Tuesday 18 March 2014

The undisciplined knitter

I start many, many projects; most of them end up completed, but it might be some months - years even - down the line. This weekend I gave myself a stern talking to and ended up with:
a child's pretty bag in lovely Noro Aya, and...
a toddler's cardigan which looks grey, but is actually pistachio green, and...
a baby hat in the new Debbie Bliss cotton mix yarn, Juliet. It was a sample ball and I'm not sure I'll be buying the yarn but still, it looks pretty cool knitted up and the patterns for it are mighty fine too. Decisions...I'm no good at decisions...but I'm getting better at finishing stuff.


Sunday 9 March 2014

Animals! Poppies!

A British Wool Weekend update...


So, we were all making farm animals to be displayed at the show and sold for a donation into the Help for Heroes tin. (We were, weren't we??) Here's the first of the family of mice I'm creating:


Photo: You never get just one mouse, do you? So I have a few more to make - big ones, baby ones - as my contribution to the knitted farm animals being requested for British Wool Weekend 2014.They'll be sold at the show with proceeds going to Help for Heroes. BWW14 is also requesting knitted or crocheted poppies in support of the British Legion. If you'd like to contribute anything but won't be going to the show, please feel free to drop them off at the shop and I'll pass them on to the organiser.


Now, there's a new request, an alternative to the farm animal theme is the Make a Poppy for the British Legion option. This is in remembrance of the outbreak of war in 1914 and all poppies made will be sold with proceeds to the British Legion.


There are lots of patterns - many of them free - for animal and poppy making, available online. Any size, any style, is the remit - be as creative as you like!

Saturday 1 March 2014

Teeny, tiny...

12" circular needles! Yes, you could make a sock on these. Or possibly a wrist-warmer. Needles with a built-in discretion factor - great for knitting in the pub. Or at the park. Or under the desk at work.


This is my fledgling baby hat, knitting up so much easier than on dpns. They're made of stainless steel and cost £5.95, and IMO are well worth it for the satisfaction and ease of far fewer pointy bits.


Photo: Feels like spring this morning - at least I walked down to the shop without a hat - so here's my own version of teeny tiny knitting. As miniature as I get anyway: cotton DK being knitted into a baby hat on a 12" circular needle. If you like knitting in the round, but aren't so keen on dpns...you might like to give these a go for the little items that are too small for regular circulars. 
(The wool's a sample ball of the new Debbie Bliss flecky cotton, Juliet. Very lovely, altho' I haven't bought any yet for stock. What do you think? - anyone got any strong feeling about flecky cottons?)