crafty confessions

Have no actual finishes this week to show as I've been working on some of my longer projects so I will give you a few updates.  Just to make sure that you don't think I'm more adept at crafting than I actually am, I also thought I would make a few confessions about the mistakes I make (especially as photos can hide a multitude of sins!).

First my knitting; a Rowan pattern called Ryder.  This is lovely wool (wool cotton) and a pleasure to knit.  Also enjoying the cabling (though not so much the moss stitch), so generally hopeful that this will be a wearable knit eventually, but there is an obvious mistake.

Looks OK here and a good shot of the interesting vent in the back, but perhaps a close up will help... 

As you can see the right side doesn't match the left and yes, you would need a strange body to fit this.  I can't believe a) I didn't increase the stitches evenly, b) didn't spot this until almost at the armholes and c) thought I could get away with making lots of increases near the arm.   This might be OK, in the end because I might be able to sort it out at the sewing up stage.  So I'm knitting the front (correctly) to help me see if this will work, otherwise I may have to pull it back to the waist.  My mistakes are frequently because I don't take enough care to follow patterns exactly.

I've made quite a few of my farmers' wife blocks, and really enjoying these.  I thought I would photograph them all together.  So what's the mistake here you might ask (there are a few little ones, but not worrying about that).  No its not about the things I've been making but my actual sewing machine.  I only got my machine in November and hadn't sewn since school.  Over the last month I've been having trouble with the tension and the stitches not being right.  I was thinking I would have to take it back to the shop, when I read a magazine yesterday morning that said you should change the needle after 8 hours of stitching ..... woops!  It hadn't even occurred to me to change the needle and I've made two quilts.  Sure enough that was the problem.  Rookie mistake indeed!

Rosie helped with organising them!  Really must get her to the doggy hairdresser!

Also been working on my crossstitch.  I am loving how this is looking, though it is quite bitty to do .... and yes I have had to take back quite a bit of stitching which was in the wrong place. 

So that's just a few of the mistakes made, but actually its part of the learning for me and as my crafting really only started last March with a cross-stitch  I really am happy with my achievements since then.

My  week ended here on Sunday night ....

One of my favourite places in Manchester, Salford Quays.  The sun was shining!  A quick pizza and then to the Lowry for ....

Hugh Laurie.   In case you don't know, as well as acting and comedy, Hugh is a great musician ... mostly New Orleans blues and Dan, in particular, is a great fan.  Great show and the Lowry is such a good venue as you feel really close to the artistes.  So it was a good end to what had been a really difficult week.   Roll on July and surely the sun will shine a little more.    Until then a little colour!

First some wool bought off Ebay - it wasn't the colour I was expecting - red rather than purple, so that will teach me to check the colour number with another site.  It was much cheaper though just under £5 a ball at least £4 cheaper than I have seen elsewhere, and I have a couple of ideas for shawls ...

.. and some lovely flowers, just love peonies!