A round up of 2013?

Everyone seems to do a round up of the year on their blogs. I will be high lighting the things I am proud of in 2013 but not mentioning everything.

What did 2013 teach me? Actually it taught me a lot. Mainly about going after what you want and New beginnings. I moved to a new house this year which I love. I have amazing family and have made some wonderful friends too.

Of course work will be included in this blog post. I was featured in let’s knit magazine again and knit today. Knit today and the local paper ran stories on the charity ideas I was doing for pancreatic cancer to help raise money. I also had great success selling my designs on etsy to a wide range of countries.

I have decided to concentrate on my knitting pattern designs for 2014 and just do the odd commision. I am starting a podcast too and YouTube channel. I am also going to be dyeing more yarns for peggy’s yarns. Therefore trying to expand it more.

2014 is going to be the year that I really make things happen while still keeping my family a priority too.

Happy New year ideas

I have so many ideas for the new year it’s all very exciting.

I saw an idea the other day of putting things you wish to achieve into a glass jam jar and then at the end of the year see how many became possible. What a great idea! Something I will be doing

We don’t usually do much for New year’s eve but I thought this was a great idea to keep the children happy and make them feel a little more special on New year’s eve.

I hope you all have a great new year and let me know if you are going to try any of these ideas.

Christmas Eve

Yes it is christmas eve and everyone is getting very excited about the big day tomorrow. I have finished all my shopping and everything is wrapped.

We all go to my mums on christmas day and have a big family meal. This is the thing I look forward to the most. All getting together, dressing up and spending the day together.

There will of course be loved ones who will be missed but I know they are looking down on us and watching us all still.

We have had some lovely times leading up to christmas which is what it should be about too. Making gingerbread stars to go on the tree for example. Which didn’t last long lol

I hope you all have a magical christmas and remember to hug your loved ones and be grateful them.

Face your fears

This blog post came about from having a conversation with my 13 year old son. We were talking about doing things you want to no matter what. I was telling him that I want to start either a youtube channel or start a podcast on my knitting. But with everything sitting in front of a camera like that seemed a little daunting to me.

He told me to go for it and what’s the worse that can happen? He does youtube videos for gaming (justjoshtv) and he is very confident. JustJoshTV youtube channel link

So I have decided that YES I will do these things in the new year as I have been thinking about them for ages! There is nothing stopping me apart from fear.

I think that should be everyone’s motto for the new year too. If there is anything you want to do but been putting it off go and do it!

Let me know in the comments what you plan to do in the new year

Crochet Blanket Finished

I am so pleased to write this blog post as I started a crochet blanket for my son a short while ago and I wanted to finish it in time for xmas.

It isn’t a full size bed blanket but certainly big enough to wrap around him and make him feel warm.

I used up so much of my double knitting yarn which is great as I had a ton of it in my stash. It is rainbow colours and very random so no particular order just what colours I thought went well. Although at the end I didn’t have much choice of yarn left!

I know my son will be very worthy of this blanket as he has seen the hours I have put into this.

I am even thinking of making another for my living room in the same colour scheme of brown and green. Am I mad for contemplating such a thought? Yes I probably am lol!

One Stop Pamper Shop Candle

I have ordered candles from One Stop Pamper Shop in the past for my niece and she was very pleased with them. When I wanted a lovely xmas scent for my house I decided to order a small kilner cracker candle in the smell of xmas fruitcake. It smells delicious!

It isn’t an over bearing smell at all which some candles can be and it is lasting for ages. You get a delicate crackle and hint of smoke like a real fireplace.

I never knew photographing a lit candle would be so hard! Hope you like the pics, tried my best.

I will be ordering a lot more candle from this shop in the new year and I think you should all head over to etsy and favourite her shop ready for the new year to begin.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Onestoppampershop

Note:- this is not a sponsored post

Knitted Xmas Stocking

Here is the free pattern for a mini knitted xmas stocking. Perfect for popping on your xmas tree with sweets inside or that special little present

3mm Needles
double knitting yarn small amounts of oddments

Cast on 24 stitches
Purl 1 row
Knit 1 increase into next stitch until you get 36 stitches
Purl one row
complete 6 more rows in stocking stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row etc)

Knit 14, k2tog, knit 14
Purl
Knit 12, k2tog, knit 12
Purl
Knit 10, k2tog, knit 10
Purl

Stocking stitch for 12 rows

Garter stitch for 5 rows
Cast off

Sew up and add a little loop for hanging on your tree.

Hope you enjoyed this pattern would love to hear in the comments what other crafts or patterns you would like me to cover on the blog

Knitted xmas Decorations

I have decided to do a tutorial for knitted xmas decorations. I made these a while ago and they are brought out year after year.

The first pattern I am going to show you is for the candy cane.  This is a very simple pattern and looks very effective.  You can also choose any colour yarn that you want too.

You will need dk yarn or 4ply yarn depending on how you want it to look.  Pipe cleaner or straw.

Using 2.75mm needles (US size 2 needles) case on 40 stitches.

Cast off

Do this for twice and then you can twist your yarn around your pipe cleaner or straw as you sew it on.  You can sew on a little hanging loop or you can just hook your candy cane onto the branch of the tree.

Perfect and so simple

I will be doing free patterns for the stockings and the bauble in my next blogs so please keep a look out for them.

Happy knitting

New design

Knitted nails?

I bought these a while ago as they look just like fairisle knitting. I have never used nail wraps before and now I know why. You have to put on clear nail varnish first then cut out the nail wraps soak them in water and cut them to your shape of nails. I must admit I am not a nail technician so I have never used these before but I really wasn’t impressed.

I was rather excited about having knitted nails! But they really just looked a mess. I think if I was going for this look it would be better on false nails to use for a special occasion. Maybe different brands are better I don’t know.

But my first experience with nail wraps has not been a success. Let me know if you use them and if so how you find them.