Fo Friday #8

Although this week has been pretty rubbish health wise I am so happy that today I can show you my first proper knitted piece of clothing! I actually got it finished at the weekend and in the post to my gorgeous niece, Eva on Monday, which is just as well or asthma would really have messed things up. So without further ado here it is

The arm is actually straight its just how it's sitting.

I wont lie I did have a bit of a problem with the picking up stitches. The first part (the collar) went beautifully,  no problems and I used a crochet hook to pick up the stitches to put onto my needle and I really think that helped. The first side also went beautifully and again no problems, but I tell you that last side was a nightmare. I couldn't get the unsightly seem to be on the inside, it didn't matter with way I turned the cardigan the seem always came up on the right side. The more times it went wrong the more frustrated I got which as you can imagine really helped. In the end I had to come away and leave it for a couple of hours as I was worried that in my temper I would ruin it. As it happened the time away really helped and when I went back to it I got it right first time!

Above is a close up of the neck and buttons. I was really pleased with the buttons. Not sure if you can see them clearly but they are cats. One of Eva's first words was Cat, she loves them, including our cat Phoebe (as you can imagine Phoebe is less fond of Eva!!) In fact I bought the buttons first and then the yarn, sometimes it just works better that way, don't you think?

So my final photo today is of gorgeous Eva and her cardigan, I received this photo yesterday morning, to let me know it had arrived and fit perfectly, which was my other huge worry all the way through knitting this. Am I alone in this or do you worry about the fit of projects too? Anyway as you can see it fits fine and I think Eva was pretty pleased with her cardigan! What a little poser!

 I also wanted to say a huge thank you for the amazing response and support I received last week for my idea about knitted Christmas cards. I am definitely going to do this, I am in production as we speak! Look out for further updates nearer October!

Well I'm off to check out Tami's blog and see other Fo's!
I will also be linking this post with the following parties:
Friday - Creative Friday
             Fiber Arts Friday
Saturday - Weekend Wrapup
                Weekend Blog Hop
                Show and Tell Saturday
                Lovely Crafty Weekend
                Link Your Stuff
                Strut Your Stuff
Sunday - Strut Your Stuff
               Sunday Showcase Party
               Think Pink
               Homemaker on a dime
               Linky Party Sunday
               Say Hi Sunday
               The Sundae Hop
Monday - Motivate Me
                Craft
                Inspire Me
                I made it
                Handmade Monday
Tuesday - Tuesday Timeout
                Topsy Turvy Tuesday
                One Project at a Time
                Handemade Tuesday
                Too Cute Tuesday

Wip Wednesday #13

A couple of things to show you this week! I have been really pleased with my progress on both projects and I'm quite excited to show you and see what you think, so here goes
first the tie top

This is to give you an idea of the shaping for the arm hole, as I was knitting it I wasn't really sure how it was going to work but now that it's done it looks good!

This next photo is just to give you an idea of how much it has grown. I still have quite a bit to do on the back but I'm happy with it! However, I think I am putting the tie top on a time out. Don't get me wrong it hasn't been naughty and I'm not sick of it at all, its just now I'm getting on so well with Eva's cardigan I have been thinking I would knit a jumper for James, so I would concentrate on that then go back to the tie top!

So here is Eva's cardigan! I am thrilled with this!

It actually looks like a cardigan! I will admit I'm slightly nervous about the next stage as I have to pick up and knit. This is for the rib boarder round the neck and down the side. But I can only try so I'm going to keep positive! Fingers crossed! I don't think I'll have it finished for this Friday but I will have something to show you on Friday! Ooooo intrigue!

Ok well I'm off to have a look at Tami's blog and see what everyone else is up to!

I will also be linking this post with the following blogs
Wednesday - Show off your stuff party
Thursday - Our creative spaces
                 Delightfully inspiring Thursday
                 Creative Juice Thursday

Wip Wednesday #12

A quick one today!

First off here is my tie top! Again not much progress! But this photo is just to show the detail and the increasing for the arms!





Now for the real progress! Check out Eva's cardigan -




I am so pleased with this! I had been a bit worried as the pattern looked a lot more complicated than anything else I have tried but so far I have been pleasantly surprised as it's turning out fine! Hopefully have it finished soon!

Well that's it for me, will try and head over to Tami's blog (http://tamisamis.blogspot.com) later to see what everyone else is up to! Today is super busy as I have work in the morning then off to meet a friend for some girly shopping in the afternoon then husband is taking me for dinner and a movie!

Wip Wednesday #10

Goodness! I can't believe I have been doing WIPW for 10 weeks! I love it!

Ok so onto the wips, now nothing really exciting to show you on the tie top front, I have done some but not much. I even hesitated in adding a photo, but wanted to let you all know I am onto the chart part of the pattern and so far so good!

I hinted at this last week, so you won't be surprised that I cast on something else! Which kind of explains why the tie top hasn't progressed much. Anyway here it is

It doesn't look like much at the moment but soon it will be a lovely (very pink) cardigan for my niece Eva! The pattern seems quite straight forward and it's knitted as one piece, so minimal sewing, yay! I will be learning to pick up stitches and how to make button holes though, so fingers crossed! But so far nice easy knitting and I love the colour!

For more wips hop over to Tami's blog