SAL “Girl with Lion” #4

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I’m having a hard time getting back to cross stitch.  Not that I don’t enjoy stitching anymore, but I seem to have become more of a knitter recently. Anyway, thank goodness the SAL reminders from Avis keep coming, and giving me a nudge to put a few stitches in.

last time

this time

For those of you waiting impatiently for the lion . . . you’ll have to wait a bit longer I’m afraid. The plan is to finish stitching the young lady before moving on to the lion.

If you have have a few minutes to spare, why don’t you join me in a blog-hop . . . links below to other SAL members.

Avis, Claire, Kathy, Margaret,  

Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, Cathie, 

Linda, MaryMargaret, Cindy, Helen

Maisie sweater progress and more greenery

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I treated myself to a little something the other day.

mini bamboo

If I tell you it’s fake . . . did it fool you? I think it looks ever so realistic and it adds a little splash of green to the living room without me having to worry about watering plants.  It’s even got one leaf that’s yellowing slightly on the tip, which I think is a lovely touch of realism.

More colour to share with you today, as the “Maisie” pattern, I’m knitting for Miss Viking, grows.

pattern and choice of yarns

Above is the photo I shared with you previously. I did knit this pattern last year, in the smallest size, for Little Miss Tattoo (the Tattoo family live in France, only a few miles down the road), and I used practically the same colours as the pattern.  Which resulted in this, for those of you who don’t remember.

That was the smallest size, on a very slender 2 year old (hence the sleeves being way too long). Now that Miss Tattoo is almost 3, the sweater is a much better fit.  Anyway, Miss Viking, who’s 7 years old,(the Vikings live in England) asked for “rainbow” colours and for her sweater to be “oversized”. Hence the colour changing yarn I’ve chosen to use for the stripes, and the fact I’m following pattern instructions for a size 10 years.

front & back

first sleeve

This is how things look for now. I’m not attempting to colour match the stripes on different body parts. The yarn changes colour more slowly on the sleeves (being narrower than the body) and I like the randomness. Colours look a lot prettier in real life, and I think it’ll look much nicer once it’s sewn together and finished.

 

the first finish of 2026

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first happy dance

Only a few days into the new year, and I already have a happy dance! One of the advantages of being a grandma lol. It’s a cardigan for Little Miss Tattoo who isn’t 3 years old yet, but is growing like a weed.  I knit following stitch count for the smallest size of a basic King Cole pattern: KC3018, so that’s for a 24″ chest.

but . . .

I wanted to jazz it up a little, so used the cable pattern on the sleeves, from a free pattern by WYS “Lil Rascal”.

cable strip on sleeves only

I knitted the smallest size of the KC pattern, so I’m guessing it’s a 4-5 years size. I used approx 300g of yarn.

The next project is already on my needles . . . I’ll be knitting for Miss Viking next. Plan being to remake the “Maisie” sweater, by Rico Design (a free download) but probably altering the neckline slightly.

choice of yarns

Miss Viking (who is 7 years old) has asked me to knit the largest size, which is 10 years. Her wish is my command.

 

the last finish of 2025

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First of all, New Year wishes to everyone.

I had a quiet time over the festive season (by choice). Haven’t made myself a list of projects “to do” or any new year’s resolutions either . . . I’ll just take things as they come.

Knitting needles were flying in the run up to the end of 2025. And the sweater begun in October

Drops Design – Deep Sea Diamond

was finished. Sadly I can’t seem to get a decent photo of the true yarn colour. It’s somewhere between the two shades.

awaiting collar

I had no problem attaching the sleeves, which I’d chosen to knit flat but had to wait for a parcel to arrive before I could tackle the collar. I realised I didn’t have circular needle in the correct size/length, so I treated myself to a couple of cheap sets.

collar in progress

I don’t enjoy knitting on circular needles, but sometimes, it’s the best option.  For example, when knitting a collar, to give a completely seamless finish.

ta da!

And there’s me, wearing the new sweater on Christmas day. It’s very snuggly and warm.  Knit using  less than 500g of Alison & Mae acrylic yarn.  So less than 5€ of yarn and the pattern was free.

scarlet macaw (ara macao)- 1000 piece

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gift from my sister

I received a surprise parcel in the post the other week. From my sister. She said I didn’t have to wait until xmas to open it.

Inside, a 1000 piece puzzle of a scarlet macaw and (a first for me) I noticed the back of puzzle was printed with letters from A-F. I deduced this was to make it possible to puzzle in segments, so I thought I’d give it a try that way.

1/6 done

That was the first section . . . and I noticed a piece missing on the border, top left, but wasn’t terribly concerned. I figured I hadn’t sorted pieces correctly, and that I would find it sorted in a different pile.

2/6 or 1/3 done

4/6 or 2/3 done

By the time I’d got this far, I was getting more concerned about that missing piece. The puzzle is looking gorgeous. Colours are vibrant, and pieces are slotting nicely together. I did a bit of detective work, checking out feedback for this particular puzzle (and company) on @m@zon . . . disappointed to read some negative feedback and learn that other people had received puzzles with several pieces missing.

finished

And sadly, that missing piece never showed up. I checked everywhere. On hands & knees under the table with a little torch. Such a shame because the picture is lovely.  After a photo crop and I suppose I can consider myself lucky that the missing piece was on the border, not smack, bang in the middle.

 

puzzling – “Lola” – Misstigri

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I’ve been enjoying some more puzzling.  This one, a 500 piece.

I bought it secondhand because I fell in love with the artwork of French artist, Misstigri.  She has an etsy shop where she sells prints of her artwork: MisstigriBoutique. She has also done the illustrations for several children’s books (much more demure characters). And several of her designs are available in puzzle form.

“Lola” by Misstigri

I have several other puzzles with her artwork – the others are 1000 piece I think.  However, I have a growing collection of puzzles now, thanks to family who have been buying me a few.  I’m spoiled for choice as to which puzzle to do next.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a bit of colour and some knitting

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It’s dark & dismal outside. I decided I needed some colour to liven up the living room . . . and I’m not in the mood to put up xmas decorations this year. Instead, I had a browse on @m@zon, and bought myself some artificial flowers.

And I’m very glad I did. They look much prettier in real life.

and add a little bit of colour to the mantelpiece.

I’ve been knitting quite a lot recently, in the evenings.  Working on a sweater I began back in October.

back in October

That was the photo I posted then. Colours are pretty true to life. It’s a free Drops pattern (available on the Garn Studio site). I’m not using a Drops yarn, but substituting with an Alison & Mae acrylic.

progress

This is my progress. All four body parts are knit. I chose to knit my sleeves flat (pattern says to knit them in the round). I don’t think it will pose a problem when it comes to assembling.

my puzzle helper

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I’ve brought my “puzzle table” into the living room, from the veranda, because it’s too cold to want to be doing puzzles in the veranda at this time of year. And, as expected, Ducky has been jumping up on the table, to “help”.   I have an old puzzle box I use as my sorting tray . . . and Ducky just has to fit inside. What is it with cats and boxes????

 

Mei chasing after Chibi Totoro and Chu Totoro

This is the latest finish. Only a small one (300 pieces). Originally bought, while in Tokyo in 2000, for daughter’s 6th birthday. Picture is a shot from one of our family’s all-time favourite animation film: “Tonari no Totoro” (My neighbour Totoro – Hayao Miyasaki).

 

SAL “girl with a lion” #3

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I’m joining fellow SAL members

Avis, Claire, Kathy, Margaret,

Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, Cathie,

Linda, MaryMargaret, Cindy, Helen

with an update on my current SAL project.

last time

this time

Not a huge amount of progress, but I was having problems with my aida. It was a piece scavenged from a “made in China” kit, and was ever so stiff.  It was proving very difficult to work on because it was giving me wrist ache. I finally got around to washing it, in warm, soapy water and the stiffness must have been starch, because the aida has softened up, making it easier to work on.