Hand sewn laundry bag

Hay all. How is the 2020 crafting spree going?

I realised I needed a laundry bag for my daughter’s room. Then during early lockdown I found a patterm for a hand sewn one in a mag I had in my stash.

The pattern has been pegged up in my todo list line since April. I sorted through my stash of fabric in May and found the perfect fabric.

The pattern did recommend interfacing to stiffen the shape. I’ve sewn a button tab to hang it up instead. It’ll gain more shape as it fills up.

Completed washing bag

I’m really pleased with the finished article. I’ve not done much sewing before this year. But I am definitely starting to fall in love a little bit.

Happy crafting

MrsKirstyHoll

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Finished Object – Baby Cardi and WIP progress

Hi all!

Sorry I’ve been majorly quiet lately. Lily has done some serious growing and is not less baby and more toddler. Where on earth did the time go???? She’s also now found the stairs and 90% of the time refuses to nap unless its a power nap in the car. So I have zero blogging time because…

Any spare time is going into finishing ‘A Game of Life and Death’. This is the novel I penned while I was at uni. It has spent the last 5 years being occasionally dusted off for an attempt before being abandoned. What’s changed? My grandad wants to read it and has fuelled a new motivation to get it done – he’s also amazing and is proofreading for me. It’s now 2/3rds edited. Currently re-writing the final section – the original ending was not completely working with me. The plan is to publish through Amazon. So will update you when this is done!

 

Pattern? Stylecraft Lullaby 8912. Chosen because it was a longer cardi design – which I hadn’t seen in many baby patterns, the textured patterning and the adorable addition of the ears on the hood.

So what did I learn from this knit? Look more closely at the yardage when swapping for another yarn than the pattern suggest. I’m not kidding when I say I’ve probably got enough yarn to knit this cardi again – and I knitted the largest size!!! In addition, it was also the first time I’d knitted button holes – thanks Youtube! The instructions for them didn’t come across that easily for a beginner, but the video instructions helped make sense of it all.

What yarn was it? Stylecraft Special for Babies. Really lovely to knit with. This cardi hasn’t been washed yet, so not sure how well it’s going to wash. But it knitted up relatively quickly and feels lovely and soft. Will have to find another pretty pattern to finish off the rest of the stash.

Other WIPS on my needles:

• A SS draping cardi for me (for when I just need to zone out infront of the telly)
• A small gift for my cousin’s new baby
• A colourwork scarf that a friend’s claimed
• A dementia muff

These WIPs aren’t in my range of focus until the book is done. But I have found that doing some simple knitting before bed does help me settle. So I try and get about 30 minutes in before heading up for the night.

That’s my update currently. Any news from you guys? Please leave updates in the comments below!

Water Bottle Holder

Just a quick one from me today!

So I’m really not drinking enough water. Hopefully this could be changed by strapping my water bottle to my side. This stash buster crochet bag could be the way forward.

A really easy and quick make – although it has been sat in a drawer half finished for a few months!!!

It’s made from scrap DK yarn balls sat in my stash.

If anyone has any other good stash buster patterns/projects then please comment below!

Love to you all and happy knitting!

MrsKirstyHoll

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Finished Object – Terribly Simple Shawl

Hi all 🙂

Had a busy week – so made sure I found some knitting time carved out to keep my head calm. A positive perk of this was I managed to get this stash buster shawl finished!

For those of you that missed it – here’s the original post…

via WIP – Terribly Simple Shawl

It now looks like this:

I’m using a broach I had floating around to secure it.

Changes I made to the pattern:

– swapped to increasing in the middle about half way (see small holes in middle).

– stopped increasing about midway through the blue. Think it help give a really nice point.

So this stash buster has finished off:

– all textured white yarn

– the sparkly teal ball

– the remaing sparkly pink from my stash.

Feeling pretty pleased with this… making room for any finds from knitting and stitching show in March. Need to have a sort through for any other hidden gems!

My next cast on?

Cast this beautiful hooded toddler cardigon for Lily. Had this in the todo with the yarn for about a year! Go me 🙂

Knitting up well. So will let you know when it’s done!

Love to you all and happy knitting

MrsKirstyHoll

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Finished Make- Summer Breeze Baby Jumper and Blanket

So. Long time no see.

All good here. Been busy with yarn/sorting out yarn stash/sorting out patterns/making space for new yarn. A real focus on the moment on trying to use up what’s currently in my stash. I would like to make some room for new yarn that I plan on buying at the knitting and stitching show in March (mum and I have tickets!).

So this knit was actually on the ‘to-make list’ – so a complete win for me!!! This yarn reduced yarn in my stash – although it had been brought with the intention of this jumper – but still a definite win.

The Hayfield bonus DK and King Cole Glitz were really nice to knit with and look fab knitted up. This jumpers also now been washed a few times and appears to be holding it’s shape well :).

While the jumper was a pretty quick knit, it was more difficult to get Lily to stay still for a picture – she’s recently figured out walking and so would much rather be pulling toys out of various boxes.

The plan – if I get some time – is to sew through some thin white ribbon into the back of the jumper. Ideally in some lace up corset style. Alternately I have some small buttons I might add with a small hoop. But she won’t notice if that doesn’t happen soon – I’m not a fan of things than involve a sewing needle.

But apart from that, I’m really pleased with the fit. A perk of living with the recipient is that I was able to extend the body and the arms. I ended up having to extend the body at the shoulders. Ideally, I would actually knit this jumper in a top down fashion to make it easier to knit the body to the length required. Personally, I like long bodied jumpers as I find them more comfortable – so that does influence the final design of what I knit.

I did end up with a lot of spare yarn from this project – to be honest I could have knitted another jumper….

So I dug out my set of hooks and started free handing a Crochet blanket. I started from the center and worked outwards. It was actually a rather therapeutic make as I didn’t have any sort of pattern to follow. Found this was also a great lesson in crochet for me as  I got more of an understanding of the shaping and just generally more confidence.

I free attempted the squaring out of the blanket as I went. So my square is not going to be the most regular one you’ll see today. But I found it a really fun challenge to attempt. It’s been gifted to Lily as a lighter weight blanket for warmer evenings.

So these were my makes for January – glittery is the theme. Which is something you need once all the glitter of Christmas has disappeared! In January I also managed to get another couple of chapters finished on my book – helped by my Grandad who has become my editor. We’re working on a final draft this year.

That’s all from me today 🙂 Wanted to keep you updated on what I’ve been making 🙂

Love to you all and Happy Knitting

Mrs Kirsty Holl

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Swirly Hat

Hay all

Firstly, Merry Christmas all 🙂

I’m off work now for a week! So very excited to have some knitting time 🙂 My knitting speed has increased and hoping to be able to get some decent knitting in.

So my Christmas eve knitting spree  saw me finishing off the swirly hat I brought at the knitting and stitching show. I brought the hat and the pattern from Trim Wool Shop.

Yarn: Katia Azteca

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pattern: Spiral Azteca Hat & Scarf. (I just did the hat).

So before you look at the picture… I was under the impression from the mock up at the show that this pattern was meant to fit an adult…

I was meaning to knit Lily a new hat… So at least that is one problem solved! I used the rest of the yarn to knit Lily a quick stocking stitch scarf – with a hole in it so you can pull one end of the scarf through so it does not need to be wrapped around her neck.

I then used the remaining yarn to crochet some additional lines onto a scrap crochet blanket I’m working on. The yarn was really nice to knit and crochet with. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure on the die mix – there is too much colour mix and it doesn’t seem to have a specific theme.

Pattern Suggestions I’d make:

• Either add an edging stitch to the side that won’t be pulled together make the hat -currently the edge doesn’t look fantastic. OR pick up stitches at the bottom once it’s been completed to make a border.
• Possibly rework design with DPN’s. It might make the shape of the piece a little more regular and predictable. Might also make it easier to size the hat as you’re knitting it.

I would look at getting this brand of yarn again if I had any chunky crochet projects –  it’s was lovely to crochet with.

To finish – here’s a cute picture of Lily under the Harry Potter blanket I knitted her for Christmas.

That’s all from me today… Currently knitting Lily a sparkly jumper!

Love to you all, Merry Christmas and Happy Knitting

 

xxx

Finished knit – Christmas Jumper

Today I cast off the final stitch on Lily’s first christmas jumper! I’ve ordered some Soak detergent from Amazon – the reviews online said it’s ideal for hand washing yarn knits.

The pattern was from one the love knit magazine christmas issues.

Front:

Back:

Changes I made

• Rather than knitting areas seperately and sewing together, I picked up stitches for the sleeves, collar and white bottom border.
• I knitted the sleeves short
• The yarn used was snowflake DK rather than the standard DK (stash knit -win!)
• I added white borders to all edges to finish off the garment

When the Soak dergent arrives tomorrow I’m going to wash and block it. Then I’ll add a button and a button loop out of some cotton yarn.

Hope you all have a lovely christmas

Love to you all and happy knitting!

Mrskirstyholl

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An Update from Me and Change of Purpose

So it appears that most of you were right a few months back when you said I was doing way to much.

I was actually on route to a burn out and got diagnosed with depression in August. It’s been a tough couple of months. But we’re on the up now. For anyone wondering – apparently taking on way to much can be a symptom  (the opposite end is not wanting to do anything at all).

I’ve still been knitting though – it’s amazing how much it can do for your mental health. The amount of focus it takes is great for helping things calm down and putting it all in perspective. Where I’m not putting so much pressure on myself to get blog posts written, I am probably knitting more.

I finished this Shawl for my Nan. She’s just come back home from hospital and I’m hoping it keeps her nice and snuggly.

The Mini Christmas elf is also done. This was the first toy knit I’ve done for a while and I really enjoyed making it 🙂 I chickened out of the face though. My sewing skills are naf,

I also finally finished backing this Starwars Scarf! I was initially going to sew something on the back. However, I’ve been picking up crochet skills this year and finally figured out how to back it! Combo of yellow and black DK yarn.

I don’t want to stop blogging in its entirety. I love writing, but with a small person it’s not something I can fully focus on making work. Work is also super exciting at the moment, so I’m plowing a lot of energy into that. So I need my hobbies to relax me and help me chill out. The blog will continue to be, but more as an online documentation of what I’ve done in the world of knitting. It will be a place of my knitting ideas and inspiration. It will be a place where I keep my (ever growing) To-Do list of knitting projects. It will be a place of my list of my completed projects and a place of my writing as I continue to edit my book (I will get that damn thing finished one day!!).

So thanks for being patient with me. I’ve been told I need to clear some stuff off my plate and I know that pressuring myself to do this regularly is just on thing to many at the moment. I need to back off and make this fun again.

Love to you all and Happy Knitting

MrsKirstyHoll

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F.O Baby hat

So I was pleased as punch when I found this pattern in a Julia’s house charity shop about a month ago – a complete bargin at 50p! I’ve had a huge ball of this lovely white aran yarn in my stash for years with no idea what to do with it. So this also became a stash project to – so total win on this one!

It was a really nice knit – and I also learnt the LT stitch which cause a really cool twist that runs up the hat. The only problem was the decrease at the end which involved knitting in pattern. Had to get some help from the lovely ladies in the knitting circle!

The pom pom was my first make with the maker I brought from the knitting and stitching show (see the multipom frame in the picture below). It was by far the fastest pom pom I have ever made. The concept of a scrap yarn pompom rug for Lilly’s room is looking more likely (but definitely not until after we stop eating things!) as I don’ think it will take a horrendous amount of time to make the required pom poms.

So the hat is about size 6-9 months (Lily has a large head). Although it does fit Lily, this one is going to be donated. The next project out of this yarn will be the matching cardigon. I love the cross over front – the other patterns I picked up on the day had a similar design.

That’s all for the minute. Will try and find some time to update you on my current wips! I have been knitting and attempting the crochet…

Love to you all and happy knitting

MrsKirstyHoll

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F.O. – Scrap yarn cot blanket

My knitting speed has definately increased. This is good news in light of my limited knitting time these days. 

So this was knitted with my favourite curcular needles – addi premium. Such a pleasure to knit with!

Luckily I finished knitting on a day with some glourious evening sunshine!

I’m so pleased with how this turned out. Really love the image and the mix of colours within it. I have used up some yarn balls… but not was many as I thought I would. So need to look and some other smaller projects for that…

What I really learnt with this project was colour changing. It wasn’t something I’d really done before. Initially I was just cutting off the ends with the intention of sewing in later.

Then as I went on I figured out that winding the yarn was much tidier and saved a lot of time. Will definately use this method on furture projects!

The final side of this was 1m x 1m plus a 5cm border on both ends. 

On a side note the border matches my nail polish…

I had originally hoped that a 4×4 ribbed border would have prevented the end curling. I think sticking with the same needles with the slightly thinner dk mucked up tension and so it curled anyway. 

But it still looks shiny 🙂 

This blanket will be a christmas present for Lily. She’ll have grown into it by then!

Now time for a crochet project 🙂 Already planned with yarn in the bag and pattern downloaded. So watch this space!

Love to you all and happy yarning!

Mrskirstyholl (and Lily)

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