Thursday 22 November 2012

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


Sunday 21 October 2012

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

Saturday 29 September 2012

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

Friday 14 September 2012

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

Friday 17 August 2012

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

Monday 30 July 2012

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

Tuesday 17 July 2012

Lovely felt creatures!

I've been having a go at some more feltie designing this week. Started out by making a cute tortoise in green and brown, then made a penguin in a hat to keep him company! The penguin might have to be named Indiana Penguin. :-)

Monday 16 July 2012

Knitting mayhem

So, my lovely cable knitting is going well! I'm on the last big bit now, done the back, both sleeves and the left front! Just doing the right front now so hopefully it will be done by the autumn. Really pleased with it.

Thursday 5 July 2012

Jumbo flower

Can you spot the elephant in the flower? I couldn't resist this cute elephant print fabric contrasting with the delicate flower print, and think that spotting the elephant in the flower is a fab touch!
I used bondaweb to join the two fabrics together, and the pattern came from the liberty sewing book.
More Jumbo fun soon,
Hailwood Handmades xx

Saturday 30 June 2012

Introducing Sock Piggies!

This week I've been playing around with socks. Out of just one pair of old socks I have made two adorable pigs! Each piggy takes almost all of a sock to make, and uses a few buttons for the face. They have lovely little feet underneath so they can stand up properly and even have curly tails. Probably going to pop them for sale on Folksy.com. What a fab way to use up old socks!
Maybe more sock critters soon,
Hailwood Handmades xx

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Head!

Today I've had a fab time playing with my hubby's face. First I traced a picture that his artist friend Stuart Giddings had drawn of him, then cut out all the bits! I then transferred all the bits onto bondaweb, pressed it onto fabric in the right colours and textures and popped those bits together on some background fabric. After that it was simply a case of stitching a button on for his pupil and stretching the fabric over a canvas! Both he and I are chuffed with the result.
Maybe more face art soon (apparently I have to do mine as well...)
Hailwood Handmades xx

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Groovy guy

I made this lovely little fella for my friend who loves the edf energy mascot. I made him out of double knitting yarn on 4 double pointed needles. He's quite simple up until the top of his head where you end up knitting a tiny i cord for his quiff. His face is made of felt and stitched with tiny stitches onto his head. From the reaction I got when I gave him to my friend I think she liked him!

Saturday 19 May 2012

Felt sheep!

Check out my lovely felt sheep! He's inspired by the same drawing that inspired my country garden cushion, only using felt gave me the opportunity to give him a more 'fluffy' shape. He has a small tail on the back, and I'm thinking of making another one from black felt with a white face and legs. Maybe I'll make them into key rings to sell on folksy.
More soon,
Hailwood Handmades xxx

Wednesday 9 May 2012

English country garden

Hi again!
Here is a cushion I've made, appliqué sheep and clouds on a patchwork field background. The design was inspired by a picture I used to draw when I was at school. The sheep's bodies are silk, and their faces and legs are made of cotton velvet. All of the appliqué is secured with blanket stitch in matching colours of embroidery threads.
I might make another one with rabbits on it for a friend who loves her bunnies!
More soon,
Hailwood Handmades x

Wednesday 2 May 2012

Duo of owls

These are the lovely cuddly owls that I made to sell on folksy.com. They're made from felt, and stitched together with embroidery cotton. For the pattern I just cut out a shape that looked right, measured around the bottom half for the length of the gusset and stitched them together! I also drew around the basic shape so I could make more the same. The buttons for their eyes came from my grandmothers button box - always worth a rummage!
More felt fun soon,
Hailwood Handmades xx

Monday 30 April 2012

Cables

Having a lovely time knitting myself a fab aran cardigan with some scrumptious cables on it! I'm cabling without a cable needle for most of it, although there is one cable that I am using one for- it's over 10 stitches so I'm playing that one safe! Started knitting it on Saturday 28th April and I'm almost half way up the back! Not bad if I do say so myself.
Hopefully more soon,
Hailwood Handmades x

Friday 27 April 2012

Brian

Hi again!
Today I made my lovely hubby an amigurumi goat as a mascot. I'm really pleased with him! He has been named Brian after a character in the book hubby is writing. Hopefully more amigurumi to follow!
All the best,
Hailwood Handmades xxx

Tuesday 17 April 2012

1st blog

Hi everyone!
Welcome to my lovely blog!  On here you'll hopefully find hot gossip about me and my creative stuff.  I mostly knit, but also crochet, make felt animals and design all kinds of beaded jewellery.  I've recently started my own shop on the website www.folksy.com which is also called Hailwood Handmades.  So far there is a pair of cuddly felt owls, and felt pussy cat, some earrings and some ladybirds in both felt and crochet. Take a look!
All the best,
Hailwood Handmades x