Jam Pot Textiles

Jam Pot Textiles

Monday, December 12, 2011

It's good to finish things, but I do love a new project.

So at last all the Pom Pom making has paid off, and I have one completed garland.

I love it, and what a great why to use up yarn. I used a Pom Pom maker as well, so no cutting endless card circles.

Do you like the Russian dolls? We have, so far, the three kings, Joseph, Mary, Gabriel and two more to pop out still! Rush off to John Lewis if you want one!

If I was to have a rule that says that one project must be finished before you start a new one, then I have failed again!

I could not resist this hat in Simply Knitting, knitted with one 100g ball of sock yarn, a great little, and I will finish it, project.

No tree up here yet, but I did get the Christmas lanterns out, and this one is a favourite.
Bye

Monday, November 28, 2011

It's beginning to look a lot like...................

I think any chance of any canvas work being done before Christmas has been swept away. I downloaded Making magazine the other day, and it's full of lovely ideas. It was the Lino printing that caught my eye something that I've always wanted to do, so the materials were purchased and after a lot of practice ( and a lot is needed) I've made all my Christmas cards.

So all this card making starts you thinking about other christmas thing that could be made.

The book 60 crocheted snowflakes popped up in my recommended books on Amazon the other day, and I was very tempted, so tempted if fact that I bought it!! While waiting for that to arrive I tried out Attic 24 snowflake its a good starting point. I've tried one snowflake from the book, that looks great ( once I had worked out the instructions were American crochet not English)

There has also been Pom Pom making too, as I want to make a Pom Pom garland, it's also a great way of using up left over yarn!!!!

I've made this tea cosy too, the pattern comes from JustJen-knits my teapot is a nine cup (they must be very small cups) but its tall rather then fat, so I used the 4 cup pattern, and made it a little taller.
Must be off as I've got snowflakes to starch, and I've found a crocheted holly leaf pattern I might try!!! Bye

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Covering wooden beads

Last week I covered a wooden bead with more beads, the thought being that I would make some earrings with the result. But I was undecided whether to use this method or a needle lace covering.

The only way to decide is to try one, so here's how.
I have used three strands of stranded cotton. Pull yourself out a long length and put a knot in the end. Thread the needle though the bead and then though the knot in the thread, pull tight around the bead hiding the knot in the hole in the bead. I then wrapped the thread round the bead 8 more times.

Thread your thread around the top of the beads under the 8 wrapping threads.

Then start the needle lace. It's like a buttonhole stitch, make a loop take the needle under the ring of thread at the top, and pull up though your loop.great diagram here

Carry on round, taking your needles though the loops of the last round, try and catch the first wraps as you go round, this helps hold the lace tight to the bead. You will need to add in stitches by stitching twice into some loops to increase, and miss out some loops to decrease.

Don't Worry if you run out of thread, just thread the working thread under one of your first wraps and down though the hole. Then knot a new length, hide the knot in the hole in the bead, thread back down your foundation wraps up though the last loop you worked and off you go.

All done!

But which one will have a partner made? ( I can see myself having to go and buy another pair of earring loops)

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Busy with other things again!

It was half term for us last week, and we where lucky enough to get away for a long weekend. We went to Norfolk again, but this time stayed in Wells-Next-the-Sea.

We had famous people day in the first week back at school, and Fred went as Douglas Bader.
Douglas Bader
This was a great idea as we had the fight suit already, but it was covered in Vulcan patches, so we had to make two new ones, one has Bader's signature on, worked in stem stitch, and one has his initials worked in satin stitch.

My holiday project this time was this wonderful leather satchel, I had notice a advert for them in Mollie Makes magazine and when I found out they where going to the Knitting and Stitching show I could not wait to have a look. The special thing about this bag is that you make it your self! Yes that right it's a kit. The leather is all cut out for you, with the holes pre- punched as well, all you have to do it sew it together.
Simple way, follow link to sew your own

I'm also having some fun with some wooden beads, the thought is that I could make some earrings with them. At the moment I'm trying covering with beads, but would also like to try covering with a needle lace stitch, the same way that you make apples in stump work.
We will see!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

A week of work

From Monday to Friday, a little bit of canvas work done every night!
Monday


Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday
A week of work, and we are now back into the swing of things after the little break to make Mrs Claus.

Jenny

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Please welcome Mrs Claus.

Ta-dah, Mrs Claus
Mrs Claus by Alan Dart, from Simply Knitting magazine.








I do hope you like her


Jenny


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Monday, October 10, 2011

Just a sneak peek

My fingers have been very busy this week, Mrs Claus by Alan Dart has been flying off the needles.


I was hoping to have had her finished, but we are not quite there yet. So it's just a sneak peek!


Holly on top of her Christmas pudding.


Green eyes, pinky cheeks and plaited hair.


All pinned together, just needs to be stitched.
Please come back to share my Ta dah moment in a couple of days.

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Monday, October 3, 2011

Distractions

Just how warm has it been in the UK this week? What a treat to have our summer extended for just a little longer. We even managed a BBQ this weekend, 1st of October and we had a BBQ!!!!


Not a lot of canvas work done this week, the next petal to work has some lovely shading and shapes in it and I'm worried about getting it right! I've spent a lot of time just looking at the picture and not stitching.


I have had a lot of distractions arrive on my doorstep this week, the 3 magazines that I subscribe to all arrive around the same time! Mollie Makes is the first to land. A lovely colourful picture heavy magazine filled with making and ideas, although I wish there was a little more making and a little less 'here's my lovely home,and arty pictures of old tutt' and I really don't understand the felt animals they have every week!!!


The magazine that stood out the week is Simply Knitting, it's had a bit of a revamp, and looks great, really well arranged, bright and colourful, with a handy quick guide at the top of each new pattern so you can see straight away what yarn, needles and stitch type you need to complete the project.
We loved this 'Mrs Claus' as soon as we saw it. Being determined to use some of my stash of yarn I started knitting the same day the magazine arrived!





Different colours as you see, but the best the stash could provide, the colour of the top is dark maroon ( it does not show very well in the photo) what do you think?

Jenny



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Sunday, September 25, 2011

An in and out week, and have you been to Ightham Mote?

There is something about sunshine in late September that makes you what to get out and about, the thought of winter weather on the horizon makes even the laziest of bones stir and set forth. We are very lucky here in Kent to have an abundance of National Trust properties. East of Sevenoaks, and just off the A227 is Ightham Mote.
'Ightham mote is a lovely 14th century medieval moated manor house. It is not grand but standing in a sheltered wooded cleft of the Kentish Weald it conjures up the history and atmosphere of 650 years ago, better than any other of its type.'





Still such a wonderful show, even this late in the year.











Something to puzzle a monkey.


We have a little less progress to show this week than I would hope. This has something to do with the fact that the area work was not liked in the light of day and was removed and reworked. I'm now quite happy, and really pleased that I did it! But let's hope that, that does not happen too often as it takes as long to take it out as to sew it in, in the first place.!!!

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Sunday, September 18, 2011

Enjoy the sun while we have it!

This weekend was an unexpected treat for us, with the sun making a late summer show.


We went to the park with our hairy hound, we did one circuit, then the kids went to play on the swings, the idea being that the dog and I would do another round of the park. But as his lord and master was chief swing pusher, he refused to move away from the gate to the swings, so there we stayed until they came out, silly boy!


Things are moving on at a steady rate, with the canvas work. It nearly slowed to a stop when I picked up an unfinished piece of knitting the other day and started to get back into that, but soon righted myself back onto the way of the canvas!



We had at last,and can you believe this, our first red tomato this week, middle miss got very excited, and wanted to wash and eat it straight away, or make it into tomato soup. I explained that I too am keen to make soup, but we may need to collect one or two more before that was possible!


We did add it into our Saturday supper, and had one of my favourite meals, a Waitrose recipe Pan-fried chicken. I don't cook for pleasure only to feed us, so follow recipes for almost all our meals. I have been collecting these Waitrose recipes since I first step in the store, and now have enough to fill 4 files ( they have gone all a bit Delia and Heston in resent times and my collection has slowed) but this meal has all that is good in food, chicken, bacon, mushrooms, wine and tomatoes, ahhhhhh heaven.





Jenny xxx
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