How's this for a Knitted CHAIR ????

 I met this wonderful, hugely talented, woman a few months back... she is a designer of the most beautiful things in the world! Here is a lovely profile of her and her work https://www.handmadeincountry.com.au/artisans/profile/gail-grunske/

Just a few weeks ago, I was knitting and chatting with a group of like minded ladies here in Toowoomba, when Gail brought out this magnificent work of art for 'show and tell'

It is a chair - just an ordinary aluminium and plastic cane type outdoor chair - but look what Gail has done to it!

How gorgeous is that?? And what fun !!!

Does it give you ideas of how to tart up your tired old outdoor furniture??? It did me!!

To see more of Gail's amazing work with textiles and yarn - go here
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gail-Grunske-Designs/255236614612568

Gail is very involved with Community Arts and Crafts in Crow's Nest, Queensland not far from Toowooomba, where she has her studio.

Have another look - don't you just wish you'd thought of it ?

 

Another Saffron Baby

Gorgeous little Baby sweater - the pattern by Elena Nodel, is available on Ravelry
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saffron-baby

The bigger version, Saffron, for older girls, is from the Spice Girls collection also by Elena Nodel, and is also available on Ravelry - the best site in the world for knitters and crocheters, ever!

Here's the pretty Saffron Baby - this time in Watermelon pink - I found the perfect button too - and it was the last one of these I had....just made for this little sweater!

 

Wow - Another Round Ripple!!!! And a thread crochet set to match!

I love the Round Ripple Baby Afghan - I have lost count of how many I have done! This one is lovely - I bought some gorgeous anonymous (NO LABEL) mill end yarn from Knitters Paradise Store on ebay.com - my favourite place to buy inexpensive American yarns - it is a lovely super soft Boucle with ombre colourways - this one shades beautifully from pale blue to white and is stunning to use!

I also used an ordinary white DK and - the last of my pale blue Angoretta *sob* - tragic that this lovely acrylic yarn has been discontinued for so many years - I do try to acquire it whenever it appears on ebay but that is not happening lately.....

Such a gorgeous combination of textures!

To match, I made a little thread outfit in DMC Splendida in a delightful smoky pale blue.

 

 

The pattern for the little jacket was adapted from the Round Yoke Baby Sweater by Marumin Crochet - available on Ravelry here http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/my-basic-round-yoke-baby-sweater---canesu-redondo-basico-cr001

 

I continued using the stitch pattern for the yoke in the body section, left off the sleeves, as this is for a summer baby boy and only did a little scallop round the bottom edge and at the yoke. A little roundhat with a brim to keep the sun off and a pair of basic Mary Jane shoes completed the outfit.... not TOO girly I hope - any way, the recipient loved the set..







 

Another crochet set

Made another round ripple blanket and a crochet jacket to go  with it - I was sent some beautiful yarn from a friend in Newfoundland - thank you Patsy!! It is Baby Luv Georga and it is so soft and cuddly... in a pretty pale green... I combined it with some Caron
Simply Soft in a variegated pastel shade that complimented the green beautifully!



 

The round ripple is still a favourite of mine for a quick and easy baby blanket - it is always well received and always impresses non crocheters who think it is so clever of me... and who am I to disillusion them ?

 

 

 

The little jacket is Rindy's Crochet jacket - a good standby for a quick baby gift..

 

The sweet little buttons are from Spikecraft on ebay.com. au - I can highly recommend this seller's buttons - a lovely lady too!!!

 

Patsy if you see this - I had just enough of that pretty green Baby Luv yarn left to make the jacket - used every last scrap!!!

By the way - this little set is for sale - contact me.....

Meadowsweet with matching blankie

I just finished this adorable little Preemie set - in the most gorgeous Watermelon pink.....

The pattern is available on Ravelry - free!! http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/meadowsweet-cardigan

I used the 24 row stitch pattern in the body of the Meadowsweet Cardie and created the baby blanket to match...

I used a smaller needle - 3.5 mm on the baby cardie - then for the blanket I used a 4 mm needle


Here's how I made the blanket

Cast on 107 Stitches ( 95 stitches of pattern, the same as the baby cardie body stitches, plus 12 stitches for the border - 6 stitches each side of the pattern)

Knit 12 rows ( 6 garter ridges)

Commence pattern:

Knit 6, pattern over 95 stitches exactly as for the body of the Meadowsweet Cardie, Knit 6

Repeat for 9 of the 24 row pattern repeats, keeping the first and last 6 sts in garter stitch.

Knit across for 12 rows - cast/bind off. Voila!!

 

 

 

 

I Pledge Handmade - do you>

Crochet Set

 
 
 
 

This little set was originally made for a friend's newborn grand daughter.. however it ended up being donated to charity.... to Knitting for Brisbane's Needy..

The pattern for the jacket is Rindy's Crochet Baby Jacket,, the blanket is the old stand by Round Ripple Baby Blanket. Both are available on Ravelry.....

It is one of my favourite blankets to make...

Wool Eater # 7 Pink Symphony

Made yet another Wool Eater blanket - this one was in a variety of pinks, made to raise funds for the Huntingtons Disease High Tea held on September 8th for Huntington's Awareness week....

It was part of many items donated to be raffled - my daughter who helped us by doing all the tables and serving the food, actually won it!!

I love how this beautiful blanket looks as good on the reverse side as it does on the front!

This is the front

 

 

And here is the back!

 

More Knitting and Crochet

 

Pretty little Butterfly Baby Cardie very easy to do , seen here in pink and below, in yellow...


It is a free pattern available here http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/butterfly-baby-2

 The Baby Beanie with flower is very quick and easy to make! However I made this for a new born but the mother said it didn't fit - so I think I would add an extra increase row next time

Find the pattern here http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-beanie-with-flower-2

 

 Four Ribbed Yoke Babysweaters are shown here - I was recently honoured by being made moderator of the Babysweaters group on Yahoo. For my first activity , I organised a Knit a Long - and we made the Ribbed Yoke Baby Sweater, designed by one of the members, Sally... it is a top down baby sweater, and very easy with the delightful bonus (to me ) of no seaming!

 

 The pink and the blue shown here are made with the wrong sides of the yoke as the right side - I prefer this to the yoke as required in the pattern and shown in the pale pink and variegated versions below.