Beading - The Fleegle Way

It would seem my last post has inspired some readers to try out the Fleegle Beader for themselves. Personally I love the simplicity of the tool, the ability to load up lots of beads at once and off we go. However I do still have issues with getting the angle just right. I still at times, many times, shred the yarn and have to remount and bead again. I am convinced that this is just because of my being a novice and with time I shall become as adept as was shown in the video clip. I hope that the others who have shown an interest enjoy their beaders as much as I am.

Loaded and ready for action.

As a wee side note I have also found a source of beads in the UK which offer a fabulous service and bags of 100g of beads. This will mean that I can buy the full amount required in one bag and be able to over time build up a selection of beads to match or compliment any yarn I shall be using. You can peruse their website here G J Beads . The link takes you to their seed bead choices but they have a wide range of other beads too.

Stay safe and  happy crafting

Mary

Beads, Beads and More Beads

I have just cast on my fourth MKAL shawl for this month. I may be mad but I just love the excitement of a new clue appearing in my inbox. I was explaining to my DH that by having these short clues to work on each week I never get bored with one pattern. The shawls I am working on are all completely different but one thing they do have in common is beads. All four have added bling. This I am delighted with as I cannot wear jewellery so wearing a beaded shawl allows me to express my own style.
Now the thing with beads is how to get them onto the knitting. I had used my tiny trusty crochet hook until last Saturday evening when it went walkabout. I have absolutely no idea where it has gone. I had a spare which I discovered must be a bit bigger as the beads just would not fit over the tip. Eek!!! Out came the superfloss which whilst, for me, is fine in an emergency it is way too fiddly for applying the 1500 beads which one pattern calls for. So what to do? Off to You Tube I went to see if there was a solution for me and lo' and behold there I find a tool called a Fleegle Beader (You Tube link). The clip seemed to say it would be the answer to my dilemma. Now to find it in the UK, that was me next problem. Trusty Google stepped up to the mark and there it was available from a shop in Surrey, http://tallyarns.co.uk/shop-online/knitting-and-other-accessories/fleegle-beader/. Duly ordered I continued with the floss until my beader arrived on Tuesday. What a revelation!! It has changed my life, no longer the slow plod with 4 beads on the hook and then stop and reload, now I have at least 30 beads loaded up at any one time and it is a breeze. All in all I can safely say it was money very well spent.

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary

Tullibody Inch - Island 3

I followed my arrow and it resulted in my first completed shawl this year. The pattern was the first ever MKAL by Ysolda Teague who is a local designer based in Edinburgh and who has a loyal following in the knitting community. I enjoyed knitting this immensely. There was a slightly different format to this mystery as not only did we get one clue each week, we had to choose between 2. The mystery lasted 5 weeks so in total there were 32 permutations. I chose to knit clues B,B,B,B,A which resulted in a slightly asymmetrical shawl. I used some Shetland 4 ply which I had in stash in a very deep maroon colour, (although is shows up brown in the photo).

Island link Tullibody Inch

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary

Fidra - Island 2

These socks are simple Vanilla socks with a 1x1 rib cuff. They were my first ever attempt at knitting 2 at a time, I can totally see how that appeals but for me I think I much prefer just sticking to doing 1 at a time. They were knitted in Ripplescrafts reliable sock base in the Christmas 2012 colour. Well fitting and comfy everyday socks.

Island link Fidra

I am also getting on with my many MKAL's I currently have 4 on the needles. One of them has 1500 beads in the pattern. I bought some gorgeous Matsuno beads in size 8 to use for this shawl and to my horror discovered that the do not fit on my tiny crochet hook. I resorted to using Super Floss but am finding it way too fiddly for my liking. A little research done and I have ordered a 0.5mm hook to try and my wonderful DH who must listen to my incessant havering about knitting tools has ordered me a Fleegle beader. What a man!! Hopefully both these tools will arrive soon and I can crack on with the mammoth task. Meanwhile I will continue on with some other projects.

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary

Eyebroughy - Island 1

These socks were knitted for my darling DH. The yarn is from Ripplescrafts Orkney collection in the colour Burray Sunset. I used the Fish Lips Kiss Heel but other wise just made it up as I went along. These were knitted toe up on a 2.5mm circular needle using magic loop. Hubby loves them and I am so pleased to have a man who will wear coloured socks.

Island link Eyebroughy

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary

Knitting, A Trip Round Scotland's Islands

I keep track of all my knitting projects in the wonderful tool called Ravelry . The projects section ask you to name your work which can sometimes task the brain. Some people come up with all sorts of fantastic names for their projects whilst others just use the pattern name.
Recently I have been giving some thought to how I should name my projects, in the past I have used the stories of Sherlock Holmes, and looking out my kitchen window I stumbled on the perfect answer.
On a clear day I can see right across the majestic Firth of Forth to the shores of the Kingdom of Fife. However clearly in my sights is the Island of Inchkeith. Hmm, there are roughly 700 islands in the waters off the coast of Scotland. BINGO!! There was my answer staring my straight in the eyes. I will name each of my projects after a Scottish Island.
As an added bonus t anyone who happens to take the time to read my musings I will add the link, where available, to what Wikipedia has to say about the island. At last I have my project names all sorted.
I may from time to time waiver off on a tangent if another name is more appropriate but my intention is to stick for the most part with my plan.
I have already used two of the island names on completed projects so look out for those appearing soon.

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary

Reclaiming the Needles

WIP's I have way too many. I have tried to follow others in WIP down groups and have let myself become overwhelmed by the enormity of the task which has led to ultimate failure. I sorely needed to find another way. I hope that in my own way I have now found it, reclaiming the needles! Instead of putting myself under too much pressure that I must finish the project I have begun to tell myself I need to have some needles spare and at the ready to indulge my passion for MKAL's. I spent the month of January getting stuck in. I managed to reclaim 3 sets in that time. This made me feel so happy. I have yet to block the said projects but at least I had the needles ready to start 2 mysteries in the last week.
This has in turn led to much more overall enjoyment of my knitting. I work on the clues as they come out and in between times I work on the WIP's, whichever takes my fancy at any given time.
I have confidence in myself that for me, reclaiming the needles, is the way to go.

Pictures of completed projects will follow soon.

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary