Christmas Cutie

Today I am sharing a Christmas layout I made using my 2016 Christmas Crop Kit from Papermaze. I only made it last weekend but knew just the photo for it. Sunny hiding in the Christmas tree, he is Robert and Elaine's cat and the photo was taken when he arrived at their flat as a tiny kitten just over a year ago.

Tha papers are from Echo Park's I Love Christmas collection and Authentique's Classic Christmas collection Most of the items used are in the kit and are available from The Papermaze shop. I added some Kraft Bazzill cardstock and gold letter stickers I have had in my stash forever!

Thanks for looking
Lynn x

Dragon Scale Gloves

A topic of conversation at one of our crafty crops recently was the beautiful dragon scale gloves several of us crocheters had seen on Pinterest and other sites. I was intrigued and purchased a pattern from Ravelry as I thought I would see if I could master the stitch as Linda had requested a pair for her birthday.

I took some wool and the pattern on holiday to Scotland with me and made and made a pair in a pinks - cream - browns verigated yarn (Summer Meadow) using Drops Big Delight wool purchased from Little Woolie, London. This is 100% wool and the thickness varies as well as the shade. It works up as Aran weight. My only disappointment with this wool is the fact that there are joins in the 100gm ball.

On route to our destination in Skye I purchased some Colour Works Aran by Patons in Tropical Mix colours 111, 25% wool. Also available from Love Knitting.

I made several other pairs including plain black for my friend Sandra in Rowan Super Fine Merino Aran which I purchased from Crafty Needle, West Wickham. I forgot to photograph these before giving them away. x

More photos of Linda's pair:

Thanks for looking
Lynn x

Crochet Girl Gang - Crochet Along Blanket

My next project to share is this blanket I made for my Mum for Christmas. It crochet this time, and made using Simply Aran Yarn from Paintbox. I am enjoying creating these crochet-a-long (CAL) projects where you learn different techniques each week and gradually build up the parts of the quilted blanket. This particular pattern is available from The Crochet Girl Gang via Love Crochet, I also purchased my wool from them.

The centre of each square shape is different, but the outer rounds are the same, they are cleverly calculated to turn out the same size. There is a weekly PDF to download with the instructions for the square and where needed the corresponding triangle. 

I worked a row of each colour used around the blanket once I had stitched them together and then added a scalloped edge rather then the tassels or bobbles on the original pattern. 

This picture shows the original designs by Emma Potter of Potter & Bloom and Emma Friedlander-Collins from Steel & Stitch.

I saw this image on the blog - "Merion’s hedgerow colourway includes shades Racing Green, Slate Green, Pistachio, Raspberry Pink and Rich Mauve and a border shade of Misty Grey." I decided I wanted to make Mum's blanket with this colour scheme:

Merry Christmas Mum.

If you decide to have a go it's good fun and of course the whole project is available free on the blog now.

Thanks for looking

Lynn x

Joseph Ripple Throw

Back in the spring, I took Mum to investigate a wool shop we had not visited before called Little Woolie - London, which is in Shortlands, near Bromley. I purchased two patterns - the tea cosy I knitted for Mum for mother's day and this Joseph Ripple Throw, both designed by people at the store.
The throw is worked in feather and fan stitch and quite simple once you know the stitches.

There were over three hundred stitches to the row in this blanket so I had it on a circular needle, it also became very heavy as work progressed. There are fifteen bands of colour, which are meant to be repeated eight times, but I stopped after five as I wanted it as a lap rug for my father when sitting in his chair and didn't want to to be too big. It also fitted over the top of the single bed when he was no longer well enough to get up. I gave it to Dad at Christmas, he had seen it in the making and admired it (please see yesterday's post).

In the making - early days 

Thanks for looking

Lynn x

Missing From My Post(s) and Missing My Dear Dad.

Sorry to start the year with this sad news, but this is the first post from me for some time as life has been busy sharing the care of my dearest Dad with my mother, sister and brother. Thankfully we were all able to be with him at his peaceful passing late at night last Friday. 

Dad and Mum on Christmas Day

My brother wrote this lovely post about Dad on facebook on 7th January:

"The hardest post I have ever had to write announces that my beloved Dad, Bob Banks, died last night. We feel thankful as a family that his wife of 59 years Mary my devoted sisters Lynn and Sylvia and I were at his side. We give thanks for having this wonderful man in our lives. We could not have wished for a better, kinder, more loving and giving father, and in the 48 years I knew him I cannot recall us ever exchanging a cross word. (apart from that time I flushed a comic down the toilet.) But apart from his calm and loving nature we are also thankful for his artistic talent and his enthusiasm for just about everything, but in particular music, art, aviation, film, wine, football and comedy, all of which rubbed off on us in one way or another. The world is definitely a poorer place without him. My wife Elaine and I have now both lost our fathers and and fathers-in-law in the space of a week and we both feel very empty indeed. Thank you to everyone who has already said kind things, it is much appreciated, and to Bob and Alan for all the support provided over the last difficult few days. We will never forget our Dad x"

I can't say it any better than Robert has, Dad was indeed a very gentle, kind, loving and happy man. He had many interests and was a talented artist.  He supported us all in all our interests and careers. He and Mum only moved into their new flat just over a year ago and everyone there had grown very fond of him.

Here are just a few of the many photos we are lucky enough to have of Dad, despite the fact he was usually the photographer in our family, especially in our earlier years:

In the caravan at Winchelsea

70th Birthday treat - flight in a Gipsy Moth

Supporting me at my graduation

Me and my little sister with Dad - IOW

1933

The family recently put on an exhibition of Dad's paintings in the lounge of the flats he lives in. There are several posts on this blog about Dad's art work:

Animals, plants, buildings & landscapes, and portraits

For those reading this that knew Dad (Bob Banks) his funeral is to be held at Beckenham Crematorium on Wednesday 25th January at 10.30

Thanks for reading and for all the lovely messages and beautiful flowers we have received over the last few days.

Lynn xxx

Christmas Hamper

My second Christmas blog post is now available on the Papermaze Blog. This one is a Christmas gift made using the delightful Blue Fern Studios Vintage Christmas & Vintage Christmas 2 collections. I wanted to create a special hamper to take along as contribution to our hosts on Christmas day. I found a crate style box at IKEA which I thought would be just the right size and set about painting and decorating it. Then I dressed up the contents of the hamper too.

Please see the blog for details of how the gifts were made and follow the links to the shop to see more information on the products I used.

Thanks for looking

Merry Christmas
Lynn x

Snow Globe Sizzix Die Set - Papermaze

My first Christmas project for Papermaze  is now available on the Scrap Paper Scissors Blog. Please view the blog for details on the supplies used to make the Christmas Cards.

I couldn't resist these dies and chose some delightful glittery card, Bazzill cardstock, embossing plates and other dies I made a selection of Christmas cards. I also used miri card and some patterned papers.

A couple more cards I made using the same cardstock and some Crafter's Companion dies.

Hope this has inspired you with your Christmas card making.

Back later in the month with a Christmas Eve idea.

Thanks for looking.

Lynn x