Things you have made...

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

Last Friday we held out latest EN social online meetup and the theme of discussion was to talk (and show) about things we've made ourselves. We were all in for a treat as the range of things shared were fantastic, from wonderful weaving to homemade biscuits, jewellery to knitted cats and a massive shout out to Lawrene for creating face masks for keyworkers in her local area (this made me slightly emotional). Thank you for all the effort.

It was such an enjoyable couple of hours and once again just really nice to have a chat with great people from around the world. What a fantastic way to end the week! 

I've seen a couple of asks from those of you who were unable to attend  to see the handmade things we talked about and so I thought as I'm sure there are lots of us who might like to share something and give each of us ideas to fill the time, why not start a discussion for us all to share and add to. 

@Cathie19, @Lawrene0, @Robin4, @Clara116, @Christine615, @Ann72, @Kimberly29, @Stephanie, @Quincy, @Helen350, @Marissa107, @Kemi9, Fran(sorry unsure of your number), @Jessica-and-Henry0, @Roberta2, @Gordon0,  @Melodie-And-John0,  @Sandra126, @Kath9, @Mike-And-Helen0, @Helen3, 

I'll get us started, I've been learning to knit for the past few  weeks (I find it's quite a relaxing thing to do before I go to bed) and so I showed my first knitting piece to the group (you will be pleased to hear I managed to sort out the knot!)...it was going to be a scarf, but I've now turned it into a snood (a neck warmer!). I know a grand total of two types of stitches, so if anyone else can teach me a thing or two I would love to hear from you. I ran out of the purple wool, but I quite like the pink. I'm presently wearing this as I type, so I'm pretty pleased. : )

What about you have you made anything? Such as a craft or even redecorated your kitchen or a baked something delicious perhaps?

Thank you,

Lizzie

[Lawrene0]

Yes, there are four of us making facemasks like mad in our village for the essential services workers (medical professionals still have N95s, so not them) and outpatients and others. 200 and counting! Since the quilters in the village opened their stash to us, we have everything from dorky patterns to cool-cat black. The local firefighters asked for some, said they didn't mind how pretty, and sent us a funny picture of big lads in flowered facemasks in front of the fire truck. I am sorry that I am not allowed to share it here. The fire station's media people have not yet sent the okay. Maybe they are saving it for the calendar. ; )

We are also making something that we hope will soon be unnecessary. We knit sets of two matching hearts. They are bagged and sent to the local hospital that asked us for them. One heart in the set is held by the dying patient and the other by the remote family member who would, in normal times, be holding their hand. We have delivered 30 sets of hearts so far, and it breaks our hearts. 

But enough of that. 

@Rubén16 , you are amazing! A secret closet! @Ann72 , love the pillow covers! And, @Lizzie , that snood is perfect for an Ontario spring...

facemasks

hospital hand-held hearts

[Stephanie]

I'm more a baker than a maker - does my carrot cake count?

[Lizzie]

YUM....and carrot cake always counts @Stephanie 🙂

[Nick]

I wasn't even at the social but @Stephanie I'm with you on that one.

[Roberta2]

I use to do cross stitching - some towels that I did many years ago! (you can see that I use the bath towel much more than the hand one!). Should pick this up again..

 

[Lizzie]

Looks great @Roberta2, I have a table cloth made out of cross stitch that a family member made. This would seem like a good time to revisit it. Is cross stitch quite straightforward to do? 

[Roberta2]

Hi @Lizzie , yes, you just need to be patient 🙂

And count correctly - that one was a little fiddly, as I had to count the number of spaces of the design, multiply by number of flowers, count the number of squares in the towel, take number in towel - number of flowers, divide what is left over (so you have a matching space either side that is blank).

But apart from that, easy 🙂

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Roberta2 , they are too pretty to use!, very nice, JR

[Cathie19]

Madly rushed to finish this last night, so it could be washed before I gave it to my daughter this evening. She has an operation tomorrow morning, so with restrictions on visitors, she has a “hug” with her. Don’t look close as many basic flaws, just like me....... lol.    True! 

[Lizzie]

This is so impressive @Cathie19, it's lovely.

I'm thinking of tackling a blanket for my next project. I might need a few tips from you to get me going thought. I've currently got one small square, so just a few more to go. I've started to learn the Moss stitch...first try it turned into a knot on my knitting needle....more practice needed methinks or I could have one square, knot, another square, knot...

Dare I ask how many squares are here? 

[Cathie19]

Hi @Lizzie . 

This is a self made pattern. It’s not a square; for it is wider than longer, but when turned on the lap, it covers the legs beautifully.

For each change of stitch, there are ten (10) stitches. 

I cast on 230 stitches. This is a 12 ply mohair and acrylic mix. I used a 6mm knitting needle. The border is Moss stitch, or the first 10, and the last 10 stitches are moss stitch.

so 10x moss, then 10 x stocking stitch, 10 x garter stitch. Repeat till the last 10 stitches then moss stitch.

- turn

- repeat the pattern

I worked 17 rows per pattern before reversing the stocking and garter stitch panels.

i think to get the initial border about the same appearance, I worked 12 rows, but whatever works best for you visually.

Also, make sure you join new balls at the end in the moss stitch panels, so it can be worked in.

Does this make sense?

💐

[Cathie19]

23 pattern changes of 10 stitches each. 

First and last ten stitches  each end in SEED stitch ( = 20 stitches)

21 sets of pattern, BUT you could do whatever you wanted, as long as you have a border match up at start and end of rows, and at the beginning and end of the project.

for me, I got “roughly” (didn’t count) seventeen rows out of each ball of wool.

I’ve had this wool awhile so probably discontinued now. Anything would work, but remember I used larger needles for this project to be looser, as it was not a jumper. Instead of 4mm needles I used 6mm needles. But you can work out how wide you want it and do the stitch numbers accordingly, to the pattern requirements. 🙂

[Cathie19]

@Lizzie , @Melodie-And-John0 

As I had made a huge throw rug in 2011 for our youngest daughter, then made this mustard one for my other daughter... there was a suggestion that their brother would want one as well. 

So now I’m onto #3 to complete for mailing before mid June. I wish I was a fast knitter!!

I have less yarn but decided to knit it longer on the basketweave pattern, so only cast on 190 stitches; that is 4 patterns less. Once again 50% mohair + 50% acrylic, making it extremely light in weight.  Laying flat, that then should make it approximately 1.6 metres. It will grow exponentially once being moved around. I’ll photograph the finished product ONE day! Lol...2nd large project in a couple of months ...

[Melodie-And-John0]

Thats beautiful @Cathie19  your fingers must be sore!  Im sure your daughter will love it and have many decades of warmth  coming from it.  I will keep her and you in my Prayers Cathy, stay well, JR

[Cathie19]

ACTUALLY @Lizzie , it isn’t Moss stitch but SEED stitch.  A simple knit one purl one pattern, repeating across two rows creating a tiny basketweave, unlike Moss stitch over four rows.