Finishing all the footwear...

This was a sock pattern that I just had to make up - and when I had these leftovers available it seemed the perfect time had come. I really enjoyed knitting these up even if the yarn presented some issues as it likes to stick to itself which slows things down when trying to use 2 colours.

You'll recognise the dark one from the Father's socks I completed last month, the fog colour was a friends leftovers.

Eisern design by General Hogbuffer in Regia design line - eggplant and fog

A pretty pair of anklets with a lace fold down cuff. I made these in size small so they knit up very quickly compared with the usual large size I make. There will be a bigger pair soon.

Layna Anklets in Bendigo Athena 4 ply Ice Blue (I really did pick up a big bag of this last month)

Getting ready for some summer fun - I hooked up a couple of pairs of the barefoot sandals in cotton with my 1.5 mm hook.

These are perfect for dressing up feet without wearing shoes.

No purpose other than fun.

Hope your week is off to a fun start.

Swapping

I recently participated in a swap over on Ravelry for a little something handmade with yarn. Oh, and some little extras too.

I got lucky with this gorgeous cowl and hat set knit especially for me and some yarn to keep me busy for the next little while, well after I get through some of the current projects.

These are the other goodies that turned up in my box - pretty buttons, a bookmark, lip balm, hand cream and a gorgeous and practical bag.

All of it is lovely!

Of course I had fun putting together a little package too, included were the blanket you've seen here before and the finished Nessy Pecker.

I put my sewing machine to work to make a project bag from some Australiana fabric that was taking up space in the cupboard and made a matching little pouch for keeping the little things all together in there.

Two of the coasters that have been flying off my hook lately also made the trip.

All these goodies are now happily residing in their new home. 

Hope you found a little spot of sunshine today.

Hearts and flowers for spring

 A couple of weeks back a bag of crochet cotton came into my possession. It just happened to be something I had been looking out for, a lovely range of 1970's colours in a thin weight. I thought they would work well for an ageing project that's been patiently waiting for a little injection of colour. I haven't yet pulled out said aged project but I decided to have a play with some of the colours anyway.

A little Christmas crafting.

What about three colours together?

Pretty new coasters for Spring in all the colours.

Various crochet cottons, most unlabeled, and my 1.5mm hook - using Mandala pattern found here.

These have been multiplying while I neglect to finish all the half started things.

I hope I have some colours left for the ageing project when I'm done with these little beauties!

Would you use these on your table?

There's something new growing in my project bag too - among the neglected projects.

Wishing you all the colours in your creative place this week.

Sometimes...

projects take much longer than they should!

Take the chocolate stripe socks for The Father as an example - 3 months in the making (give or take a day or two). Lots of other things kept jumping in ahead of these socks and then when the first one was done I sent it home with The Mother for a fitting. I did not have good notes on these so I had to wait until the first one came back to me to make another that almost matches.

Improvised rib with cable in Dad size, Moda Vera Noir chocolate colourway

I included some fairly serious reinforcement through the heel and sole area to try to ward off the holes which are appearing in the socks I knit for The Father last year.

All done ready for delivery Sunday.

After knitting an inch or two of ribbing on my blue lace project, which is still undecided what it wishes to become, I decided that I had sufficient yarn and it really would be more usable with one more lace repeat so right after I took this picture I ripped out the ribbing. Gotta love that about yarn it really is flexible enough to change on a whim.

Rose garden lace in Rowan wool/silk blend

This week has been a lot about socialising and I couldn't resist this little afternoon indulgence.

Cookies and cream cheesecake with coffee.

Enjoying a little spring sunshine and the flowers in other peoples gardens.

Promise - I didn't pick any.

So tonight is FNWF and I'll be in so I may just join in the fun.

Will you be stitching along tonight?

Wishing you sunshine on your weekend.

August Finishes

It appears August was a good month for finishing projects including a bigger one that had been on the needles for a while. Cape I'm looking at you!

Coffee Cape in Bendigo woollen mills Classic 8 ply Java
(There will be a post dedicated to this project soon)

The baby blanket was nice change of pace - the design is very rhythmic and the colours really were just a lucky dip from the 4 ply cotton stash. I already mentioned that I am ridiculously happy with this one and luckily I don't need to send it out immediately so I am enjoying looking at it draped over the chair while it waits for a bath.

Round ripple afghan in 4 ply cotton with a 3 mm hook

I whipped up this little Mandala while out and about on Friday with leftover cottons from the baby blanket. There is another of these using different colours but it was sent on its way before I thought to get a picture.

I think I'll use this one for a coaster or candle mat.

Pattern from here

Look here - two socks from the same pattern and yarn! I finished the first pair of the Father's socks with a whole week to spare. I will deliver them next Sunday when I venture out to say Happy Father's Day.

I enjoyed both the pattern and the yarn on these. I really like all the colours and have enough yarn left to make some for me, Yay!

Forbidden City socks design by Qianer in Regia Design line - Eggplant 

There were two more pairs of mitts this month, I have to say the portability of these projects makes them perfect for working on while travelling. 

Bendigo woollen mills - Luxury 4 ply - Purple Storm - a new design in the making

These Blue Caracao mitts used up some unlabelled 100% wool yarn and they are thick and warm all ready for next winter.

Baranduin Mitts by Amora Designs

Cables have been the flavour of my knitting this winter - I see that all of the knitting projects here included cables and yet they all have a different look about them.

Maybe Spring will see me change direction or not?

Wishing you a wonderful September.

Changing perspective

I am ridiculously pleased with the way the coloured star blanket has worked out.

Just by using all the colours, well not quite all as some of the colours had insufficient yardage to complete even one round, I think the blanket is perfect for a little person.  

4 ply cotton in all the colours - Rainbow ripple pattern

After finishing the blanket on Saturday, I had the urge to cast on something new.

Too many stitches on a little circular needle mean you can't see the pretty lace pattern but I am confident that it will look fine when done. I am having another try at using the Rowan wool/silk which failed so dismally at being mitts earlier this year. While this yarn is lovely to work with it has a rather unusual texture and knits into a thick fabric for a 4 ply. I'll finish this one off anyway.

Happy Monday to all.

Spring is coming

This week was a lot about being out and about...

An excursion to the wool museum at Geelong with friends for the scarf exhibition.

Lots of loveliness to admire there.

On a grey day I visited with the Old people and noticed all the colours in their neighbourhood, as while I live near the beach they live in the hills and the colours are very different there. There is an amazing array of greens in their neighbourhood at present, oh and the wattle is brightening the world too.

The hook has been busy with all the colours making this gorgeous pattern in cotton.

Playing with the special camera effects creating all kinds of fun patterns and getting ideas for future projects.

I made a dent in the basket of colours but now I have small left overs, there may just be more colour play.

I learnt in this project that all the 4 ply cotton yarns are not created the same but they worked together nicely. 

Oh, and the mother generously donated another bag of cotton yarns to the cause! Best get the hook moving faster.

Wishing you all the colours of spring.

Making progress

The blanket is growing nicely with all the pretty colours.

Such a fun relaxing project. 

The brown blob in the centre is the Father's next sock. It's true I only finished one of the last pair but I sent that home with the Mother a couple of weeks ago for a fitting and while I got confirmation that it is the right size I didn't keep good enough notes to make another one to match without having the first one to refer to!

The Father is having a birthday next week so I decided it was time for a personal challenge. I intend to finish a pair before the day. This is the leg section of the first sock, instead of moving immediately onto the foot I have cast on the second sock and will work on the leg of that one while I am out and about this afternoon.

He will get a much anticipated pair of socks - eventually.

Lucky I work well with a deadline.

Anybody else out there leave things until the last minute?

Hope the sun is shining in your corner today.

Using all the colours

After finishing some of the things that were on my needles over the weekend, I decided to start a new thing to use all the colours.

I gathered together this collection of cotton for a pretty blanket.

Lots of fun to be had with this basket of goodies

Look - I even made a start. 4 ply cotton yarns in all the colours and my 3mm hook.

So the colours are not showing very well here but you get the idea.

Yes, that is the brown cape under the new round blanket beginnings, I am all done with the knitting on this project.

The finishing may just have to wait until there is a day with a some sunshine and warmth as it really needs to be washed and blocked right after I weave in the stray tails. I used almost all of my 600g of wool so there is not even any leftovers to deal with.

I finished the pair for the blue mitts also, but haven't got a photo to share yet.

Hope your weekend was a productive one and your week is colourful.

Trying to finish some things

While I was admiring all the pretty colours in my new yarn (see previous post) and dreaming of what they could become, I managed to get some work done on a couple of the projects already in progress.

So the pretty coloured mohair project is almost done and will be toasty warm to wear, I want it done real soon, as it seems that winter has finally decided to grace us with her presence. Only armhole bands to go and some ends to be woven in. Speaking of weaving in ends I did some of that on Saturday and finished a project that has been waiting for more than a month for those simple finishing touches. It's true you don't see it here as I gave it a wash and laid it flat to dry but something happened and it is much bigger than I expected so I am still considering it's fate!

Mohair vest and crochet cotton squares

The blue and green crochet squares are for another project I started on Friday, it may or may not be a success, though the yarn is lovely to work with so if it needs a rework I wont be devastated. 

I made the second of the giant mitts, this time in red and at a tighter gauge, it's better than the blue one but still too baggy around the wrist. I really want these to fit as the pattern is lovely but we have ascertained that my wrist/ hand dimensions are rather unusual. As I've completed my testing obligations these will be frogged and something I can use will be knit with this yarn instead.

Wishing you sunshine in your creating space.

Hooded

The hood caused me all kind of headaches but after three tries I have finally got a shape and look that I like.

The first one was the light coloured undyed wool on the right, which makes a lovely soft fabric, and while the shape was looking good there was something not quite right about it. I decided to stop at the halfway point but not rip it as there were some good things going on there and having them in front of me while working take two was beneficial.

The second attempt was an improvement but I was still seeing some things that I wasn't happy with.

Take three was just right - yes, Goldilocks had the stars align.

Hood for cape in Bendigo Woollen Mills Classic 8 ply - Java 

I have finished the third version and it fits perfectly, just a tad difficult to take a picture of the back of ones own head.

Moving right along on this one now, but I really want to make something for me from that undyed wool.

Hope you're somewhere warm and cosy today. 

In June - some things got finished

(But a whole lot more got started).

First up there was the cape that didn't quite make it to the finish line in May.

Collared cape in Cascade 220 paints - Caribbean sea

Welcomed into her new home in time for some truly wintery weather.

Three pairs of fingerless mitts made from my first published pattern.

Kallan Mitts in Vintage Patons Totem - Blue

I had two matching balls of mauve wool in the stash so I decided to play with the pattern a little and extended both the cuff and the hand for cold days.

Kallan Mitts in Vintage Cleckheaton Country - Mauve

For a friend who tried her best to appropriate my original mitts, that'll teach me for pulling them out to show off!

Kallan Mitts in Bendigo woollen mills Serenade - Platinum

 A little sewing made it over the finish line too - My new bag even got her buttons on before the end of the month - I only used it for a week before adding the buttons.

Afternoon Tea Bag design by Ann Francene Dimmer from Handmade Vol 24 No9 

I made this pattern a couple of years ago in different fabrics and use it for my work bag. Interesting how the fabric choices give it a very different feel.

The scrappy squares I was playing with became a new knitting home.

Extra large triangle pouch perfect for hiding knitting projects.

Last week I received a special request for a beanie similar to the one I made here but as the yarn has been discontinued I needed to be creative and added stripes in two colours of brown that complimented the original yarn, of which I had a little left over. 

I think I like the second beanie better. I duplicate stitched the kangaroos, which makes them stand out more.

Hopefully the recipient will be pleased with their new beanie.

Thanks to Peg and Kris for hosting OPAM again this year, there are always lots of lovelies to see around blogland at the end of the month.

Happy July. 

It was all about the sewing...

at the start.

I used my FNSI time last night to finish my bag that I started working on earlier this month, because it seems I only sit and sew with company lately. 

Pattern is Afternoon Tea bag by Anne Francene from an old Handmade magazine.

I started early and finished this (it still needs some buttons) early, and Nomee was up for more action so machine sewing it was.

All these little squares were hanging out in a basket minding their own business until I started playing with them! Now I have them all stitched into groups of 24, I may even get this together later. Or not?

As I still had tea to drink when I turned the machine off, I decided that I really should get my other needles clicking on the hood. It is coming along nicely as far as the shape is concerned but I think there may be just a little too much blank space between those cables?

Anyone have any opinions about that?

Thanks Wendy for hosting FNSI.

Hope your FNSI was successful and your weekend is a relaxing one in your favourite space.

On my needles

I really have started all the things recently!

Because I don't stick to one thing ever this is what my current knitting looks like! 

Three projects in progress none of which have a pattern to just follow, though some are less complicated than others.

I know I said last time the blue piece was practice for my cardy but I decided to continue and make it a project all by itself, I have lots of this colour left over from my Elephant socks. 

The fluffy piece is almost 8 inches long now, thanks to being a passenger on a road trip early in the week. The colours in this yarn really are gorgeous. Thanks Marina for the yarn gift.

The one that looks yellowish is actuality a natural silverish wool colour and is the beginning of a hood.

Wishing you all fun times with needles.

Joining yarn along this week.

Yarning

While I still haven't turned the sewing machine on again to finish my projects started last week, my other needles have been busy. Making mitts, I actually changed the right one so now they match, but I don't have a picture of them yet!
Playing with lace for a new cardy and some plain knitting in pretty coloured fluffy yarn.
Must stay home and sew sometime soon.
Hope your weekend was sunny.