Finish one and start another

Sunshine, well after the fog clears. For the last three days there has been a thick sea fog, but by 11 o'clock it has clear.

Sunday morning mum and I went out in the garden and did some pruning and all you could hear was the deep sound of the fog horns resounding around.

With all this sunshine I have been able to get into the garden and take some photos. The next thing s to get some shawls up on Esty and Folksy for sale





Julia's shawl is finished and I think it has worked out well. It is light and the beads add sparkle but don't stand out. She is planning to come down to the Island at the end of March so I will give her the shawl then.


At first I thought Tencel was going to be hard to use but apart from the stitches seemed to get stuck on top of each other it was not too bad.  In fact I have decide to knit a circular shawl in Tencel. I want a shawl to wear to Kayte's wedding which is a bit different. It is between Urdr or Mystic Star . Both are by Anna Daivi - Knit & Knag.

It has to go with a skirt I have so poppy red or green, so now I have my thinking cap on and seaching around for some yarn.

Olympic Yarnbombing!

This must have taken ages!

Simple Ways to Relieve & Prevent Hand Pain

I am on the final stretch for Julia's shawl, the long rows which seem never ending. ;-) and I have noticed that my hands are hurting. I think it is because the yarn is thin. Anyway this arrived in my inbox today from Lions Brand and I thought I would share it with you.

Have a good weekend. 

When your work with your hands as much as knitters and crocheters do it’s important to remember not to strain or overwork your body. Knitting and crochet should be hobbies that help you relax and relieve stress. There are several ways to reduce stress on your hands and body, and these simple tips will help you avoid injury and treat existing symptoms.*

	Pay attention to how you are sitting. Sit down as though you were about to begin crafting. Is your back supported? Is there enough light to see well, and enough room to move your elbows and arms freely as you work? You may be straining your hands to try and compensate for one of these other issues. Examine the places you craft for simple fixes you can make to add light, support and space.
	Remember to take breaks while you craft. While it can be tempting to power through a few more rows when you are tired, listen to your body and put your project on pause. Breaks should vary the motion of what you are doing; try doing small, rewarding activities during your break like taking a short walk, watering houseplants or playing with a family pet.
	Massage and stretch your hands. This is a wonderful (and relaxing) way to rejuvenate your fingers, wrists and palms. Try different methods and go easy on yourself; only rub or stretch your hands to a point that feels comfortable. There are some great hand stretch suggestions on LiveStrong.org (click here).
	Choose ergonomic tools. If you’ve only ever tried straight knitting needles or metal crochet hooks, it might be time to try something new. Many knitters prefer using circular needles when possible because of the bounce-back of the cord that connects them, and crocheters are raving about this ergonomic crochet hook set that fits in the palm of your hand.
	Wear stress relief gloves. Wearing these stress relief gloves allows the muscles of your hand to relax while you work. These gloves have been specially designed with crafters in mind, so they are completely fingerless and stand up to long-term use.

Julia's Shawl, & Spring

After a lovely weekend with lots of sun we are back to cloudy, leaden skies. :-( But I saw two trees full of blossom today so hopefully Spring is just around the corner. In fact I think the birds think Spring is on the way, we have two Blue Tits chasing around the garden and I saw one inspecting the nest box just outside my bedroom window. The daffodils are all up and starting to open which is always a good sign.

Julia's shawl is coming along I am about half way. It feels odd to knit with as the yarn is so thin and feels like thick sewing thread. I am glad she went with the square beads, they positively glint in the sunlight.

Ok today is the 29th Feb, the extra day. I don't think I will be doing anything different, Aunty Freda is coming for coffee and that is about it. Oh except for knitting. :-)

Have a great day.

Lola celebrates the leap year.

I another Lola from Lion Brand website, I love the logic. I hope everybody has a good weekend.

Facebook & Open Studios

Last night was the 2nd Open Studios meeting. 

 "Open Studios embraces arts and crafts in all forms, from traditional to contemporary and experimental on the Isle of Wight."


Some of the people in the Cowes are are going to hire Northwood WI Hall and I am going to join in with them.  


Rachel's very kind husband has agreed to build a display backing for me and I bought a foldable table on Wednesday so I am slowly getting there.  I just need to buy a table cloth or maybe make my own to cover the table. 


I have finally set up a Facebook page for Wrapped In Colour. It is one of the things I planned to do but never really got around to doing it. I have added some photos but not much else.


It looks like it is going to be a busy but exciting year ahead.

Finishing off weekend

We had lovely weather this weekend, so mum and I got out into the garden. Mum has two cherry trees in her garden and last year both had nests made in them. Last year mum started pruning the one which a gold-finch had nested in before we realised so the top never really got pruned properly, and the one at the side of the house we never started as I saw a pigeon making a nest in that tree. Mum was determined we will get both trees pruned before the birds start nesting so out we went and got them both done.

 As for knitting I got my Basic, Basic, Basic Course - Lesson 2 Swatches finished and I sent them off yesterday. 

Teal square beads

The beads arrived for Julia's shawl so I knitted a swatch to see which beads work well with the yarn. I have sent an email off with some close up photos and I am waiting to hear what she thinks.


Basically it all depends on how Julia is planning to use the shawl. If she is going to just wear it as a shawl then I would suggest using square beads, if she wants to wear it as a scarf as well then I suggest the round beads. 

Metallic and teal round beads

Round: For colour I would go for a mixture of metallic and teal beads. If she just wants the sparkle then go for clear.

Square: If she just wants sparkle go for clear. For colour no sparkle then frosty, and if she wants sparkle and colour - and really notice the beads - then teal square. 

Frosty Square beads

The yarn is Yarntopia Treasures 10/2 Tencel

It is a very thin yarn and it seems that it is going to give the impression of a spiders web when it is finished. I read on Ravelry that a person used clear beads and it looked like dew drops on the shawl which sounds nice.