Someone Else's Turn

Just for a change I thought it would be nice to show you some of the beautiful things my loving hands group make.  We meet up once a month and they leave their lovely creations with me so that I can eventually box them up and send them on to the appropriate charity.....

Maureen makes the most beautiful things, sometimes I wonder how she can bear to part with them here is a blanket she made in less than a month...

This was made with Aran yarn and is a easily big enough for a single bed you can find the pattern here
As if that wasn't enough she made this lovely little sleeping bag too...

Sure to keep a little one warm and snug. 

This is Mary's version of the same blanket above...

you would be forgiven for thinking she must have had enough of blanket making but because she enjoyed making it so much she is already hooking another one for her son.

Cute little hats made by Jan

Hats, booties and blanket squares made by the ladies from Mary's church

A lovely baby cardigan made by Barbara....

What are you all up too? I can't believe how quiet it is in blogland just now, hopefully everyone is enjoying the Summer.  I will be back soon with the three colour ripple blanket how to. :) 

You can find out more about Loving Hands and see more of my groups creations here


If you would like any information about any of the items shown please just ask in the comment section. 

January Sweater.

As you all must know by now, I love a challenge and because it's the beginning of a New Year I feel the need to be challenged to motivate me to use up some of the mammoth proportions of stash yarn that is literally cluttering up my home. So when Pat one of the members of Loving Hands invited us to join her in her challenge to make boy jumpers I jumped right in there.

Although I do try to even things out with my charity makes it's usually the little girls that win, lets face it everyone likes to make sweet pink pretty little things that make your heart sing when you look at them. So I am challenging myself to make twelve jumpers for the boys this year not tiny baby boy clothes but larger sizes to fit older kids because they usually miss out.

January Sweater

I found the pattern for this sweater in this book which I borrowed from the library, there are some lovely projects in there and I couldn't wait to start.

However the making of this sweater was not without it's problems.  The pattern calls for Aran weight yarn and I happily began to use the variegated Aran I had bought from Aldi.  Of course silly me didn't do a gauge swatch and was about six inches into the sweater when I began to realise it was turning out very wide so I pulled it off the needles and started again, this time I knit the smallest size meant for a child age two, it was turning out at a 30 inch chest so I stuck with that and just adjusted the lengths to match.

Just to irritate me a little further look how the patterning worked up on the variegated yarn! how did it do that! this is the back of the sweater..

someone suggested embroidering a cats face onto it, hah I don't think so! anyway other than pull it all out I did the only thing I could think of....

some swiss darning to try and disguise it a little..

Of course I still know it there but I think it looks better at least better than before what do you think?

Anyway one boy sweater all complete to fit a child 8 - 10 years.

Lessons Learnt..

1. Always do a gauge swatch.
2. When using variegated yarn, watch how it's patterning and cut the yarn and start further along the ball if necessary.

It took 283 grams of yarn so deduct that from my total of 29,740 that means I have a mere 29,547 grams left to bust.

Linking with...

Snickerdoodle Sunday
Cooking and crafting with J&J
Handmade Monday
Lunamon Design
Link and Share Wednesdays

Making A Difference

Regular readers of my blog will know that I am a member of Loving Hands which was founded by Lou Jaap in 2007.  We now have thousands of members around the world all crafting together to make a difference to those in need.  Last weekend  I was very proud to read an article in the Sun newspaper about our organization explaining the work we do and how even a small pair of mittens can help a child who has been orphaned or indeed made homeless.  Sadly Lou  is now in ill health and although she is still at the helm a lovely lady called Kate Guant is now doing the invaluable job of taking over where Lou has had to leave off.  Because of the article we have seen a huge increase in our members it's heartwarming to know that there are so many who want to help.  You can read more about Loving Hands here  why don't you join us too.

One of the charities we support is Operation Orphan who are now in Nepal helping where they can. You can read  a harrowing and very sad account of what they experienced when they arrived there here.

Operation Orphan have put out a plea for knitted/crocheted blankets in all sizes, if you would like to help but can't face making a whole blanket six inch squares sewn into strips of six, or twelve inch squares sewn into strips of three made with DK yarn can be sent on to us, please email me for an address if you are interested.

Following on from my Knit a Block a Week Challenge last year, I'm challenging myself to make as many squares and projects as I can from the book 200 Crochet Blocks by Jan Eaton you can see what I have made so far here. 

and this is what I have made for this month so far....

BLOCK 166 PASTEL DELIGHT

BLOCK 56 PLAIN GRANNY

BLOCK 55 CENTERED SQUARE

BLOCK 30 SHELL LACE

BLOCK 145 CHOCOLATE BOX

BLOCK 89 SPINNER

BLOCK 96 LIGHT AND SHADE

I have made these particular squares in gender neutral shades for Liz from Unraveling Me do pop along to her blog to see what she is going to do with them.

As you can see there is always a great need for squares so many charities are in need of them. With the making of these I will be killing three birds with one stone..

1.  Helping people in need.
2. Keeping up with my Challenge.
3. Stashbusting.

Making squares needn't be boring there are so many free ones to choose from online they are quick to make and are a great portable project too.

Thank you for all your kind best wishes for my upcoming surgery on Thursday, I'm hoping that it will go ahead as planned and it's not cancelled at the last minute which can happen quite frequently.  

I'm not sure when I will be able to post again but I will be back as soon as I'm able, I will have my ipad next to me so that I can keep up with what you have all been doing and I will be surrounded by yarn and needles so I will have plenty to keep me busy.

Take care all of you
love ya!


Linking with


Snickerdoodle Sunday
Handmade Monday - Creative Tuesday - Eyeloveknots - Link and share Wednesday - Lunamon Design - hookin on hump day