Facebook Giveaway!

Just a quick blog to let you all know (that's if you haven't seen already!) that I'm having a special giveaway over on the Random Button facebook page!

You can be the new owner of this trio of goodies by simply liking the facebook page and sharing the giveaway post that is pinned to the top of the page, once you've done that leave a comment to let me know you've done it! Simple!

Each comment will be given a number - 1st comment number 1, 2nd number 2 and so on - when the giveaway closes on Thursday 14th March at 7.00pm the numbers will go into a random number generator and hay presto the winner will be picked!

Up for grabs in this giveaway is a pretty knitted cushion with button stitched fluttery lace hearts, a mini knitted hanging heart and 2m of lovely rose and polkadot pattern bunting!

Good Luck!

(Giveaway is in no way endorsed by Facebook and is only open to UK addresses)
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A simple knitted blanket pattern...

So you might have seen on the facebook page I posted last October I was starting a special piece for myself - something to pick up when I had a spare few minutes and knit - nothing too taxing but something that I could keep as a bit of an heirloom piece. It was pretty chilly at the time (nothing compared to now though! brrrr) so a blanket was the first thing that came to mind! I looked for a pattern but all I could find were really complicated ones - even though they looked really nice they weren't a pattern you could follow easily in front of the tv! In the end I made it up as I went along!

I uploaded the finished article to facebook the other day and found that many people thought the same thing about wanting a non complicated blanket pattern! So for anyone else that has thought they want to have a go at making a simple blanket or throw here is the pattern I worked to to make a large stocking stitch with garter stitch border blanket... (I don't think Debbie Bliss has anything to worry about when it comes to knitting pattern writing though!)

I used 8 x Stylecraft Special Chunky and 7.5mm circular needles.
Tension 12sts x 4in

Blanket size - approx 157cm x 147cm (when laid flat)

Cast on 170 stitches.
Knit in garter stitch (Knit every row) for 18 rows or until work measures 8cm/3in.
On next row (with the wrong side facing you) Knit 10 stitches, Purl 150 stitches, Knit 10 stitches.
 *You might want to place a stitch marker before/after the 10 Knit stitches to make it easier to see where to change the stitch. (I just use a knotted loop of contrasting yarn)*
Next row Knit all stitches.
Carry these two rows on until work measures approx 140cm/55in or until the blanket is the length you'd like it.
Now repeat the 18 rows of garter stitch that the pattern started off with.
Cast off.
Sew ends in.
Snuggle with a cup of tea.

If you wanted to spice it up a little you could do the borders in moss stitch (Knit 1, Purl 1) or you could change yarn colour and do stripes!

Enjoy!

If you try it let me know how you get on!

x

Just a little bit of bunting making...

 It's been a few weeks since I last blogged so I thought I'd get back into the swing of it by sharing with you all what I've been creating over the last few weeks! Back in January I received a lovely email from a customer asking about ordering some bespoke bunting ... 60 metres of it! The customer wanted purples and lilacs in a shabby chic /vintage /pretty theme - I got together a collection of fabric choices and she selected her favourites!

So then the marking out of triangles ... cutting out of triangles ... sewing triangles ... ironing triangles ... connecting triangles began!! I lost count of the amount of flags this bunting used up and as each flag is double sided I couldn't even begin to imagine how many tiangles I made! I did really enjoy making it though! Especially knowing that it's going to be a part of their special day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I'm sure this is going to look great in their venue! It makes the day even more special when the bride to be knows she has a unique decoration that no-one else has and that she's selected the fabrics for herself!

x

Christmas Swapping!

So this Christmas to make it a bit more interesting I took part in two Christmas gift swapping events!

If you've never heard of them before where have you been! It is what it says on the tin really ... the idea is you put together a collection of gifts then simply send it off to your swapper and someone will do the same for you!

This is the first year I've taken part and I would recommend you sign up to a swap next Christmas! I opened both of my presents on Christmas day!

The first one I entered was Fabric Godmothers Christmas Swap! My swap partner for this one was Sue and she put together a lovely selection of items for me! My favourite pieces are the fab handmade vintage fabric covered mirror and badges and especially the beautiful Christmas decoration! It went straight on the tree soon after this picture was taken! The chocolates and hot chocolate didn't last long I can tell you!



                                             





My other swap was part of the Curiosity Projects Christmas Box Swap! Now this collection of goodies was put together by a 'curious friend' who wrote a lovely card explaining why they decided to put each item into the Christmassy box they sent it in which was a lovely personal touch! My box included some delicious fudge (my swapper was from Edinburgh so it was authentic Scottish fudge!), a cute hot water bottle, pretty bird decoration, a lovely snood and my fave - a 'Bitchin' Kitchen' cross-stitch picture handmade by my swapper!

 

 

 

I hope the recipients of my boxes were as happy with theirs as I was with mine!

Happy New Year!

So we all made it through to the other side then!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas! I can't quite believe it's been and gone! You spend so much time working up to it in all the preparations etc. but then in a blink of an eye it's all over and done with and the decorations have started to creep into the box to go back up in the loft ready for next year ... or should I say this year as it's now 2013!

It really has been a great year! What with all the Jubilee celebrations and the Olympics/Paralympics it certainly has been a year to be proud to be British! (and we can't often say that!)

There's so many people that I'd like to thank for making 2012 a fantastic year for Random Button that I would be here for ages! So in general I would just like to thank everyone that has helped me out in some way during the year, placed orders, visited the website/facebook page/blog, left comments and messages and just generally been there throughout the year! Without all of you I wouldn't be able to do a job that I love!

There's lots more exciting things to come in 2013 including new designs and website developments that are already taking shape so things are looking rosy for this coming year too!

In the meantime I've started the sale rolling on both the website and the facebook page so be sure to check them out to get your hands on some handmade pieces at discounted prices!

Happy New Year!
x



Head over to the Random Button website to find some lovely shabby chic themed homewares!

The Christmas prep has started...

Christmas seems like it's been going for months already! But then considering I started working on festive themed ideas back in September it's probably fair to say that it actually HAS been going on for months already! I've tried not to get to into it just yet! I knew that come Christmas day I'll be sick of the festive cheer so I've reigned it in ... until tomorrow that is! For me the 1st December is when it's acceptable to listen to the xmas tunes, feast on mince pies for breakfast and watch really naff Christmas movies when I should really be working! Not to mention all the present wrapping which has to be one of my favourite jobs! (Even though I start off trying to wrap really neatly but then halfway through the pile to be wrapped you start to be a bit slap dash and give up all hope of trying to make the presents look pretty ... and don't get me started on those really awkwardly shaped presents that end up looking like a mess of paper and cellotape!)

This year I've had a go at making Christmas cake and Christmas pudding as well! (Is that a sign of getting old?!) They're all made up and I'm feeding them with alcohol, whenever I remember, they look pretty edible so we should get away without being poisoned on Christmas day!

I was photographing some of the Christmas baubles that are for sale on the website during the week so I had to put the Christmas tree up! I resisted in putting the whole tree up though and only did a section! I think the crop feature on the computer is my new best friend! If only could of seen what it really looked like out of the finished images!

         

    





How are your Christmas preparations going?

x

FACEBOOK GIVEAWAY!

...GIVEAWAY!!...

It's giveaway time over on the Random Button facebook page! All you have to do to get your hands on this lovely trio of bunting designs is 'LIKE' Random Button and 'SHARE' the giveaway post - once you've liked and shared leave a comment under the pic on facebook to say you have done so.

The first share will be given number 1, the second number 2 and so on then all numbers will go into an online number generator where the winner will b

e picked at 11am WEDNESDAY 21ST NOVEMBER so you have until then to share!

Giveaway items include: A knitted cushion with stitched bunting detail, a knitted heart with stitched bunting detail and a stitched polkadot bunting blank card!

Giveaway open to UK & Europe only I'm afraid! 

So head on over to facebook NOW for your chance to win!
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(This giveaway is in no way connected or endorsed by facebook)