Knitted Owl!

Today is already not going well. I just opened my new foundation and its a whole shade darker than my skin, so either boots have changed their formula or I'm getting paler. But either way I look like a wotsit this morning.

But anyway! Those off you who have read the blog for a while may remember that back in the day I used to make a LOT of knitted owls to try and sell online and at craft fairs. Long story short I HATED it. But every now and again I do find myself making one if I'm requested.

This one was for my mum [Please excuse the photos I forgot to take some so my mum took some on her phone] Anyway she requested dark blues and purples so It would match her spare room. Its a really simple knit and it was great for using up spare bits of wool.

This ones weighted with stones because I didn't have any rice to hand. So it should definitely keep the door open. And its got supper fluffy ears and Lil man named him "Bird". Don't you just love when kids give things obvious names? Like gold fish, black fish, orange fish with black spots............. 

And yeah thats it really! I;m hoping to get these written up as PDF patterns soon but I haven't quite worked out how to make a PDF document!

Much Love

Frankie

xxx

Experimenting with Embroidery Feet

I don;t like to toot my own horn but I was a pretty dab hand at free machine embroidery back in the day. It was a focal point of my art textiles alevel and I spent hours whizzing around on the machine.
I found it very relaxing [Apart from the time I caught my finger in the needle.....that was not relaxing]

Anyway I was pretty disheartened to realise that 6 years of not practising has left me VERY rusty. I brought my foot off amazon for under £2.00 and it fits my machine like a dream.

First I practised some free motion quilting, I'm not sure what the techniques are called but I like the squiggle one and the pebble looking one best. I still need a lot more practise before I try this on a quilt first.

And then I tried to do a picture, I ran out of thread before I could do the eyes properly so please forgive how creepy he looks! This is still very wiggly! 

I enjoyed doing it again, but I need a lot more practise before I can start using it on quilts! Although I have no idea how I'm going to negotiate that amount of fabric under the dammed thing and still stay in control.

In other news, I so tried! this muggy hot weather is really messing me up sleep wise! 

Much Love

Frankie

Pin Cushion Owl

The only reason I started to make this is because I didn't have any hand stitching projects on the go and I needed something mindless to do. The pattern is from love patchwork and quilting magazine [I can't find a picture or a link sorry!] and is meant to be made in woven fabric. But I chose to make it in felt so that I could sit and relax in the sofa whilst doing it.

It sat half finished for ages because I wasn't in love with it, I knew it wasn't going to be a stuffed toy and then I had the brilliant idea of sticking pins in it! Which it works pretty darn well for if I do say so myself! Arnold as he is now known sits next to my machine whilst I'm sewing and is always ready for me to shove pins into his soft lil head! And the pocket at the front is perfect for putting my unpicker and snips in.  

I strayed from the instructions and just made it up as I saw fit, I also filled it with stuffing and then put a bag of rice in the bottom to make him nice and heavy. I did think at one point he might make a cute doorstop but this idea is better and it gets more use this way, he collects all my stray pins and sits neatly on my sewing case when I tidy everything up.

All in all I'd say its an okayish finish, I like that I've found a use for him and its nice to have something cute next to my machine. And I think I might make a few of them using woven fabric as well, especially since I already have the pattern traced and ready to go. 

much love 

Frankie

Another owl!

Hi my names Frankie and I'm a Netflix addict.

I have a serious Netflix problem, I've binge watched gossip girl, and mr selfridge , American horror story, countless Molly ringwald films and now I'm in to heroes. 

Luckily it's not a complete waste if time , I've been multitasking, sometimes I knit and sometimes I sew.

Today I sewed 

Another textured owl! Anyone sick if them yet?

Well tough! Because I still love them!!!! 

 

Vintage lace, beads, vintage buttons! All the usual suspects are included! 

The beading took forever! And ever! 

Now I just have to make it into a cushion, sighs (the boring part) 

I've also been working on my first project from the fashion with fabric book, it's sort if an upcycle , recycle hybrid type thing! Anyway hopefully it turns out okay! 

Much love

Frankie 

Xxx

Etsy update!

Anybody who follows me on Instagram might now what I've been working on today! Yes I've been adding more stock to my etsy shop! (A link can be found at the side of the page or this will send you to my favourite of my new items! https://www.etsy.com/listing/225951292/embroidered-john-lennon-cushion-cover) 

John Lennon cushion cover.

Sleepy owl cushion cover. 

Appliqué owl cushion cover.

Appliqué owl cushion cover.

UP! Cushion cover! 

Please come an ld have a browse! 

By the way do you like my lil photo bomber? The lil green owl was given to me by a super lovely customer and I've been using him as a good luck charm! 

Much love 

Frankie

Xxx

New textured owl!

Ive not made a textured owl in absolutely ages! But today whilst on the phone to my momma I found myself giving it a whirl! 

I can't wait to turn it into a cushion! 

I used peices of lace and a vintage lace doily! As well as other materials from my stash.... Including.... 

Cute lil brass circle bead things! 

And the wings are my from some Indian silk I had left over. 

I think it's adorable! I'm making it into a cushion tommorrow and it will be popping it into my etsy shop not long after !

Now I'm wondering if theirs any other animals that would look cool texturised! 

Much love

Frankie

Xxx

New items and an inappropriate moment!

Well for starters I've added three new items to my etsy shop! The link can be found on the right hand side of the page or you can click this, https://www.etsy.com/listing/222233772/purple-knitted-owl-doorstop

And it will take you to this lil beauty! 

And then you can find these aswell...

Please do go and have a lil looksy! 

In other news I did this most stupid thing ever this morning. 

Every morning I take my purse and phone out of my big handbag and place them in one of my many satchels for the walk to nursery. 

And I did that this morning, except I didn't realise which satchel I'd picked up until I noticed to giggling six year old boy and his father and the stares of at least three disapproving mothers! 

A nice jazzy print from a distance? 

Yeah that's actually a print of semi naked pin up girls! It's actually one of my very favourite bags (brought for me by momma and poppa Knitwit) but I'm not sure it's entirely appropriate for nursery! 

That's be calling me that loose moraled scandalous mother now! (Although some of them thought I was 15 , so I've probobly been called that already!) 

Much love

A very saucy

Frankie

Xxx

Sweet mother of Martha Stewart!

I'm in craftseller magazine! Well at least my owl is, my actual face isn't present! Craftseller contacted me last year saying that they liked my stuff and would I write in and tell them more about how I got started! 

And voila! 

Seriously! I practically danced around tesco! We'd only popped in for lightbulbs when I went for a flick through the magazines and thought that looks familiar! I'm so pleased and proud! I immediately phoned momma and daddy Knitwit and they went and picked up a copy as well! 

In other less owls news I'm taking part in the vintage sewing pledge 2015. 

I Frankie Carson of www.knitwits-owls.blogspot.com pledge to finally make the vintage pattern my dad brought for me when I was 15 (and to not be a wuss about it! ) 

Basically when I went to the goodwood revival one year I had a massive knee infection, couldn't wear heels and had to walk with a stick. I was miserable and the tablets made me sleepy so I spent most of my time in pain or asleep and bless em mummy and daddy broughte a vintage pattern to cheer me up! Which has been sat in a draw since becuase it's terrifying! 

So hopefully this year I'll be a big girl and sew it up nicely! 

Much love 

Frankie

Xxx

Sleepy owl nearly finished!

Okay so this post is going to be a bit of a mash up! For starters we have this...

I finished the stitching on my owl embroidery, and I kind of like it? I think it needs a little bit of something so I'm going to start adding beads ASAP! 

I also had 50 sheets of tissue paper delivered so I can start tracing the Megan dress from love at first stitch! Now I just need to get my hands on the correct length of zip and I can make a start! 

We made cookies using a recipient from the disney sweets and treats magazine, but we substituted the nuts, raisins and more nuts, for chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! 

Oddly enough they look just like the cookies my mum makes. 

And I parcelled up some deliveries! 

This pictured doesn't show on of my cushions that I sold on etsy last week. 

Nothing makes me happier than seeing piles of these tissue wrapped orders! 

Much love 

Frankie 

Xxx

A fresh new owl!

After a couple of tough days I decided I needed to get back to what I love, so I made an owl! 

There's not really much I can say to be honest, it's purple becuase I've been craving cadburys (you know, unlike every other day of the week when I just crave chocolate of any kind! I have been known to buy a family sized bag of revels on occasion and eat them in one sitting, yes I disgust myself as well!) 

He has a beautiful purple button on his belly and two gold rings to accent his eyes! 

Anyway he's super cute! Although I am finding it hard to believe how different it is to the first ever owl I made! 

I'm still using the same pattern (which I made up! Insert smug face!) so I'm unsure as to why they look so different? 

Anyway I'm feeling better after getting back to my roots so to speak! 

Much love

Frankie

Xxx

P.s I will be popping it in my etsy shop at some point! 

Sleepy owl

I needed a little break from sketching today, so I picked up my hoop. 

I'd started this a while ago but becuase of orders etc. it found itself pushed to one side! Feeling ignored. 

But today I just needed something mindless to do so I got it back out. 

I like it, it's a bit more whimsical than what I usually do. 

It's got lots of swirls and flourishes. 

My little moon! 

It's a bit of a mismatch project becuase I'm using all of my scrap threads. 

Other than this, I've swept the carpet (yes swept the hoovers on the blink!) and we visited a Christmas fair this morning, where I won a baby doll for lil Knitwit! Thankfully the lady on the stall was kind enough to change it for a stuffed dog. 

Poor lil Knitwit is desperately trying to recover from his cough and cold , but it really seems to have settled in his chest poor thing!

Here he is feeling sorry for himself, does anyone have any cough and cold remedies? 

Much love 

Frankie 

Xxx

Spoiling myself!

Every now and again a girls gotta spoil herself right? Well I had to at least! 

I brought myself this cute little bag from amazon, the description said owl but I think it looks like a fox? Am I right or just going crazy? 

It's quite a good size and the quality isn't too bad for not I paid for it (literally a few pounds)

In other news I've started ANOTHER embroidery! Yes it's an addiction, no I don't want to enter your program.

This is my outline it's loosely based on an  image I found on Pinterest that has since disappeared! 

As it's so whimsical I'm gonna try and stash bust my embroidery threads on this one. 

Yerp that's all the left overs from a LOT of projects , I don't like throwing things away okay? Yes I acknowledge this is also a problem . No I don't want help with this either. 

It's not very far along at the moment becuase I've been super busy with orders! Yerp my order book is filling up for Christmas!  I'm willing to give anything a go (you in the back stop giggling) so email me if you have a project! I'm only taking on projects I know I can have done on time so I don't know how long my order books will open for! You can reach me at knitwitsowls@gmail.com and remember no project is too big or small!!

Much love 

Frankie 

Xxx

Short and sweet!

As the title suggests I'm going to keep this post fairly short 1. Because I'm sleepy and 2. Because I had blood taken today and it's made me feel less than amusing.

You see that little dot? No not the mole the other little dot? Yes the tiny red smudge that looks like barely anything!!!! That's where I had blood taken today, and it hurt like a mother! and to help matters I'm a massive baby about that sort of thing too! and I had an Hour long wait in a queue of elderly people (seriously I was the youngest person there! And apparently the only one who doesn't have a little baggy of sweeties stashed away!) But no seriously I was the only person under the age of fifty, I actually heard the phrase "I wish they'd just take me out back and shoot me!" Four times! FOUR TIMES! Got to love the elderly! 

Anyhow after my blood test I went and dropped off an owl with an old friend! And ended up with an owl in return! 

http://instagram.com/p/t-N-4RoTdy/ 

Which you can see here! 

And then I finished this owl cushion cover off! 

I'd had the peices cut for ages but I didn't really love it so I kind of put it on the back burner for a bit. 

And now I'm still a bit like hmmmmmmm, but no I do like it. I just think it's that it's so different to the one I did last time! Anyway now it just needs to actually be made into a cushion!

Anyway I'm going to go and wallow in self pity over my arm! 

Much love 

Frankie

Xxx

Memories

For those of you that don't know me, when I turned 18 I worked in one of my home towns local pubs. I didn't really get the job so much as fall into it, I had no experience, no c.v and no interview. In fact the only reason I did my first shift was because one of the regular barmaids had called in sick, and the reason I kept the job? She ended up quitting and they needed someone to fill in her Monday night shift. And so my barmaid career started! As it goes I was a fairly awful barmaid , my boss once told me I needed to smile more or wear lower cut tops. I'm not proud of my decision.

Anyone who's worked at a popular bar on the weekends will tell you it's like a workout, there's beer, fights, police, tears aswell as barrels that need changing. The Monday nights however were quiet and pretty awesome.

Aside from the few walkers and tourists I had pop in I had my regulars, some if the best people I knew. They were all friends and took me right under their wings , I thought they'd forgotten all about me, until one if them contacted me and asked for an owl! 

Something brown and fluffy! 

It turned out adorable , and as it goes it's going to be called "little Frankie" 

Really makes me miss my regulars if I worked it out I probably spent about 220 hours with those fun and kind people! 

This incidentally was brought by Mr Guinness, (whiskey on weekends).

Much love

And nostalgia

Frankie

Xxx

How do you describe a walnut, without saying its a nut?

I haven't been a bad blogger! I promise! Last Monday was my birthday and that very same day mr Knitwit , lil Knitwit , the in laws and the grand in laws made our way down to centreparcs for a little holiday! 

It was lovely! And here follows my lil review of centreparcs Sherwood Forest! 

Accommodation I really can't fault it, we stayed in a villa , and it was lovely and clean , we had two toilets and a separate shower room! And all the bedrooms were spacious! 

Food a lot of people say it's very pricey , but we didn't think it was too bad , and everywhere we ate was lovely, there was also a good selection of kids options

You can also have takeaway delivered to your accommodation! A bonus if your two year old has decided to worlds ending or just because your a bit peckish!

The grounds safe, well laid out and peaceful! Everything is based around a central village , but there are trees everywhere. And more nature than you can shake a stick at! Fish, birds, rabbits and that many squirrels that little Knitwit lost interest in them! 

Activities, we tried....

Bowling, very reasonably priced and great fun for the whole family! 

Swimming, I like this the best! And because the pool is open till 9.00 pm me and mr Knitwit popped back for a second swim later on. Although I warn you later in the pool becomes a bit of an adults playground ! In general that tropical paradise had, two slides, one big slide (awesome) and a rapids slide aswell as a wave pool and hot tubs! 

We also did miniature golf , which safely I got no pictures of! 

 

And lil Knitwit and daddy even managed to sneak in a game of squash!

All in all? We all had a lovely time , and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to holiday in this country we had a blast! There's a lot for kids and everything is clean including all of the toilets! And kids changing rooms! 

Wowser! 10/10! 

Now back to the best bit! My birthday! Prepare yourself for a sewing related, birthday haul post! I was spoiled rotten! 

But here's a preview

Seriously don't know how I've survived this long without a pikichu onsie! 

Oh and I also got this little guy at centreparcs 

Another owl for the collection! 

Much love 

Frankie

Xxx