a whole lot of stuff

It's been some weeks since my last blog post. Lots of life, not much time for recording.

I've discovered etsy, via Ravelry. Nice Pear Studio advertised. I was tempted by the pictures, had a look and ended up buying! Janice was very very helpful. She had never posted internationally before. But went out of her way to make it all happen. Here is one of two sock yarns I bought:

It's called Cherry Blossom and was hand dyed by Janice.

And of course I have been busy knitting up a few things for the Red Hill Show. I entered four items this year: a toy, socks, a teacosy and a toddler's cardigan. I was lucky enough to pick up three firsts this year and a second for the cardigan.

I love the feeling of participating in a community event. It's quite special to see your handmade items displayed regardless of whether they have received a gong or not. It' s really interesting to see what other people are making too, including k girl. I think we have both entered various bits and pieces for the last three years. Long may it continue!

Last year my plum pudding teacosy didn't get a place. I think it's a great teacosy and very amusing. I love the leaves and berries on the top. This year my cosy got first place. I love this one just as much as last year's one. They are very different but they both had an equal level of skill and effort invested in them. I cannot really work out the judging. Ranking items must be difficult, because beyond a certain level of skill and complexity which can be assessed, how do you differentiate? I think that there must be a certain amount of subjectivity, but who knows.

I knitted it in Patons Jet and then felted it. It felted brilliantly in one go! I then sewed on felt flowers and leaves. I'm only learning to embroider - hand sewing is really not my skill - but I really want to be better, so I am trying to find opportunities to practise.

Here is the back:

And here is the orange aran cardigan with hood. It's an amalgam of two patterns plus a some of my own invention. I learnt a lot about design by knitting it. It's knitted in Naturally's Loyal DK. 100% wool and machine washable. The inspiration is a Zoe Mellor pattern called Robin Hood Jacket which is knitted in Rowan Cork. It's a discontinued chunky weight yarn. So to produce something close required dramatic changes. I'm pleased with the result and I think it'll be great as a winter woolly for Mr S.

And the socks - they are knitted in Tofutsies soy blend yarn. The pattern is a basic lace. The socks are a modified version of Rainy Day Socks. You can find the pattern on Ravelry. I used a different weight of yarn and really just used the construction method I always use (cuff down).

And I entered the hedgehog. It's knitted from a Fiber Trend pattern and is felted too.

The Friendship Tree

A few days before Christmas my office had its Christmas lunch at a pub on High Street, Northcote. I'd only driven down High Street before - never stopped. It's a bit of a find. The new Brunswick Street. All types of interesting shops and eating places are popping up. The kind of quirky places that used to make Brunswick Street interesting, but are now being forced out because of high rents.

One place in particular caught my attention, The Friendship Tree. It sells Steiner inspired toys. Lots of wool felt and wood. They also sell some craft books and wool felt to make your own creations. Two types of felt in fact - machine and hand made - in really good colours.

I bought a book, Feltcraft: Making Dolls, Gifts and Toys by Petra Berger, and a family of little pink pigs for Mr S. He adores them and has played with them quite a bit.

Happy Christmas

Mr S and I have been doing quite a bit of Christmas reading. One of his favorite's is Willow at Christmas by Camilla Ashforth. The story of this very loving and gentle bear has captured his imagination.

So I bought him his own Willow for Christmas (aka 'Little Ted' from Playschool). But Willow needed a hat. So this afternoon I whipped one up.

Willow's Hat Pattern

Designed to fit a 31cm head.

Requirements:

1 ball of Shepherd Lambswool Felted in Red (band info: knits to 16.5cm gauge on 5.5mm needles). You will need less than 1/3 of a skein.

scraps of Sirdar Snowflake Chunky in White

5.5mm and 6mm needles (I'm a tight knitter)

Pattern:

Cast on 50st on 5.5mm needles.

Rib 1x1 for 4 rows in Red Lambswool.

Change to Snowflake. Knit 2 rows.

Change back to Red Lambswool and 6mm needles.

Using stocking stitch, knit 6 rows.

Next row: (Knit 2 tog, knit 9 st) 5 times. (45 stitches)

Next row: Purl.

Then stocking stitch the following 4 rows.

Next row: (Knit 2 tog, knit 8 st) 5 times. (40 stitches)

Next row: Purl.

Then stocking stitch the following 4 rows.

Next row: (Knit 2 tog, knit 7 st) 5 times. (35 stitches)

Next row: Purl.

Keep repeating the following two decreasing rows, reducing the number of stitches between the knit 2 tog stitch, until 5 stitches remain. Run yarn through remaining 5 stitches and pull tight. Sew up back seam using mattress stitch.

Sew a few strands of Snowflake to the top of the hat. Secure them by tying them together.

Here is the original watercolour that inspired the hat:

We also finally put up our Christmas Tree. We went to the Stumpy Gully Road Christmas Tree Farm, which was a bit of an adventure in itself. It's the first time I've had a 'real' cut tree since I was probably about four or five. I'm pretty excited about it.

Many of the decorations are handmade (knitted, sewn etc), but I've also invested pretty heavily in a new collection of so called 'shatter proof' (read plastic) baubles!

I have many glass and china decorations, but with a two year old on the loose they are all safely put away in a box. Still the tree looks bright and happy enough. I'm pleased.




Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

Some more pink socks

I confessed my (slight) obsession with pink socks some time ago (confession here)! Well, I've added another pair to my 'guilty pleasure' collection.

I have finally finished my pale pink Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino single cable socks. I'm wearing them as I write this post and I can feel all that knitted goodness just flowing up from my feet. Mmmmmmmm.

I had some unpicking to do on the first sock - I knitted it way too long and convinced myself that 'it's ok', so went on to finish it (including the kitchner stitch toe and all the ends sewn in). Well it wasn't ok at all. When I tried it on I just knew it was wrong and I would be unhappy if I left it as it was. But it took me a few days to work up to the point where I could cut off the top and wind it back to a reasonable length. I've now finished its mate. So another project off the UFO list! Thank goodness.

As you might be able to tell from the picture, I didn't exactly use the DB pattern. I used a different heel and toe finish.

I'm also getting closer to finishing Leo Lion. I've finished all the knitting, including the mane. It was very tricky to work out the loop stitch, which is used. It was different to the method in my stitch pattern book. Still after a few abortive attempts I finally got there. Maybe I will finish it on the weekend. Now that would be nice.

Grrrrrrrrr

Progress on 'Leo Lion' (why are they all called Leo and Larry???).

Not yet 'Grrrrr-ing' - but getting there.

Need to get some more yarn to finish the tail and ears, and some darker yarn for the mane. Next week.....

This week, I'm going to start the Plum Pudding Tea Cosy.

New projects

Yes, yes, yes! I've still got two unfinished Mr S cardigans on the needles, but I'm so sick of them and have to do unpicking and fiddling around with both of them. So, what's a girl to do? Buy new yarn of course!

A quick visit to Sunspun yesterday and 'hey presto' two new projects!

New Project 1 for 2008:

V&A Lion (see earlier post). Knitting it with Rowan's Scottish Tweed 4ply (Sh 018 - Thatch).

New Project 2 for 2008:

Plum Pudding Tea Cosy. I saw a picture of one in an English 'lifestyle' magazine some time ago and have been lusting after one ever since! I've bought a mixture of Rowan Scottish Tweed DK and Jo Sharp Silkroad Tweed.

Click Clack

Progress is slow on the red rib cardi for Mr S. I keep telling myself it only 'feels slow' because I am knitting the whole thing in one piece, but I cannot stop myself from measuring it continually. The tape measure is my constant companion!

And I have started the hoodie for Mr S (based on the Sirdar pattern) using the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK. It is knitting up much quicker that the red cardi (the result of stocking stitch rather than rib, and DK rather than 4 ply - no surprises there). Normally I knit right on the given tension of a pattern using the specified needles but with this I'm knitting tighter - not sure if it's me or the yarn? I quite like the stripe. They are not the normal colours I would choose, but given that I had the orange already I think the teal/aqua goes with it quite well.


And I have bought these really cute shoes to go with it - orange suede Italian shoes! They are Mr S' first ones. I've also joined a new group blog about knitted toys - called .... Knitted Toys.

It has some really cute stuff on it and I really like the button.

Happy Easter

Meet the Easter Bunny!

This is one very big bunny!

And tasty too!


Project Specifications:

Pattern: Vintage Pattern 'The Rabbit Family' - Father Rabbit knitted

Yarn: Freedom 100% wool by Twilleys of Stamford (50g, 50m balls)

Needles: 8mm (yarn label specifies 10mm)

Notes: Father Rabbit took 7 balls (6 and a third really) knitted at a tension of 12st in 10cm

Easter's coming!

But no Lent for me -no stash reduction commitments either! I'm a bad bad woman!!! Naughty, but nice (I hope)!!!

It's stash enhancement all the way!


I'll confess about my recent purchases at the Stitches and Craft Show another time. But last Thursday, after the relief of handing in my entries, I felt I needed a reward - so off to the LYS ...
I've been thinking about making an Easter Bunny for Mr S from this vintage pattern. It came from a very quirky shop in Mt Eliza, who still has the original (where this was photographed).


And so I've started...


The yarn is Freedom by Twilleys of Stamford. It's 100% wool and normally knits as 10st in 10cm on 10mm needles - but the pattern requires 12st in 10cm, so after fiddling around with tension squares I figured out I needed to use 8mm needles. Knitting a bit firmer for soft toys is better anyway.

I've also bought some red 4ply to make this lovely cardigan and hat for winter. It's a new Cleckheaton book that I bought at the Stitches and Craft Show at a reduced price.

Hey Presto

... one sheep!

Well not quite that effortless, but ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you 'Sheep'!







I've also started the I-cord on Mr S' blanket. It's slow going, but I know I'm going to be much happier than if I'd used piping.

Do sheep do the splits?

No they don't!

I'd nearly finished my sheep, when I noticed its legs gradually moving apart...


Not good.

Had already had a few goes at stuffing my sheep - difficult to get the balance right - I want sufficient firmness without it looking over stuffed. Because knitting stretches, unlike fabric, getting firmness without distorting the shape is very difficult.

I thought I had achieved this. But clearly not! I looked at it for a day, debating back and forth - could I live with it could I not??? I couldn't.

So off with its head! Will need to knit another one as I've nicked the knitting while unpicking the stitching :(

Let's see if I can do better?!?!

The magic of the post

Love getting packages in the mail. Even when I know what's in them, it's terribly exciting finding them in the letterbox, carrying them inside and ripping them open. No delicate surgical approach for me, I want it open, and I want it open now!

I'm still a bit of a reluctant internet shopper - I like to touch and feel what I buy before I buy it, and security worries me too. But there are some really good internet shops and sometimes the temptation is just too great.

Superbuzzy proved just too much for my self restraint! And a nice little package has arrived.

I am going to make Mr S a pair of Robot pants later this year (for next summer - so need to wait to see what size he is) and a linen shirt to match, with Robot trim...

I also bought some more strawberry fabric for my quilt and some ladybird fabric that I don't know what I will do with

I realised this Christmas that virtually none of my current tree decorations will be usable for the next few years (most of them are German and Polish glass balls and figures). So during this year I am going to knit, crochet and sew a new collection. This fun book (yes another Japanese craft book) has some great little felt toys that will be perfect. Scaled up, some of them would make good play toys too.

Never rains, it pours!

Bit of an ironic reference given the terrible drought that Melbourne (and the rest of Australia) is experiencing - wish it would pour indeed!

But things do tend to come in groups - or maybe it's just that that is when we notice?? Not sure, but my point is that over the last week or so I seem to have acquired (gosh, just don't know how it happened!) a number of knitting/ patchwork/ craft books. Pouring books...

I've joined the Japanese craft book craze and bought Cafe Kids (IBSN4-529-04332-0) from Amazon Japan. I first saw it on Molly Chicken (who has much better photos - unfortunately my scanner is packed away at present and photographing books doesn't give great clarity - so apologies).

I really want to make the teddy for Mr S. And there's a great wall hanging for a child's room. The only disappointment is that most of the cute clothes are for girls, not boys, and there was no pattern for the little coat with peter pan collar that is pictured in the book. It would have looked great in couduoy on Mr S once he is walking next year.

Then, at a local market I came across a stall with some fab buttons and a pile of vintage patterns. I wish I had had them last year. There are some lovely layettes for newborns which I could have knitted. Never mind, given how hot it's been here he wouldn't have got much wear from them anyway. There are some great patterns for slightly older boys too.

May I introduce you to Colin. Wonder what he is doing now?

... and just in case I thought there was any risk of running out of projects...

Bouton d'Or books have fabulous designs for both boys and girls. And these jumpers, which Mr S would look very stylish in, are sized for 2 - 12 years - so I have plenty of time to get around to knitting them...

And then there are more toys for Mr S!! Huggable Hedgehogs indeed!

And lastly, the Wedding Ring Quilt... I really really want one! Have seen a lovely one hanging on a wall in a children's wear shop in Maling Road. Rationally I know that despite the hefty price, it would just be simplier and easier (not to say very much quicker) to buy it and be done, but I won't. No, I've (someday) got to make this for myself.... and now at least I have the pattern. There are several other quilts in the book, all nice, but not why I bought it.