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What date is it??? Are you sure???

Mar23

I’m sitting at my desk, it’s Saturday 23rd March and it is SNOWING!

My two youngest sons are in turmoil.  No.3 son has his birthday in the middle of December.  On his birthday the sun was shining and it was a lovely day.  His younger brother had his birthday on 20th March… and it was SNOWING!  What is going on up there?  The weather fairies have gotten their knickers in a proper knot I think.

I’m planning a book.

Not a novel or anything so bold, but a book of knitting patterns.  So what? I hear you mutter.  Well the current weather gives rise to another predicament you see.  By now, I would ordinarily be thinking about knitting summer tops in cotton yarns and open, lacy patterns, but no, I’m knitting warm cuddly jackets because it’s too darned cold to even sit in the house without one.  So what patterns do I put in the afore-mentioned book?  I’m planning on a publication date in June.  It makes sense to knitters – usually.  It makes sense to have a good stack of stash-busting patterns to use in making lovely winter woollies for our nearest and dearest with plenty of planning and knitting time ahead of the festive season in December.  Now though, do I include a few patterns for summer knits too – a cotton bikini top or beach wrap perhaps?  The mind truly does boggle.  It’s a good job that knitters are flexible folk who are able to adapt to the passing seasons with relative ease, or we would be totally flummoxed by the confusion which presently reigns over Mother Nature’s weather plans.

 

Knitting…and other things with needles

Mar19

So, today I need to get moving on actually writing something new don’t I!
Knitting is taking over… it’s everywhere… I have rediscovered my knitting machines, which have been in hiding for about 14 years. I’m so glad they were well covered; there wasn’t even a single bit of UV yellowing on the plastic and for one of the machines that is over twenty years old, that is something of a miracle.

So, for the knitting geeks out there, I have a Passap E6000 electronic machine and until last week, a Knitmaster MK-70 mid-gauge machine. Last week I swapped the mid-gauge for a Brother 910 electroknit. Now I can’t say I was pleased to see the old MK-70 go. She has been a faithful friend and travelled many miles with me over the years. My journey with the Brothers is now to begin, and adventure, no less.

I am also the proud mummy of a new machine knitter, in the shape of my eldest daughter. She cut her knitting milk-teeth on the MK-70, only to have it cruelly whisked away from her only a week into working with it, to be replaced with a Brother KH910. We will learn together, though it has to be said that she is already making great strides and producing homewares in the shape of some beautiful cushion covers. I on the other hand am yet to begin. My excuse is thin… too many jobs – not enough hands. Such is the lament of any mother.

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I have  also begun to rescue ageing knitting machines and restore to something approaching their former glory. Recent projects have included a 1950′s Knitmaster 302 and our two Brother KH910s. Projects to come are a Brother KH890 and a KH710 as well as a KR850 ribber. Sourcing spares has become somewhat of an obsession with haunting EBay on a daily basis part of my routine. If anyone has a machine under their bed or hidden in the eaves of the loft, I’d love to breathe me life into it…contact me.

I have become somewhat adept at restoring needle retaining bars. Stripping out the old, compacted sponge layer is a sticky, horrible job but I have now found ideal tools which make it a little less of a chore. A spray solvent has made cleaning the gunky residues faster and more efficient. A good supplier has been sourced and I am now able to refurb a needle retaining bar for less than 20 percent of the cost of a replacement one.

I started a Facebook page about my adventures in knitting and that has a decent following, enough thati have now also begun a Facebook Group on the same lines, to encourage others to get their machines back in service and producing knitwear again.

There is currently a gentle resurgence of interest in machine knitting in the UK and around the world. We now watch and wait for the yarn manufacturers to catch on and to provide us with yarns on cones again and at a price within the reach of more of our pockets.

More will come on the subject of knitting…keep on reading.

This entry was posted on March 19, 2013, in Crafting.

Love and Marriage…

Mar13

Last time I told you that I was away to make a wedding dress and cake…

Yesterday was ‘The Big Day’, so I am now free to show you all what has been keeping me

busy, had me pulling my hair out and blubbing like a big girl’s blouse.  My No.1 Daughter, married her boyfriend of seven years yesterday.  I was of course, the proudest Mum on the block.  I have waited all of her life to make this dress and cake, so each step of the way it was crafted with loads of love, and not a little trepidation.  They are, after all, a large part of the focus at any wedding and I wanted No.1 Daughter’s to be the best I could make.  I think I accomplished that – she certainly had many compliments on her dress, and I on the cake.

 

 

Here are back views of the finished dress, top and bottom and also the veil.

All of the beading was done by hand by Teen Daughter.

 

 

 

 

And the cake….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A wonderful day and evening was had by all, thank you to all who helped to make the day!