Itty Bitty Baby Tank Top and Bootees.

Has everyone had a good week? I'm back with a very quick post today, I haven't been up to much, apart from having my friend Kerry around for some al fresco crafting and lunch and just have a couple of small FO's to show you.

I'm trying to use up some of my stash and whilst I was looking for something the other day, I found two balls of Drops Extra Fine Merino in Light Grey. I thought this would be enough for a small baby garment so I started flicking through my books and came across this cute baby tank top . It was from the Ultimate Book of Baby Knits by Debbie Bliss and only took 2 x 50g balls. If you're looking for a baby knit book I highly recommend this book as it has everything you need in just the one book from garments to blankets to toys.

The pattern calls for Debbie Bliss Cashmerino which is a sport weight but I used DK with 3.5mm needles, I knit the 0-3 months hoping it would turn out 3-6 months, it did and measures the larger size, I didn't swatch as I knew it would fit him at some point. This was a very quick knit, I started it on Friday afternoon and was finished by Sunday, it took me two afternoons and one evening.

I had a small amount of yarn leftover, so decided to knit some bootees, the pattern is in the same book. I wasn't sure if I'd have quite enough yarn and I ran out a few rows short of finishing the second one. I'd already got a plan if this happened so I ripped back the soles on both of them and knit them in a darker grey yarn that I found in my scrap basket. This was a great stash busting project and used every little bit of the two balls. I think this little set is so adorable and would make a gorgeous gift for a newborn baby.

Kerry picked up some lunch for us from the supermarket and I just laid it all out and supplied the Procecco, it was all very Mediterranean and delicious!!!!

Have a great weekend my friends and I'll be back on Monday with a special post.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

A New WIP and not a Shawl in Sight.........

Hello there, I hope you all had a great weekend, I went to a wedding and is was absolutely beautiful. The bride was stunning and the whole day was just perfect. I would love to share the day with you in a separate post. 

I'm back today to share this week's WIP's, I haven't done so much this week as I have a sore shoulder. I'm on the second Mock Cable Sock by Wendy Johnson, which I have called Coffee and Cream. I was hoping to finish them before the end of the month but that's not going to happen, now.

As I'm linking this to the Yarn Along over at the Small Things blog, I've included what I'm reading on my Kindle. I am still reading Inferno by Dan Brown, which I tend to read before I go to sleep but if I'm out and about, my Kindle is in my bag and I've just started to read The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.

I'm not too far into yet but an old fisherman named Santiago, who still goes fishing each day and keeps coming back empty handed, has a friend, a young boy named Manolin.  He helps the old man, each time he comes back from his boat, carrying his gear, giving him food and chatting about baseball. It is one of Hemingway's major works which won him the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1953, it was also made into a film, which I will watch after I've read the book. Do you prefer to read the book first or watch the film first?

I've also started the Sideways Knitted Cardigan by Debbie Bliss, it is the pattern on the front of this book. It has some beautiful patterns inside too, the Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace yarn has some really pretty colours to choose from, I went with colour 17, Sky. This will be a long term project, it is not TV knitting or a project to take to my craft group, it is a pattern that I need to concentrate on but I am loving the pattern.

I'll be starting a new project soon using some Rowan Cashsoft DK, that I have in my stash, I'm just deciding which two colour combo's to go with. I will tell you more about it, next week, when I have cast on.

Something else that I would like to make, is a drawstring project bag using this gorgeous Riley Blake "Little Red Riding Hood" fabric, designed by Tasha Noel. I'm not accomplished at sewing but I've found this free online class from Craftsy called Bag Making Basics, so I'm going to give it a  a go.

I've finished my French Cancan, which as I'm writing this, is soaking in the sink ready to block. I use a product called "Soak" in Aquae, it is a gentle no-rinse soak that softens and relaxes the fibre's of your delicate yarn, leaving a beautiful, fresh scent. I will show you the FO on Friday.

That's all from me, if you want to see other WIP's, pop over to Tami's blog and Ginny's blog and check out what everyone else has been up to this week.

Enjoy the rest of the week.
xxxxDebxxx

WIP Wednesday......Stars and Stripes Ripple Throw and more.

Good morning, how are you all doing? I hope you are having a good week. I'm going to show you three works in progress, today. I do have one more WIP but want to give that one it's own post so I will show you it tomorrow in a separate post.

In honour of our American friends, who will be celebrating the 4th of July, tomorrow, I have started a small throw which is the Stars and Stripes American Flag. It is a free pattern from Lion Brand and you can find it here.

I love all things American so when I received last month's newsletter and saw this free pattern, I immediately ordered some yarn. It doesn't take a lot of yarn like a lot of blankets I've made, I wanted to use Drops Nepal, which is an Aran weight 65% wool/35% alpaca.

I worked out how many balls I would need by looking at the original yardage in the pattern and converting it to the Nepal. It came out as 9 balls of red, 6 balls of cream and 3 balls of blue, Nepal is very economical to use at £2 per 50g ball. I buy mine from Wool Warehouse, their service is fabulous and next day delivery.

This was my lazy Saturday morning, breakfast in bed and a spot of crochet, I'm on the first stripe of cream now, it crochets up very quick. I pick this up when I want something that doesn't need much concentration.

The next WIP, I've just started my second pair of socks from the book Socks from the Toe Up by Wendy Johnson. I'm working through the book in order and the second pattern is called Lacy Ribbed Socks.

I'm using the new Rowan Hand Painted sock yarn called Fine Art in Sarin. This yarn is beautiful, with 45% Merino Wool, 20% Mohair, 10% Silk:, 25% Polyamide, it is a pleasure to knit with.

The pattern is worked on circulars, I use 2.25mm needles for socks and didn't have that size in circulars so I'm using DPN's. I do want to try knitting socks on circulars and have ordered some Hiya Hiya's so will have a go with them on the next pair of socks.

Last but not least is a little Matinee Jacket by Debbie Bliss, I started this before I started the other projects, just because I like knitting baby items. I'm not knitting this for anyone in particular, it will go in my gift box for when I need a baby girl knit.

The pattern is from the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino book but it has taken a back seat since I started the other projects. I've only got one sleeve to finish so I should get it finished by next week.

Check out Tami's blog, for more WIP's.

Thank you for stopping by, I'll be back tomorrow with another project I've started and very excited about. Have a great 4th of July, my U.S.friends!!!!!!!!!!!

xxxxDebxxxx

WIP Wednesday.....Debbie Bliss Baby Cardi.

Hello my friends, I hope you all had a great Easter weekend. We went away for a few days, which I'll share with you tomorrow.

While I was away though, I found this book, that I'd been looking for since I saw a photo on Coco Rose Diaries blog, I fell in love with the little girls cardigan.

The book is called The Knitters Year by Debbie Bliss, it is split into four sections, Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn and has some beautiful patterns.

We stopped off at John Lewis in Bristol to get some yarn, I bought some Debbie Bliss EcoBaby Cotton which is the recommended yarn for the pattern. I choose this pretty, neutral colour, shade 14026, so I was all ready to start when I got home.

It's very quick to knit using moss stitch with minimum seaming as the sleeves are knit as part of the back and fronts. It would be an ideal pattern for someone just starting out with knitting, if you can knit, purl and cast on and off, you could follow this pattern.

I've finished the back and right front, so tonight, I should finish most of the left side, I may have a FO by Friday.

If you are wondering about my Mary Jane Tearoom Daisy Bunny, I've just got to finish the dress, which I'll do once the baby cardigan is finished.

I love her little socks and pantaloons.

If you'd like to see more WIP's, head over to Tami's blog.

When we were in Waterstones buying the Debbie Bliss book, Mick spotted this, it is a mini knitting kit in a box, so he bought me that too, he is good to me.

The box is only 3" by 3" and included the yarn, pattern book and needles, it is so cute. I finished the newborn beanie while I was in Brean.

I was going to give it to my sister as they like the newborns to wear hats in the hospital now but not sure whether the pink stripe makes it to girly for a little boy. What are your thoughts?

Thanks for stopping by, I'll be back soon with a few photo's from my weekend away in Brean.
xxxxDebxxxx