It's Been a While....

....A very good evening....

It's been a while...5 weeks to be exact. 

My mum hasn't been well, she had a fall before Christmas and hasn't been so good since.

She was admitted to hospital for just over 2 weeks and was released a 

week past on Monday...however she has sadly deteriorated again.

She was taken in as a day patient yesterday for a head CT scan

 and is now waiting on a heart monitor being fitted.

It's been a very stressful time as you can imagine...

I haven't really been crafting much just the odd crochet row here and there,

 as sitting has been limited for me also as I have been diagnosed with Sciatica...

Anyhoo.....

here is another headband I forgot to share with you last year

I have used Marble Chunky yarn by James C. Brett 

I LOVE this yarn and used large needles......in a classic Knit 2, Purl 2 pattern

I added big chunky buttons and finished it of with a handmade tag....

I have used a fabulous stamp set by Clearly Besotted Stamps called 

Just for you a fabulous set for crafty makes if you are selling them or for just putting that finishing touch to them.

Hopefully I will be able to share more with you again very soon. Travelling back and forth off the island to mums on the mainland takes it toll and is exhausting as you can imagine.

Fingers crossed things improve soon

Thanks for taking the time to visit

Catch up soon

Ali x

Winter Warmer

.....Morning folks.....

boy it is very windy here on the island today

No ferries and gale force winds and high tide isn't until 1.30pm...eek

I'm off to work in a bit.....boo I'd rather be knitting and crocheting

A Winter Warmer to share today....

I made quite a few of my own Christmas presents last year

My youngest daughter loves headband ear warmers

I cast on using Grey DK yarn 

I doubled it up as I didn't have any chunky, 

you just have to be careful you don't split your stitches when knitting

The pattern is very simple ~

Using size 7mm knitting pins cast on 15 stitches

Row 1 ~ Knit

Row 2 ~ Knit 3, Purl 9, Knit 3

Row 3 ~ Knit 3, C6F (Knit 3 stitches on to a cable needle and hold at front of work, Knit 3 then Knit 3 from cable needle) Knit 3

Row 4 ~ Knit 3, Purl 9, Knit 3

Row 5 ~ Knit

Row 6 ~ Knit 3, Purl 9, Knit 3

Row 7 ~ Knit 6, C6B (Knit 3 stitches onto cable neddle and hold at back of work, knit 3 then knit 3 from cable needle) Knit to end

Row 8 ~ Knit 3, Purl 9, Knit 3

Repeat these 8 rows until size required, on my last row before cast off I made a buttonhole.

Hope you will give my pattern a try,

 if you do please link on this post and I'll come and visit you

Stay warm and safe folks

Happy Creating

Ali x

Happy New Year

A Very Happy New Year to one and all

We had the most lovely surprise last night. 

All my children are adults 29, 26 and 20 and were all out and about doing their own thing partying

at five to twelve our door was chapped and here they all were...

Home to bring in the bells with their mum and dad....well that was me blubbing like a baby

What a wonderful start to the New Year.

As the weather as been dreadful lately 

I have been keeping candles at the ready I love candles and holders anyway and

I have wanted to make one of these for ages.

A Jar Candle Holder

I used an old coffee jar that I had and attached a paper doily

I wrapped brown twine around the jar 3 times and fastened off

I cut out a Diesire Heart Doily in red felt

and adhere to the jar using Collall 3D Gel Glue

Basic Gray Button with brown twine to fine off.

A Yankee votive inside and we are ready for anything.....

Hope you like my first project of 2014.....

I Hope 2014 is an amazing year for you all

Thanks for stopping by....much appreciated! 

 Ali x

Baby It's Cold Outside.....

...Hello friends...

My goodness the temperature really has dropped here on the island

after the wild weather we had on Wednesday.

It's winter woollies weather for sure...

My daughter bought 2 balls of scarf yarn

and handed it in to me to knit her a new scarf

Aren't the colours fab?

Scarf yarn knits up quickly...so I didn't mind taking a break to make her scarf

however its back to the Christmas present knitting...

 I'm making another Sirdar Firefly yarn scarf for my mother-in-law

Thanks for stopping by

Happy creating

Ali x

Zip...itty Do Dah

Hello....

I am in full Christmas mode here at the moment...

I {Heart} Christmas

So I've been knitting, card making etc...

I also found time to put my decorations up

This is one of my favourite decorations. 

Isn't it cute. 

The stockings have the names of my 3 grandsons on them.

 Sadly we couldn't find one with Coles my youngest grandsons

 name so I had to buy a blank one and write his name on it

 however it does look ok.

~~ <3 <3 <3 ~~

Knitting is my first love 

my grandmother taught me to knit when I was 4

I feel truly blessed 

I have been working on some scarves for Christmas presents

this is made using Zip yarn

It truly is beautiful Yarn...I love it

It looks like small beads when knitted 

however as you can see its thread

It kinda looks like a ladder effect

Back to making more pressies for me
Have a super week

Happy Creating
~ Ali ~
<3 <3 <3

Getting Ready For Winter

Afternoon folks, boy is it cold today and it doesn't look as if its going to get any better over the coming months as they are forecasting lots of snow...eek! So in preparation for winter I have been knitting some scarves.

The scarf yarn i have used is Bolero and it is very easy to knit.

 ~ Instructions ~

Using 9mm needles cast on 8 stitches

Working in garter stitch (every row knit) continue until yarn is nearly finished leaving enough to cast off.

 Cast off and darn in ends. That's it so simple!

.......these scarves knit up in an evening when I'm watching the telly so its really quick 

Hope you like......

Thanks for stopping by....much appreciated! 

 Ali x

Christmas Felt Mitten

A very good afternoon from a cold  and windy island today.

Yesterday I had a play with felt that I had bought recently....I'm a huge Pinterest fan and while pinning I came across fabulous felt creations and decided to have a go myself.....and here is the results

I started by making a template from card and then pinned it onto my felt

 and cut out 2 a front and back

at this point  you need to decorate the front of the mitten with whatever you want

I went for some stars but you can use sequins and beads.....

I stitch both bits together using a blanket stitch with red DMC standed cotton leaving the top open.

Stuff the mitten using safetly standard toy stuffing and sew top together.

Using a 3mm crochet hook and red yarn make a chain of 30 stitches and fasten off.

Attach this to the top of the mitten.

Cut out 2 white cuffs stitched them together at each end and then

 attached trim and attached it to the top of the mitten.

I finished my mitten off by adding some red gingham ribbon and a green button.

I'm rather pleased with how it has turned out...Hope you like it too.

Whatever your plans for today.....have a good one.

Thanks for stopping by....much appreciated! 

 Ali x