Super bunny!

For Christmas I decided to make a lot of the presents, and most turned out really well. The one I was most pleased with was the bunny I made for my bunny loving pal, Helen. The pattern was in a book called Palm Sized Softies that hubby bought me for my birthday (I may have hinted long and loud about it). It's a really good book, with all sorts of ideas on tiny toys to make. I saw the bunny in there and thought, Helen must have one of those! In the book he's got blue fur, but mine had to be pink, and blue spotty fabric seemed to match in perfectly! The book suggested that you should machine stitch the pieces together, but they were so tiny that I hand stitched them. Inside the ears there is a loop of wire to make them stand up properly, but it also makes them possible to pose! Good fun, but not child friendly. I think pipe cleaners would work just as well, so would use them in any future attempts. The eyes are felt which was glued on, and Pom poms make the face and tail.

Hopefully more tiny animals soon,

All the best,

Hailwood Handmades x

Right - gloves!

Been knitting gloves just lately, going quite well too! I've made the right glove of a pair in some lovely self patterning alpaca yarn. It's 4ply and knits up on size 2 3/4mm needles. That's tiny! This pattern is knitted flat, so there is bit of sewing up involved but otherwise is a great pattern! I'm just starting another pair in the round, again on tiny needles so I'll let you know how they pan out.

More soon,

Hailwood Handmades

Quilt!!!

Hurrah!

I realise that this is the first mention of it, but for the past year I've been making a patchwork quilt for my mother- and father-in-laws ruby wedding anniversary present. Well, it was their anniversary today, and the quilt was given. Eek, it was scary stuff, but luckily they loved it!
I made it based on a block built of 2 inch squares, and it is double bed sized- that's lots of squares! Each block took a couple of days to make, and once I had enough I stitched them all together and set about doing an edging. Once that was on I began quilting it- something I'd never done before! My main phrase whilst doing the quilting was 'ow' as I stabbed my fingers through 2 layers of cotton and a layer of wadding. But it got done and I finally bound the edges last week.
Never been more pleased to finish a project! And never has a gift been more happily received!
Back to my knitting now, doing lovely fair isle.
All the best,
Hailwood Handmades xxxxxx

Pink pig time!

I've had a request to knit a piggy for one of hubbies colleagues, so out come the dpns again! The pattern I'm going to use is the one I based the starting shape of zingy on, so should knit up in no time! I've got the perfect pink wool too, just need to nip out and buy buttons for its eyes.
I'll pop a finished picture of the pig up as soon as he's done.
All the best,
Hailwood Handmades xx

Oh my goodness, I've finished my cables!

Had a rather good day yesterday, spent knitting the button bands of my lovely Aran cardi and then sewing it up! It fits me perfectly so I wore it into town to buy it some buttons. I chose some really pretty cream ones with flecks in, good no?
Now onto fair isle for the winter- hurrah!
Photos of fair isle soon,
Hailwood Handmades xx

Nice new yarn!

I'm very excited about this lovely new yarn I've bought- it's pure merino wool, hand spun and dyed and soooo beautiful! I've knitted up a swatch in a cable pattern I like and it's an utter delight to knit with, so I've spent the morning designing a jumper with this cable running up the front. It's based on a pattern I had for a jumper in the round with no sewing up(!) at the end- got to be a good thing.
I'll keep you posted on my progress

All the best,

Hailwood Handmades xx


Ok, a quick update- I've finished my jumper! It looks really good, fits me perfectly and there was no sewing involved! Lets just say I'm pleased with it, shall we? :-)

Xxx

Magical butterfly

I've been trying to make this butterfly for ages but couldn't seem to get her pattern right with cut out bits of felt. I put it aside for a few days and when I came back to it inspiration hit! Embroidery was a great success, and adding sequins gave her the right amount of sparkle! All in all, a good make!
More felt goodness soon,
Hailwood Handmades xx