happy birthday dude

My son celebrated his 16th birthday this week. I cant believe he is so grown up and is now taller than me - much to his delight, I think I will have to get a higher hairstyle! It just seems like yesterday since we were sitting on the sitee together, watching the Teletubbies.
He is a wee bit camera shy, so I had to make do with taking a photo of the cake....

 

I finished the hexaflexacube in time for his birthday. The pattern suggested invisible thread to join the triangles. However, I found this a bit fiddly so ended up using 4ply black sock yarn.....I think I should have persevered with the invisible thread. Not the prettiest project I've ever done, but then my son doesn't do pretty and quite liked his cushion.....

 

 

Have a good weekend, Ali.
 

continental market

One thing I love about the run up to Christmas is the market at the front of the City Hall.

 

I remembered to take my camera this year and took a few photos of things which appealed.

 

 



loads of sweet goodies

mmmmmhhh

some felted baby booties

cute

 

matryoshka dolls

colourful ladies

 

 

the hobby horses



 

 

Bye, Ali

 

hooked

A friend who knows I like novelty knits, sent me a link for a hexaflexacube cushion. Here's one side of it.....

 

It is in fact  a folding cushion, with six different sides.

It is from the Woolly Thoughts site, which brings out the mathematics in knitting and crocheting - an inspirational site. There are lots of paper hexaflexagons on the Internet with tutorials of how to fold them. After seeing it I thought I would have a go. I like knitting things for my son and as he doesn't particularly like woolly jumpers, I thought this project might appeal. One problem though it is crochet so again another challenge. It requires eighteen triangles so lots of practise with double crochet. (UK term). I must say that crocheting has proved to be the new Temazepan as I can hardly get my eyes open along the stretches of the double crochet.

 

Not sure how it will work out as my tension is all over the place and the triangles are hardly equilateral.....Ill let you know how I get on when I get to the assembly stage.

 



Bye, Ali.

eyelash yarn beads

If you have some eyelash yarn in your stash a good way of using it up is to make some beads. The yarn is melted and the result is an interesting textured bead which could be used in many different projects. I've written up a tutorial if you want to have a go......its quick and fun!

WHAT YOU NEED
heat tool
metal knitting needle
synthetic eyelash yarn
pin

HEALTH AND SAFETY
Care must be taken when using a heat gun. The metal needle will conduct heat so protective gloves should be worn. The room should be well ventilated. Anyone suffering from respiratory problems should wear a mask as an extra precaution. Once beads are melted they will be hot so care should be taken while handling them.

METHOD
1. Cut lengths of eyelash yarn. Length depends on the size of the required beads. I cut lengths of approximately 40cms (16ns) - this results in beads about  3cms (1.25ins) long.
2. Wrap yarn round knitting needle and pin to hold in place.

3. Melt and manipulate yarn with the heat tool.
4. Leave to cool and remove pin and bead from knitting needle.
5. Size of hole will depend on the diameter of the knitting needle.

Bye for now, Ali