Libertas Collection

Hello friends!
Wow! It's been a REALLY long time since I last posted anything to this blog! Apologies! I do get into Instagram a lot, almost everyday, so if you like to have regular contact and see exactly what I'm working on each day you can follow me there @shara_made . I really LOVE seeing what everyone else is up with their creative pursuits too, so let me know you Instagram name in the comments below so I can find you there too :-)
Hopefully these new patterns will make up for my lack of contact over the last few months :-)
The Libertas collection includes, a cardigan, fingerless mitts and a hat, and they've been so much fun to work on and develop. You might be familiar with some of my knitted scallop beanies and a few little cardigans I've knitted with the same scallop pattern?? Well, I really love it! It could be petals, or maybe shells, or waves, or just a pretty pattern :-) Lots of my lovely friends who are strictly crocheters love the scallop pattern as well and wondered if I might be able to make a crochet version... Well, I do love a challenge, so I got busy and soon enough I had a crochet scallop pattern that I was able to incorporate in to various garments and accessories :-) Besides the cardigan, fingerless mitts and hat, I am presently working on a blanket using the same pattern, as well as a scallop scarf, cowl, and skirt!
For this series I have had some extra wonderful test crocheters who have been extremely helpful too!
The cardigan is made from the top down, all in one piece (no seams to sew, woo hoo!) and has a v-neck & button closure, with 3/4 length sleeves (my favourite, and very practical for busy crafty folks).

The hat uses 3 different colours (but you could use as many or as few colours as you like) and only uses a small amount of each colour, so it's a perfect stash busting pattern (and remember, the more of your stash you use, the more NEW YARN you can justify) On a side note, I have been doing a MASSIVE stash bust this year and you can see the results on Instagram by searching the tag #operationstashbust2014. I still have a lot more stash to bust, but I'm making a big dent in it.... Yaaaay!
You can find this pattern on Ravelry, Etsy & Craftsy!

The fingerless mitts also use 3 colours, but just like the hat, you can use as few or as many colours as you like here, and once again, it's the perfect stash buster! These work up really quickly and you could easily have a pair finished in an evening. They make a great last minute gift for when you suddenly remember that you forgot you favourite workmates Birthday! Or there is an extra guest coming for Christmas dinner :-) You can find this pattern on Ravelry, Etsy & Craftsy!

For the hat and mitts pictured I have used Australian Superfine Merino by Cleckheaton and if you haven't already tried it, I urge you to get your hands on some! Oh my goodness! It is SO soft and squishy and delicious and it has a gorgeous drape, but is still very springy and has great stretch and recoil. And it seriously comes in the most amazing colours!!! It costs a little more than a regular 50g ball of wool, but it's actually a bit bigger (65g) and the yardage is about equivalent to 1.3 balls of yarn, so it works out quite economical :-) I'm looking forward to the Southern Hemisphere to roll around to I can make myself a delicious sweater or cardigan with this yarn (and it will definitely be some sort of colourwork  number, so I can use lots of the pretty colours!)

The cardigan pictured is made using a combination of Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury (the main colour, Slate), Bendigo Classic (hot pink, "Deep Rose"), Cleckheaton Coutnry Naturals (mustard/ochre) and Utiku Corridale (oatmeal/natural). You can find this pattern on Ravelry, Etsy & Craftsy!

And all three patterns are available together in an e-book on Ravelry, Etsy & Craftsy :-)

SEAGULL Self Striping Sock Yarn

Hello friends!

Well, here is ANOTHER skein of self striping sock yarn that I have dyed. The colours of this skein were inspired by the beautiful colours of the seagull. I know that seagulls can be annoying at times, like when you're trying to enjoy a picnic by the sea, for example, but have you ever really looked at one? They're quite beautiful! I really love their bright, vibrant orange beaks and legs and I REALLY love their magnificently smooth feathers and the way the grey graduates into the white. it almost looks as if they've been painted :-)

The sample photographed is a 60 stitch sock knit on 2.5mm needles, so you can get an idea of what it looks like when it's knit up into socks :-) 

The skein is 100g & 420m and is enough for a pair of socks :-) With 75% soft squishy wool for comfort and warmth and 25% nylon for durability :-)

You can find this yarn in my online store HERE along with a few other skeins :-)

What sorts of things inspire you in your crafty pursuits? Do you see colours in nature/the city/your garden that you love and try to recreate? Tell us in the comments! :-)

Colour Block Mittens

Hello friends!
It's been a productive week here at at SLD HQ :-) I've released another pattern for everyone to enjoy :-)

The Colour Block Mittens are fast and easy to make and only use a small amount of each yarn colour. Perfect for using up all those little bits of beautiful left over yarn from other projects :-) 
You can easily make a pair in a few evenings, so they are a perfect last minute gift :-) 
Knit in the round on double pointed means in one piece, so there are no seams to sew to finish the project :-)Yippee! 
Easily customisable too! 
These mittens will quickly become a favourite “go to” pattern.

And you don't even have to have matching colour blocks on each mitten, you could simply use all the little bits of left over yarns hanging around in your stash!

Materials: 
Set of 4mm double pointed needles 
50-55m DK/8 ply yarn in Colour A (Cuff & Thumb Tip) 
50-55m DK/8 ply yarn in Colour B (Palm & Thumb Gusset) 
50-55m DK/8 ply yarn in Colour C (Finger Section) 
3 stitch markers 
Tapestry Needle for Weaving in yarn ends

Size: Designed to fit an average women’s hand. The mitten is quite stretchy & will accommodate a variety of sizes. The length is easily customisable.

Tension/Gauge: 22 stitches & 30 rows = 10cm (4”)

The pattern is available via Ravelry, Etsy and Craftsy!

You can also find finished mittens in my store HERE :-)

xo Shara

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Swan Dive Scarf

Hello friends!

You may remember me writing about all the new patterns I had been working on over the last few months? Well here is the first of the new series!

The Swan Dive Scarf is stylish and easy to wear and fast and easy to make :-) 
Short rows and simple increases combine to make a deep v-shaped scarf. 
When worn “Highwayman” style (with the point at the front) it keeps your neck and chest lovely and warm from chilly winter winds. 
The Swan Dive Scarf is suitable for both men and women, making it the perfect go-to pattern when you need a last minute gift :-)

Materials: 
5mm 100-120cm circular knitting needles. 
240-250m 8 ply or DK yarn in Main Colour 
50-60m contrast yarn for Pom Poms (optional) 
Tools to make Pom Pom (optional) 
Tapestry needle to weave in yarn ends 
1 stitch marker

Tension/Gauge: 15 sts & 28 rows = 10cm (4”) Although tension is not essential to the outcome of this scarf it is important to use a slightly larger needle than you would normally need for your yarn to create a slightly loose fabric so that your scarf has a nice drape :-)

 The pompoms are optional, of course, but I think they might be my favourite part! :-) The yarn I used to make this sample is DK or 8 ply Cameo (wool/angora) from Bendigo Woollen Mills for the main grey colour. The pompoms are made using Bendigo Woollen Mills Classic that I hand dyed using Landscape Dyes in Sulphur Yellow :-) You can find this pattern on Ravelry, Etsy and Craftsy :-)

The Horse Dress

Hello friends!
I have been busy sewing today :-) I made a dress to wear to the races on the weekend :-) I hope the horses appreciate my ode to them :-)
I combined two of my patterns to make this dress. It was very easy and reasonably fast to make. I think I will be making a few more of this dress in other fabrics in the near future :-) I'm also thinking about perhaps adding some 3/4 length sleeves to the next one as well? What do you think? Might be too tricky....

Here is a close up of the horse fabric :-) It's a lovely cotton duck cloth, just the right weight for a dress :-)
Giddy up!
xo Shara

Textured Beads

Hello friends!
In my earlier post I told you I had been experimenting with texture in my bead making, and here are the results.
I know, the round yellow ones look like Froot Loops, don't they? :-)

I really love the look of the little grey ones, sort of like little rocks or geometric gems, I'm calling them "Geogems" :-)

This week I'll be experimenting with more colours, different shapes & different sizes. So stay tuned to see the results!
xo Shara