Many hands.......

If only I had all the hands to fit the projects I have finished this weekend! I would fly through the gift makes I still have to start :)

The Hitchhiker is no longer middle big girls yule gift, I just couldn't face the idea of having to knit up a matching hat and gloves in the KC Riot, it is such a fine DK it would take me all of the time I have from now to Christmas! Instead I cast on these on Saturday evening:

Middle big girl wants gloves she can wear whilst driving and thinks fingerless would work better, and she loves all the chunky cable designs that are everywhere in the shops right now. These worked up really quickly on chunky/bulky weight yarn and used just under 100g for both. And best of all I used stash wool, the Patons Symphony found at a car boot sale during the early summer, so super pleased.

I also managed to finish the bubble rib scarf for biggest girl this weekend:

 Worked in Stylecraft aran so that I wouldn't hear the news that she had shrunken it (last years pure wool Mirasol gift....!) this scarf has taken forever. I have picked up between other makes and tried to squeeze in at least one repeat every night, but this weekend I decided I just had to get it done as I was avoiding my knitting corner altogether to avoid this looking back at me. Very pleased with the finished result though and I hope biggest girl is too. Just a pair of gloves to complete the set.

But instead of casting on the gloves (still have the mans on the needles and one pair is enough for now!), I cast on an instant gratification knit:

Thick warm chunky soft mittens for tallest, smallest big girl. Worked in Wendy Serenity super chunky on 10mm straight needles, these were finished almost as soon as I cast them on. I used this pattern to make this an almost mindless knit, perfect for late night tiredness, waiting for littlest girlie to sleep. If you're thinking of using this pattern I have to tell you there is an error in row 10 and 11 which is easily sorted, but if you have any problems shout out.

And last, but only for now, I cast on this hat for middle big girl, to go with the fingerless mitts from the very first post:

I came up with the pattern to match the cable mitts and I'm very, very pleased with it :) I think it may even become the hat of the season, with one for grandgirlie, and maybe even littlest girlie too. Cast on, knit, and cast off all within an hour or two, just perfect for a quick gift. I may try writing up the pattern if anyones interested?

I still have a pretty long list to work through but it finally feels as I'm getting somewhere. And right now I only have three projects cast on, I wonder how long that will last?

Hope you're all enjoying your Christmas crafting and NOT putting yourselves under pressure to complete. It's fun first of all, remember ;) And I'll be the first to shout out when I've had enough!

-x-

Headband and mitts.

Original title don't you think?

A request from Helen - a knitted headband with a large flower trim. Apparently they're "everywhere" just now. So we had a search through the stash and after finding the right wool I set to work. And this is the result:

Worked in Mirasol (yes you know how much I love their yarn!) Miski 100% baby llama the whole thing took just about the full 50g skein with only a few inches of wool left at the end. Lucky really as I bought only the one skein some time last year and have been waiting patiently for a fitting project ever since.

It is about an aranweight yarn and I knitted up the headband on 4.5mm DPN's.

The flower was crocheted following this pattern. I didn't feel confident enough to make this flower up as I went, especially as I was aware of how little wool I had left. 

Jen sat with me whilst everyone else went to bed and as I finished off the headband she put in a request for one too. And I'm thinking this would also be nice for a present for other girls in the family too........

Also knitted up since the last post were these mittens for Heather:

I used the Mirasol left over from the gloves I made for myself and I still have enough to knit up one more pair of mitts I think. Worked on straight needles in size 3mm for the rib and 3.5mm for the main body these mitts are just so tiny and took barely any time at all to knit up, definitely a quick knit fix!

Definitely on a roll at the moment, but I think I need to try fit some sleep in too.....

-x-

Mitts and bits for christmas.

So I'm cracking on with the christmas list now. Finally got around to knitting the mittens to go with Sophie's hat and scarf:


Knitted on two needles so very quick and easy, the pair completed in one evening. I'm thinking of maybe appliqueing a little something on them just to pretty them up a little more. Emma likes very girly things for Sophie! The scarf is knitted in stocking stitch and so the sides curl inwards. To combat this it is going to be lined in some lovely pink cotton fabric and I might use the leftovers for the appliqueing. But no definite decision yet as sewing really is not my strongpoint.

And another pair of mittens, only not quite so easy and definitely more time consuming:


I've knitted these for Owen and his love of all things Thomas. The intarsia wasn't too bad, nor was the extra embroidering of features. The worst and most time consuming part was the sewing in of loose threads. Or more to the point, sewing them in neatly with such a limited working surface! All these threads (and more) to sew into one little mitten:


I have another handmade beautiful thing to show you today. This lovely little dolly made especially for Heather for me to pop in the christmas stocking:


Oh how I would love to be able to sew as well as this. But I can't. And so special thanks go to Pippa for creating this little doll just for us. Heather has already had a sneak peek and just didn't want to let go so I'm sure dolly will be much loved. Thank you Pippa.

Now I think I should go and finish sewing up that second mitten before little one opens her eyes. And maybe even start on the hat to match.
Happy crafting all.
xx