PhD offer and Valentine's weekend!!

This blog update is a more general update..not much to do with knitting but it has a creative element to it...card making...keep reading!!!

Where to begin?!! The weekend of Feb 11th-14th was probably the highlight of my year so far!! It all began when I had a job interview for a research assistant position in the NCBES...Previous to this interview I had been offered a PhD position if I wanted it in NUI Galway but was advised to go the job interview and then decide. I attended this job interview  and decided it was not for me...I felt the PhD was more in line with my career aspirations..so on Friday 11th of February..I accepted the offer for the PhD and headed in to Galway to celebrate in style with my girls!! Dazzling Dresses, killer heels, fabulous handbags and cosmo cocktails all round!! =D,

The front of the card

On Saturday night, I headed for dinner with my fiance. We had decided to stay in Galway for the night so we would not have to worry how we would get home. Usually we stay in his parent's house when we go in to Galway..but we figured seeing as we were celebrating my PhD offer as well as valentine's..that staying over in his home house would not be very romantic!! So....we booked into the harbour hotel for the night with a package that included dinner. We ate at Krusoe's restaurant which was amazing..one of the best restaurants I have eaten in..and I like my fine foods! I had crab to start and monk fish for the main! My mouth is still watering! My fiance was working, so we agreed to meet at the hotel..when he arrived he had brought with him...a single red rose, a bottle of champagne and two champagne flutes from home (wrapped carefully in a towel..so cute), a box of chocolates, and some Hershey's Reese's Cups and Nutrageous bar cos I adore them and the best of all...wait for it............

Inside the card

A HANDMADE VALENTINE CARD..handmade by my fiance of course. As an arty person who has handmade cards and scrap-booked for years....I guess my creative side is rubbing off. It is the first thing he has ever handmade me and I could not believe the thought and effort he put into it. Of course..I have attached some photos!

I actually felt very bad cos I didn't get him anything!!...every year previous I made a great effort for valentine's..making and doing stuff...and usually my fiance didn't get me a card..we just went for dinner and I would get flowers. He hates cards and never buys them..he thinks they are pointless. So I decided I wouldn't do anything creative this year so he wouldn't feel pressured....so you can imagine how I felt when he showed up with all the romantic gestures and I stood there empty handed......to top it off..when we got home on Sunday...there were a dozen red roses waiting for me. There I was with a massive red face..feeling like the worst fiancee in the world!! I had some serious making up to do!

The roses and the card

So on the actual day of valentine's, I bought him a wee heart muffin in sweetie pies of Galway (we love this place...might even get them to do the wedding cake) and cooked him some savoury pancakes from scratch with bacon, chorizo, onion, peppers and mushrooms in them and topped off with spicy sauce. He loves these pancakes as the remind him of the pancake ship in Almere we used to go to when I lived in The Netherlands.

I think I succeeded in making it up to him!! =D =D

Starting the PhD on March 1st and I think it will take a lot to top that weekend!!!! I have a permanent grin ever since!!

Next blog update.....my gloves for next year!!!!

HAPPY KNITTING AND CRAFTING

P.S. All materials used to make the card were purchased in Cregal Art , Monivea Rd, Galway.

Snake Belt

As I mentioned in my previous post..I felt it would be nice to add a belt to my aran hooded jacket. I had a look online and in a few of my patterns at home and could not find anything I thought would suit it so I decided to knit a belt just like one you would find on a dressing gown. Below I have posted some pictures of the belt along with the the pattern I designed myself...it is very simple and would probably make a great starter project for those learning to knit.

Measurements: To fit 27 inch waist. Final measurement 54 inches in length. To fit a different waist size, just measure smallest part of waist and double the measurements to get the final measurement of the belt. E.g. if you have a 24 inch waist, final measurement should be 48 inches, or if you have a 34 inch waist. final measurement should be 68 inches.

Materials: Aran wool. 50g ball.I used Robin aran with wool in colour oatmeal to match the hooded jacket. A pair of 5.0mm knitting needles. A darning needle. A measuring tape (preferably a tailors measuring tape and not a household one like mine..although it does the job since my proper measuring tape went missing).

Abbreviations:  sts = stitches; beg = beginning;  k = knit; p = purl; st st = stocking stitch (1 row knit, 1 row purl).

Belt

Cast on 10 sts. 

1st row: k

2nd row: p

Continue in st st until belt measures required length.

Ending with a p row, cast off.

To make up

Sew cast off edges wrong side out. Sew sides together wrong side out turning right side out a you go along i.e. pull the sewn part of the belt through the tube you are forming as you go along. This will mean as you are sewing, half of the already sewn belt (which is right side out) will be inside the rest of the sewn belt (which is still wrong side out) so that when you reach the end you will just have to pull the remainder of the sewn belt though so that it is all right side out. Sew up cast on edges right side out.

If you want you can press the belt before sewing it up to make it less round. 

Tip:

To make sewing seams together easier my mother told me to always knit the first and last st on every p row. I find it does in fact make it easier and gives a less noticeable seam.

HAPPY KNITTING

Helena

I am ready for camping!!!

As the title says...I am ready for camping. The 1977 Tivoli hooded jacket is finished!! It took a little longer than planned!! Had a few interviews for jobs since my last post which kept me busy!! Another interview tomorrow!! Busy Busy!! Hopefully I will have some good news soon!! I have had an offer but not telling people much yet. I want to play my cards close to my chest until it is confirmed!! So in the mean time my knitting has fallen by the wayside unfortunately.

And although it took me a while to get it completed, the jacket was an unbelievable pleasure to knit. The aran pattern panel was simple..to the point I knew it off by heart at the end and didn't even need to look at the pattern book. And it was rather quick to gain length due to the thick aran wool and large needles. All pieces of the jacket were knitted separately (see pic below), the back, the two sides, both sleeves and two separate pieces for the hood and then they were sewn together.

When all the parts were sewn together the pocket borders and side/buttonhole/hood border was knitted by picking up stitches along the edge. I have always had difficulty with this and ended up with lots of holes and gaps in my work, but this time I found an excellent video on YouTube on how to pick up stitches (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF34R6KX-cc) and it showed me where I was going wrong. I was only knitting through one loop and not through two loops. Below are pictures of where I picked up and knitted stitches along the pocket edging. My silly dog Fred ran across the knitting while I tried to take the first picture...he really does love the camera...he sees it and insists on getting in the way! I have to admit I find it very adorable however annoying it can be at the time!

The final stage was to add the toggle buttons. I bought Vogue toggles in Hickeys, Galway, while running for the train home...I literally had two minutes and there were three sizes.. I grabbed the middle size and hoped for the best. I was waiting patiently at the till for my receipt and 1 cent change...I am sure the lady behind the counter thought me odd to be waiting for 1 cent with my paw out, but I was actually waiting for the receipt in the case that the toggles were the wrong size!! Luckily they were the perfect size! So I didn't have to go in and exchange them =D

Below are some pics of the finished jacket. It is so warm!! I had to take the photos myself in the mirror as the camera screen is cracked and can't use the touchscreen to set the timer. Nobody was at home to take them for me =(

                              This first picture shows the jacket with the hood up.

 

This second picture is with the hood down. (I look very cranky..haha..I was..I can't turn the flash off on the camera due to the cracked screen and the photos kept coming out to white to see any detail in the jacket)

This final picture shows the jacket tucked up underneath at the end. This is useful if I want to wear a coat over it and don't want it to hang down (and get wet if it is raining..which it is known to do quite often in Ireland).

I made this jacket in the smallest size according to the pattern..this was a 32 inch chest to measure 34 inch in total upon completion. I find it may be a little too big in places...under the arms is one example, this can be seen in some of the pictures. Another example are the sleeves. They are knitted so that there is a turn up. Even with the turn up at the end they sleeves are still very long..and I found that I needed to turn them up a second time (like a little child who's parent bought his/her jumper a size too big so he/she will get more wear out of it haha). I have shown some pictures below..the only problem with this is that the sewing was reversed at the end for only one turn up..so the sewing stitches can be seen when thet are rolled up twice. But who will be looking that closely only me right!?

                                          Rolled up twice. you can see the stitching

Sleeves rolled only once. It will be great if I am very cold..I can bunch my hand up under the sleeves without stretching the wool!! =D

So I decided once it was finished there was something missing...I felt it needed a belt...so at the moment I am knitting what I have nicknamed the "snake belt". It is very simple. When I have completed it I will post the pattern in a separate blog post.

I hope you like my knitted jacket..I am well happy with how it turned out. Remember if you want to make this
yourself I am selling a PDF copy of the pattern in my ETSY shop. The link is in the previous post and on my facebook page. Or if you like it and want somebody to make it for you..don't hesitate to contact me.

Until again

Helena =D