Cable hats, because Summer is late

I think it's supposed to be Summer but someone has forgotten to tell the weather.  So it's May and I've knitted two hats and a cowl, yes...

My Cousin asked if I'd knit him up a hat and I was quite happy to give it a go.  I won't knit for just anyone, but I find if someone has asked (who I like!) they're probably going to appreciate it more ;-)  We agreed on grey, cables but no pom pom.  I forgot in the end to loosely attach one as a joke.

My Cousin has a large head & lots of hair so I made it two pattern repeats larger & it fitted perfectly.  I think he really really liked it too which was awesome ♥

The pattern, Winter Femme by Diana Gates is free and available on Ravelry.  I used Stylecraft Special DK - Grey (1099).

I liked the hat as well so I made myself one with a turn up.  I stuck to the original pattern which fits my normal sized head, but made a bit of a mistake with the cables...  I'd written the pattern out so I could knit on the go without my laptop, but instead of writing that the cable was a repeating pattern of 8 rows I managed to make it 5 rows so they're a lot tighter.  Luckily it worked out that doing another cable pattern of 5 rows at the end got me back to the correct size.  So you could say I made my own but it was a complete accident!

This one is in Stylecraft Special DK - Teal (1062)

Thanks to everyone who explained what Raglan sleeves are, you're a wonderful bunch ♥

x x x x

Catching up, I knitted a jumper!

I thought I might have posted about a jumper I was knitting but it appears not!  We do our weekly food shop in Aldi now, which suits me because it's a lot cheaper, smaller (I hate big supermarkets) and they have different deals twice a week where I buy loads of unnecessary tat, like oven gloves and bike panniers (because 3 wasn't enough already?).

Sometime earlier in the year they were selling big 3/400g balls of Aran wool so I bought two pink.  In hind sight I wish I'd gone for grey, but J convinced me I already had loads of grey jumpers, and he was right, but that's because I wear & like them whereas this pink might just be a little 'lets leave it in the wardrobe'.

This was my only WIP shot.  So far through I decided one ball was plenty and swapped it for cream (no grey left!).  Right at the end I was convinced I wasn't going to have enough left, to the point of making one arm a few rounds shorter (you can't tell) but guess what?  I had this left...

I found a simple pattern on Ravelry called Brick, which was free and really easy to follow.  Because I've never knitted anything to wear so size and gauge hasn't mattered before I wanted something easy but I could definitely have followed something more complicated, so I've now cast on the Solstice cardigan which in contrast is probably the most complicated pattern I've ever laid eyes on, but I am loving the challenge.

Anywho this is my version of the Brick jumper, not bad eh?

It's called Raglan which I think just means it's knitted in one piece, although you knit the arms and collar after by picking up stitches.  This style definitely suits me, no sewing seams!

I've got a nice stretchy waistband and cuffs (use larger needles for this)

And the collar isn't bad too...

I probably should have knitted the smallest size.  It's funny because non-knitters tell me "oh it will shrink" but as it's acrylic my crafty friends know better!  So far I've not washed it, but if it ends up enormous then maybe it can become my festival jumper.

Is there anything new on your needles* you've never tried before?

*or anything ♥

x x x x

Little projects

Although I'm technically still making a blanket (which is definitely not a little project) it's become side lined with all the little things I've been making instead ♥

My mum kindly took these photos for me of the present I made her for mothers day.  The pattern is
Amigurumi Potted Plant by Lion Brand, which according to Ravelry I saved three years ago!  It always helps to save things for later x

You can sneakily peak my parents garden in the background, it's absolutely lush and they've spent a lot of time on it, especially in the last couple of years.  We had a BBQ at the weekend, after an initial technical hitch because we didn't have fire lighters we threw on a whole bag of kindling (overkill?) and I've got to say we did pretty well!  My Dad was the most relieved because his last BBQ took about 4 hours and I think the food ended up being oven cooked because the coals didn't get hot!

J & I went to London last weekend and spotted on the Underground that the Olympic park is now open (and free) so we decided to have a visit.

I really like what they've done with the landscaping because it's not at all formal and there are lots of wild flowers to encourage wildlife





The park was absolutely packed so although it was a bit too busy it's nice to see the area being used.  I'm pretty sure that before 2012 (and before construction began) it was a bit of a wasteland here so to be able to enjoy it now is quite lovely.

I'm still disappointed that this isn't actually a roller coaster.

I think the helter skelter was £6 to go on, which if you ask me is a complete rip off.  I went on one two years ago at Tatton Park flower show for about a pound!  Grrrr

Despite the pricey food (bring a picnic) there is loads of cool stuff for kids like a climbing wall, fountains and play areas

Back at home my Dad helped me to put together a charm bracelet.  I only asked him for some pliers or something to help pull apart the jump rings and he came back with about 5 different tools, a stand to hold the chain with a magnifying glass and solder.  Result!

This is my first attempt at jewellery making and while it was incredibly frustrating at first, and I stabbed myself with some pliers between the eyes (luckily not in the eyes) I quite enjoyed it.  Actually no I didn't, I liked it when it was finished!!

Sadly it was not made for me and has been given to F for her birthday.  She's a music teacher and her girlfriend is really into tennis so I was lucky to find the most appropriate charms!

I had to make the little rings above the flowers on the end (this is how I stabbed myself) but look how neat!!  Not bad for a first go?

They're all soldered into place to keep them from falling off, no corners were cut here where my Dad was concerned!

Alas I think weekend chores are calling :-(  We had a good old tidy a few weeks ago to be slightly more presentable when the first of our friends came to visit, but now it's state again!

x x x x

P.S I met little O at the weekend and my friends really loved his presents! ♥

Weather mobile

I'm very happy to finally announce that my friend did indeed have her baby, a healthy little boy weighing 7lb 6oz, which was pretty amazing considering she didn't look anymore than three months pregnant.  I'm a bit late in posting, but I'm going with the ethos 'better late than never'.

Unfortunately baby decided he wanted to be born exactly when I didn't want him to be born (while I was visiting The South!) so I haven't managed to see them yet, but I've had photos though and he is absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to meet him.

 After finishing the blanket I couldn't help make something else...

I've had this adorable pattered saved for ages in my Ravelry queue (two years!!) it's the Happy Day Mobile by Amy Gaines.  I used a lots of random yarns from my stash, some Bergere de France, Bravo, Zeeman Super Soft... Basically anything bright and cheery!

J pointed out that the cheeks on the sunshine were too low...  Only he would notice such things!

I improvised the rainbow because it was meant to be crocheted flat but I didn't think it would stay straight to hold the raindrops, and all the other pieces were stuffed so it felt a shame to leave him out!  He's kind of a rainbow burrito.

The raindrops might be my favourite, they are definitely very cheeky looking!! 

 

I loved this project, it only took a few days to finish.  I'm not a great fan of all the fiddly bits like the mouths and eyes etc but I'm good when working to a deadline, ironically finishing before little O was born but not managing to see him! ♥

Have you been making anything nice for someone else?  Especially something you secretly wanted to keep!

x x x x

Easter bunnies

Hello lovelies!! Hope you all had a lovely Easter.  I've been really busy lately and have also whipped up a fair few things on my hooks and needles to share, but it makes sense to start with the last thing I finished as he/she is rather seasonal :-)  I've tried to do my best to keep up with all the goings on in blog land but I notice I'm not alone here!  Finding the time to sit down at my laptop just doesn't happen all that often :(

 

Yesterday morning/afternoon between painting the bathroom and cooking a roast I knitted a little Easter bunny for my mum.  She's very knit worthy and also appreciates my random silly things!

 

Bunny is from the wonderful book Knitted Toy Tales by Laura Long, which has some lovely patterns.  I'm becoming a lot more adept with my knitting but I do like these patters as they're knitted flat and then sewn together, and this one was just the body and two ears, so not much sewing.

His little fluffy pom-pom tail took a while and makes me wonder if I should invest in a winding one...  I don't even make that many pom-poms but maybe I would!

The weekend has been fantastic so far.  My mum and Dad travelled up from London and it was my Dads birthday so we took him out for a trip on the East Lancs Steam railway (which admittedly I always quite enjoy) but the weather was really horrible and cold.  

Friday was a completely different picture though and really quite beautiful so we thought we'd drive up to Hebden Bridge.  We never made it further than Todmorden but had a lovely day so we'll be saving Hebden for another day.  We spent a good while at the garden centre out there (Gordon Rigg, it's massive!), I got myself a hanging basket for the front door and a window box.  Lets hope it doesn't get nicked!

I got some excellent inspiration for my back yard too ♥

After our Bee talk at the WI this little bug box seemed ever more important and I love that Tod had a few of these dotted around the town.

It was so lovely to walk along the canal too, something I do miss from our old flat!



Bye bye for now

x x x x

Happy Easter!

Normal blogging will resume soon :-)

Knit stitch blanket ta-dah

It's a happy but bittersweet moment finishing this blanket.  It's been so enjoyable to knit and completely different to anything I've made before.  I'm probably repeating myself, but I've always loved stripes knitted in garter stitch and I've always wanted to make something at random, with no pattern or pre-planned colours.

I think I've done pretty well!  2 weeks ago I took some some last photographs before finishing.  Again, with no real idea of how long I wanted it to be I decided I'd stop when it looked right.

I spent the rest of the week knitting rows and rows of stripes until J agreed it was long enough.  Hurrah!  It should be long enough to last for a few years hopefully and not just the baby months.

Because it's garter stitch it's really stretchy so the ends I'd attempted to sew in just came out.  I totally decided to cheat and sew on a fleecy border like bias binding, only I didn't cut it on a bias so I guess it's just binding :-)

And so it's done, I love it but I will miss knitting it! ♥

Ta dah ♥

It's a little wonkier than I would have liked but I'm pretty sure my friend isn't going to be laying it out flat very often.  It's going to be folded, tucked, chucked, dribbled on...  So I'm not too worried.  Sewing onto knitting wasn't actually as hard as I expected although it is quite stretchy.

The reverse I still quite like.  It's got more stripes to it than the front, just the way it works when changing colours, which I can't really explain

And so it sits rolled up in the obligatory sausage roll shot, waiting to head down South

I've missed my friends baby shower, one of the things which makes me sad about living so far from 'home', but I'll be seeing her in a few weeks and her baby might have been born by then so it's very exciting! ♥

The border is lovely and soft and it was a brilliant way to secure the ends.  I wish I'd taken a photo now, but basically I sewed the fleece on one side using zig zag stitch, and sewed right over the ends so they're not going anywhere.  Then folded it over and sewed it onto the back.

It's so fluffy that in some places you can't even see the stitching although it was a total nightmare unpicking it when it went wrong!!

So that's it, another project off my needles.  I'm working on a couple of other things at the moment, including my first piece of knit wear!  Aran jumper lovers stay tuned!

x x x x

When Frankenstein came to work

So...  I was going to share some photos of how far I'm at with my blanket but I'm just too excited not to mention this instead!  Warner Brothers are filming the new Frankenstein movie and some of it was being shot today next to where I work!

I went for a sneak peek on my way in...  Look at the set!!  There's horrible little dolls on that shelf in the middle, signs, new papers, fires (!)...  Just amazing

They've been building for a good week now and we've seen bits of it because the basement's where our bikes are stored.  The building really does lend itself to this kind of era and although they've done a massive transformation the cobbles and the stone work are all original.  Even without the set it's a fantastic place to visit if you can.

I absolutely love the set though and I want them to leave it when they go!!  There have been people wander around in costume all day, horses, carriages...  It's flipping brilliant I tell you.

At lunch we thought we'd pop down to see if anything was happening. I know Daniel Radcliffe and James Mcavoy are both in the film but we were really just expecting to see props and extras.... Well!!

I nearly died ♥

It's Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe at my work!

I'm am a self confessed Harry Potter fan, so while all the other girls are work were swooning over James (although I'm not sure he's even here!) I was really excited to spot Daniel filming a take. Woooo!

The photos aren't great because our windows are a bit grubby to say the least, but hey it was a lot of fun and definitely a case of being in the right place at the right time.  I'm hoping that this video plays, and that Warner Bros don't see this hahah

And a warm up at the end, because it is a bit cold up North!

Normal knitting service will resume when I've calmed down a little ;-)

x x x x