Felting

Hi
I have not blogged for quite a while as I am now working full time and between work, family, house and the other things that go with this I just not had time.

Saturday was the Machine Knitters Guild Workshop and I learned how to felt. Elaine from The Turnip House http://turniphouse.com/visited the guild and in the morning showed us how to make a felted pen.  In the afternoon we were more adventurous and made a small bag. I thought I would share my pictures with you.

Hopefully, will have more time to blog soon and to look at other people's blogs.

Felted Bag embelished with a felted flower and beads

Flower head of my felted pen

12th Day of Christmas

This is my last day of Christmas and I have shown you 12 of my best items which I have made in the past 12 months.  This is the latest item which I have made and I am really pleased with it.  It is hand knit in 2 different wools, a soft luxurious Artesano Alpaca and Louisa Harding Willow Tweed. The bag is therefore more versatile as it has 2 different sides. I lined it with dark orange which shows through the lace leaves. I hope you like it.

Artesano Alpaco side

Louisa Harding Willow Tweed

Thanks to my friend's sister Louise who supplied me with the wool from her stall in St George's Market, Belfast

11th Day of Christmas

This is a hat which was in a recent edition of Machine Knitting Monthly magazine. It is knit with a mix of 2 yarns - I think it was a 2ply and tibet.  The inside of the hat is chenille and it is quite thick.  You knit the crown and then a strip for the brim which is added separately.  I had this felted flower which I pinned on later.

10th Day of Christmas

Here is a hat which was inspired by Iris Bishop. She visited our knitters guild and showed us how to knit a piece of material with long floats which are then cut up the middle and brushed down.  I made this hat and then added on a knitted cord and pompoms.  It is quite effective.

9th Day of Christmas

Here are some blue checked bedsocks I knit. They are lovely and soft and cosy

8th Day of Christmas

Happy New Year to everyone and happy knitting for 2012. My new year resolution is to lose weight, get fitter and make more time to knit, weave and sew.  I got some new craft books for Christmas and hope to work through these.
Below is a cardigan which I knit a while back for my daughter. I used my brother chunky machine for the main body which is in aran wool. I then handknit the cuffs and band and added a furry collar with foxy fur. Then I embroidered the bottom.
Alas, she is now too big to fit it, but I am unable to part with it.

7th Day of Christmas

Here is a scarf knit on 'my fingers'.  I was shown how to do this by an octogenarian at the machine knitters guild and was quite fascinated.  I knit three wools at a time to create a thicker scarf and then finished each end with beads.

This would be ideal for a knitting fix on an aeroplane!