Published - Mon, 23 Sep 24

Project Timeline: 08 Aug - 23 Sep (46 days)

Remaking the Green Cardigan

Made this cardigan for partner last year. Some issues with size / fit / uneveness. Decided to remake entire cardigan, mostly reduce size and make button band even.

8 Aug

For a few YEARS now, I've wanted to make a jumper or cardigan for my partner. Given that I've made quite a few jumpers for myself over the years, this should be so difficult right? 

Before the green cardigan, I had made him a jumper in grey, which had some interesting patterns on it. After I finished knitting and blocking it, the jumper grew WAY too big. The sleeves were about 50% longer than they needed to be and the body was also too wide. I did try to do some knitting surgery, but the arms were still a problem. Since it was knitted flat (not in the round), it was alot more tedious to unpick the seams and in the end I gave up and f...

Published - Mon, 09 Sep 24

Project Timeline: 30 Aug - 09 Sep (10 days)

Set up home wood workshop

Adding woodworking to my list of crafts. Need a workbench and hand tools to get started. Will focus on traditional handwork. This is of a set up project.

For a while I've very lightly dabbled in some woodworking. Last year I signed up for a one day course to make a wooden toolbox. I also made a simple raised bed to sit in my garden. This was done with the most basic tools like a power drill, some planks, a garden saw and some nails.

Woodworking has been lurking in the back of my mind as another interest I would like to pursue, since it could be so useful. You could make furniture or anything home or garden related, all of which potentially high value items. However, there is a learning curve and it requires a proper set up space with the right kind of tools. Even then, so much woodworking nowadays is done predominately on pow...

Published - Sat, 07 Sep 24

Project Timeline: 01 Aug - 06 Sep (36 days)

Octagonal Wooden Plant Pot

Making an indoor plant plant, a large size. Make in wood workshop with some instructor guidance and power tools.

This has been a fun project to work on. Basically my second woodworking project, the first being seed trays i made from some spare materials. Both of these I did in a workshop studio, with the help / instruction of a professional. My goal was to learn some techniques in woodworking, how to use some power tools and see if i could build some confidence.

I would say this was quite a successful project as a first time. Though lets see if the pot lasts. I have a feeling that some joints have too much pressure and may burst apart. But there you go.

Outline of how i made it:

• Used birch plywood sheet
• Cut big pieces down to size using a tracksaw.

Published - Mon, 17 Jun 24

Project Timeline: 17 Jun - 17 Jun (0 days)

VintageKnitSummerTops

[Pre Blog Project]

This is a vintage pattern I found on Etsy. I used the leftovers from previous jumper projects and made this lovely striped top. I really like the pattern, I wear it a lot in the summer. Would definitely make again. The orange is alpaca, while the white is cotton. The orange on its own might be a bit itchy to wear against the skin, but here with the cotton I don't really don't feel it. Although alpaca is so soft anyway, maybe it would be fine if it was 100% alpaca. 

Published - Fri, 10 May 24

Project Timeline: 01 May - 10 May (9 days)

Tip Top Tank

[Pro Blog Project]

This is a free Ravelry pattern. I made this was home spun cotton. I love how it turned out, its cropped, perfect for summer basic top. The fact its home spun and knit gives the basic style a bit of flair I think. I do wear it alot in the summer. Would definitely make it again.

I will say, spinning cotton is not that fun. It took me a while to get used to it... The staple length is so short that you can't really draft at all. The best method I found is to split the roving (it came as) vertically until you have a very thin strand, as thin as your can go rea...