Tuesday, 20 March 2012

Yarn Along



I think I am nearly there with a pattern I've been working on.  Its a baby's sleeveless cardigan  pattern in four sizes targeted at new to knitting knitters and then intermediate knitters who are looking for a quick knit to gift a newborn.  I first knit one of these two years ago when I was expecting Sadhbh.  I had a loose 50g ball of yarn and whipped up this vest in a couple of evenings. I found that she wore it almost every day for the first few months.  It was very easy to put on and off because it had no sleeves and just gave that extra layer of woolen warmth over her baby gro.

This is the only photo I can find of her wearing it. It is true what they say, I have about two million photos of my first born.  Number four, not so many.



So, this is what I think will be the final test knit of the pattern for me.  I'll have a few friends knit it up for me and get some feedback before I put it near Ravelry.  Its a very simple pattern, but I figure you have to start somewhere!

I am reading Alfie books to my boy.  He adores them.  I can see the attraction for him. Shirley Hughes was totally with it in terms of thinking like a four year old in these books.  And lucky for Osgar, he happens to have a little sister the same age as Annie Rose.  He can totally relate. 


Happy knitting!


Tuesday, 13 March 2012

Yarn Along



On the pins this week is a hybrid Hive/Wurm hat.  I got this worsted Malabrigo in Dublin at Christmas. Its lush.  I've used it before for a couple of infinity cowls and it ends up piling horribly for me, but its softness is next to none. Because its a single ply? Its such an easy satisfying knit and will be finished today.  Its currently 28.7C, no idea what that is in F, sorry! But is hot.  Hot and dry and windy. We get this type of hot weather all the time in Melbourne.  The desert air blows down from the north and its like standing in front of a massive hair blow dryer. So I will not be wearing my Wrum/Hive hat later today once it is finished.

I'm reading the Craft INC book again. I need to do some work on publicising my shop and I'm hoping this book will unlock the secret for me!

I'm feeling a bit crushed today, eBay style.  You know when you get outbid at the last minute. We are looking for a piano for Dubhessa, who's turning 7 in two weeks. Anyway, onward and upwards, something will turn up! I've just gotta trust the universe. So I'm posting an update on my crochet rug also as its bright and cheery and every time I look at it I'm happy.


Happy knitting!

Wednesday, 7 March 2012

Yarn Along

I've finished my Sweet Peasy and I'm very pleased. Despite my dyelot episode and a clear error (on my part I guess) with the lace section resulting in it being unsymmetrical, it has turned out beautifully. Dubhessa is in love with it and it delights me to see her love hand knitted cardigans for school so much.  She was very proud heading off to school this morning, and she told me she didn't take it off all day, even though she spilled a bowl of water on herself.



I am tossing up several options for my next knit, including a lacy shawl for me, a lacy cowl each for the girls with the leftover Malabrigo and I also have some needle cases to make and a knititng pattern to finish.  But in the mean time my "in-the-meantime" project is this crochet rug for the kids bedroom.  I made another giant ball of chopped up op shop sheet yesterday. And I'm slowly adding ring after ring after ring, increasing here and there and watching it grow.  In my head  its about a foot wider on the radius and there are some dark greens and blues in there.  Ikea Life arrived yesterday, so I'm flicking through that and wishing that I had more original art on my walls.   

Happy Yarn Along



disclaimer - I am a fish eating sort of vegan for health reasons ;)

Thursday, 1 March 2012

Creative Space


The thing with needle felting is that I never know when to stop.  Is that enough? Or do I need a little more. Is it OK to have some fibers sticking out here and there or does every single one need to be neatly tucked into another.   I usually just quit when I've had enough.  This little doll is for Dubhessa's Class 1 Autumnal  seasonal table.  I wanted to use what I had rather than go buy roving especially for her.  I didn't have enough bright orange and I didn't have a really fine felting needle, but she has turned out OK.  . I used some pipe cleaners to form the shape and then padded it out with some raw roving I had for spinning.  She took me two evenings of stab stab stab, which I think the man sitting on the couch beside me found a bit disturbing.  He kept turning the volume up.