Author: Dartmoor Yarns

Pinwheel Baby Quilt Ta da!

On By Dartmoor YarnsIn Quilts, patchwork, Quilting11 Comments

I finished the Pinwheel Baby Quilt months ago. Firstly I didn’t post because the baby hadn’t arrived and I didn’t want to spoil the surprise if lovely niece accidentally spotted it. Then, after the baby arrived, I went AWOL from the blog. And then I kept not posting because I thought I’d post a pattern tutorial for it. Well, maybe I will post a tutorial in the future, but as that doesn’t seem to be happening, I thought I’d better show the finished object and cross one more finished object to show you off my list.

Ta Da!

Pinwheel Baby Quilt

I’m pleased apart from that I wish I’d made the rectangle for the name in mustard.

I’m also very pleased that this project has been made virtually only from my stash and  scraps from bag making (the polka dot fabric). All I bought was the batting. Hope you like it.

Until next time.

Bekki x

 

 

 

 

 

Knitting WIP

On By Dartmoor YarnsIn Knitting, Knitting patterns12 Comments

I can hardly believe it was the 2nd May when I last posted a knitting WIP – the start of my cream Heartfelt cardigan. I have however been working on another knitting project since the middle of June when I bought this pile of wool to work on a holiday project…

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I knitted a stocking stitch back and sleeves on holiday, because I wanted something to knit in the car that I didn’t have to look at while I enjoyed the Scottish scenery.

When I got home I thought I’d better decide on how to make a more interesting front. Here’s the pattern I chose…

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..and here’s the whole of the front I’ve knitted so far….

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Nearly there. And when I’ve finished I might even write the pattern up – or not. I’m sure by now you know what I’m like.

Until next time,

Bekki x

Sunday Sevens 2019 #25

On By Dartmoor YarnsIn Sunday Sevens17 Comments

Welcome to my Sunday Sevens – a post where I share seven (or so) photos of my week away from the blog. A little late this week, because I did a Scrap Happy post Yesterday and didn’t have time to write a second post.

There was a huge sense of Deja Vu last week…

More ivy clearing…

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More damson picking…

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More Jam making…

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But it wasn’t all a repeat of the week before….

I had a big order for kits – so a fair bit of work to do…

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In between I managed to escape for lunch at Okehampton Station…

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And, of course, there were lots of walks with Harry…

 

Saturday this week was also the anniversary of Mr Hick’s passing, so we lit a candle for him…

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Until next time,

Bekki x

Scrap Happy Christmas – Santa Sacks

On By Dartmoor YarnsIn Christmas, christmas knitting, Christmas knitting patterns, Knitting, Knitting patterns, Scrap Happy36 Comments

I hate to mention the C word so early, but when you’re crafting, I’m afraid it has to be done…

Those of you who’ve been reading my blog for quite a while might remember back in 2016 I challenged myself to design and knit one Santa sack a day from December 1st to the 24th and post each pattern daily.

Snowman Santa Sack

Not only did I (just about) keep up with the challenge, I tidied up my patterns after Christmas and published them as an ‘advent calendar’ pattern of 27 Santa sacks.

27 Knitted Santa Sacks

Every year since I’ve found myself knitting a few Santa sacks using scraps of yarn.

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These little Santa sack patterns have proved themselves extra usable, because  knitting with different plys of yarn gives different size Santa sacks with different uses.

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4ply

Approx 7g wool needed per sack

  • Advent calendar
  • Tree ornaments*
  • Christmas gift wrapping
  • Christmas bunting/garland*
  • Dolls house Santa sacks

Double knitting

Approx 10g wool needed per sack

  • Advent calendar
  • Hanging from mantel piece at Christmas*
  • Christmas gift wrapping
  • Christmas bunting/garland*
  • Filled with a few chocolate coins for school fund raising.

*If used decoratively, the Santa sacks will look best if they are stuffed lightly with toy stuffing. They can also be filled with herbs and spices to add a delightful Christmas scent to a room or popped inside a parcel.

Aran

Approx 20g wool needed per sack

  • Christmas gift wrapping
  • Hand warmer covers

Chunky and Super Chunky probably use more than you have in scrap amounts, but I confess I do have balls of yarn I’ve only used a small amount of, so maybe you do too. Plus most sacks use more than one colour and the amounts I’m quoting are total weight used for each sack.

Chunky

Approx 36g wool needed per sack

  • Christmas gift wrapping
  • Party favour bags

Super Chunky

Approx 65g wool needed per sack

  • Christmas gift wrapping
  • Christmas ‘stockings’
  • Small hot water bottle cover

Right now I’m setting off knitting nearly a whole set – challenging myself again to knit one a day. I’ll be posting them on Instagram. And while I’m thinking about Instagram if you don’t and you’d like to follow me on IG, you can find me @dartmooryarns.

Fair isle group

If you like the idea of using your scraps, click on Kate or Gun(first two names in the list  below) and join us on the 15th of every month – or just those months you feel like joining in.  Here’s a list of both frequent and occasional Scraphappiers (?) if you want to see what everybody else is doing.

Kate,  Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn , Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Johanna,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline and Sue L.

Prescription Crochet #3 WIP

On By Dartmoor YarnsIn Uncategorized16 Comments

Having posted a lot of catch up finishes, I thought it was high time I showed you something I was actually working on. This is my third crochet project since I was told by the physio to crochet to make my thumb better.

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When I learnt to crochet – several years ago – I went straight to working on garments and have never crochet a granny square before, so feeling very cuffed I’ve finally made some.

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These are the centre of the Charlotte square. It’s quite a big square and I only liked the centre, so have only done the first 18 rows. As you can see, so far I have six squares completed. I’m aiming for 20.

I may be a while yet.

Until next time,

Bekki x

 

The Curtain Rail Mystery

On By Dartmoor YarnsIn Uncategorized18 Comments

Several weeks ago I asked the question, can anyone offer an explanation why the curtain at the physiotherapist is hung like this?

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Having unavoidably cancelled my next physio appoint a couple of times, I finally went back a couple of weeks ago and plucked up the courage to ask. I’m afraid its a very dull answer…

Apparently it’s a bit of an optical illusion: the room has a flat roof that slopes, downward, so the rail is parallel with the floor. Presumably the window is therefore parallel with the roof. Although it looked like it was parallel with the floor to me!

Anyway, if you were wondering – and you probably weren’t – that’s the answer.

Until next time,

Bekki

 

Sunday Sevens #24 2109

On By Dartmoor YarnsIn Sunday Sevens13 Comments

Welcome to my Sunday Sevens – a post where I share seven (or so) photos of my week away from the blog.

I didn’t mention it last week, because I don’t like to advertise that my friends are on holiday, but we’ve had the best sort of guest staying with us for a ten day vacation that ended on Tuesday this week.

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We had a wonderful time with an extra fur baby in the house. And in the woods…

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And on the beach…

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The beach trip above was also a day out to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Which included a trip to the cracking crab for a celebratory crab baggette…

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There was more celebration this week when I met up with a friend for late birthday cuppa and cake at Lifton Farm Shop. I just love their dancing chickens…

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This week, of course, was the beginning of September. Autumn really seems to have arrived in the UK. There’s a distinct autumnal feel to the air and fungi springing up in the woods…

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I also spotted lots off these. Not sure what they’re called, but I distinctly remember my mum  having to cut a heap of them out of my hair when we were kids, because my brother threw them at me…

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The autumn fruits are also ripening early. I’ve been picking blackberries in the woods…

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Harvesting lots of damsons from our damson tree…

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But our haul of plums wasn’t quite so good…

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I used the damsons to make jam…

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But, not being a fan of blackberry jam, simply ate the blackberries with yogurt…

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And finally I’ll leave you with a pic of Harry watching Ashley and Sully on Britain’s got talent.. He does love his dogs on TV…

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Hope you’ve had a great week.

Until next time,

Bekki x