A few hats.

Over summer I got out of the habit of both knitting and blogging. The last week or so has been a lot cooler and has inspired the completion of a few projects.

B's I want a slouchy hat.
You know, the hat she decided she wanted after teasing me about my hats saying they looked like trees and onions. Brat.

It's the Slouchy Copy Cat Hat by Terra Jamieson.

2 balls of Cleckheaton Country 8 ply
4 and 5 mm circulars.







Also finished is my hat, Marquess by Ashley Knowlton.

I skein of Naturally Harmony in 8 ply.
3.75 and 4.5 mm needles

Ishbel

Ishbel by Ysolda Teague
4mm Addi Turbo
1 Ball of Bendigo Luxury 4 ply in Ruby.
Size Large.





Ishbel has been done for a while and I love it. It has been worn and worn and worn again. I love how it wraps around my neck but the ends don't get in the way how a scarf does. I also need to practice my blocking. Those points don't look very pointy. I think it has something to do with not casting off loose enough. I want another one of these. Maybe in ruby again or maybe pink.
I keep meaning to get a better picture but that now looks like it won't happen until the weather cools down again.


Summer has hit with 39c days and we are melting. The funny thing is now that the weather has warmed up, my knitting mojo has returned. I am back to knitting a bit most days. I am still not knitting the amount I used to but it is nice to be back in the habit of picking up the needles.

It is also nice to see a little progress on projects that have been sitting around for way too long.

Mail and balloon blocking.

I love receiving mail, especially when it's from a fellow blogger.

2Paw was holding a giveaway on her blog and I managed to snaffle this lemony coin purse, perfect for storing stitch markers in. Thank you so much Cindy.






I decided to block some beanies on balloons and see how it worked.

Firstly Porom, because although I had worn this hat a few times I had never actually blocked it.




And then Beanpole Beanie. (Ravelry link.)
Made using Cleckheaton Country 8 ply.
4 mm & 4.5 mm needles.





Both hats have come out considerably larger since their dunking. I am hoping they shrink a little while drying but it looks like I may have to reconsider what needle size I use for future hats.

Rogue snuggles

Rogue has been washed and worn many times since it's first bath. It has become my favourite snuggly jumper and has been prefect for the crazy windy weather we have recently had. Apparently it's perfect for kitty snuggles too.




My sister and I have been spending more time together being crafty so projects are slowly getting worked on again.

Temperance is growing all the time, yet his tail still seems bigger than he is. He has his own personal feather duster following him around. Probably a good thing as I never did like dusting :).

Just when it feels like it's never going to end.

The Sirdar Town and Country socks feel as though they have been hanging around forever and I really wasn't enjoying working with this yarn. Scratchy, not so pretty colours and really I was just bored with them.



I am happy to have them off the needles and on my feet though.
It is getting cold at night and more knits are on my mind.

Booga Bag a FO

Inspired by Tigers recent felted bag addiction I decided to raid the stash and play along.

Booga bag
5.5 mm needles
4 balls of Vintage Hues
I used Wendyknits mods for a bigger booga bag although I picked up more stitches along the sides of the base because somehow a different number popped into my head. OK it would be because I read the pattern the night before and thought I remembered the numbers and didn't bother to check. Lazy I know. It's holidays and I am allowed to be.
Anyway it worked out and I am happy with it.

Knitting again

It's been a while since I really knitted much of anything or even picked up the needles for a while there.
Lately the mojo seems to be coming back thanks to a visit to Tigers where I sat and knit and remembered how much I like it.
I have been working a little on Rogue.
I finished a pair of socks and a beanie.

Trekking Socks.

Usual 72st stocking stitch socks.

Turn a square beanie by Jared Flood.
Must bribe Miss B to model for more than 5 seconds.
I used Bendigo Rustic in Midnight Tweed gifted by Kate and leftover Noro. I don't like the brown so much but it was fun to make.


Which means it's also time to play with some new yarn and give in to startitis. I can't have the mojo running away again ;p

Jasmine by Kim Hargreaves.

Cotton.
Cotton in 4 ply.
Not may favourite thing to work with. It feels nice but kills my hands.

And Eastlake by Norah Gaughan.

Love. Love. Loving this.

So is Temperance.

I have kitty assistance everytime I pull this out.
I have never had a cat that liked yarn this much and it's very slow going.
Knit 3 stitches, save yarn from teeth, knit 3 stitches, save yarn from claws. Repeat.

The yarn is incredibly soft and squishy so I can hardly blame her for liking it so much.

Casting off, ripping and casting on.

Casting off - Porom.

I saw this on Brooklyntweed's blog and had to have it. I raided the stash for the totem I had bought last year when spotlight had a clearance.
Like any other hat I make Miss B gave it a nick name. This one is affectionately known as the onion hat.


Pattern by Jared Flood.
Yarn - Patons Totem 2 balls.
Needles - 4mm and 5 mm.


I ripped the purple Koolhaas. The Moda Vera Mousse is just too fuzzy and was looking worn out while still on the needles. So it is back in the stash and I am wondering if it would felt........

I have also cast on a something pink with yarnovers in it. I may just be crazy.

What Cobblestone?

Um the one folded up and stashed in a zip loc before being abandoned in the corner. Not only does it have wonky decreasing it has one arm longer than the other. Is anyone else getting the idea that this yarn may not want to be a Cobblestone?


After some encouragement from Tigers I dragged Rogue from it's abandonment and have gotten it back up to the arm shaping. It's really not so much fun the 2nd time around.









I finished the stripey socks








Yarn:Four Seasons Hot Socks - purchased at Lincraft a few years ago
Needles: 2.25mm
Pattern: Usual - cast on 72 sts.








Intended as something to look forward to after finishing Rogue






Berroco Inca Gold, this is scrummy stuff.

Rogue may be competing for knitting time with this.

A busy week

Last weekend Miss B and I went to the Spinners and Weavers open day at Little Hampton with Miss A and Tigers.

Dispite the yarn and ready made knitwear on offer, I found most of it just wasn't me. I did find myself fascinated with the bits and pieces in the stall offering shawlpins, tapemeasures and earing holders though.

What did others think of the offerings???

I finally got Miss B to stand still for 5 seconds and model Black Black Black.




She loves it.



The Bendigo Classic seems to pick up and hold every bit of fluff and fur possible. It probably would have looked better knitted at a tighter gauge and I really don't like the neck. It's what Miss B wants though so I guess for now it stays.




I finished my fetchings.

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in Black - 1 and a bit balls leftover from making Tubey.

Needles: 4mm dpns.

I had a discussion on Stash with a class mate.

Hi Marcus :)

His mother is a quilter and therefore he totally understands the concept of stash.

There is no such thing as too much stash, there is only the question of having enough for a particular project.

Usually you don't have enough of a particular item and therefore purchasing more stash is entirely appropriate.

Marcus's Mum has taught him well!!!!

I started Elbac

and I received an Options Folder with I managed to snaffle in the Destash Thread on Ravelry.

Thanks Barb!!!

Even cuter than I had imagined..........

I don't normally like soft toys or bears at all.

They don't do anything, the collect dust and they take up space that I could fill with yarn or books.

But somehow even I can't resist the hedgehog.

It's all Donna's fault, hers was soooooooooo cute and she even sent the eyes and nose so I just had to drop everything else and wrestle with the floof.

The hegdehog is done and I am totally sucked in by the cuteness. Thankyou Donna for being so evily enabling :)

Kit on the other hand isn't so sure about the blue floofiness and the attention it is getting from the humans.

Small projects

Small projects don't always equal a small investment in time.
I know this and yet I am repeatedly surprised at how long it takes to complete a pair of socks.
I realise that the stitch count for a pair of socks is some where up there with the stitch count for a jumper, yet I am always horribly dissappointed that socks just don't grow fast enough.
Especially when I am only so so about the colour.

The opal sock yarn was bought a few years ago when Miss B was in orange mode.

She is now in Green/Black mode so I will have some brightly coloured feet this winter.

And something I enjoyed working on sooooooooo much more.

Gretel, this time for me.

Once again in the discontinued Angora Supreme and once again Miss B insists that the cables look like trees and that the 'Tree Hat' shouldn't ever be worn.

Meh, Miss B is also on school holidays and happily giving her opinion on anything and everything.

I am conspiring to drag her to a yarn store where I can cover her in so much yarn that she can't talk for 5 minutes or so ;p

Either that or knit her a bobbled bikini. :)

Knitting at last.

Thanks to the enablement of Donna and Kate I have been able to get back to the knitting.

Koolhaas is finished and modelled by the recipitant.

Did I enjoy knitting it? Yes

Does the reciptant love it? Yes

Does it look good on the recipitant? Yes

So far so good.

Do I look stupid in hats? Yes

Am I going to make one for myself anyway? Probably :)

Does kit care? Only if she can sit on it.

Firsts

First - FO for the year



Patonyle socks with picot edge.
72 Sts on 2.25 dpns

I have little ladders in these and am reminded why I like those little circulars so much.





First- Absolutely love this knit

Koolhaas.

I am making this in exchange for someone making me a swift.

It is nice and squishy and I am going to have trouble parting with it. I am already scoping out yarn to make one for myself.

First - Colourwork.

I saw these mitts over at Chrisknits and just had to try them.

I was having so much fun with them I forgot to do the increases for the thumb....... Oooops also first mistake for the year.

First - Ripped Project.

The Sirdar Eternity jumper is no more.

I started it in 2006 and have worked at it on and off ever since.

The yarn is a mix and while I don't mind it, I just don't love it enough to keep going. It has been ripped and re wound into balls.

Last FO for the year!

Rosedale United is done. The last finished project for 2007.

I went with the rolled neck after all, I just didn't decrease as many stitches as before and I am much happier with it than I was yesterday.
It is looking even better now that it has had a bath and is now snoozing on the trampoline, waiting for the cats to keep it company while it dries.

Pattern: Rosedale United

Yarn: Noro Kureyon col148 - 10 balls

Needles: 5mm Addis

Modifications:

I made this longer; almost 20cms longer. I seem to need to make most patterns longer, but lately it seems that every jumper I make I am adding more and more centimetres to each garment.

I skipped the intarsia rectangle as I felt with all the colours this jumper is busy enough.

I also decreased about 20 stitches less than what the pattern stated for the neck band.

Notes:

I really wasn't too sure whether I was liking this very much while I was making it due to there being a lot more baby pooh brown in the mix than I had counted on. It wasn't until I had knit the sleeves and the body, joined them and started decreasing for the yoke that it all started coming together and the colours seemed to fit in a way I could live with.

Now I am looking forward to the weather cooling down and this being a very warm, cheery jumper on a cold grey day.

Happy Holidays

I am hoping you all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying your holidays as much as I am.

Christmas Day was spent at the beach with a picnic lunch.
Eat when you want, doze when you want.
Walk along the waters edge when you want and of course chatter and catch up.

My family is one of those which seems to be not only spread out all over the place, but also have family members who work during the holidays, so we have several smaller gatherings and it can take weeks to catch up with everyone.
The benefit......... Christmas lasts for weeks :)



Also benefitting from the holidays is my knitting.



Madder Ribbed Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks.
Yarn: Hot Socks Lincraft Brand
Needle: 2.5 mm
Notes:
I cast on 72 stitches and fudged the ribs a bit. There was no way the original stitch count was ever going to fit.
I also used my standard toe as by the time I got back to these I had forgotten I was supposed to be following a pattern.








A gifted Gretel and a very happy Nannna.

My Nero project has grown.

Rosedale United from Knitty.

The body is done, the sleeves are done. I just need to join them together and keep knitting.

Gretel

Gretel is done and I love it. Pretty, pink and poofy, just how it is meant to be.

Miss B is still in her 'refuse to model hats' mode so I will have to wait till this is gifted to get a better pic.

Yarn: Cleckheaton Angora Supreme (Discontinued) 1.5 balls.

Needles: 3.75mm and 4.5mm

I followed the pattern as written, apart from the few times I became distracted or interrupted which required fixing.

This yarn also sheds fluff which somehow ends up in your mouth when knitting. I don't remember the purple I used to make Wicked doing this, maybe it's just the pink

It is very warm and really shouldn't be knit on a 33 degree (celcius) day.

Hats

I am really looking forward to making things for those of you who are participating in Pay It Forward.
I think I am just as excited to see what you come up with for your giftees.
So many choices to make; patterns, yarn and colours.


Miss B could not be bribed into modelling hats today (or any time in the last week) so I'm sorry, you get flat hats on a table pics.






These beanies are going to family in Canberra.

Yarn: Cleckheaton Country 12 ply
Needles: 5mm
Size: Hopefully one that fits; it's hard to measure peoples heads when they live hours away.

Seeing as these were cast off I decided to ignore all other WIP's and cast on for Gretel.

I am taking Miss B's advice...... we don't need those jumpers finished until winter....
Shush about taking advice from a teenager when it suits me.

I am loving the prettiness of this and will shut up about having just stuffed up half of the last row by twisting the wrong way in the wrong place.
Just when I was thinking I knew what I was doing.........




Time for a cup of tea, some chocolate and some fixing.........

Ribby Pulli is done!!!

Finally! It is done. I have been wearing it all day and I love it.
I wish I had stuck with it and finished it sooner.
Remind me of that next time I get bored with a project halfway through. OK, maybe don't.

I decided on the roll neck and no the neck doesn't really sit like that - it is the top I am wearing underneath that has bunched up.





Notes:

Ribby Pulli by Bonnie Marie Burns
I lengthened the body and added a ribbed roll neck instead of the patterns funnel neck.
Cascade heathers yarn purchased at www.yarnsonline.com.au I used 5 and a bit skeins.
Knit on 4mm addi turbos


Update on Miss B's request:

Incredible amounts of grovelling have happened. Incredibly amusing reasons as to why I should knit her a black jumper and she shouldn't have to knit it have also been forthcoming.
Reasons such as " But it's 'special'(insert sing-song voice) when you make it."
Accompanied by grins and giggles as she gets more outrageous with her sucking up.

I'm a suck. Yarn has been ordered.

FO FO FO!!!

Mainly due to distract myself from how much I had just ripped back on the ribby pulli I finished some other projects.

Pink Striped Beanie

Pink Striped Scarf. This used the same yarn, same dyelot - very different results from the two balls of yarn.
One side has very long repeats of colour and the other stripes frequently as it did in the beanie.

And Patonyle socks. I love these.

Bright and happy and so, so soft.

I think I can face putting the Ribby Pulli back on the needles now :)