the edge of this scarf off beautifully.
I did make a second Brigitte scarf, which you will probably see later on in the month, but for that one I hand stitched the hole closed in a way that hides the stitching from the outside, which I feel makes it so much better. But I am happy with this one! I will leave you with the picture from my Instagram stories for day 3, I also was wearing my Margot Pyjamas, well, because they are my pyjamas! ;)
Thursday 2 May 2019
Me-Made-May 2019 - Margot Pyjamas
Now I don't know if my second day of Me-Made-May is a cop-out or not. But I still wore it! For my second day, I have a lovely pair of pyjama bottoms that I made from the Tilly and the Buttons Margot pattern.
I think the pattern is only available in the Tilly and the Buttons book Love at First Stitch, which really got me into home sewing. It really was love at first stitch. If you do want to get started it is a really helpful book, and will go through everything. I mean EVERYTHING, you could never have seen a sewing machine before and by the time you'd finished that book you would be able to sew a dress. It is fun to read and there is explanations for all the sewing jargon. You can probably tell I love it.
One of the first patterns I tried from that book was the Margot pyjamas. They looked fun and were one of the easier makes - plus if it looked horrible then no one was going to see as I would be wearing them to bed. Result.
As with most projects, knitted or sewn, there is always something that doesn't quite go to plan. Just like the Fern and Feather one of my problems was to do with measuring. But that wasn't my first problem oh no. It started well before the pattern was actually started.
I had it in the back of my mind to make these and it was a trip to a fabric shop with my best friend that set the idea of making them into motion when I found the fabric. A cream coloured fabric with green planes and blue cars. I loved it, decided that was what I was going to make my pyjamas out of and bought a metre. That was my first mistake. I hadn't looked at the fabric specifications at all, and what a newbie sewer like myself didn't know what that a metre is hardly enough to do anything - even if you are a smallish size.
The disaster was saved somewhat by that same delightful friend who make a quick trip back to the same fabric shop to pick me up another metre and post it to me. Once that was sorted I got on with making the pattern. But even two meters wasn't quite enough to make the full length of the bottoms, but I made do with a cropped length. Which I think looks fine.
The second mistake, was my measuring mistake. I learned the hard way where exactly you should measure when it says "hip measurement". That is the widest part around your bum. Not the top of your hips - just sayin'. Lets put it this way, I made the size too small (I have a tiny waist but larger hips) the size would fit my waist quite well but not my hips so much. Which I found out when I first went to try the pyjamas on.
I will give you an amusing mental image. I managed to wriggle my way into the bottoms, they JUST got over my hips and settled nicely around my waist, "sorted I thought, not so bad after all", but there I was wrong. They were kinda hard to move around in and it was then I realised that I couldn't actually take them off... Luckily I had put them on inside out and the seams were easily accessible. So there I was sitting down, unpicking the side seams of my pyjama bottoms whilst still wearing them, in order to take them off.
It was rather disheartening really, but having the engineers way of thinking, I quickly came up with a solution to my problem. Re-making them in a larger size wasn't really an option. I didn't have enough fabric anyway, and to do that would have been a waste and felt wrong somehow. So I remeasured my hips and worked out how much more space I needed to create at the top to allow me to get in and out. I then created two triangle pieces to put in at the top. I put them in with the point at the place on the side seam where I was the widest, and that allowed me to be able to wear them properly. Thank goodness.
So I managed in the end to make a functional piece of clothing. It isn't the most polished or the prettiest, but I still love them. I am quite proud of them, and they are in my usual pyjama rotation now. I do intend to make another pair the right size and the right length soon too, now I know exactly what fabric I need! ;)
So here is the photo for Me-Made-May day 2, sleepy having just got up early to go and vote in the local elections with my Mam.
Happy Making!
P.S - I forgot to say they had pockets! Yes, pockets.
I think the pattern is only available in the Tilly and the Buttons book Love at First Stitch, which really got me into home sewing. It really was love at first stitch. If you do want to get started it is a really helpful book, and will go through everything. I mean EVERYTHING, you could never have seen a sewing machine before and by the time you'd finished that book you would be able to sew a dress. It is fun to read and there is explanations for all the sewing jargon. You can probably tell I love it.
One of the first patterns I tried from that book was the Margot pyjamas. They looked fun and were one of the easier makes - plus if it looked horrible then no one was going to see as I would be wearing them to bed. Result.
As with most projects, knitted or sewn, there is always something that doesn't quite go to plan. Just like the Fern and Feather one of my problems was to do with measuring. But that wasn't my first problem oh no. It started well before the pattern was actually started.
I had it in the back of my mind to make these and it was a trip to a fabric shop with my best friend that set the idea of making them into motion when I found the fabric. A cream coloured fabric with green planes and blue cars. I loved it, decided that was what I was going to make my pyjamas out of and bought a metre. That was my first mistake. I hadn't looked at the fabric specifications at all, and what a newbie sewer like myself didn't know what that a metre is hardly enough to do anything - even if you are a smallish size.
The disaster was saved somewhat by that same delightful friend who make a quick trip back to the same fabric shop to pick me up another metre and post it to me. Once that was sorted I got on with making the pattern. But even two meters wasn't quite enough to make the full length of the bottoms, but I made do with a cropped length. Which I think looks fine.
The second mistake, was my measuring mistake. I learned the hard way where exactly you should measure when it says "hip measurement". That is the widest part around your bum. Not the top of your hips - just sayin'. Lets put it this way, I made the size too small (I have a tiny waist but larger hips) the size would fit my waist quite well but not my hips so much. Which I found out when I first went to try the pyjamas on.
I will give you an amusing mental image. I managed to wriggle my way into the bottoms, they JUST got over my hips and settled nicely around my waist, "sorted I thought, not so bad after all", but there I was wrong. They were kinda hard to move around in and it was then I realised that I couldn't actually take them off... Luckily I had put them on inside out and the seams were easily accessible. So there I was sitting down, unpicking the side seams of my pyjama bottoms whilst still wearing them, in order to take them off.
It was rather disheartening really, but having the engineers way of thinking, I quickly came up with a solution to my problem. Re-making them in a larger size wasn't really an option. I didn't have enough fabric anyway, and to do that would have been a waste and felt wrong somehow. So I remeasured my hips and worked out how much more space I needed to create at the top to allow me to get in and out. I then created two triangle pieces to put in at the top. I put them in with the point at the place on the side seam where I was the widest, and that allowed me to be able to wear them properly. Thank goodness.
So I managed in the end to make a functional piece of clothing. It isn't the most polished or the prettiest, but I still love them. I am quite proud of them, and they are in my usual pyjama rotation now. I do intend to make another pair the right size and the right length soon too, now I know exactly what fabric I need! ;)
So here is the photo for Me-Made-May day 2, sleepy having just got up early to go and vote in the local elections with my Mam.
Happy Making!
P.S - I forgot to say they had pockets! Yes, pockets.
Wednesday 1 May 2019
Me-Made-May 2019 - Fern and Feather Jumper
It is the 1st of May, and it is my very first time taking part in the Me-Made-May Challenge hosted by Zoe of the So Zo What Do You Know Blog, and it is the 10th Year of the challenge. I had heard of the challenge before hand, but only really in passing. But it was this year, with my more recent sewing experience with Tilly and the Buttons new book, Love At First Stitch I decided that I was going to join in.
The idea is to make a challenge for yourself and make a pledge to complete your challenge. My pledge I made on the SoZo Blog, to try and wear at least one item of clothing that I had made every day throughout May. Hopefully in the process I will be able to find out what sort of things I need in my own Me-Made wardrobe. Now the challenge is not a photo challenge, but people are more than welcome to share their photos and progress. I personally want to share photos in my instagram stories to keep me accountable every day to make sure that I do manage to carry out this challenge.
What I plan to do is every day that I wear a new Me-Make, I will post a little blog post here with information about what it is, the pattern I have made it from, and the materials I have used. So I will start off my first blog post of Me-Made-May 2019 with my Fern and Feather Jumper.
This is the Fern and Feather knitting pattern by Jennifer Steingas, that you can find on Ravelry. The yarn I used was by Countess Ablaze, the base for both colours was the Grande Merino base. The main colour was Footloose (Funk Remix), and the contrasting colour was in a natural undyed, white colour.
The pooling of the colours of green throughout the jumper I loved, and it was my first proper garment! I had knitted a jumper before, but it was without a pattern, having never made an adult sized jumper before and I went ahead and winged it, and it isn't quite right. I think for Me-Made-May I will get it out and do some jumper surgery. But back to the Fern and Feather.
It really was a joy to knit, and the colour work yoke was surprisingly easy. I loved it so much, that I knit another one for my Mam.
My knitting however wasn't without it's mistakes. The biggest mistake however, wasn't really anything to do with my knitting, But my ability to read the pattern instructions properly.
Those of you who have made a Fern and Feather before will know that the pattern is designed with about 3 inches of positive ease. As you can see from mine, there isn't any. Now I am dyslexic and I struggle to process information properly the first time a read it and that is exactly what happened and by the time I had realised I had already done the yoke, split the sleeves and started on the body. So I assumed that seeing as the pattern had 3 inches of positive ease, that making the size that was my bust measurement would mean that it would be 3 inches bigger than that. But I was wrong - oh well!
I had got quite far when I realised and I decided to just carry on and finish the jumper. I am glad I did, but I will admit that it was the reason that this jumper has only really been worn once or twice since it was made, which is a shame really.
Putting this jumper on this morning was a joy though, and I can't really believe that I was holding off from wearing this jumper just because it wasn't like the pattern suggested. I'll leave you with today's photo from when I put it on. Check out my instagram stories for the daily updates on what I am wearing each day (previous days will be saved on a highlight that you can find on my instagram profile) and you will see how often this jumper gets worn. Hopefully a lot more than it ever has been!
Happy Making, I hope your Me-Made-May is enjoyable, however you plan to spend it.
The idea is to make a challenge for yourself and make a pledge to complete your challenge. My pledge I made on the SoZo Blog, to try and wear at least one item of clothing that I had made every day throughout May. Hopefully in the process I will be able to find out what sort of things I need in my own Me-Made wardrobe. Now the challenge is not a photo challenge, but people are more than welcome to share their photos and progress. I personally want to share photos in my instagram stories to keep me accountable every day to make sure that I do manage to carry out this challenge.
What I plan to do is every day that I wear a new Me-Make, I will post a little blog post here with information about what it is, the pattern I have made it from, and the materials I have used. So I will start off my first blog post of Me-Made-May 2019 with my Fern and Feather Jumper.
This is the Fern and Feather knitting pattern by Jennifer Steingas, that you can find on Ravelry. The yarn I used was by Countess Ablaze, the base for both colours was the Grande Merino base. The main colour was Footloose (Funk Remix), and the contrasting colour was in a natural undyed, white colour.The pooling of the colours of green throughout the jumper I loved, and it was my first proper garment! I had knitted a jumper before, but it was without a pattern, having never made an adult sized jumper before and I went ahead and winged it, and it isn't quite right. I think for Me-Made-May I will get it out and do some jumper surgery. But back to the Fern and Feather.
It really was a joy to knit, and the colour work yoke was surprisingly easy. I loved it so much, that I knit another one for my Mam.
My knitting however wasn't without it's mistakes. The biggest mistake however, wasn't really anything to do with my knitting, But my ability to read the pattern instructions properly.
Those of you who have made a Fern and Feather before will know that the pattern is designed with about 3 inches of positive ease. As you can see from mine, there isn't any. Now I am dyslexic and I struggle to process information properly the first time a read it and that is exactly what happened and by the time I had realised I had already done the yoke, split the sleeves and started on the body. So I assumed that seeing as the pattern had 3 inches of positive ease, that making the size that was my bust measurement would mean that it would be 3 inches bigger than that. But I was wrong - oh well!
I had got quite far when I realised and I decided to just carry on and finish the jumper. I am glad I did, but I will admit that it was the reason that this jumper has only really been worn once or twice since it was made, which is a shame really.
Putting this jumper on this morning was a joy though, and I can't really believe that I was holding off from wearing this jumper just because it wasn't like the pattern suggested. I'll leave you with today's photo from when I put it on. Check out my instagram stories for the daily updates on what I am wearing each day (previous days will be saved on a highlight that you can find on my instagram profile) and you will see how often this jumper gets worn. Hopefully a lot more than it ever has been!
Happy Making, I hope your Me-Made-May is enjoyable, however you plan to spend it.
Tuesday 16 April 2019
Lemmon Juicer Podcast Ep 14: The One with All the Sniffing
Welcome to the Lemmon Juicer Podcast, pick up a knit and get settled down!
Instagram: @lemmonjuicer
Ravelry: sockbug97
Ravelry Group: Lemmon Juicer Podcast
Blog: www.lemmonjuicer.blogspot.co.uk
Extended Shownotes you will find on the Blog or in the Ravelry Group.
So Zo What Do You Know: http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com/
Finished Objects:
Cancun Boxy Erin Kate Archer: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/cancun-boxy-lace-top
- Alacey top that I knitted with a DK weight Sirdar Seafarer in a navy blue colour, on 6mm straight needles. I am quite pleased with the outcome, and hopefully it will get some wear over the summer months.
Socks for Mam: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/mams-afterthought-socks
- A pair of socks knitted without a pattern. The needles are 2.5mm DPNs and a 64 sts count. They make just the right size for my Mam (as well as me!) The main colour yarn is West Yorkshire Spinners signature 4 ply in the Kingfisher colourway, and the contrast heel and toe is also in WYS, but in their Bo Peep 4 ply base in the colour Tin Man. This is also the first time I have done an afterthought heel - neat huh!
Leftovers Sock: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/leftovers-sock--mams-afterthought
- A shortie sock made for myself out of the leftover yarn from my Mam's socks above. Quick and simple, again on 2,5mm DPNs, a 64 sts count and a german short row heel! (Maybe one day I'll write up the pattern)
Spinning: Dark Jacobs fleece.
- A fleece given to me when I bought my wheel, spun up into a simple two ply, mainly a dark brown colour with a lovely few specks of the lighter coloured fleece.
WIPs:
Baby Cross Stitch: https://www.sewandso.co.uk/product/train-birth-record-cross-stitch-kit/1001851
- Another little something for my soon-to-be nephew. I'm getting more and more excited as the project moves on!
Galewood Gauntlets:https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/galewood
- Made out of Devonia in the Bleeding Heart colourway from the John Arbon mill, which is here in Devon. I am feeling slightly underwhelmed by the project so far, but I'm hoping that if I just carry on and give it a good blocking all will work out fine.
Lyne Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/lyne-socks
- Lyne by Dawn Henderson, and yak sock yarn from the lovely Gamercrafting in the Lagoon Mist colourway seems a match made in Heaven! Super soft and super enjoyable.
Delphine Skirt: From Tilly and the Buttons book Love at First Stitch
- Not sure if this is available as a pattern on its own (not sure it is sorry!) but I am making my own version of this simple a-line skirt out of a orange and cream houndstooth type fabric found at a fabric shop near to my LYS. Hopefully this will be a nice make and get me into wearing skirts more often.
Spinning: Green Batts
- I picked up two lovely green batts from a shop called Wool-On-The-Exe in Exeter on my last visit there. I have no idea what they are, they came out of a basket labelled "Wool Batts" so there we go. :P I've spun each batt up separately and am going to ply them together again into a simple two ply.
In The Shed:
Heddle: Trying to make a heddle for my loom.
- We are on the closing stages, and the heddle will get glued together this episode and hopefully if all goes well, it will be finished and tested next time.
Real Talk:
These are some links to the people leading the conversations around racism and inclusion in the
knitting community, take a look at their stories and discover some new people:
@su.krita - https://www.instagram.com/su.krita/?hl=en
@thecolormustard - https://www.instagram.com/thecolormustard/?hl=en
@ocean_bythesea - https://www.instagram.com/ocean_bythesea/?hl=en
@booksandcables - https://www.instagram.com/booksandcables/?hl=en
@ggmadeit - https://www.instagram.com/ggmadeit/?hl=en
Layla F Saad's workbook: https://www.meandwhitesupremacybook.com/
Unfinished Object: https://www.unfinishedobject.com/
Vox Article: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/25/18234950/knitting-racism-instagram-stories
Music:
"Inspired" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Thursday 28 March 2019
Lemmon Juicer Podcast Ep 13: The One with All the Interuptions
Welcome to the Lemmon Juicer Podcast, put the kettle on and get stuck in!
Instagram: @lemmonjuicer
Ravelry: sockbug97
Ravelry Group: Lemmon Juicer Podcast
Blog: www.lemmonjuicer.blogspot.co.uk
Extended Shownotes you will find on the Blog or in the Ravelry Group.
Real Talk:
These are some links to the people leading the conversations around racism and inclusion in the
knitting community, take a look at their stories and discover some new people:
@su.krita - https://www.instagram.com/su.krita/?hl=en
@thecolormustard - https://www.instagram.com/thecolormustard/?hl=en
@ocean_bythesea - https://www.instagram.com/ocean_bythesea/?hl=en
@booksandcables - https://www.instagram.com/booksandcables/?hl=en
@ggmadeit - https://www.instagram.com/ggmadeit/?hl=en
Layla F Saad's workbook: https://www.meandwhitesupremacybook.com/
Unfinished Object: https://www.unfinishedobject.com/
Vox Article: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/25/18234950/knitting-racism-instagram-stories
Finished Objects:
Hermione's Everyday Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/hermiones-everyday-socks - Knitted on 2mm DPNs and in Malibrigo Sock yarn in the Ivy colourway. I love these socks and will now become Lottie's everyday socks! ;)
Baby Barley: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/barley-2 This is knit in Gamer Crafting 100% Merino DK in the Kind colourway. I definitely did make my new nephew a matching hat with myself... Who wouldn't.
Baby Flax: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/flax This is another baby knit for my new nephew. This is done in King Cole Riot DK, in two colours, caribbean and neon, to create an awesome rainbow stripe thing going on!
Margot Pyjamas Tilly and the Buttons: https://shop.tillyandthebuttons.com/products/love-at-first-stitch - These pyjamas are comfy but bodged, I'll recommend measuring yourself properly before cutting into your precious fabric! The pattern is included in the book Love at First Stitch, after a quick search I'm not sure if you can get it separately, but the book is well worth it! I thought I new a little bit about sewing, but this book has taught me so much.
WIPs:
Cancun Boxy Erin Kate Archer: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/cancun-boxy-lace-top - yes it is STILL a WIP, but we are getting there. And yes I haven't done anything on it since you last saw it... But I am still enjoying it, I'll knit a little on it today!
Socks for Mam: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/mams-afterthought-socks - I am making another pair of socks for my mother, this time out of West Yorkshire Spinners signature 4 ply in the Kingfisher colourway, on 2.5mm DPNs. These will have contrast heels and toes and an afterthought heel. The first time I've done either.
Baby Cross Stitch: https://www.sewandso.co.uk/product/train-birth-record-cross-stitch-kit/1001851 - another little thing for my nephew, he already seems to be a little bit spoiled.
In The Shed:
Heddle: Trying to make a heddle for my loom.
Music:
"Inspired" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Thursday 28 February 2019
Lemmon Juicer Podcast Ep 12 The One With All The Waffling.
Welcome to the Lemmon Juicer Podcast, get settled down and stuck in!
Instagram: @lemmonjuicer
Ravelry: sockbug97
Ravelry Group: Lemmon Juicer Podcast
Blog: www.lemmonjuicer.blogspot.co.uk
Extended Shownotes you will find on the Blog or in the Ravelry Group.
Real Talk:
These are some links to the people leading the conversations around racism and inclusion in the
knitting community, take a look at their stories and discover some new people:
@su.krita - https://www.instagram.com/su.krita/?hl=en
@thecolormustard - https://www.instagram.com/thecolormustard/?hl=en
@ocean_bythesea - https://www.instagram.com/ocean_bythesea/?hl=en
@booksandcables - https://www.instagram.com/booksandcables/?hl=en
@ggmadeit - https://www.instagram.com/ggmadeit/?hl=en
Layla F Saad's workbook: https://www.meandwhitesupremacybook.com/
Unfinished Object: https://www.unfinishedobject.com/
Vox Article: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/25/18234950/knitting-racism-instagram-stories
Finished Objects:
Barley Hat - Tin Can Knits: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/barley - this one is knit out of Gamer Crafting DK Merino in the Kind colourway, it is hufflepuff inspired and I love it! This hat was knit first in a size that was way too big for me, for some reason I thought that the small would be too small, even though I know I have a tiny head! Anyway, third time was definitely lucky and I am very pleased with the outcome.
Mam's Fern & Feather: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/fern--feather-2 - Made out of Malibrigo Rios in the Cian colourway, this fern and feather has been on the needles since before christmas and was a present for my Mam. It is finally finished, she loves it and it is being worn as we speak!
Baby/Toddler Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/baby-socks - A little pair of socks for my nephew who is on the way! These are knit out of Regia Arne and Carlos Design Line in the Nome colourway. This is the same yarn that I knit my sister-in-law a pair of socks out of, I thought it would be cute for them to have mother and baby matchy socks! (I would have done the same for my brother if I had any leftovers from his socks!)
WIPs:
Cancun Boxy Erin Kate Archer: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/cancun-boxy-lace-top - Made out of Sirdar Seafarer, a navy coloured crinkly yarn. I am now more then halfway through the top now, and I am really looking forward to when I can wear it. Definitely loving my yarn choice and slightly larger needle size, as it gives a rather lacy look.
Hermione's Everyday Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/hermiones-everyday-socks - A little sock project for myself, these are made out of Malabrigo Sock in the Ivy colourway. They are knitting up fast and lovely and I am looking forward to having a lovely pair for myself.
Granny Stripe Blanket: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/granny-stripes - And old faithful. This has been going for years and I added a little more to it to show you. It is getting sizable and is made from all my leftover DK scarps.
In The Shed:
Yarn Swift: Don't watch this if you are a joiner/carpenter - you might cry... Anyway. I'm trying my best to make a yarn swift, its not looking good.
Music:
"Inspired" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Tuesday 22 January 2019
Lemmon Juicer Podcast Ep 11: The one with the Frogging.
Welcome to the Lemmon Juicer Podcast, I hope you are sitting comfortably.
Instagram: @lemmonjuicer
Ravelry: sockbug97
Ravelry Group: Lemmon Juicer Podcast
Blog: www.lemmonjuicer.blogspot.co.uk
Extended Shownotes you will find on the Blog or in the Ravelry Group.
Real Talk:
These are some links to the people leading the conversations around racism and inclusion in the
knitting community, take a look at their stories and discover some new people:
@su.krita - https://www.instagram.com/su.krita/?hl=en
@thecolormustard - https://www.instagram.com/thecolormustard/?hl=en
@ocean_bythesea - https://www.instagram.com/ocean_bythesea/?hl=en
@booksandcables - https://www.instagram.com/booksandcables/?hl=en
@ggmadeit - https://www.instagram.com/ggmadeit/?hl=en
Finished Objects:
Fingerless Mittens With Thumbs - Merianna Mel: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/easy-fingerless-mittens---with-thumbs-2
- These mittens are made with an acrylic yarn, unfortunately I can't remember what it was, or find the ball band.
- This is a free pattern and very easy to make.
Flannel - Feather and Fan Dishcloth by Lily Sugar'n Cream and Bernat Design Studio: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/feather-and-fan-dishcloth
- I got this yarn to make myself a face flannel, and there was a free pattern on the ball band, so I used that! The pattern was my first every try at a a tiny bit of lace, and opened my eyes to blocking things.
- The yarn is Lily Cotton, Sugar n' Cream in the Moondance colourway.
Barley Hat - Tin Can Knits: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/barley
- I wanted to make something with this stunning yarn from Gamer Crafting, it is her 100% Merino in the Kind colourway. I decided on the Barley hat as it had a small amount of detail, but wasn't completely plain. The only trouble is, it is too big! So I'm going to rip it out and knit it again.
WIPs:
Mam's Fern & Feather: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/fern--feather-2
- I'm making another Fern and Feather Jumper for my mum. This one is using Malabrigo Rio's yarn in their Cian colourway, the white contrast colour I have used is Rios again, but undyed.
- I am enjoying this jumper just as much as I enjoyed the first, and this time it is all a different shape, which keeps it interesting.
#SocksforSam: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/necker-2
- These started off as a pair of socks for my boyfriend. I decided I didn't like them. The yarn is not sock yarn, and is better off being something else. So I frogged it. I might have to go comfort the boyfriend from the ordeal.
Cancun Boxy Erin Kate Archer: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/cancun-boxy-lace-top
- This is knit in Sirdar Seafarer, not sure of the colourway, but it a navy blue. The yarn has worked up lovely in the pattern. I believe that my tension is quite lose as I've used 6mm needles and the yarn is on the thin side for DK, but after blocking the one half I've made I do like the fabric it has created.
Baby/Toddler Socks: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sockbug97/baby-socks
- Yes, I'm going to be an Aunty! This is yarn left over from the socks I knitted for my Sister-In-Law for christmas. It is Regia in the Arne and Carlos design line in the Nome colourway. There is no pattern for these socks as I'm making it up as I go along - I just hope they fit!
In The Shed:
Yarn Swift: Don't watch this if you are a joiner/carpenter - you might cry... Anyway. I'm trying my best to make a yarn swift, its not looking good.
- The swift is making progress, I may have possibly drilled the holes on the wrong side, but I do manage to put it right(ish) in the end. Take a look and we will see if it all holds up for next time.
Music:
"Inspired" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
The Reading Challenge Books 4-6
I have been rather lax in my blog post writing recently. But I am hoping to change that. At least I am here writing now!
I intend to write a blog post about the books I read throughout this challenge and I'm going to do them three books at a time. I am currently reading book number nine, but this post will talk about books four to six. If you want to catch up on the post explaining why I am starting and the challenge itself you can find it here along with my thoughts on the first three books I read:
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard
- Handbook for Railway Steam Locomotive Enginemen
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The books I am reading are rather varied, and are not all planned out in advance. Part of me wants to plan it all out and would feel rather smug having done so, but I am also aware that I usually want to read something on a whim and having to stick to a years worth of books that I planned out one september would also drive me insane. So I didn't. I did however try to to keep track of the dates that I started and finished each book and where that meant I was in terms of progress. This I have semi-successfully managed. By that I mean that I have written down the dates I have finished each book, but may have forgotten it for some of them. I really hope it won't be too much of a problem.
The third book of the challenge was Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook by Terry Pratchett. I started this book on the 19th September 2018, and finished it on 26th of the same month. So it didn't take me too long to read. I do most of my reading at work in my lunch and tea breaks, so there are periods of time on my off shift where I don't really read. I should change that, it might make the challenge go quicker!
The book itself takes on the role of the Bradshaw's railway guide, but based in Terry Pratchett's discworld. It has little snippets of all of the characters and places from his discworld series and is rather funny in doing so, like most Pratchett. It was a joy to read and I found it funny and entertaining. I very much enjoyed this read and once it was finished, like always there was a small tinge of sadness at having to start a new book.
The next book was not a fiction book but part of an autobiography series. I say a series, because this author wrote an autobiography and then continued to write another three books after. I read Worms to Catch by Guy Martin. This is the third book he has written, covering more or less a year out of his life. Which in itself was crazy and entertaining.
I started this book on the evening of the 26th September and it was finished by the 11th October 2018. 16 days, cover to cover. Seeing as the goal was one book every two weeks this one took slightly longer than was needed. But I think I still have plenty of time, I'll work it out at the end.
I loved reading this book. It gave me insight into what went into Guy Martin's TV programs and his writing style is one that doesn't take any sh*t, is real and down to earth. Which I get on with. I find fancy words and big long sentences difficult to deal with. This is just real. I like it (so much so that you will see I read another Guy Martin book later on).
For the sixth book, I went for something small and silly. It was the book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - not the screenplay of the film (I've already read that) but the Hogwarts Library edition of the book that was written by JK Rowling to raise funds for one of her charities. I loved to immerse myself some more in the wonderful world that JK Rowling had created. It's a charming and silly little book and the kind that I could sit down and read in a day or two with no trouble at all. Which I expect is what I did, but as I forgot to write down when I finished it, I'm not to sure at all... Oh poo.
So let's work out if I'm on track with the challenge so far. Up to the 11th of October 2018, we know I have read five books. We're a fifth of the way through the challenge, yay! Going by our one book every two weeks quota, starting on the 1st September I should have read three books. We are doing well! I don't feel quite so bad having taken the time to read Worms to Catch. I am enjoying how this challenge is turning out. It feels good to have a goal in mind when reading books, and it acts as some gentle encouragement to pick up another book after I have put one down.
I didn't do much recreational reading when I was at college, as I was so focused on my studies that I was revising most of the time, and when I was wasn't I wanted to do one of my other 50 hobbies I seem to have collected. (Hobby Collector is now a thing okay.) Having finished my degree and starting my new job in August, I felt that I didn't want to lose the regularity of reading. I don't know if that was a conscious or unconscious feeling, but it manifested itself as a challenge to myself.
Looking at my progress so far in the challenge, (I have read a few more then just six when I am writing this, but you will hear about them in due course) I am pleased with the amount I have read. I feel a huge sense of achievement in having read so much, and there are happy memories connected with each and every book. I'm excited to keep going, and I am excited to keep learning new things.
So I will be back soon enough with the next three on my list.
I intend to write a blog post about the books I read throughout this challenge and I'm going to do them three books at a time. I am currently reading book number nine, but this post will talk about books four to six. If you want to catch up on the post explaining why I am starting and the challenge itself you can find it here along with my thoughts on the first three books I read:
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard
- Handbook for Railway Steam Locomotive Enginemen
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The books I am reading are rather varied, and are not all planned out in advance. Part of me wants to plan it all out and would feel rather smug having done so, but I am also aware that I usually want to read something on a whim and having to stick to a years worth of books that I planned out one september would also drive me insane. So I didn't. I did however try to to keep track of the dates that I started and finished each book and where that meant I was in terms of progress. This I have semi-successfully managed. By that I mean that I have written down the dates I have finished each book, but may have forgotten it for some of them. I really hope it won't be too much of a problem.
The third book of the challenge was Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook by Terry Pratchett. I started this book on the 19th September 2018, and finished it on 26th of the same month. So it didn't take me too long to read. I do most of my reading at work in my lunch and tea breaks, so there are periods of time on my off shift where I don't really read. I should change that, it might make the challenge go quicker!The book itself takes on the role of the Bradshaw's railway guide, but based in Terry Pratchett's discworld. It has little snippets of all of the characters and places from his discworld series and is rather funny in doing so, like most Pratchett. It was a joy to read and I found it funny and entertaining. I very much enjoyed this read and once it was finished, like always there was a small tinge of sadness at having to start a new book.
The next book was not a fiction book but part of an autobiography series. I say a series, because this author wrote an autobiography and then continued to write another three books after. I read Worms to Catch by Guy Martin. This is the third book he has written, covering more or less a year out of his life. Which in itself was crazy and entertaining.I started this book on the evening of the 26th September and it was finished by the 11th October 2018. 16 days, cover to cover. Seeing as the goal was one book every two weeks this one took slightly longer than was needed. But I think I still have plenty of time, I'll work it out at the end.
I loved reading this book. It gave me insight into what went into Guy Martin's TV programs and his writing style is one that doesn't take any sh*t, is real and down to earth. Which I get on with. I find fancy words and big long sentences difficult to deal with. This is just real. I like it (so much so that you will see I read another Guy Martin book later on).
For the sixth book, I went for something small and silly. It was the book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - not the screenplay of the film (I've already read that) but the Hogwarts Library edition of the book that was written by JK Rowling to raise funds for one of her charities. I loved to immerse myself some more in the wonderful world that JK Rowling had created. It's a charming and silly little book and the kind that I could sit down and read in a day or two with no trouble at all. Which I expect is what I did, but as I forgot to write down when I finished it, I'm not to sure at all... Oh poo.So let's work out if I'm on track with the challenge so far. Up to the 11th of October 2018, we know I have read five books. We're a fifth of the way through the challenge, yay! Going by our one book every two weeks quota, starting on the 1st September I should have read three books. We are doing well! I don't feel quite so bad having taken the time to read Worms to Catch. I am enjoying how this challenge is turning out. It feels good to have a goal in mind when reading books, and it acts as some gentle encouragement to pick up another book after I have put one down.
I didn't do much recreational reading when I was at college, as I was so focused on my studies that I was revising most of the time, and when I was wasn't I wanted to do one of my other 50 hobbies I seem to have collected. (Hobby Collector is now a thing okay.) Having finished my degree and starting my new job in August, I felt that I didn't want to lose the regularity of reading. I don't know if that was a conscious or unconscious feeling, but it manifested itself as a challenge to myself.
Looking at my progress so far in the challenge, (I have read a few more then just six when I am writing this, but you will hear about them in due course) I am pleased with the amount I have read. I feel a huge sense of achievement in having read so much, and there are happy memories connected with each and every book. I'm excited to keep going, and I am excited to keep learning new things.
So I will be back soon enough with the next three on my list.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)