Guess What? It’s Stash Dash Time

February 8, 2014 LeftFootDaisyLeave a comment

For those of you that have been before you’ll know what it’s all about, the rest of you would probably best to read this previous post here http://knitmidleton.com/2012/07/23/everybody-keeps-asking-me/

Basically, we cover up all the shelves and lay out as many tables as we can fit into the shop; on top of these we put all the yarn we’re discontinuing. There could be whole ranges of yarn, shades of yarn and some you might not have seen before. There will be odd balls, several balls and packs of balls, no matter what, all balls are €3 each. (All sales are final, no returns)

There are things to consider: you have to book your slot if you’re coming in before 1pm. You only have 20 minutes (you’re timed), you have to prepare, dig out the patterns, check your favourites on Ravelry, make sure you know how much double knit/aran/chunky you need. There is nothing else available to purchase on the day and there isn’t usually the time to help you calculate yarn amounts, suitability, etc. You get the most out of the day if you’ve already worked out what you’re looking for.

Have a look at the post linked above if you’re not sure and make sure you book your place for the morning if you want one, quickly before they all go.

This is what you should be expecting.

Happy Knitting!

Have a Look at Wendy Duo

February 6, 2014 LeftFootDaisyLeave a comment

Last week in my post about Hatti the new knitting concept from Peter Pan, I mentioned that Wendy had an adult version which I was knitting up. The Yarn is available in 5 shades each with a co-ordinating pompom and is made up of 78% Acrylic, 12% Mohair &10% Polyester. Each 100g ball has approximately 200m/218yds of lightweight yarn and costs €9.95

There’s a pattern for the hat and a matching scarf on the reverse of the ball band the hat is lovely and can be worn as a slouchy hat or more like a beanie with a fold over band.

Having seen the scarf though I think it looked a bit mean, so I experimented a bit and decided a neck warmer made the best use of the yarn.

If you’ve bought a ball of Duo and you fancy knitting up the neck warmer here’s the instructions.

Be sure to make your hat first as per the instructions on the ball band, you’ll find it much easier to use a different yarn to sew up the hat and the neck warmer.

With the remaining yarn and 7mm needles cast on 52 stitches loosely and knit in 2×2 rib (Knit 2, Purl 2) until your work measures approximately 20″/50cm. Cast off stitches loosely and sew cast on edge to cast off edge using a different yarn. Sew in ends.

I used 8mm needles to cast on and cast off as it’s important to keep your stitches nice and loose for seaming.

Happy Knitting!

Peter Pan Hatti

February 1, 2014 LeftFootDaisyLeave a comment

Peter Pan have embraced the idea of ‘quick knits’ with their latest woolly release Hatti. (technically there is no wool, but you know what I mean)

Hatti is aimed at kids although the knitted hat fits me. Each ball comes with a free knit and crochet pattern on the ball band and one ball makes one hat complete with colour coordinating pompom for the top!

It’s made from 80% Acrylic / 20% Polyester and there’s aapproximately 95m / 104 yds in each 50g ball. The knitted hat uses 5mm needles and I had it made within a couple of hours. It’s a lovely simple pattern just 2×2 rib with no shaping.

Hatti is available in 4 shades and is €7.15 per ball.

There’s another similar yarn and pompom knit called Duo which I’m knitting up at the moment. I’ll post about it as soon as I’m done.

Happy Knitting!

How to use Clover Pom-pom Makers

January 14, 2014January 14, 2014 LeftFootDaisy6 Comments

Being often asked to demonstrate how to use the pom-pom makers from Clover I thought it might be a good idea to pop up a post about them. Warning though, the post is photo heavy and I’ve tried to cover everything I’ve been asked about them, so apologies beforehand for waffling on a bit.

These clever little gadgets are available in the following sizes with all but the extra large consisting of two makers.

X Small – 20mm & 25mm

Small – 35mm & 45mm

Large – 65mm & 85mm

X Large – 115mm

Clover have also developed heart-shaped pompom makers which I will demonstrate on another post later.

1st Step Open both sides of the maker.

You will notice that it is made up of two separate pieces that slot into each other, this is to allow you to take your completed pompom out.

2nd Step Begin winding your yarn around one side of the maker

I tend to start from the centre of the semi-circle, holding my yarn against the curve and wrapping my first few turns over the end to secure it. I’ve had the most success with my pompoms by keeping the yarn fairly taut when covering the arcs.

Continue to wind the yarn around one side of the maker until it is almost full. Be careful to try and keep it to ensure a more rounded pompom.

4th Step Break your yarn off, close your first side in and complete the second side of the pompom.

5th Step Cut a piece of your yarn long enough to tie round your pompom. Remember to make it long enough as you can use this to sew your pompom on. Then, using sharp scissors and following the groove between either side of the maker, cut around the pompom, making sure you snip each thread completely.

6th Step Wrap your piece of yarn between either side of the maker and tie in a knot tightly being careful not to break your yarn. (some wool may not be strong enough to do this, so you can always use a scrap from another kind of yarn)

7th Step Open both sides of the pompom maker and separate it to reveal your squidgy pompom. Roll it around in your hands a few times and give it a little trim – don’t cut your ties if you need to sew it on to anything.

Voilá! Pompom magic.

Happy Pompoming!

New Year – Time For Change?

January 2, 2014 LeftFootDaisy4 Comments

Two days in to 2014 already and my brain has been working overtime on things to do in the coming year. I’m not a New Year Resolutions kinda girl, so whilst I’ve made a mental note to quit the indulgences of the past couple of weeks, get back on my anti-inflammation diet and try to do more exercise in the coming year I’m not going to be too upset if I fall off the wagon, so to speak.

There are however, things I am going to try to alter in the hope that some little changes will allow me a little more time to do some of the more important things like, dare I say it – Exercise more 😦

Top of my list is to get more organised, already I can hear my family groaning. I do try really hard to set myself deadlines, but it’s sticking to them that’s the problem. My head gets so full of ideas for the shop, designs, kids crafts, etc that I easily get distracted. So I’m going to get better at writing things down, that way hopefully, I won’t be constantly running through my ‘list of possibilities’ in my head.

I’m also extending this writing it down thingy to my ongoing projects too, as I’ve been slack with posting them onto Ravelry and have wasted at least a couple of hours mentally running through what I made in 2013.

From what I can remember I made the following, but I know I’ve missed some things.

1 cardigan for me

1 jumper for Dina

2 waistcoats (1 for the shop, 1 for me)

2 pairs of socks and 2 single socks (need to make a 2nd lace one and I’m now half way through the other 2nd sock, see below)

12 hats

8 scarves/cowls

Moody Blanket (must do icord border)

Poncho

Wrap

3 – tea cosies

6 Crochet bunting triangles

5 knitted/crochet brooches

Christmas Angel

4 Baby Cardigans

sample squares for the shop

Blanket squares for charity

Innocent Smoothie hats

If I’m honest, it doesn’t seem like a lot of knitting, must try harder. As a little extra note to self “should also knit from my stash a little more”.

Starting as I mean to go on here’s my last/first project of 2013/2014. I’m just about to start the heel flap so it should be finished by the weekend.

I’m also going to start another Il Grande Favorito with some beautiful Sirdar Connemara from my stash.

All sounds very good so far, but I have a small confession ……..

Whilst waiting for the photos for this post to upload I decided to clear up my email inbox a little and now I’ve become distracted by this lovely DIY Fair Isle Hat deigned by Meg Myers for Classic Elite Yarns.

Which yarn would work best now?

Happy Knitting in 2014

xxx

December is Here – Lots to Tell

December 5, 2013December 5, 2013 LeftFootDaisyLeave a comment

Tis’ the season to be jolly …….

There’s no time to hang about so, rushing straight into what’s going on here for December.

There’s Harlequin, a new chunky yarn from Stylecraft, great for those quick knits, There’s some lovely pattern support for it including my favourite, this fab cape come poncho thingy.

There were also 3 new shades to add to our range of Stylecraft’s Kwik Knit which seems to be really popular for cowls and scarves at the moment.

There’s also another new scarf yarn from Tivoli. Lace is €12.95 a hank and like most of the scarves it’s a one ball = 1 scarf knit. It makes quite a full scarf and is selling like hot cakes.

Lastly (for now anyway) our Special offer this month is on Sirdar Freya which some of you might recall I knitted the hat in last month.

There are 8 lovely shades and being a chunky it will knit up fast. A little goes a long way, I made the hat with one ball. There’s some lovely pattern support for it too including the accessories below.

I could be off to unpack some yummy hand dyed yarn now, more about that next time.

Happy Knitting!

Tivoli Husk

November 30, 2013January 13, 2014 LeftFootDaisy4 Comments

I wanted to quickly show you the new yarn Husk from Tivoli although I’m not sure the photo above does it any justice.

I’m not a massive fan of novelty yarns myself preferring the look of a good stitch pattern however, I’m a little smitten especially with the little bolero that you can knit in it (see the bottom pic). I cast on the scarf last night and will have it knitted and hanging in the shop to squidge for next week.

Husk knits on 6mm needles and the hat and scarf pattern comes free with each purchase of the yarn. It takes 1 ball to knit the hat or the scarf and the yarn retails at €6.99 a ball so it’s great for a gift.

This bolero pattern is also available in the Woman’s Way Magazine.

Must go as we have a super busy day full of classes in the shop today.

Happy Knitting!

Drool

November 25, 2013November 25, 2013 LeftFootDaisy6 Comments

It’s no secret that I love Danish Designer Vibe Ulrik Sondergaard’s knitting designs. I would go so far as to say that she’s in my top 10 of knitting designers. Elizabeth Zimmerman is without a doubt, number one – her Baby Surprise Jacket is iconic and worthy of the highest praise, and don’t get me started on the rest, there’s the Totem Jacket, the February Sweater……

Anyway, back to Vibe. ‘Lullaby Knits’ is the latest book of designs to be released by Vibe, published by Collins & Brown. The book has the same vintage feel as Vibe’s previous book ‘Labour of Love’ that I cooed over for some time. This time, however, the designs are all for babies, with the largest size for 18 – 24 months. The exception is a beautiful lace wrap for mum.

If I’ve counted correctly there are 22 patterns in the book: seven sweaters, six cardigans/jackets, three vests and six patterns that fall under the accessories heading. It’s difficult to pick my preferred designs as all of the patterns are photographed beautifully, with the most gorgeous of little models dressed in the knitted items. However, if my arm were twisted I’d have to go with the following

The Stay on Ribbed Boots are so sweet. Sadly, the pattern is for one size only (0-3 months).

The Cable and Daisy Stitch Sweater is beautiful and very like my favourite pattern ‘Matilda’ from the previous book ‘Labour of Love’.

The Garter Stitch Jacket is knitted in aran weight yarn, making it a super quick baby knit and one on my list to make in a hurry.

I’m usually able to decide on an absolute favourite pattern with most of the knitting and crochet books I see, however, this time I’m torn between two. Both are jumpers, both are unisex, you decide.

This is the Small Cable Sweater

Whilst this is the Little Tree Sweater

I might have to find some time to knit both and see if one of the designs wins through. The only trouble with that is that I no longer have little people small enough to wear the finished garment, so they’ll be ones for the Grandparent Box (no pressure there!).

In the meantime back to the Christmas gift knitting I go.

Happy Knitting!

So Excited

November 23, 2013November 25, 2013 LeftFootDaisyLeave a comment

It’s silly, I know but I was so excited when three big boxes arrived from Katia just before closing on Thursday.

Inside there was more of the popular Merino Flash and a pack of a new aran we’re looking at possibly stocking, but there was also ……….

The very Christmasey scarf yarn Boulevard (Christmasey is a new word for any of you that haven’t heard of it yet) and……….

A lovely new warm red/rust shade in the Merino 100%, and wait for it……….

This riot of colour. I’m so daft – you’d think I’d have gotten over it by now having had a yarn shop for so many years. All I’ve been thinking about is what sample to make for the shop. Azteca is 100g of beautiful, multicoloured aran weight yarn. The picture just doesn’t do it justice, it really has to be seen in the flesh. Maybe squidged and stroked a little too.

Happy Knitting!

Last Week’s News (some of it anyway)

November 5, 2013November 6, 2013 LeftFootDaisyLeave a comment

I spent a large portion of last week convinced I’d achieved very little, however, after reviewing the amount of things I’d managed to do I realised I actually got through quite a few items on my never ending list.

Firstly, there was the hat I ran up for myself in the new Sirdar Freya. Some of you might have seen the photo above on the shop Instagram account. It’s a dream to wear as it’s so lovely and soft.

Then there was the waistcoat I completed whilst at Wednesday night’s knitting group. It’s made in King Cole’s Ultimate Super Chunky. The pattern doesn’t actually have a full arm band but I felt it needed a little more than the cast on, then cast off that was instructed on the pattern. The yarn knits up beautifully, but to avoid any colour pooling I did knit with two balls, following a two row stripe sequence.

There are 8 shades of Ultimate Super Chunky, great for those quick knit projects. There’s a really good range of patterns to support the yarn including several accessory designs.

Talking of King Cole, the new Glitz Chunky arrived in too.

White, Black, Rouge, Plum, Atlantic and Burnt Orange

Six shades this time, great for a little Christmas sparkle, and if you prefer double knit yarn then King Cole also added three new shades to their range of Glitz DK.

I also managed to complete the little baby cardigan I’d been working on for the shop in Peter Pan Merino Baby.

There are six pretty pastel colours and some beautiful pattern support. For the month of November while stocks last we’re offering 10% off the usual selling price of €5 per 50g/116metres. I think the yarn would work as a great substitute for most double knit patterns, particularly if you favour lighter shades.

White, Baby Pink, Silver, Lilac, Cream and Baby Blue

This week I’m trying to power into another scarf and to get a little work done on my Christmas knitting, all being well.

Happy Knitting!

Confessions of a Fibre Strumpet

Tag: hats

Guess What? It’s Stash Dash Time

Have a Look at Wendy Duo

Peter Pan Hatti

How to use Clover Pom-pom Makers

New Year – Time For Change?

December is Here – Lots to Tell

Tivoli Husk

Drool

So Excited

Last Week’s News (some of it anyway)

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