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-

Yarn along

Joining in with Ginny again.

Very quick today as I have a long afternoon ahead of me in work (training, so sitting on bum for a long while...)

Should have been sharing progress on the double rib scarf from the previous post but seeing as it's already ripped back after 12cms then there's no photo to show ;) I am going back to it later but have decided on bigger needles and a 4x4 rib instead for a little more flexibility.

Instead I could show progress on the bubble rib scarf for Emma, only that looks exactly as it did last time, only longer, 120cms now, woohoo, the end is in sight.

So what to share today?

How about these, my top secret, middle of the night knits - gloves for the man!

Apologies for the poor photo quality once again, this home barely gets any natural light through the shorter days.

Reading this week, well again, pretty much the same as last time, but with this book added in. Lot's of different ideas for makes by little people, planning all our Christmas crafting sessions and checking that we have in all the essentials we will need. 

I love this last week of November, the anticipation of a funfilled month ahead, don't you?

Oh, a question too. When you read all these lovely yarn along posts do you feel obliged to leave a reply to every one? Or is that just me? I always feel that if you have been kind enough to open up a little part of your life to me, then I should show my appreciation. Even if it takes several days now to read through all those posts.....

Happy yarning everyone.

-x-

And on and on and on and on..........

Scarf knitting!

Seems a good idea in theory, maybe less so in reality, huh?

Finished knitting the hat for Owen, plain and simple, all in red, just like the one he showed me:

Matching gloves, quick and easy and all in red again:

Oh dear, another awful picture. And they aren't really that twisted honest, besides, what's the point in blocking something that's going to be a snug enclosed fit anyway?

And then it's the turn of the scarf. Still wanting all red, and just like a big boys, so double rib it is. 

Hmm, maybe if I'm really good Santa might bring me a decent camera?

44sts, k2, p2 repeat, 4mm needles..............not a lot else to say is there? 

Fun - no. 

Enjoyable - no comment. 

Mindless - too right. 

Ah well, perfect for knitting whilst watching Harvey. 

Oh what a party girl I am :)

And for when the scarf knitting gets too much....I can flit back to the other one, 90cms done, the same left to do. Gah, winter knits....

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for the much quicker, and prettier, winter knit. Pattern being written and hopefully posted by the end of the week.

Enjoy creating everyone.

-x-

Quick knit clickety click.........

So the overdue neighbour WAS seen climbing into an ambulance. Twenty four hours later and she's back home with a beautiful little boy. The beloved man has already passed on his congratulations and given baby a cuddle. He arrived back home all gooey faced and telling of how sweet the new baby is. Really, I have never known a man so broody as mine..........

So dilemma - do I cast on the jumper with the baby sized amount of aran mentioned previously? Or do I go for a guaranteed quick result and opt for hat/scarf/mitts/bootees type combo's? Well the winner is:

Now Lucy here, (don't you love that essential work kit includes a baby sized dolly - Have I mentioned how much I love my job?) tried modelling them for size and they seem to be a little bit on the larger side, and the new baby in question is rather dinky, but hey, everyone buys newborn for gifts don't they? And the weather is only going to get colder after all!

So do you see which yarn I used? Yes my squishy soft cuddly crochet cushion merino stash. I only used about half of a 50g skein in each shade so there should still be plenty for the cushion that is living in my head right now. And of course, merino is such a lovely wool for a new baby, super soft and gentle for that delicate skin.

So now it's back to the projects already started, I wonder which to pick up today?

And here's a funny thing - did you see I have exactly double the number of followers over on my family blog than I do on this one? Does that mean you all prefer a peek at other family's lives before sharing crafty times? I must admit I'm torn - I follow lots of crafty blogs, but then I love to catch up with mama friends and their families who I would hardly get the chance to meet in real life. And of course both sides of life are so intertwined, being creative keeps me sane and gives me the opportunity to express myself in way's I couldn't otherwise. No better way to work off a bad day than to hook mindlessly away on yards and yarns of Granny goodness...........

Thanks for popping by, follower or not ;)

-x-

Getting started.

Did you notice I've marked a couple of things done on my christmas to do list? I've decided to set an hour aside each night, no matter how late, and just do a little bit of whatever takes my fancy. So the past few nights I've been knitting. I've managed to make Owen's hat and gloves and should technically mark the scarf as done but I can't just yet. Also there's a little secret to reveal about his scarf but not just yet ;-)
So anyway, want to see the hat and gloves? Well here you go:

What do you think? Colourful enough to warm up cold winter days? Wild enough for a four year old? I hope so. They are knitted from a Robin DK from our local fabric shop. They're 100% acrylic but still soft to touch. I don't really like to use acrylic yarns as you know but I think it is the best option for little childrens winter gloves and hats, if you think about all that wet snow and rain, and mud and dirt. I had to tweak the pattern a little for the gloves as they were sized for a 3-6 year old and Owen has wide hands but stubby fingers. I still have some yarn left from a 100g ball so that has been added to the scarf yarn.
I have also made a start on Sophie's hat which is the same pattern as above but a different colour yarn. Hopefully that will be finished tonight. Or perhaps I will finish off the knitted fruit I am making for a friend on the GP forum. Or maybe both..........