Got no gift cards

Family birthday coming up and I don't have any gift cards to go on the present.  So, knitted a swatch with novelty yarn at cast on and cast off.  I stuck an old business card to it with double sided sticky tape and some paper flowers.

Slightly odd, but a bit different.

Stitch Markers

My new stitchmarkers with a hank of Fyberspates Scrumptious

I occasionally buy up bags of broken jewellery at car boot sales.  Here are some stitch markers I made from the bits I have saved.

The picture below was taken outside on the old swing bench which needs a bit of a clean and has cow parsely growing through it.  Another little job to do.

Smocking

When looking for something else, got sidetracked and found this picture of smocking for a child's dress in a Needlewoman and Needlecraft magazine of 1950.  Just lovely.

Thinking about how to turn it into knit.  Of course, I could try doing it as it is intended on fabric.  Looks devilish complicated.  Maybe some things are best left as a mystery.

Summer ain't here yet

It's been very warm here, but definitely too early to think that it's here to stay.  I've been thinking about a cropped sleeveles pullover with plenty of ease in it to layer over shirts and take on and off easily in changeable weather. 

In my exploding stash there is something called Georges Picaud Fifi Multicolore, 51% Cotton, 40% Mohair,
4% Acrylic (goodness knows what the other 5% is, it doesn't say on the label).  It's in muted shades of lilac and sage with a cream slub.  Knits up rather nicely.

I don't know where I got this yarn, I think I bought it on a market stall somewhere.    Recommended needle size is 5-6mm.  I've gone for a 4.5mm as I want some 'firmness' in the fabric.  We'll see how that goes.

Decided to have a go at designing my own top.  Much counting, calculating and swearing went on when doing the armhole shaping, and have yet to do the neckline.  I used Debbie Abrahams 'Design Your Own Knits' to get me through.  Some useful tips, but had to be read over and over again before I grasped  the key points.  All experimental, learning lots so nothing lost if it doesn't quite work this time.  Enjoying the journey.

One of many drawings - it changed when I got it onto proportional graph paper

Cool Cat

Marilyn relaxing among the wallflowers.