200th Sale Offer

My Etsy shop has had 199 sales, yay! I'm keen to cross the 200 marker, so I'm offering a very special deal:

Be the buyer of the 200th item from my shop and buy any other item (lower or same price) at the same time for half price and also get free shipping on both!

Take a look!

Sad times

We've had a very sad week. Last Sunday morning one of our lovely kitties, Poppet, didn't come back home for her breakfast. After much searching, we found her little body on a grass verge at the side of the road. She had been hit by a car and had died of head injuries.

My daughters had chosen Poppet and her sister, Tiggy, from a litter of kittens when they were just 1 week old. We had visited them every week, playing with them and watching them grow, until they were old enough to come and live with us, just 11 months ago. 

We had loved and nurtured them both, and seen them develop into beautiful, healthy, fun, loving cats, with completely different personalities.

Poppet was the more timid one initially, but had grown into the adventurer, exploring everywhere, running up trees with amazing ease. She was incredibly gentle, playful, and loving. We were all devastated by her death, and we miss her terribly.

Her spirit was released, and we still glimpse her out of the corner of our eyes now and again. Hopefully she will stay and play for a while yet, and then maybe find another way to be part of our everyday lives again.

Her body has been cremated, and the ashes are coming back home today, so that they will stay in the garden where she loved to explore so much.

Sad times.

The Bond is back!

I'm so pleased that I've finally managed to get the time and space to get my Bond knitting machine back up and running.

It's been at least 10 years since I last regularly used it! Thankfully it's all in great order and working faultlessly.

I think machine knitting must be a bit like riding a bicycle as I haven't fogotten how to do most of it.

I've already finished and listed my first completed project - the lovely half-sleeve shrug.

I used a gorgeous variegated purple mercerised pure cotton yarn, machine-knitted the main body, handknitted the ribbing, and crocheted the lower edging and flower brooch pin.

It's a great little cover-up for summer, and my eldest daughter is already requesting one for herself!

May's Emerald

Apparently emerald is the birthstone for May, and the green-themed treasuries have been popping up all over.

I've been included in a few lovelies - check them out!

Princess Garter revealed!

Finally the Peek-a-boo Project is finished!

I'm very proud to present the Princess Silk Beaded Garter.

I have crocheted this in my own design using the luxurious HandMaiden Sea Silk yarn in shade "Nova Scotia".

It is threaded with gorgeous turquoise and lime satin and organza ribbons, and incorporates dozens of tiny glass seed beads around the lower edge.

The ribbons hide co-ordinating turquoise elastic for comfort. It was tricky finding narrow elastic in the right colour, but JosyRose had exactly what I wanted at a great price.

I'm so pleased with this project. There is a lot more of this yarn left, and I'm hoping to come up with a more lacy ornate design next. Watch this space!

Yummy new yarns

Remember the dye pot I showed you? Well here are the results:

Superwash Bluefaced Leicester sock yarn in shade "Emerald Isle" - so vibrant!

I used 3 shades of Jacquard dyes mixed in different ratios.

There are just 3 skeins of this delicious colourway currently in my shop, so don't miss yours!

The following day I got the dye pot out again, with 2 skeins of British Bluefaced Leicester aran yarn to transform.

This time I was looking for some slightly softer shades, and played with 2 of the Jacquard dye colours in the blue range.

Out of the pot came "Mediterranean Mood" - still vibrant but a softer tone - and again currently available in my shop.

The shades in this yarn remind me of the beautiful sea we saw around Turkey when we honeymooned there back in 1996!

Off to sea!

Well not quite, but nearly...

A couple of days ago we went on a boat trip from Truro to Falmouth with friends. 

It was a great day out, and the first time we've done anything like that with the children.

The route is down the river from Truro to the estuary at Falmouth, and takes about 1 hour each way.

Along the way we heard commentary picking out places of interest, one of which is a mussel farm!

Anchored ropes hang down into the river and the mussels attach to them. They take around 2 years to mature, then they are scraped off, cleaned and sent to restaurants and shops.

Amazing what you learn on a day out!

Colour naming

When listing new items on Etsy it's often difficult to think of different names for colours that buyers may search for. 

A comprehensive list of colour names would be very useful - and here it is on Wikipedia.

The colour names are alphabetically listed with samples and their values in the first section, then in the second section they are grouped by colour - very handy!

Mitts and Cuffs

I'm not sure why but I seem to be in handwarming mode despite the warm and sunny weather!

Actually I knitted these items a short while back, but then hung around waiting to finish off the sewing, beading, finding ribbons, etc.

First up are the gooseberry fingerless mitts.

I absolutely adore the colour of these, and the flower is so soft you can barely feel it.

The mitt is knitted in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (currently one of my favourite yarns) and the flower in Debbie Bliss Angel with various glass beads sewn in the centre.

Delicious!

The silk bell lace cuffs are another luxury, this time for a special occasion.

Have you been invited to a summer ball, wedding, etc? Then these are for you!

Handknitted using shimmering Jaeger Pure Silk yarn with ribbon bows and a crocheted edging incorporating silver lined glass seed beads.

Beautiful.

Dyeing to show you...!

Sweet crochet

I have been included in a sweet crochet treasury created by Etsy seller LunaDiArgento - thanks!

Contemporary home crochet

I discovered some great crocheted homewares with a contemporary feel using the Google image search - see what you think.

From Gretel you can purchase this crocheted rubber bowl - funky!

Maybe you'd prefer a crocheted light shade from Room #39.

This would leave great shadows on your walls!

 

Finally there is an amazing offering from our very own Marks and Spencers store - a colourful crochet beanbag:

Silk Indulgence

To further indulge in my current obsession with silk, here is my latest treasury featuring amazing silk items from UK Etsy sellers... Enjoy!

Peek-a-boo Project

Mmmmm... Handmaiden Sea Silk in shade "Nova Scotia"... 8/0 lined glass seed beads in turquoise and lime...

Can you guess what it is yet?!

Swimathon

We're so proud of our 10yo and 12yo daughters this evening.

They have each swum over a mile in our local baths to raise money for their surf life-saving club.

The whole group of youngesters did exceptionally well; they just kept going for a whole hour.

We're all amazed -  including the children! Well done!

Amazing Fact Number 389

Richard I of England - aka Richard the Lionheart - died on this day in 1199.

However his inspiration continues!

Crochet vs plastic shopping bags

I've been inspired by the current Etsyhookers team challenge - to crochet something themed for Earth Day.

I've recently been encouraging the rest of my family to make more use of our reusable shopping bags rather than collecting endless quantities of plastic bags.

Here are some of the reasons why, courtesy of Wikipedia:

"Due to their durability, plastic bags can take up to 100 years to decompose. On land, plastic bags are one of the most prevalent types of litter in inhabited areas, becoming an eyesore to local residents. At their worst, plastic bags can clog drainage systems and contribute to flooding, as occurred in Bangladesh in 1988 and 1998.

When plastic bags are washed out to sea, they pose a threat to animal life. In the decades since plastic bags first came into wide use, there has been a dramatic increase in the quantity of plastic bags found floating in oceans around the world. Once in the ocean, these bags can strangle wildlife or, if ingested, can choke or cause wildlife to starve to death. Some marine animals including sea turtles, and dolphins have been killed as a result of ingestion of plastic marine litter, including plastic bags. As they slowly decompose, plastic bags break into tiny pieces and leech toxic chemicals into soils, lakes, rivers, and oceans."

Along those lines I decided to crochet some net bags using oddballs and oddments of cotton yarns I have in my sprawling yarn stash.

Here's a preview of one of them - it's appalling light for photographing anything inside today though! Better photos to follow.

Happy Mother's Day!

It's Mother's Day here in the UK, so I hope everyone has a wonderful day, whatever you're doing!

Peek-a-boo Project

Sending out ripples

I've been reading a few books recently and experiencing new life events that are making me look at some things in a new way.

I decided to make a treasury of ripples, sending out good vibes of hope and joy to others and hoping that some will return.

I found some stunning handmade items to share with you - hope you love them too.

Coral reef

On Saturday I had just 1 hour to fit in some yarn dyeing. I've been wanting to do this for weeks, so it was a case of now or never!

I managed to get it done in time - just - and the gorgeous Coral Reef laceweight merino dried overnight thanks to the fine weather.

On Sunday morning I reskeined the yarn, after setting up a very Heath Robinson-looking affair which used almost all of my winding equipment!

I had a lovely photo session with 3 beautiful skeins, and they are now available to buy in my Etsy shop. 

These will look stunning when knitted up!

Party time

It's my youngest daughter's 10th birthday next week, so today is party time.

We've arranged a ten-pin bowling party, complete with party lights, chart music, and fast food.

Based on the party theme, I've chosen a few Etsy UK sellers wares for a new treasury - enjoy!

Addictive ripples

Remember the Friday night I spent salvaging a skein of Colinette Giotto?

Well now it's all knitted up and looking gorgeous as the Raspberry Ripple scarf.

As is it's new friend, the Lagoon Ripple scarf.

Both are available to buy in my Etsy shop, or you can buy the pattern and knit your own.

I think I could become seriously addicted to these.

Etsy Euro Week - Viva Espana!

Today is my last day of doing treasuries for Etsy Euro Week, and I've chosen Spain as the focus.

We holidayed in Spain a couple of times a few years back when my dad was living in La Nucia. 

They were relaxing days, with much sunbathing, barbequing, and swimming in the pool. 

We enjoyed visits to nearby Altea and the kids loved seeing the animals and shows at Mundomar!

Etsy Euro Week - Turkey

Day 4 of Etsy Euro Week takes us to on a magical carpet ride to Turkey...

This is where DH and I spent our honeymoon in September 1996 - at a lovely hotel with it's own beach in Turunc. We had a great time and saw some beautiful parts of Turkey. 

I was particularly pleased to be able to bring home some crochet cotton!

Etsy Euro Week - Italy

My midweek Euro treasury focuses on Italy. I holidayed there once with my father and brother when I was about 12 years old, and have always wanted to return.

This week's series of treasuries is throwing up some interesting concepts of what items portray the image or feeling of a particular place, and why. It's challenging my thoughts of what I have or should have in my own shop too!

For me, Italy means fashion, elegance, renaissance, beauty... Is it captured in this collection? Let me know what you think!

Etsy Euro Week - Netherlands

My second treasury of Etsy Euro Week is dedicated to Nirvana in the Netherlands, mainly because on the same trip as Belgium we managed to fit in a day trip here.

My memory of that single day in the Netherlands is of being on the coach driving past fields of tulips, seeing windmills, and going around a model village which included a model of the model village..

This took longer to put together than I expected but ended up including windmills, tulips, delft blue, canals, and bicycles - all somehow inherantly Dutch when gathered together. 

Not a single Edam cheese or wooden clog in sight!

Etsy Euro Week - Belgium

We are now in Etsy Euro Week and to help celebrate I am hoping to create and share a few Etsy treasuries based around European countries to highlight some of the fabulous creative sellers we have so close to us.

I remember as a child being lucky enough to go on a short school trip to Ostend in Belgium. 

My main memory is of a darkening evening all of us meandering around cobbled streets, all lit up and the shops open late, gazing at shop windows full of Belgian chocolates (yum!) and eating a gorgeous freshly-cooked waffle with cream and jam from a street stall - food again!

So of course the first of my treasuries has to focus on Bountiful Belgium - hope you love it!

Peek-a-boo Project

For my daughter - using the Zauberball yarn in Fuschia and the lacy rib bias scarf pattern from the Wollzauber pattern book that she chose on our recent trip to St Ives.

I've made it narrower than the pattern states and only using 1 ball of the yarn. 

It's gorgeous - I love knitting with the transitional colours, although I have just come across a yarn splice in the ball which interrupts that a little.

What's on your needles right now?

Friday night

Earlier this week I bought another skein of Colinette Giotto in the gorgeous Raspberry colourway from a Ravelry destash.

I'm itching to get started on another Ripple Drop-Stitch Scarf, so tonight I decided to wind the skein into a cake ready to get started.

Although the skeined yarn looked pristine, it didn't quite go as expected once I removed the band from the skein!

There were no ties around the skein so it was impossible to tell where the centre of all the loops was..

I had to unwind the yarn painfully slowly by hand into a bowl, using the swift just for support..

Giotto bolognese anyone?!

Perseverence and patience paid off in the end though.

Now to cast on!

If you fancy knitting your own version of this scarf, the pattern is also now available for sale on Ravelry and in my Etsy shop.

Note to self...

... do NOT try to eat microwave-super-heated food quickly - the blisters in your mouth from the ensuing burns are too painful!

On a brighter note, take a look at these hand-dyed daffodils!

My youngest daughter repeated a school experiment to show me how the flowers suck up the water in the vase.

The red food colouring in the water shows up the network of veins in the petals and gives them a whole new look.

Amazing what your children can teach you!

The sunshine effect

The Giotto scarf is finished, fringed, and available to buy in my Etsy shop.

I love it! I may have to make one of these for myself...

I've also finished a project for my eldest daughter's flute teacher. She's expecting her first baby soon, and my daughter wants to give her a special gift. 

This teacher has put a lot of effort and time into inspiring and encouraging my daughter with her flute playing, so I wanted to give some of that effort back.

So here is what she'll be receiving shortly - a pair of baby converse bootees that I crocheted from Suzanne Resaul's fabulous free pattern in Ravelry.

Soooo cute!

Peek-a-boo Project

I seem to be in a ribbon mood - must be all the sunshine we're getting!

This is Colinette Giotto in Caramel using a gorgeous drop-stitch pattern.

What's on your needles?

Knitted up

Remember the Cascade 220 Superwash Paints yarn I bought from a fellow knitter on Ravelry?

I couldn't wait to use it - those rich colours sang to me.

One skein has made 2 gorgeous pairs of fingerless mitts! 

This yarn is soft and lovely to knit with; I'm definately getting hold of some more of the Paints colourways. 

I've knitted one pair in my Marvellous Mitts design and one pair in my Dizzy Twist design.

So lush - and available now in my Etsy shop!

Thank you St Ives!

Despite the rain, we spent a couple of hours in St Ives today; it's the first time we've visited the place despite living in Cornwall for 4 years now!

It was tricky navigating the narrow street in the town centre and finding a parking spot, but well worth it. St Ives is lovely - even in the rain.

My intention was to find the House of Bartlett as the owner had announced on Ravelry that she is having a wool sale. We did find it, and I ended up with a bag full of woolly goodness!

I bought a ball of Rico Creative Micro DK - I've never seen this yarn before. It has lovely muted summer colours and feels like a soft cotton, so I'm earmarking that for a summer scarf.

My youngest DD talked me into buying a bright ball of fuschia Zauberball and the pattern book to make a gorgeous diagonal lace scarf for her - it looks gorgeous, so it's not exactly a tough task!

I also treated myself to a 500gram pack of Araucania Aysen at an amazing 70% discount! This is a gorgeous hand-dyed merino/alpaca/silk blend which is perfect to make the fingerless mitts that sold so well this winter.

We also spotted GJ Beads quite by chance, so I managed to find some beautiful grey coin beads to highlight the Pebble wrap I'm finishing off.

The final amazing find was a little ladies boutique selling the last few pairs of Fly boots they had in stock at less than half price. They had the exact style (Yule) I had been looking for, in the colour that I often wear, in my size!

I've been holding out for these for the last 2 years but always other costs have taken priority. These were such a bargain that DH treated me - thank you hubsta!

On the way back to the car we called in to Willy Wallers Ice Cream Factory where we chose a gorgeous flavour ice cream each - chocolate and ginger, mango, blueberry, and port, cranberry & orange sorbet. Delicious!

We'll be going back to St Ives for a day on the beach when the weather warms up - probably on the train next time. Can't wait!

Remodelling peaches

I'm really pleased with how well my hand-dyed Perran Yarns have sold in my Etsy shop.

The only one that hasn't done so well is the laceweight merino in this delicate "Peaches and Dreams" colourway.

Its blue, green and purple sisters sold out, but only 1 ball of this one has found a loving home.

The yarn is gorgeous - smooth and soft - but obviously this shade is not what lace knitters want. Time for a remodelling event.

First of all I need to re-skein the balls so I can overdye them. 

I've done one ball this afternoon and had to stop - this is a lengthy manual task winding back onto the niddy-noddy, so it won't be rushed.

More tomorrow.

Pebble Wrap

Quite some time back I bought myself some Patons Reef ribbon yarn in the beautiful Pebble shade.

My original intention was to knit it into a bolero for myself. Then we were invited to a wedding so I decided to make myself an evening wrap for the occasion.

It was not to be - me and wraps just don't go! I stored the project away - until a couple of days ago.

You know, this yarn is gorgeous. It shimmers and catches the light, but the matt element of the yarn ensures that it's not too glitzy.

The wrap shape is great too - it just wasn't what I was visualising at the time.

So I'm going to finish it and list it in my Etsy shop - it still has ends to sew in and needs some kind of lovely fastening. I do have a little of the yarn left - hmm...

Team Theme Project Sneak Peak

CraftBritannia Team Theme

It's been a quiet week on the blog front, but there has been frantic crochet activity here at Chez Skeins!

I decided on my project for the CraftBritannia Team Theme. The deadline is 1st April and the theme is Spring.

I wanted some spring flower type colours so I've chosen to use a ball of Tofutsies yarn that I had in my stash. 

I've only knitted this up into socks before (and very lovely they are) and I'm really pleased with how the colours are emerging as this crochet project progresses.

There will be a sneak peak but I'm not giving too much else away yet..

Mmmmmmmuffins!

I seem to be doing more baking these days. Is that good or bad?

The latest batch are these skinny chocolate & cranberry muffins - delicious.

They use yoghurt, milk, and oil instead of butter but taste wonderful.

The mixture made 12 but only 11 photographed - well I had to check they were ok..

Last time I used chopped dates instead of dried cranberries - equally gorgeous.

We also have our first indication of Spring - this sweet little narcissus (I think!) has grown in a pot on our kitchen windowsill.

Postal delays? Not here!

My postie delivered a fantastic package to me this morning.

It was from the USA and contained 2 skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash yarn that I bought via Ravelry.

The yarn is beautiful - wonderful rich colours; I can't wait to start knitting with it.

The most amazing part of this - it was only posted 4 days ago!

Sensational Supplies

Following a recent order I have been inspired to add a couple more colourways of the Creative Yarn Packs to my shop.

I have added Ice Cream Sundae - a delicious pale pastel mix..

..and Flaming Fire - a hot mix of reds, oranges, a little gold and some darker browns.

There are many other great supplies on Etsy from UK sellers - here are a few to inspire you!

Top row, left to right:

• Hand-dyed silk carrier rods from SassaLynne
• Berry mix organza ribbons from Overspill
• Red pointed muffin cases from MarmaladySupplies

 Bottom row, left to right:

• Stripy Tiger Pendant Charm from CardsAndCraft
• Pick your own 9inch felt squares from Titchables
• Campfire sock yarn from JunoFibreArts

So what are you waiting for? Buy some fab supplies and get crafty!

Valentine Challenge - Votes please!

The voting is open over on the CreateCrochet Team blog for the Valentine Challenge.

There are some great entries there, so please go on over and vote for your favourite entry!

Toffee Fudge - yum!

Back in November I blogged about how I'd spent a great day at the KnitExpo in Exeter.

I bought some fabulous yarn there, including the gorgeous Wow! hand-dyed alpaca/silk aran yarn. 

It looks like Toffee Fudge to me.

The number of shades is endless and the colours are so vibrant. Just Wow!

How I wish I'd bought more of this. It's always the way...

Anyway, I got around to knitting it up - before a year has even passed! Will miracles never cease?!

The yarn is, as expected, a dream to knit with. The finished mitts feel just glorious on your hands.

I only have enough yarn for 2 pairs of these mitts, so go ahead and treat yourself before somebody else gets all the luxury!