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I bought some new self striping sock yarn and Mr C chose this colour. He likes orange. he likes yellow, but he's never shown a preference for bright pink before. I had him look in daylight and he still wanted them.
I've put them in the Christmas/brightday bag, so he gets a nice surprise in a few months!
This week it's a baby knitting. Little Angels Collection, by Kim Hargreaves.
Not all of the collection, just the ones which I've knitted!
I only do seamless baby garments these days, who wants a 'bulky' seam on ta tiny garment? One day I'll get around to converting these patterns for seamless knitting.
Out of the six patterns on ravelry, I've knitted five.
There's Primrose, with gently curved fronts and a one button closure, knitted in March 2007.
Cloud Nine, which I knitted in February 2007. This was alos for the smae baby O!
Sweet Dreams, knited (again!) in May 2008
Gengerbread, which is knitted at a dk weight (I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK, lovely and soft), which was knitted in April 2008. I don't know which baby this was for, but there were two born that year, my great niece and a colleague's first grandchild.
And finally, the most recent design (and I imagine the most impractical, but it's so cute), Moonbeam. Knitted in October last year, this was for a work colleague.
I'm planning to knit a few toddler garments for Christmas/birthdaysin the next few months, if I don't run out of time (I can see me knitting them hats instead!)
Ravelry link here.
I've really not done much knitting recently. I spent Saturday crocheting (but forgot to take photos) and Sunday trying to get a move on with my latest pair of socks, which are meant to be finished by the end of the month!
These socks are for... Mr C. he chose the colour. I started them whilst he was at the boat, intending to knit on them when he's not around, as they're gift socks. But wasn't too sure if he really minded the pink. It's one thing looking at the colours in the evening in dim light, quite another seeing them in daylight.
He still wants them. For the man who won't wear pink shirts, he's very happy with pink socks.
I'm knitting them plain, just a 3x1 ribbing on the leg. He likes them close fitting, so I've cast on 68 loosely, decreased down to 56 after the top ribbing.
This week it's a shawl. EZ 100th anniversary shawl.
There are several shawl patterns by this designer, based on EZ's pi shawl formula. If memory serves, these can be knitted as whole or semi circles.
I knitted this one in some gorgeous Coldharbour Mill 4ply, in January 2011. The knitting is easy, with enough detail to keep you interested. Thoroughly enjoyed knitting this shawl, and wearing it. In fact it's here in the office, draped over the chair, and has been, all winter!
It's relaxed a little since these photos were taken and is more of a small/medium shawl now.
Ravelry link here, blog link here.
Saturday was crochet day, though with our dreary weather it hardly made any difference when it came to choosing colours in daylight!
Babette's made up of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 round squares. I'm starting with the larger round squares so that I can crochet the bigger rounds without worrying about running out of specific colours half way around.
12 round squares x2 done
10 round squares x2 done
8 round squares x7 - six done
I have 1x8, 16x6, 49x4 and 50x2 round squares to do. Plus borders. So far I've crocheted 35% of the blanket, less borders. Sounds great, but I haven't darned in any ends and there's the sewing up of the squares, a massive task in itself! I'm going to do the six and some four rounds, then start on the two rounds, so that I can start sewing and seaming. Otherwise it will sit in UFO status for months!
This week was my sister's birthday, but I've only ever knitted one thing for her, a red jumper from a Pingouin pattern, way before blogging or ravelry (31 years ago!) so I'll have to find something else.to blog about. I remember that I stayed up all night finishing the jumper so that I could take it home for Christmas. I didn't even give it a steam or block!
I've searched my projects, using 'red' and chosen Linden, a pattern from Twist Collective.. This didn't appeal to me at first, until I tried on Yvonne's Linden at IKL. Loved it. Very easy to wear. In fact, I have it here int heoffice, from last winter, a great warm comfortable garment.
Knitted in January 2009, the yarn is Cascade Pastaza, a very warm thick yarn.
Love the detail
and the colour
I've spent the last three weekends crocheting. Babette has been on my to-do list for years. Originally I wanted to crochet it with Koigu, and started collecting a bit of a stash, but then I started using it for the odd project. That, and the odd donation here and there means that the Koigu stash is somewhat depleted.
Three weekends ago I decide to use the remaaining yarn from my Groovyghan, Stylecraft acrylic. I can't say that I'd ever knit with it, but I don't mind crocheting with it. I started off with the bigger 12 round squares, and included three colours I bought but didn't use in my last blanket. A Christmas green, bright red and bright orange.
Two weekends ago I decide I don't like these three colours in the squares. I also don't like a few of the Lucy pack colours, a plum and a sage green. So I've bought more - yellow, red, orange and turquoise, plus raspberry and fondant (which I hope isn[t too garish).
Lasst weekend I pulled out all of my work to date. I've now decided that I want a granny square Babette! I havnen't crocheted any of the bigger squares, am hoping I can incorporate the new shades into these.
Bad indoor shot of the squares. I'm really hoping that the Babette will look ok doing granny squares!
+
It's very addictive!
It's my great niece's fifth birthday today! I can't believe how quickly the time has flown, she's grown from a brand new tiny baby into a big girl who started proper school this Wednesday. Her lassmates are in for a treat today, just new at school and they'll be eating Angel cakes!
Anyway, that's why I've chosen Pepper today. it's a small project, knitted for her as a Christmas present when she was only three. I've not knitted much for her, shame on me!
It's a lovely little sleeveless number, with pockets, great for little treasures (and not so great for pieces of cheese...) and as it's sleeveless can be worn for longer, no dreaded too-short sleeves!
There's enough detail to make this an interesting knit, a bit of texture here, a bit of colour there, i like a lot of this designer's patterns, anyone with a small girl to knit for should certainly have a look at her designs.
ravelry link here, blog link here.
These should have been finished a lot earlier, but the damn yarn tangled, not once but twice! I spent whole days trying to untangle. Eventually I had to cut the yarn and there's a section of the first sock where it's a bit thick 'n' thin! Good job there's a nylon content!
Plain top down socks. I started off with 60 sts and an inch or so of 1x1 ribbing, then decreased to 56 sts (he likes a very snug sock and has thin legs) with a 3x1 leg ribbing and a palin foot.
I had a second tangle on the heel of the second sock, despite rewinding the yarn!
He's pleased, and they're put away till December now.
Where does the time go?
I didn't do a lot of knitting but managed to finish several things...
August
Blog:
1) Green socks Done!
Fill my Summer Sizzler basket (which means starting and finishing by the end of the month)
2) Fresh Strawberries (something red or pink) Done! Honeycomb cowl.
3) Fireworks (beads or sparkly, I'm going for sparkly) Done! Serpentine Mitts.
4) Sunburn (hat). Done! Crossroads hat.
5) Walking Barefoot in the Grass (socks or slippers). Done! Just in time, and not blogged yet.
6) Beach (something for the beach, such as a bag) NO idea what to do here, will have to look on the ravelry group to see what others did! Not done! Totally uninspired and I really don't need a beach bag (which is all I could think of)
7) Bonfire (warmest yarn). Double dipped and counted the Honey Cowl as this item.
8) Lemonade (something yellow). Done! Swirl hat.
9) Allergies (non wool). Double dipped from last month as I ran out of time., it's Summer Storm.
All in all, pleased. I also started ... more crochet! I'm crocheting a Babette blanket, using my acrylic remnants from the Groovyghan. I think I may have to buy a few more balls of yarn. Not my first choice of colours but they are in stash and need to be used up. I can always crochet another Babette in more grown up colours!
I've done quite well on the stashbusting too, got rid of a bag of yarn and din't buy at all, except for the one club I'm in. I've destashed 2733 yards this month, meaning that my total this year is down by 3132 yards! Not that you can tell!.
Now for September. It's the last quarter of my Sigma13 challenge. I shuld be 75% done. oops I htink not! I still have:
Babette to finish (and I've only just started)
One more blanket
Two shawls or scarves
Two garments
Four knits for the home
Five cowls
Seven Christmas gifts
Six hats
Four pairs of socks
Seven patterns from my Library
Four KALs
Five pairs of mettens or mitts.
Oo-er!
I am not going to think about it!
September
Blog:
1) Mr C's socks
Carry on with:
2) Babette
Start and finish:
3) A hat
4) A pair of socks
Start:
5) Something .... in double knitting. I've joined Lucy Neatby's Double knitting club and expect this means a dk project!
6) A garmetn - now that the days are cooling.
7) No idea, but something from my Sigma 13 list, that's for sure!
So now for September.
I've joined Lucy Neatby's Double Knitting Club, I have no idea what it entails, obviously double knitting!
