I love........

Very old knitting patterns!
I found this selection today at the car boot sale. Look at the prices on them! I know most of the wool for the patterns no longer exists, and also sounds downright awful - 4 ply bri-nylon, or super crimp nylon DK, mmm, not my first choice of yarns, but with the right yarn and a little tampering there are some lovely clothes to be made from these patterns. The woolworths booklet is especially fab and contains lots of knit and crochet patterns from which I have chosen only a few to share. There was one really nice pattern inside for envelope neck vests which I might try soon but I couldn't bring myself to share the pictures as the baby models were only wearing the vests and nothing else. Truly an age of more innocence - no-one would allow that now.

Another find was a big bag containing balls of snuggly wool, 10 each of brown and white. The bag also contained a knitting pattern, needles and the ready knitted pieces made up from the pattern. All it needed was finishing together. Dear husband actually found this bundle and paid £3 for it. Not sure really whether I actually wanted it but hey, I'm not going to refuse it once he's bought it. I finished off the cardigan and hat from the pieces and discovered the reason the knitter had given up - she had followed the pattern wrongly and followed the same hem shaping for both the left and front pieces which you might spot if you look closely. I don't really like the finished cardigan anyway so it will probably end up in the charity bag. I decided to make a snuggly soft little blanket instead and so have used three balls together with a pair of 9mm needles and garter stitch and will just keep going until the yarn runs out. With needles that size and yarn that thick I don't think it will take too long ;-)

Well begun is almost done........

.......I hope!

First sock of the three pairs I have to have made within the next two weeks:

Really easy pattern which was gifted to me by Lucie several months ago and used often since. Anyone wants a copy then let me know. Yarn used is Regia self striping sock yarn, you didn't think I knitted all those stripes in did you?
And as a break in the monotony of going round and round on DPN's a couple more quick crochet granny squares to add to the throw. Was hoping it would be a nice cover up for snuggling on the sofa with a newborn but think the completed throw might take some time yet ;-)

Quick and easy.

I have a few projects on the go which are very slow moving, several pairs of socks for dearest husband which need to be finished before his hols in three weeks (eek), a stripey baby cardigan, the latch hook rug, and a top for 17 y.o. Helen. So to counter the feelings of nothing much happening I thought I would go for something quick and easy to pass an hour today. And this is what I came up with:

Open up and it's a........

crochet hook holder!
Just a square of double crochet, 30ch and about 30 rows, double crochet around the edge with a double crochet button hook, then lined in some green remnant of fabric which turned out to be the exact same colour as the edging yarn. So all I used for the whole project was some odds and ends of yarn, and the fabric and a button left over from somewhere else. Much cheaper and greener than buying one custom-made ;-)

Inspiration..........or otherwise!

Found some lovely cotton fabric in the local haberdashery shop last week, these two remnants of fabric, just on one metre each, for only £1 a piece.

Not sure what to do with the pirate fabric yet but the pink has been turned into these:

Pj's for Sophie for when she stays over with us.

And inspired by Shell and the idea of a lovely crochet throw for wrapping up with baby on cool summer evenings, I have learned to make granny squares! The yarn I'm using is the Mirasol T'ika mentioned recently. Not sure how big the throw will end up, I'm getting six squares to each skein and have seven skeins each of red and fuchsia. Maybe I'll have to add some squares in another colour if there isn't enough, but at the moment I'm just happy to keep going and see where I end up.
The first squares, not perfect but a memory in the making:


And now for the disaster:

I knew right from the beginning that this wasn't right, so why did I continue? I suppose it was just seeing the colours coming through and wanting not to admit defeat. Mmm, note to self, trust your instincts. So now it is pulled down and ready to be made into something else. Hopefully with more success.

Back to knitting!

Loving learning learning new crochet skills but back to my first craft....knitting!
Made these to go with the soakers further down ready to send to a friend today.
The actual finished piece of knitting looks like this:


But once the shoes are made up and have an added crochet flower (ok I couldn't resist crochet) they now look like this:


Pattern for the basic slipper found in The Debbie Bliss book of baby knits. It's a really simple pattern to follow, just basic garter stitch with a simple increase/decrease/cast on/cast off to create the necessary shaping. Perfect for learner knitters. The crochet flowers were made up as I went along so couldn't tell you know how I did them! Wool used - as for the soakers, James C. Brett 100% Merino.
Oh just noticed, my camera is rubbish! The two pictures look like totally different colours!

Soakers.

Very imaginative these titles aren't they?
Anyway my latest make, and no it's not the hat that Cain thinks it is. It's another pair of crochet soakers/knickers but this time for a special little baby born only a short time ago. Although saying that it has taken me considerably longer than I hoped to finish these.Tiredness being the major problem. Hoping to get a little pair of shoes done to match and then into the post tomorrow before the intended recipient becomes to big to find them of use. Not sure if I like the flower so I've stitched it on only lightly just in case the mama in question feels the same. Easy on, easy off.


Made from 100% pure merino so can be lanolised and used as a nappy cover if wished, or used as they are as a pretty pair of knickers.

Guilty!

Yes the parcel was my Getknitted order. Five lovely skeins of scarlet Mirasol T'ika and five of the same yarn but in Fuchsia. Not quite what I expected as I was told Fuchsia was out of stock and so expected Lime and Scarlet but nevermind, it's still lovely and I'm sure I'll think of something to make with it all. Also I had some Regia sock yarn to make another pair of socks for dearest husbands upcoming trip to the TT. So one pair on the needles, and enough yarn now for a further three pairs. Have to hurry though as the trip is only 5 weeks away!

Now is this a bad thing to admit to? When I opened the parcel above I just had to go check what was left in the Mirasol sale and seeing as there was only 2 skeins of both Fuchsia and Scarlet left I thought I might as well have those too. Well no point in leaving them there on their own is there? And I'd hate to not quite have enough and then be unable to find more........ So order placed Thrsday afternoon at 4pm, and look what arrived in the post this morning:

Well best find somewhere to stash this lot away ;-)