Buttons make all the difference.

I bought this cardigan from the M&S end of line shop at Tillicoultry. Believe me I would never have bought it at the full price. It had the most hidious superlarge press stud fastening at the front that was far too heavy for the garment and caused it to pucker all around the fastening area. That was cut off pronto. What to fasten with?. I had purchased a dozen buttons from Carol at http://www.folksy.com/shops/carolscrafts which would work really well. I placed one either side of the front and used the co-ordinating ribbon intended for using to hang on a coathanger to make a loop across.

The other really annoying thing was the sleeves were far too long. Exactly the cuff depth too long. (some of us are under 5ft 8). I stitched the cuff up on the inside seam and used another two of Carols buttons to secure the ouside of the sleeves.

I think it makes an ugly cardigan look much prettier. It will get lots of wear now.

Argyle and knitting

Just had a week away with my husband and my parents in a cottage in Argylle. Weather was fairly good to us and let us get out and about most days. Lochgilphead has a wonderfull aray of shops where as well as all the necessary ones you will find gift shops with quality local made gifts, an art gallery/art shop and there was even an art exhibition by a local art group in the church hall. Argyll has a high percentage of artists living and working in the area and we were sorry to have been a week early for the Artmap Argyle where some of the artists open their studios to let people see the work behind the art. Anyone interested can find details at http://www.artmapargyll.com/

The wool and needlecraft shop in Argyle Square Oban is described as an Alladins cave. I can certainly second that description. Mum and I spent rather a long time there looking at the wonderful selection of cotton fabrics. I found the butterfly fabric that I had been looking for for quite some time. The ladies serving were very friendly and helpful and had knowledge of their stock which can be a rare thing nowadays. Can highly recommend a trip to this shop.

The benefits of hiring a cottage is that you can take all your crafting items (if they fit in the car!) for those rainy, or just lazy, days. Here you can see me rattling up the Kaffe Fasset cardigan that my mother wanted to make for my sister but has been unable to do due to temporary health issues. Alas progress has halted again now I am home.

I'm back

Family health issues have had me pushed for time to do things like blogs. A current push on MISI by the twisted pixie has got me back here, hopefully I will be back often.

I recently finished this bear in the Fraser Hunting tartan. He will shortly be flying over to Canada to be with a member of the Fraser clan.

I am currently working on converting an Alan Dart pattern into a lifeboat bear for an RNLI fundraiser that is coming up in Buckie this June. It has taken a while as all the parts had to be hand knitted before piecing together. Working with that long eyelash yarn is no joke either. Will have to get a move on with him though as time is running out.