Ooh pretty

New projects and a new book.

Knitting with Patons Stonewash

A little pink cotton lace knitting making a change from red and cream socks, so far so good.

I decided on a lighter read this week, not sure I succeeded? House Rules by Jodi Picoult is set around a teen character with Aspergers Syndrome. There are lots of rules and routines to get through the days. So far I am just getting to know the characters, it takes more concentration than I thought it might.

A little hooking this afternoon using some leftover yarns to make another hat (because we're bound to have more hat weather before winter is through).

Grey and navy ripple hat

Joining the clever people yarning along here.

Happy creating.

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.