Gracious Knits- Back to the Future

Over the past year I've collected quite a lot of 80s knitting patterns, to the point where I've banned myself from buying any more, as I only have one lifetime and I'd like to do more with it than knit.
Having said that, this book appeared for me under the Christmas tree last year:

Aaaamazing!

 

 

After soaking up every page of 80s goodness I settled on an interesting pattern that uses up oddments (I have sacks of oddments) for a friend's birthday present.

 

 

 If you want to know how it feels to have Joseph's Coat of Many Colours going round in your head for 3 months, the answer is- not great.

 

 

 

The whole time I was making it I couldn't decide if it was just too insane looking, but I think the colours make it work.

 

 

I hadn't done anything like fair isle style knitting before, and I think I did pretty well with the zigzags, I twisted the yarns in so there's no tugging. 

 

 

Anyway, I enjoyed looking at it so I thought you might too.

 



 

Bumbling Craft- Mother's Day DIY

 

 

Microwaveable Scented Neck Cushion

 

Materials:

 

A fat quarter of printed 100% cotton fabric

 

Around 500 grams of oats

 

One pair of large (size 7+) clean socks, with no holes.

 

One small bottle of oil scent such as lavender or lemongrass.

 

Sewing kit.

 

Method:

 

Take a container like a plastic tub or shoe box and empty oats into it.

 

Sprinkle oats sparingly with some of the scented oil.

 

Using hands or a scoop and funnel, stuff socks with roughly equal amount of oats. (Make sure to hold over box to avoid spills.)

 

Tuck the top of one sock into the other and make sure both feet are pointing downwards, sew flat across this join.

 

Push desired amount of oats into ankle sections of socks, which will cover the back of the neck, and sew diagonally across heel to front of foot on both socks so that oats do not drift from this section.

 

Distribute rest of oats evenly inside feet and sew across at several points to ensure there are oats in all sections.

 

Lay the fabric out wrong-side up and place socks along one edge, it should be an ideal size to fit along edge with a couple of cms either side.

 

Using a ruler and a pencil mark 3 or 4 cm on the inside edge of the end of the feet and beginning of the feet.

 

Using these marks and the ruler you should be able to draw a rectangle with the centre of the fat quarter marking one edge.

 

Fold fabric down this centre line and cut along lines. This should leave you with a large rectangle of fabric with a smaller rectangle cut from the centre.

 

Take the large piece of fabric folded wrong-side out and sew up short edges.

 

Turn right side out and place the sock cushion inside. Sew up long edge using hidden stitch.

 

The result should be something like this:

 

 

 

When microwaving this cushion make sure to heat in short bursts of around 30 seconds for a couple of minutes and keep an eye on it at all times just in case.

 

If giving as a gift include the oil bottle so they can top up the scent when it fades.