A Purple Predicament

Did you see what happened to my circular knitting needle mid-project? *shock-horror-gasp* It went and broke on me. I mean, honestly, the cheek!

knitting needle fail

If you've ever had a circular needle you might understand the importance of the cable being attached.... Well I'm happy to say that I got a new knitting needle and I've managed to finish the project. It's lovely and soft, but I think I cast-off too tightly.

The cowl is meant to be stretchy enough to go three times around your neck. Mine is, but only on the cast-on edge. Whoopsie. The cast off is too tight, so I can only get it around twice.

It's still nice and soft, so I can't really complain I guess. Being the first ever thing I have knitted fully by myself in about ...ever... I am proud of it. But let's face it, there are things which could be better:

1. It should of course be equally stretchy on both sides/ends.
2. There are a few reversed stitches a couple of places. This resulted in rib effect rather than the seed effect.
3. It's too narrow when only wrapping around twice.

I can't really do anything about point 1 or 2 without unravelling the whole thing and starting over. Not.going.to.happen.

Finished - do you see the ribbing?

So I will work on point 3 instead. I'll work some crochet edging along both sides and extend it this way instead. Hurray for multi-craftiness!


I'll post an update as soon as I'm done

Business cards, part 2

So, a while back I was talking about business cards. How I needed some and how it couldn't be that difficult... Part of me had a suspicion, which has now become confirmed; it is. Difficult, I mean.

After hours and hours and hours... this is what I came up with:

rubbish!! - I was not feeling the love for these 

I was really disappointed to find this so difficult. Because, if I'm perfectly honest, those are bad. Like REALLY bad! hahah.

And what happens a few days after all this printing, cutting and gluing? Vistaprints has an offer of a gazillion business cards for only two quid or so.

Being curious by nature, I went to have a look and a play. They have so many things to choose from it's just ridiculous. Many hours were spent there playing around with layouts and colours and options and text. In the end I actually managed to make something I liked. So I ordered them. -shame-

Part of me feels that I should have been able to make my own, but I just do not have the equipment to make something decent. I'd love to tell myself that I can make the most amazing awesome business cards on my little tiny office printer with a Kodak cartridge, or carve my own templates and print using a fancy big press or something. But the truth is, I just do not have that fancy schmancy press, or the design capability in my brain to pull it off. Printer is not high quality enough either.

Yeah that's right! I blame the printer. Nothing to do with my failed dream of being a graphics designer. Nope.

So I caved in and ordered the business cards from Vista. I think they are kinda cute to be honest:

Vista-made business cards, with care instructions and "remember flowers"

I left the backside blank, and this way I can personalize each business card according to which item they go out with. Here you can see two. They were made for a couple of hats a few months ago.

Washing instructions are important, so I know people can get the best possible life out of their garment. So I add the symbols and also a text to explain them. Then of course the material and if applicable, name of the garment. - And what do you think of the stamp? Isn't it cute? It's made by LittleZ :)


I took a few pictures in better surroundings (click for larger image):

owls belong in the free ;)

in Scotland we have a lot of wet weather

birdies posing in a tree

I've yet to find a name for these three fellas.... any suggestions?

Farewell to Google Friends Connect

...as you may have heard around the web, google friend connect will disappear {for non-blogger blogs} at the end of February 2012.

So I will be swapping to this new free feature called Linky Followers. You can see it on the left hand side of the blog and you can click away as much as you like to follow me and other blogs.

I head about this new feature via Its So Very Cheri. She is hosting a LINKY FOLLOWER PARTY HOP, and I have decided to join in the fun! Won't you?


There are a few RULES:

1) - Do NOT talk about the Linky Party Hop

1) -You MUST have the LINKY FOLLOWERS tool on your site to participate.

2)- You MUST follow the person who has the party on their site as a thank you.  

3)- Just add your blog button to the LINKY PARTY below.

4)- Then grab the BLOG HOP code.

You will find the code right under the Linky Party where it says CLICK HERE TO ENTER– (grey area at the bottom of this page) just under that it says:

WHAT IS A BLOG HOP? GET THE CODE HERE
Click on GET THE CODE HERE and enter it into a post on your site.

 5)- Then you follow other bloggers–(as many as you want) –leave each one of the blogs that you follow a comment letting them know you are following them and ask them to follow you back.

If you want to add the BLOG HOP to your own site you will get lots of new followers–(see rule #2)

I shall try my darn hardest to come to come visit all the blogs that enter below. And I shall try equally hard to leave you all a message, so you know you have a new follower :)

Have fun! I hope you find loads of new blogs to follow :D

neckHUGs for charity

Back in January we had a Sale & Swap event over on Swap Workshop and it was a great success for everyone who took park.
Items were swapped at half their usual credit value, yet the maker would still get full value for them. A great way to de-stash! In fact I managed to really clear out my stock and in fact I only have about 4 items left.

I'd listed a bunch of neckHUGs (aka cowls, aka snoods) and was really happy when pippelotje approached me asking if I would mind letting her have a couple of items for charity? She runs the blog voornico (For Nico) for a friend's boy suffering from leukaemia.

Apple Green neckHUG

Blood Orange neckHUG

She lists all sorts of lovely handmade items, so if you are looking for a present, a treat for yourself or just want to help out a 7 year old boy from Paraguay win the fight, please do pop over and have a look!

a week off :D

I am on holidays for a week. A break from the usual nine to five. It's the first holiday I have had in about 3 months. I think it was November when I last had time off, but that time was spent visiting friends abroad and laying laminate flooring throughout the living room and bedroom. So not a great deal of pure unwinding done really.

Needless to say I am quite excited to have a whole 9 days off from work (counting the weekends either end) and I have plans to get a few things done this week.

I need to finish off my first ever sock and cast one for the buddy. Here is what it looks like at the moment;

As you can see I have made it past the dreaded heel and am now on the foot. Hopefully the toe will be easy enough! It's littered with odd loose stitches and for some reason I knitted a but of the heel in purl rather than knit... hmmm. It all adds to the character
Socks are lovely and all, but soooooo difficult lol. Guess I should have maybe waited till I was a bit more experienced. But hey, you learn as you go along and this is a great way of gaining new skills I believe :)

I am also hoping to finish off this cowl which I am knitting following the Cotton Seed pattern from Michelle's lovely TwoAndSixty blog. Thank you Michelle for the pattern!
Only about 10 more rounds to go. With 200 odd stitches in one row, that's only 2000 or so stitches. Phew.

Should be doable with a week and several movies! Wish me luck!!