WIP Wednesday – Chunky jumper

Happy Wednesday lovely readers!

In view of my move to Melbourne in a couple of months, I have decided to start crocheting and knitting more winter wear (it’s really cold down there compared to Brisbane). I haven’t knitted a full jumper in a few years and I though it was about time to get to it again. My nana recently sent me a parcel with some lovely aran weight yarn, so I decided to go with a chunky jumper. The pattern is the textured jumper with stripes from Isabell Kraemer, and I already have my eyes set on other patterns from her (I honestly love most of her patterns, I’m going to have a hard time choosing the next one!). Because I haven’t knitted anything big in a while though, I decided to go with one of her free patterns first, just to get back in the swing of things. Also, the jumper is meant to be textured but I decided against. I am adding a few extra colours to my jumper, and I thought it would be too busy if I added a pattern on top of that.

I’m pretty happy with how it’s going at the moment, I am making stripes on the main body of the jumper as well (white and light blue), but I want them to fade, so I had some maths to do, we will see if it turns out okay!

I also want to crochet another shawl from Addidae Designs, Swaye. It’s so beautiful, and I have chosen those three colours, with the pink as my feature colour.

What do you think? I’m probably going to start this on my way to Europe next month, I might as well make use of the 26 hours of flight!

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Cardinal bird finish

Happy Monday!

I have a finish today, yay! This is from the kit that the lovely Claire sent me for my unbirthday in July. It’s a little cardinal bird and it’s on my project bag that I am going to (eventually, in a very long time) cover in cross stitch.

Isn’t he cute? I had a lot of fun stitching him, and because I’ve only been using one strand to stitch on this tiny canvas, I still have plenty of thread left!

Thanks again Claire, is was such a thoughtful and lovely gift ❤️

I hope you guys all have a great week!

WIP Wednesday – Hermione’s everyday socks

Happy Wednesday!

Just a quick one today, as this week seem to be running away from me 😅 I have some progress on the Hermione’s everyday socks but I have actually mostly been working on another project. I will show that to you next week, as I feel like there isn’t much to show you right now 😊

Here is where my sock is, I’ve finished decreasing the stitches to my preferred foot size, and all I have to do is knit the foot! I absolutely love how the heel turned out, it was my first eye of partridge heel and I think it looks beautiful! Hopefully I’ll have started the second sock by next week 😊

Sapphire shawl

Happy Monday!

I hope you guys are all ready for the new week, I certainly am! I have finished my Age of Brass and Steam (or Sapphire) shawl, using the beautiful yarn I got gifted by Tracy 😍

I just absolutely love the colours, it didn’t pool at all and just turned out so pretty! I really like wearing it as a scarf, it sits nice and cosy around my neck and the yarn is really so soft 😊

It’s good that I have finished this, as I’m planning to knit a jumper next! That should keep me plenty busy over the move, when I don’t have access to all my normal material.

Have a great week ❤️

June SAL with Helene

Happy Friday readers!

I know, I know, I’m really late and not catching up, but oh well those will get done eventually! I’ve just finished the June design, from Helene et Mahelia’s website. In case you’ve missed it, this year in Helene’s mystery SAL, we are stitching forest animals! And they are all so cute 😊

From all the steps, it was really difficult to figure our what this month’s animal would be.

But it really came alive with the backstitching! It was really amazing. So here is my little June squirrel! 🐿

Have a great weekend!

WIP Wednesday – Hermione’s Everyday Socks

Happy Wednesday lovely readers!

I have made a start on a new pair of sock, the Hermione’s Everyday Socks by Erica Lueder. I am using my Sea foam yarn I got earlier in July, and I have to say I don’t know if I prefer the yarn or the pattern, they both are so so lovely. I’ve actually also had a look at Erica’s other patterns and I have my eyes set on a few of them. I also really like how she specifies how many repeats to do. Without further ado, here is my first sock, I’ve done the cuff and started on the main body.

Isn’t the pattern so cute? and it’s super simple too! just knit and purl stitches. Those might be my last pair of socks for the year, as it’s already starting to be hot (it was 34°C today!)

I hope you guys are having a good week and I can’t wait to read about your WIPs 😊

Fantastic Bake Along – Whole grain bread

Happy Monday everyone!

Like every month, I’m participating in the Fantastic Bake Along hosted by Tracy @itsatsweetday. This time, Kathy was choosing the recipe, and it was whole grain bread! Yum! You can find the recipe here on Tracy’s blog. As you may know, I am french and of course I love bread!

I didn’t really have access to all the ingredients that Kathy listed, so I kind of improvised! I decided to make my bread using flax flour and white flour, and I added in some sesame and poppy seeds as well. I used my Thermo to mix in my dough, then kneaded it.

It was quite dense so didn’t rise as much as normal bread would but I didn’t really mind. After I baked it, it was really nice, maybe not as fluffy as your usual bread but still super tasty!

It’s really lovely toasted and I am going to enjoy eating it this week for breakfast, with some homemade blackcurrant jam my nana sent!

If you are interested in participating, contact Tracy and you can also follow my Pinterest board where I will be adding all the recipes for the Bake Along.

Please also check out the other amazing bakers/cooks participating in the Fantastic BAL

• Tami @ TangleWoodKnots
• Tracy @ ItsaTSweetDay
• Kathy @ SewingEtc
• Brenna @ Crochet539
• Kate @ LifeTeaAndEverything
• Tina @ KristabellasHodgepodge
• Lucia @ CrochetKnitAndMore

Dumbo the Deep Sea octopus – free pattern

Happy Saturday readers!

I had planned to have this pattern up earlier than today but I just didn’t have time to finish my test amigurumi until this afternoon! Anyway, better late than never, here is the free pattern for my Dumbo octopus amigurumi.

If you want an easy to read PDF version, I have also put one for sale in my Ravelry store, which you can find here. I would also love to see your creations, so if you make Dumbo or any of my other amigurumi don’t forget to tag me @emmacraftsdesign on Instagram, and #dumbotheoctopus for this little guy!

 

Materials
• DK or 8ply yarn in two different colours (Main Colour for the body and Contrast Colour for the belly)
• 3.75 (F) crochet hook or appropriate hook for the weight of yarn chosen
• Tapestry needle and scissors
• Polyfill

Optional: 2x 7.5mm safety eyes (not meant for children under 3 y.o.)

Abbreviation used (U.S. terms)
Ch: chain Sc: single crochet St: stitch *…*: repeat sl st: slip stitch
Hdc: half double crochet Dc: double crochet
sc2 tog: single crochet 2 stitches together (invisible decrease)

Body – make 1

In main colour
Round 1. sc 6 in magic ring
Round 2. 2sc in each st around
Round 3. *sc 1, 2sc in the next st* around
Round 4. *sc 2, 2sc in the next st* around
Round 5. *sc 3, 2sc in the next st* around
Round 6. *sc 4, 2sc in the next st* around
Round 7. *sc 5, 2sc in the next st* around
Rounds 8-14. sc in each st around
Round 15. *sc 6, 2sc in the next st* around
Rounds 16-27. sc in each st around
Round 28. *sc 4, sc2tog* around
Place the safety eyes (or embroider them)
now, between rounds 17 and 18

We are now starting the body tentacles (top of the tentacles). The first tentacle will be made in the continuity of the body, without breaking the yarn. For all other tentacles (7 of them) the yarn will be joined to the body in the next st after the previous tentacle, and the tentacles instructions repeated.

Body Tentacles – Make 8

In main colour, continuing from the body
Rows 1-5. sc 5, turn (do not chain when you turn, or your edges will be wonky!)
Row 6. sc 1, sc2tog, sc2, turn
Rows 7-8. sc 4, turn
Row 9. sc 1, sc2tog, sc1, turn
Row 10. sc 1, sc2tog, turn
Row 11. sc2tog, turn
Row 12-13. sc 1, turn

Fasten off. Join your yarn on the body edge, in the next stitch and repeat the instructions until you have 8 tentacles.

Belly – Make 1

In contrast colour
Round 1. sc 8 in magic ring
Round 2. 2sc in each st around
Round 3. *sc 1, 2sc in the next st* around
Round 4. *sc 2, 2sc in the next st* around
Round 5. *sc 3, 2sc in the next st* around
Round 6. *sc 4, 2sc in the next st* around
Round 7. *sc 5, 2sc in the next st* around

We are now starting the belly tentacles (bottom of the tentacles). They will be worked the same way as the body tentacles but joining back to the belly instead.

Belly Tentacles – Make 8

In contrast colour, continuing from the belly
Rows 1-2. sc 7, turn (do not chain when
you turn, or your edges will be wonky!)
Row 3. sc 2, sc2tog, sc 3, turn
Row 4. sc 6, turn
Row 5. sc 2, sc2tog, sc 2, turn
Rows 6-9. sc 5, turn
Row 10. sc 1, sc2tog, sc2, turn
Rows 11-12. sc 4, turn
Row 12. sc 1, sc2tog, sc1, turn
Row 14. sc 1, sc2tog, turn
Row 15. sc2tog, turn
Row 16-17. sc 1, turn

Fasten off. Join your yarn on the belly edge, in the next stitch and repeat the instructions until you have 8 tentacles.

Ears/ fins – Make 2

Round 1. sc 6 in magic ring
Round 2. sc 2, *2 sc in next st* twice, sc 2
Round 3. sl st, sc 1, 2 hdc in next st, *2 dc in next st* twice, 2 hdc in next st, sc 1, sl st
Round 4. sl st, sc 3, *2 sc in next st* 4 times, sc 3, sl st

Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew on the body.

Assembly

1. Sew the ears on the body facing forward, roughly between rounds 13 and 16.
2. Weave in all the yarn tails at the tips of the body and belly tentacles.
3. Stuff the body to desired firmness and sew the belly on using a whip stitch, making sure to align the tips of the tentacles together. Make sure that there is no polyfill in your tentacles or they will be too bulky. Note that the base of the tentacles do not align.

If you have any question about the instructions, you can just leave me a comment 🙂 I hope you guys are having a great weekend!

WIP Wednesday – Sapphire shawl

Happy Wednesday!

I’ve been mentioning that I started a new shawl last weekend, and I’ve been loving it! Did I mention that it is my first knitted shawl ever? I’m using a free pattern from Orange Flower Yarn called the Age of Brass and Steam. I really like how simple, yet effective, the pattern is!

And I am using the beautiful yarn that Tracy gifted me, in the Sapphire colour way, hence the name I’ve given to my shawl! I was pretty pleased to find this ‘1 ball of dk’ shawl pattern. I was a bit scared at first about not having enough yarn but now that I’ve started it, I think it will be just perfect!

I hope you’ve been having a productive week too!

Two socks at the time – Aquagirl socks

Happy Monday!

I have decided to rename my two socks at the time my Aquagirl socks, because that’s the name of the beautiful colour way I’m using, and they are finished!! I didn’t actually like knitting toe up socks very much, the heel was a bit of a struggle for me. I’d much rather knit all my socks with a gusset, so I think I’ll stick to that in the future. It was a good experience to try this methods and I’m sure that they’ll fit my mum very well!

Those are just plain knitting, and I can’t wait to make another pair of socks for myself using a cuff down pattern! I’ll probably cast my next pair on tomorrow, and I’ll be using the Hermione’s everyday socks free pattern from Erica Lieder, a perfect mix of my love for socks and my love for anything HP related ⚡️

I will see you back on Wednesday with a new project on my needles!

Have a great week!