Cosy Warm Easter Bunnies

Hi there!
It is Spring...if the weather would allow it to be and it has also just been Easter. I love Easter. It always reminds me if a trip I took with my family a few years ago to Belgium. We were going to see Battlefields and the graves if our ancestors but we also stayed in a beautiful vintage hotel in Ypres and it was Easter and Ypres were celebrating it big style. Belgium is an extremely under rated holiday destination. It has a lot of history, beautiful buildings and amazing food and truly the best chocolate. But also boy do they know how to do Easter!
Easter is everywhere and before it became big over here to put up little Easter Trees and decorate the home with chicks and rabbits, Belgium had mastered it. My Mum was the most inspired and emulates this every Easter, with decorations in every room and bowls of chocolate eggs to nibble on. Easter is always special to me, I bought my own Easter tree a couple of years ago and have tiny paper eggs to place on it, the spring colours are so lovely and cheery. I really think Easter is an undervalued holiday and the decorations you can get can be really lovely and make a really big impact.
This year I was seeing my friends before Easter and I wanted to give them an Easter Present. I have been buying Knitting magazines a lot at the moment, 1) because you can get some very useful free gifts like cable needles and stitch holders (I live a free gift!) 2) because there are some lovely quick and easy patterns to keep from very talented knitters and designers. My favourite at the moment is Simply Knitting but I also like Mollie Makes and Knit Now.
In Simply Knitting they had an entire Easter Knitting segment full of tiny.Easter eggs for Easter trees and egg cosies a plenty. I found a pattern for bunny egg cosies knitted in the round. As some of my previous readers may know one of my New Years Resolutions was to master Knitting in the round and these small bunny egg cosies were perfect for me to try and complete!
I started with a multicoloured baby wool in Spring Pastels and learnt to cast on through a YouTube video. (Got to love YouTube!). The pattern asked for 28 stitches but as my needles were slightly smaller than the pattern asked for I cast on 30, 10 on each needle. Then remembering the words of my knitting teacher 'Don't twist your stitches! The first round is hard enough without twisting the stitches!' I began to knit in the round properly for the first time.
The first 2 row were hard, they are in Moss stitch (1K: K1, P1 2P: P1, K1) but after that I was on a roll and knitting in the round isn't too bad. In a way it is easier than knitting on 2 needles as you just knit the rows and get stocking stitch without alternating Knit and Purl, and there are no ends to knit together no seams, just a knitted round tube. The bunnies have 6 rows of Moss stitch and then 7-28 rows is knitted. Then you cast off using Kitchener stitch and make i-cords 5 stitches wide for ears. Tie some of the wool over the ears to cross them over and darn on a little twitchy bunny face. I also had some stick on ribbon bows so put these on too for a bow tie.
I made 6 for my friends and used lots of ends of wool I had in my bag to make different bunnies. Each one was unique and had a charm of its own.
I was really happy with the effect and put chocolate eggs in each one and presented them in an egg box which raised some laughs as I did give the bunnies to them during cocktail hour! I am really pleased with the egg cosies and feel like I have done my little bit back to celebrate Easter the Belgium way as well as completing one of my resolutions!
Happy Easter everyone!!
Lots of love
BomoKnitting

My First Jumper

Hi There


I have had a secret all consuming secret for the last few months. I have been making my first jumper.

I have made toys, rugs, mittens and scarves...however for some reason the elusive knitted jumper was a real mystery and scary challenge. I challenged myself just after my Christmas projects were over and I had nothing else to do to get through the Christmas days at my parents and my parents-in-law and I wanted to take a project with me that was easy to pick up and add to and one that I could still watch the Downton Abbey Christmas special without losing a stitch. I was challenged to make a jumper with the promise that even if it was rubbish it would still be an achievement to have made a garment at all.

 I picked a jumper out of a magazine, 'Let's Knit' gave me this with a pattern by Sian Brown called 'Moloko'. It is a jumper for beginners and promises to be a  an 'incredibly simple sweater to make'. It is only made using 2 types of stitches; stocking stitch for the body and sleeves with 2x2 rib round the collar, bottom and cuffs. It is technically an easy knit and was relaxing at times to just sit and stocking stitch a few rows.  But what I wasn't prepared for was the sheer volume of stitches and rows it would take.
I usually make very small pieces the odd teddy and little heart so to suddenly be asked to cast on 94 stitches seemed ludicrous and the rows at first took ages and ages to knit and move along. It is knitted on 5mm and 5.5mm needles and I used a really lovely blue Moorland Aran wool by King Cole, I had read in a magazine how tweed style fabrics and knits were back in style so I like the blue with the flecks of brown and dark brown through it. and it was a lovely wool to work with, but you do need a lot of it I bought 5 skeins of 100g, but I do still have some left.

The jumper started growing really quickly and by New Year I was onto the sleeves and had put the front and the back on stitch holders. The sleeves although smaller rows were much longer and it was tricky making sure they were equal lengths. I finished the sleeves mid January and then all of a sudden I lost my bottle. I couldn't get my head around how to connect them all together and I put it in a bag and forgot about the whole thing until February. In fact the January blues kicked in and all knitting got put away till February until I decided that I wasn't going to be beaten by a load of blue tweed yarn and I picked up my needles again and watched some videos on You Tube on how to connect a jumper. What the pattern asked me to do was to put each piece on one needle by picking up the sides of the front and back and then stitching 2 together on the first and end of each piece until you have all 4 pieces on one needle and can knit across all 4.
 I am probably not explaining it properly but it was possible and I was very proud to have all 118 stitches on my needle, although the needle did bend with the weight of it. Once I had ribbed the collar it was then just a matter of stitching it all together which was another evenings work but once done, I have to say, I am very proud of it.

It is not the most beautiful jumper I have ever seen or the most stylish or the most complicated, but it is wearable and it is cosy and I did make it myself and I can now say I have made my first jumper. One of the best tips I was told was also to press each piece under a damp tea towel so they don't roll up too much and then you have an easier time stitching them all together.

Since making my jumper I showed it to a much more advanced knitter, my Auntie,  gave me a handy tip, who told me that it is always better to make the arms first and then the body so that the gap is more suited to your body. The body is a little smaller on my jumper than the arms it has to be said, but then cropped jumpers are all over Topshop this season. :)



Lots of Love
Bomo Knitting 

The Travelling Ted

Hi there!

So far I haven't kept to my previous resolutions that I would update my blog more. But things have been so busy and I have been drowning under one project which has taken up all my spare time but more on that later. This is a happy project. The story of a Travelling Ted. 

A few months ago I continued my love of knitted toys, this one in particular was a very species teddy as it was for my cousin's new beautiful baby boy. My family is a very modern family and members of my family live all over the world. So when I heard that my cousin and his fiancée in America were having a baby,

I wanted to make something for him that he could keep and would be a little different. I thought a very English looking teddy bear would be perfect
.

I have made other Laura Long patterns for knitted animals in the past as the always look so cute and and child friendly.
I made one of the three bears from her book "Knitted Toy Tales"

I bought the wool from a new wool shop in Manchester called Purl City Yarns. I'm always looking for new shops everywhere I go and this one is a really lovely little shop with a great selection of wool and really helpful staff. they do all sorts of classes and I am hoping to join their sock making class but the places book up really quick! They also explained the true meaning of DK to me and explained that when making a toy DK would be the best. I always like to learn something new from other knitters. 
I chose a soft baby Italian wool in a pale brown caramel colour. Its a really lovely creamy brown colour and is easy to knit with.

The pattern itself was really easy and really rewarding as it can be knitted very quickly and I really enjoyed making it. I made it on my favourite 4mm needles and instead of using buttons I stitched the eyes on using a thin black yarn. I added little extras with a cute belly button and stitched some claws on all of the paws.

The thing I like about the bear is the face, you knit the nose separately and then attach it to the head which gives the bear a really attractive face and I think it is a better bear than some of the other patterns I have seen as it is has a more traditional quality. To finish the bear I made a red and white scarf to add to the 'English' bear idea. The scarf is made in garter stitch and is the smallest scarf I have ever made with tassled edges because ever since I made tassles for the Rug I made I do so enjoy adding them where I can.

The bear is a travelling bear as he was packed up into a shoebox and posted all the way to California. I tracked his progress as he travelled and put through customs. I have since heard that he got to his destination unscathed and is a loved addition to a home which I think is every knitters dream that what they make is appreciated especially by a child. I still have my handmade toys from my grandparents and other relatives, so I hope the Travelling Ted will be around to watch my cousin's beautiful boy grow up.

He was finished for a long time and was sat in my house and I do miss the teddy. I will definitely make more in the future and would recommend the pattern. The Ted made it to America before I did as I am still yet to visit the sunshine of California.

Lots of love

Bomo Knitting

New Years Resolutions

Hi There,

It's here again, that horrid cold feeling in the pit of my stomach that another year has flown by without me noticing and I am here again on the brink of  a New Year. Last New Year I was having a lot of stresses. I look back to last New Years Eve, I was desperately trying to get a job and pay the bills, whilst planning a wedding and everything else, I felt like I had a lot on my plate and had had a pretty hard time. The only thing that got me through that year had been learning to knit. So on New Years Eve I wrote a list to focus on what I wanted to achieve in the year ahead , what I wanted to do in 2012. I also wrote a list of all the traditions I had to do in order to get good luck. These included opening all the windows and doors at midnight to let the new year in, and leaving a basket outside, and letting a dark haired man come into the house first. (I did know the dark haired man so that wasn't a problem!) But from that list I  desperately made last New Years Eve I have a come a long way. I got a job, I pay my bills, I got married and had a lovely wedding, I moved house and I improved my knitting and I started this blog. So in a time honoured tradition I wanted to share with you my new list for New Years. This time I don't feel as low or blue, this time I feel optimistic and happy with my life, so here are my resolutions and they are not as bad as last year.

1. I have been given a brand spanking new sewing machine for Christmas. (It was love at first sight and it has been named Kirsty, after Kirsty Allsopp who inspired me to ask for a sewing machine.) 2013 will hopefully see me mastering this machine and producing some sewn items which are not too wonky or unravelled. I hope to learn to quilt and to use applique, I would like to make cushions and maybe even establish a little dressmaking ability?
2. In order to do this, I will have to find my confidence again and go to some new classes, I would like to join a class in sewing machines but also in applique, quilting and free embroidery. This I must force upon myself.
3. I would like to improve my knitting. Knitting is my first love and I am so glad I learnt this skill as it is sometimes all that keeps me sane! I would love to master knitting socks in the round and cable knitting so I can make some interesting patterns in the knit but I would also just like to continue knitting and improve that way with new patterns and projects. 
4. I am already in the process of completing my first knitted jumper, (but I won't mention the ribbing on the back as it is just awful! who knew my downfall for a jumper would be the first bit of ribbing?) so I would like to finish my jumper and be able to wear one of my own first knitted garments. I would like to improve on this and make other knitted garments.
5. I will work on my blog, and I will strive to update it more than I do now, with my current projects. I am afraid a lot of my Christmas projects have been and gone without their recording on here so I would like to improve on that so I don't lose anything.
6. I will work on my Etsy shop and learn to make more 'sell-able' things and also learn to price my knitted objects rather than just asking people to pay how they feel. But I will also not let the shop/price of things get in the way of making the object. The minute something becomes a chore I will move on, I knit because I love it, not because I have to.
7. This is a more personal wish- I am looking for a new house again and cannot wait to move from where I am now back to be near my friends and family, I would like to see them more and spend more time doing things in the evenings and weekends instead of collapsing on the sofa and sulking about my day.
8. I will also strive to be more proactive in my day to day life, which includes cleaning dishes and ironing clothes and keeping the house tidier, clean house clean mind and all that, even though it is horrendously boring.
9. I will not allow others to assume that because I am a crafter, that I am a boring old woman, I am not. and I haven't met any other crafters who are boring, we take delight in simple things and they are some of the most talented and creative people I have ever met.
10. I will find my nearest antique/vintage/junkyard and will explore 'Up-cycling' (Love you Kirsty!)

So there we have it, my focus for 2013 set out in stone, or in blog, who knows what will happen to me in 2013, so much has happened in 2012, that a quiet year may do me good. But then I have never been very good at being quiet.

Happy New Year,

Lots of Love

Bomo Knitting

Knitted Mitts

Hi there,

I have been knitting up a storm in the past few weeks ready for Christmas. I could use this as an excuse not for keeping my blog up to date but I have been so busy and have really enjoyed getting stuck into my knitting and doing some proper projects!

I have always loved having a matching set of gloves and hat when it gets colder. This year I found some wool that I had bought ages ago but I had just ignored as I thought it was too gaudy to use. This wool was bright pinks, yellows and turquoises. I decided to give it another chance and experiment with this wool to find something to make that would make the most of the bright colours.

I have seen a lot of knitted headwarmers/headbands in shops so instead of buying one I decided to make one for myself. As my friend said it means you get something totally unique. I wanted to keep it simple to show the colours in the wool off and although I love following patterns in my many knitting books it was nice to make something up and over the weekend I got stuck in to some simple knitting.

Using my favourite 4mm needles and 2x2 rib I simply knitted a long strip that was wide enough to cover my head and stitched the ends together. I finished it with a little knitted flower which is so easy to make and I discovered them this year. What you do is stocking stitch a few rows and increase it to the size you want then twist it on the needle to make the petals. I really love my finished headband, the colours are really cheery and it is so cosy.
To go with my headband I decided to make some mittens. Now I do still need a few lessons on knitting in the round because frankly I am awful at it so I googled knitted mitten patterns on 2 needles. I read a few patterns and then made my own little pattern up as best I could. I am still learning.

I made the cuffs using 2x2 rows to match the headband and knitted about 20 rows. Then using stocking stitch I increased either side to get more give on the glove and then simply knitted the rows to the size of my hand and decreased the end and then I pulled the end through the stitches to make the ends round.
The hardest part for me was adding the thumbs. Picking up stitches worked on the first glove but the second did become a hammer toe lookalike. And I had to pull the whole thumb apart and start from scratch which every knitter knows is heart breaking but is always worth it in the end.

It is nice to have some very very bright cosy mittens I made myself that shows off the colourful wool I had discarded originally so I'm really pleased. and you can tell the difference technically from the very basic chunky hand warmers I made last winter, so I can only hope I continue to improve my mitten making skills as I get older and become a more established knitter.


I'm so excited at the moment I really feel like I've made headway with my knitting and I'm hoping to learn some new crafts in the New Year and finally master knitting in the round! I'm hoping to go along to some classes to meet other crafters and learn new skills. I do intend to keep my resolutions and do some up-cycling!

Lots of love
BomoKnitting

Little Spooks

Hi There,

I'm quite excited this week, as I have finally designed and made my own knitted...things! 

I have left Christmas behind in the last couple of weeks, and have designed some Halloween decorations, as it is nearly time for Trick or Treating!

The first decoration I made was the grimacing pumpkin. It was an experiment really to see if I could knit a circle. (Which I quickly found I couldn't) so in order to make the roundness of a pumpkin I knitted a square (much easier) and then gathered the sides at the top to make the round shape. I then knitted another green square for the top and a triangle for the leaf. I have recently discovered i-cords, the way to knit back and front to make the long cord, i have become slightly obssessed with them and finding ways to use then again and again. I used an i-cord to make a stalk at the top of the pumpkin.

The second I made is the little ghost. I sat down and designed the shape just by increasing and decreasing the shape. I made 2 sides and stitched them together as easy as that. Then I used my favourite ICord techniques to make the arms, I just made fatter cords for the arms. The good thing about ICords is that they bend naturally so it did add to the ghost look.

The Witch is the thing I am most proud of, it was supposed to be a simple design like the other two, but I ended up adding and adding to it till it was a quite complicated design. the shape started like the ghost and was made by increasing and decreasing 2 sides of the dress. then I used techniques I have learnt from past projects to make the green hair, and the i-cords for the spindly legs. I also made a cape for the witch and a pointy black hat, and you can't see the bottom but she does have orange knickers too.

I wanted to make the witch a house decoration so it would be able to sit on the side with her legs over the edge. I'm planning a little range of these spindly legged characters like the witch, so watch this space.

My first designs are full of flaws, but I really enjoyed knitting without checking a pattern every 2 seconds. My favourite is the witch, but the pumpkin and the ghost are also cute. I'm calling this range 'Little Spooks'

Lots of Love

Bomo Knitting

Stars in their Eyes

Hi There

It's Christmas. Well nearly in exactly 85 days or there about, and I decided it was time to get a head start on my Christmas makes. Last year I made a lot of scarves and mittens, this year I wanted to make some decorations. I bought a lovely little book in the summer. It's called '20 Mini Christmas Makes' by Sue Stratford. It's really sweet and it has lots of little quick things to make, like Christmas trees, Christmas puddings and wreaths. I plan to make a few of everything and spread some woolly Christmas cheer this year. For my frst few experiments I started with stars.


So I made some stars. These stars are made for tree decorations or hanging up in the home. It's a relatively easy pattern to follow, you make the five points, or triangles and then place them on stitch holders and then you knit them all as one decrease to make the middle and hey presto a star. You make 2 sides and stitch together in garter stitch. I've decorated these with buttons, jingle bells and ribbon and they're really great for using up odd ends of wool that need using up. I did buy some metallic gold crochet wool to make the stitches round the edge.

The first one is made with a chunky marbled red wool, so is a bit larger and sturdier than the other two. I decorated it with a wooden button sewn on with the golden thread. I then stuffed them with toy filling.

The other two are made with DK wool in red and green, I decorated them with the gold thread and a bow with a bell I saved off a Lindor Rabbit last Christmas. (Yes I do save the bells off Lindor chocolates). The third one I decorated with red thread and a spotty red and white ribbon. I think they're nice and I plan on making lots of different woolly decorations for my tree and the trees of other's this year, and I'm on the hunt for sequin wool to make some more sparkly ones.





Whilst I made these stars, I also knitted up a snowman just for kicks.

Lots of Love
Bomo Knitting

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