My next projects

Have 2 projects on the needles this week:

The first is a baby jacket in a lovely lemon cotton yarn, which is really soft and a joy to knit with. I'm basing the design on this 18th century baby vest I discovered on my wanderings across the net

I've decided to make the jacket with a cross over front for extra warmth and have devised a cute little edging pattern using interupted stocking stitch checks. Have also chosen a simple cable pattern to achieve the textured effect. This is my first piece of clothing I've ever designed from scratch and I'd totally overlooked the maths involved! So the poor brain cell is not happy with me at all :-)

I've also started playing with ideas for the little yarn craft boxes - am experimenting with crochet, knitting and tunisian crochet, straight and mitred squares to see what will work the best. I'll also need to experiment with the best way to stiffen the boxes once they're made. I wonder if I can make a patchwork one that uses all the different techniques?  Am thinking they'll make quirky christmas decs, perhaps gifts too if I fill them with lavender or maybe cinnamon and maybe even gift boxes? Will really have to play over the next few weeks I think!

I also had some lovely feedback today when I went to hand in the "Mrs Beeton Scarf" and collect some craft items that were being stored for me following a craft fair. It was a real confidence boost. My "posh" business cards arrived today too so now need to consider what to do about a marketing strategy to get my name known locally

Biscornu

Have you heard of the "Biscornu Craze" that's sweeping through the cross stitch world? Instructions and pictures can be found on Biscornu Basics. Having made some in cross stitch in the past - tiny little ones as brooches mainly, using both cross stitch and black work - I tried some time back to knit one! I ended up learning to make a mitred square first and then joining them and crocheting a border and was reasonably happy with it.

But recently my thoughts have turned to crochet. I was playing with an idea I'd seen a picture of - making a granny square and using it as the basis for a "log cabin" patchwork. So I made 16 and joined them and having run out of yarn was a at a bit of a loss as to what to do next. So I made a large granny square in white, using odds and ends of the left overs from the patchwork - and again I ran out, just as I got to the start of the edging for the for the front.... So I thought it would probably make a pretty cushion cover for a little girl's bedroom.... but then the biscornu bug "bit me" and I decided to play!! As a result, I have now ready for stuffing a beautiful patchwork cushion in biscornu style! I did a "test stuff" using a standard cushion and it works beautifully.... so next step is to do battle with the sewing machine tomorrow, finish it off, write the pattern up and post it here as a freebie!