Purple......the colour of the moment.

 

If you were to ask me what my favourite colours were, I would say, aqua, sage green, grey's and soft pinks, I would never have said purple or lilac but it seems this is my colour of choice, at the moment. I've got two projects on the needles that are lilac and purples and I've just finished sewing buttons on my Aureus Cardigan so I've been able to wear it for the first time, this week.

I cast on the Old Romance By Joji Locotelli back in October but with Christmas knitting I didn't get very far so this week I've picked it back up again.

Once I'd finished the lace panels I started picking up stitches for the sleeves and body, I hadn't read the pattern beforehand and it's a really usual construction with short rows.

At first I was a bit "oh no, short rows" but actually I'm really enjoying it, I enjoy learning and trying new techniques and it's a lot easier than it looks. I'm using Drops Alpaca Silk which is a beautiful, soft yarn and gorgeous to knit with, it's going to be a long term project but I can't wait to have it finished and able to wear it.

Next are my purple "Fairisle" socks' I'm using Rico Design Surperba Mexico, a self patterning yarn. I'm doing a Vanilla sock, just using a basic sock recipe pattern by Louise Tilbrook, Lousie is a great designer and has some gorgeous sock patterns, you can find her blog here.

My last purple project is my Aureus cardigan, after nearly a year I've finally sewn on the buttons so have been able to wear it without it slipping off my shoulders. I used Rowan Felted Tweed DK, I really like this yarn, I thought it maybe a bit scratchy but it isn't and is one of my most comftable and warmest sweaters.

I'm on the fourth prompt of 26 Books with Bringing Up the Brums which is A Book Your Friend Loves........

I knew immediately that it it would have to be Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. My daughter and my friend Kerry have been nagging me for months to start reading the Harry Potter books so they'll be pleased to know I've finally started the first book.

I'm linking to Nicole's Keep Calm, Craft On and Ginny's Yarn Along, there are always some great links to beautiful projects.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by, have a great week.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

 

FO Friday.......My Aureus.

Happy Friday, my friends. I hope you've all had a great week. I went to the Sewing for Pleasure show at the NEC, yesterday with my friend Lyn. We had a great time with lots of great stands, demo's and workshops. I will share more about it, in a separate post but it's worth going too, if you like sewing or knitting, it finishes on Sunday.

Now back to my Aureus, I finished it on Wednesday evening, I'm so pleased with how it turned out and have been wearing it since.

The pattern is by Michele Wang and is in Pom Pom Quarterly magazine, Issue 7. I knit it in Rowan Felted Tweed DK, I made the size 42 and used 10 balls. It's a nice loose fit, like a boyfriend style and very comfortable to wear.

Check out Tami's blog for more FO's, this week.

Have a great weekend, whatever you're up to, I'll be back soon with my crafty buys and makes from the sewing show.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along.........Miss Winkle.

 

Hi there, I'm back today with a new project!!!!!!! I did promise myself, I wouldn't cast on anything new until I'd finished one of my other WIP's....................but when I saw on Instagram, that Sarah from Crafts from the Cwtch, was starting a new Spring KAL on the 15th March and the pattern was Miss Winkle, I couldn't resist!!!!!!

The original pattern was knit in a variegated yarn, which looked really pretty and I had some A Stash Addict in Mermaids Hair. I'm never sure which patterns look good with a variegated yarn so this has been sitting in my stash for ages and thought it would look good for this shawl.

I've named it my Easter Shawl, as my blog friend, Stephanie, commented that the colours reminded her of Easter M&M's. The pattern is easy to memorise and is great to take with you when you're out and about, I knit what you can see, in the car over the weekend. I love the loopy edge and it only takes 100g of 4ply yarn, you just knit until you've run out of yarn.

I've finished the first sock of my First Time for Everthing and have casted on the second one, I will add the Afterthought Heel, when I've finished both socks. I've also tried a new to me bind off called Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off which gives a really good stretchy cuff.

I've also finished one of my Linden Mitts..........

and have cast on the second one, this pattern knits up really quick and I love the stripes. I think these will go towards my niece's Christmas present.

Last but not least, I've only got to pick up the stitches for the collar on my Aureus, so will be finished by Friday. This week I've started V is for Vengence by Sue Grafton, I use to read these series of books, years ago and read up to about M is for..... I stopped seeing them in book shops but saw this the other day so picked it up.

I'm linking to Ginny's Yarn Along and WIP Wednesday, thanks for stopping by and enjoy the week.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along.......Stripy Mitts and some Fairisle.

Hello, how was your weekend? I had a fab Saturday, I spent the day with friends having a mini spa day with afternoon tea. My friend, Di, had us all around her house and booked a beauty therapist to give us all a treatment. After our treatments we all relaxed and enjoyed afternoon tea and a glass of fizz. It was a wonderful, relaxing day with friends!!!!

In my last post, I told you about the Fairisle workshop that I attended, last Thursday, after it had finished, I went downstairs to John Lewis haberdashery department and picked up a few different colours of the Rowan Felted Tweed DK. I really enjoyed the process of Fairisle but felt as though it would be something that you need to practice, otherwise you could forget the different techniques, so over the weekend with my new yarn, I cast on a Fairisle scarf.

I'd seen a pattern called Leftover Cowl by Wendy D. Johnson, it's a large cowl using leftover sock yarn. I loved the Fairisle pattern but didn't want a large cowl so I decided to use the chart for a Fairisle Scarf, instead.

I'm knitting it in the round using magic loop, knitting Fairisle in the round is so much easier as you don't have to purl, I'm really caggy handed holding the two yarns and purling, so this is a good option for me. It's a 12 stitch repeat pattern but because I'm knitting it in the round, it's two sided you need to cast on multiples of 24. I cast on a total of 144 stitches which gives me a width of 27cm, each pattern uses two colours which I'm randomly choosing from my ten colours. I'm loving this project and find Fairisle very relaxing, this will be a long term project and I might even buy another couple of colours to add to my rainbow of colours.

I've finished the sleeves on my Aureus, I just need to set the sleeves into the armholes, knit the button band and I'll have a finished garment to show you, hopefully by next Friday.

I've also started another new project, I'm joining in with Jane Richmond's Linden Mitts KAL, this will be a fairly quick project as it only uses 50g of Knit Picks Felici or any other self striping yarn.

The pattern gives you the option of 4ply or sport weight yarn, I've had to go down to a 2.25mm needle as the 2.75mm knit up too big for me, I prefer a tighter fitting mitten. Even though the pattern was written especially for self-striping, I think it would work just as well with a variegated yarn. I love the Knit Picks Felici but it's hard to find in the UK, I managed to get this one ball from Great British Yarns but it looks like they aren't stocking it anymore.

This week, I've started reading The Diary of a Provincial Lady by E.M. Delafield, I can't tell you too much about it yet, as I've only just started it but it's a fictional diary about a 1930's lady and her family life. I like to collect classic books with limited edition covers and I love this one designed by Cath Kidston, isn't it pretty? Check out more knitting projects and reads over at Ginny's Yarn Along, also pop over to Tami's blog for more WIP's.

Thanks for stopping by, I really appreciate the time you take reading and leaving me such lovely comments.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along......two WIP's on the needles.

Good morning, I'm back today with this week's WIP's, I have got three WIP's on the go but have only worked on two this week.

The main one I've been knitting on is my Aureus cardigan using Rowan Felted Tweed DK, after soaking and blocking, this yarn really plumps and softens up, I really like it and will definitely buy it again.

I've finished the back, left and front side, blocked and joined them together. I'm now working on the sleeves. I really want this finished by the end of the month, as I've joined in with The Sock Bunny Sweater-A-Long, which ends on the 31st March.

I've decided to knit both sleeves at the same time, this is the first time I've attempted it and wasn't sure how it would work out. I'm using circular needles with a long cables and two balls of yarn, so far, so good, no mistakes and no tangles. It's probably no quicker by doing this but I don't know about you but once the first sleeve is finished, I just want the second one finished as I know I'm close to completing the garment.

The other WIP are my First Time for Everything, stripy socks using Twisted Limone, self striping yarn in Find the River.

I'm attempting an Afterthought Heel for the first time and have just knit the waste yarn, where the heel will go, I'm going to be very nervous when I come to undo it and put them back on my needles!!!!!

This week, I'm reading Unraveled by Maggie Sefton, a murder mystery set around a yarn shop, I think I might be a bit obsessed with all things yarny!!!!!! I'm linking up wth Ginny's Yarn Along and Tami's WIP Wednesday.

Tomorrow, I'm going to a Rowan Fairisle workshop, this is something I've wanted to learn properly for a while now. I had booked onto a different Fairisle workshop, last year but it was cancelled so when I saw Rowan was doing one, locally to me, I booked myself on it. I'll let you know how I get on, I will hopefully be knitting a Fairisle jumper before long.

Thank you for stopping by, have a good day.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along.....weekend knitting.

 

Hello, how are you all, I hope you had a good weekend. As I said in my last post we went to Betws-y-Coed on Friday morning, we've drove through the village numerous times but have never stopped before.

It was a very relaxing weekend, we didn't do much apart from taking in the stunning Welsh scenery, I loved that the mountains had a sprinkling of snow.

We headed to the coast on Saturday, this is Criccieth, we just parked up and watched the waves crashing against the sea wall. I don't know about you but there's something so relaxing about the ocean.

On the evenings, we went to the local pub, both nights were really busy and no chance of finding a table so we grabbed a wool blanket that they supplied, sat under the outdoor heater, enjoying a drink. It was so nice to be able to sit outside in the winter, sitting under the canopy watching the rain and the world go by. Bliss!!!!

I managed to get quite a bit of knitting done over the weekend, I turned the heel on my second Diamond Gansey socks, I'm still enjoying this very simple knit and purl pattern.

Olivia's "blue cardigan" has seen the most love this week and I'm on the right front. I love when a pattern is knitted in one, so no seaming!!!!!

The final project that I've been working on is my Aureus cardigan, I've nearly finished the right front. I was hoping to get it finished by the end of March but I'm not sure whether that's going to happen. I've read a couple of chapters of Knitting Yarns, if you love knitting you will love reading about different authors that knit and their different stories of why knitting is important to them, very enjoyable and easy to pick up and down, as they are only short chapters.

I'm so tempted to cast on Mskiknits brand new pattern, Hana Hou that has just been released, I love the slouchy, relaxed fit of this gorgeous cardigan, perfect for all seasons but I'd better finish one of my other projects on the needles first. If you hurry on over here, you can get a discount code for $2 off the normal price, this offer finishes on the 14th February so you need to be quick!!!!!

Check out Ginny's Yarn Along, and see what others are knitting and reading, this week.

Also pop over to Tami's blog and check out more Works in Progress.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope to catch up with visiting all your blogs, this week. I've been busy making wedding invitations for my friend's son, which I hope to share with you soon.

xxxxDebxxxx

Yarn Along.......a cardigan for Olivia.

Hello, my friends, how is your week going? I'm back with my regular work in progress post and I've cast on the Zoe Fan Stitch Jacket by Vibe Ulrik Sondergaard. As I said last week my niece asked if I would knit her a blue jumper, I just couldn't say no to this sweet little girl. I know this yarn is more lilac but I've told her it's periwinkle blue and she's happy with that. When I saw her, yesterday, I told her I'd started her jumper and she gave me the biggest hug and said "thank you so much, Aunty Deb"!!!!! She was wearing the Manolin cardigan, I knit her last summer, she is so proud when she wears one of my knits and tells everyone that I "made" it for her, bless.

I'm on my second Diamond Gansey Sock, they are easy to pick up and put down, great if I'm watching TV, talking or taking to crafty get togethers.

I've finished my Halele'a so I'm now concentrating on the Aureus cardigan from the winter edition of Pom Pom Quarterly. I'm hoping to finish this by the end of March which is when Sock Bunny's Sweater Along finishes. I've finished the back and I'm now working on the right front, talking about Pom Pom as you can see on this photo, the latest edition landed through my letterbox, yesterday, as usual beautifully wrapped with a personal thank you message, it's those little touches.

Again, it didn't disappoint, with so many fabulous patterns plus many other interesting articles, this issue's recipe is Chocolate Bergamot Cookies, mmmmm, they look delicious. I'll be baking these sometime soon, I'll let you know how they turned out. I don't buy as many magazines as I used too as I wasn't making anything from them but this is worth every penny. I've knit two patterns from the last issue and sometime soon, I plan to cast on the Aroha by Rachel Coopey from this issue. I can't recommend this magazine enough, this little magazine won't be far away from me for a while yet. I'm linking this to Ginny's Yarn Along and WIP Wednesday over on Tami's blog.

What are you crafting and reading this week? Thanks for stopping by, I'll be back on Friday to show you my Halele'a.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

WIP Wednesday..........Week 4 of the Halele'a KAL

Hello there, I'm back to show you my WIP's on the needles, this week, I'm still working on my two big projects and I've cast on a new one. My Rosebud Socks are off the needles, and a new project on, I've cast on the Mrs Jekyll and Little Hyde beanie.

As soon as I saw this beanie pattern, I knew I wanted to knit it, it's no ordinary hat, it's reversible!!!!!! The construction is very clever, you knit the lace pattern first in your main colour, then knit the stripy interior using your two colours, giving you a reversible hat.

I've made good progress on my Aureus cardigan and have got to the armhole shaping, I love the Rowan Felted Tweed, that I'm using and like how the cable and lace pattern that runs up the middle of the back, it keeps it a bit more interesting rather just plain Stockinette.

I've just started a new book called The Husbands Secret by Liane Moriarty. I've heard really good things about this book, I downloaded it onto my Kindle as it's only £2.00, nearly half the price of the paperback. I'm not very far into it but I've been drawn in very quickly, after Cecilia accidentally comes across an envelope, that says "only to be opened in the event of my death", written in her husbands handwriting. I'm only read a few chapters, but I really want to know what this secret is and finding it hard to put down, would you open the letter?

I'm linking this to Ginny's, Yarn Along, check out this fabulous blog full of knitting, reading and family life.

Last but not least, it's week four of the Must Stash Podcast Halele'a KAL and this week we are working on the left front. I cast on, Monday and I seem to have whizzed through it, I finished it last night. I just need to seam the sides and pick up the stitches for the patterned bottom half, which I love.

I'm also linking this post to Tami's, WIP Wednesday.

One last thing before I go, I had a lovely surprise yesterday morning. I heard my husband open the front door which is very unusual, he doesn't normally get home from work until 7pm. He shouted upstairs and said, I've left you some flowers in the kitchen and promptly left!!!!! They are beautiful and  I feel very loved.

Have a great week.
xxxxDebxxxx