Waving hello :)

Ooh, it's been a long time hasn't it?

I have posted on and off on my other blog, but here? Well there has been nothing, absolutely nothing to blog of creatively! I've had no crafting get up and go at all. Days are spent at work or with the children, evenings are spent reading with the children, watching a DVD, and going off to bed as early as possible. I've thought about making stuff. I've flicked through patterns, other blogs and Ravelry for inspiration, but I just haven't had the energy to do anything. By time the evening meal is out of the way and the dishes washed, children calmed, PJ's on, I just want to relax and then sleep. I haven't had the energy to even walk up the stairs to bed most evenings. You know, I haven't even bought a single knit/sew/crochet/crafty magazine this year! Oh no, I lie, I bought the March issue of Let's knit hoping for a hit of inspiration, but no, nothing. Even flicking through the magazines in the shop has failed to inspire me into actually buying them. I've bought no yarn, not checked out the links in the yarn shop e-mails, not even hopped around Ebay looking for beautiful yarn bargains. Creative crafting has been at an all time low.

BUT, and yes it's a big but (literally and figuratively lol), I did keep the creative flow ticking over in that quiet place in my mind. And so I worked on the mega granny stripe. An odd few trebles here, a few clusters there, whole rows taking days and weeks to conjure up. But I had to keep at it. It needed no thought, no planning, no concentration, it just came out, ticked along, and reminded me that the feel of the yarns, the hook in hand, the growing project, is all good, and not to be let go forever. So far the mega blanket is around 220cms x 100cms, almost big enough for a single bed, and I've stopped for now. The blanket is happily living across the foot of our bed, the days are slowly warming and it is providing just that little extra comfort for chilly morning toes, although it's a little too heavy to work on now the evenings are a touch warmer. I haven't edged it, I'm hoping to work some more on it when autumn returns, hopefully using up a lot more of the acrylic scraps I have lurking around:

But it's ok like this for now, it did it's job, it kept the creativeity ticking along. A few days ago I cast on the King Cole Dolman cardigan. It's very similar to the EZ baby surprise jacket I think? Anyone who has knitted the BSJ please feel free to offer your thoughts :) I wanted to try the BSJ for ages but couldn't find the pattern in the UK. A colleague at work was also trying to find the same pattern and she came across the KC dolman and kindly offered me a copy. So I took this as a sign that I needed to get the needles out and get creative once again. Casting on and starting the jacket was a bit ....hmm...strange? Apparently I was casting on the sleeve edges, shoulders and back of neck. Even looking at the front picture I couldn't work out how that was happening. But then it shows the jacket from the front, the initial knitting is the sleeves and the back I later discovered. Just like I've heard about the BSJ, this jacket doesn't reveal it's true self until you're almost through. There came a moment, about 80% through, that it suddenly clicked, and that was such a blinding moment that I was in awe. I couldn't wait to cast off and before joining I had to share the reverance with anyone who happened into the room - look, a baggy heap of knitted fabric, a quick fold up and ta-dah, a beautiful baby jacket! Stunned faces all around. Even the "not into knitting" passers through were taken back by the sudden transformation.

And so I joined the shoulders, the only joining required, and here it is:

Lovely don't you think?

I knitted it using some of my lovely, luxury stash, one skein of Fyberspates hand dyed Sheila's Sock yarn, and I used such a tiny amount, just about 60g, it's such a soft, squishily smooth yarn that I'm happy to have left overs. I cast on straight away with another favourite pattern - the Aviatrix. A super speedy knit, a couple of hours later I was done:

Ok so the buttons aren't added yet, but I wanted to share and let you know I was back, hopefully, the creative juices flowing once more :)

Both together, beautiful for a newborn don't you think:

And the hat itself took only 20g so I'm hoping there's enough for a little something to complete the set.....

Can I just say, if anyone has actually stuck by me through the drought, that I am so happy to be back, I've still been following so many blogs, but circumstances have just made it impossible for me to stay regular, stay in touch, and let you know I'm around. Thanks for the awards received whilst I've been away, accepted gracefully in mind if not in type. And thank you for coming back again, to share the haphazard creativity. Happy crafting days for all of us.

-x-

The shawl collar cardigan!

Well what can I say about this?

I picked up some bargain yarn at this shop just recently, and picked a simple pattern to make a little cardigan to put away for Sophie for a yuletide gift. So aran yarn, wool content, stocking stitch cardi - easy don't you think? Poorly mama wanted as easy as can be for those late nights spent upright and aching. Cast on the back, follow the pattern - fine. Same for the right front. Do a quick tally of the yarn left........oh dear! One and one third skeins used for the back, around two thirds for the front. Taking a guess that each sleeve will use one skein and a further two thirds for the left front, leaving just under half a skein for the shawl collar. Hmmm, maybe my tension is out a little? Nope, all fine there. Did I mis-read the yarn requirments? No again, five stated and five bought. Oh well, maybe the collar won't use as much as I'm thinking. But just in case I cast on a sleeve next. Just as I thought it used exactly one skein, with only just enough left to stitch it up. So I set aside one skein for the other sleeve, and enough yarn for the left front, stitched the shoulders of the right front and back, and picked up the stitches for the shawl collar. I hoped that I would get this half of the collar completed with half of the remaining yarn. It soon became clear I wouldn't!

But then an even bigger problem became apparent. Following the pattern exactly was not going to give me the collar shown on the picture. I doublechecked the pattern, squinted at the picture to ascertain the number and formation of the stitches. No way was the pattern going to result in that collar. The shawl collar on the picture ended in a button closure at the chest, the shawl collar in the pattern  vee'd all the way down to the bottom edge of the cardi. So after banging down my knitting and snapping a lovely wooden needle taking a deep breath, I pulled back to where I thought the pattern was going wrong and started on the alternative top-of-my-head shawl collar. This turned out better than the original pattern but I still wasn't 100% happy with it. And I used over half of the collar yarn too! Although I have to say considerably less than I would have used following the pattern. So after acquiring an extra skein of yarn I put the cardi away and went on a little R'n'R break.

After a couple of days away and some non-taxing and therapeutic hooking of the Granny Stripe Kingsize Throw (capitalizing for such a mega project is essential I think?) I decided to face the  cardi again and so knitted up the left front and second sleeve. When it came to the collar I decided to follow the pattern once again,  and then showed  anyone I could bribe into caring  interested housedwellers the mutant-looks- finished-but-why-does-it-have-2-different-collars? cardi and see which they preferred. And the overwhelming opinion of all three bored interested people (I tried to get an opinion off  the 15 year old boy on his way to the fridge but strangely he didn't appear to be that interested) was that the revised collar was the winner. So I ripped back the original, pattern followed, odd collar and tried to remember my own. A bit more moaning and groaning later and the collar was finished. Still not how this knitter imagined but the general opinion is that Sophie will like it, or more importantly, that her mum will!

And if you read my yarn along post on the other blog yesterday you will already know that I have casted on for the same cardi again in Heather's size and an even lovelier colourway. But this time I know what I'm doing with the collar. And it definitely isn't the one on the pattern......or the one I ended up with above!!

So just in case anyone else wants to buy a pattern that shouldn't be followed, or knit a very oddly shaped shawl collared cardi, or maybe even show me exactly how I could have gone so wrong, here are the technical details :)

Pattern used (kind of): Sirdar 2275

Yarn: Sirdar Click aran shade 0148

Amount: 5.5 skeins (although pattern states 5 and would have used at least 6!)

Size: age 6-7 (although this fits cain who is actually a small 5 year old, luckily the same size as Sophie)

Needles: pair of 4mm (plus one extra for snapping!!) and pair of 5mm

Cost: 6x£1.39 - £8.34 from this sale (no idea why the price states £1.49, it was only £1.39 instore).

Yarn left: approximately 35g including short lengths.

I would love to hear if any of you have knitted this cardi, or will knit it, and how it has turned out for you.

And yes, I have yet another finished item to share with you all, so don't forget to come back soon.

-x-

Catching up.

Ooh, it's been a long time hasn't it? Shall I give a multitude of reasons, or shall I just get straight on with showing some of the things that have been keeping me busy? Well aside from family, work, and general life that is!

Plannig lot's of projects using vintage fabric and bargain yarns:

Rowan Purelife organically grown 100% wool natural plant dyed only £1.50 per skein here but very limited now

Ebay bargain - over 2m of pretty barkcloth fabric

  Sirdar Click aran £1.39 per skein from the same place - love this shop, and it's not too far away for a personal visit either.

Crafting gifts for lovely mama's:

Knitted bamboo facecloth, soapbag, cross stitch trimmed scented sachet, and a trim for the carryall.

Starting on the christmas gifting:

Knitted dolly for Heather with removable clothes, just a couple more outfits to make.

Knitted cardi for Sophie with yet more of the bargain Sirdar Click

Sewing pretty cushions:

Enjoying patchwork and getting to grips with zips too.

Preparing for winter:

Granny stripe blanket 200cms wide, 110 treble clusters, 50cms high, another 130cms to go. And the edging.

Oh yes, I've been a busy crafting mama lately, with lot's more makes all jostling to show themselves off.

Sorry it's only a flying visit but maybe the changing weather will mean more time snuggling inside with the hooks and needles, and lot's more idea's to share.

-x-

The knitty thing.

I finally finished off the cabled knitty thing.

A peek:

 I got round to using some of the 26 x 50g of Sirdar Click chunky I rashly bought in a sale many, many months ago, and now have a lovely cosy cardigan for Spring evenings, or daily use if the weather continues as it is just now!

The cardigan kniited up quite quickly on 7mm needles even with all the cables, but I think it needs blocking a bit more than the hurried attempt I gave. In total I used 13 balls of the yarn so I have another 13 left in the stash, although Cain has asked if I will make him a "lovely, cuddly" jumper with some of it. I have a sock waiting for a partner so might cast that on next though. Funny feeling, having no real works on the go, apart from the sock that is. I have quite a few ideas whirling around in my mind but not sure which to start on next. I do have a couple of baby gifts to whip up though so maybe I should get cracking with them........

Having said that John has been working on a gift for me which I am hoping to put into use soon so might have a new craft to share with you all.

Happy making everyone.

-x-

Rainbow spotting.

Black can be such a dull colour for a little one:

But mixed with rainbow colours:

Neon bright and beautiful:

It makes for a cardi to brighten the rainiest of days:

Yes, finally finished the rainbow bright. This was a pain of a top to work on. I wanted to use up all the jewel like colours in my scrap bag and thought a top for Heather would be a good idea. But how to work the stripes? I didn't want to stripe across and also didn't want to twist lots of colours together so I had the bright (sorry!) idea of working the top sideways in garter stitch rows. So I guessed at the underarm to hip length and began knitting, 2 rows in each colour. I reached the point where I had to cast on for the armhole to shoulder length to come in and couldn't quite get the length I needed. Three times I ripped back before I was happy! And then I was away. I worked the one side and then reversed the stripe combination for the other side. And then I realised I wasn't going to have enough bright yarn to do an allover stripey knit. The solution, after a couple of days deliberating........black! Because I wasn't working the stripes I decided to work this side in plain stocking stitch working from the bottom up to the neck. Much easier to work out the necessary measurements but very boring simple to get on with. I finished off with a black garter stitch edging to the armholes ( I wanted sleeves but was very low on the black by this time), neck and bottom edge. More picking up of stitches for all the edging but much easier than on the last knit, 140sts around the bottom but all in one straight row, no curves to work around this time thankfully.

I did write the pattern for this as I was going along but I really don't think it would be worth sharing as it would need an exact tension due to being worked in two directions. Besides I'm fairly certain I won't be trying it again so I don't think anyone else would ;-)

Technical details:

87g of black DK from the scrap bag

Roughly 15g each of cerise, blue, pink, purple, yellow and aqua DK again from the scrap bag.

Worked on 4mm straight needles.

This took about 11 hours in total over the past week.

The idea came during that hazy period before finally succumbing to sleep.

So it's onwards and emptywards with the scrap bag. I can fasten the zip now without having to push down on it, so it's gradually going down. This is it tipped over the floor earlier whilst I rummaged for a scrap of black to finish the seams on the cardi:

 

Thinking cap back on whilst I decide what next can magically appear from the bits that no-one in their right mind would want.

And tomorrow I might even have a rummage through the yarn stash proper and maybe plan a few gift knits. Or failing that at least share a glimpse of what marvels are hiding in there.......

-x-

At last!

I finished the cardigan!
Actually it needs a slight adjustment to the neck opening, maybe another button, but yep, it's definitely finally all knitted. Lovely and warm and very autumnal. The older girls aren't so keen on it, they say it looks too old for me and that it should be more fitted but there is a special reason it's a size bigger than it should be.............I wanted it big enough to cover two. No not another bump.............I want to wrap it around both Heather and myself. It's very warm work carrying a lump of a baby against ones body no matter what the weather is, and I find it simply too warm when I wear a coat so the cardigan is the way to go. Tried it over us both when Heather was in the wrap and it's just about right for a front carry. So I'm very pleased. Shall I show it off?

The details? Patons shadow tweed in shade 6202. Seven 100g balls in total to knit up an approximate size 12/14. Well I'm a 10 just now and it fits around me and Heather. The yarn costs around £4.50-£5 per ball but luckily for me John came across the yarn originally in the car boot sale priced £5 for 6 balls. Not so fortunate was that I had to go buy another ball at full price to finish the collar. But £9.50 total cost is pretty good for a handknit wool mix cardigan don't you think? Knitted up on 7mm needles so should have been a quick knit but because of the overall moss stitch pattern it took a little longer. The yarn is lovely to knit with. It is a chunky yarn but in a single ply so the stitches can be a bit fluffy and occasionally I put my needle through in just the wrong spot and so had to have a quick look that all was well. The colour changes are fantastic, working in long sections of deep green then turing to rich russet red before going back to green again, with lots of subtle flecks of gold, blue, orange and lighter green. The flecks are barely there but are a lovely surprise flash of colour as you knit.
So there you go, I can finally stop going on about "that" cardigan and enjoy keeping warm and snuggly in it instead. And get back to the christmas list.........

More hats!

A hat for a GP little one:


Debbie Bliss Rialto in baby pink with a cotton flower and button trim.

And a hat for Emma:


Cream cotton DK with matching fower and bead trim.

Cardigan is almost finished but I ran out of wool. Blast!! Not sure I'm safe to search for an extra ball as I can't afford to fall to the temptation of gorgeous yarns. Might have to ask Helen to find it online for me to help me resist the urge to browse. Although she seems to be falling under the spell of the lovely merino wool she is using to knit a hat for Heather. She is definitely noticing the difference in texture and the pleasure in working it after using acrylic yarns for her first step in knitting.......

And another hat.

This cardigan is taking sooo long. But at last the end is in sight. Only half a sleeve and then the edgings and trims to go. Should be finished by the end of the week. Well I hope so as it is so cold round here right now.
Poorly children mean I have been sat up the past few nights so knitting has been a great pastime. Lat week I spotted some lovely wool in the yarn shop. I just bought one ball as it was a patterned wool and I wanted to see how it would knit up before committing to a full project and also before spending money. I have way too big a stash to justify adding to it at the moment but this wool was lovely. 100% merino by Adriafil in cute shades of blue, pink and white.


I decided to knit yet another hat for Heather. Knitted on a set of 4mm DPN's it took only two hours in total. The flower took another 30 minutes.

Only problem is, in my sleep deprived state, I didn't check the sizing and just launched straight in. So I can't show you a picture of Heather wearing it as it is just slightly too large. Oh well, at least I have one ready for christmas. But I might just make a slightly smaller one for wearing now....
Oh well, thats about all for now. Hopefully when I next post I will have the cardigan finished. Or at least I can hope so.
xx