Off the Needles

::A flurry of activity over the past couple of months has seen quite a few projects flying off my needles::

::Avana by Annie Rowden was lovely and quick to knit with an unusual construction::I used the natural undyed Ullcentrum DK/Worsted for a lovely summer cover up::

::Then there was the very pretty Kiva Beach Shawl by Yellowcosmo::I was so taken by basilandbelle's Coast to Coast Kiva Beach Shawl test knit that I made an exact copy::the Mabel & Ivy Coast Merino and Cotton 3ply yarn was absolutely wonderful to knit with and I have plans for more knitting with it::It has a beaded lace section which I achieved by threading the beads onto the yarn and introducing them at knit stitches on the right side::

::Now, of course, it is Tour de Fleece::I am in the Fondant Fibre team::We have to use her fibre which is absolutely never going to be a problem::Punis in the Silent Movie colour way in merino, kid mohair and sparkle, were my first stage of the race::we are spinning every day that the Tour de France is on and resting on their rest days::there are prizes on the Ravelry groups for several aspects of spinning::

::having spun 100g I could not wait to start knitting a project and have decided on a pair of Victoria wrist warmers by Louisa Harding from her book Knitting Little Luxuries:: 

::Everyone seemed to be knitting the Waterlily from Pom Pom Quarterly magazine::so I did too::

::I also visited Cowslip Farm near Launceston on my way home from a trip to Mevagissey in Cornwall::I fell in love with this little pillow and made one for myself::

::My free gift from my Rowan subscription in the Winter was Big Wool and a Wickery Cowl pattern by Diana Krawchuk and it was quick and easy to knit::

 ::Dani of Little Bobbin Knits organised a swap and we had to send a mug cosy and tea to another participant::I had fun knitting a cosy, coaster and teabag holder for Emily and she sent me a lovely package with a beautiful blue cosy in return::

::Here is the finished result of my fat quarter tote::I absolutely love it::And it's purple handles are just perfect for the fabric::

::A double gold star for my Fancy Silk Sock for a Child by Nancy Bush at the Essex Federation of Women's Institues Summer Show at RHS Hyde Hall::

::More sewing and a lovely Washi Tape Dress in a Swiss lawn cotton::very happy to have found something simple but pretty to sew::

::Spurred on by my success I made this charming little Sailor Top in a cotton fabric::

::I am off to Shetland to join in a wool holiday and there was a free bobble hat pattern that I adapted to make this cute head band::it is very windy there::they are having the coldest summer since 1947::thank goodness I am a knitter::

::the road trip to Cornwall saw me making a start on the Lus by Mer Stevens from the Spring Pom Pom Quarterly::it will be a long knitting 'trip' for this one::

::And what would a knitting life be without a little stash enhancement::And a little reading too::

::Whatever your summer brings you I hope it includes some handicraft work or some reading::

::Teresa::

It's Tour De Fleece

Spinning for Tour de Fleece whilst
watching the Tour de France racing through the
Essex Countryside where I live

::During July I am spinning like mad every day that the Tour de France is on and resting on their rest days. This is part of Ravelry's Tour de Fleece and I am in Team Sasquatch which is captained by Podcasters.

::It is great fun and there are prizes to win if you are lucky enough to be drawn from the many daily posts on the Ravelry group pages. My goal is to spin for at least fifteen minutes each day and so far it is going well.

::I am using Fondant Fibre fleece at the moment and making a 4ply weight yarn which I hope to use as a lace edging on a shawl but I mustn't get ahead of myself as there is a lot of spinning and plying to get through first.

Plying spun fibre using my spindle

::Next is another 120g of Fondant Fibre hand carded batt in BFL Superwash Merino Bamboo, Firestar and sparkle. 

::Then I hope to find time to spin this wonderful red hot summer colour-way which I ordered from Fondant Fibre together with this red hot summer project bag

::I love the stitch marker that came with the bag - very appropriate for Tour de Fleece

::I recently bought a new knitting magazine called "pompom" and have been having fun making some friendship bracelets from their free pattern

 ::And on the rest days of Tour de Fleece I shall be enjoying some downtime reading the new Ply magazine