Hats Galore

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

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

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

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

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

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

And a very cheeky chappie