Beautiful Bunting.

All these lovely beach huts around us at the seaside and even in Chester gave me and Sarah the idea of lovely beach hut bunting knitted and crochet.

I think we have beach huts on the brain as I just want to share with you the ones I found in Bournemouth a few years ago. There were rows and rows of them in beautiful colours all along the sea front.

So.... back to the knitting.

This week I am going to share with you knitted beach hut bunting.

We are using Rowan Summerlite 4ply in four beautiful colours. You can look at the full range of colours on the Rowan website www.Knitrowan.com. 

We choose 4 colours from the range to work our bunting in, lovely tonal soft pastels.

I have to admit I struggled getting the shape right on this. I started knitting one with moss stitch edge and stocking stitch centre but it wouldn't sit flat so I pulled it back. Then I knitted one that looked like a house.... (it needs pressing and ends sewn in and pinning into shape) but its not too bad but not beach huts so I tried again.

So then I knitted this one below and decided I was nearly there with a bit of tweeking.

so here is the basic pattern:-

NB- when changing colours make sure you twist the yarns at the back to avoid a hole

We used 4 colours

3mm needles 

size : 8cm x 12cm

tension: 28 sts and 46 rows to 10 cm measured over st st on 3mm needles

With 3mm needles and colour A cast on 22sts

Row 1: *k1, p1 rep from * to end

Row 2: *p1, k1 rep from * to end

These 2 rows form the moss st

Work a further 2 rows in moss st

Change to colour B

Work 4 rows in moss st

Change to colour A

Work 4 rows in moss st

Cont in moss stitch and 2 colour, 4 row stripe until you have worked 28 rows

Next row: join in colour C and knit 4 sts, in colour B moss st 14sts, in colour C knit 4 sts

Next row: in colour C purl 4 sts, in colour B moss st 14sts, in colour C purl 4sts.

Work the last 2 rows once more

Next row: k3, sl 1, k1, psso in colour C, moss st 12 sts in colour A, in colour C k2tog, k3

Next row: p4 in colour C, moss st 12sts in colour A , p4 in colour C

Next row: k3, sl 1, k1, psso in colour C, moss st 10 sts in colour A, in colour C k2tog, k3

Next row:  p4 in colour C, moss st 10sts in colour A , p4 in colour C

Cont as set with colour and stripe , dec 1 st at each side as before on every right side row until 8 sts 

work 1 row in colour C

Next row: (RS) k2, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k2. 6sts

Next row: purl

Next row: k2, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k1

Next row: p1, p2tog tbl, p1

Next row: sl 1, k2tog, psso

fasten off

sew in all loose ends.

Here is the finished one

You can make as many as you want in lots of different colours. Add buttons or embroidery to fancy them up and attach them to a ribbon or cord. You can even make solid coloured ones with doors on as I will show you next week but using the basic bunting pattern as a guide.

I will show you the finished bunting next week after I have knit a few more and embellished them.

Sarah will be back off her jollies as well with her crochet bunting next week so looking forward to seeing that. 

If anyone wants to share any knitted or crochet bunting we would love to see all your makes. Lets hope the sun keeps shining so we can hang them outside.

Have a lovely week Helen xx

The Best Laid-Plans........

In the words of that great man Robert Burns, 'The best-laid plans of mice and men oft(en) go astray'

We have had a busy week, Helen and I, what with one thing and another. Therefore our knitted bunting will be posted next week. I am afraid that life has got in the way this week!

Flowers for a friend

Anyway as usual you do not find us lost for words. I have been keeping busy this week preparing some very special flowers for a friend's funeral, which was a time for celebration of a life well lived. 

I was also getting ready for the Race for Life Pretty Muddy Challenge at Tatton Park, in both memory and in celebration of friends and family, who have and still are fighting this condition. Their bravery always astounds me! 

Bring on the MUD.......

We did say bring it on!!

Did we really sign up to get
this muddy?

Of course we did!!! 

Off to the finish line!

Same time next year.....? Of course!

So there we go that has been my week! Thanks to my Daughter and sister-in-law for getting muddy alongside me, it is so much more fun in a group, also to all the fabulous volunteers who make the whole thing possible especially my knitting buddy Veronica, a survivor and an inspiration.

It is a GREAT cause!!!

The bunting will be here next week.....thanks for understanding!

Beautiful St.Ives !!!

What a fabulous week I had in St.Ives, Cornwall with my family. This is a place I could pack everything up and move down to and live the "flip flop"  life as I call it.

Firstly let me show you the view that I woke up to every day.

And the house that we stayed in that was amazing and in the perfect location.

So did I take any knitting or crochet with me?

 I think you know the answer to that!

I find it easy to pick my crochet up, whether I am in the car or in bed so I only had with me this small selection. I am putting together a few workshops for the Autumn so this is what I worked on when I had a spare minute, but there weren't very many.

The shops in St.Ives are amazing, me and my daughter can spend hours just browsing around the little cobbled streets.

And I also found a wool shop !!! House of Bartlett,

 and it had a knitted hanging basket outside, how fabulous!

The lady that owned it was called Kay and she was so lovely. I could have spent hours talking to her and looking at all the beautiful wools. 

If you are down in Cornwall call in at The Drill Hall, Chapel Street, St.Ives. 

When I am out and about I always take photos of random things. My family think I am mad but I bet if you are creative you do the same.

Here are a few extra photos I have to share with you.

A glass window

Wallpaper in a little coffee shop

A tiled Wall

Beach Huts in a gift shop

Well Helen thank you for sharing your holiday snaps with us, I too love St Ives and its little streets with quirky shops. House of Bartlett is a lovely little wool shop too!

I managed a day in Chester whilst you were away and also found some beach huts! Don't they just make you feel happy?

All these lovely beach huts have got me and Sarah thinking 'beach hut bunting'.

So look out for the knitted version next week then a crochet version the week after.

British Summertime!

Well what a week, you would not know that British Summertime started on Monday I think we have had all the seasons in one week. I don't know about you but I find it so hard to decide what to wear in this weather, ending up in lots of layers either adding or removing them as the day goes on.

Summer flowers inspire colour choices

I really do love my shawls and cowls when it is like this as they add light layers that keep you nice and cosy and there are so many lovely patterns to chose from. 

If you are a regular visitor to our blog then you may remember that I had put together some beautiful yarns to show you how a good root around in your stash can produce some lovely colour mixes. 

Just a reminder of the yarns from my stash 

With small amounts of yarn like this you can make a lovely short cowl which sits nicely around your neck without being too warm and it uses up those yarns which so often sit unused in our boxes of stash. It is also easy to fold up and pop into your bag when the sun finally comes out.

My completed cowl a perfect size for this variable weather

This short cowl is so easy to make and although my yarns varied from an aran weight, double knitting and the beautifully fine Rowan Kidsilk haze I used a 5mm hook throughout and the finish is lovely. There is no specific colour code, I just pick up the next one I want to use and quite honestly do as many or as few rounds as the yarn allows.

I made mine in the round, however if you do not feel confident with this it can bee done on the straight and joined at the end. If I am honest though it is a great way to practice working in the round. Why not give it a try?

Sarah's Short Cowl

Foundation Row:

With 5mm/5.5mm hook and first colour make 100 chain (+ or - to suit you)

Turn and work 1 row as follows:

 2ch (counts as first dc), 1 dc into each ch to end sl st into top of 2ch to form a ring. (taking care not to twist the row)*

*(you can join the round when you have completed the chain, however I like to work one row so that I have less chance of twisting the round)

Round 1:

 3 ch (counts as first tr) 1 tr into each tr to end, sl st into top of 3 ch at beg of round.

Rep round 1 throughout, changing colour when you choose to until it is the required depth for you.

Last Round

2ch (counts as first dc) 1 dc into each tr to end, sl st into top of 2ch at beg of round and fasten off.

Sew in your ends. It's finished

When you have completed your cowl take a good look at it because it is your design and will be as individual as you are. Well done!

Watch out though this can become addictive!

I would also like to show you a fabulous shawl pattern, which if you follow us on Instagram and face book you will have already seen, it is the 'Elise' Shawl designed by Evan Plevinksi you can find it here http://www.ravelry.com/designers/evan-plevinski. It is beautiful to make and I just used one ball of Wendy Happy Feet to make it, take a look. Best of all this pattern is free!
I plan to take it on holiday with me for those cool evenings when a jacket is too much but you still need something around your shoulders.

So Pretty!!

Well that's it for this week, Helen is back from her family holiday to Cornwall today so I am sure we will have lost's to natter about next week. Until then, have a fabulous week it is definitely the time of year to get your needles & hooks out in the great outdoors. Enjoy!

We Love Crochet!

I hope everyone had a lovely bank holiday weekend. I had my in-laws staying over the weekend and as the sun was shining we went for a walk around Wythenshaw park and the flowers were out in full bloom, beautiful.

My mother-in-law brought  a vase with her which she wanted to cover in crochet, so my weekend was full of cooking, wine and crochet.

I was using a linen yarn as she wanted a natural look as the vase is going in her bathroom. I started with a foundation chain around the bottom and started working my way up.

I used double trebles in a cluster of 4 and increased gradually as I made my way up the vase.

I did get it finished over the weekend and I think it looks great. If anyone is thinking of covering a vase let me tell you, its easy but just choose your vase or basket carefully and keep the shape simple so you don't have to do much shaping.

Well Helen you have inspired me to have a go at doing something like this, however I have started  on a smaller scale and I would like to share my little project and instructions with everyone. I am using an old Crème brûlée jar from Marks and Spencer. The jar can be any you like I like the short ones for tea lights. 

 I used an old dessert pot

Tea Light Holder Cover

I used a fine white pure cotton 4 ply and a 3mm hook you can use any yarn just adjust your hook size accordingly

Terms used

Ch=chain

Sl St = Slip stitch

Dc= double crochet

Htr=half treble
tr =treble

Foundation chain: Make 4ch, sl st into 1st ch to form a ring.

Round 1: ch1, 8dc into the ring, sl st into ch1

Round 2: ch2, 2htr into each st, sl st to ch2

Round 3:  ch2, *1htr into next st, 2htr into next st, rpt from * to end, sl st to 2ch

Round 4:  ch2, *1htr into next 2 st’s, 2htr into next st, rpt from * to end, sl st to 2ch 

Round 5: ch2, *1htr into next 3 st’s, 2htr into next st, rpt from * to end, sl st to 2ch

Round 6: ch2, * 1htr into next 4 st’s , 2htr into next st, rpt from * to end, sl st to 2ch

Round 7: ch2, * 1htr into next 5 st’s, 2htr into next st, rpt from * to end, sl st to 2ch

Round 8: ch2, *1htr into next 6 st’s, 2htr into next st, rpt from * to end, sl st to 2 ch

(Note at this point if your base is not big enough continue increasing by one st at the beginning of the round)

Round 9: ch2, * 1htr into the back loop only of each st rpt from * to end, sl st to 2 ch.

(Note that round 9 forms a lip which turns to form an edge around the base)

Round 10: 4chain *skip  a st, 1tr into next st, 1ch, rpt from * to end, sl st into 3rd chain of 4 chain

Round 11:  slip st into first ch sp, chain 4,* 1tr into next ch sp, 1ch, rpt from * to end , sl st into 3rd chain of 4 chain.

Round 12: repeat round 11.

Round 13: slip st into first ch sp, chain 3,* 1htr into next ch sp, 1ch, rpt from * to end , sl st into 2nd chain of 3 chain.

Round 14: 1ch, *1dc into each st, rpt from * to end, sl st into 1ch 

Secure thread and sew in ends.

This pattern can be adapted for any size jar using any yarn just adjust your hook size and increase/ decrease the number of rounds for your base and the row 11 repeats.

The base begins to form after round 2

Round 9 creates the lip for the turning ridge

Jar covered just needs ends sewing in and tea light adding

Click on our instagram link on the side of this page to see some lovely pictures of the holders with tea lights in them!!

Happy hooking, have a great week!