Thoughts on #MMMAY16

Its over! There will no longer be a constant stream of selfies taking over my instagram [lol there definitely will be] and I have the complete freedom to wear anything from my wardrobe!

But what have I learnt from a month of wearing me made everyday?

1- I have more stuff than I realised:

I didn't actually have too repeat too many outfits this month, and usually I only repeated them because I loved the outfit itself not just out of necessity.

2- I have a good mix of clothes:

In my head I only make impractical dresses, But after wearing them they are not impractical they're just pretty! I've got quite a few skirts which is good and lots of dresses, I'd like to make a few more casual tops like my Cami one and maybe a few long sleeve jersey tops.

3- I definitely chose the right colour for my Miette cardigan

Being that it was my first "real" knitting project and the first time I'd actually spent money of nice wool that didn't put my teeth on edge. I was having kittens when It came to making the colour decision. Originally I was going to knit it in grey but the purple just kept looking at me [hypothetically of course, I was on-line shopping] and I ended up with that! Luckily for me It goes with 60% of my wardrobe and the other 40% can be worn with one of my other cardis.

4- I need warmer tights

Its not so bad now but when the weather was really chilly my poor legs were frozen on the nursery run. I've heard good things about fleece lined tights so it might be time to invest.

5- I need to make doubles of some of my favourite items:

Ie, the Cami top and my lightweight kimono top, Which means I need some lightweight sarongs, I've been dropping hints to my mother [who has a very large collection] but she's either ignoring me or hasn't picked up on them......... [trust me the way I hint, she's definitely picked up on them] So I might have a charity shop peruse and see what I can find.

6- I don't need to make "basics"

Its take me a while to come to this conclusion. For a long time I thought I only wanted to wear me made items including things like basic black tops and skirts. But I already have these things, and I tend to get a lot of these types of things given to me. So I think I've finally decided that I'm just going to make fun things that I wouldn't be able to get in the shops or that are too expensive in the shops. 

I mix, me made, charity shop, hand me downs and new stuff.... and I'm okay with that. 

This skirt broke in  the wash, the zip split and the back seam came completely apart. So now I have to fix it [sad face]

7- It might be worth upping my finishing game on garments

I realised I'm put off wearing a garment because the inside finish isn't great. Which is bizarre because I don't usually take my clothes off in tesco so I'm not sure how anyone will see it?

My finish isn't awful but I can definitely see room for improvement. I want to start adding my own labels, finishing my seams nicely, and doing a finish on my zip seams. Hopefully one day Ill have a lovely little over locker to do all this for me! [Prays to Jesus for over locker]

8 - My face is okay....

It was on day four that I was struck down with an eye infection that meant I had to take a break from contacts and get some.......[use tense music] 

GLASSES!

After sulking and crying and generally being a bit of a child about it, I think I'm finally used to them.

I think part of that is the fact that I was taking daily selfies for me made may, which meant I had to get used to having a pair of glasses perched on my nose. And surprisingly I quite like them! To the point when my contact lens ban is finally up, I might go half and half and wear my glasses more. To be honest to only thing that's annoying me about my glasses at the moment is that they get wet in the rain [I mean seriously this isn't a problem we've fixed yet?] and that the steam up in the bathroom [Shaving without being able to see, now that's a party!]

8- Wearing me made makes me feel all kinds of SASSY!

This was sort of a weird one for me, to say I do worry about my seams popping whilst I'm wearing me made it does make me feel VERY VERY SASSY! I'm sure how to describe it, but its really nice to feel confidence in yourself because of something you've made! 

I think its the same as when you have your hair done and you step out of the chair and start walking like the love child of Heidi Klum and Beyonce because you are just all the fabulous!!!  

And that all of my thoughts on me made may!

Ive really enjoyed it this year and its really opened y eyes to what I'm wearing and what works!

If you want to read my weekly accounts you can find them here:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Much Love

Frankie

xxx

Finished Miette Cardigan!

It is done! I have finished! FINALLY! Its been a battle I've been waging since October! But I've finally finished knitting my miette cardigan!

So I started this cardigan back in october when I was lucky enough to receive a couple of hobbycraft gift vouchers for my birthday! Which I used to purchase this women's institute wool and a set of circular needles.

I already had my heart set on making the miette because I'd seen all of the awesome ones that Dolly Clackett has made! 

I've had to majorly lighten these pictures so you can see the details but its a really lovely cropped cardigan that is knitted top down and has some nice lace detailing! [which I screwed up in like seven places...woops] The pattern can be found here for FREE!   

I've got to say I'm really stupidly proud of myself! Number one this is my first hand knitted garment! i.e not a scarf or a hat, Secondly it doesn't look half bad! Of course I can see all the flaws, but seen as they are my mistakes I'm not surprised! And thirdly, I finished it! and at times trust me , I really didn't think I would. I actually grew to hate this project a bit, with its rows and its stupid circular needles and seemingly endless instructions! But I finished it! I'm still not sure where that last bit of motivation came from but it did! Although last night when I had to pick up 112 stitches for the neckband I did consider throwing in the towel!

So onto technical matters! 

- I used aran and its LUSH! In fact its currently on offer for 3 for 2 and I'm wondering If I should make three more! Yes that right I only used one ball of wool for this project. It was a massive ball and cost £10.00 but still! FYI if I do decide to take advantage of the discount I'm going for the Red , Teal and Grey shades! It really is lovely to knit with!

- you use circular needles, and knit top down. Which meant nothing to me in the beginning but was easier than I expected! The sleeves are knit in the round though and that did take some jiggling and cursing!

-I learnt new stitches! Just in general I stepped out of my comfort zone which is pretty big for me! Although I am wondering what one would look like knit in garter stitch!

- the buttons came from my stash, they are not revolutionary but they do the job!

-If I were to do it again I think id print the pattern off, the amount of time I spent waiting for my tablet to charge was unreal! And although I like the idea of being paperless it did mean I didn't knit on some of the occasions I could have!

-I knit a chest size 34 because of negative ease and stuff, and it fits so yay!

   

So what do I think?

I love the pattern, it well written and I'd say it perfect for an ambitious beginner who wants to move away from scarves! I love the look as well. Its a great sort of 1950's style which I like [In fact my mum mentioned that it would be good for the vintage revival that she attends but I might have told her to sod off and knit her own!] Its very snuggly, more so that I expected and I love the 3/4 length sleeves. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how it looks with some of my dresses!

So what now? 

Well I have a big book of knitting patterns so I think I might try one of those, I'd like something stripy and with a hippy vibe. But I think I might have a short rest first. I might try for one hand knit item per year. That way I can splurge on wool and make sure its something I love. I really love how finishing this project has given me more confidence to try bigger and better knitted items! 

I do however still have some wool left! Which I'm going to use of something......

Any ideas?

Much Love 

Frankie

xxx

Miette Progress Report!

I thought it was about time I did another update on my miette cardigan! Which I'm starting to hate by the way! from what I can see my last update was here in October 

So as you can see I've finished the bodice and I'm what I'm referring to as the home stretch, The sleeves. 

The bodice turned out okay, I like the shape but the wool is a lot thicker than I thought which is kinda meh. And I'm annoyed because I jacked up the lace pattern right at the end, I don't think its noticeable but I know I did it so that bothers me! 

The sleeves are knitted in the round and my circular needle is too long so its a complete faff to be honest, I seem to spend most of my time jigging the wire and the stitches. On the plus side though you only need to knit in garter stitch and you achieve stocking stitch. Its witchcraft but it works!!

I'm planning to have it done before September, which would make it a year long project but I still don't think that's too bad for my first ever hand knitted garment. And I'm pretty sure the experience hasn't put me off so much that I'll never make another one!

Hopefully my next post about this will be me saying its finished! And proudly modelling it flaws and all! 

Much Love Frankie

xxx

Miette cardigan update - part one

I thought I'd document my progress on my miette cardigan! So without further ado here's part one!

So I started off by casting on no less than 8 times, I'm not even joking I really struggled with some of the instructions! As it goes ssk does not mean slip stitch, slip stitch, knit stitch. It actually mean slip stitch, slip stitch, knit the two slipped stitches together, It took me far to long to realise my error, about 4 cast ons I'd say? Then there was the wonderful incident where I decided I don't need stitch markers so took them out, only to realise I do actually need stitch markers so had to start again!

Incidentally I don't actually own stitch markers so I've been using paper clips, bright pink paperclips to be precise.

One pound from Tesco can't say fairer than that can you! And they are working just as well as regular stitch markers, well I assume they are.

But anyway I'm plodding on nicely, I don't knit really fast so the aran wool is making it seem like Ive done more than I have.

Ive just finished the dreaded row 25 which I had to Google, but as soon as a realised that I was making the front bit more sticky out it made sense. I'm getting along quite nicely with the lace pattern but I'm making sure to re read each line so I don't make any silly mistakes.

I'm also coping surprisingly well with the needles, even if they do look a bit like nun chucks [everyone knows grannies are assassins really]. I think for my next project I'm going to try knitting in the round, she says even through shes not finished the cardigan yet!

Speaking of which I'm trying not to start any new projects until this is done, I'm desperately trying to stay focused!!! So these are the only items in my knitting bag at the moment, my wool, my needles, a tub of paper clips, a jingle jester pencil [technically little knitwits] and a piece of card that I'm marking my rows off on.

whats in your knitting bag?

Much Love

Frankie

xxx

Miette Cardigan

I'm going to take the plunge and knit myself a cardigan. No im being serious ive got wool and needles and everything!

Im going to make the miette cardigan by andi Sutterlund Mainly becuase a lot of bloggers have made it, so it seems quite popular, its meant to be fairly easy and its super cute!!!

I did have to get needles and wool though so i used my hobbycraft voucher!

One massive ball of wool! and two scary sets of needles!

Staring with the needles, I didnt have any of these so obviously i had to invest! hopefully ill be able to knit this competently so then i can progress to some of her more complicated patterns, which i think also use this type of needle!

The wool is a womens institute aran thats exclusive to hobbycraft, I was meant to buy the grey [becuase grey goes with everything] but this purple slipped into my basket! and im glad it did! sometimes you just have to take the plunge and inject some colour into your life! theres 1000m in a ball so it should be more than enough! i just hope i dont screw up too badly. althought at 10 pound a ball i didnt think it was too expensive, i mean its not cheap but its a nice wool.

pattern wise its a top down pattern, im still not 100% what that means but i have nanny on standby for any queries!

right im off to cast on before i bottle it!

much love

frankie

x