Sunday 16 August 2009

Waistcoats Ceramic buttons

Buttons are about inch and a half in length, brought at Sew Creative, they have a lovely texture.

Noro WAISTCOAT


P8161056
Originally uploaded by frances.small2
I am trying really hard to knit from the yarns i have. This vest or waistcoat is knitted in Silk Garden light. My own design with a wave crotched edging, ceramic buttons and crochet tie. It is based on my lovely feather and fan design. Knitted in one piece to the arm holes. It took ten balls of yarn and the colours remind me of the sea and beach.It took about 10 days to make.

Invasion of the stinging kind

On friday Martin climbed into one of the 2 little attics and quickly came scumbling down again. He was greated with a large 2ft wasp nest that had grown over one of the air blocks. it contained thousands of wasps. After persuading him not to tacle it himself we got a pest controller in who sprayed it with wasp poison. it was one of the largest nests he'd ever seen and he said it containeda lot of wasps. Apparently a few hundred drones can build a very large nest in a matter of weeks, ours had the humidity of the bathroom and an air vent, to make it a popular nest choice. Its not to be touched for a few days, and we may need him back again.It's amazing to think that we could have had these little house guests so close by but not known it. We came down with the sniffles, we think the powder did that, but poor Lily was really ill, being sick etc, we think she might have investigated the poison can lid.
On a brighter note, Cousin Mick and i were interviewed by the Cambridge Daily News about our rare bone complaint and ity was published in saturdays paper.it was a good article, though my photo was not too great. Alice Ryan the reporter loved Micks cheeky wit, even when he tried to flirt with her.
craft wise i have just finished one waistcoat and two thirds through another, i am trying to be good and start using up my stash. Photo,s to come later. Other than that we and the ark remain much the same.

Wednesday 12 August 2009

Afternoon tea with a difference

After many months i have finished one of my Debbie Abraham blankets. I brought the yarn half price on Ralvery, because it's seller no longer wished to knit it. i have changed some of the colours and squares of the original design, plus i crotched a boarder and added extra beads I loved knitting it, and became addicted to bead knitting in the process. Its over 5ft square and weighs a ton. The original design was too pink for me,so i substituted blues and teals in some squares.Now to find a home for it.

Gold sprayed landscape

The third picture shows the same scene sprayed with gold paint, which does cover the area to create a uniformed scene. The whole exercise was based on textured knitting, how to create texture in stitch with only knit and purl stitches, and how to create line and form in knitting. At a latr date, the lines,shapes etc. in this scene could be used in designing a pattern for a garment or object.

landscape sprayed blue

The second picture shows the scene spray painted blue, but the paint does not cover the images very well.

original textured landscape

This is a picture of an exercise for my Part 3 City and Guilds knitting course. We had to find a picture of a landscape and re produce it in 3d. The picture is made up of a variety of things, pasta, string,ribbon, paint,gallery glass, lobelia, seeds,rice, shells etc.

Sunday 9 August 2009

Finished at last

It's a red letter day as i have at long last finished module 1 of my City and Guilds hand knitting course. i began this module in April, so it has taken me just about 4 months. Even though i have been knitting for years, i feel as if i have learnt alot, and my memory has been refreshed on other things. It also means that i can go away and be refreshed before i start module 2.
unfortunately the dogs have not been too well this week. we took them to Royston heath on Thursday, and though the sky was over cast, i think it was too hot for them, 3 of them were down with sickness and heat exhaustion, we will check the temperature next time, nothing over 18 for a walk. Tumi, bless her has sprained her back and cannot stand very well. She is lovingly being looked after, by us and the others gentle nudge her. Sitting down with her has made me conscentrate on finishing the module. She is a little better, but can only walk a couple of steps.Lily can't understand why her best friend won't play with her.
bye for now.

Sunday 2 August 2009

But i don't want to get out , i like it in here.

Simba in his favourite element water and mud, he loves it so, he can still swim further than all of the others, but with young Lily to keep him fit, he is not going to be allowed to become old and staid

Merlin


Merlin
Originally uploaded by frances.small2
Since i posted a picture of the girls, i had better post one of the boys, this is Merlin on one of there Waterbeach walks. Though the second biggest he is still the lowest ranking in the pack

Lily and her sand pit

lily looking for treats in her sand pit. This is our way of trying to stop her from digging up the flower pots, burying treats for her to find. She stopped all the others getting in, found all the sweets, then dug into the flower pots.

Baby surprise Jacket


Baby surprise Jacket
Originally uploaded by frances.small2
My first attempt at knitting a baby surprise jacket. a jacket knitted all in one piece, which look's really strange as you knit it !

All girls together


All girls together
Originally uploaded by frances.small2
Same group, wondering why we are disturbing there sleep!!!

We 3 Girls


We 3 Girls
Originally uploaded by frances.small2
All three girls taking an afternoon nap on the sofa. the boys are on the floor. Nearest is Tumi, then her best pal in all the world, Lily, and Missy is furthested away.

Ethipian Tryptic


Ethipian Tryptic
Originally uploaded by frances.small2
i painted this on tea stained silk a year ago, it was used as a part of a resent exhibition in the old stables of Fulbourne manor Fulbourne. The piece was made after an exercise using Ethiopianwall paintings. It is draw with water colour pencils, silk painted, embroidered and mounted on canvass.

ice maiden


ice maiden2
Originally uploaded by frances.small2
Another stash busting wrap, using 6 balls of cream blur, feather and fan pattern, with beaded picot crochet edges and tassels. I made this for the summer evenings on the cruise.

Manos Shawl


Manos Shawl
Originally uploaded by frances.small2
several years ago i brought 3 balls of Manos from Cottenham, this year they had the same colour so i brought another 2. Manos silk blend is really soft and warm. when i finished it, it looked rather bland, so i have crotched around the boarder, added beads, tassels and one extra thick crotched boarder, in order to add interest.. The wrap is made extra long, it's over 3 feet, in order to be able to attach it on the shoulder or chest or in the middle. i have also made a pin for it. It was a great stash busting exercise, though i did have to buy the Debbie Bliss,silk double knit for the contrast wool

Gerbera brooch


Gerbera brooch
Originally uploaded by frances.small2
a Small brooch made at a recent crochet workshop i attended at John Lewis, made with organic cotton and kidsilk haze, backed with a safety pin. i really enjoyed this workshop and brushed up on skills. other pins to follow at a later date

Simba and chicks


Simba and chicks
Originally uploaded by frances.small2
The 5 chickens and roosters were knitted in Rowan Organic cotton, each bird will have a little of the relevant dogs fur inside. The big bird, simba is already stuffed, but the others are waiting to be finished. eventually they will sit with legs dangling in the Conservatory. Pattern orginally adapted from a Rowan kit

The past two months

It has beenages and ages since i have blogged, two reasons, one painful hand, and a busy Martin who hasn't had time to take photos etc. So now its time for a bit of a catch up.
martin has finished University for this year, and goes back in september to write his disertation and to take a couple of extra modules. I am so proud of him as he won the Student of the year award.Not for marks etc, but for over coming his dyslexia, reallyhelping other people in many different ways, for contributing as a student rep and helping fellow students. Only one student a year gets the ward from over 20,000 students. So he has done really well.
The hounds are all fine as later photographs will show. Simba is now 11, Lily remains a full of energy as ever. She has been helping Martin to put anextension on the garden room,cutting his wood up into bit size chunks for him and re distibuting all the plants.
i have been trying to rest as my legs do not like me too much at the moment. Plus my left hand is not too good.I have been for umpteen tests and things, at one point i was lighting up the national grid with over 9 amps of electricity being pumped through my arm. I have 2 elbows on one arm, and the surgeon whats to make sure he knows where everything is, before he operstes. Otherwie i have been knitting,crocheting and sewing as usual.
i have also joined face book and am slowly learning how to use it.
we are slowly getting ready for our holiday in September, our 1st in 4 years. Both of us can't wait, we hope to cruise around some of the greek islands such as santorini,crete etc then the second week go to venice, spit and other ports in croatia. Hopefully the sail will be calm and the places interesting.
Enjoy the following photo's.