Kate Selene

Spring cleaning the shop

I really lost all energy today, I don't know where it all went, I even could have fallen asleep on the way home from mum and dads last night! So today I took it slowly! We went to Hay for breakfast and a coffee and I settled down in front of the wood burner and got to work. Iv done stuff today that didn't require too much moving around, but I definitely did some spring cleaning ! More on that later!

The last time you saw this Wip it was a couple of posts back, when I was still making the squares. I decided there were enough and pieced them together to see what I was working with. I must say I really love it, its really growing in me and I have lots of thoughts about the border, so Im sure I will have more to show you soon.

I also received confirmation that these little beauties reaches their destinations safely in both the UK and France. This was a special commission from my mother in law. She found a small piece of fabric in her mums wedding outfit and wanted some pieces made for her brothers and sisters. This did take longer to get making that I thought, as when I was going to make them the weather was so cold the resin wouldn't set, so I'm glad these are finally with their new owners!

And then.......... The spring clean!!

My two red trees shop is where I sell my textile goods,its a really fab site thats just for british designers. My shop has needed stock adding to it for a while and today seemed like the day to just do it.

So I have added quite a few new pieces which have been building up in my stash box over the months, its good to get this done now before I may not have the time!

Im looking forward to adding more work , if you would like to visit the shop, id love a bit of feedback!! There is a link on the right hand side at the top!

Bye for now!

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Current Wip!

Whats on the hook?

Well my maternity leave has started at what seems like the perfect time with this gorgeous weather!! So I have been out in the garden sorting out the herb garden, doing a bit of weeding and of course lounging on the hammocks!

It almost goes without saying, crochet is part of my daily diet! I wanted to use my new cotton to make some new projects, ones that I can wear, so I whipped up these little beauties last night whilst cosying up by the fire!

Im going to wear one today when I go to visit my mum for a spot of shopping!!

Im also banking up squares in both the cotton and the acrylic for baby blankets, the cotton will be nice and cool for the summer and of course, fun for me to make!

What is on your hook at the moment?

Infinity scarf complete

I finished my scarf in good time! It was really nippy out this morning and I popped it in the tumble drier to soften it up a little before I wore it! This was finished off in not the nice relaxing way that I had imagined, I actually finished this little number whilst moving around the assault course that is my living room!! This big bump is starting to really get uncomfortable, baby has no more room to move! So whilst it was trapping nerves in my legs and back I was crocheting away! I made a fair bit of it whilst standing up which made me grateful for the easy repeat pattern that didn't need a lot of brain power to do! I was telling Penny about it today and she mentioned that maybe I should take some crochet with me to the hospital! Its a good distraction technique and I'm fairly sure Il want to be distracted!! I think I will pack a ball and hook in the bag just in case!!


She is a long scarf, double the length of this pic as I have sewn together the ends so that it wraps around my neck three times. 



And today was my penultimate day before starting my maternity leave, so I had some gorgeous gifts and cards from colleagues and students,I had fruit plants, flowers, orchids enough chocolate to take me up to the 10 stone mark and loads more cake and doughnuts and wine!! Lush!! Thank you everyone! 

So I have my feet up, crochet ready to go as I take the weight of my feet, which went up like balloons today and have only just stopped being painful to walk on!! Eeeesh! 

And relax!!

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Current Wip!

Whats on the hook?

Skating, wool and cake!!

What a weekend!! I love having weekends where you do loads of things and see lots of people! And this was definitely one of them! We made a good start on the garden on Saturday morning, I made the wigwams for our runner beans and Jon put up our new hammocks! Soooo much fun!! Although getting onto a hammock and not falling off with a giant belly is a lot trickier than I imagined.

We also went skating!!! Well, I say we, Jon skated and I crocheted, which was really lush, we met loads of new people and realised we both had friends who knew each other! A good couple of hours learning how to skate and me gossiping to people who came to the benches for a rest was a really lovely way to spend the afternoon.

With no injuries or mishaps after skating we made our way to my parents for the evening, my Dad made an awesome steak!!

But we didn't stop there! On Sunday me, Jon and Mum went to the Wonder Wool Wales exhibition in the Royal Welsh show ground in Builth! Me an mum were sooooo exited to go, I was going to go last year but something cropped up, and with it being only days away from my birthday this year we just had to go......... And boy am I glad we did!!

It was a dazzling array of yarns and felt and spinning, all colours, sizes and breads of sheep available! Me and mam were like kids in a sweet shop, Jon even had to remind of of which bits we had seen so that we didn't miss anything. Every stall was something different and of course, we bought loads! Of supplies!! My Mum had stocked up on Debby Bliss yarn for making things for the baby and I discovered that you could buy cotton on a cone!! Both me and mum came away with 7 cones each in different colours and I have since bought another 7 from their online shop.

It was just amazing!! It was soooo inspiring seeing what people do with yarn and how they display it, make it into things and wear it. I was so excited that I had to start making as soon as I got home, which was quite a while after the show as we popped in to see my aunty and uncle for tea in the way.

I have always looked at the rich cotton colours that people use when making and I was so excited to be able to make some granny squares up, no particular pattern or arrangement, just playing with the colours.

Popping a white cotton border on it made such a difference. Cotton has a weight to it that feels so........... Substantial! I just love it! And im now aware that I have 3 projects in the go! My scarf in now suppa long and is almost finished, the granny block blanket that was in the other post has has a lot of work added to it but I can see that the cotton is going to take over! I even brought home a new shelving unit for the cones yesterday in anticipation of filling it with loads of lovely colours all ready for me to use!!

And of course, this week and last week has been filled with cakes!! Lots of birthdays and today its mine!! Wooohoo!! The big 30!! With a big cake to match!!

Have a gorgeous day, I hope your able to enjoy the sun whilst its out!

X

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Infinity scarf complete

Nesting

Well the last few weeks have been anything but quiet, but they have been meaningful! I have had a bit of time off my day job over easter and we have turned the house upside down preparing for our new arrival!! Those of you who have seen me will know I'm carrying around a little person in my medicine ball sized belly! I only have a few weeks left and pregnancy has really got me into the 'just do it' state of mind! Its been fab! I have made sooo much jewellery and made a blanket for a friends new arrival!

I have also been to a gorgeous fabric shop which I mentioned in a previous blog, and bought some lush spotty red fabric!! My stool was in need of a toad stool make over! It was lush to see it in the nursery! We don't know if were having a girl or a boy yet so all the colours in the room are ones that I like, but I'm sure as soon as we know I'm sure my mum will be knitting up a storm! She has no idea what to make yet and its a little funny, she has no idea what to do with herself!! She has tons of beautiful patterns and no idea which ones to make! But she has made a gorgeous pompom blanket for our little sprog to compliment our pompom rug! Il pop some pics of the stuff she has made us so far in the next post.

And no sooner had I got the last blanket off the hook that I really had the need to start one for our little person in the making. Tying ends on blankets is the job that takes the longest and it always takes me ages to get round to, but its so satisfying to finish them off.

This blanket will be a nice quick make and there will be a lot less ends to tie in, which was the main reason behind the pattern choice. I resisted just keeping the colour pallet to a select few, instead I'm just going to use all the colours and make a really cheery blanket!

I only have to hope I have enough energy to get some of this made and still go to work for the last few weeks until I'm off for my maternity leave. I hope this little one waits an extra few weeks, otherwise I will be hitting my 30th birthday with a baby!! But, its definitely going to be the best birthday present!!

Have a lovely evening, im going to eat a delicious curry and carry on with the hookey!!

X

Blanket in progress

So its Sunday, and after having a flurry of things to do this morning, feeding and collecting eggs from the chickens, washing, dishes and popped round to see our neighbours, we decided that it would be a good idea to spend the rest of the afternoon in front of the fire. We collected a bit of fire wood on the walk home from a coffee with the neighbours, and as soon as we got in we had the fire going. We took a box of eggs around and came back with a jar of marmalade! Which suits me very nicely, I'm rather enjoying the marmalade on toast of late.

So an afternoon in front of the fire equals time to craft, and I have made some good progress on the granny squares I'm making for this blanket! I only started them yesterday and I'm fairly confident that by the end of the day I will have put next border on most of them. That way, all thats left to do is block then together and add a border. Im really keen to get this finished by mid week.

My hands are now warming up nicely by sitting here writing this post by the fire, so I suppose its a good time to get back to the squares!

Have a lovely afternoon

X

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Nesting

Cosy things

It has been a week of getting sorted, I have packed and shipped off quite a few bits this week, including a tea cosy a bundle of earrings and two sets of hair pins. It feels really good to be getting things moving.

It has been bitterly cold this week too, it was starting to snow again this morning, which i couldn't believe, so I have been really working on staying warm. I guess this has spread to my things, I have made some zip bags for my stuff out of some crochet samples I had in my stash. They turned out really well and to be honest im surprised how much I love these cosy editions to my life, it brings the crochet into other aspects of my life. I have decided that one of the new bags can keep my slipper project tidy, I have already made one pair of slippers but im working on a new pattern.

This blue pompom number is being used to keep my books all tidy at work, keeping my ipad and note books together has made a huge difference when going from office to office as I tend to travel with lip balms and pens and I always leave something somewhere!

So, thats what I have been upto this week. Im hoping to have a bit of downtime this weekend, going to visit my parents and finish those slippers off. Just find time to breath!!

Toodle pip!

Finishing off a project

At last, the weekend has been spent just sifting through thoughts, eating and resting and of course, finishing off some projects. I have finally finished the granny bag which has been unloved for quite some time. She originally began her life as a blanket, but after a not so positive session in the washer, I felt she was destined to be something else. So, Iv just finished off her handles and hung her on the back of the door. She turned out to be a much better bag than a blanket!

I have also turned one of my samples into a foot rest cosey! We bought these lovely square foot stools from ikea a few weeks back, but have noticed that they do withstand a lot of wear and tear. My sample turned out to be a very cheery alternative to the durable cotton cream underneath. I also enjoyed getting back into being excited about crafting, looking at my note books and re organising my stash.

I also loved the fact that I could photograph some of the outside world too, beautiful snow drops are appearing in huge drifts down the lanes, they remind me of this sweet blanket I made a short while ago.
Well, have a lovey afternoon, I'm staying toasty by the fire for now, cheerio!

Im getting crafting........ At last!

So, I handed my essay in today, it was good to get that out of the way, theres nothing like homework and essays to stifle creativity! Of which, im gona need over the next few months, I have orders for shirt stiffeners and flower hair pins, a list of projects I want to make and I need to make a start, so, im relaxing by the fire, and I have just taken to finishing a bag which has been left unloved in my crochet stash for ages.

So, here goes, Im making the time to make! Have a lovely evening all,

X

Running low

Well the last two weeks have been fairly exhausting, I find my self looking longingly at my yarn collection wishing I could find the energy to make. I did have a really good run of making the week before, I made loads of lovely crochet flowers that will be turned into brooches and key rings, but I think I may need a bigger project just so that each night I can sit down and make a bit.

Im sure the miserable weather isn't helping either, its either snowing, raining or both. Everything seems to be sodden and the snow drops are only just appearing along the verges at home.

After committing to writing more on my essay tonight, yes, I too have home work! Maybe I will find my way back to my yarn, find some comfort in making!

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Pompom rugs, snow and getting back on track

A bit of time to Pompom

Im having a lazy sunday afternoon, but I think its well deserved! I have had a mammoth week at work choc to the brim with assessment for all levels and it has been both exciting and exhausting, with us working through lunch and starting at 8 to assess! So I was very glad when the end of Friday arrived so that I could put my feet up.

By putting my feet up, I really mean fid some time to do some crafting. I have of course been making pompom bookmarks........... Quite a number it seems! It was very rewarding to see these pile up after they all received a hair cut.

I have been working with some varieties of colour ways as I expect these will be in my Two Red Trees shop soon. I really like the sock monkey combo, greys, creams and reds.

I also worked some into tassels, which look really lovely draped in a book. Il have some pics of these with their books soon, but at the moment I'm working up more pompoms into key rings.

Have a lovely Sunday

Book Review - The Gentle Art of Knitting

I have been taking a little down time lately, winding down so that I can get some rest in over the winter. Its getting soooooo cold and wet were living by the fire in the evenings, and Jon has moved into my craft room so we can both enjoy the open fire!!

I have been making time to knit and crochet, getting inspired has been really important! I have been going through my books and pouring over beautiful pages with gorgeous patterns,
Itching to get making again.

I realised that I always need to feel inspired, and books have always made me feel like craft time was an indulgence. Looking over the pages, thinking if possibilities. I love books! I always read, so I thought it may be good to post reviews of some of them, because you can never really tell what books are like if your buying off the internet.

So, this book has really got me back into the knitting swing. Its a beautiful book full off quirky takes on regular things. I very much enjoy the photography which really allows you to see how knitting can really enhance your experience with everyday objects.

This book captured me as its not just full of patterns, Jane also shares with you her journey of discovery, and how she re discovered her interest in knitting and how she too, was inspired by a book.

The philosophy of this book is about 'gentle' knitting.

"'Its about the gentle enjoyment of yarns you like in colours that make you happy, knitting for pleasure, for relaxation, for the therapeutic rhythms that induce a sense of ease an wellbeing."

Throughout the book, Jane introduces each project by recalling how she was inspired to make them. Its such a wonderful insight into a makers thoughts.

There are no usual knitting instructions, which I personally prefer, it goes straight into introducing patters and a brief section about choosing yarn, which only makes the book more enjoyable read.

I particularly enjoy the use of colour throughout the book, every page is vibrant, with beautiful images on each page. It really helps you imagine what your possible colour ways could look like, giving a fresh twist on these otherwise usual items.

There are also patterns which I have not yet seen in many of the other books I own. This take on the apron was refreshing, and allows you to imagine how everyday items can have a refreshing feel.

There are many patterns that really focus on the luxury of the handmade. These gorgeous egg cosies are just one example of a pattern that enhances an everyday experience.

This book is a really fresh twist on knitting, I would highly recommend it if you have mastered the basics in knitting. There is a good mix of intermediate and challenging projects, I look forward to trying some if them out.