A post christmas/new year update

It has been way too long since I updated this blog!! And it was not due to utter laziness that I didn't to begin with, the truth is I wound up with my sis in law as our family secret Santa this year and I knew how much she wanted a knitted Santa and a pair of aran gloves to match her hat and scarf she bought recently. So I spent the last couple of weeks in the run up to Christmas making them. It was a busy few weeks of knitting full of arm and finger cramps! Since then..it probably was just laziness...I wrote a bit here and there and saved it as a draft...finally here is the completed post :D

I finished the hat for my fiance that I mentioned in the previous post, as I hate to leave anything on needles...I really enjoyed knitting it as it was so different to the stuffed toys I am used to making. Even the crochet slip stitch around the edge (black stitch) proved no difficulty even though I have never used a crochet hook before. I used the British magazine simply knitting (www.simplyknitting.co.uk), the Dec 2010 issue, as a reference as to how to do a slip stitch. I have attached some pictures below of the unfinished and finished hat.

The Santa was the most time consuming due to all the sewing...I really don't enjoy the sewing part. I have attached some pics below of him when half done and when finished shown beside my first Santa..unfortunately I ran out of suitable wool for the buckle and couldn't get any in the shops. So I have to buy some once everything settles down and then finish him properly, knowing me it will be when he comes back out of storage for Christmas next year. My sis in law was still delighted with him tho!! She wanted one so badly and had offered to pay me to make one for her...lucky for her she didn't have to. But anyone else that wants one...I am afraid I will be seeking payment..as I REALLY HATE ALL THE SEWING :D :D

Also as part of my sis-in-laws secret Santa gift I made her a pair of aran mittens. She had recently bought an aran berghaus hat and scarf set with a double cable design and desperately wanted matching gloves. So using a vintage pattern from Emu for a pair of mittens that closely resembled her hat and scarf and Tivoli Celtic aran wool ...I got to work. Some pictures of the pattern and the finished mittens are below. It was the first time I knitted aran and used a cable needle so I was really excited to see how I would get on..I picked an easy enough pattern to start with so I was lucky there. I made the gloves in the lady's size but they were a little too big..I have promised my sis-in-law I will fleece line them for her..I have never done this and done know where to start so I am going to have to find a friend willing to show me! But even with that mishap (people 50 years ago must have had much bigger hands..lol..or my tension was off...hopefully not..the length was what is should be and they were still too long so I am using the former excuse =P)..they are still the cutest things ever and my sis-in-law was delighted with them!!

The mittens I need are the ones shown in the top picture.

After I finished making that Secret Santa gift..it was time to get to work on another secret Santa gift..this time it was for my secret Santa at Cafe create, Galway's stitch 'n' bitch group (stitchnbitchgalway.blogspot.com/).We had to give our gift at the meeting on January 8th...however I was very sick with cold/flu symptoms so I couldn't make it til the week after. The gift had to be one craft item and one shop bought item under 10eur. I made a knitting sheep (photos below) using scraps of wool around the house and gave a newbridge silver Christmas tree decoration. I found the pattern for the sheep on the Vogue knitting website, http://www.vogueknitting.com/free_patterns/knit_1_knitting_sheep.aspx. In order to view the pattern you will have to register with vogue knitting. This is free to do. I thought it looked quite hard to do but it was actually quite easy. I enjoyed making it. I used kebab sticks to make the knitting needles.  I didn't have any grommets for the top of them so I used blue tack rolled up in a ball and pushed onto the top..I then coated the blue tack in nail varnish. I absolutely loved this sheep and it stayed sitting proudly on my mantle piece until I had to part with her. I even named her...Sheila the Sheep. I didn't want to part with her. But I will make myself another one at some stage as a small project..and I have two names already decided which I will have to choose from...Eugene the Ewe or Seamus the sheep. If I can figure out how to place a poll on this blog, I will let my readers decide for me!! :D 

Currently on my needles, is an aran hooded jacket from a 1977 Tivoli knitting pattern booklet. I am making it for myself for when I go all the camping  outings with the ICCC (The Irish camping and caravan club) this spring/summer. So far I have the back, two sides and one sleeve completed. I am using Robin Aran with Wool as it is cheaper and softer to touch than 100% wool. So far I have used a 400g ball which cost 9eur in Hickeys Galway. I have attached some photos below.

                                                      Back of the Aran Jacket

                                                     Pocket of the Aran Jacket

I recently set up an Etsy shop..I haven't added much to it..only the pattern book I mentioned for this pattern. I am selling it as a PDF to anyone that is interested in purchasing it, http://www.etsy.com/shop/HelenaAgCniotail. Another purpose of my shop is to advertise that I can knit any of these projects especially for you as well. Maybe for yourself or as a gift for someone special. In other words..if you would like an aran hooded jacket or a knitting sheep or anything at all and can not do it yourself..don't hesitate to contact me and I will let you know if I am able to knit your request and give you an average cost with breakdown for materials and labour.


I have also set up a facebook page for those of you who wish to follow it. The link is http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Helena-Ag-Cniotail/119577521448024?v=info. You can also click like on the top of this blog. I will update this as soon as something new has been added to etsy or I have completed a project. At the moment I had added some pictures of some of the work I have done. Unfortunately I don't have many pictures of my work as alot of it was gifts for other people..I hope to annoy these people in their homes soon to get photos..haha =P


Well I think that is all my news..I finally got there with completing this post..Hopefully my next post will not take as long to be published and not be as long as this one! =O If anyone has any questions..you know the drill.....til I write again..


H xxx