Belated Scrap Happy March 2020

On March 16, 2020 By Dartmoor YarnsIn Scrap Happy12 Comments

I vowed to do a Scrap happy post every month this year, but ran out of time yesterday, so, with apologies for my tardiness, here’s my March Scrap Happiness…

Last month everyone very kindly deemed my new crochet project qualified as a Scrap Happy, so here’s my progress…

20200316_09362400 — I did the front first in case I have to get really scrappy at the end. The sleeve now measures what the pattern says it should, but I’ll need to make it longer for my arms, so some maths in the offing.

My other bit of scrappiness has involved recycling wine corks, which I confused you all about when I mentioned them before.

After months, nay years of procrastinating, I finally I finally spent a couple of hours arranging (and rearranging), then getting my design passed by LH, painting my Lidl £4 canvas and sticking the corks to it….

20200315_14350400

It then just needed hanging on the wall.

20200315_14354500

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.

Until next time,

Bekki x

Scrapish Happy- Feb 2020 – Is my New Project a Scrap Happy Project?

On February 15, 2020 By Dartmoor YarnsIn Scrap Happy19 Comments

I’m not sure this qualifies as a *Scrap Happy post, but I was going to tell you about it today, so I’m filing it under Scrapish Happy.

Not so long ago I told you about my disaster when attempting to crochet the Granny Rocks sweater. In short I discovered a skein I thought was 4ply turned out to be DK.

20200129_11574200

Keen not to start buying new yarn and working this year with what I have, I tucked it all away.

I had also not been happy with the gaps between the clusters and Lynn pointed out that this was probably because I was using 4ply for a DK pattern. I protested that it was a thick 4ply – as thick as some DKs, but I did cast my eye on the DK in my stash wondering if I had enough of that to use instead. I didn’t think I had until I remembered my DYC grey that I put in tea cosy and mitt kits. That gave me this line up…

20200211_12292200

But when I started crocheting I discovered my grey DK is a thicker DK than the others.

20200211_12252000

However I was now determined to crochet the sweater, so I decided to use a dark blue I didn’t have enough of and alternate it with a dark green I didn’t have enough of either. (Although I’m not entirely sure together they’ll be enough – but hey let’s live dangerously.)

20200211_12300800

Does this qualify as a Scrap Happy project? The red is left over from my K6 sweater– that I still haven’t shown you finished. The pink, pale green and dark blue were from a failed project I failed to buy enough yarn for, but I have already used some of this yarn elsewhere; project 1, project 2. The odd ball of dark green I was gifted.

So nothing was bought new. The yarns were all used in different projects, apart from the dark green – which may have been left over from another project – I don’t know. So what do you think? Is this a Scrap Happy or not?

Until next time,

Bekki x

Scrap Happy – Hanging Hearts Ready for Valentine’s Day

On January 15, 2020January 15, 2020 By Dartmoor YarnsIn Knitting, Scrap Happy16 Comments

These hearts are easy to knit and quick to knit too. They make a nice (Valentines? or Mother’s Day?) gift and look good hanging on a chest of draws or similar.

Knitted hanging hearts

As they can also very easily be made from scraps of ribbon and wool – which is what I did – and Valentines only a month away and Mothers’ day 2 months, I though I’d share the pattern with you as my January Scrap Happy post.

Knitted heart 2

Hanging Hearts Pattern

My hearts were make using double knitting and came out about 3.5″ high.

Abbreviations:

k knit

k2tog knit two stitches together

kfb knit into the front and the back of the stitch

m1L Make a left slanting stitch: insert the left-hand needle, from front to back, under the strand of yarn which lies between the stitch just worked and the next stitch on the left-hand needle. Knit this stitch through the back of the loop.

m1R Make a right slanting stitch: insert the left-hand needle, from back to front, under the strand of yarn which lies between the stitch just worked and the next stitch on the left-hand needle. Knit this stitch through the front of the loop.

p purl

p2tog purl two stitches together

ssk slip two stitches knit-wise, one at a time, onto the right hand needle then slip them back onto the left and knit them together

sts stitches

Ready to Knit?

Cast on 2 stitches

Row 1: kfb twice.

Row 2: purl

Row 3: k1, m1R, M1L, k1

Row 4: purl

Row 5: k1, m1R, knit to last 2 stitches, M1L, k1

Repeat rows 4 and 5 until you have 32 stitches

Work 8 rows stocking stitch

Shape top of heart

Row 1: ssk, k14, turn

Working only on 15 stitches just worked,

Row 2: p2tog, p to end

Row 3: ssk, knit to last 2 stitches, k2tog

Repeat rows 2 and 3 once then row 2 again.

Row 7: sssk, k to last 2 stitches, k2tog

Cast off

Second side of top

Row 1: k14, k2tog

Row 2: p2tog, p to last 2 stitches, ssp

Row 3: ssk, k to end.

Repeat rows 2 and 3 once then row 2 again.

Row 7: sssk, k to last 2 stitches, k2tog

Cast off

Sew ribbon to top and hang.

Knitted hanging hearts

Until next time,

Bekki x

Scrap Happy Christmas – December Part 2 – Patchwork Christmas Stocking

On December 15, 2019December 16, 2019 By Dartmoor YarnsIn Christmas, Patterns, Scrap Happy, Sewing, Uncategorized6 Comments

The great thing about these patchwork Christmas stockings is that you can make them work for whatever size pieces of scrap fabric you have.

Start by drawing a template of the stocking you want to make – you can do this freehand or by drawing around a Christmas stocking you already have.

20191212_14310100

Gather together your Christmas fabric scraps and decide on the combination of fabrics you would like to use.

20191212_14545300

Cut your template into pieces so that each piece is the size you would like and that will fit on the fabric you have with a 1/2″ seam allowance around their edges.

Sew the patchwork pieces together – using half inch seams…

20191213_12350400

Press the seams toward the darkest fabric…

20191213_12351600

Use the completed patchwork as a template to cut out a piece of wadding…

20191213_12435400

(My wadding was from part of the piece left over from making my floral quit.)

Also use the patchwork as a template to cut a back and two pieces for the lining. These all need to be exactly the same size as the patchwork.

20191213_14085500

(The red fabric was left over from my pinwheel baby quilt and the cream some left over curtain lining from my kitchen curtains I made six years ago.)

Apply the wadding to the back of the patchwork and stitch in the ditch along the seams.

20191213_13510400

If you’ve added a plain panel at the top for a name, embroider it on…

20191214_17442300

With right sides facing, sew the back and front of the stocking together and the lining pieces together, leaving the top of each unseamed.

Clip the front curve of both stocking and lining …

20191214_17574500

Turn stocking (only) out the right way and press then slip the lining inside.

20191214_17590100

I used a piece of scrap felt to bind the raw edges. If you’ve more stamina than me, you might want to use binding. 20191214_18183000 I also inserted a scrap piece of ribbon beneath the binding before I sewed it on to make a hanging loop…

20191214_18224400

Once the binding was secure, I sewed the edge down using the same stitch I had sewn in the ditch of the patchwork…

20191214_18262900

All I need now is for Santa to put some gifts in it…

20191214_18294000

Until next time,

Bekki x

Scrap Happy Christmas – French Knitting Christmas Cards

On November 15, 2019November 28, 2019 By Dartmoor YarnsIn Christmas, christmas knitting, Scrap Happy26 Comments

While I was rummaging through some of the girls old pencils that I’ve held onto (just in case) I happened up this…

20191114_15540700

I don’t remember them having one, but they must have.

I’ve never really liked French knitting. It’s fun, but what the heck do you do with all those knitted worms? Any sensible suggestions would still be most welcome.

20191114_15542300

I put the knitting dolly back in the bag of pencils, but my subconscious clearly didn’t forget about it, because when I thought about making some Christmas cards, I realised worms knitted from scraps of yarn can make Christmas wreaths and candy canes.

20191114_15544300

20191114_15545500 — I inserted florist wire into The candy cane to keep it bent.

Once the knitting and stitching was finished, I rummaged in my box of ribbons salvaged from Christmas crackers.

20191114_15551300

I also dug out a couple more ribbons salvaged from elsewhere, but I can’t remember where..

20191114_15560800

Tied them in bows…

20191114_15571400

And attached.

20191114_15581800

I printed Merry Christmas’s on some cream paper…

20191114_15563000

… cut them out and stuck them, along with the candy canes and wreaths, to card blanks.

Christmas Wreath Card

I even personalised some.

Candy Cane Christmas card

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.

Scrap Happy Christmas – Tilda the Christmas Fairy

On October 15, 2019October 14, 2019 By Dartmoor YarnsIn Christmas, christmas knitting, Christmas knitting patterns, Knitting, Knitting patterns, Scrap Happy28 Comments

Last Christmas I use left over scraps of yarn to knit Lovely Youngest a Christmas fairy for a bit of a joke. However I was rather pleased with her and decided to write up the pattern. But having nearly finished, I got distracted and forgot about it – Yes, I know, you’ve heard that before.

Fast forward to a week ago when I was nearing the end of my current knitting project and decided to start writing up the pattern.

20191009_124557(0)

As I headed to my pattern folder, I happened upon several half written patterns. Looking through them I noticed that Tilda the Christmas Fairy only needed a few finishing touches.

So not only here is Tilda the Christmas Fairy knitted from scraps of double knitting. (The biggest scrap was about 20g of red for the body, legs and arms. The rest much smaller scraps and the dress and berries is a different red yarn.)

Tilda the Christmas Fairy - Copy

… here’s the pattern.

And while I’m here I’ll confess the kitting one Santa sack a day I mention in my last month’s Scrap Happy has got rather abandoned. Blame the sketching.

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.

Scrap Happy Christmas – Santa Sacks

On September 15, 2019September 14, 2019 By Dartmoor YarnsIn Christmas, christmas knitting, Christmas knitting patterns, Knitting, Knitting patterns, Scrap Happy38 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Hanging Hearts Pattern

Ready to Knit?

Shape top of heart

Second side of top

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

4ply

Approx 7g wool needed per sack

Double knitting

Approx 10g wool needed per sack

Aran

Approx 20g wool needed per sack

Chunky

Approx 36g wool needed per sack

Super Chunky

Approx 65g wool needed per sack

Share this:

Like this: