Last day...

of September today, (just in case you need the reminder).

It seems I am still focussing on keeping toes warm (mostly mine) and using up the yarn stash, even the bits that keep sneaking in.

Lithuanian colour work socks from 'Knitting Socks from around the World', (a present that has proved to be a wonderful resource). The navy yarn was an oppy find, a lovely soft wool crepe with no label and the aqua is from a knitting friends machine knit scraps, Bendigo Woollen mills classic 5 ply.

Purple wall socks are in The Great wall II pattern from Qianer of HiyaHiya, the yarn is a delicious 1950's vintage  Patons Beehive 4 ply fingering.

The Neutral summer hat was made using the Drops design pattern 127-47 and while I really like it there is no way this one will fit on my head, so I think I just start on made a start on Christmas gifts.

Sure I finished my summer slippers last night just so I could count them today, not really but they were quick and a little addictive a perfect weekend project. They are super comfy and just the right weight I think for when the weather changes.

The Paws socks are that mystery which was seen here about a week ago, a plain pattern with some coloured embellishments, great for using leftovers of which there always seems to be some. Currently they are flying to their new home, all will be revealed shortly.

Hope your September was productive too.

Enjoy October.

Because I can

A fellow craft friend gave me a bag of cotton/acylic mix yarn recently, asking if I could use it. Never one to refuse a little yarn in pretty colours, I brought it home to play. I really wanted to try another summer hat pattern but it just wasn't working and while this yarn is mercerised it is just a bunch of individual threads together making it splitty. The tight tension required of the hat was not working, too many threads to get caught on the hook.

Not good colour but pretty yarn - oh yeah after I got underway!

Next idea a cute little summer slipper, well that is not what the pattern intended it to be, it's made from a mix of alpaca and silk - decadent for slippers, but is what mine will turn into. This statement reminds me of a conversation I had recently about the intentions of designers and whether as crafter's it was okay to make things our own. We concluded it was but are also aware of a segment of the community who wouldn't dare deviate from the original design materials.

The one on the left was the first attempt, the one on the right has me modifications

There have been issues and much reverse crochet but it really is a cute slipper and I think they may even stay on my feet, especially when they get the cute little strap.

Nearly done

So I spent Saturday sitting with the hook in hand and cuppa close by to work on these, they were quick and while not yet done they will be soon.

This is almost done - though there was some reversing after this picture

As I haven't used all of the yarn from the bag, there are other colours in there which may or may not follow suit?

Hope you're enjoying a little Sunday sunshine in your space.

Playing with scraps...

These are some leftovers from previous projects, more than enough together to make into more things.

You're right they are not little scraps but not quite enough individually to become anything I'd like to make.

So I set about working them into something useful.

Sure I've been playing with the camera functions again, but for some reason I can't make it go horizontal!

All will be revealed soon or not  after this!

It only spent a short while in time out, we're back on speaking knitting terms again.

Sure hope your week is a colourful one.

One of each...

Looking for inspiration for a suitable small gift for Miss17's high school graduation, I borrowed these books from the library.

I have successfully made projects from both 'Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet' and 'Knitted gifts' previously and knew there were more there that I would like to try. It was good to see this Tilda book has all the patterns printed at full size, I'm really thinking I'd like to do a little sewing for a change.

Knitted mitts modelled on Indian henna hand paint.

Not really practical for the climate

A pretty Tilda Angel.

A little decoration maybe in the right colours.

Lovely crochet top.

This could be perfect in a pale green.

Now I just need to decide which one to make?

Wishing you some quiet time with needles or hook.

Let's see what happens when...

you play with the kaleidoscope function on the camera. 

While watching the waves lap the shoreline;

Looking up at a cloudy sky;

Admiring the flowers in the neighbourhood;

or some happy footpath art.

New technology can be so much fun to get to know and kept me alert on my walk, looking for interesting things to capture. I was entertained for quite some time, but won't bore you with all the pictures I took.

May you learn something new this week.

Yarning on Friday

So I was busy with hook and needles in the corner last night while some of the other ladies were busy stitching up a storm at the Sew in.

Trying to get ready for summer - working on this Sun hat which looks a little more sophisticated than  a cap but is quite a basic pattern. Using unidentified cream cotton yarn with a strand of cotton pearl 12 in natural for the main part of the hat and Cleckheaton Cotton Slub, which is a cotton rayon mix with the cotton pearl for the brim.

Cotton sun hat

Playing with colours and charts for a new project. 

Oh, and the special effects on my new phone camera, I like this fish bowl look, cheeky kitty!  

Playing with colours

Not following any specific pattern is fun and allows me to use some of the leftovers.

Today I've been at a community event and generally wandering around a neighbouring suburb. It's been a while, I really did enjoy walking on a different pier for another perspective of the bay and having a poke around in the stores there. No craft stores unfortunately.

Hope the sun is shining in your creative space today.

Odd Socks

So these are the socks I've knit in the last three weeks.

Four socks that don't match.

Four different socks - and while you can't really see the burgundy one it is finished

Now I'm working on making them partners.

Blue Lithuanian colourwork sock and Purple Hiya Hiya Great Wall 11 sock

The second blue sock is at the toe and will be finished shortly. 

There is another purple sock on the needles that will match the one finished earlier this week. The pattern knits up quick even though I upsized it for my big feet. I'm looking forward to having a new pair of socks soon.

All the knitting that has been going on this past week has left little time for reading but I did listen to a complete Audiobook - 'The House of Memories' by Monica McInerney is an entertaining novel about family relationships and the individuals who make up the family unit. 

Joining those yarning along this week where you will find lots of woolly goodness.

May there be sunshine in your creative space this week.

A little...

uninterupted knitting time = a lot of knitting.

Did I work on the overdue socks for the Father?

Maybe just a little?

I am working on the foot of the second sock

Did I start a new sock?

After Saturday Knitting group

Sure I did, there's a few more skeins of the purple yarn so I am thinking I may just try it out on a couple more designs. 

An interesting design with three different stitches around the leg

They'll all work at keeping toes warm whether they match or not, Right?

At  least they will when they get toes

I joined in with the ladies on Friday night with friends and have been around to see a few already. They really are a busy group.

Hope your weekend has been full of sunshine and colour.

Sock yarning

Even though it's officially spring, I'm still knitting socks.
The first of the burgundy socks is almost at the toe, these have been going slow mostly because they have become the car socks so I get a few rows in everyday when the traffic flows nice and I took it to craft group this week.
I cast on the second of the blue socks last night and got the band half done,  being sport weight it grows quickly.
This week I've started a new book, and started is all, less than ten pages! I've ascertained the story is set around young men leaving for war. The print is really small which could hamper my progress as I mostly read late at night.
Joining the Yarn Along today.
Hope your Thursday is colourful.