Back with a shawl

It has been a while... There are many, and not many, reasons why - the most recent reason is that I am back in the classroom. So lovely, but work is having an impact on the amount of time I have for woolly makes and sewing. My must-make-this-now list is yet to catch up with this reduction in hours.

But, following nicely from my previously shown make, I have a shawl made from the same dreamy Cosmic Strings yarn

 Such a beautifully soft yarn, I was so looking forward to seeing this colour knit up. The colourway is foxglove, and I initially used it last year for the cast off edge of another shawl where it looked gorgeous - but I was eager to see more

 So with almost a full skein I chose the Onete Scarf by Fairmount Fibres Design Team. Such a gorgeous (free!) pattern - I love those garter stitch bumps. I wore it to school this week, which is what reminded me that I still hadn't blogged about it. Maybe I'll rummage around for another thing to wear next week meaning another post! Happy October everyone...

My favourite wristwarmers

I think these are my very favourites for two reasons. No, three. This yarn was my first indie dyed yarn, the yarn is dreamy, and the pattern is lovely. The yarn is Cosmic Strings in rose garden, a gorgeous present from Mr R, and somehow extra special for being the first skein I owned.

These wristwarmers were knitted a few years ago, it was only when I was emptying the basket of winter woollies in the hallway this week that I realised they had not yet been shown here. I still adore this yarn - the amazing colours and the softness of the single ply. Happily there was still a fair amount of the skein left, which I then used for my spindrift shawl (seen here). The pattern is a non-stripey version of the Stripey Arms by Ameona Online, another free Ravelry pattern. I love that they are long

Just look at those pretty colours. Oh, and a scrap of Debbie Bliss 4 ply but-no-idea-of-colour used for the rib.

As much as I do love these I am hoping that I can now pack them away for the summer...

More mitts

Just popping in today as feeling yuck. The cold poor P had at the weekend has been shared... I thought though, at the start of the week, that a way to catch up with makes on here - and to remember what I had shown - would be to group similar things together in the week. So this is to be the week of mitts and wristwarmers, and then possibly various hats next week.

So the mitts this time are for small people

It was the sweetest pointed top and stitch pattern that made me excited to try these mitts - that and the fact that I was (and am) attempting to use up all part balls of yarn in the basket and drawers. Baby and child makes are ideal for the smallish quantities I have... then I just have to find suitable small people to gift them to! This is the (free!) Rocket Pop Baby Mitts pattern by Andrea Mowry using leftovers of Drops Nepal from a Gryffindor scarf made for P. It is an adorable pattern, and I would certainly make it again. If you have small people to knit for I really do recommend it.

Inbetween sniffing and feeling sorry for myself today I hope to find time to sit with my jumble blanket as the sweetest Instagram friend responded to my plea for dk scraps when I ran out of my own remnants last week. Not that these should be called scraps, they are so pretty. Thank you so Clare, if you happen to be reading this. In fact I think it is time for coffee and crochet right now...

A pile of mitts

I should have taken a photograph of the ones I am wearing today, as still not shown here and they are my favourites... But wristwarmers. Today - the last day of April. My, it is chilly. Anyway, this pile were all Christmas presents for Patch's lovely teachers (which will hopefully explain the dark quality of these photographs)

The pattern I enjoyed knitting the most was the camp out fingerless mitts

 This is a free Ravelry pattern by tante ehm, and was such a fun way to use up some leftovers. The main part of the mitts are in Drops big merino - the lighter colour is marble, and the dark anthracite. For the garter stitch section of the lighter mitt I held some discovered mohair looking yarn with the strand of marble, and for the darker mitts used up some Rico fashion country Aran in aubergine.

Next is a pattern I have wanted to make for an age, because of my love of garter stitch

The pattern is from the book Stylish Knit Scarves and Hats with Mademoiselle Sophie, and are an even easier make then the camp out fingerless mitts, which do require some picking up stitches. These were made from a random ball of Rowan pure wool dk in the parsley colourway. So satisfying finding lovely knits for these long hoarded balls of yarn.

And the last pair are another free Ravelry pattern, this time the maize mitts by tin can knits, made in Drops big merino marble again. I did spy poor Hettie wearing hers this morning as she huddled in the playground before school. Always lovely to see hand knits being worn, but not at the end of April. Here's hoping for some warmer weather! Though you may have to put up with seeing woolly, wintry makes for a little longer here as I have a lot of catching up to do...

Clara's cape... The last of knitvent2017

Oh it is cold and grey today. The morning has gone in a whirl of general tidying and sorting, and I think the few hours left before getting Patch from school may be spent curling up with a podcast and woolly make... sounds delightful. Also this chilliness makes me feel that I'm not too late in showing some rather woolly makes. Though no doubt I will still be catching up with past wintry makes even when the sun does decide to return.

The last of the knitvent2017 patterns was a gorgeously simple, quick knit chunky cape

 So lovely. I knit the larger of the two sizes so that I can wear it over layers, and it also fits over my coat. The yarn (unsurprisingly) is Drops Andes in light grey, and it really is so soft and snuggly. I do wish I had thought about the yarn overs in the pattern - you can see that they only really appear to the right of the stocking stitch sections - and of course I should have altered the way I was doing them when going onto purl stitches. It did, and does, bother me slightly. Though not enough to redo the cape.

This was my first time knitting through one of Helen's knitvents, and I will be tempted again as the patterns have all had so much wear this wintertime. I like this photograph of my knitvent pile looking oh so cosy

A renewed love of legwarmers

This wintertime I knitted my first pair of legwarmers (not that these are the first legwarmers in my life, I did grow up during the 1980s) but forgetting those distinctly acrylic versions, these are my first hand knit pair. And oh they are a dream. After the beautifully sunny weather of the past few days, it has become chilly once again here in Suffolk and so the legwarmers are back on.

This renewed love of legwarmers began as soon as I saw the fifth pattern in Helen Stewart's Knitvent2017 collection, the marzipan legwarmers. I knew that I wanted my pair to have the fluffiness of alpaca and be a charcoal colour. Perhaps not the best decision for a cabled pattern, which would have shown up more on a lighter and smoother yarn, but there was no changing my vision

 The yarn is Drops Puna, a 100% alpaca, in dark grey. The surprising thing about this pattern was that I only knitted to row 96, which is about half of the suggested length. I am quite short, and also wear them slouchy rather than pulled up like a ballerina, but I feel like the full pattern would make some rather long legwarmers.

 

I seem to have a few makes in progress at the moment, though they are steadily being completed. The one that I have been loving this week is my jumble blanket as quite unexpectedly it appears to be almost finished. I should make the most of the chillier evenings this week as warmer weather usually means blanket making gets replaced with smaller projects for me. Just look at these colours!

And now, the Tchaikovsky hat and mitts

I feel rather like our kit Miss Ethel today... I've searched the house for the sunniest, warmest spot to settle into. Strangely it isn't already occupied by Miss Ethel (who is curled up on the bed having found a warm spot as soon as the bed was vacated this morning). I plan to stay here as long as I am allowed, or at least until the sun moves on. It's probably warmer outside actually... We have no heating again. Sigh. This winter will be remembered as the year of mud and feeling cold. Though a great excuse for the woolly makes as we all know wool keeps us warm - preferably with continuous mugs of coffee and possibly some cake or chocolate.

Because of the sun there is no need for wristwarmers in the house today, but oh my have they been put to good use this winter

 The patterns are the Tchaikovsky hat and mitts, the third instalment in Helen Stewart's Knitvent2017.  Grey is my default go-with-anything colour (along with navy, and tan. Or navy and tan) and mainly because I wanted a grey hat, the mitts also ended up being grey. The stitch definition with this CoopKnits Socks Yeah DK weight yarn is oh so clear, and this particular grey is Minos.

Though I did get gauge both of these knits have ended up being slightly large - I probably should have reduced the width of the mitts by a pattern repeat or two, and I did stop knitting the top ribbing by a few rows as my little finger was already hidden. The mitts have a thumb hole, which I prefer possibly over a thumb section maybe, but this one on me is a bit gapey so not as snug as could be. And while I love the deep ribbed section on the hat, again it is slightly big on me, but this has not stopped both of these being my go to knits this winter. Though I would quite like to stop reaching for the woolly hats and mitts now please, Spring. Time for some pretty shawls to be worn.

The sun is still shining through the window, I am yet to be discovered, so I shall stay warm with this lovely Spring-like crochet...

Next up, the Tulle Shawl...

Still looking through photographs taken of old makes, though this collection of knitvent 2017 aren't actually that old - there are much older finished projects waiting their turn. Maybe I should call these posts makes I've finished but forgotten to post about...

So, the Tulle Shawl was the second pattern released in December as part of knitvent 2017 collection by Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade. A fairly simple shawl in possibly my favourite garter stitch (cannot choose between garter or moss stitch as my all time favourite...) with a lace border. These patterns were released weekly during the festive period with the idea that they would make great gift knits, so while they have interest for the knitter, they shouldn't be too time consuming

So happy when my woolly make co-ordinates so prettily with my project bag.

As usual when making a shawl I didn't knit a gauge square, though the finished shawl after blocking is slightly smaller than the pattern suggests, not at all something I mind as it is the most delicate shawl. 

Such pretty lace. Mine is knit without beads (though this is optional in the pattern). So pretty... it really does live up to its name.

Happily I found the perfect yarn for this shawl in the basket - the colours made me think of the tulle tutu worn by the sugar plum fairy. The yarn is from fondant fibre, though sadly Debs isn't dyeing yarn at the moment. The colourway is jasmine scented evening and the SW merino mulberry silk mix means it has the most gorgeous drape

Deb also included the sweetest stitch marker...

Other than catching up with unshown makes, life has been gently busy though of the nothing to show general busyness of the lovely everyday. There has been snow - with four happy snow days - a birthday (mine), so many swim meets (my birthday was spent at the pool at UEA), making for World Book Day (the only making this year was a waistcoat as the rest of Newt Scamander's clothes were gathered together), a cancelled World Book Day (aforementioned snow day) and a gentle Mother's Day. Oh, we are also the proud new owners of a slow cooker in an attempt to manage to both cook and eat inbetween Patch's daily swim training. There have been a few really? But why when you are vegetarian moments, but the ease of putting ingredients in a pot and coming home late in the evening to find a yum meal was too tempting. So if anyone has any tempting vegetarian slow cooker recipes, please do share...

 Of course there has also been some time for knitting. Ami of the little tailoress blog is currently hosting a kal for these bonding squares, I now have quite a pile which will be packaged and sent to Royal Berkshire hospital SCBU where Patch spent his first few weeks

 And also some crochet time... this is the beginnings of a test pattern for Picot & Tricot in the most delightful Spring colour. More soon!

The land of sweets cowl

As soon as Helen of Curious Handmade mentioned that this years (last year's!) knitvent collection was inspired by The Nutcracker, I knew that I would be knitting along. I have loved the magic of The Nutcracker ballet since a child, and two years ago my parents gave me tickets as an early Christmas present to take P to see it at the Royal Opera House. So beautiful. And Helen's first pattern of knitvent 2017 was perfect.

 This pattern is made up of twenty-four stripes of varying stitches and was designed with yarn advent calendars in mind. Sadly I had no gorgeous yarn advent calendar, but what I do have is lots of yarn oddments. Oh and one dreamy skein of Cosmic Strings - not at all an oddment! Rather than do all twenty-four stripes in a different yarn, I decided to knit the lace sections in the same yarn, and chose the deliciously named Cosmic Strings in marshmallow (and this way I would get to see more of these lovely speckles). I then dug around in the basket to see what other 4ply yarns I had in typically Christmas sweet colours... the ubiquitous tin of jewel foil covered chocolates. Oh and red for the candy canes of course.

This has been such a popular pattern this wintertime, and rightly so... a chance to play with colours, all those gorgeous different textures. It may be one of my favourite patterns

I get ridiculously giddy when my woolly make, project bag and progress keeper match. Just look at that star filled bauble! Purchased from the lovely Jooles of sew sweet violet

I have been wearing this cowl so much this wintertime, it is so snug and colourful and long - quite unlike any other cowl I have. It softly folds and drapes and looks most cheery. Today is day three without heating and oh my it is cold out there, and in here, but my neck at least is toasty...

February is the new January...

So happy new year! That way we can ignore the silence on here of the past few months. Suffolk has been grey this January. Perhaps more brown due to all the mud. So brown and grey. It would appear that when all is brown and grey all I want to do is curl up. Everyone has been clothed (in fact that has been a highlight of January, saying hello to the bottom of the ironing basket), appropriately fed and the house is vaguely tidy and clean-ish, and that has been it. I have high hopes for February!

Starting with a sunny shawl

Mr R gave me this yarn for Christmas last year (oh, I think I might meant two years ago. Not this Christmas), my first gradient yarn cake, from a dyer he found all on his own on etsy. The yarn is the Merino-twin from Wollelfe in the colour Gloria Dei

 I think this colourway is named after a rose, and it was such a pretty yarn cake. I think it might have looked slightly prettier as a cake than knitted...

The pattern is a free Ravelry pattern - the storm shawl by Joanna Davies designed with gradient yarn sets in mind. I have called mine the petal shawl as it reminds me of a peony petal

 Such an easy pattern though fairly lengthy to knit all 800 meters of yarn. The colour changes did help to keep my attention, and the interest of fellow swim parents, as this was my at the pool knitting make last late winter and early spring. Looking forward to wearing it again in the sunnier weather, or maybe I should wear it now to combat the grey...