UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion

Missed seeing you around Karen! Hope the work is going well.

I had to look and see what Paracord fushion knots were, Karen!

Got a secondhand book today Mrs. Noah's Patchwork Quilt and it's gorgeous. I had a look online for Janet Bolton's work - some lovely images of her textile landscapes. Really quirky and folksy. Sadly her 'Textile Landscapes' book is out of print now, apart from one secondhand copy in the US which is about £38. Just hope they manage to do another edition. She seems a lovely lady, doing lots of teaching and inspiring.

Today's free craft books

Crochet
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Felting
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Crayon art
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Soap making
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Fleece
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Philip (sarah) wrote: "Missed seeing you around Karen! Hope the work is going well."

Thanks Sarah - it's good to have plenty of work again, it's been an anxious couple of years!

I've just finished a long medieval style dress and underskirt. Planning to start embroidering the hem tomorrow but I've not done any proper embroidery before and I want it to look good! Also debating whether to make the sleeves narrower or if it will just restrict my movement.

Sounds lovely Emma. There are a lot of easy embroidery stitches , stem,daisy,chain and satin stitch are all easy and fun to do.

That does sound lovely. I had a sort of medieval wedding dress, with those long pointy sleeves. Didn't do any embroidery on it tho, just lots of tiny covered buttons and loops up the back. Just wish i could still fit into it... !

I feel your pain Karen! Mine was a Laura Ashley lawn cotton with 'leg o mutton' sleeves that came down in points to my knuckles and lots of tiny pearl buttons up the back. Mid calf length. I still have it, thought I might remodel it into a christening gown if I am ever lucky enough to get a grand child.

Bought a Crochet Lite hook. Has anyone else used one? It has a light in the end of the hook for use with dark wool. I know I had trouble with the black wool I used when doing the snowflake pattern. Hope this will help me.

I've looked at your hook,Pat let us know how you get on with it. It looks a good idea.

Lynne (Tigger's Mum) wrote: "I've looked at your hook,Pat let us know how you get on with it. It looks a good idea."

I thought so Lynne. It is coming from the usa, so will be awhile before it gets here.

Yes it is dear for one hook Kaska, but if it helps then I don't mind paying a bit more. It is in the size I use the most.

Hope it works.

I'd also be interested to hear how you get on with that hook, Pat - I've never heard of one before.

We were working in Bristol again and passed the wool shop that I mentioned earlier. Again, we couldn't stop! Absolute torture! It looks very inviting and is called "Get Knitted" ;0)

Today's free craft books

Macrame
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Soap making
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Candle making
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Crochet
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Crocheted all day. Brakes for meals but now my eyesight has locked out of focus. What a pain it is getting old. Working on a blue & white blanket for a premature baby boy. He was allowed home yesterday, so I really want to get it finished. don't want to screw my sight though. *sigh*

I often get eye strain while working on x-stitch, to ease it I find looking away to the furthest point I can see (for me that's out the window) rests my eyes. (I think I got the tip from a sewing magazine).

I do hope you get the blanket finished soon Pat and wish the wee baby all the best. My son was born 5 weeks premature and is now a 6 foot fitness fanatic!

Hope all goes well, Pat. Good suggestions, Sarah. My eyesight goes blurred too if I crochet too long without a break.

Today's free craft book

Crochet (I like this one!)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Good luck with the blanket, Pat, and to the baby - and for your eyesight!

Hope you manage to finish the blanket soon, Pat. So frustrating when you've loads to do.

Today's free craft books

Making paper beads
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Quilting
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Goody. Just got the paper beads one. I've been keen to try these for a while, so no excuses now.

Today's free craft books

Quilting
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Crochet
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Karen wrote: "Goody. Just got the paper beads one. I've been keen to try these for a while, so no excuses now."

I fancied trying those as well - but whether I'll ever get around to it is another matter...!

random question but i figured its the place for it. does anyone know where i could get a chunky knit grey blanket for a bed?

If you want a home made one, have you tried looking on etsy?

im not having much luck with etsy! maybe im just using the wrong search criteria. i havent used it much in the past so i dont know if they dont have any or if its me

Today's free craft books (I've noticed several of these have been free before.)

Crochet
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Mini top hats
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Scrapbooking
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Elle wrote: "random question but i figured its the place for it. does anyone know where i could get a chunky knit grey blanket for a bed?"

Not sure what you had in mind, but there's a chunky knitted throw on ebay http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/121151...

Elle wrote: "random question but i figured its the place for it. does anyone know where i could get a chunky knit grey blanket for a bed?"

Try TKMaxx Elle! They had some last year in a cable knit effect.
Dunelm Mill also had them but they were more acrylic rather than real wool.

We tried Dunelm but couldnt find the right colour! i shall try TK Maxx!

Karen wrote: "Elle wrote: "random question but i figured its the place for it. does anyone know where i could get a chunky knit grey blanket for a bed?"

Not sure what you had in mind, but there's a chunky knitt..."

thanks! never thought to check ebay!!

Finished baby blanket this morning. Hooray!

Well done Pat! Hope your eyes have recovered!

Congratulations Pat! Hope you post a photo.

Well done Pat,hope your eyes are okay after all that close work .

Thanks Ladies, Yes my eyes are ok, they just go out of focus and take awhile to refocus. Response is slow
is all. Nothing to worry about I've been told. but a pain in the bum

http://www.goodreads.com/photo/group/...

Pat it's beautiful ,wish I could crochet ,can only do very basic stitches ,left a comment on photo thread

Wow, that's incredible!

I've finished my first ever toy!! I finally managed to crochet it after first making a side which had the head somewhere over the left elbow!! I'll post a picture when I get my camera sorted later :) My first ever finished crochet project :) It's encouraged me to get a bit craftier :)

Kay (Golden Girl) wrote: "Pat it's beautiful ,wish I could crochet ,can only do very basic stitches ,left a comment on photo thread"

Thanks Kay, It is a very easy pattern to do. I wish we lived closer and I could help you try it out. It's only trebles and chains for the flowers and trebles with 2 chains in the corners for the empty squares.

Thanks Emma

Claire wrote: "I've finished my first ever toy!! I finally managed to crochet it after first making a side which had the head somewhere over the left elbow!! I'll post a picture when I get my camera sorted later ..."

Look forward to seeing it, well done

Pat (Scorpio) wrote: "Claire wrote: "I've finished my first ever toy!! I finally managed to crochet it after first making a side which had the head somewhere over the left elbow!! I'll post a picture when I get my camer..."

Thank you :) I nearly gave up after the disaster with the second half but we got a text to say that the friend I was making it for had had a little girl which spurred me on to finish it :)

Pat (Scorpio) wrote: "Thanks Ladies, Yes my eyes are ok, they just go out of focus and take awhile to refocus. Response is slow
is all. Nothing to worry about I've been told. but a pain in the bum

http://www.goodreads...."


ive had bad focus all my life. my eyes sometimes go blurry and i need to focus on something really small to get them back into focus. i have to do this stupid exercise with a pen which is meant to strengthen my eyeballs and make my focus better but it just gives me a headache.

Pat (Scorpio) wrote: "Thanks Ladies, Yes my eyes are ok, they just go out of focus and take awhile to refocus. Response is slow
is all. Nothing to worry about I've been told. but a pain in the bum

http://www.goodreads...."

PS: the blanket is lovely!

That's so pretty Pat, its lovely.

I'm sorry to post these so late but I've only just been able to get online. I don't usually bother when it's this late, but there are quite a few today and some of them look good! Hopefully some of you will still be online, and maybe some of them will be free for more than one day...?

Crochet
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Diaper butterfly
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Paracord
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Jewelry making
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Soap making
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Leather working
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

I'm so excited, I had to share this! My artwork has been on Fine Art America for more than two years now and today I sold three prints!

Recently Sold - 3 Hours Ago

Shelagh Watkins sold a 8.63" x 12.00" print of Anne Boleyn Brass Rubbing to a buyer from Guymon, OK - United States

Shelagh Watkins sold a 8.63" x 12.00" print of Medieval Lady Brass Rubbingto a buyer from Guymon, OK - United States



Shelagh Watkins sold a 5.75" x 8.00" print of Medieval Knight Brass Rubbing to a buyer from Guymon, OK - United States

My mum posted the dress I left in Devon yesterday so I should be able to embroider the hem as planned this weekend. Hopefully it will look good. Also need to take up the underskirt half an inch to an inch to avoid tripping. I'm so excited! Has anyone got any tips for embroidering hems? I've got a large round embroidery hoop and a small (6 inch) oval one and embroidery needles. The dress is in navy blue cotton and is floor length with a train. It's from a historical style pattern and looks vaguely medevil (long sleeves and high neck). I'm also thinking of slimming down the sleeves to make them fit better and embroidering some at the ends of the sleeves and across the neckline but it will be a big, long term project I think.

Sorry Emma - I'm useless at embroidery, I think I'm doing it well and then look from a distance and its not, My sister is very good at embroidery and utter rubbish at knitting, I'm the opposite.

Would it be a good idea to tack an extra length of material of the same weight as the dress round the hem, so that you're not trying to hold just an edge in the embroidery hoop? Does that even make sense? (back to knitting, Lexie, stick with what you know)

Sorry can't help with the embroidery. All I can remember is with hoops to be careful not to leave marks where the hoop has been. Or use a padded one.

The crochet Lite hook has arrived (came from Surrey!). At first try it is not wonderful. About quarter inch deep and half inch wide it is larger than a normal hook. made from Acrylonitrite Butadiene Styrene Co Polymer (plastic to me) with an LED for a bulb. The wool does not slide off the hook but squeaks off like it is too tight. I got a 4mm hook but think it could work half a size larger than that. Slows down work and although it lights up the stitch, as soon as you go to put the hook into the stitch you can't see the hole.
All in all, dissapointing. I will try and see if it improves with use, but I don't hold out much hope. Pity that, but I had to try.