Photo flop!

I feel my crafty mojo creeping back after many months in hibernation. Even the thought of teeny baby knits couldn't lure it out of hiding. I guess that was for the best really as teeny baby knits wouldn't have lasted very long for this chunk of a girl. She's already outgrowing her 3-6 month clothes and she is the grand old age of 9 weeks! The few baby knits I made especially for her lasted roughly 2 weeks before they were too tiny.

So anyway, back to the rediscovered yarn love. Like I said, it's creeping back slowly. After the six week job of creating a little soft bunny, I gathered all the unfinished bits and decided to crack on with them. First up was this:

 Started when I was around seven months pregnant (even then I must have had an idea this baby was going to be a real biggie and so not to continue with the teeny knits), I just wanted to get cracking on winter cosiness. Oh, and use stash too :)

So I found a knitting magazine supplement that used a similar yarn weight and knitted up this hoodie for Cain. In the pattern it was stripey but that was a step too far for my tired, fuddled pregnancy brain. 

The photo's are pretty rubbish, but all I could grab between feeding, cuddling, and playing. It needs a button too for the collar, have to go search the stash for one later. Looks nice and warm though doesn't it? The only problem I had, besides the rubbish photography, was the arm length. Now I'm pretty certain Cain has average size arms, he's certainly not of gorilla upper body proportions, but when I knitted to the pattern the sleeves only came partway down his lower arms! Luckily they were knit top down so I unpicked and added another 13 rows, roughly 5cms, and they are now fine.  Just have to watch he doesn't fray the cuffs dragging his knuckles along the floor ;)

Another UFO on the needles right now, this time one that's been hanging around for maybe two years or more. Might even be able to share it within a couple of days.........

-x-

And there's more........

So I said how much I enjoyed working with the Marble Chunky right?

And how I liked the rippled effect for the bag?

And how quickly it knitted up?

So I just had to do some more. But not a bag this time:

Instead I came up with the idea of a big slouchy jumper to keep Heather warm through the spring and into the summer evenings:

Technical details:

Yarn: James C. Brett Marble chunky shade MC14 approximately 200g.

Needles: 6mm straights.

Pattern: as I went along!

I worked a moss stitch hemline for this jumper before changing to the ripple effect pattern as described in the previous post. I then switched to a garter stitch bodice. I worked a slight decrease for the armholes and again for the neckline. The sleeves are fully garter stitch worked from the top down with the final 5 rows being stocking stitch to create a rolled hem. Unfortunately they were a little long and so I have to decide whether to shorten them to give them a better fit now, or leave them long but roll them up to extend the wearing life of the jumper. The neckline was created by picking up stitches and then working 5 rows st. st. to give a rollneck.

See, who needs to pick up loads of stitches and start ribbing away? 

So another make from stash and still a little of the marble chunky left, around 120g. Not sure what to do with this last bit so you've any ideas before it goes back into the cupboard to be forgotten about for several more years.........

-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-

Terrible photo's of a cutie cardi.......

Running out of titles now!

So I finished knitting with the yellow fluff yarn for now:

What do you think?

Yes I know, the photo's are awful, but have you seen the time? Maybe I'll get an outdoor shot of it being modelled tomorrow and you can see the true colour then. This started out as a simple make, I thought it would take no time at all. And it didn't. The body took only a couple of hours spaced over the last two days. And then I came to the edging tonight! Aaarrgh is the only word I can think of to describe how I felt about that edging. Fine fluffy wool, 2.5mm straight needles, 275st pick up around curved edges.........Ok you get it. My fingertips are paying the price right now.

Still I'm happy with how it's turned out. Much prettier than the photo's suggest, although as I already mentioned it's not what I usually tend to choose for Heather to wear. But I think it will go well over sundresses or vests in the summer. As long as it fits!

I guess I'd better start on the gift makes about now. Did I say two per month? Better get the skates on then!

-x-

And there's more.....

More scrap yarnbusting!

As I already mentioned there's been a switch in methods, this time the crochet hook has come out of hiding. Lots of stripes of DC meant a faster growing piece than knitting usually allows:

I'm not a big fan of pastels but I think the fuchsia really lifts these colours and makes them far less boring:

 

I didn't have a pattern or even a plan when I started on this, I just let the colours carry me on and decided as I went along. I was thinking of a fully striped top so I worked the two pieces for front and back consecutively to make sure I wasn't going to run out of yarn. I soon realised that sleeves were not an option and settled for a good old tank top. (You can tell I'm a child of the 70's - I never hear the phrase "tank top" any more!). Rather than just make a standard vest shape I thought it might be a bit more interesting to add fasten-up shoulders instead.

The buttons aren't the final ones, I just stitched them on to assess for size. I really need to replenish my button stock as I have nothing that fits this top.

And finally a little photo of the girlie herself modelling her new top:

Technical details:

Approximately 30g each of lemon, mint, baby blue and fuchsia DK from the scrap yarn bag.

Worked on 4mm crochet hook.

I wouldn't dream of suggesting the  pattern as I know I'm not great at crochet. I'm sure you could improve on it and of course all hints and tips are appreciated so as I can bear them in mind for future projects. Oh and a question - I'm thinking that the side I'm showing is the wrong side of the work? Only because the stripes on the reverse are much more defined and so I thought more likely to be the side that should usually be on show? Having said that I liked this view much better and used it as the right side, just because I kind of like how the stripes have that little spikey effect. Only wondering for future reference really as i'm making up this crochet stuff as I go along!

So that's what I've been up to whilst the laptop has been in the shop getting repaired. Off to have a scramble through the scrap bag and think about the next project later. Oh and I might even cast on for one of the two christmas gifts I have promised myself I will make each month of this year. Or I might even combine the two and create a gift from the scrap bag - how thrifty would that make me ;-)

Happy crafting everyone.

-x-

Shades ready?

I finished the tank top. Oh yes, a scrap yarn extravaganza! About 50g of blue DK, and less of yellow, pink and white. All left over from other projects, mine or other peoples. The blue left over from knitting a scarf and mitts for one of Jen's friends, the pink from Jen's scarf and mitts, the yellow from some long ago Easter knitting and the white from a bag of white oddments found at a car boot sale.

SO the tank top went well, knitting up pretty quickly on 4mm DPN's, a nice ridged pattern forming around the staggered stripes where the colours changed. Well to be honest the ridges weren't intentional and I was going to block them out but I kind of like them now. I did get fed up with stopping to untangle the yarns every few rows so when I opened up the round to form the front and back I decided to use blocks of colour to continue. Not enough yarn in the contrast colours to knit the back and front the same so I chose to use pink for the back and yellow for the front. 

Heather definitely likes it:

The colours are much brighter in true light:

An exercise in brightness and thrift, what do you think?

So continuing with the scrap yarn busting, what next? This lovely blog is inspiring me to go for an all out scrap yarn colourfest crochet blanket but not sure I have the patience for such a big crochet project. Any other colourful WIP's you'd care to share?

-x-

Scrap yarn projects.

I don't generally do resolutions - too much like setting yourself up to fail. But when it comes to crafting I spend each new year sorting out my wool stash and resolving not to buy any more yarn until I have seriously dented the amount I already own. And so with this in mind I turned first to the scrap bag. You know the one, you all have one - right? The bag where you throw all the half used balls of yarn, sample balls, and ripped back tangles.

So I weighed the bag (yes, I'm sad, I know) and I have a total of approx 2000g of yarns of varying textures, ply's (or is it plies?), colours and lengths. So what to do with it all?

Well first up is this:

It will eventually be a tank top thingy for Heather. Worked in the round on 4mm DPN's, I really need to get a 40cm wire for my Knitpro's, it will hopefully be finished this evening. As long as I don't run out of the bright pink I am going to use for the bodice. The problem, and of course the fun too, with using yarn scraps, is that you never know if you will have enough to finish the project, and always having to have a back up plan in mind. And then there's all that untangling of yarn as you go along.......

Phew, who knew knitting could be so exciting?

So anyone else joining in the challenge? Share your links to your yarn scrap projects. 

I need the inspiration!

-x-

Works in progress.....

Be warned, there are a few!
So to spur myself on into making them I thought I'd list them here.

Number one - a knitted bag from a pattern in simply knitting magazine. Different yarn to the one used in the pattern but this one is so much nicer I think. I really like the way the colours have created stripes and especially how the stripe changes match with the bobbles so each bobble is different. And all by chance. Started - 4 weeks ago. Reason it's hanging around - I had to teach myself to crochet after I realised the finished edging is in double crochet as are the bobbles on the strap! So a crash course in crochet has ensued.


Number 2 - More cabled 2 needle socks for dearest husband. Read further down the blog and you will find a blue pair I knitted not long ago. The pattern needed a few amendments but once it was sorted out I was very pleased with the finished result......apart from one thing, they were pretty BIG socks! So this pair I have gone down a needle size and hope this makes for a better fit for the wearer. Not that the original pair went to waste, my 16 year old daughter has claimed them for bedsocks. Started - last week. Reason they are hanging around - spring season swaps to craft. GP forum members know what I mean ;-)


Number 3 - The latch hook rug. Quite enjoying this. Its very therapeutic as the making is so simple and can be done whilst listening to music, watching the boys play, chatting with olders and so on. Well so can knitting really but this demands a lesser degree of concentration I think. Also the mathematical approach appeals to me, read the chart, transfer the information, make the stitch. Simple. Quite looking forward to having it done though so that I can create the rug I have in my minds eye next. Started - 3 days ago. Reason it's hanging around - well actually it's not, this is the WIP I keep turning to when I sit down.


Number 4 - a stripey top for the new bump. Lovely soft bamboo cotton and easy to make. Started - 10 weeks ago! Reason it's hanging around - maybe because theres no urgency, babe has another 14 weeks ish before she needs clothes. Or maybe the weaving in of the loose strands is putting me off, there are lots of them with this stripe pattern.


Number 5 - patchwork blanket for baby. This is knitted with lots of balls of Sirdar click which were sold as lot ends in the local wool shop for £1 per ball. Too good to resist. It's a "make it up as you go" kind of project so not sure how it will end up. I am getting three squares from each 50g ball and have three balls each of the three colours knitted up already, so I should get 27 squares altogether. I have 4 balls of the final colour, shown unknitted, so will use that for edging and possibly a thin border to join all the squares, although I'm not sure yet. Started - around 4 weeks ago. Reason it's still hanging around - because I take this to work with me and so manage only a square or two on each shift, and I only work two nights a work.


Number 6 - another baby knit. Absolutely gorgeous wool from Mirasol, my favourite yarn brand. Hand dyed merino with an amazing colours. I think this will be a little hoodie but not quite sure yet. Started - 14 weeks ago. Reason it's hanging around - I forgot about it until I found it at the bottom of my yarn drawers yesterday!
I think that's it for now. Although I do have a considerable list of planned makes which I won't bore you with just now ;-)