Jumpers!!!

This past month or so has been fairly manic-it's getting up to Christmas and both me and my mum have been busy knitting presents for the festive season. It's been great fun but tiring. My mum has been making my nephew(her grandson) a blue and yellow striped jumper-in total the wool, pattern and needles cost about £60.00-don't worry. This jumper is a designer make-the wool is really expensive and buying needles don't help with the cost. Anyone can make a jumper for a fraction of a price and I have been hunting-trying to find the best bargains. The other week I went to a market where they were selling wool and patterns and providing you have the needles -the small toddler jumper only costs £6.00-BARGAIN!! The easiest thing to do however is to buy patterns and look at the type of wool being used-after that you can look at the thickness and tension of the wool and then change it for a cheaper wool that will knit up the same. it's easy to do and only takes an hour or so-many wool shops would do it for you, for free or a small cost. So get knitting jumpers without breaking the bank.

Easy things to do with spare odds and eends of wool!

If you have any spare bits of wool left over from a project or simply someone handed them to you, it can be easy to leave then lying in a draw for years on ends but it doesn't have to be like that. Recently I have started a new project. I have been knitting 10cm by 10cm squares and eventually I will be able to sew them all together and make a blanket or a throw. I also knitted a couple of coasters with bits of wool I had left after making a pair of hand warmers. They can make good litte gifts of help add colour to a 'boring' looking room. I have also found a pattern for making very, very small hats-they would not get on any ones head. I think they are meant to be egg warmers but I have decided to make five in differernt contrasing colours and put a piece of string through them and use them as decorations. They could also be used as christmas tree decorations or small stocking gifts. All the above as so easy to make and ensure that you don't waste any wool. These simple tasks are easy to do(The coasters are the easiest and don;t take a long time) and great for beginners. So make sure your old balls of wool that don't really serve a purpose get turned into something fun. So get knitting.

Saltaire Yarns appeal for the homeless.

Saltaire Yarns opened in 2011 and is a great shop filled with wonderful wool, funky patterns and a warm welcoming service. You must all remember the winter we had last year-filled with snow and ice and temperatures in the minuses and this year could prove to be no different. Saltaire Yarns owner Elizabeth is appealing for knitted or shop bought hats, scarves and gloves for the homeless people. 'Nightstop' has been working with over 5,000 young people, providing them with beds for the night but still so many people sleep rough on the streets. A warm hat, scarf or set of gloves could prove to be a lifesaver for someone who finds themselves without a roof over their head.

This is one of the hats I have made-it's really easy to make and the doesn't cost a lot to make. If you have any old balls of wool then get knitting because it's for a great cause and your handiwork could really make a difference to one person this winter. All you have to do is knit one hat, scarf or set of gloves(you could do more if you feel like it) and send it into Saltaire Yarns-Google 'Saltaire Yarns' for the address.It really is important that we help the people who are less fortunate than us. So get knitting and send in. Take a look at the newspaper report below for some more information-http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/local/airelocal/9340985.Saltaire_firm_collecting_knitwear_to_help_homeless