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.

Back again

Thanks to a new contact here, All things Crafty & Me, I have found my blog page again.

It is that time in our life when parents get to the age that one or other of them makes frequent visits to doctotrs and hospitals. We are very lucky to still have them around for guidance and company, but it does cut down the amount of time available for this type of social interaction as it is a 4 hour drive each way for each visit.

One thing about needlecrafting is that it is transportable and projects of one type or another have been able to travel with me when visiting the parents. This means I still get some hours of creativity.

Busy at the minute getting stuff ready for craft fairs in Buckie and Dufftown next month. Emma from Scottish crafts and Walkabout Crafts is also kindly taking some of my stuff to the Edinburgh craft festival, oops, must get that box to the post office!!

Have been busy quilting a UFO quillow for a lady and I am sure she won't mind me postin a work in progress photo. I loved the colours she chose. This will be a cheery quilt to snuggle under in the cold winter months.

They survived!

Well they did survive the process. She is now all dressed up with no where to go. She did make a trip down south with us the other week as she was listed on e-bay and I don't like my customers to have to wait once they have purchased. She didn't sell (I should know better about e-bay by now) and I foolishly showed her to my mum. My mum will usually point out the things that aren't right before giving any praise but this time she actually said I had made a good job straight off and I nearly came home without the bear. Still recovering from the shock! The green tweed bear kind of reminds me of Patrick from Eastenders (yes I do watch it sometimes).

Have just heard that we are getting press passes for the Aviemore trade show (an independent newspaper is a hobby we have). If it turns out that we can use the passes I will let you know in case you are going to be there.

The bit they hate

These are not custom bears so are waiting for inspiration to come from me. All too slowly as far as they are concerned. Both were intended to go with a tartan waistcoat I had made but both are too small. I really think I got the cart before the horse there.
The female bear is just about finished. That flower has a pin holding it in place and she has a pin in each of her limbs and her centre back awaiting the handstitching closures. Again cart before horse, the shawl was knitted some weeks ago and sat waiting on a suitable wearer.
As for the gentleman bear. Well, as you can see his garment is almost finished. The sleeves are lying waiting to be attached but I have had an idea that I want to convert this garment into a Jacobite style top and make a waistcoat to go on top.
You can well imagine that they get fed up sitting here in the lounge while I keep glancing at them and waiting for the right idea. Not to mention that Hamilton Hare sits behind my head on the back of the settee making all sorts of remarks.........but that's another story!
Let's you see that we mean "one off" or "original" when we list as such.

Bear fleece jacket

Well, I did promise.

It was supposed to get an airing in Inverness

at the weekend but it was so warm that it stayed in the car.

On return to Moray on the Sunday however, the temperature had dropped sufficiently to put it on.

I lined it in a brushed cotton/polyester mixed fabric and as a result it is really warm. I love the neck as I don't have to remember to take a scarf and it looks just as smart with the collar opened and folded down.