Ellie's gear-stick dilemma...

A friend of mine drives a lovely little convertible MG, which is great fun in summer, but poses a few problems in an English winter! Mainly - the results of freezing temperatures on a metal gear-stick!

After a number of panicked morning texts about freezing hands I decided that the gear stick needed a wooly hat of his very own, to keep him warm at night and to save my friend from freezing hands!

This is my first little invention and I'm very pleased with it. I've already had quite a few requests for these, so I think it may become a regular one :)

Oh Christmas Tree...

Sandra's helper's have been busy, I think we've topped last years :)

Mum & Me!

Very proud to have me and my mum's knits featured on our favourite wool sites blog! I am so glad she passed on her love of knitting and they really will be treasured forever!

http://knitandstitchblog.co.uk/2012/12/20/knitted-aran-treasures/

Black Sheep is our favourite Knit & Stitch Show stall and the website is where I spend a lot of my lunch breaks, getting inspired!

If you have any knitted treasures you want to share please send them to Amy@Blacksheepwools.com

The Headphones

Possibly the most useful thing I have ever created! These are based on the 'Untangled' pattern from Ravelry and are amazing at preventing my headphones from becoming a frenzied mess in my handbag/pocket/bed!

Unfortunately after two years these headphones have finally started to give up the ghost, but that does mean I get to create a new funky pair :) pictures to follow ... 

My Logo

My lovely logo which now takes pride of place of my new fabric labels...

The name was a great idea from my brother and is based on "Let me be your fantasy" but incorporates my love of all things tea!

Lyndon Modelling...

Here is the lovely baby Lyndon modelling the outfit I made for him. It's so nice to see this on (now that it fits) and he seems to be enjoying it too... 

... even attempting rapper poses to go with his hat ... 

...Until the lack of 'afternoon nap' catches up with him causing the below reaction. His mother assures me it wasn't the knitwear! 

What a cutie!!

The Knit and Stitch Show 2012

Had such an amazing time at the Knit and Stitch show with my mum on Friday 12th October, as you can see from the picture above my rainbow stash is growing rapidly :)! It's such a beautiful and inspiring place and I came away raring to go with so many new ideas and desperate to knit all day long! Unfortunately, that isn't possible and I will have to settle for spending every spare minute I have on my craft, when I am not in or travelling to London! Though I like and generally enjoy my job, knitting and making things is my one true love and spending the day with so many like-minded people, some of whom are lucky enough to do this kind of thing for a living, was just fantastic.

I already can't wait for next year :)! But until then I have plenty to keep me busy - mainly baby clothes for some very special people, including a niece or nephew of my very own, which makes me incredibly happy!

Big and Little!

Finally finished the matching cardi's for my friends little girls, Molly who's 2 and a half and Maisie who was born on the 20th September weighing over 8lb (so unfortunately this probably won't fit for long)!

Now on to a present for the new baby Wingfield who is due this month :) xx

And what's next...

I have just finished our knitted Bride and Groom which will feature in our Wedding 25.4.14, but I won't be adding a picture of these just yet as I haven't added their faces. It's very easy to make characters look evil if you get the face wrong so I have been avoiding this till I have lots of time. I will be sewing the faces with my Nan's embroidery threads which she left to me and this will really make them even more special to us.

My next project is more baby knitting. A cardi or two for my lovely friends Amy and Aaron who are expecting their second little girl in a few weeks time.

Then onto some bits for my Cousin Laura who is expecting baby number 3 with her hubby Russ. I'm sure big sister Phoebe and big brother Ezra (who just turned 3) will be very excited to meet this little one. I'm very excited about doing these bits too as, like me, Laura loves knitwear and bold colours so I can really let myself go on this one :) 

After that, it will hopefully be onto a commission for my Cousin Becky who would like a cardi! I would love to get it finished in time for the cold weather but that will depend on how quick my hands can go. The adult pieces always take me quite a while. In an effort to get proper lunches away from my desk though I plan to start bringing my needles to work, so that should help with my productivity.

Then it should be Wedding, wedding, wedding... unless anyone else announces a new arrival, which will be great news and I will get back to my baby knitting :)

More baby knitting...

This time for the gorgeous Molly Ann, my cousin Lizzie's new addition... Unfortunately I can't work out how to rotate them which is very frustrating so you will have to head tilt (I have fixed this now!)

These are all made with Sidar Snuggly and Sidar baby crofter which is one of my absolute favourites. So many colours to choose from, washable at 40 degrees and really soft. The two with fairisle type patterning (Sidar Crofter) are from a Sidar Crofter pattern but the middle one is a plain Sidar Tiny Tots pattern which I added the stripes to!

Lyndon Macaulay :)

I thought I would add this lovely picture of Lyndon 'Grub' Macaulay wearing his first cardi - thanks Leonie for letting me use your little one as my first model! Little big still in this photo but he's 6 months old now so should fit fine... (See later posts)

Giant needles!

My first project using my giant 25mm needles. Poncho with flower using hoopla-yarn and some Katia yarn I had left over! This was great fun to make and really quick once I'd worked out how big I wanted it.

Fran's Christmas Present

Snood with Flower and my new branded labels...

This is a lovely Patons pattern that I picked up with my mum at the Knit and Stitch Show 2011. I hope to make another for myself one day!