Coats, scarves - and spoons!!

Ta - dah!!! Here are Lucy and Zoe modelling their new dog coats and they look like they're a good fit too - thank goodness! I was a bit worried that they wouldn't fit very well at all. So hard to make something based on just 3 measurements and no possibility of a fitting. But they're fine.

It sounds like they might take a bit of getting used to though, as the girls were acting goofy" when they first had them on but that's to be expected really.

So after the success of the dog coats, I got back to work with my Tail of Two Dragons Scarf. The pattern is currently undergoing testing and one lady is even making one in 4 ply sock yarn - I think that might take her a while to finish....

Here's my third scarf - made in merino DK again, this time a solid denim blue requested by a friend for her Mum's birthday. I was very happy with how it turned out - the solid colour really shows off the texture pattern nicely and the merino yarn gives it a delicious squishiness!

When I took this next pic I included an orange spoon. A simple plastic spoon that I remember very clearly from childhood picnics and it still looks brand new - it's even shiny! 50 years on and still going strong (the spoon, not me!). To be fair, it has been kept out of sunlight which would probably have faded the brilliant orange colour and perhaps made it brittle but it's still in use to this day. It will probably outlast me - makes you really think every time you take plastic wrapping off something and just throw it away...

I was aiming for "coiled dragon" with this last pic but I think I might have been closer to "spiny frog"!!! And here's Fluffy, helping me out with his own version of pattern testing. I think he was testing the "squishiness" of the texture pattern!!

While making my 3 different scarves, I've been using a variety of different length needles as each one grew. Starting with little 8" children's needles then moving onto these -

I've had this set of knitting needles for over 25 years and bought them through an advert in my mother's Woman's Weekly. (I think we all read it at home and there was always something in it to make, be it clothing, toys or ornaments.) They're made by Aero, who I don't think are in business anymore and are really good quality. I've still got all the accessories that were in it although a couple are around the house somewhere. Things were made to last back then and I do like to look after things!!

After all my recent crochet and knitting, I decided to support someone else's crafting and treated myself to this absolutely GORGEOUS pin cushion. It's made by a lady called Angele and she designs all her pin cushions (and other things) herself. They're all hand cut from pure wool felt and then hand stitched. The amount of work she puts into each one is just incredible - they sell really fast too! Go and take  look at her Etsy shop - I warn you though, it's all very tempting!

I've had a couple of days off this past week and the weather was Glorious - I was so lucky!! I managed to get out to Hilliers for a  good long walk but haven't had chance to download the photos yet, so they'll have to keep for another day. I'm also starting to plan another crochet blanket with all the merino yarn I've been collecting in the sales. I now have enough for a good sized lap blanket and have been pondering long and hard on the design. 

I've seen some really nice designs based around squares and circles on instagram recently but to make a big blanket I'd had to make a lot of small pieces, then join them and even though I have a lot of yarn in an assortment of colours, I'm worried I'll run out of a particular colour when it comes to joining and making a border. Sooo.... I've decided to go with stripey again. Yes, I know, again. I'll use my Tooty Stripey Pattern again as a starting point but will pick out my favourite stitches and leave out a couple too. 

I have 2 shades each of grey and pink, ivory and the denim blue in the scarf above. As it's quite a limited palettte I'm going to work out a colour pattern and keep repeating it. I have varying amounts of each colour, so will have to sit and work out how to get the most from the yarn without running out before I get to the end - and have enough to make a border too.

The only thing to decide before I get cracking, is do I want the stripes to run side to side - or along the length?? My Tooty Stripey was originally going to be a really big blanket with side to side stripes but I stopped about half way and they are now vertical stripes. Decisions decisions!! Hopefully I'll have some pics next time of what I settled on and started. And news of the Philippines trip of some friends that i mentioned last week. They spend the day with Mara tomorrow and they must all be so excited!!!!!

See you again soon!!  T  xXx

Doggy Coat Ta-Dah!

Ooh look - a Ta-Dah post!! I haven't done one of those for a while.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but I was commissioned to make a pair of dog coats for a lady in the US. It was the same lady who ordered the crocheted project bag at the end of last year (although it had some modifications so she could use it as a handbag/purse.)
She has 2 pugs and asked for coats to keep them warm in the winter when they go out. I had a quick look on Ravelry for a pattern I could adapt, as I wanted to make them to my own design really but had no idea about sizing and shaping. I found the Well Dressed Dog Coat by Tamara of Moogly Blog and whilst it was made in aran yarn and quite plain, it had all the measurements I'd need.
I requested some measurements of the intended recipients and got cracking.

When she first mentioned dog coats, I knew I wanted to do something along the lines of my Tooty Stripey Blanket, with lots of different stitches and some texture but a limited colour palette. She asked for air-force blue, and I chose a duck-egg green and two glittery yarns in silver grey and teal to compliment them - the overall effect is very pleasing I think and actually looks frosty and wintry with the glitter.
It really was a "make it up as you go along" project with not a single note written down! Luckily, I made the 2 neckbands with their attached yokes first or I might not have remembered the stitch count etc. but after that, I stitched away merrily and completed the first one before I tackled the second. The original plan was to do a few rows of each and keep switching back and forth but I got a bit carried away with the whole design process!! I do so love to make it up as I go along!!

The original pattern has "armholes" for the front legs but I wasn't sure how easy that would be to put on, so redesigned them a little to have button-up flap across the belly. I also wanted them to be completely reversible so she won't have to stop and think about which way out they need to be before putting them on - although this meant I needed to add buttons on both sides. I stitched on a lot of buttons!!
Here are some quick pics of them, although I have taken plenty of others but not downloaded them yet.

They're on their way to the USA now and I can hardly wait to find out if they fit ok.... watch this space on that one!!
I've set up a project page on Ravelry too.

Talk again soon,   T xXx