June finishes (and socks)

Brookes blue mitts which I don't have a completed photo of still (but she was wearing them on the day she went home). The brown hat on the right was made for me with the leftovers from my Jacket and the blue hat is for a friend who has generously donated yarn to my cause in the past. Everything else has been here before.

More good stash busting

The Poppy socks are both at the same point now only legs to go.

I do like the effect of the positive/negative pair, there may be more like this in my future.

The Mauve Miette is coming along nicely too, now that I have figured out how to knit the sleeves in the round without tying the whole thing in a knot.

May you have a lazy Sunday afternoon in your creative space.

A year of socks

Nothing new here, just realised this week that it is a year since I cast on the first sock and decided to collect them together to see what they looked like.

Nice!

Starting at the top left by row(ish) -Czarina's Lace from 'Knitting Knee Highs', Blue stripes using designs from 'Socks a La Carte', His socks from 'Knitted Gifts', San Juan free soles by Anna Zilboorg, Estonian Kapotad Socks from 'Knitting Socks from Around the world', Sanquhar Socks from 'Knitting Socks from around the world', Hugs and Kisses by General Hogbuffer, Red socks using designs from 'Socks A La Carte', pink Owlie socks by Julie Suchomel, Red Katya's from 'Knitting Knee Highs', Purple Diagonals by Ann Budd, Mauve Triumph crochet socks by Victoria Selnes, Red Two Horse Hitch socks by Anne Podlesak, Blue Davidson Road socks from 'Knitting Knee Highs',
Brown Maid Marian socks from 'Knitting Knee Highs', Albanian Anklets from 'Knitting socks from Around the world', Purple candle socks using designs from 'Socks a La carte' and Cable cuffs from 'Fab feet and Cosy toes'.

Now you know why there has been a lot of posts about knitting socks - an average of 3 socks a month for a whole year! There will be more socks in the future, I still have some family requests to fill which is probably just as well, as I was gifted two more skeins of yarn for sock knitting this week.

May there be many stitches in your weekend.

Poppy and Miette

My interpretations of these excellent patterns.

I'm very happy with the Poppy socks and have the first one ready to start the leg. I cast on the second one and love the different look of the colours in the opposite places. This pattern is written for a negative/positive sock and it works perfectly with this yarn as I have an equal quantity of both. 

Poppy Socks by Anna Zilboorg from Knitting Socks from around the world

My cardigan is coming along nicely too, the knitting is easy. After increasing the length of the body I am up to the final pattern, I understand it is hard to see with all that fur, before the lower band. Maybe I do like fat needles and yarn after all. (Probably just as well considering there are a few more jackets worth in the cupboard!)

Miette (with extra length) design by Andi Satterlund

I am still waiting for the pattern to transform the pretty pink yarn pictured last week, it should be here by the weekend. I'm all ready to cast on again.

This week I am reading 'The boy in the moon' by Kate O'Riordan. An interesting and tragic novel dealing with family relationships across generations. A tale formed around a small number of key life events, it explores the individuals reactions while exploring their past experience.

Joining the yarn along this week for more yarn inspiration.

Hope the sun is shining in your creative space.

Perfect Mr Google...

It may or may not animate?

Friday's Google Doodle celebrating the winter solstice.

A glorious weekend - cold overnight with brilliant sunshiny days in my part of the world.

Lots of time for working on knitting projects - the sock has grown considerably I am almost done with the foot.

A little look inside

As I am not good at working on only one thing at a time I cast on another project. This time my first ever top down cardigan. I understand the yarn is not good for showing the design at its best, but as I have started and abandoned a number of projects with this yarn I am going to keep knitting and enjoy wearing this number.

The pattern is Miette and the yarn is Cleckheaton Divine, as you can see in this picture the yarn is a rather odd construction and while it is not as difficult to knit with as it at first looks it does produce a lovely light and fluffy fabric. 

Hope your weekend was full of sunshine.

Sizzling Seventies

My entry for the Hottie Challenge evolved into this!

I started with a rather different looking finished item in mind - but sometimes the yarns and stitches just have a mind of their own.

The main part is made in Cleakheaton Cotton Slub 8 ply which is a cotton/poly/viscose mix and actually consists of three separate strands, one of which has lots of knobbly bits making an interesting finish with a little shine.

The pattern is No 493 from 'The complete book of crochet stitch designs' by Linda Schapper. The colour and design of these two together reminded me of the beach but the addition of the faux fur yarn completely changed the feel of the crocheted fabric.

What was going to be a beach themed hottie cover turned into a Seventies style Hottie Vest and used more of those yarns from the never ending stash.

I loved the finished item and was able to personally deliver it to MissCurlyPops who has been collecting lots of lovelies to be displayed for the Hottie Challenge at Open Drawer next month. All good fun in aid of a very worthy cause.

You can read more about the exhibition here.

Enjoy the weekend sunshine.

Casting on...

always follows a finish or two.

Not much to see yet.

There is a new sock on the needles, my (very late)  hooky contribution to the Hottie Challenge and yarn for another project awaiting the pattern.

Back to working my way through my Knitting Socks from Around the World, I'm doing Poppy Socks this time designed by Anna Zilboorg.

furry?

There has been some reading this week - cool wet weather is perfect for curling up with a book, (not in the picture) but I've almost finished 'Remarkable Creatures' a novel by Tracy Chevalier. The two main characters are young women - one from an affluent family and one from a poor family - who share a fascination with collecting fossils. One for pleasure and one to help sustain her family. Set in a period when women were not taken seriously as individuals it highlights the injustices faced by women in that era. Interesting reading.

Joining the yarn along again this week.

Cosy hands and toes

Sunday was the last day of Knit in Public Week and just happened to coincide with a monthly yarn group which meets at a cafe, there was lots of lovely knitting going on.

I took along both my in progress projects and managed to do most of the finishing there, though of course when I came home I realised that I am not very good at counting in public and needed to redo the top of the second mitt to make it match the first one.

Finished Strawberry Ripple Mitts - a test knit of Ripple Mitt pattern by Alicia made in vintage Patons Bluebell.

The pattern makes the mitt cling to the hand and while this is actually a little on the small side for my hand it shows the pretty pattern. I already have a willing volunteer to takes these off my hands - Ha!

The Mauve Triumph socks are a perfect fit for my feet. While I was unsure about crochet socks and put off trying them I think these will be perfect for wearing with boots. The sole does not have the same lace pattern as the top of the sock so it is a little thicker than a knitted sock but very comfortable to walk on.

These really a pinky mauve colour - but blue is what you see in this cloudy weather

Triumph Socks by Victoria Selnes and Bendigo Woollen Mills 3 ply baby yarn. 

The crochet socks took a little more yarn than knitted ones do - bonus for the stashbusting efforts.

Back to gift making - I'm thinking a pair of crochet socks for The Father as he has requested more socks!

Enjoy your Monday.

From Toe warmer...

to sock.

The crochet sock project has been demanding attention at every available opportunity this week.

The pattern was very straight forward and easy to follow.

Both the foot and leg were completed in a long spiral shape leaving a hole for the heel, which is another spiral completed at the end.

This construction makes it very easy to try the sock on regularly and make adjustments to fit.

Most of the deviations I made from the pattern were unintentional, but do not alter the way the sock fits me.

I did choose to close the heel with a double crochet join rather than sewing the two sides together, I think it works better with the stretch of the crochet fabric.

Now to complete a partner that matches with all the deviations.

Happy weekend crafting.

The same, But different

Sure there has been a little knitting and some crochet too.

New to me stitches - practised here

The first of the strawberry ripple mitts is done and the second is cast on but I have been distracted by my hook for the last two days (the sock is considerably further along now).

Triumph lace socks in mauve and Strawberry ripple mitts

Inspired by a crochet sock here, I have started my own sock - I know different pattern and heading in the other direction. The pattern is Triumph Lace socks from Dragon Heart Designs and the yarn is Bendigo woollen mills 3 ply baby yarn in mauve (yarn inherited from granny, probably '80's vintage).

I can't be sure whether the sock will be a success or not as while I got gauge with a smaller hook than the pattern suggested, all the patterns warn of the lack of stretch in crocheted socks compared with the knitted ones. The fabric on mine has quite a lot of stretch!

I'm currently reading 'About Time - Growing Old Disgracefully' by Irma Kurtz, it takes a look at the privelege of the aged and how similar they are to the young in society. Both entertaining and enlightening with actual accounts and reflections on a lifetime lived by the author and a cast of characters still working well past the 'normal retirement age'.

Joining the yarn along here where I'll find a whole lot more inspiration for new projects.

Happy creating.

Beautiful Weekend

Sharing a lovely sunny weekend with family and friends - Perfect!

A little knitting for World Wide Knit in Public day. (no surprises there)

Strawberry ripple mits

A lovely tour of the Botanical Gardens - there is much to see no matter the season. 

Plenty of people were out enjoying the winter sunshine.

The leaves that forgot to fall

There are some amazing structures and monuments around the gardens.

This monument to Queen Victoria actually has four separate poses celebrating different events in her life.

excuse the finger!

There was cake, well this long weekend is in celebration of the Queen's birthday.

Delicious.

This model of an old treadle sewing machine is animated like the real thing and plays music when you open the drawer. 

A gift from SJ - about 6 inches tall

Hope the sun is shining in your part of the world.

Friday Night with Friends

Thanks for your company ladies I was most productive with almost a finish and a start.

The blue mitts just need the thumb of the second one to be completed and the ends woven in, as this yarn is a very dark navy I have mostly worked on it during the day.

When the sun went down I got out this pretty pink yarn and started a new mitt. The colour reminds me of Strawberry milkshakes and the pattern is a ripple. A perfect match I think.

The best bit about mitts is they are super quick to make.

I'm off to enjoy the sunshine.

Wishing you all a wonderful Saturday.

The Gatecrasher's...

almost became lunch.

(a certain person suggested a little rotisserie chicken)

Today's gathering at Mill Rose cottage was a lot of fun with much laughing (it is a wonder there was any progress) and some very special guests. There was gorgeous show and tell, but you wont see that here, my camera forgot to get out of my bag!

My new project which is not a sock!

A simple idea which my neighbour was stitching - too sweet.

 Hope your Sunday was as much fun.

May Opam

All my starting in April made for a good number of finishes in May.

Seven crocheted hats, two pairs of socks, one wrap and one jacket.

There was a finish of a previously resting project too.

All this woolliness should make for a cosy winter for me and some lucky recipients.

A perfect start to winter here with lots of raining - hope it fell where it was needed most and not just around the water's edge.

Almost time to head out to my local knitting group and I still haven't decided what to start next/
Will it be a should be or a want to? Too many lovely choices.

Hope you're all having a lovely Saturday.