As every year, the intention is to create stronger bonds between us as a community, making space for the joy of sharing and being joined together by our love for our crafts and the joy of creating and making. With so many wonderful contributions, we are absolutely delighted to invite you to vote in the 2024 edition of our The For the Love of … Show and Tell Challenge!
We made 3 categories, open to a well of interpretations, it was totally up to you what meaning to put into them: Lesson Learned, Colour Me Happy, and Fantastical Creatures.
Inviting our dear newsletter subscribers* to contribute for this third edition, we are over the moon with how many of you that came to play along!
I am absolutely bursting with excitement! Our gallery is now open and voting can commence. Yes, there will be rewards for the winners, and also a prize draw between those who decide to vote – but remember, it is all about humor and friendliness, we are not looking for the perfect nor the ‘best girl in the class’ – this is for us all to find joy and a moment of happiness through our Love for knitting, yarn, crochet, fibre, making and creating … and everything between.
* To join in you have to be a newsletter subscriber, because this is all about us bonding together as a group.
Lesson Learned
Project #01 – by Lynn
I made a long coat in super chunky yarn and learned that what looks casual and stylish on a 5′ 10″ size 8 model makes a 5′ 2″ size 16 person look like bear! After a year hanging unworn at the back of the wardrobe, rather than waste the yarn I pulled it out, added a couple of skeins in a lighter colour and made this. I also have enough left to make a bag. The second lesson was just because you spend time effort and money on something doesn’t mean it will be perfect, if it isn’t, don’t be afraid to rip it up and start again.
Project #02 – by Lyn
My “Lesson Learned “ entry for “For the love of…” is this colourful jumper using 9 odd balls/part balls of Rowan felted tweed. Having all those ends, and so many ways to deal with them, I quickly learned that my favourite method was “spit and splice “ and that spit is definitely better than water!
Project #03 – by Nicole
My Lessons Learned today was warping up my brand new rigid heddle loom for the first time!
Project #04 – by Alena
This is the most complex colour work I’ve knitted, and I was very torn whether to do the yoke only or full jumper. But was loving it, so went for it. Once I got to knitting the sleeves, I realised that somehow, and I cannot explain how(!) one of the sleeves had 10 extra stitches. No idea what happened! I’m sure I double counted when I put them on hold as well. My best guess is that I was so focused on the colour work, I completely lost track on a plain “simple” round of increases. Was not going to unpick the whole body of colourwork though, so did some sneaky decreased and made it work… and am counting with full attention now! (Most of the time.)
Colour Me Happy
Project #01 – by Miranda
Klara genser by Wiola … it made me happy each time I picked it up to knit and wear as all my favourite colours.
Project #02 by Jo
Story behind the baby cardigan:
I made two very colourful tiered crochet dresses for Florence (my grand-baby) and was so pleased with them couldn’t wait the two weeks to see her so wrapped up in a parcel and my husband (Grandad) posted them off (from Cornwall to West Sussex). Unfortunately I did not check the address and trusted that Neil had got it right. I did quickly scribble sent with love from Mymble (Me) and Grandad from Cornwall and the postcode. Neil had got the house number wrong and written 48 not 43! So parcel was delivered and rejected by 48. By the time we realised and Alice (Baby’s Mum) had gone to the parcel office the parcel had already gone.
Based on the lack of information I had put for return the general feeling was the parcel was lost!
I tried to be a grown up and not be too upset or cross and ordered replacement yarn to remake the 2 little dresses. The following Saturday morning our door bell rang and there was the postman handing Neil our parcel back! Our own little miracle. The local post office worked out it was us as we are the only local people they were aware had come from Sussex. So the replacement yarn made a very colourful cardigan which was ready for little Florence’s visit.
Project #03 by Elizabeth
Here are some photos if my recently finished Funky Grandpa by La Maison Rililie. Yarns are Retrosaria-mondim and Schoppel Wolle Zauberball Crazy.
It was certainly a challenging knit (I do love a challenge) and I had to rip it back several times and learn new techniques along the way, but in the end I’m very happy with the result. I think it’s my neatest project to date….. And I’ve been knitting a long time ☺️ Although I learned a lot I think it’s more Colour Me Happy category.
Project #04 by Sybil
My current project is a mitred square blanket from a pattern I found on Ravelry (Going Graphic Blanket by Sophie McKane). I’m using Lettlopi yarn that I first discovered at Knit with Attitude a few years ago (though I think you no longer stock it). It’s great for blankets. I decided to go for the multi colour option and it’s making me happy though I am only on row 2 – by the end I will probably never want to knit a mitred square again!
Project #05 – by Julie
I wanted to submit a project (my current WIP) for the Colour Me Happy section. I am not a person who is confident with colour. If you opened my wardrobe, you would see lots of grey, navy, white and pale blue with the odd splash of green – no patterns other than breton stripes and certainly little colour. However, I find myself drawn to gorgeous knits that show a bit of colour and recently I have been branching out with “pops” of colour via socks and my new favourite Boneyard shawl knitted in navy, but with a lime green contrast).
Some years ago, on impulse, I bought four balls of Louisa Harding Pittura 4ply in the Klimt colourway from my LYS. Almost as soon as I got home, I had a “What were you thinking?!” feeling and I considered returning them, or making them available for trade but couldn’t quite bring myself to give them up. Something about the colours of the yarn appealed to me and made me happy. However, every time I looked at Ravelry projects using the yarn, I wasn’t happy with how it pooled and looked knitted up in the various projects. I swatched a few, queued a few, even cast on once but nothing was quite right. Finally, I settled on the Frothy Pullover from Coffeehouse Knits and it was perfect. The textured twisted stitch pattern stops the colours pooling and highlights the gorgeous yarn and I can’t wait to get it finished and to wear it as a “pop” of colour with jeans, or my favourite navy trousers.
Hopefully I’ll be more adventurous with colour from now on!
Project #06 by Jenna
My project goes in the category ‘colour me happy’.
The pattern is lodestar from pompom and the yarn I chose was carol fellers nua sport in ‘golden bales’. The yarn is just beautiful with the gorgeous texture from the linen and softness from the yak it’s really beautiful to knit with. And the colour made it such a joy to make. I have lots of lovely memories of making this jumper, in particular a weekend away for my birthday in Marlowe. It was so special when the sun shone bright and my aperol spritz matched perfectly with my pumpkin stitch marker and the gold colour of the yarn glowed. We were so lucky to have a room with a balcony and I could just sit in the sun and knit, people watching the garden below. Precious memories.
Project #07 by Diana
I’ve knitted most of my life since my Mum taught me as a child. However, I’ve never done much colour work so I decided the time had come to remedy this. I chose Linka Neumann’s pattern, Foyka and made these for my husband and myself. I used up the left over yarn and some of the Foyka motifs to make this jumper for my daughter’s little dog!
Project #08 by Diana
I was so delighted with my Norwegian sweaters that I decided to embark on some more Fair Isle knitting. I armed myself with a book of Shetland motifs and one of Scandinavian and set about designing a scarf and hat set for my son. The scarf has yet to be blocked and have its tassels attached and the hat is unfinished. I’ve also learnt to do tubular cast on for the hat which has made a huge difference to the edge.
I plan to do sets for my daughters and daughter-in-law, all for Christmas, but whether they’ll get finished or not ……!
Project #09 by Wendy
Usually not one for very bright, pink, neon in a garment with my red hair. Yes I know by now everything goes but that was not the case in my childhood.
For Colour Me Happy I can give you one of my favorite shirts. Knit last year in the colour rainblowjob, part of a little queerdo collection between Aiden from undercoverotter and Ross from the wee yarn company, my summer sorrel. I loved knitting it, the colours made me keep in knitting so happily and while the neckline is certainly (too) wide, I wear it often. The neckline thing is a little flaw in the pattern. Honestly, I even love the colourpooling that happened. And yes, I am too stubborn to alternate skeins.
Off to work now and pack for my London trip. It is high time for my first offline shop visit.
Project #10 by Mary
This top was made to use up leftover yarn (the background colour is actually 3 slightly different shades of speckled yarn). The pattern is Stripes! by Andrea Mowry, although I tweaked it to have thicker plain stripes and thinner garter stitch ones. I didn’t really have a plan for the contrast colours, and I enjoyed just picking them out as I went, based on how it was looking.
Project #11 by Sarah
Your email from earlier today has given me the push I have been needing to pick up the live stitches from the crochet cast on and graft the ends together. This is the Scattering Petals cowl. (It is so squishy!) The yarn was dyed by Cool Woolings as a tribute to the art of Jerry Lee Bosmans. (The colours really are that neon bright.)
Project #12 by Lucy
Pattern is the Shift by Andrea Mowry in 3 colours of RiverKnits Chimera: Airpets, Sonnet and Spice Garden. It’s sooo pretty! Lucky because I’m having to concentrate and have already stuffed it up a few times. Loving the colours. Hope to finish it before the winter.
Project #13 – by Nicole
My advent fibre spin from last year, which I think is going to become a Warp & Weft by Jessie Mae.
Project #14 by – Susie
This is a maximalist needlepoint cushion I designed, in pure wool with the addition of a beaded centre to some of the flowers. Just love combining unexpected colours…
Project #15 by – Carol
I’m making a dress for my littlest granddaughter. 30 more stripes to go and then the bodice bit!
Going on a cruise to Iceland next week and with 5 sea days plenty of time to knit! I had fun choosing the colours – 6 in total.
Fantastical Creatures
Project #01 – by Miranda
Here is a recently finished crochet make, my husband and I had fun taking photos in the park. Crochet is fun as it makes interesting 3-d shapes and is enjoyable as a change from knitting.
This is Philippe the gargoyle … (a mixture of Toft designs) and I thought he would fit into this category.
Project #02 – by Sally
Who doesn’t need a plumptious chook to cuddle? Though I think my emotional support chicken maybe covers all 3 categories! Lesson Learned: Totally learnt the delights of short row wrap and turns. Colour Me Happy: Miss Hennypenny makes me smile every time I see her
Added bonus….she was created from stash!
Project #03 – by Sybil
I used to work for designer, and when she had twins, the staff all had to make 2 animals each for each letter of the alphabet, and we got given 2 letters each, mine being M & N. Most staff sewed theirs but I chose to knit. M was easy, mouse and monkey.
N was quite a tricky one and I ended up knitting a narwhal and a nautilus!
Project #04 – by Mary
Here’s a friend for Philippe the Gargoyle, who was in your newsletter. Same pattern, from TOFT, but with tweaks to turn him into a Lincoln Imp (my grandparents were from Lincolnshire). A friend was so smitten that I had to make a second one for her.
Project #05 – by Nicole
Obviously for Fantastical Creatures I had to submit Morvoren!
Project #06 – by Sarah
A sheep with a cross body bag looking out for new adventures in her strappy dress and cardigan – a fairly loose interpretation I know, but I just wanted to join in…😀
JUST WOW!!! How many amazing projects you guys came up with, I am in awe!!! Now off to vote, let’s find out who’s our favourites! You’ll find the ‘ballot’ here. you can submit your vote up until midnight UK time Friday July 5th. We’ll do the count and announce winners in the newsletter Sunday July 7th. Happy Voting!
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