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-

The hare and the tortoise

This is the hare.......well actually it's a knitted bunny - the first little toy for our lovely little girl:

Actually she's not so small, she loves her mama milk, which explains why it took me 6 weeks to knit this one thing. So the tortoise? Well that's me and my crafting of course :) Remember when I blogged the one Helen knitted up for Heather's birthday? Well that one took her 2 days. TWO days for a relative knitting novice. I thought this would take me roughly the same when fitted round cuddles and feeds and general other stuff. I never thought I would take six WEEKS to knit a toy bunny!!

Little bunny knitted in soft and cuddly Sirdar baby crofter on 4mm needles, using just under 50g for the whole thing.

Want to see the whole shot?

Aaaawwwwww! I know you're thinking it :)

-x-

And it is a.................

Shalom!

So KnittingNix, Julie and Sarah, you win the Ravelry Geek award, and Dawn and Karisma, well, you had a guess..... ;)

This has been a lovely, speedy knit, despite the poor picture doing it a great injustice. I'm certain Emma will like it, a feeling backed by both her big little sisters. I still need to block it and find a button I like, but I just wanted to share with you after keeping it a very shortlived secret.

I used exactly 2.5 skeins of the Sirdar Denim Chunky so I had plenty left despite the initial worries. No idea why I thought it would use a lot more, maybe because it's a chunky and I didn't counter in that no sleeves meant a good two skein saving? The yarn suggests 6.5mm needles whereas the pattern asks for 7mm so as I knit slightly under tension much of the time I decided to go with the 7mm. Having finished I think I should have gone with the 6.5mm as the knit is fairly loose, although not loose enough to be a problem. Also I think I would have preferred it with buttons down the ribbed yoke rather than just one at the neck but then Emma will probably prefer it this way. When I was working down the main body I began to think that sleeves would be kind of nice too but I had already cast off the arm openings so I didn't want to go back and start messing about, although I guess it would have been simple enough..... Again I know Emma likes layering short sleeves over long so she should be happy with sleeveless.

So it's blocking now and waiting for it's nice big button to be stitched in place, rather than that knitpro that's currently holding it together.

Would I knit another? Definitely yes. But if for me then with the mods already mentioned.

Technical details:

Pattern - Shalom, found on Ravelry

Yarn - Sirdar Denim Chunky 2.5 skeins

Needles - one 7mm circular

Size - pattern states 34" bust I think, I would say this came out around a large 10/12.

Difficulty - simple. Top down, worked in one piece, some mid-row cast ons, a few simple psso decreases and make one increases,  but basically stocking stitch, garter stitch and twisted rib.

Adjustments - I shortened the body by stopping at the penultimate increase row and then starting the garter stitch border. The pattern states this was designed for a 6' tall woman and Emma is only 5'2" and she likes her cardi's to be on the shorter side anyway. Having said that even if I had worked exactly to the pattern it wouldn't have been much longer, maybe only just on the hips anyway?

So there we have it - mystery knit revealed, now back to the scarf......or the socks......or maybe something using that lovely KnitPicks yarn I received last week?

-x-

Phew!

Well the time consuming section of this knit is done at last. 

Can you work out what it is yet?

It's a free pattern on Ravelry, and it's for my biggest girl. (So if you follow regularly you will know that I have already knitted her a slouchy hat and that I'm working my way along the matching scarf). 

Go on, have a guess:

And double phew - I just discovered another skein of this yarn trying to pretend it was Sirdar Click. So I started with what I thought was five skeins, had you all finger crossing for me, and now I have only just joined in the second skein whic means I still have almost five skeins left! So you can all uncross your fingers now, that should be way more than enough. (Thanks all and a special thanks to Jacqui for offering surplus stash x).

Right back to it. it's a very addictive pattern you know :)

-x-

Fingers crossed.......

...that the five skeins of Sirdar Denim chunky I acquired at a car boot sale many months ago will be enough for the project I have just cast on:

Because if it's not then I'll be doing a lot of ripping back! I got just a little bit bored with the scarf, but I will get back to it. It's a long way off till yule isn't it?

-x-

As good as it gets!

The knitty thing is done and blocked. 

The little girlie tried it on and loved it.

I whipped out my camera for a shot.

And she didn't want to play!

So this is as good as it gets for a modelled peek at the new cardi:

And to continue a them I couldn't get a decent shot of it off the girlie either:

So yes, it's snuggly and cosy, and bright and cheerful, and fits well and has a cute little hoodie, but you're just going to have to take my word for it!

The pattern is loosely adapted from the cardi I made Sophie just the other day. This time it's for a 2 year old teensy girl so a lot more snuggly. And smaller too. 

This time with an added hood.

And buttons to the very bottom to keep my little miss extra warm.

Technical details:

Yarn - Sirdar Click aran

Shade - 0110

Amount - just over 3x 50g skeins

Cost - £1.39 per skein, so £5.56 in total with  about 25g left over.

Needle size - 4mm and 5mm

Pattern - sizing taken from the pattern for the previous cardi, Sirdar 2275, but with the left and right fronts and the hood made up as I went along. I made a few notes so I guess I could write it up at some point.........

So that's about it with the bargain Sirdar Click. Well apart from the 11 skeins I have left to knit up a cardi for Emma....... Hmm, maybe later, I think the Granny Stripe is feeling a little neglected. And besides, I have an idea for a new blanket I want to start on.........

-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-

Buying.........

So I told you I'd be back with the car boot sale bargains. And this is them - six 100g balls of Sirdar Denim chunky for £5 and five 100g balls of Paton's Symphony for £3:

  

Pretty good, don't you think?? 

But even better was these:

The lady had a whole stack of StitchCraft magazines from the late 70's to early 80's! These are lovely booklets and I already have a few in my collection. They cover a range of different needlecrafts - crochet, knitting, embroidery, cross-stitch, rugmaking, all wonderful crafts:

 

. The illustrations are just lovely and although some of the patterns are a bit too "of the times" there are some great ones that need no adjusting if you love the vintage look, or that can be brought right up to date with just a few tweaks. Getting hold of the yarns used would probably be impossible now, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to use some of them anyway ;-). So how much for these five I hear you ask? £2.00! Isn't that a bargain? The seller had a pile of them, maybe 30 or more, and she was asking 50p each one. John asked her what kind of deals she was open to but she was very non-committal and had the maybe I appeared over keen as she just said she would let me select what I wanted before she gave a price. Despite saying again that I would love them all she wouldn't commit to a price so I eventually selected these five. I do wish I had haggled a price with her over the whole collection........

Another lovely find was these candlestick holders:

Ok they're not that great but they only cost £1 for the pair, and then further on I came across a can of enamel spray for £1 too which I snapped up and now my candle holders look like this:

Lovely don't you think?

So there we go, the yarnbuying ban is officially over. And ready to start again for another six months! Why, do you ask? Because I have also been treated to some lovely yarns from my lovely man. Yesterday I also acquired a skein of laceweight, some sock yarn, some more cotton 4ply, and a couple of skeins of Mirasol T'ika. So the dent I had created in the stash has now been smoothed over and filled in. Now to find the inspiration to start working through it all over again. That's if I can tear myself away from the strangely addictive Granny stripe hookiness.........

So what crafty bargains have you come across lately? And please - links to yarn sales are not allowed here! Well maybe if you really want to.........

-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-

If a blanket seems too big of a job.........

First up, do you remember this post?

It was such a long time ago wasn't it? So I never did finish crocheting all the squares to create the planned gift. Instead I reached about twelve and then gave up. For a long time! But when I was routing through my knitting cupboard I found the squares again and decided to use them for something else. I hooked up a few more squares so I had 24 in all and then joined them together with DC and some pastel green yarn:

And then I made a very long strap, and some cute little crochet flowers:

Before lining the whole thing:

And ending up with a pretty little crochet shoulder bag:

(Not a very good last photo actually but my battery is about to die so I can't upload another just yet!)

You know I still feel so inordinately pleased with myself each time I create something with the hooks, it took me such a long time to try crochet and every new piece of work feels such an achievement. Knitting just doesn't hold that same finished thrill. I love knitting, but I know it, if you know what I mean? Even if the pattern seems challenging at first I know I will get it and end up with a good finished article. And there's no fear of adapting patterns, or creating my own. Knitting is my comfort zone. But crochet is different. I'm still learning, not far progressing past the basic stitches, but I'm just so excited when the piece is done and is admired by my ever patient and thoughtful husband. I'm pretty sure he isn't that interested in yarn, or hooks, or bags, or the rest of it but he knows me, and he knows how to make me feel.

So back to the bag.

Technical details:

Yarn: Playtime microfibre DK shade PP6. approximately 150g.

Sirdar in pastel green (will edit when I remember the name!) approximately 30g.

Hook size 4.5mm.

4 buttons.

lining fabric approximately 40cms x 70cms.

Pattern: Simply knitting magazine issue 55 June 2009. 

All materials from stash, both proper stash and the scraps bag, even the fabric, which used to be the bathroom roman blind!

The pattern suggests buying bag handles but I am still working from stash and had none suitable so had to crochet some instead. The pattern also stated adding buttons to the centre of each motif but as the yarn I used is so colourful I didn't think adding so many buttons would enhance it any further. The handles were held on with the buttons and stitched right through the lining for strength. The flowers and buttons just helped the bag look tidier and stopped the handles looking like an afterthought.

If you read my other blog you will know I'm cutting down on internet usage hence the long time since the last post. I will be back later though to show you what else I have been making whilst I have been away. 

Going to have a nosey round all your inspirational blogs now and pick up some new ideas for the stashbusting.

 

Oh one more thing - still no yarn bought this year! See, the willpower of a ........... whatever has good willpower lol.

Happy crafting everyone.

-x-

And over a year later...........

I finally finished another quick make!

July 2009 I had the wonderful idea of knitting myself a cool silky bamboo cotton top. I ordered some beautiful spring green Sirdar Just Bamboo and even carefully selected a pattern created especially for that yarn. The parcel was delivered a couple of days after I ordered and I cast on almost immediately. And then got waylaid by a sock. And another sock. And a few hats, scarves, gloves, Christmas gifts, baby makes......... the list went on. The bamboo top stayed as only a couple of inches of stocking stitch. Until last week. Routing through the cupboard I spied the little pink project bag I had stored it away in. The lovely green brought images of spring days and sunshine and walks out in the warm, bright sunshine. The complete opposite of now with the ice and the cold and 3 pairs of socks and functional warm weatherproof clothing. And so caught in a daydream of warmth and contentment I started to knit.

Three days later and I had finished - the knitting part anyway! It took another 24 hours to shape and sew and sort out all those annoying little ends that unravelled when I tried to weave them in and needed securing with a few stitches of standard cotton thread. I'm not sure I will knit anything on a larger scale from bamboo tape ever again. Far too silky and slippy and unravelly.

So this is what I have ended up with:

It fits wonderfully well and skims and drapes just how I hoped it would. And I just know I am going to enjoy wearing it when the weather warms up once more.

Technical details:

Knitted to fit a size10/12 top (it stretches nicely across a rather large chest on a small frame ;-) )

Sirdar pattern no. 8879.

Sirdar Just Bamboo shade 119 - 6 balls (the pattern states 5 but I only just went into the sixth for maybe a couple of rows of the neckband).

Needles - 5.5mm

Worked in stocking stitch throughout with a garter stitch neckband, minimal raglan shaping for the sleeves, and a little knot detailing at the neck. Very, very easy to knit up and great for a beginner or if watching Kirstie's handmade home or Sweeney Todd.

And in other news - Giveaway winner..................Sparky!

If you send me a PM over on the GP forum I will get your headband off to you. Just remember to tell me what colour you would like and average head size, yourself or a little person. Oh and don't forget to let me have your address :)

-x-

Yet more socks!

-

Helen admires every pair of knitted socks I make and I keep promising to knit her a pair but always get sidelined by other projects. So as today was her birthday I had a very special mama-made gift for her - a pair of chunky cable knit socks complete with tassles and ties!


These were knitted on a set of 4 5mm DPN's and I used a pattern that was free in the latest issue of Let's knit magazine.


The DPN's were also free with the magazine and I really didn't enjoy the feel of them so they may well be getting rehomed very soon. Anyone on the hunt for a set of five neon coloured plastic needles?
The wool specified was Sirdar supersoft aran but I thought Helen would prefer the Sirdar Click aran instead as the colours were much hers. The picture doesn't show the cable twist to the sides of the socks very well unfortunately, but they are there ;-)


These were really quick and easy to knit up and only took a couple of nights, between teething poorly baby and never sleeping small boys.

Just a quickie....

This little top took just hours to knit up and is a perfect cover-up over long sleeves on cooler days:


Knitted from less than 2 balls of Sirdar Balmoral DK which I bought in the charity shop, just under three balls for 60p, so a super cheap make. I have just short of a ball left which I am thinking would make a nice little matching bag for the little girl who is loving putting things inside bigger things at the moment.



Garter stitch hemline, stocking stitch main body, garter stitch button band, neckline and cuffs. Just need to block it and find some nice buttons to finish it off now.


This was such an easy and quick knit and fab for stashbusting that I might just have another go but with different yarn and maybe for a bigger girlie too.

Finished.

And this is what I was knitting:

See sock love is still holding me tight.
These were knitted from a pattern in the latest issue of simply knitting magazine but I decided to use stash yarn rather than that specified in the pattern. I have no idea what the yarn is as I found it, label-less, lingering in a basket in the charity shop and it only cost me 50p for what I guess was pretty much an unused 100g ball. It feels like a wool/acrylic mix DK. This picture shows the true colour, photography is not my strong point!


Knitted up on 4mm DPN's so they came along very quickly and actually finished a couple of nights ago but not had the time to photograph them. Super cosy for John in winter and I think I may have to knit up a couple more pairs for myself and Helen. Not yet though as I am thinking of having a little break from knitting and trying to get on with a different UFO.
In fact I might just have a search through the rapidly diminishing pile right now.
xx

Who stole my willpower?

I said I wouldn't..........but I did!

A sale here meant I bought this:


But at 79p a ball it was well worth it. This crochet blanket is in the same yarn and is so snuggly and warm that I'm going to make a bigger version for John for when he watches TV late in the evening.

And this yarn is simply stunning:


Remember I told you here about the GP mama rehoming some of her stash/ Well I couldn't resist and after the T'ika arrived I just had to get back in touch and ask for the Araucania too. Thanks Kate, it's lovely. Now please don't offer away any more!
No makes to reveal today but I might have a new little one to show soon, just getting to grips with a new craft which is gripping me intently.
Take care all and happy crafting.
xx

Snug as a bug.

Why no post for over a week?
Well apart from reaching the final stage of growing a baby, which is taking up most of my time and energy, I have been finishing projects. It's amazing how much you can get done if you ignore the lure of the web, stay away from forums, pretend ebay doesn't exist and most important of all.......do not look at online wool shops!!
So I finished the first pair of socks, and the next, but no pictures, my dearest one has them in the Isle of Man as we speak and has reported back that he has lovely warm feet if nothing else. Apparently it is very cold and wet there and camping would not be his first choice right now ;-) Did not finish the third and final pair so they are now a Fathers day project instead. Or maybe a September birthday........or maybe a Christmas gift....
But I have finished something else. Remember the last post about the Sirdar snuggly for £3. And not knowing what to do with it all. Well this is what it has become:


Now Cain is doing a great job of modelling it but it was Jeni that actually bagsied it and wears it slung around her shoulders through the night and whilst watching TV, sat at the PC etc. I was going to add non slip matting to the bottom and use it as a baby rug for the floor but it just grew and grew and then I couldn't say no to Jen as she was so enchanted with the snuggly softness of it.
The details - well very, very simple. Using 3 balls of taupe yarn together and 9mm needles cast on 40sts and work in garter stitch until 9 balls are almost used up then cast off. Then do the same with the cream, then the same with the rest of the taupe. Then stitch all three pieces together. How easy is that? Total yarn used - 18 taupe and 9 cream. Finished size - approximately 200cms x 100cms. I was originally planning something more square in dimensions but once I realised how snuggly it was I realised one of the family would like it as a wraparound/shawl type creation and so went for length rather than added width.
Right, not a great time to be up and awake but seeing as sleep seems to be limited to only 3 or 4 hours a night at the moment I think I will see what else I can finish off.......

Finished!

Yay, I finished the blanket.
Actually it didn't take too long really. Thanks to Joxy for the advice on edging the rug and fixing up the bumpy edges. I edged it in a single row of double crochet right the way round in Sirdar click in the green shade. Finished measurements are 90cms x 70cms and it used eleven 50g balls in total. It is very thick and warm and soft and I think as a blanket it might be a little warm for summer but it will be nice for baby to lay on whilst on the sofa (cold leather!) or an outdoor rug even for picnics, days out and so on.

And I have been spending money again. Not wool this time but this sweet little book.


It contains such wonderful projects and how-to's on subjects from how to milk a cow, to how to knit a shawl, to how to predict the weather. Aparently all essential skills for the traditional prairie girl. Very Little house on the Prairie and soooo enjoyable.