Roo Knits

Making Monday - A baby sweater on two needles

2012-01-16T13:13:00.000Z

Ta da, I present to you my first finished item of the year!

This is a Baby Sweater on Two Needles (aka February Baby Sweater) by Elizabeth Zimmerman. I chose to knit mine in a sock-weight yarn from The Knitting Goddess called Same Difference - two skeins of opposite colourways. I cast on 71 stitches and worked the pattern almost as written from there - apart from I kept the arm stitches on waste yarn and knit them in the round after the body was finished. I have a tiny bit of the body yarn left and at least half of the yoke yarn left over. It is chest size of about 19" - so will hopefully fit from about 4-6 months.

This is for a baby born just before Christmas who lives in Australia - knitting the garment in sock weight means it is a fairly light and lacy, but hopefully should be a good cover up layer during Autumn. Fingers crossed it arrives across the other side of the world safely.

WIP Wednesday - Those damned socks

2012-01-11T22:25:00.000Z

Way back in October 2007 my friend Kerry and I took a trip to Ally Pally for the knitting and stitching show. I bought two skeins of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in an airforce blue colourway with the intention of knitting her some knee high socks for Christmas. Luckily for me I didn't tell her which Christmas! I chose the Kilt Hose pattern by Nancy Bush from Folk Socks

By the end of January 2008 I had one sock nearly completed. I did finish that sock in February 2008 and then I got distracted. Distracted for nearly 4 years. Ooops.

However, we now have progress on sock number two.

Cuff and ribbing finished. I've started on the leg. How long until I get distracted by something else?

Making Monday - Advent Stockings

2012-01-09T08:33:00.000Z

I started thinking about making Thomas an advent calendar in 2010, but there just wasn't enough time.
Sometime at the start of October 2011 I took over the dining table with my sewing machine and spread out my fabric and started to make a plan.
My first thought was to sew pockets of coloured fabric onto a felt tree, rather like this one I had seen.
However, after making a few pockets (some too small, some too big) I couldn't see it working. So I embarked on my next idea - little stockings. I have always wanted to knit a series of advent socks, but know I will never get around to it. This was the quick(ish) solution!

After a few failed attempts I used a template I found online .
I sewed them inside out with a 1/4" seam allowance, trimmed the seams, turned them inside out and pinked the tops.

I then cut out felt circles and numbers (I printed the numbers from Word and cut around them using tiny scissors). Bondaweb was my friend when it came to fixing the numbers. The heat from the iron also helped as it felted the two lots of felt together so the numbers don't stand proud of the circles. The final flurish was to add ribbons and buttons/bells to hang them with.

I managed all of this before the 1st December - which I was a bit shocked about because it was done in 10/15 minute bursts, whilst Thomas was napping in the day and I had finished my chores.
This year I filled them with mini Cadbury treat size chocolate bars. (I learnt very quickly not to let Thomas eat the Flake bars!)
Next year I have plans of creating some little knitted items to put into the stockings which we can hang up somewhere to help us count the days as you can't really tell which stockings are full and which are empty when they are hanging up. I've seen this advent garland pattern and feel some of these may work.

18 Months - Like Father like Son

2012-01-08T21:33:00.003Z

I think this picture says it all.

Or maybe this one says it better... He didn't quite know what to do with himself when confronted with so many tools

He spent Saturday "helping" Daddy fit a new towel rail in the downstairs loo.

Thomas' favourite present this Christmas? Probably the pretend Bosch power drill I acquired at an NCT sale when he was about 3 months old! Or perhaps the plastic tools found in the charity shop.
However the cart is still good fun (especially when your walking is still very wobbly.)

This is the face he pulls when scooting at high speed.

Which he spends quite a lot of his time doing. Either that or running around pushing a wooden trolley. His walking is getting better and better, but crawling is still the default.
So that I remember.....
He has 10 teeth, weighs 11.9kg and is 83cm long.
He can say, Mama, Dada, Grandma and Grandpa (but both sound very similar), Nana, cupoftea, shoes, more and bye; he signs for milk/drinks, food and thank you.
He can make the noises for a sheep, cow, dog (most animals go woof woof), cat and monkey. We are working on the pig and trying to teach him that birds go tweet tweet rather than woof (too many Mr Men books I think).

WIP Wednesday

2012-01-04T16:15:00.002Z

I am jumping on the bandwagon, copying Kate, and giving you a WIP Wednesday post today, what with it being Wednesday and all.
Here we have the beginnings of a (February) Baby sweater on two needles by Elizabeth Zimmerman.

I am knitting it in The Knitting Goddess "Same Difference" yarn in Colourway Jellybean. This is a pair of skeins, with opposite colourways:

I'm using the pink for the yoke and borders and the green for the body. I'm knitting this at a fairly loose gauge so the lace is particularly lacey. However, as it is destined for a new baby on the other side of the world I don't think that will be a problem.

A Hoot for Christmas

2012-01-02T20:49:00.003Z

This is the result of another project that has been in my head for a long time. Every little boy needs a burnt orange sweater don't they?

I made an Owlet sweater in December 2009; which ended up too small for its intended recipient who was nearly 2 and ended up being gifted for a 1st Birthday. I loved the finished item, but didn't really want to knit one in anything thicker than aran weight, and the pattern calls for chunky yarn in the larger sizes. So, I hatched a plan. I found some perfect Easyknits Deeply Wicked DK in the colourway "Tangelo" at Fibre Flurry in October. I bought 3 skeins and used two.

I measured Thomas' current favourite jumpers, swatched and did some maths and came up with a plan.

I cast on 120 stitches to give me an approx 24" chest. I lengthened the yoke by adding a few rows before and after the owls.
I also made the sleeve cuffs long, in the hope that this may still fit next winter. (Fingers crossed!)

18 Owls in total. Buttons for eyes on the front only (as that is all I had - but I think it works.)

I could perhaps do with a few more neck decreases - but I wanted to make sure it would fit easily over Thomas' head.

Perfect with a pair of brown cords on Christmas morning for that 70's retro look :o)

Hats Galore

2012-01-01T16:53:00.004Z

In an attempt to catch up on what I've made in the last few months here is a little summary of the headgear produced here at Rooknits.

In December, two more Springtime Hats. This one in chunky weight alpaca merino mix from Fyberspates that I got in a p/hop swap.

And this one in some Malabrigo Worsted I purchased on a recent trip to Loop in London.

At the start of October I made Bimple from Woollywormhead's Bambeanies for Thomas from half a skein of Colinette Iona

He wasn't too happy about modelling it, but has been wearing it quite happily since it got colder. Plus the ties mean it stays on!
The colourway is Copperbeach, which meets the boyish but interesting criteria I set myself.

Another Bambeanies knit was Queenie, for a little girl who turned 5 in October. This one is in Noro Silk Garden - and I am very thankful to Caroline who donated the little extra yarn I needed to finish it.

2011 - A review of the projects

2012-01-01T15:11:00.005Z

2011 here and gone in a blink of an eye. It feels like yesterday I was writing the 2010 post.
I've been at home with Thomas for the whole year. I think I've finally adjusted to life as a housewife/stay at home Mum. I don't find it easy, but I know I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I could still be more organised and tidier, but I'm getting there slowly! There has also been more and more time for crafting in the evenings.

This year I have completed 32 knitting and crochet projects.

5 Jumpers/Cardigans/Vests for Thomas - all of which he wears all the time.
4 shrugs as first birthday presents.
8 hats.
3 pairs of adult socks, one pair of toddler socks and one pair of baby socks
2 blankets
2 bibs
3 shawls
1 cowl
1 tea cosy
1 dinosaur

1. A Christmas Hoot, 2. Tom's Oz Vest III, 3. Thomas in his Cabled Cardigan, 4. My birthday jumper, 5. Bodge with Mathilda in her shrug, 6. Alice's Shrug, 7. Evie's Birthday Shrug, 8. Miriam's Cupcake Shrug, 9. Hat's for Evie, 10. Hat's for Evie, 11. A hat for Evie, 12. Queenie, 13. Brownie, 14. A hat for Non, 15. A hat for Ben, 16. Bimple Hat, 17. IB Footsie`, 18. Socktopus Secret Santa Swap Socks 2011, 19. Grape Harvest Socks, 20. Godfather socks for Thomas, 21. Noro Hexagon Blanket, 22. wooleater finished 003, 23. Knitted Bib, 24. Thomas - 10 months, 25. Stephen West KAL - Wolves Scarf, 26. Spriteling, 27. Pretty Thing, 28. Atalanta Sideways, 29. Monkey Cardigan, 30. T Rex, 31. Tea Cosy, 32. Ben Sock

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

So how did I do with my 2011 goals?

1. There are some very old WIPs that I really need to finish. My Kureyon Hexagon blanket, started in March 2006 being the main one; and these two pairs of pesky long socks.
The blanket is finally finished. I have knit the cuff on my second Kilt Hose sock - this is what I plan on finishing next.

2. Finish my Knit Love Club parcels from last year. I kept up until Thomas was born, I am thinking of these as my sock club for 2011.
Big fail here - I haven't knit any of them.

3. Sort out the stash. I've started this, and everything is now neatly boxed and back in the loft. I just need some time to update Ravelry.
Done, and as I've hardly bought anything this year there hasn't been much to add to it.

4. Back to Weight Watchers to lose the baby weight (so I can fit back into my favourite jeans and Vine Yoke cardi!)
Yes - just over 2 stone lost this year. I've still got a stone to lose for me to be back to my wedding weight, and about 7lbs until I am at my pre-Thomas weight but I'm back in most of my clothes.

5. More baby blankets - another friend has a baby due in March and I'm sure there will be more!
Nope, I ended up knitting a hat and socks for the March baby!

So, onto 2012 - what do I want to achieve:

1. Finish those long socks - the Kilt Hose and my Provence Yarn Yard socks.
2. Make a shawl / shrug of some description for my friend Lauren to wear on her wedding day on the 12th May 2012.
3. Learn double filet crochet - I saw these butterflies that Nic has made and really want to be able to do this!

There are a few other things - I need a new hat, there is a baby due in March who needs a blanket, it is my Mum's 60th in February and I'm currently working on a present for a new Australian baby. I am sure I will want to make Thomas some more jumpers/cardigans and I always need more socks (being at home all the time means I don't wear anything else).

Sosesaswa 2011

2011-12-07T13:09:00.003Z

Oh my poor neglected blog.... it has been so long I have forgotten where I left you.

I have a few things to share, but let us start with two pairs of socks.

These:

Monkey socks in The Yarn Yard Toddy, in colourway Making Mischief.
Knit from the 2nd to the 18th November, for my Socktopus Secret Santa Swap pal, Sandykins.

And these - knit for me as part of the same swap

Marilinda by Cookie A. Knitted in Cascade Heritage in Raspberry (I asked for pink socks and these are just perfect)
They arrived with all of these other fabulous things:

Another skein of Heritage in Jade, some crochet snowflakes (now hanging from the mantelpiece) and a folding owl bag from paperchase, handbag notes from Past Times, a grey Herdy keyring, a woollen brooch (a WOVEMBER meta badge ) and a bar of the new Crispy Milk from G&B’s (now sadly eaten).

Check out the heels on the socks... aren't they amazing?
I am a lucky girl...

Next time.... hats.

Ruck n' Maul

2011-10-18T21:09:00.003+01:00

Ta daaaa!
Thomas' 4 ply jacket is finally finished (minus some buttons).

The pattern is Sirdar 1240 with a few modifications.
I knit this in a 4ply sock yarn (Ochil from The Yarn Yard in the Ruck n' Maul rugby inspired colourway ). The pattern calls for DK - so I ended up casting on for the age 4-5 years but knitting to the dimensions of the 1-2 year. I also knit in the round to the armpits.

A pretty rubbish photo, just to prove it fits....

A close up of the cables and the half fishermans rib (which looks almost as good on the wrong side).

And finally, the back.

Cabled Cardigan progress

2011-10-07T22:08:00.003+01:00

Making a cardigan in sock weight yarn is turning into a bit of a mission - even if it is only to fit Thomas! I've been working on this since the end of July. Hopefully that last sleeve won't take too long.

At least it seems to fit.

The pattern is 1240 from Sirdar.

I am messing about with it a little as it is written for DK. I knit in one piece up to the arm pits, casting on the right number of stitches for the age 4-5 years but knitting so it measures the same as the 1-2 years.

A hat for Evie

2011-10-07T22:00:00.002+01:00

My friend Cath asked me to make her a hatfor her little girl to replace a lost one like this from Mothercare.

I evenutally chose McKinley's Springtime Hat

I chose the deliciously soft Malabrigo Worsted, this is made from leftovers from my Brownie Hat and my February Lady Sweater.

It was super-fast to make, it was completed in a couple of hours one evening.

Thomas modelled it before it was sent off to Nottingham - he got the pose just right ;o)

15 months

2011-10-07T21:59:00.000+01:00

And a very cheeky chappie

Making Monday - The 2 B Cake

2011-09-05T19:44:00.003+01:00

We now have an abundance of beetroot at the allotment. It was planted by my inlaws, but as they are on holiday I have been harvesting it before it gets too big. It is not ordinary beetroot, it is (I think) Chioggia beetroot and is striped inside like a candy cane!

This seems to mean that when it is boiled and pureed it turns into pink mush rather than dark red mush! (However it doesn't stain your hands, which has got to be a bonus!)

I was looking through the Abel & Cole website for ideas of what to do with all of these beetroot and decided on Sara Blackmore's beetroot cake rather than another chocolate cake.

It is certainly moist, and is nice enough, but isn't the best cake I've ever made. A little too sweet and, despite the mixed spice and nutmeg, possibly needs a little something else.

However, it still hit the spot at 11am this morning whilst Thomas slept after a hectic morning at Tumble Tots!

Making Monday - A Wolves Scarf

2011-08-29T14:43:00.002+01:00

It is football time again, and my team are sitting at the dizzy heights of 5th in the Premier League (we were top for a short time on Saturday).
This scarf, made for the Stephen West KAL, is my new football scarf. I am hoping it is lucky.

This was a mystery knit along and after much deliberation I decided on Wolves colours and I am very glad I did. I am not sure any of my other choices from the previous post would have looked as good. I was hoping the pattern would be more like his stripey shawls such as daybreak - however this helped me overcome my intarsia fear and I quite like the end result.

The yarn is The Yarn Yard Clan in Saffron, Soot and Tanzelope. The Tanzelope was a club colourway, the Saffron was a recent purchase and I got the soot from someone destashing on Ravelry.
Clan isn't my favourite sock yarn, it isn't hard wearing enough for me. However it is perfect yarn for a shawl; lightweight, warm and soft.

I used the whole skein of Saffron, bar a few metres. However I have about 1/3 of a skein of Soot and over half a skein of Tanzelope left. Socks for Thomas maybe?

Making Monday - Fruit time

2011-08-15T08:09:00.002+01:00

This week has seen me starting to collect the fruit from the gardens and allotment.
I came home from the allotment with a few blackberries and a handful of tiny yellow plums. These were joined by some damsons and a couple of pears from my FIL; and some raspberries from the canes at the bottom of my garden.

Now, what to do with this random assortment of fruit. There wasn't enough of any one thing to do anything useful; so I stewed it all together with a tiny bit of sugar and ended up with some kind of tart fridge jam

It seemed like it would be the perfect filling for a cake. So I spent yesterday perfecting my sponge recipe. I have 8" cake tins, and a normal sponge recipe is never enough. Yesterday I used 4 eggs which weighed 270g. I used the same amount of butter, sugar and flour and it seemed to work perfectly.

Now to find some friends to eat it.

Making Monday. Too many courgettes.

2011-08-08T23:34:00.001+01:00

I have ten courgettes plants at the allotment. This, I have discovered is probably eight (or maybe even nine) too many. It is not possible for one family of three, their relatives and friends to eat the volume of courgettes produced by ten plants. It is courgettes with every meal here. I have even resorted to baking and can tell you that the Green & Blacks recipe for courgettes loaf is very good indeed. This is of course due entirely to the courgettes and has nothing at all to do with the bar of dark chocolate it contains.

Cupcake Shrug - Sirdar 1239

2011-07-27T22:29:00.002+01:00

I give the credit to Kate and her bobble obsession for my latest knit.
The FO below is Sirdar 1239 from their Sirdar 397 Cosy Little Knits pamphlet. I was led to this book from Kate's bobble cardigan. I first fell in love with pattern 1240 and I managed to find the booklet online for little more than the single pattern would cost.
I have been swatching for pattern the cardigan for Thomas, I am planning on using some sock yarn so I needed to do a bit of maths as the pattern is written for DK.
In the mean time, I cast on the bolero for a special soon to be one year old.

I used The Yarn Yard Crannog, a laceweight yarn, doubled and got gauge straight away.
It is a gorgeous pinky-purple semisolid and works very well doubled.

This took about 5 evenings to make. I messed up the increases on the right side, so just mirrored my mistake on the left - so the top and bottom of the cardigan are not symmetrial. I sewed the garment together and then picked up all of the stitches at once and knit the edging in the round - a much simpler way of doing things. However I am not convinced about the edging cast off - instructions are " cast off all stitches in rib as follows:- *rib 3, knit into st 3 rows below next knit stitch, rep from *. This should create a scalloped edging. I wasn't sure what to do after I knit into the stitch 3 rows below - should I drop the stitches down to this one? Should I knit the stitch on my needle with the one 3 below? That is what I ended up doing, where I think maybe option 1 would have been correct. It does have a slight scallop, but doesn't really look like the pictures in the book.
Most importantly, it has been gifted, it fits (with growing room) and it is the perfect colour. I couldn't ask for more!

Another Mystery - my options

2011-07-20T21:37:00.002+01:00

Yeehaw! The first Westknits Mystery Shawl KAL: Earth & Sky starts August 1st!

You need three colours, one as the anchor and then two others.

The colour choice advice is:

Snap! High Contrast - Combine light, medium, and dark shades with contrasting
colors.
Crackle! Tonal - Choose 3 shades of 1 color.
Pop! Tonal with a little extra somethin’ somethin’ - Select 2 shades of one color
combined with an accent color.

I have bought the pattern, and am trying to decide what combination of yarns to use. I pulled out the stash last night and came up with the following:

1. The soft option - Nimu Helvellyn ( a silk/cashmere mix that is the softest yarn possible), The Yarn Yard Lochan (merino/tencel) in beachglass, and The Yarn Yard clan (merino) in nude - but I may substitute a double strand of the Zephyr laceweight I used for my wedding shawl.

2. The nautical option - YY Clan in Midnight, Artist's Palette Sweet Feet " Garden Wall" and YY Clan Nude - I would probably need another skein of the Midnight to make this work.

3. Gold and Blue - YY Clan in Haystacks, Artist's Palette Sweet Feet " Garden Wall" and YY Clan in Midnight

4. Shady Garden - YY Clan in Kale, YY Toddy greens and browns, YY Clan Haystacks.

What would you choose?

A day at the embassy

2011-07-20T21:31:00.002+01:00

It seems a birthday shrug is the perfect thing to wear with your posh frock when visiting the British Embassy in Paris.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar - in jumper form

2011-07-08T11:48:00.003+01:00

After all of those birthday shrugs I was glad to knit something different.
This project has been in my head for a long time, and I am so glad I finally got to knit it for my own little boy. I present "The Very Hungry Caterpillar Jumper".

I was inspired at first by this cardigan on Ravelry (and I later on found this fab cardigan too) but also by the most perfect Very Hungry Caterpillar coloured yarn - Dream in Color Classy in Happy Forest. This is the yarn I knit my Vine Yoke cardigan from, and I had a spare skein which I had been saving for this imaginery jumper.

I started with a jumper pattern I had knit before, the Catch Sweater from Louisa Hardings "Miss Bea's Playtime". However like last time, I knit in the round up to the sleeves and then knit the back and the front separately.

I grafted the shoulders, knitted the neck band straight onto the jumper and then picked up stitches and knit the sleeves in the round. I am sure I should probably use short rows to shape the top of the sleeves, but it looks fine like this to me. Instead of plain stocking stitch arms I added a row of purl stitches every 9 rows to make them more caterpillar like.

The jumper came out slightly smaller than the pattern because I used worsted weight rather than aran weight yarn. However as these Louisa Harding sweaters are always massive it doesn't matter too much.

The caterpillar was knit on the fly - after several attempts I finally cracked it. He is worked in garter stitch. I cast on at the tail and used short rows to shape it. I found the best way to define the different sections was to cast off 2 stitches on one row and then cast on 2 using the backwards loop method on the next row. Increasing and decreasing didn’t give enough of a defined shape. The head was knit in stocking stitch and shaped using normal increases and decreases.
The eyes were knit and appliqued on, as was the nose and the feet. The Antennae were crocheted.
I attached the caterpillar to the jumper with bondaweb. I tried adding the caterpillar's hairs but decided it was just too much.

I am so pleased with the finished jumper:

A caterpillar close up:

I think someone else liked his birthday jumper too:

One today!

2011-07-07T21:48:00.004+01:00

Thomas is ONE today. The year has flown by.

He has a t-shirt to prove it

We went to the farm to look at piglets

He got a tiger cupcake for pudding....

The first 12 months

A trio of shrugs

2011-06-20T22:10:00.002+01:00

Three little girls have turned one in the last few weeks. I thought they all deserved a little knitted something. I knit a Little Girl's Shrug for Carys to wear at our wedding and I remembered it was a quick and easy knit; plus it is perfect for spring/summer babies.

So I started off with a ball of Dale of Norway purple merino/cotton that I got in a swap a while ago. I used a crochet edging on the neck as seen here and decided to modify the lace pattern (removing two of the knit stitches) and used this rather than the ribbing on the sleeves. I cast on 12 stitches under the arms, rather and the specificed 8, so the lace pattern would work.
Mathilda is now wearing this on the streets of Paris!

Next up, little Alice. Thomas' friend from down the road, born exactly a month before him. Her mum and I met at a breastfeeding support group in those hard early days, and we have become good friends.
This time I added stripes - which required a little bit of jiggery-pokery as you knit the button bands at the same time, but I think it worked out just fine. This was knit in Rowan Wool Cotton.

Finally, a shrug for Evie who was one at the start of May. This time I followed instructions to make the front curved as in this project. This was knit in the same Rowan Wool Cotton as Alice's shrug. I knit the age 2 size as Evie is a big one year old, and it fits her perfectly. However she is still wearing her February Baby Sweater as a shrug!

Now, onto a present for Thomas....

11 Months

2011-06-07T20:03:00.002+01:00

I'm starting to look quite big in my cot.

Still smiling lots

Sticking my tongue out is my latest trick

Along with growling like a tiger (can you see my teeth?)

I am also going backwards and mummy keeps finding me in the corner or under the sofa... crawling next month maybe?

A Spring Mystery

2011-06-01T14:28:00.002+01:00

There have been times over the past year when I felt I would never have the concentration level to be able to knit a lace shawl ever again. However, thankfully those days are (mostly) behind me. I have my evenings free and when Alice from Socktopus announced a Spring KAL at the start of April I decided to take the plunge.
I even managed to keep up with clue one (there were two weeks between clues)

Clue two was done on time as well, but then I lapsed. Finishing socks, presents, life generally got in the way. However when I started to see some of the finished shawls on Ravelry I knew I needed to buckle down and finish this one.

So, here I present you with a finished Spring Mystery (Spriteling) Shawl.

Made in Malabrigo Sock Yarn (which I now realise is far better suited to non-footwear).

The colourway is Indiecita, which is hard to describe and even harder to photograph... a greeny, bluey, greyish mixture of colours. not quite variegated but far more coloured than a semi solid.
It was always destined for a shawl, and perhaps would be better suited to one a little less lacey, but I love it all the same.

The Allotment

2011-05-19T21:09:00.003+01:00

I've got a new project... After 4 years on a waiting list I am now renting a half plot at my local allotments.
This is what it looked like when we got the keys in early April:

It is an end plot, up against a fence which backs onto the playing fields of a local junior school. There is also a big patch of brambles in front of it which are going to take some controlling!
It took us a while to make a plan. I bought some slabs from ebay and we have made a path around two sides. Eventually we will have a path on 3 sides and two across the plot making three areas to plant out.
The initial plan was to rotivate it, however it turns out that not jumping in all guns blazing was a good thing, the plot is full of bindweed and horsetail. So we've been digging it out slowly.

It is amazing what a few hours digging can achieve!
I'm going to be sharing the plot with my FIL as I don't think I'll manage it on my own at the moment with Thomas. He has already been creating incredible structures.

All I need is to get the potatoes planted, the beans in and the courgettes out of the greenhouse!

10 Months

2011-05-09T21:10:00.002+01:00

Thomas was 10 months on Saturday.

He now has two teeth and is starting to shuffle around the room.

And he can clap

Ickle hat and socks

2011-05-09T20:42:00.002+01:00

I'm so far behind with my blogging.... here are some tiny knits for my friends new baby, born at the end of March.

Knit from some random Regia yarn from the 50p bin in House of Fraser.

9 Months

2011-04-08T22:42:00.003+01:00

Thomas was 9 months old on Thursday.

The obligatory cot shot!

Thomas likes:
Mushing food all around his face

So he gets to have a bath

Being carried around by Mummy

Having milk before bed with Daddy.

IB Footsie

2011-04-05T21:22:00.002+01:00

The latest pair of socks has taken me a couple of months to complete; as always, I got bored after number one and let number two languish on the needles for far too long!

The pattern is IB Footsie, part of a series of socks based on the CSI TV programme published here and very kindly purchased for me by my Socktopus secret santa.

I have to admit to never having watched CSI, but I knew as soon as I saw the twisted stitches in this sock I would have to knit it. It did leave me wondering if you could decrease the gusset along the edge of the pattern and whether that would be neater than having separate gusset decreases... something I may have to experiment with.

Knit in one of the first Yarn Yard Clan club colourways, called Thistle. I've been saving this yarn for the right pattern.... and I think I found it. I love the subtle varigation in the purples.
But what is that funny toe above? A little experiment. I've nearly worn through the toe of my labour socks (also knitted in Clan - a pure merino); so I've experimented with a slip stitch toe on one of the socks to see if it lasts better than the other.

Fingers crossed it does.
Started: February 2nd
Finished: March 30th
Yarn: The Yarn Yard Clan
Pattern: IB Footsie
Needles: 2.5mm addi circs

A little more knitting....

2011-03-23T14:13:00.002Z

Despite the radio silence I have been knitting....
First up, a sock. IB Footsie in The Yarn Yard Clan, an old club colourway which I have been saving up.

Loving the twisted stitches; the second one is ready for the heel so should be finished sometime soon.
I took a little time out from sock knitting to make a mini T-Rex for my godson....

I then got sidetracked by this gorgeous pattern by Åsa Tricosa - Atalanta Sideways
Knit in Mirasol Tupa yarn, it is a merino/silk DK weight. I only had two skeins so knew it would make quite a small shawl...

But I think it works.

And it is gorgeously soft!

Now, to finish that sock...

8 Months - I can stand

2011-03-07T21:25:00.002Z

Oh my, 8 Months today and Thomas back to his normal happy self after a couple of weeks of being poorly.

He is now really solid when sitting and it is amazing how far he can reach.

But he still hates being on his front so no sign of crawling yet (thank goodness - I'm not sure what I will do when he can move). Plus we still have no teeth despite more dribble than I ever thought was possible. Note to self - knit some of Kate's Bibs.
He now looks quite big in his cot

We went to visit the big kids a couple of weeks ago and he learnt a new trick - he can now stand if you help him up.

A Finished Monkey Cardigan

2011-03-03T12:27:00.002Z

The Monkey Cardigan is complete. Two weeks of looking after a poorly baby seriously ate into my knitting time (bronchiolitis and a horrid cold - definitely on the mend now thank goodness).
Started: 31st January 2011
Finished: 1st March 2011

Pattern: The basic pattern for the cardigan is Surtsey. Knit in the largest size (12-18 months) but on 3.5mm needles with Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, a sport rather than fingering weight yarn. It has a chest measurement of 24" - a little big on Thomas who will be 8 months next week, but not so big he can't wear it. The ribbed yoke means it will hopefully fit for a good while yet as well.
The monkeys are adapted from the Sleepy Monkey Blanket. I copied the monkey design into an excel sheet and then filled in the gaps so it fit in with the stitch count on Surtsety. I'm rather pleased with the results.
The chimp buttons came from Poppy's in York.

Thomas seems to like it too. He was just about up for a modelling session earlier this morning.

And he brought his favourite monkey along for company.

Monkey progress

2011-02-23T20:53:00.002Z

A week on holiday meant there was quite a bit of time for Monkey planning.
However the Monkeys appeared when we got home. They now look like this:

I was a little worried about the transition from brown to fair isle. However the button band and cuffs will be in the pale colour, so I think it will work.
7 Monkeys in total

With smiley faces

And even the back is quite neat for me!

Now I need to go and knit some arms!

7 Months

2011-02-14T23:05:00.002Z

Thomas, Tony and I spent his 7 month birthday in the Lake District.
Building towers

Lounging around

and laughing

Monkey Magic

2011-02-01T14:43:00.002Z

Look what happens when you find monkey buttons in a knitting shop

And one of your friends gives you some of your most favourite yarn to knit with (in monkey colours)

You remember the monkey blanket you wanted to knit....

But decide that Thomas needs a new cardigan far more than a blanket....

And so the plotting continues....

A new hat...

2011-02-01T14:35:00.002Z

The matching Mother and Son hat is now finished, much to the amusement of those in York this weekend!

Brownie, from Twisted Woolly Toppers in Malabrigo Worsted, left over from my February Lady Sweater. Gorgeously soft and very warm. It is lucky I have a small head, as this only just fits..

I found I couldn't pick up nearly enough slipped edge stitches to make the earflaps... but I'm not sure I need them.

First Knits of the Year

2011-01-25T13:48:00.002Z

I cannot quite believe it is nearly the end of January! Where does the time go?
There has been knitting - a late Christmas present for a special friend who has had a horrid 2010.

Pretty Thing by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

It turns out I now have the required brainpower for lace. Made in Posh Sophia 2ply is a a gorgeously soft cashmere hug. It used about 17g of yarn, so I have enough left over from a 55g ball for possibly two more!

Then there is the first FO of the year - Godfather socks for Thomas in left over Hazel Knits yarn from my Oolong socks.

Named Godfather socks because they were knit whilst watching the Godfather trillogy over New Year. They are a little big yet - but at the rate he is growing it won't be long before they do fit.

I'll be back soon, with a new hat and tales of a weekend away in a Convent in York with many other knitters and a few babies thrown in for good measure.

A fabulous Christmas Hat

2011-01-12T12:04:00.003Z

A quick video, of Thomas' first solo swing, and his fabulous Christmas hat from the wonderful Roobeedoo

All he needs to do is point and he has the catalogue pose down to a tee

The hat is the wonderful Brownie from Twisted Woolly Toppers. I may have to make myself a matching one!
Thank you Roo, we both love it!

6 Months Today

2011-01-07T13:09:00.001Z

How time flies....

He is a very happy little chap.

Who can now sit up on his own for quite a long time!

Afternoon Tea

2011-01-04T16:10:00.000Z

Daily Shoot photo for today - Make a photograph today with a diagonal line leading the viewer's eye through the composition. #ds415

2010 - A review

2011-01-04T13:16:00.002Z

2010 has flashed by in a whirlwind. It started with the announcement of a baby on the way and Thomas arrived in July. Some days have been magical and some days I've been in tears the whole time. I was completely unprepared for the emotional rollercoaster I found myself on following his birth. I am extremely grateful to all my friends (on and offline) getting me through the tough days, offering help and advice. However things have settled down nicely now. I (mostly) know what day it is, I'm (mostly) dressed before lunchtime and am very lucky to have a bit of time for myself in the evenings thanks to a little boy who loves his sleep nearly as much as I do!

Despite the arrival of Thomas, I have still managed quite a productive year. 25 completed projects, not counting the little boy himself... 6 baby cardigans/jumpers, 5 blankets (I only seamed the Lizard ridge but there is one more not pictured that needs the ends sewing in), 5 pairs of adult socks, 3 pairs of baby socks, 3 hats, 1 child-sized cardigan, 1 toy and 1 Christmas stocking.
13 completed before Thomas' arrival and 12 after! Not bad going for a new Mum.
1. Mayrose, 2. Hemlock Ring Blanket, 3. Rumpled, 4. Rainbow Wooleater Blanket, 5. May Baby Sweater, 6. Roo, 7. Spring Shoots, 8. Socks for Mathilda, 9. Caretta Caretta, 10. Swirl Hat, 11. Owl, 12. Thomas in his Garter Yoke Cardigan, 13. Tom's socks, 14. Golden feet, 15. Lizard Ridge Blanket for p/hop, 16. Lollie, 17. Labour socks, 18. Thomas - 3 months - 07/10/2010, 19. Surtsey, 20. Brown Oz Vest, 21. Autumn Socks, 22. Twin 1 Granny, 23. Twin 2 Blanket, 24. Thomas' Christmas Stocking, 25. Brown Handspun Jumper

The plan for 2011?
1. There are some very old WIPs that I really need to finish. My Kureyon Hexagon blanket, started in March 2006 being the main one; and these two pairs of pesky long socks.

2. Finish my Knit Love Club parcels from last year. I kept up until Thomas was born, I am thinking of these as my sock club for 2011.

3. Sort out the stash. I've started this, and everything is now neatly boxed and back in the loft. I just need some time to update Ravelry.

4. Back to Weight Watchers to lose the baby weight (so I can fit back into my favourite jeans and Vine Yoke cardi!)

5. More baby blankets - another friend has a baby due in March and I'm sure there will be more!

The final FO of the year

2011-01-03T19:34:00.002Z

Thomas'Christmas jumper. It started off as a mix of various ideas blogged about here.
I used some handspun Peregrine fibre and Yarn Yard Bonny held double and made it up as I went along. Luckily I had just enough of both to finish it.
It looks a bit of a strange shape.
However it fits perfectly!

And it is lovely and cosy and warm!

Started: 20th November 2010
Finished: 28th December 2010
Yarn: Yarn Yard Peregrine fibre handspun and Yarn Yard Bonny in Conker
Needles: 4.0mm
Pattern: I started off with the Garter Yoke cardigan for the yoke and then improvised the rest.

Hoping that you

2010-12-24T16:14:00.001Z

and a healthy and happy 2011.

'Tis the Season

2010-12-23T17:15:00.002Z

What does a little boy need to hang from the mantel piece tomorrow night?
Maybe this?

This is my version of the P/Hop 'Tis the Season pattern
I had intended to follow the pattern with the addition of Thomas' name. However after charting his name I realised I would need more stitches. I cast on 96 stitches, and followed the pattern as written to the end of the first chart.
I then got a bit lazy, and just did whatever I felt like! I really love how this has turned out.
It is knit in felted tweed (green and red) and some random Sirdar Snuggly. The felted tweed has ensured it blocked beautifully and I think the green just lifts the whole thing.

I'm going to see if I can knit some co-ordinating socks for him to wear on Christmas Day!

Double Trouble

2010-12-15T19:56:00.003Z

There has been a distinct lack of crafty goings on to report on recently. However, that doesn't mean my hands have been sitting idle.
I have been busy blanket making again... this time I needed not one, but two.
My lovely friends Dan & Kate had twins a couple of weeks ago. One boy and one girl, born full term and home within a couple of days. Thank goodness!
For Twin One (Daisy):

A granny blanket made from Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino - the odds and ends of what I have left from other blankets. 25 squares, 7 rounds each. I made the multi coloured centres first and then joined as I went in cream. I waited until I knew if twin one was a boy or a girl before adding the lilac border. Ravelled here.
For Twin Two (Robin):

Another trusty Hexagon Blanket. Again, in DB Baby Cashmerino. I ran out of the bluey/purple after completing about half the blanket. I was sure I had more, but alas no. Of course this colour was discontinued about 4 years ago, but after several failed attempts I managed to get another 4 balls from a very friendly retailer.
59 hexagons and 8 half hexes - exactly the same as my "original" Hexagon Blanket.
They are both now en-route to their new home. Fingers crossed they arrive safely and keep the little ones snuggly and warm.
Now I've got until March to think up some more blanket ideas. Two more babies due on the 15th (but to different parents!)

5 Months

2010-12-07T22:09:00.001Z

Time is flying by....

Noughts and Crosses

2010-11-24T15:23:00.002Z

I have spent the last few weeks thinking that Thomas needed a(nother) winter jumper.
I bought the yarn to knit an Owlet, but I've seen a few cabled jumpers in the shops that I really liked. What to do?
Firstly, there is this funnel neck jumper from Monsoon.

A Shawl collared cardigan in Mothercare

And a few similar things elsewhere.
Friends gave me some ideas of potential patterns...
The Childhood Remake sweater seemed perfect to use up some gorgeous brown handspun I got from Katie in return for a p/hop donation. I also loved this version of an old Debblie Bliss Pattern for a shawl collared aran sweater - suitably 80's retro! I found the book on ebay for 99p...
However, I decided to take a few of the elements of these and make something up.
Using the instructions for the Garter Yoke Cardigan I made for Tom earlier in the year I cast on using the handspun from Katie. I added 8 stitches to the back and used 4mm needles.

When I had finished the yoke I joined to knit in the round, adding 8 stitches to the centre front (in order to add a funnel/shawl collar later). I then copied the design from the monsoon sweater above, but made the cables into proper noughts and crosses (like the Hugs and Kisses jumper I made for Carys). This body is knit in a ball of The Yarn Yard Bonny in a colourway called Conker left over from my fair isle mittens. A lovely semi-solid brown which matches perfectly with the handspun. I'm using the yarn doubled and am worried I might run out before I get to the arms. However, I'm sure I can find something else to substitute in there if necessary!
I'm actually really enjoying the fact I can just knit and see what happens... it is liberating!
At the moment I am planning on a garter stitch band at the bottom in the handspun. I may (or may not) continue the cable pattern down the arms.
I'm not really sure if Thomas appreciates all of this hand knit love... but he'd better get used to it.
He is now wearing his Emil(ia)....

And he seems to like it!

4 months

2010-11-08T09:09:00.002Z

A cheeky face

Sitting up in my bumbo

Getting bigger by the day!

Oz Vest II

2010-10-27T12:00:00.002+01:00

What little boy does not need a brown tank top?
Especially when virtually every item of clothing he has contains at least a smidgen of brown.

Can you believe there is no brown DK wool in my stash? No, me neither, however I couldn't find any. I ended up buying this brown Patons Diploma Gold from my LYS. I asked for wool - this is as good as it gets, 55% Wool, 25% Acrylic, 20% Nylon. It has slightly too much of an acrylic squeakyness for my liking, but it is the kind of shop that once you have entered you feel like you have to buy *something*. At £2.50 a ball it probably makes sense. Plus it will go in the washing machine AND tumble drier.

I knitted the 6 month size. It fits now, but will probably still fit at Christmas. Fingers crossed.
To make up for the acrylicness - some gorgeous owl buttons, bought at the iKnit Weekender last year from Textile Garden.

This weekend we are off to Fibre Flurry in Birmingham. My first knitting event with Thomas. I MUST remember the Lizard Ridge Blanket which is being raffled off for p/hop. Let's hope we raise enough money to take us over the £20k target - which in 2 years is pretty good going :o)

Surtsey

2010-10-27T11:46:00.005+01:00

Remember back to the end of June? No, neither can I really, it seems like a lifetime ago.
I did finish knitting Surtsey before Thomas arrived, buttons were added a couple of weeks ago when I realised that it would fit him now. I should have perhaps knit the next size up (this is 0-3 months). Great pattern, great yarn... maybe I'll have to knit another!

Ravelled here

Labour Socks

2010-10-07T23:19:00.002+01:00

These socks are a modified version of Prism. Knit in two colours of The Yarn Yard Clan, these are only my second pair of Clan socks (despite being in the sock club for a year).
These were started the day my waters broke - Sunday 4th July 2010 - hence the name.
I knit some of the first leg whilst waiting at home for things to begin on the Monday (nothing happened). I knit the rest of the second leg whilst hooked up to drips and monitors in hospital on the Tuesday (still nothing happening). I had Thomas on the Wednesday afternoon. I spent a week in hospital wondering if I would ever have time to pick up my needles again.

However they are now finished. The perfect simple knit when you have no brain capacity for anything else. I changed the pattern to have 4 stitches between the slipped stitches. I altered the rib to be a twisted rib which flowed into the slipped stitches.

Love them! Especially the colours. Clan is a little splitty to knit with, but the twisted and slipped stitches show up beautifully. I wore them out in my walking boots yesterday (perhaps a little foolish as I have managed to rub the toes a little) but they were really really comfy socks.

3 Months

2010-10-07T23:13:00.000+01:00

and getting chubbier by the day!

The best dressed baby in town.

2010-09-24T11:09:00.004+01:00

Thomas is a very lucky boy and has received lots of handmade presents, here is a selection

Owl Dungarees from Roobeedoo

Stripy socks from Mary

Cardigan from Kerry

A big thank you to everyone who has sent presents... they have all been amazing!

Lizard Ridge for p/hop

2010-09-20T16:21:00.003+01:00

p/hop (although it sounds like a rapper’s name) means pennies per hour of pleasure. It is a fundraiser for the international medical aid organisation Medecins Sans Fontieres (Doctors Without Borders).
Lovely designers from all over the place have pledged to donate patterns to MSF, which you can download in return for a donation! Once you have your newly knitted/crocheted scarf/socks/sweater in hand, you donate an amount that corresponds to the amount of pleasure you got from making it…

As well as the patterns, a group of us have extended the p/hop ethos by donating knitted items to auction off at the various knitting festivals that p/hop attends.

Following on from the success of the Barnraising Blanket we made last year, a group of us in the p/hop group on Ravelry decided to make a Lizard Ridge blanket.

Over the last few months I have been receiving lots of cheery squares in the post and in between feeding Thomas I have managed to assemble them into a blanket.

If you would like to be in with a chance of winning the blanket, come and see the p/hop stall at Fibre Flurry in Birmingham on the 30th October

12 in 12- Pair 3

2010-09-20T16:11:00.001+01:00

Tom's Golden socks

In the Alchemy Juniper left over from my Rumpled Knit Love Club socks.
Twisted 1x1 rib, then 3x1 rib over 32 stitches with an eye of the partridge heel over 15 stitches.

2 Months

2010-09-07T13:09:00.002+01:00

How time flies.
Thomas is 2 months old today

We are settling into a bit of a routine, and starting to enjoy life a little more!
Note to self: add knitting project to changing bag- I spent an hour and 20 minutes waiting in the baby clinic yesterday with NOTHING to do - Tom was asleep. Think how much of a sock I could have made!

12 in 12 Pair Two

2010-08-24T00:01:00.002+01:00

I missed out on finishing a pair of socks in July - I was otherwise occupied!
However I have managed my August pair... for a very small boy with ridiculously large feet (for his size at least)

Knit in left over Socks that Rock Mediumweight in the nodding violet colourway.
A 2x2 rib, over 3o stitches on 2.5mm needles . I thought I'd cast on 32 but then couldn't be bothered to change it so made a "feature" of the 4 knit stitches together at the back of the leg!

You can see in the photo above how long his feet are - 9cm - newborn socks are already too small, as are the feet in most of the sleepsuits we have.
A perfect excuse to knit more!

Plus you can take comedy WIP photos. Oh the joys of having a model who cannot do anything about it.

Blankets and Socks

2010-08-04T15:47:00.002+01:00

Squares for the Lizard Ridge blanket we are making to raffle for p/hop / MSF have been rolling in. I've made a start at seaming it together (second column is seamed). As you can see, we still need a couple more squares.

Meanwhile I have also managed to do a bit of knitting on my latest socks - a modified version of Prism in Yarn Yard Clan. The cuff and leg of these were knit whilst in hospital waiting for labour to start. The heel was the first bit of knitting I did since Tom was born. The foot is in progress - this picture was taken whilst sitting on the patio after returning from the shops the other day. Tom was asleep in his car seat so I took the opportunity to get the needles (and camera) out.

Where has July gone?

2010-07-30T11:32:00.002+01:00

In a blur of hospitals, labour, feeding, sleeping, crying, laughing and happiness.
I still have no knitting to show you. Actually, I have half a sock- which was mostly knit during the "waiting for labour" days at the start of the month. I turned the heel a day or so ago in a spare 5 minutes. It felt good to have the needles in my hands again. However, to show you I would have to find the camera, so instead you'll have to make do with Thomas in his Garter Yoke Cardigan

and some fabulous cakes his Auntie Rachel made.

The latest FO - Thomas Anthony

2010-07-17T09:58:00.003+01:00

All knitting has stopped.
Thomas Anthony was born at 15.45 on 7th July 2010 and weighed 6lb 14oz.
After a bit of a traumatic birth and a very long week in hospital we are both home and finding our feet as a family of three.
My gorgeous boy:

More baby knits

2010-06-30T09:20:00.002+01:00

Just what a July baby needs - a woolly hat. Knit on the hottest day of the year so far, what was I thinking?

Swirl Hat, 0-3 months size, in the left over Koigu KPPM from the Garter Yoke baby cardigan. It is quite stretchy, so I am hoping it will fit Baby H when they actually require a hat later in the year. If not, then I have a ready made baby present! The pattern is rather like Odessa without the beads.
Next up, I seem to have an obsession with light blue and red at the moment. In fact, it has been brewing for some time, ever since we went to Norfolk for the Lucy Neatby workshop in November 2008. We stayed in Barsham Barns, where there was lots of light blue and red furnishings.
I recently found this playmat in Mothercare - the combination of elephants, red, light blue and polka dots was a winner with me. I must have been looking at this when I chose the colours for Surtsey.

Knit in my favourite Baby Cashmerino, it is soft and snuggly. I like the ribbed raglan - hopefully this means it should fit well for a few months.
The fair isle section was a good reminder that I can knit with two colours.

I even remembered how to catch the strands about half way through. Plus I found a video showing me how to purl portuguese style which meant the purl rows were not a complete nightmare! My fair isle is remarkably even, and it hasn't even been blocked yet. Yipee.

Now I think I may be ready to tackle Ella Funt or maybe Bellyphant or even be brave enough to steek and knit Pod of Cetaceans Cardigan.

Knit Love Club Part III

2010-06-30T09:07:00.002+01:00

I am managing to keep up with my Knit Love Club Knitting.
The beads for the third installment of the club were threaded onto the yarn using a beading needle on 31st May 2010.

And the socks were finished and blocked on 25th June.
The pattern is called Caretta Caretta by Alice Yu. It is an interesting mix of beads, yarn overs and rib.

I only beaded the leg of the sock, as I thought the beads might be a bit uncomfortable in shoes. They add a wonderful sparkle.

Knit on 2.5mm needles in Sunna, a Spirit Trail Fiberworks yarn - 75% Merino, 15% Cashmere, 10% Silk.
The yarn is a heavy fingering weight, a little thicker than what I usually use for socks, but has knit up beautifully. It is deliciously soft and the subtle semi-solidness of the yarn is just perfect.
Another success, thanks Alice!

A Blanket for p/hop

2010-06-23T18:19:00.002+01:00

After the success of the Barn Raising blankets raffled for p/hop last year we have decided to branch out. As well as another Barn Raising blanket, various Ravelry members are helping to make a Lizard Ridge

I have been collecting squares, here is the assortment so far, along with a few skeins of Kureyon that have been donated.

If you have a skein of Noro Kureyon, or similar, lying around and you'd like to join in and knit a square more details can be found in this thread in the p/hop ravelry group.
If you haven't got any Noro Kureyon and you'd like to knit a square for the blanket, drop me a line on Ravelry or alternatively leave me a comment here and I can pop one in the post to you.

Garter Yoke Baby Cardigan

2010-06-10T10:59:00.004+01:00

Otherwise known as "Possibly the easiest baby cardigan in the world"
Knit in one piece (a standard raglan construction) from the top down. The pattern is available here.
Started on 31st May and finished today, 10th June.

I was a bit worried about the yarn pooling on the stocking stitch section, so I did a round of K1, S1 4 rounds past the yoke. This seemed to break up the pooling on the front, so I didn't do it again.

Knit in the gorgeous Koigu KPPM I bought at All the fun of the Fair a couple of weeks ago.
It took approx 65g and it measures 8.5" across the front.

I decided against adding the button bands down the front, as they would have made the cardigan too wide; I want the bump to be able to wear it soon!

Instead I had my first go at an applied i-cord. Starting at the bottom right front I applied i-cord up the front, leaving buttonholes, around the neck and down the left front. I am now worried I will want to apply i-cord to everything!
Now, what to knit next?

12 in 12

2010-06-04T09:00:00.002+01:00

Over in the Yard Yard group in Ravelry we have been challenged to knit 12 pairs of socks in 12 months, starting on the 1st June 2010. The rules are very simple:

"Knit 12 pairs of socks in 12 months, or 24 odd socks if you have lots of WIP socks you want to make into pairs.

This challenge starts on June 1st. You could have seven pairs by Christmas.

We might have prizes too!

Some of the socks to be knit in theyarnyard yarn"

Seeing as my maternity leave starts today and lasts for upto a year, I figured that having a goal of a pair of socks a month might be something just about do-able (even with the distractions of a small baby!)
I spent the long weekend thinking about what I wanted to knit this month - knowing that June is probably going to be the most productive month of the whole year for me (no work and no baby - fingers crossed). I decided to wind my favourite ball of Clan - the purple and green one on the left and found that it seems to go well with the January 2010 club yarn (right). Perfect for a slip stitch pattern like Prism

I also threaded the beads onto my Knit Love Club yarn, I'm eager to finish these too before the baby arrives.

However, instead of casting on any socks, I wound the Koigu I bought at All the fun of the Fair when I was in London and cast on for a Garter Yoke Baby Cardigan!

Then, on Monday evening we got a text from our friends in Paris to say their baby had arrived, a little girl. So I spent Tuesday and Wednesday knitting them the promised pair of baby socks - in some left over Yarn Yard Bonny to a completely made up 2x1 rib pattern. So my first pair of socks for 12 in 12 is complete!

The socks are made even better when you can find matching dungarees in M&S.

Off to pop them in the post!

Roo - It fits!

2010-05-31T10:38:00.000+01:00

Knit Love Club - Part 2 - Spring Shoots

2010-05-31T10:16:00.003+01:00

My second Knit Love Club sock club socks are finished.
Started on the 3rd May and finished on the 30th, these have been my commuting knitting for the last month.

Knit in Brooklyn Handspun Soft Strength, a merino and nylon blend in the Persephone colourway - greens and pinks are not my usual choice, but I do like the finished result. However the yarn is a little fluffy - and I'm not sure how well it will wear. I fear I should have gone down a needle size, but we will see.

A new interesting sock construction, from the toe up, These are Cat Bordhi inspired - with the simplest and most effective toe up cast on I've ever done - take a look at these You Tube video's and try it!
You knit a tube which you cut to insert the leg, like the Houdini sock in Twist Collective. It works really well and fits perfectly too. (I have discovered it is almost impossible to take a sensible photo of your own feet whilst 7.5 months pregnant - so you'll have to believe me on that one!)

The cuff was a provisional cast on, which was then knit back and forth over 7 stitches in moss stitch and joined a stitch at a time to the top of the sock - ingenious!
So, now all I have to do is print out the pattern for the next installment, which arrived last week - purple and beads - wow. Not much commuting time next month, I finish work on Friday - but there are 6 weeks until the baby is due, so I'm hoping to finish these before then.

Roo

2010-05-27T13:18:00.003+01:00

After my day out in London on Thursday, I spent most of the weekend sitting in the shade of the apple tree in the garden trying to finish the sleeves on Roo.

Roo then got a good soak and was pinned out to dry under the shade of the same tree.

I spent Monday and Tuesday evening sewing up the seams and choosing buttons.
The end result:
Started: 21st March 2010
Finished: 25th May 2010
Pattern: Roo by Kate Gilbert. Published in the Twist Collective
Size: 28" - although mine turned out about 26"
Yarn: 3 skeins of Dream in Colour Classy, in Absolute Magenta. Purchased from Pure Purl.
Needles: 4.5mm addi turbos.

And the back... I just love those cables.

And the buttons - 10p in the sale at House of Fraser.

I picked up three stitches and made an i-cord for the loop and grafted it back to the original stitches.
Fingers crossed it fits (as it is a bit smaller than I would have liked) and that Carys likes her new hoodie!

A Trip to London

2010-05-26T21:45:00.004+01:00

... not to see the Queen, but to see some Quilts at the V&A with some fellow knitters from The Yarn Yard group on Ravelry.
I am quite ashamed to say, despite living in London for about 7 years I had never visited the V&A before. I headed straight for the museum last Thursday morning and had a mooch around. I found some amazing knitting...
A Child's Sock, in cotton, knitted in the first half of the 19th Century.

Or what about this "Daisy Cap" from 1836-40, again knitted in cotton

Such amazing, delicate, intricate work. Did babies and children really wear such things?
I loved the architecture of the building; the tiles, the floors, the ceilings. This is the cafe:

The alliums were out in bloom in the courtyard garden.

I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition, despite never having made a quilt in my life. The workmanship in some of the older quilts was just phenomenal. The stories behind some of the others - like the quilt made by convicts on the way to Tasmania; and the quilt made by children in the POW camp for their teacher were particularly moving.
My favourite quilt was a fairly early one, made in silks in a simple triangular pattern. The colours were rich and so well thought out.
I also loved the Liberty print Union Flag quilt on the postcard below.
After a relaxing cup of tea and some sock knitting in the gardens

(Photo courtest of Picperfic)
we headed over to All the Fun of the Fair in Kingly Court, just off Carnaby Street.

We met the owner, Buzz, and had a good browse around before sitting down with Alice for Knit Night(of Socktopus and Knit Nation fame)

I made some purchases, two skeins of Koigu to make a baby surprise jacket or a mitred baby jacket for the bump, two vintage iron-on applique patches, star buttons that look good enough to eat and two fab cards (from the V&A)

Finally, on the way home, I managed to take a quick picture of Mr Stripy - part of the Elephant Parade.

A good day indeed

After Eight Birthday Muffins

2010-05-18T19:16:00.003+01:00

Today is my birthday. It is tradition in our office to make (or buy) cakes to take into work, so this year I made After Eight Muffins. A bit of an experiment that worked really well, so I am sharing the recipe with you all...

Makes 11-12. You need a muffin tin and muffin cases.

Ingredients
255g Plain Flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
120g caster sugar
5 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg (I used medium, but large works fine too)
240ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
90ml (6 tablespoons) of vegetable oil
1/2 a box of After Eights

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190/200 degrees, gas mark 5-6
2. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cocoa and then stir in the sugar.
3. In another bowl (or a measuring jug) beat the egg with a fork. Stir in the milk and vanilla essence. Then pour in the oil. Mix.
4. Pour this wet mixture into the dry and mix together until just combined and there is no dry flour. It will be lumpy, this is what you want. It should drop off the the spoon in loose globs, not pour like a ribbon (add more flour if it is too runny). I use a metal spoon, rather than a wooden spoon, for mixing as it is easier to get the flour from the bottom of the bowl.
5. Break 12 After Eight Mints into the mixture and stir in roughly. I found they broke into quarters fairly easily.
6. Fill the muffin cases 1/3 full of the mixture, add half an After Eight, then fill to approx 3/4 full. You should be able to make 11 or 12 muffins from this mixture.
7. Bake for about 20-25 mins, until the tops spring back when pressed. Mine were a bit gooey when they came out of the oven (it was the After Eights melting) but the top of the muffin was cooked and springy.
8. Eat. I bet they would be good with ice cream.

I had hoped I would have a picture for you, but I didn't have chance to take one

Instead you'll have to make do with a picture of my first Spring Shoot!

May Baby Sweater

2010-05-10T20:48:00.003+01:00

Last weekend one of my very good friends gave birth to her third child - a baby girl. She has two boys, so I decided it was a great excuse to stall on the "Roo" knitting and crank out a very fast, but very cute Baby Sweater on two needles aka February Baby Sweater by Elizabeth Zimmerman.

I knit this with Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in the Old Rose colourway on 4mm needles.
The result is a very open lacy sweater - perfect (I hope) for the coming months.

So Roo has stalled, part way through the hood. This is now my evening/TV knitting as it is too big to cart around as commuter knitting.

Which meant I finally cast on my March Knit Love Club Socks - Spring Shoots.

These are a Cat Bordhi inspired construction - with the simplest and most effective toe up cast on I've ever done - take a look at these You Tube video's and try it!
You knit a tube which you cut to insert the leg, like the Houdini sock in Twist Collective. It works really well, is very easy and fits like a glove.
The yarn is Brooklyn Handspun Soft Strength, a nylon/merino blend. It is quite fuzzy compared to a lot of merino yarns I've knit with. I think I should probably be knitting it at a slightly tighter gauge than I am - probably on 2mm rather than 2.5mm needles - I'm not sure these are going to be particularly hard wearing socks, but time will tell.
Finally, I'll leave you with some very tightly spun merino, the gorgeous "Clan". My April package from the Yarn Yard sock club.... the colour is based on Natalie's Rhodedendron, but it matches my Azalea almost perfectly.

Rainbows

2010-05-02T17:38:00.003+01:00

The rainbow Wooleater blanket is finished. I admit, this pattern became somthing of an obsession. I can safely say I have satisfied my wooleater urges now!

This was started on 7th March and finished today, 2nd May. I've been working on it on and off in the evenings. It measures approximately 1m x 1m and was crocheted with a 3.5mm hook.

It is made using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. I love this yarn, but it is so expensive now. This blanket uses up A LOT of yarn (hence the name). It weighs in at 553g - so 11 balls worth of yarn. I am lucky to have a stash of Baby Cashmerino made up of yarn I have picked up in the sales and oddment left overs from other blankets . I did end up having to buy a little more cream and one ball of blue. The green yarn was kindly gifted to me from a fellow Raveller, in return for a p/hop donation.

The result is exactly what I wanted, and the above photo shows where it is staying for the time being, hung on the end of the cot, patiently waiting for Baby H. I can't bring myself to gift this. This is the reverse, nearly as pretty as the front, I've even managed to sew in the end!

All this sunshine means....

2010-04-22T13:10:00.003+01:00

Very little knitting time, as I've been playing in the garden at the weekends rather than knitting in the house.
Roo now has a back and one front. Yes, I am ignoring the blatant change from one skein to the next - it really isn't quite as stripy in real life.

The greenhouse has seen a lot of action over the last two weekends. It got cold so quickly at the end of last year that I didn't have the chance to clean it all out like a good gardener.
However, that is done now and it is full of plant pots containing beans, peas, courgettes, squash, basil and sweet pea seeds.

Seed trays with lettuce and marigolds just starting to sprout

Rampant tomatoes - the old favourite Gardeners Delight and a new one for me - Sun Baby; a yellow cherry tomato.

Outside, braving the cold mornings are my new strawberry plants. Florence as recommended by Hugh FW; and a couple of others that should crop slightly earlier and later than Florence.

All is well with me and the ever expanding bump. I am loving my February Lady Sweater - it is the perfect spring pregnancy cardigan. I should take a picture - maybe later!

Roo, sheep and chicks.

2010-04-01T10:13:00.004+01:00

A couple of evenings of knitting and I've made progress on the back of Roo.

A quite enjoyable knit so far, let's hope that continues.

In the mean time, you might like an Easter cake - baked by my talented SIL.

Progress - or lack of

2010-03-29T16:08:00.002+01:00

Progress has been a little slow around these parts.
After consultation with my friend I finally decided to knit Roo for Carys for her birthday (which is today). I bought some gorgeous raspberry Dream in Color from Pure Purl - a new-to-me online shop. Superfast delivery and beautifully wrapped yarn.
However I started off knitting the wrong size and had to rip out about 1/4 of the back - grrrr - so I have nothing but a garter stitch edge to show you on that one - and no hope of finishing it before we visit this weekend. Never mind!
There has been progress on the Rainbow Wooleater blanket.

More cream yarn has arrived and also a ball of a much more co-ordinating blue for the next coloured round. Each 2 row round takes nearly 1 full 50g ball of DB Baby Cashmerino - maybe I will be keeping this blanket for me after all!

Finally, a sneak peak of the new Knit Love Club yarn that arrived last week - I am resisting the urge to cast on until progress on Roo is a little further along.

I have also managed to get my hands on some Macushla from the Yarn Yard - beautifully soft - I really want to make a Bitterroot shawl with this.

Knit Love Club - Part 1 - Rumpled

2010-03-26T21:19:00.003Z

My only resolution of 2010 is to try and keep up with the Knit Love Club - a sock club organised by Alice of Socktopus fame.
Now this may be tricky come the summer when I have my hands full with a small baby - but I am hoping that I can complete the January, March and May parcels before the next one arrives.
That said, parcel one was finished just in time, as parcel 2 arrived on Wednesday.

Pattern: Rumpled by Alice Yu
Yarn: Alchemy Juniper in the Rumplestiltskin colourway
Needles: 2.5mm
Started: 24th January
Finished: 15th March

These were my commuting project for the last couple of months and were good for getting me back into sock knitting. I love the colour - perfect for a Wolves fan - at last a pair of gold socks.
Knit from the top down with a heel flap they were well within my comfort zone. The pattern was very easy to follow and I had it memorised by the second sock. Beautiful twisted stitches and an interesting twisted stitch toe.
The yarn was a little splitty to start with, but as soon as I worked out a slightly different way to do the s4k decreases it made things much easier. I slipped all 4 stitches knit wise, knitting the last two slipped stitches (like you would an SSK) and then slipped the other two stitches over the SSK. The opposite of what Alice adviced for the k4 tog.
So now it is time to wind the yarn for part 2 - a far more scary prospect that seems to involve taking scissors to my sock. Eeeek.

Hillside Renovations

2010-03-25T11:25:00.003Z

Hillside Renovation is the new blog detailing Tony's work at the project house which is now underway. Go and take a look and see what he has been upto!

6 miles on Sunday

2010-03-17T13:14:00.004Z

Inspired by Eddie Izzard's amazing marathons last year, this Sunday, 21st March, me and my (ever expanding) bump will be walking 6 miles in aid of Sport Relief.

I will be walking as part of a team from work. Between us we are aiming to walk/run 51 miles and we are aiming to raise £500.

All the sponsorship money raised for the Sport Relief Mile will help to change vulnerable people’s lives for the better - both at home in the UK and across the world's poorest countries.

To find out what a difference your sponsorship money can make, please visit http://www.sportrelief.com/about/how-your-money-helps

So if you can spare a few pennies, please sponsor me (and the bump)

I might even take my knitting!

My first baby knits

2010-03-10T12:10:00.002Z

The 20 week scan went well, so I decided to start on a couple of baby knits for my wriggly bump.
First up, an Oz Vest from Louisa Harding's Natural Knits for Babies and Mums.
I've knit this at least twice before, possibly more times and knew it would be fast.
This one is knit from The Yarn Yard's new Alpaca mix DK weight yarn.

Hopefully it is unisex enough! Actually - it is purple, so I don't care. Just need to find some buttons for the shoulder now. The rest of the yarn is destined for a matching hat.

Next up, Emil(ia) by the very talented Åsa Tricosa
Åsa very kindly sent me the pattern to test knit for her. I rummaged through the stash and came out with 4 colours of Rowan Wool Cotton which I deemed to be suitable (after spending about 30 mins sitting on the upstairs landing swapping and changing balls of yarn).

I knit this over the course of my week in the Lake District. A fun knit, with unusual construction. It is very easy - the only sewing to do is along one shoulder.

However it is the edging that I love the most. It really finishes the garment off well. The neck edge looks like i-cord and the bottom has a lovely moss stitch border. I forsee more of these in my future - defintely one in Gold and Black for the future Wolves fan!
Again, only buttons to find before this one is finished.

Blankets - the latest obsession

2010-03-09T14:50:00.003Z

I'm blaming Katie. It started off with her posting this innocent link on Ravelry. Which led me to these instructions.
I tried to ignore it. I tried to forget it. However when I saw Katie making those circle-squares in York I knew I would succumb.

The first effort, in Araucania Toconao, a merino yarn I bought at Skip North last year.

This is an aran weight yarn, which means it crochets up very fast and made a sizable lap blanket in no time. However, it isn't really a baby blanket. Too many holes and a little heavy.
I've just got the ends to sew in and then I need to give it a good blocking.

With the above in mind, I switched to sock yarn and a 2.5mm hook.

However the variegated yarn just gets lost and you can't see the circles. I think this one is going to the frog pond; to be turned into barnraising squares for a very purple knitted blanket.

Onto the next option, the faithful Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. I still have a decent colour palette of this left over from previous blankets. So I'm going for a big square in a rainbow of colours (from red through to violet) with the cream in between each round. (Inspiration taken from this blanket on Ravelry.)

The first 5 rounds are complete and I think it is working so far. I think this one might be a keeper!

Hemlock Ring

2010-03-08T22:50:00.002Z

I have quite a bit of catching up to do, as a week in the Lake District has meant my knitting and crochet productivity has increased somewhat.
However I will start at the start, with my newly finished Hemlock Ring blanket
I finished knitting this on the 15th February, but it wasn't blocked until the 25th.

I found 10 skeins of Rowan RYC Cashsoft Aran in this gorgeous eau de nil (ish) colour in the sale at House of Fraser over Christmas. I knew instantly that it needed to come home with me and become a Hemlock Ring blanket.

The blanket is based on an old doily pattern and someone has charted out the feather and fan section here.

I love the simplicity of the design and the softness of the yarn. On the advice of HilltopKatie I crocheted the edging - so much simpler than the knitted version.

Now I just have to work out which baby this is a gift for (or if I keep it for my bump!)

Wooleater

2010-02-09T22:12:00.005Z

Last March, whilst at Skip North I bought this rainbow of yarn from Coldspring Mill with the intention of making a blanket.

The yarn is Araucania Toconao, a worsted/aran weight plied merino yarn. The yarn came in 50g sample skeins and I wasn't sure if I would have enough for a blanket. So when my knitting friend Ali was visiting Coldspring a few weeks later I asked if she could get me a couple more skeins, if there was any left. Ali came up trumps with another 4 skeins, slightly different to those above.

My first idea was a crochet ripple blanket - perfect for this rainbow of shades. However when Katie posted a link to the Wooleater blanket in the Yarn Yard group on Ravelry I was "hooked".

I started making squares as soon as I returned from our weekend away in York (which was brilliant fun - more on that another time).

After a little indecision and quite a lot of ripping out I decided on squares with one of the two neutral colours in the middle and similar colours on the outer two rounds.

I'm joining these 3 coloured squares as I go and I'm hoping to have enough for a 3x4 blanket.

I'm having a lot of fun making these, and the worsted weight yarn means it grows fast. However the name "Wooleater" is very true - I hope I have enough wool to finish!

In the last week....

2010-01-28T13:42:00.003Z

The owls finally got eyes and the jumper has been gifted.

Mayrose, the Woollywormhead KAL pattern has been blocked and gifted to a very happy recipient.

Stripy is continuing to grow. It is about waist length now. I need to work out how to do an i-cord bind-off.

Some of The Yarn Yard's new Alpaca/Wool/Nylon mix found its way to my house and is in the process of being turned into an Oz vest for Baby H

My Knit Love Club parcel arrived - and I cast on a sock! The colour matches my Wolves shirt perfectly! The pattern is easily memorised and it is not too cold to knit on the bus at the moment. The yarn (Alchemy Juniper) is gorgeous, if a little splitty.

I've also messed up an increase round on my Hemlock ring blanket, and need to frog. Grrr.

Tomorrow I'm off to York for the weekend to meet up with fellow knitters in a convent. I can't wait... must bake cakes and sort out some stash to take for a p/hop auction type thing.

The latest WIP

2010-01-19T12:13:00.003Z

This is why I've been able to cope with nothing but stocking stitch for the last couple of months!

Baby H, due 12th July 2010. 15 weeks down, 25 to go. Eeeek!

I'm starting to feel like I am back in the land of the living rather than the land of the permanently hungover (which is what the first 3 months have felt like).

So much so, I might go and find some small stripy things to knit.

Stripes and Snow

2010-01-10T15:19:00.003Z

The knitting week has been spent going around and around and around. Only stopping to change colour.

I think I like the colours so far. I've also tried it on and it does fit. Yipee.

The snowy weather has put pay to any progress on the project house, especially when this happens to the pipes. The ice has forced the compression fittings apart. Luckily the water was off.

However, it does make the garden look pretty!

The start of 2010 - a blogiversary update

2010-01-03T15:59:00.003Z

4 years of blogging done and dusted. I've made some great friends through this blog and Ravelry - thank you for reading!

What's new on the needles at the start of 2010?
A Hemlock Ring Blanket in Cashsoft Aran in a pale bluey/green for one of the many babies due to be born this year. I'm onto the feather and fan part now, which makes good TV knitting.

A stripy jumper for me in Rowan Felted Tweed. I've had this one in my head for a long time, and have finally started.

A top down raglan on 4mm needles in 7 colours of felted tweed. I thought about a Fibonacci sequence of stripes, but ended up with 2 rows, 2 rows, 4 rows, 6 rows, 10 rows. This should alternate well with the 7 colours I think. Fingers crossed!

2009 in Review

2009-12-31T16:36:00.004Z

2009 has been a good year.

I got married

I've been on holiday to the Lake District, Bruges and the Canadian Rockies

I ran the race for life (and didn't walk at all)

I walked 15 miles in the Brecon Beacons with my work colleagues to raise money for a local charity

I knit on the plinth in Trafalgar Square and helped raise money for MSF

I learnt to spin

I also went on lots of knitting adventures; Skip North, UK Ravelry Day, Cookie A's book signing at loop and the iKnit Weekender, and met lots of wonderful knitterly friends.

So what have I made in 2009?
26 items... one every couple of weeks, much more productive than I thought I had been.
6 shawls, 6 jumpers/cardigans for small people, 4 pairs of socks, 2 odd socks, 3 jumpers for me, 2 hats, 1 blanket, squares for another two blankets and one bridesmaid dress.

1. Wickery, 2. Hexagon Blanket for Joseph, 3. Beautiful Ishbel, 4. Oolong Socks, 5. Raspberry Ripple Socks, 6. Odessa, 7. George, 8. Kai-Mei, 9. Ishbel, 10. Shanghai Ishbel, 11. Little Person Shrug, 12. Lucille, 13. Looking for something, 14. Aurantium Blossom, 15. Aeolian Wedding Shawl, 16. Hopsox, 17. Athabasca River, 18. Snapdragon Hat, 19. Damson Shawl, 20. Green Vines, 21. Sunshine Socks, 22. Hoot, 23. Bookworm Sweater, 24. Barn raising - All the Squares, 25. FBS, 26. FLS Finished 001

My 2009 Resolutions… how did I do?

1. Loose more weight, I'm hoping to fit into a size 12 wedding dress by 11th July (yes, a date has been set). 3 stone down, 2 to go.
Haven't quite made it to "goal", but am certainly at a place I'm happy with for the time being and was very happy with how I looked in the said wedding dress.

2. Make the said wedding dress.
Nope, fell in love with a dress and my mum bought it for me, definitely the right decision.

3. Make a shawl for the wedding.
Yes, after much deliberation over patterns and yarn. My wedding Aeolian shawl in Zephyr wool/silk with shiny beads.

4. Make a dress for my little bridesmaid.
Yes, and a little shrug for her to wear. Fit like a dream. Another success.

5. Knit 12 pairs of socks - one a month - from stash yarn. I want to try a Yarnissima pattern, another Cookie A pattern, one fair isle (hopefully Harika when I get some contrast yarn) and one with twisted stitches. I also have to finish the Kilt Hose.
No, yes and no. And the Kilt Hose are still languishing. I just haven't felt the sock love.

6. Keep up with the Socktopus sock club patterns.
Only one pair finished, and I've accidentally felted these now so they don't fit. Grr. Must do better.

7. Make another garment for me. Dawn advised something top down with negative ease so it doesn't matter if I lose more weight. Any ideas? I am currently thinking of the Honeycomb vest from Knitty.
Yes! . FLS was finished, as was my Vine Yoke and by Heather Hoodie… all of which I wear in rotation.

8. Spend less time online and more time knitting/crocheting/sewing!
I've definitely been trying to do this over the last couple of months… the lack of blogging doesn't mean I'm not knitting!

What will 2010 bring I wonder?

A Hoot

2009-12-08T12:37:00.003Z

An Owlet by Kate Davies (sans eyes at the moment)

In King Cole Anti Tickle Merino Aran. In a rich deep red. A very quick knit, I love the little owls. I love the soft woollyness of the yarn. However it definitely needed to be bigger to fit the intended recipient. However that's ok, because there are plenty of other small people with birthdays in the next few months that this will fit. I might have to do some maths to make a bigger size in the brown all seasons cotton I have.

Sunshine in December

2009-12-01T19:04:00.003Z

My latest creation

Sunshine by Cookie A in The Yarn Yard Clan for the Socktopus Secret Santa Swap (the parcel arrived today, so now I can share these with you).
The yarn gives wonderful stitch definition, the pattern is super stretchy and easy to memorise.

Happy Birthday p/hop

2009-11-25T19:01:00.002Z

Green Vines

2009-11-08T11:55:00.003Z

I have spent the last month beavering away on Ysolda's Vine Yoke Cardigan from the latest Twist Collective.

I'm so pleased with the final result, it fits perfectly (and co-ordinates with the garden!)

Here are the stats:
Started: 9th October
Finished: 7th November
Pattern: Vine Yoke by Ysolda from the Twist Collective. Size 36"
Yarn: Dream in Color Classy in Happy Forest - a destash by from Cardimoon on Ravelry back in June. It took just under 3 skeins
Needles: 5mm
Comments: A super fast and interesting knit. The short rows and the vine pattern made it interesting and all that garter stitch meant it could be knit in the evening watching films or listening to the radio.
It looked TINY when it was finished, however the yarn and all of that garter stitch makes for a very stretchy garment, so after a good block to open up the lace and stretch out the garter stitch it fits perfectly. One very big smiley face for this knit. Thanks Ysolda for such a wonderful pattern.

Now, what to knit next?

Boo

2009-11-01T20:41:00.004Z

Harry, our scary Hallowe'en pumpkin. His insides are currently making soup.

House Progress

2009-10-28T22:38:00.002Z

Natalie reminded me at iKnit day that I hadn't updated you on the project house in a while...
Well, since the start of the year we (mostly Tony) have gutted the place and filled 5 of these:

Ever wondered what a house looks like without internal walls, ceilings, plaster and wiring?
Upstairs bedrooms (without the dividing wall which moved when Tony tried to take the plaster off)

The other bedroom - the wall at the end is being extended.

Stairs (and my favourite window)

Lounge - you get the idea!

Tony has built new walls and put a new roof on the outhouse
The old

Demolition

Ready for the bricklayer

New walls and roof joists

Inside

From the top

So far all I have managed to clear the shrubs from the bay window!

Rockies part 2

2009-10-18T18:13:00.006+01:00

Here are more of my holiday favourites:
Maligne Lake, near Jasper.

The weather was just amazing that day.

Minnewanka Lake, near Banff

My new hat and jumper near the Athabasca River

Mushrooms, we saw lots. I took a lot of pictures of mushrooms, this is my favourite.

And finally, this is Damson by Ysolda Teague. I wound my most favourite ball of Yarn Yard Toddy at about midnight on night before we flew to Canada.

I'm so glad I did - I love the way the subtle blues and purples work in this shawl.
I knit this through the hours of delays at the airport on the way home, I have never been so glad of long rows!
I used every last cm of yarn too - casting off as we landed back in the UK!

What's next? Well, another Ysolda design of course!

I'm jumping on the bandwagon - it's a Vine Yoke Cardigan from The Twist Collective in Dream in Color Classy.

The Rockies - part 1

2009-10-14T21:43:00.006+01:00

I'm back from the most amazing holiday in the Canadian Rockies. I'm slowly sorting through the hundreds of photos. Here are some of the favourites so far.

Free Champagne (and amazing views from our room at Moraine Lake Lodge)

The Classic Lake Louise Shot

Reflections on Lake Agnes - the Larch trees were such an amazing shade of yellow.

One top of the Big Beehive

Walking on a glacier (my favourite part of the holiday- every geography students dream!)

There was also time for knitting! My socktopus sock pattern was mysteriously left at home, so I had to start knitting a hat on the plane. Snapdragon, from Ysolda's WLK2 with the Skein Queen yarn I bought at iKnit. The Rocky Mountain mornings were certainly cold enough to need a woolly hat - luckily it was a very quick knit!
Snapdragon Hat

Ravelled Here

My Autumn Hoodie

2009-09-19T12:39:00.002+01:00

Finished just in time to take to Canada with me tomorrow.
The front:

And the back

Pattern: Heather Hoodie Vest by Debbie O'Neill from Knitscene Fall 2009 (Ravelry Link)
Yarn: Patons Inca - 50% Wool, 30% Acrylic, 20% Alpaca in colourway 7023 - Grey. Bought for 79p a ball from Kemps. 10.5 balls
Needles: My new knitpro interchangeables - 6mm
Started: 10th August
Finished: 18th September
Buttons: - Mussel shell (reverse side) from Textile Garden
Comments: It fits! The hood was a bit of a pain, I picked up less stitches than called for and knit quite a few less rows but it is still massive! However, I cast off a little too tight so even after blocking it sits a bit weird.. however it looks ok and I want to wear it on holiday so I'm not going to tinker with it any more. It is really warm and cosy. I'm happy :o)

Now I'm off to try and decide what holiday knitting to take. Decisions decisions.

iKnit Weekender

2009-09-13T11:33:00.002+01:00

Yesterday morning I got up earlier than I usually get up on a work day. I was booked on the 7.44 train to London in order for me to go and play at the iKnit Weekender in London.
I made a beeline for the p/hop stand to have my photo taken with the infamous barn raising quilt. I bought raffle tickets too - but didn't win. Looks like I'll have to make my own!

(Thanks to Jane for taking my photo!)
I was obviously too busy shopping, chatting and knitting to take any more photos. I wore my wedding shawl and it was admired by many people. I had fun spotting other Aeolian shawls - 4 or 5 at least!
Here is my little haul:

I surprised everyone by choosing the orange Herdy mug rather than the purple. I did try really hard not to buy any more purple yarn, but couldn't resist the buttery soft "Desire" from Skein Queen - it is destined for a hat - I'm thinking a beret with twisted stitches. The Laceweight turquoise yarn is from new indie dyer Sparkleduck - the yarn is a merino and silk mix and has a real sheen to it. Maybe Laminaria - certainly an appropriate colour. Finally some Malabrigo Lace - as I can never resist this yarn (and all of the crazy rainbow colours had sold). Oh, lastly a vest pattern from Blacker Designs. They had some gorgeous UK spun yarn from a wide variety of sheep - the alpaca yarn was fabulous.
Talking of Alpaca, I spent most of the day knitting on my Autumn Hoodie.
The second front is done. I joined the shoulder seams and blocked it this morning.

I found some mussel shell buttons from Textile Garden yesterday. The lady there let me pick through them until I found 5 matching ones - the side I'm going to use is the wrong side, but it matches my yarn really well.

Just a hood and button bands to go now. Will I be able to finish it in time for our honeymoon in Canada? We leave next Sunday!

Something old, something new and something secret too!

2009-09-09T21:56:00.004+01:00

Something old:

My Noro hexagon blanket, started back in March 2006. I've crocheted a few more hexagons over the last couple of weeks (not joined, at the bottom of the picture). I've got about 3 or 4 skeins of Noro left- but need some to edge the blanket in. Going to aim for 8 more hexagons and then some half hexes and see how it looks. It is already big enough to keep my knees/legs warm whilst watching TV :o)

Something new:

I fear you may see a lot of these in blogland - Heather Hoodie Vest from Knitscene. This is knit in Patons Inca - a chunky yarn with Alpaca - this is the back and I'm about 1/2 way up the left front. I was hoping it might be finished for our upcoming trip to Canada - but I've been distracted by this....

Look away now if you don't want to see the September Socktopus parcel...

Alice has really outdone herself this time!

A Yarnissima pattern and Wollmeise yarn! Neither of which I have used before. I was soooooooo unbelieveably excited when I opened the parcel.
AND we got that fabulous sock bag (just like the ones Roobeedoo made the other week which I was very jealous of) AND some little Matryoshka doll stitch markers!
Here is my progress so far - Judy's magic cast on and everything!!!

I think my sock mojo is back. Yipeee.

Half a quilt

2009-08-31T18:46:00.003+01:00

Seamed and ready to send to Heather. She is going to join the two halves together and crochet an edging.

It will then be one of the prizes in the p/hop raffle at the iKnit weekender on 11th/12th September.

The strange thing is, I am still not sick of squares and considering making a blanket of my own!