Le Béret de l'écolière | Free Pattern + Yarn Giveaway {Knitting}

It took a bit longer to actually blog about this. Baby MiH is teething (I cannot remember when he was not teething to be honest - any tips?) and apparently 3am is party time at ours now.

So hopefully we (you and me) can make sense of the notes I made when knitting Cee's beret. It is not guaranteed, but I will try my best. if you spot any mistakes - please share! 

The diametre of the beret is 26.5 cm 

 

Pattern: see below

Yarn: Tanis Fibre Arts Silk Mulberry in Silver Label Mulberry Silk (Boysenberry) (one skein) - the yarn is held double.

Needles: 4 mm circular and change to DPNs when needed
Size: Adult

CO: 110 stitches in the round (to join in the round, see my tutorial here) - remember the yarn is held double.
Beware not to twist the stitches

Brim: Work in twisted rib for 5 cm (ktbl, p)

Increase - set up rows

R1:* k2, m1* to end of row
R2: knit
R3: *k3, m1* to end of row

Then knit for another 10 cm

Decrease

R1: *k3, k2tog* to end of row
R2-R14: knit
R15: *k2, k2tog* to end of row
R.15-R.28: knit
R29: *k1. k2tog* to end of row
R30-R36: knit
R37: k2tog
R38-44: knit
R.39: k2tog
R.40: k2tog
R.41: k2tog

Finally add an i-cord on a few rows (depending how long your loop wants to be)

And finally for the giveaway and a chance to make your own beret, oh yeah! You have the pattern and you could have the yarn to knit your own! How lucky are you? You could also knit Knitted Bliss pattern written especially for this skein!

You have 3 chances to enter the giveaway:

1. This giveaway is open to my followers only - old and new. 

Let me know how you follow my blog in the comment box.

2.Follow me on twitter, and tweet about the giveaway - and mention @noaslibellule
3. follow me on Instagram (natmadeinhome) and post the above picture

and come back to leave me a third comment

The giveaway ends Friday 28 March at 5pm (UK time). Please, please, please leave me a way to contact you if you are a no-reply blogger Good luck!

How to Sunday - The lazy way to change your serger thread colour {Dressmaking}

So once I decided to make all the seams of the Breton butterfly top red, it also meant changing the colour thread of my serger - boohoo. Well, I am a bit of a novice when it comes to my serger and when I look at the diagrams it is all hieroglyphs as far as I am concerned. I could have really done it in white (so easy, all threaded) - but it was too late, I had it in my head that it would be in red.

Just to let you know, I was taught this quick way to do it - but I had never done it by myself, on my own - I had a vague memory how the different steps...

1. Snip the thread above the machine on all four spools - go on, don't worry it will be fine.
2. Replace your old thread with the new cones, and bring the new colour through the thread guide.

3. Tie the old color to the new color.  

4. Pull the thread through gently - gently is the operative word here. I pulled my looper threads separately from the needle threads, but I don't think it matters - it is just easier.

5. For the left & right needle threads, don't pull the knots through the needle eyes (I couldn't). Snip the threads and re-thread both needles with the new colour.
6. Off you go - funky seams all the way!

Personalised Cards {Tutorial}

Here is a simple way to make your own cross-stitched cards. I am making some for the other bees in the Japanese X and + quilting bee, as it was hard to find cards with a 'Queen Bee' inscription.  

Added later

You will need:1. masking tape; 2. plain cards, 3. your own template; 4. embroidery floss and needle 

Fix the template to the card with masking tape - centred or not

I use a small pin to make the holes to avoid the card warping

I am making them bigger with a bigger needle

start cross stitching

Half-way there

Secure with some tape

Et voila! 

Easy peasy right! You can change everything: the template, the colour, the font!