Strawberry Fields - Shawl

Here's my latest shawl. I wanted a red one to wear in the Summer and I'd had my eye on a Feather & Fan lace pattern for a while. So here's my

Strawberry Fields Shawl

It's the perfect shawl as it can be worn in a variety of ways...

... it's the most gorgeous red colour which I achieved by holding together strands of Japanese Red and Petunia Pink Clara Brilhante cotton from www.yarnstick.co.uk, which have been great in sending my cotton very, very quickly. I even managed to finally get real emerald green cotton - I'd been looking all over for it. It's amazing how many people don't know their colours!!!

The shawl is quite long (1.70m) and it's wide and soft enough to be worn as either a shawl or a scarf. Perfect for a Summer evening or a cool Spring morning.


The two strands of yarn held together almost look like cotton chenille as the pink is slightly lighter than the red and therefore gives the impression of highlights like on chenille.

It was surprisingly quick to make - only 4 days - and that's including finishing. If you want one, check out the colours here, and then let me know which colours you'd like. Keep in mind that I will need two balls of yarn (either in the same or two different colours) and about 500m (altogether) as the yarn is too thin to be knitted with just one strand, if you want a shawl that can be worn all year round.

Depending on the yarn you choose the shawl will be between £25 and £30. The cotton is colour fast and can be washed easily.

GIRLS RULE - CAROLINE @ the LONDON MARATHON

Caroline has just finished the London Marathon 2009 and I am sooooo proud of her.

It's amazing - especially as I know how hard it was the last two weeks with an injury and all the pressure, and not just the physical but also the psychological stress of running her very first London Marathon.

Well done for a VERY respectable time of 4:20:41 to run 26! miles. I thought this deserved a Girls Rule sticker. :-)

If you haven't sponsored her yet, you still can, the link is on the top of the page on the left.

Angelina Fibre Fun

Recently, when I had to get some sequins to make the lovely Lamia Earrings, I also bought some Angelina fibre. Marvellous stuff!

Here's one I made earlier:


The Angelina fibre comes in sparkling, iridescent strands that can be laid out between two sheets of baking paper and then ironed to create a fabric. You can mix colours, add flower petals etc. The only limit is your imagination.

This bowl was made by layering Angelina fibres inside a bowl, then popping another bowl inside it to secure the Angelina fibres. Next, you fill the top bowl with hot water and then pop both bowls inside a larger bowl which also needs filling with hot water. After fifteen minutes or so your Angelina bowl is ready.



This one, although I've trimmed the edges, is not quite finished yet, as I want to add some embroidery and possibly some flowers. Not sure yet.


Here are the sheets of Angelina fibre I made. The first one I made with my sister whilst she was here, the others were done last Sunday.

The sheets are tough enough to be cut out into shapes... you'll have to wait and see what I'll make with them. :-)

Commissions from Jewellery Party

Pear Blossom Earrings

To match the original Pear Blossom Set.

I've used slightly less verdigris and more acrylic varnish on the earrings as I was worried about the verdigris touching the sensitive skin round the neck, however, they're still a good match and will darken over time.





Willow Earrings V 2

See the originals here. The Willow earrings were a great hit at the charity event at Caroline's house. I sold the originals and got a commission to make another pair.


These are slightly different as I changed the flower for a different one and the leaves are handmade (cut from copper, hammered and bashed and scraped and scratched for texture and then filed and sanded to avoid sharp edges).




Warrior Princess Set

The earrings were commissioned to match the bracelet I made a while ago. I was sure I'd posted here before and then couldn't find it anywhere. Odd!


The earrings are more delicate than the bracelet as they would have been too heavy. I used new lovely faceted cathedral beads with copper detail to match the original emerald green bead in the bracelet.

Here's the original bracelet which I had to make slightly smaller. It has always reminded me of something I'd imagine a warrior princess to wear. It's bold and it's strong and it's lovely. The oxidised copper works really well with most skin tones as there's a lot of variation in the colour.

The beads used in this are both vintage and each has it's own charm. One is similar to a tigereye bead with darker and lighter striations and the other one is a deep dark emerald green with gorgeous facets.

Dancing Pearls Leaf Lace Heirloom Scarf

Finally done - the Dancing Pearls Leaf Lace Scarf.

Yep, it's a bit of a mouthful, BUT I wouldn't want you to miss any of the wonders of this scarf. ;-)

It's just so pretty in the gorgeous, soft, shimmery and beautiful Habu silk. The colour is a soft salmon pink which looks so pretty with the leaf lace pattern. The perfect scarf for a special occasion - from a ball to a Summer wedding, you can go wrong as this colour works with lots of other colours and styles.

I've embroidered the scarf with tiny cream glass pearls (almost 40 of them) which seem to dance across the silk and add a subtle shimmer.

Here's a details shot of my first ever attempt at grafting two pieces of knitting together with the Kitchener stitch. I found a brilliant tutorial on YouTube that made it very easy as it explained how to do it AND how to memorise it.

Here are two close-ups of the pattern and pearls:

Big Day - Update

The party went well last night. Lots of people came and shopped, and Caroline is that much closer to her target for the fund raising.

It was an enjoyable evening, although some people were obviously put off by the showers, I bet they would have come if they'd known how much fun it would be.

I spent my time mostly with Teresa from Rococo in Sawston as I shared the same room with her and bought one of her gorgeous hats. I'll try and get website details from everyone else who was there and post them here too as there was another jeweller - Luisa Corbelo - and Catchlight Photography and a physiotherapist.

It was hard work too and I am tired today and I still have to tidy everything away again... too late last night to do that.

You can still donate to Caroline's fund raising efforts and the MS Trust by using the link at the top of the page on the lefthand side. Just click on the MS Trust logo.

Big Day

After frantic organising and getting everything ready, the day of the jewellery party in aid of the MS Trust has finally come. If you haven't read about it yet - Caroline is running the London Marathon for her sister who has MS.

The jewellery party is to raise much needed funds and ten percent of all the profits will go to the MS Trust.

There will be another jeweler, a physiotherapist, a photographer, and the Cambridge Evening News has promised to cover it.

If you can't make it to the party but would like to sponsor Caroline and the MS Trust - here's the link, or click on the header or the little blue logo at the top of the page on the left hand side, all will take you to Caroline's fund raising page.

Fingers crossed everybody feels generous...

... so wish us all luck!

Jewellery Party Special - Summer In Nice

A while back, when I made Spring in Paris, Alison asked me when I am going to make a 'Summer in Nice' necklace. Well, here it is. :-)

Summer In Nice

Blues, from watery turquoise to deep teal blue:

I have used the most wonderful recycled glass beads, mostly from the African Fabric Shop, which have the most beautiful texture and colours. They almost look like sea glass. There's some info about them here.

I've combined the lovely beads with some ribbed gunmetal beads and matte black findings.

The pretty organza and taffeta flower sits on a vintage filigree that has been painted and 'be-glittered' by me and then covered in special varnish.

Here are some close-ups of the beautiful beads. The beads graduate in colour and size along the necklace.

Next to the flower is a little dangle with a dragonfly, again painted and 'be-glittered', a little altered lock and a row of teal glass pearls. Each of the little 'dangles' hangs from a different chain.

The main chain is the most beautiful deep blue (enameled) with a lovely texture and weight.

The necklace can be worn round your neck long, or you can wrap it round twice. It has a clasp which makes adjusting it much easier.

The necklace will be for sale tomorrow at the jewellery party. If it doesn't sell.... I might just keep it. :-)

Liquorice Jelly Bowl

This is my latest (finished) project:

Liquorice Jelly Bowl

It's made from black jelly yarn (which is made from vinyl) and it looks so yummy and glossy.


I wanted a bowl that looks good on the table and where I can keep my bits and pieces whilst working on them - needles, scissors, bits of embroidery cotton, pins, yarn etc.


The bowl has a rim of 'tentacles' all along the top. I was going to add flowers and leaves for decoration, but then decided it was pretty as it was and anything else would just distract from it's lovely glossy blackness. :-)


It can be washed (with hand warm soapy water).

There will be more of these in various sizes and colours. Check out www.jellyyarn.com for colours available. I am happy to make these to order. Depending on what else I have on it'll normally take a couple of days to make one of this size (rather large).

The large ones (made from 2 skeins of yarn) will cost around £20 plus P&P, smaller ones will vary depending on the amount of yarn used.

Daffodil Wisp Shawl

Here's the wonderful Wisp shawl (pattern here) I made for my sister in (as yet unreleased) Rowan Kidsilk in daffodil.

I love the colour and the drape of the shawl. A row of buttons and button holes along all four sides makes the shawl very versatile as it can be worn in hundreds of different ways.



I've used yellow sweetie heart buttons and an orange flower button as an accent.

Here you can see the pattern in detail:

The pattern I used is the same as Caroline used on here colourful scarf. Don't they look so different?

Can't wait to show my sister her shawl this afternoon. Not long now.... :-)

Sneak Preview of Leaf Lace Scarf

Here's what I've done so far on my Lace Leaf Scarf. The pattern is less complicated than it looks I just have problems remembering it, especially since it keeps being put aside for more urgent projects.


I've used the most wonderful Habu silk which is a delight to knit with - it's the same (but a different colour) as I've used in the Dragon Lace scarf and wrist warmers.

Sod's law means that I am running out of the yarn as this pattern uses more yarn as the other pattern... so I'll have to wait till I can get some more. :-( One day this scarf may be finished....The project for my sister is finished but I won't show it here until my sister has seen it. It looks so pretty........

Spring Is Here - Magnolias, Cherry Blossoms and Hydrangea

I love Spring with all the signs of new life and Summer not far away. Some of my favourite flowers (or rather blossoms) in Spring are magnolias. Unfortunately, there are no magnolias in my garden - no space - however, a neighbour kindly let me take some pictures of the magnolia tree in her garden.

Magnolias

The waxy quality of the petals set against the hairy fluffy stems is just so pretty.





Cherry Blossoms

I also really like cherry blossoms. They are just so wonderful with the fragility of their soft pink petals set against the stark grey/brown colour of the branches and the first few dark red leaves showing.




Hydrangea

I like hydrangeas in Spring. You get the dried up petals from last year's Summer set against the beautiful green of the new leaves, which just looks amazing. The leaves themselves are as pretty as the flowers - a deep intense green with spiky edges that are rimmed in a deep red.



I am planning to take some more pictures, hopefully this weekend of the plum tree in my front garden and more of my neighbour's magnolia tree. The magnolia blossoms will have opened more and the pink blush on the petals should have intensified.

On the knitting front... still working on the present for my baby sister but it is nearing completion. The leaf lace scarf is still waiting for my attention.

On the jewellery front... I've just ordered some interesting African fabrics which I shall put to good use soon. I've also found more fabric covered beads (like the ones used in the Spring in Paris necklace) and have plans for those.

Lastly, on 16th April my friend Caroline will be holding a jewellery party to raise funds for the MS Trust (see Sponsor Caroline and the direct link to her fund raising page at the top of the page). If you're in Cambridge or close to Cambridge and would like to come and aid a good cause, drop me a line and I'll let you have the details.

Keep watching this space.

Movie Magic

I've been busy with presents and a commission.

I was asked to make a pair of earrings like the ones the lamia witch wears in Stardust. There are some pictures of the whole costume here. I love the film, it's one of my favourites, so I agreed and here's my take on them:


It was quite difficult to find all the different materials for them as everything was slightly unusual and certainly not 'off the peg'.

I ended up with a lot of improvising and I think - although the feel of the earrings is similar - they look lovely and different in their own right. I hope to get some images of the finished costume as the earrings are to go with a whole outfit for a big party.

Alongside this commission I've also finished the purple polka dot wrist warmers and the silk flower (see previous post) and I've been working on a silk scarf with an intricate leaf lace pattern. However, this scarf keeps being put aside as other projects come up.

Currently I am working on a special secret project for my baby sister. She's going to come next week and stay with us for Easter. I CAN'T wait. It'll be lovely to have her here.