Project 2014

Hello all!

So we are 25days into 2014 and true to my word I have bought NO new clothes. I haven't actually made any either but I am planning something as I type. I still have a few things on the back burner but unfortunately progress in the Bug & Squish household has been fairly slow due to an extreme lack of sleep and therefore motivation and energy!  

Hopefully I will have something to show you after the weekend, I'm prewashing fabric as I type!

I've not been completely idle but I did have a disaster making a gift which led to tears of frustration and me feeling I needs to hide my knitting needles for a couple of days!

We were very lucky to welcome a new baby into the family recently and so I had decided to make a blanket.  I created a pattern and set in motion.

This is the start of it

It looks slightly rough here but I can guarantee it would have been gorgeous had I not dropped the stitches about 50 rows in! And of course I hadn't marked the first lines of my pattern repeats so I couldn't find my way back.  I've since started it again so hopefully it will be finished and with baby soon.

Ok all have a good weekend and thanks for reading, Gem xx

Handmade Christmas

InHello All

Finally I can show you some goodies I made for Christmas.  

For my 2 sisters and my friend Heather I used the Leaving On The Edge Cowl pattern again and made them one each in different colours.

This pattern is fantastic even for beginners I would say.  I used some beautiful chunky wool for each and they were a delight to knit with.  

For my stepdad and one of my brothers I  knit simple k2,p2 rib knit cowls.  My step dad cycles to work a lot so I figured that a cowl would be a great idea as it wouldn't flap about in the wind! 

My mum had requested the same scarf as I made her last year in blue but this time she wanted it in browns so here it is.  Another Lacy Ladder Scarf.

Stepping away from knitting I also used a fab website called Festite to create some fantastic word gifts which I printed and popped into frames.  I created one for each of Bugs nursery teachers, one for my bestie and also one from Bug and Squish to their Grandparents.  The one below is for the Grandparents.  I love the whole concept of this and will be making some to hang at home. 

In other news I passed my driving test yay!!!

Happy New Year!!!

Wow it's 2014 already!!! 2013 was such a quick year for me that I almost can't believe today is today, if you know what I mean? 

So regular posting is back from now on as I'm over the whole festive period now and am back to selfish sewing/ knitting  for me and for Bug and Squish yay!!! 

I was so busy in the run up to Christmas making pressies that I haven't done ANYTHING for myself! My Miette is still only at row 27, my Cynthia Rowley dress is still in its muslin phase, my Circle Skirt needs hemmed and my Knickers still need elastic!  Not to mention I still need to share my review of the pattern!  I better get my bum in gear!  Oh I actually started something new too, I'm terrible! Currently on the pins is the Cowl for the Winter Eye Open Tunic by LucySusy Grace which you can find on Ravelry.  It's a fab little pattern for doing in from of the tv since it's only a 3 row repeat.  Since my hubby treated me to this beautiful pink Aran wool at Christmas that's what in using to make it.

Also check out my new size 19 needles from hubster too! Eeeeekkkkk what to make? What to make?

Here's the start of my cowl.

I can already tell it's going to be lovely and snug! 

So now it's officially 2014 it means Project 2014 is now in effect! For regular updates check out the Facebook  Page where I also welcome your contributions so feel free to message me there.  Regular readers will know I have pledged to buy NO NEW CLOTHES for the whole year.  I can go wild making from scratch, wear what I have, refashion and buy from charity shops but I can't but anything to wear which is new.  I have had some wonderful donations made to me for this challenge.  Some of it is ready to wear and some of it isn't so watch this space for more info.

As Project 2014 is my New Years Resolution and I've shared with you, I'd love to hear/ read what yours are, feel free to drop me a wee comment, I love to chat.

Thank you for baring with me and Happy New Year! Gem xxx

I will be back with regular posts and lots of lovely sewing and knitting in the new Year!

A Wednesday WIP - Miette

Hello all,

How are you?  Ready for Christmas?  I'm still ploughing away through my Christmas sewing and knitting, I can't wait til the 27th when I can start showing you what I have been up to!  

Something I can show/talk about is the progress on my Miette cardigan.  

As you know I'm using this wool for it: 

And I think I told you I bought some bamboo circular needles from eBay? Well they were a bust.  They actually are bust,  broken, kaput and it happened half way through a row on the yoke grrr!!  So I transferred the whole project to a pair of straight 5s until I could get some new metal circulars and then moved it all back over. Phew it was a bit time consuming and has meant I'm not as far on as I would like to have been by now. 

So as I write this I am up to row 23, nearly at the point of breaking the yarn. The yoke and body have 99 rows inclusive so as you can see I still have quite a way to go! 

Despite the needle breaking issue I am really enjoying this project so far.  I've never actually knitted an actual piece of clothing for an adult so it's a great learning curve.  The internet has some fabulous resources for help with this particular project and I am using this tknit along from Today's Agenda to keep myself right.

In line 25 it says:

Row 25 (WS): Break yarn, CO 10 on right needle, purl across live sts on left needle, CO 10 on right needle.

and while I thought I knew what to do there I wanted to double check so I simply typed the instructions into google and found another lady had asked the same thing so If you get stuck too here is a great link explaining what to do. 

Now a sneaky peak of another Christmassy goody that is also a WIP but that's all I can show for now. 

As soon as Christmas is past I intend to power on with my Cynthia Rowley dress and get full steam ahead with Project 2014.  I also have a review of the Ohhh Lulu Grace panties pattern to share with you. 

Super busy and sick!

We are all sick in the Bug and Squish household so apart from Christmas presents being slowly worked on I've not had much chance to do any sewing but I have been out on a couple of driving lessons in my little car Siouxie.

I said recently I'd do some 'getting to know me' posts so here is a little story which should give you some insight into my mind.  

This was a conversation I had with my driving instructor the other day.  Discussing the road markings for roundabouts.

Me: so go with the markings written on the floor and if none left for straight ahead.  Wait a minute how weird is that? In the house we have a floor right and a ceiling. Outside ceilings are called roofs so you'd really think their would be another word for floor for outside right???!

Julie:  eh yeah Gemma their is, the ground!

Me: oh my god so there is!!! 

Days later we discussed this were laughing and I said 'oh my god and roof has the same letters as floor except the L that's well spooky. 

Julie:  looking at me like I have 2 heads

Me:  looking like my mind has been blown with enlightenment.

Not til I was relaying the whole thing to My husband did I think.  'Oh dear floor and roof aren't the same so that's not spooky at all!' 

Lol poor Julie having to put up with this!

Please tell me I'm not the ony person who says stupid things like this? Gem xx

A little treat for you!

Don't worry I've not forgotten you all, I'm just so busy working away on things I can't show you 'till after Christmas Day at the moment. 

In the meantime I share with you a little treat from myself, The Hubster, Bug and Squish.

Click here  to enjoy!

Bye for now, Gem xx