Cats

Why did cats like yarn?

Were they knitters/ crocheters in a past life?

Today I sat outside in the shade to do a little crochet, as it was nice and warm, but all the the time I was been spied on by my neighbours cute cat. He often looks down and watches as if he is supervising the stitches. Sometimes even jumping quietly down from the roof next to me to get a closer look.

Felting

Before felting and after pics



I am into felting at the moment knitted and crocheted here are some of the current items I have been making.


knitted and crocheted felting drying in the sun

Play time

I bought some really nice yarn in the John Lewis sale and could not resist playing with it. So far I have only made a few motifs (joined them as I crocheted) I am not sure yet what the finished item will be or look like, but I think I may also attach some knitting (maybe knitted lace).

Items in progress

I have been working on a few patterns this week, mainly re-making items to see if the written patterns make any sense.
I write the pattern and then don't look at it for a few months (some of the patterns have been living on the computer for the last year eeek) than when I remake the items hopefully I will find any mistakes. Sometimes friends also make up patterns for me to test them.
Filet wire and bead jewellery
Curlicue roses - cushions, bags and pouches nearly finished (at last)

Felted Jewellery

I have been making beads from felt, crochet and knitting.
Here's a felted bead necklace, I used metal beads caps and medium sized pearls between each bead. I put them on a thick jewellery wire and made a wire wrapped loop each end.

WWKIPD or World Wide Knitting in Public Day

WWKIPD or World Wide Knitting in Public Day

Yesterday was WWKIPD, so with my friend and her daughter we set off for The London Knit Crawl organised by Stitch and Bitch London We arrived late (eek got on the wrong bus) but we did get there in time to take some pics, sit on the steps and locate other knitters.

Stop No.1 St Paul’s Cathedral 12.00am - 1pm

We than went onto the Tate Modern via the Millennium bridge and the weather was starting to get hot.

Stop No.2 The Tate Modern 1.30pm - 2.30pm

( Sorry got arty for this pic)

We Knitted on the steps of the slope leading into the main turbine hall, which was nice and cool and break from the heat outside. Lauren from Stitch and Bitch gave us some goodies and welcomed us. It was a really nice atmosphere in the Tate, very calming perfect for knitting.

Stop No.3 Knitting on the grass (Jubilee Gardens) in front of the London Eye 3.30pm - 4.30pm

We walked alone the Thames. It was so busy, just like a mini carnival with lots of different types of music, street acts, stone statue mimes, even a small carousel.

We sat on the grassy area beside the London Eye. Lots of knitting, some ice cream eating to cool off (glad I don't bring my coat the sun was so hot) and than we were onto our next and final stop.

Stop No.4 Trafalgar Square 5pm - 6pm

The home of the giant stone lions. This was noisy as there was a protest meeting going on, plus not only was it World Wide Knitting in Public Day it was also World naked bike riders day :O

By this stop we also wished we had remembered to bring some cushions to sit on, the paved floor was starting to feel very hard.

We sat near one of the lions and did a spot of knitting and felt happy with ourselves. We had also heard from other knitters (they had been yarn shopping pre-starting the knit crawl) about a new shop off Carnaby street All the Fun of the Fair , so decided we needed one more knitting related stop.

All the Fun of the fair - Unit 2.8 Kingly Court off Carnaby Street, London W1B 5PW

A little shop of treasures, they specialise in hand knitted cakes and quirky hand knitted items (prefect gifts) they have a good selection of yarns and haberdashery plus crafts and even old knitting patterns.

I purchased a couple of knitting dolly's (for the collection) and yes I did buy more yarn and as it was WWKIPD the very helpful lady (friendly and knowledgeable I will be shopping there again)who owned the store gave us 10% off and even guided us to a tasty selection of bargain yarns :)

A perfect ending to a knitting day :)

Flower loom

OK I am into looms at the moment, this is an old plastic flower loom I dug out when doing some tidying. I was thinking what to do with all this ladder type yarn I bought at a exhibition and found it works really well on the loom (plus its kinder to my hands than the wire). Instead of weaving the inside of the flower with a needle I crocheted it, surface crochet style. Still have a lot of experimenting to do but I am happy with the results so far :)