Special Starfish

I am pretty good at watching on Ravelry if someone has used one of my patterns and linked their project. On Etsy I sometimes forget, as comments and photos come at the bottom of the shop page. But every so often I do a catchup, and was delighted to see this beautiful make from my Starfish pattern.

Pat is from Canada, and has made it for her granddaughter, on Vancouver Island, who is having her bedroom decorated with a sea theme. I just love the wool she has used, the mixture of colours. The choice to line of the french knots is lovely, and these are made with yarn spun with merino wool and Samoyed dog hair. Just exquisite - I think her granddaughter is going to be very happy.

 

North Ronaldsay Wool

Did you know that North Ronaldsay sheep have a diet that is primarily seaweed? I learned that a few weeks ago, and so thought that a background of seaweed would be a nice way to photograph Blacker Yarns new North Ronaldsay wool. This is a lovely 100% pure wool. I am planning to buy some myself, for a new jumper for my husband, who is keen to have a Norweigan fisherman's jersey. I had better get a move on, as I can see orders flying in.

No trip to the Orkney Islands, but we set off to our nearest beach in Bude. I was down in the rockpools looking for a good seaweedy spot, when my husband pointed out that the frothy brown liquid that was all around us would not be a good look for the photos. Quite appalled that a beach in a town that relies on tourism and was teaming with people, it was half-term, could be in this state. Later that week I watched a tv programme Joe Lycett vs Sewage, and it seems this is problem everywhere.

So we hastily left, and decided to go to Duckpool Beach a little further north. We got to the turning, and there was a Flood Sign, "but that could have been there for ages", I said. A bit further down the lane we realised the road really was flooded, so we reversed back up the country lane.

Third attempt we went to Sandymouth Bay, and finally success. Beautiful clean beach, not many people, with lots of lovely seaweed on the rocks. Although a bit overexposed, I love this photo of the beach, as it gives the feel of the wind and the sun, and the space between the people.

 

Cockle Shell Pattern

I have been busy making cockle shells from my new patttern. My idea is that these will be hanging decorations, perhaps for Christmas, as shells can be a religious symbol. So expect a few more photos when I have attached ribbons. Although I also think it would be cute to make a seaside mobile, with some knitted shells and some of my other sea creatures. I may have a go at this.

A cockle shell is fairly easy to make, and another good pattern to use up any oddments of wool you have left over from other projects. I tried to be fairly realistic with the colours (except for the red which I thought would be Christmassy), but you could go wild and make all sorts. I had an idea that they might look cute with some silver bells, like the nursery rhyme "Mary Mary". 

The only technique that might be a bit unusal is making some turns midrow to make the base of the shell thicker. (I have not put in the wrap stitches which I often do, as this didn't seem necessary.) My other tip is not to over fill the shells with wadding, and to a bit of squeezing to adjust the filling, so that the shells are flatter at the edges.) I enjoyed making this striped shell above, which was just done by switching colours occasionally.

The pattern is available on ravelry, Etsy and Loveknitting.

 

Still plenty of time to to join in Ginx Woolly Linx Party for September.

Sneak Peek Seahorse

Working on a new pattern, and having my same old problem of trying to get the photos right. The seahorse just looked a bit sad lying flat on the table, so here he is under the sea - much more suitable. Done by changing my screensaver, and a nearly invisible thread. Just got to make a lot more now before I am ready to publish.

 

Just a reminder that there is still loads of time join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for March. I would love to see what you have been working on.

Sea Urchin

I only occasionally knit to order, but someone contacted me through Etsy to ask if my sea urchin pattern would knit up smaller. They wanted a sea urchin that would be 3 inches across to go on a mobile. I was not sure, the only way to find out seemed to be to try to make one. So this is my sea urchin knitted on smaller needles, with a rather strange, but I thought sea urchiny wool that I found in my stash. 

The size turned out exactly right, and I also found one tiny typo in my pattern. How does that happen? I test knit again and again, but I think sometimes the eye just sees what it wants. But anyway, I was also pleased that I could put that right as well. And the sea urchin is already with its new owner in the States.
 

Rainbow Spiral Shells

I have been working on a special commission, which for me has been made a bit of a change, and as don't often knit to order. Some of my spiral shells, but in very specific colours. 

These colours were asked for in order to represent various stages in recovery. At first I had thought to knit the shells in pure bands of colour, but so that they still had a natural look, I decided to use the shell shade wool (Sirdar Crofters) together with each of the nine colours that had been asked for. This has made it an extremely firm knit, and I actually for the first time in my life have a knitting blister. But I was delighted with the way they have turned out, still looking very much as if they could be found on a beach.

It is really nice for me return to my own Spiral Shell pattern. But it was also fun to knit the shells in a slightly different way. Four shells delivered, but this is just the first batch, so back to the needles.

This is a really fun quick knit. The pattern is available in my Etsy and ravelry shops, and although I currently don't have any shells in my shop you can Etsy message me if you would like to order some.

Mermaid's Purse

I've been thinking about this knitting project for a while now, but needed to find the real thing so I had something to work from. And so I was delighted that I stumbled across a mermaid's purse on the beach on holiday. I photographed it, and had a really good look at its shape. 

In case you didn't know, a mermaid's purse is the egg case that surrounds the fertilized eggs of some sharks, skates, and chimaeras. And although it is not strange to find one washed up on the shore, they are also not that common, at least on the beaches where I wander. I do think there is something rather delightful (and a bit magical) about finding a mermaid's purse. 

If you want to read a bit more about them there is a really good site here with advice on identification. And you can take part in a UK survey if you find one yourself, at The Shark's Trust MERMAID'S PURSE. I am going to send them my photo, though I think mine was a Spotted Ray case. I had not realized that there were so many types of mermaid purse until I found this site, so am now wondering if I should come out with a range of knitting patterns for different types. I am sort of joking, as I suspect there may not be a huge demand for this pattern, but sometimes you just have to do something because the spirit moves you.

This is not a long pattern, and contains some icord knitting to make the horns, and short rows to get the curved shape. To get its distinctive slightly deflated shape it is also important not to overstuff it.  

I have set up a Mermaid Purse Promotion. One might look rather nice with some of my other sea creatures.  I have a selection on a shelf in my bathroon, and they make a really nice display. So if you buy this pattern on ravelry in combination with any of my other beach patterns (Spiral Shell, Starfish, Sand Dollar, Scallop Shell, Sea Urchin or Little Minnow) you get a discount of £1. Remember to buy them in one transaction, otherwise this won't work, and email me if you have any problems.

And finally, although I have really tried to be realistic with my mermaid's purse,  my daughter suggested that if I added an eye I would have made Sheldon J. Plankton from SpongeBob Squarepants, which was not my intention at all, but I do see what she means.

Seaside

Sea Holly

These are just a few nature pictures from a coastal walk in North Devon.

Braunton Burrows - a large area of sand dunes with a really rich variety of plants and animals.

Oh dear - I shouldn't have started labelling my photos, as I have no idea what this is, but it was very pretty.

The Common Blue Butterfly - so pretty he should have a better name I think.

Upturned boats at Appledore

Suffolk

A few more photographs from our trip to Suffolk at Easter. The beach huts at Southwold are very cheerful. These sometimes sell for over £100,000, and although lovely I think I would prefer to sit on the beach. Well at least that is what I'm saying.

The view south from Southwold Pier. It was such a lovely fresh day. Can you see Sizewell Nuclear Power Station in the background?

And finally some shots from Minsmere RSPB nature reserve. These are Avocets. This wader with its distinctive upturned beak, have come back from the brink of extinction in Britain. And so quite rightly they are also the emblem of the RSPB.
 

Sea Urchins

I have added a new pattern to my sea creature collection: a Sea Urchin Shell. Do you like my real sea urchins? They were my Christmas present from my husband. I know that is a bit odd, but I really like them. They sit on a shelf in the room where I make things with a few other seaside bits and bobs. I thought they would look good with the knitted ones in my photographs. 

Sea urchins are really fascinating creatures. It took me quite a while to find exactly the right wool. These are knitted with James Brett DK Marble Colour 5, which seemed to have exactly the right mix of grey and pink to give a natural look. This is the same wool that I used for my Our House project.

The knitting is done on two needles, and is not difficult. The dots are then embroidered on down the ridges afterwards. I refer you to my photo tutorial for some help with these french knots. I have tried to be very careful with the number of ridges, and there are five main ones with large bumps, each with two smaller ones inbetween. 

Spiral Shell

I've been spiral shell knitting again. I couldn't get the colour wool that I normally use, but thought I would try this slightly darker shade 0053. It is still Sirdar Crofter DK, and I really like the result. 

I like to return to my own patterns from time to time. It is quite nice to just follow a pattern, rather than inventing, and sometimes gives me some fresh ideas. Although the thought "Did I really make this up?" also seems to pass through my head. Strange.

I also wanted to show you my Christmas presents which are in the background. Hubby bought me these lovely sea urchins to use as props. He bought them online from a company called Buy the Sea. I would really recommend them, as they were very reasonable, and although one urchin arrived broken they sent a replacement free of charge, and very quickly.

The pattern to knit a spiral shell is available on ravelry. I am working really hard at the moment on some new seaside patterns.

Seaside Christmas

No, I'm not at the seaside. Given the recent weather in Britain, I am perhaps quite pleased not to be at our windblown coast. I just thought I would post a few pictures of my own Christmas tree, with some of my knitted sea creatures that I have made into decorations.

It might seem a bit strange to have sea creatures on your tree. When I created most of these patterns I did not intend them as Christmas ornaments. (The exception is the sand dollar, which was a special request for Christmas.) But the scallop shell, sand dollar, star and fish do all have symbolic a link to Christianity, so perhaps it does seem apt to find them on a tree at this time of year.

There are links to my patterns for all these creatures on ravelry in my left sidebar.

Little Seaside Bags

Firstly thank you for all the kind comments on my spiral shell pattern. 

 And now another mysterious set of little bags.

Inside them are some sets of my beach creatures. They could be used as an educational toy, but are also very decorative. A little reminder of happy days at the seaside.

The bags are hand dyed. (You may remember my recent tie dying project which I was being a bit secretive about.) They are a heavy duty natural cotton, with a silk pull cord. Each one contains an individual set of hand-knitted and embroidered beach creatures: a spiral shell, scallop shell and starfish.

The sets are for sale in my Etsy shop. (Apologies that I keep plugging my shop, but I am really trying to make a go of it.) As I have made quite a mixture of colours, you can request a specific set, or just leave it to chance. I will try to accommodate any colour requests.

Set A

Set B

Set C

Also I just thought I would mention that I have set up a Ginx Craft Facebook page, so if you are a Facebook user you can follow me there. You just have to like the page. It is at https://www.facebook.com/GinxCraft  and there is an icon to link there in my sidebar on the right. I am still getting to grips with the technology, but I will link all my blog posts there. At the moment I have just put on some of my favourite photos, as it was looking a bit empty.