Mini Knitted Christmas Stockings

 

This year's version of my Mini Knitted Christmas Stockings.

My daughter-in-law is a teacher and every year I knit mini stockings for her to give to every pupil in her class. It has become a little tradition and as the youngsters move up through the school each one has a keepsake to hang on their tree for the festive season.

I enjoyed hand knitting these in a lovely mixture of yarns and colours with all the same matching white mohair top trim. 

I usually try and get some more knitted to sell at my exhibition At Quarr Abbey next month.

They make an ideal gift for a loved one, fill with sweets, chocolate. My customers often tell me they are just perfect to fill with some money for the teenagers in their family.

There will be some in my online shop soon.

I designed these mini knitted Christmas stockings many years ago for a magazine publication. 

"Making Gifts Magazine" which is no longer in print.

I will be adding the design instructions for you to purchase from my online shop shortly - download a PDF and start knitting up your very own!

~sitting knitting in an evening working on a small project is a relaxing mindfulness activity~

Christmas Crafts At Quarr Abbey

It's that time of the year and we are very busy preparing for our Craft Show!

I will be joined by Jude Allman, Tim England, Lis Toft and  Peter Wright.

Thursday 19th November – Tuesday 24th November 2015

Open Daily 10.30am – 4.30pm

Quarr Abbey Gallery, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 4ES

Free Admission

This November Christmas Crafts at Quarr Abbey will be showing a selection of

beautiful handmade crafts and artworks made by five local makers. A variety of

ceramics, textiles, woodturning and painting will be on display offering visitors an

opportunity to buy original and quality handmade gifts from a range of

homewares, clothing and jewellery. Seasonal gift ideas and accessories will also

be available including miniature hand knitted stockings and novelty Christmas

Dinner tree decorations.

 

Finding space

 

This Christmas we shall be having family to stay and I need to prepare our home. With three guest rooms needed in total my little knitting room is proving to be very useful as the sofa in there converts to a double bed. So all the rooms in the house will be in use hence finding a space is tricky!

I have folded and stored my looms away and found places and corners for most other things, but my spinning wheel is always difficult to store easily, then I had a idea... I wondered if it would fit on the small landing above the stairwell... and it just fits!   

 

Along with a basket of carded fleece ready to spin- in case I get some spinning time over the festive holidays!

safely stored, easy to access and it makes an interesting feature in the hallway.

 

So while my looms are stored I shall be keeping my knitting basket full of small coloured balls of  wools  at hand, so as  I can pick up and knit a few rows making warmers socks and hats while enjoying the company.   

 

Also over the Christmas period I hope to re design this blog, so if it looks a bit odd  it's only me trying and testing things out.

 

Thank you for another year of being there and reading my blog I hope you have enjoyed

 my Casting On and Casting Off adventures.

Wishing you all Seasons Greetings and a Happy and Peaceful New Year.

  

 

 

Hand Spun, Painted, Knitted and Woven

 In last month's blog I showed you some of my hand spun and hand painted yarn, well here is a mini Christmas stocking knitted up with this unique yarn! It is to be a little gift for someone very special.

 My end of year event -"Christmas Crafts at Quarr Abbey" was again a very enjoyable and busy time. Thank you to all my customers who bought my hand spun, hand knitted or hand woven goods.

 A basket full of my hand spun skeins.

A box full of my hand woven rugs.

I have plenty of projects to cast on and keep me busy over the winter months.
My order book has hand knitted items to work on and I have some fleeces ready to spin. Also I'm thinking about a new range of hand woven pieces to bring out next year, as they say "Watch this space"...

Do pop over to my shop at Folksy ( just click on the link or badge opposite) to view and buy current items in stock.
 

Knitting Pattern- Mini Christmas Stockings

 

 

As Christmas is fast approaching and the evenings are drawing in, it's the ideal time to snuggle in and do a spot of knitting.
If you would like to have a go at knitting these delightful little Christmas stockings you will find the instructions on how to knit them for purchase in my Folksy shop, just click on my Folksy shop link or Folksy badge on the right hand column of this blog.
They are quick to make and ideal to use as tree decorations, gift pouches for money and rather nice when filled with a chocolate treat too!
You can knit them using up festive colours in your stash and make them as individual as you like!
Happy Knitting

New Display Equipment

I'm really pleased to have been able to find these new display stands in time for my next craft show this month.
I'm looking forward to being able to display my knitting and weaving in a more creative way and these simple items in wood and calico will allow me to show off the colours and texture of work more easily.
I'm particularly pleased with my new mannequin as I will be able to display clothing and accessories such as scarves in a natural wearable style.

The Exhibition Gallery at Quarr Abbey is a lovely venue with it's plain white walls, tiled floor and beautiful old wooden tables to display work on. I don't know how I'm going to plan my area in the room as yet, in the summer I was there for my Open Studio event and I took my spinning wheel with me to demonstrate "spinning a yarn".
This time we are back for our Christmas Crafts At Quarr Abbey.
I'm looking forward to setting up a festive theme, do pop along to see us if you are on the island, there will be plenty of choice and ideas for Christmas presents on offer from hand knitting,weaving and felting to pottery,painting and photography.

For more details of how to find us please click on link in the right hand column.

Christmas Crafts At Quarr

November 24th-29th

open 10.30am-4.30pm

December Designs Now Published.

I have two designs in the December issue of Making Gifts Magazine. 2010

The first is a lovely hand knitted and then hand felted bag in mohair. All the instructions on how to make your own are in the magazine.http://www.makinggiftsmagazine.com/

I have developed this design as a small project you can knit up quickly on circular needles and then felt by hand, so is ideal to make as a very special gift for someone this Christmas.




Mohair Bag

Also in the magazine are my Hand Knitted Mini Christmas Stockings!

UPDATE INFO FROM SEPTEMBER 2013-
YOU CAN NOW PURCHASE THE INSTUCTIONS TO KNIT THESE  MINI CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS
FROM MY ONLINE SHOP AT;

http://folksy.com/items/3743766-Knitting-Pattern-for-Mini-Christmas-Stocking

OR GET IN TOUCH IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO KNIT SOME FOR YOU IN TIME FOR THE FESTIVE SESASON.




Mini Christmas Stockings
A Special Festive Treat

These Mini Christmas Stockings are knitted in festive colours and trimmed with a fluffy white cuff. So cute for Christmas!
Quick to make and ideal to use as tree decorations, gift pouches for money and rather nice to fill with chocolate too!

This design is a great evening project to enjoy making and giving at Christmas. But don’t forget to make a few extra for yourself too!



I WILL HAVE  a few Handwoven Mini Christmas Stockings available to buy in my online shop  in the festive season

 http://www.folksy.com/items/1001801-Handwoven-Mini-Christmas-Stocking?shop=yes

These will be  a limited edition 2013, as each year I will be weaving them in a different colourway.
Enjoy!

AND if I don't get time to "blog before Christmas" I would just like to say a big Thank you to all my customers and readers of my blog for all your support. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!