The last little bit....

Of the red chunky from the previous posts that is.

Owen was playing with the yarn in my projects-on-the-go bag and kept snuggling the leftover Marble chunky against his cheek to feel it's softness. Now I know I didn't have enough for a scarf but I thought what the heck, let's see how far we get. I even thought I might be about to break the no yarn buying rule to get a decent length scarf. But as it happens I ended up with a scarf that is about 85cms long. Not long enough to knot or wrap around but just long enough for Owen to wear it the way he always wears scarves - hooked round the back of his neck and then crossed over in the front so that it lies flat down his chest. It isn't bulky under his coat either so just about perfect really. 

 

Technical details:

Yarn: James C. Brett Marble chunky - the final 80g.

Needles: 6mm straights.

Pattern: No pattern followed, it's a scarf!

Cast on 29sts, and then garter stitch with a slip stitch rib pattern on each side.

Another one for the gift box. Good job really as the red bag has come out and been claimed by Jen already!

Now back to the squares........

-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-

And another one.

Helen showed me a feature on knitted accessories in one of her magazines and I spotted a really cute slouchy bag which I knew I had seen a pattern for somewhere. So again I flicked through my stack of knitting magazines and found a pattern in a supplement from one of them. So I set to work with yarn I had in my cupboard and in only a couple of hours I had this:

The ripple effect is created over a 4 row repeat and is very simple. It is just one row knit, next row knit again but wrapping the yarn around the needle twice on each stitch rather than once. The third row is knit again but you let the extra loop just drop from the needle and then the fourth row is purl. I remember working a very simple technique way back in the mid 80's when I was a teen and made myself a ripple effect batwing jumper, only I think I used three wrap overs and had a very loose, open pattern. I wonder what happened to that top as I really loved it at the time?

Technical details:

Yarn: James C. Brett Marble chunky shade MC14. 

Amount: approximately 80g from a 200g ball.

Needle size: 6mm.

Buckle: free gift from a knitting magazine.

Lining: 40cm x 40cm black cotton from fabric stash.

I bought two balls of this yarn about 18 months ago just because I liked the colourway and had lots of ideas of makes but none that I liked enough to go with.....until now. In fact I have liked working with it so much that I have just completed another project with it which I will reveal later if I get a decent photo. And it's not even a bag this time!

Thank you for the lovely comments on my crochet bag. They really made a cautious crocheter feel good about her abilities and all the kind comments I have received through this blog have really inspired me to keep developing this new skill.

-x-

On a roll!

Two posts in one day, who'd of thunk it?

I should have saved this one for tomorrow really because there will be no crafting tomorrow as I'm in work all day and Heather likes lots of mummy cuddles in the evening if we've been apart all day. But I was far too excited at finally getting a long thought of project started and finished all in one day that I'm here and sharing with you. Remember the last post I mentioned I really wanted to knit up the Aviatrix hat for Heather? Well I cast on this afternoon whilst the children were playing together and it worked up so quickly and easily that it is already cast off and finished!

What do you think?

I first came across the pattern here, and the model looked so pretty in it I knew I would have to make one for Heather. 

Technical details:

Yarn - James C. Brett 100% merino DK shade PM1

Amount - 43g

Size - 18 months

Needles - 3.25 and 4mm straights.

Pattern - Aviatrix, available on Ravelry, or this blog. (Thank you to Justine for sharing her hard work).

Now all I need is for Heather to wake up so I can get her to model it for me.

(Oh and the yarn was from the stash proper so I still have one 50g ball and around 25g of another ball left to make something to go with the hat.  I think I originally bought 4 balls of this wool as it was so lovely and soft and knitted some of it up into these pants (don't look at the date!) before storing away to await a fitting project.)

So nearly seven weeks into the year and still not a single scrap of yarn bought. Actually better not let dear husband read this, he will feel justified in his comments that I have far too much!

-x-

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.

What do you think?

Crochet soakers!
First attempt at making these in either knit or crochet. Thought I would give crochet a try first as it seems to be a bit quicker to grow. Quite pleased with the result. The legs are a bit wonky, one hole is slightly bigger than the other, but overall they seem ok. Now just have to decided whether to lanolise them to use as wraps, or just to leave as they are and have very cute knickers?


Anyway details - pattern is in the latest Let's knit magazine, along with a few other styles, another crochet with frills to the backside, and a knit one. The wool I used for these is James C. Brett 100% Merino. It took one 50g ball and just a little of a second ball in the green, and then obviously just scraps for the dots and edgings.

So as you can see I am really loving learning crochet. Can't believe I have avoided it for so long. In fact I have even splashed out on a new book full of gorgeous patterns. Can't wait to try a few, but need a little more practise first I think.