New Knitting Project

A fair-isle cardigan my Granny Willa Knitted

 

I am relatively new to knitting fair-isle, I am fortunate enough to come from Shetland where we are taught how to knit throughout primary school. Since dat was a peerie while ago all I could remember was to cast on, knit, pearl and cast off so I set myself the challenge to knit fair-isle.

My Mam is currently knitting a fair-isle jumper for my sister this is her Makin' Bag.

 

In a previous blog I explained how my grandmother and mother knitted fair-isle and I have many memory's of both sitting knitting and chatting as if knitting was second nature and they didn't need to even look at it.

I would love to be able to carry on this tradition, I know my granny would have loved the fact that I had started fair-isle and it is a shame that I never got to do it with her.

 

Me and my sister Emma wi' Mam and Granny

My first project was the fingerless gloves, once I got confident with them I set my self the challenge to knit a Shetland Tam (kind of like a beret) and socks.

 

Well after much discussion about whether or not the wool brokers is open on a Saturday I at least got my sister persuaded to drive past and check. To my delight it was, I meant business going straight to the patterns then the wool (ooops...was a little too excited and forgot the 7th ball of wool)

Here are links to both patterns...

Shetland Tam

Fair-Isle Socks

I discovered that Jamiesons & Smiths have a book called 'Knit Real Shetland' this is definitely going on my Santie (Santa Claus) wish list.

Weekend Away: Amazing Bonhoga Exhibition

Emma Blain (Weather)
 

I am a little biased as my lovely sister Emma (owner of Aamos designs) with a group of other Text-Isles Lasses have put on an exhibition called Swapbox for Shetland Wool Week and it is AWESOME!!!!!

 Emma Blain (Weather)

 

Emma Blain (Weather)

They created boxes based on a chosen theme and they filled the boxes with inspiration and then swapped them and create textiles pieces to exhibit.

Andrea Williamson (Sea Creatures)

 

    Wendy Inkster(Proil)                                 Donna Smith (Emigration)

I got a little snappy happy but you'll hopefully see why...

Suzanne Shearer (Peerie Scar O' Tea)

 

... If I could I would have bought this apron it was gorgeous.

 

Emma Blain (Weather)

 

The exhibition at The Bonhoga Gallery until the 4th of November, please go it is free and you won't regret it.

Jo Jack (Lace)

Waste Not Want Not

 

After a trip to Paris I was mesmerised by the Boulangeries and there colourful window displays. So I tried to make macaroons, although I am a perfectionist and won't blog properly until I'm happy with them ... Here is a peek though (above).

 

Long story short I then had 4 egg yolks left over, so I racked my brain as to something yummy that uses yolks and I came up with curd. I've made lemon and lime curd several times and thought hmmmm what to do. Blackberries wir on special offer so problem solved.

The recipe came from pinterest (linked to Good Food website) but it is a Raspberry recipe, I just swapped it for blackberries and it turned out no too bad.

I did have to put a desert spoon of cornflour in at the end though as it was struggling to set, I think this might be the very juicy blackberries.

 

Happy with the outcome though ...Very good on toast, if I do say so myself!!!

Successful Morning at the Charity Shops

 

In Orkney there is a street with 3 good charity shops on it. Me and my friend Lynn go on a Saturday morning to see what we can find, the one I'm most proud of is my chunky wine glasses.

It's been ages since I'm been, due to summer holidays and other things, so I was on the prowl for something special. As well as a couple of books I found a glass jam jar and matching butter bowl.

 

Really proud of these considering together they were £1.50, now I need to find them a spot where they'll look good...

 

 

Oven-dried tomatoes

Planning to make this salad this week and noticed that it had roasted tomatoes in it so I thought I'd take it one step forward and make my own oven-dried tomatoes. I found that one punnet of toms makes a jar.

 

I followed a recipe from 'The Preserving Book' by Lynda Brown.

Long process but not when its rainy outside and I have a few episodes of Brothers & Sisters to watch.

Last Christmas...

 

Every year when it gets to Christmas gifts I spent ages in the shops wondering if people will like what I'm buying them. Never felt like it was special enough so last year I thought I'd put my crafting to good use.

I first started with the peerie people in my life, three of my friends had joost had boys so I made these sock zebras from Sew Make Believe.

 

 

I started these early to make sure they were all done in time. The next Christmas festivity was when we got the house Christmassy. How about some homemade stolen and rum hot chocolate while putting up the tree?

 

Then there was Christmas jam, mince pies and homemade Christmas decorations (sadly no photos) for the girlies.



This was a very rewarding process, its nice to see people get excited about something you put a lot of time and energy into it.

 

 Getting excited and organised for this Christmas 2012 already to make sure it beats last year ... Homemade cider anyone?

 

Finally the FairIsle Gloves!!!

 

I started learning how to knit fair isle gloves last year (see earlier post). With the assistance of my mam who learnt how to knit fair isle from my wonderful Granny Willa, sadly she never got round to teaching me, so my Mam is the next best person.

 

I have made the darker ones for myself and the cream ones are a Christmas gift (more organised than usual).

I got my wool and pattern from Jamiesons and Smiths.

 

I would next like to try and make a Shetland Tam and fair isle socks so that I can build up towards a fair isle jumper/cardigan.

Long time no blog...

I have been busy with revision and the kids exams that I forgot about blogging or anything crafty. I did make up for it during the summer holidays though.

This satchel wis my biggest accomplishment, I discovered it on Pinterest (A Bag for all Reasons by Lisa Lam) and with the help of my sister at Aamos Designs I create this tweed satchel with ist purple lining.

 

 

I use it everyday for work and it fits most of my day-to-day teacher stuff. I now have my eye on creating shoppers out of old t-shirts in order to carry jotters home (I also saw this on Pinterest).

Happy Crafting peeps!