Noughts and Crosses

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

A cheeky face

Sitting up in my bumbo

Getting bigger by the day!

Oz Vest II

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

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

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

and getting chubbier by the day!

The best dressed baby in town.

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!