Just before Christmas my little sister asked me to make her a couple of hot water bottle covers as she’d got some without covers and didn’t like not having that extra layer.
I looked in a few mags for patterns and sort of followed one but I wanted to do something different. So I put a pocket in the front – just right for giving your hot water bottle a hug when you need a bit of comfort or need to warm your hands. I didn’t follow the guide in the pattern to knit in 2 pieces and insert the bottle by rolling it up and dropping it into the neck so I made one with a flap at the back to insert it instead.
My first attempt was completed just before she left after Christmas. The trouble was that I had lots of bits to sew up – the second one is still sitting waiting for me to sew it up.
After making these two I started to think about the pattern, surely it could be done with minimal sewing. I’ve therefore been working on a pattern to sew the cover in 2 pieces – the cover and the pocket.
I’ve had a lot of positive feedback about it so I need to perfect the pattern and perhaps put that in my etsy shop too.
.. and I have so much to tell you but no time.
If you’re looking for unusual jewelery pay a visit to the etsy Twitter Team blog this week for the current shop of the week.
I’m very excited as I’m part of a new etsy promotion team and we’re running a ‘shop’ of the week. I have a slot in April – which I’m sure I’ll blog about. Please visit the blog and view this week’s shop of the week.
http://etsytwitter.blogspot.com/
In a bid to make more of my etsy shop I’ve had to bring in a new model – please welcome the beautiful Doris!
She’s modelling my latest creation made with yarn that I bought from this shop on etsy.
Here are a few others I’ve made since Christmas:
I was a bit surprised to see the decorations in Starbucks for Christmas – they were sparkly balls of yarn. I didn’t get a photo but in one store I visited they had a wreath made of yarn balls (an idea for next year for hiding the stash over Christmas!). I took this pic before they took the decorations down in …
Not all as I forgot to photograph most of them.
I’m particularly proud of the teenagers scarf and fingerless mitts set – he didn’t take them off all day.
Happy 2009. Phew Christmas was a blur … well, did I finish it all in time?
Finishing a cowl in 4ply (seemed like a good idea at the time) – finished Dec 23rd
making fingerless gloves and hat to match a scarf already made for grandad – finished gloves at the cinema on the 23rd (13 yr old cousin was not impressed!) decided to leave the hat for now.
scarf in fun fashion wool – finished Christmas Day afternoon but went down well when it was opened on boxing day.
2 x hot water bottle covers (late special order) – after speed knitting in Christmas day my hands needed a 2 day rest so my sister had one to take home with her on the 30th. Waiting to hear if it is fit for purpose before sewing the other one up and posting it to her.
sewing up at least 2 of the 5 bags I’ve got cut out – I managed to do the 2 – finished the 2nd on Christmas eve.
sew up 2 tasselled hats (for adults!) – done.
finding and adding some pearl buttons to my mum’s present – didn’t get pearl but raided her button stash and got some that looked a bit like mother of pearl. She’s on the lookout for ones that she likes.
making a start on the none too small pile of editing I have to do ‘over the holiday’ – I’ve done a bit, well half.
write the last Christmas cards for the neighbours – delivered Christmas eve
make my traditional rum truffles (let alone the fudge I usually make but I’ve already decided not to) – finished Christmas eve, eaten by boxing day.
WRAP presents (buy the wrapping paper in the first place). Finally completed at 10pm on Christmas Eve (last year it was 3am Christmas morning so an improvement).
Since Christmas I’ve knitted 2 hot water bottle covers (though only sewn one up), made a pair of fingerless gloves for my aunt and I’m halfway through another cowl for my etsy shop.
For Christmas I was given lots of sewing cottons by my OH and yarn and knitting needles by my mum. My dad found some more ‘vintage’ knitting patterns and my sister bought me three knitting books. So I think I’ve got the family’s permission to keep on with this craft thing.
I managed to buy a lot of my presents on etsy and I hope to be showing you a few of them over the coming weeks.
Claire's Stitching Adventures 