A big old square!

Well, I’ve definitely picked the wrong time to start a blog!  I promise it’ll get more interesting once I organise my life!

I’ve had a crazy week!  I got back to the office this week after 4 months overseas and spent the week reviewing, presenting and reporting, all those busy office things, then preparing for my new job which starts tomorrow!  In between all the officey things I’ve been trying to find somewhere to live (NIGHTMARE!).  But I did it!  I found the PERFECT flat!!!  Now I can’t stop thinking about all the lovely things I want to make to put in it.  I’ve got to wait a few weeks before I can move in, so I’m staying with a friend until then.

But, in between all this fannying about, I did manage to finish my latest creation!It’s basically a little (28x28cm) cotton moss stitch square I’m planning to use as a wash cloth.It’s based on the pattern from here, but I decided not to use the border, but I think I might add one at some point, no sure yet.I really LOVE this stitch, it’s quite simple to do and has a really interesting texture.Now that’s all finished I have nothing else in my suitcase to start my next project, I think an emergency trip to Hobbycraft is in order tomorrow!

C.x

H.O.M.E

It’s been a long time since my last post, I’ve been meaning to write sooner, but I’ve just been enjoying being at home too much.

Well, after 34 hours and 3 flights I finally made it back.  I had quite a bit of time in the airport on the way so made a little map of my journey.

The view over the north of England on the way into Manchester was amazing!  Snow, frozen lakes and rivers, it was beautiful.  Just as we came through the last layer of clouds there was this really cool cross-hatched formation so I jumped for my camera.

Cool eh?

The first thing I did when I got back, after a really long shower, was put on my super soft new slippers I’d ordered the week before, get a massive cup of tea and watched the rugby.

Bliss…The cat was more interested in eating the tulips.

But now, the moment you have been waiting for…  In my last post I told you about my Autumn Bobble Hat number 1 and mentioned that I had also made hat number 2, well, here it is!I increased the number of stitches from 74 to 100 i think, and used bigger needles for the main bit of the hat, so it fits much better that the first one.  I’m very happy with how it turned out, so is my mum.The dye of the yarn made a really cool pattern too, a bit like a sort of camouflage pattern.  This was completely unintentional, but as I was knitting it just started to develop, and kept going.  It was actually a bit exciting just seeing how it turned out, I’m a total geek I know.

Well, I’ve got a very busy week next week, I start back at work in the morning, and have to find somewhere to live, but I’ll try and keep you up to date.

C.x

Project 1 :: Autumn Bobble Hat 1

Well here is my first finished project! (Technically not my first official project, I spent 4 MONTHS making my sister a scarf last year and now she keeps it screwed up in a ball under her bed, grrr…..)

It is being beautifully modelled by my translator Catherine, I gave it to her for all her hard work over the last 4 months. I’m really quite pleased with it, although it’s a little bit too small, but she seems to like it.

I didn’t really use a pattern for this, I had a little look at a few patterns just to see how the basic shape of a hat is constructed and watched some videos on YouTube to teach me how to knit in the round and then I just got stuck in! I do think the knit sticks I used were a little bit too small though. This has made it stick up like a pixie hat, which is quite cool, but it also seems to have left big gaps where I changed needles, not so cool. But I’m still happy with it for a first attempt at knitting in the round.

Autumn Bobble Hat Number 2 has also been completed, with a few changes made to make it a slightly better fit. But I can’t unveil that until it’s lucky recipient (my Mum) gets when I get back to the UK at the weekend! But trust me, it’s worth waiting for!!

I also thought I’d show you a picture of a few people I met at work this week. I’m quite lucky with my job that I get to travel to rural China and I met these guys outside the building I was staying in.I’ve had quite a crazy time while I’ve been here, but I’ve packed my bags and I’ll be starting the 34 hour (urghh..) journey home tomorrow!! I’m really looking forward to getting back and seeing my friends and family and having a CHEESE SANDWICH!! It’s funny the things you miss when you are away, most of the stuff I miss seems to be food related.

Catch you later!!x

Let’s Get Started!

Hello!

Welcome to my blog!  I’ve always been interested in craftiness but I’ve recently developed a passion for knitting and after discovering some fantastic blogs like Attic24, Emma Lamb and A Creative Mint, I’ve decided to have a go myself and share my creations!

I’m just coming to the end of a 4 month work placement in deepest darkest China.  I’ve been living in a city called Nanning, it’s a fairly big city, but relatively untouched by Western influence, meaning it’s a truly Chinese experience.

This is my local market where I do all my shopping…I was also lucky enough to be here for Chinese New Year and they put beautiful lanterns all over the city…

Sorry it’s a bit blurry, but you get the idea, they looked AMAZING!

But the best thing I’ve found in this city, apart from a pizza restaurant, is an amazing market that sells every possible crafting accessory you could ever hope for!  There are stalls of buttons and beads, ribbons and material, zips and the best ones WOOL!!!

The place is more like a social club than a market, there are people sitting around knitting everywhere, and some ladies bring in their work to get advice from the stall owners, it has a really good atmosphere.

This is where I bought most of my wool..

…and this is my stash!!!!  I have no idea how I’m going to fit it all in my suitcase…I just couldn’t stop myself!  Every time I went there I filled my backpack.  Now I just have to work my way through it all, and I’m planning to share all my creations on my blog, so come back soon and see how I’m getting on…

C.x