Yarn Along....Garter Ear Flap Hats.

Hello my friends, how is everyone doing, having a good week, I hope? I had said to myself I wasn't going to knit anymore baby things for a while and just finish off some projects that have been languishing in the bottom of my basket. Until I saw the Garter Ear Flap Hat, a free pattern from Purl Soho, I then knit two of them!!!!!

The first one I cast on was the baby size for my grandson to be, it is so quick and simple, I started it on Sunday afternoon and finished by the evening. Don't be put off by the short rows, as its garters stitch there are no picking up stitches, it's just wrap & turns.

This was knit in Drops Nepal, a worsted/Aran weight yarn, another reason it knits up so quick. The original pattern has a tassel rather than a pompom but I thought a pompom would look cute. The baby size only uses one 50g ball and at £2.00 a ball from Wool Warehouse, that makes it very economical and great as a baby gift.

My sister had been looking for winter hats for my nephew so I cast on the toddler size for him, whilst enjoying a nice cup of fruit tea ;-)

This size uses about 75g so you will need a couple of balls, again I used Drops Nepal. When you knit garter stitch in the round, you have to knit a row, purl a row to get the garter ridges. I had heard about knitting backwards by wrapping and turning and knitting back on the wrong side, which meant no purling. I'm afraid this wasn't for me, I didn't like the ridge it left, so I frogged it and just knit and purl. I would rather just knit in the round but I preferred the smooth join at the start of the row.

I'm going to knit a couple more, Jodie wanted one in the light green grey colour and I'll also knit my niece one. She is so tiny though she will only need the toddler size. I really enjoyed knitting these and are great for travel knitting or watching tv as you don't have to concentrate too much.

The only other thing I've been actively knitting on this week, apart from a test knit, are the Hermione's Everyday Socks. I'm only a couple of inches away from starting the toe so hopefully will be finished by the weekend.

I'm still reading The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans and I'm really enjoying it, saying that I love any book set in Paris. I would like to share with you a book I picked up at The Works, the recommended price is £20 but I bought it for £4.99. I love it, it's mostly sweaters inspired by the 1930's, 40's and 50's but there are some accessories and want to knit a few of the patterns. It also gives you some history and background with some original photos. I love this era and the fashion and I highly recommend this book, everything is very wearable and all the yarn used is readily available.

I'm linking to Ginny's Yarn Along, Tami's WIP Wednesday and Nicole's Keep Calm, Craft On.

Thank you for stopping by, I really appreciate it and all your lovely comments.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

 

Yarn Along.......not much to share.

Hello my friends, did you all have a good weekend? I've been trying to get projects off my needles this week so I haven't got many WIPs to show. I've been knitting two Newborn Vertebraes by Kelly Brooker. I've really enjoyed making these sweet little cardigans, this is the latest one I've been working on, in this sky blue colour. I'll show you the finished objects on Friday.

My main project this week is a test knit so this is all I can share, but I'm loving the pattern and this stunning yarn, which is a pearl fibre, more about that soon.

I've also made good progress on the Hermione's Everyday Socks, as I said in my last post, I'm knitting them simultaneously and have finished one and just have the foot left on the other one.

I've just started reading the The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans, I'm only on chapter 2 so can't say too much about it. I'm linking to Ginny's Yarn Along, Tami's WIP Wednesday and Nicole's KCCO.

Have a good week and will be back on Friday.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along.....Garter Stitch.

Hello my friends, how is everyone? I hope your week is going well, the theme for my knitting this week is garter stitch. The first stitch that you're taught when you learn to knit, I use to find this stitch so boring when I first started knitting but I actually quite enjoy doing garter now. After seeing that Zena has nearly finished her Leftie, it made me pick mine back up, I've now used all ten colours of the Five Moons Mini Skeins so now to start from the orange again.

I'm on the garter stitch border of my Mini Georgie Baby Blanket, just a couple more rows and I'll be binding off. I was nearly out of the off white so decided to use the three contrast colours for the border, it's turning out really well.

Next up is a Garter Stitch Jacket set from the book 10 Simple Projects For Cosy Babies by Sarah Hatton, can you see the theme here!!!! I'm using yarn from my stash and had some balls of Drops Extra Fine Merino in Navy and some Jenny Watson Merino DK in grey and really liked them together. Again it's a very simple knit but I'm really enjoying this 'potato chip' knitting.

I'm also kniting the matching Garter Stitch Hat, I had completed it but it's knit flat and I didn't like the seam so I frogged it and started again, all in one on DPN's. Do you like my DPN holder? I love it and have ordered a matching project bag from Little Bobbins Etsy Store, it's very well made and she has great customer service with quick delivery.

As you can see on the above photo, I've been putting together the jacket as I go along and just have one little sleeve left. This week I'm reading Elephant Moon by John Sweeney, set in the Second World War where 53 elephants and an English school teacher who rescues a group of orphans from Burma and takes them to India to safety. It is a wonderful, awe inspiring story of a young woman's determination.

I'm linking to Ginny's Yarn Along, Tami's WIP Wednesday and Nicole's KCCO.

I've very nearly finished the beautiful Menehune Shawlette, I knit this along side With Mel podcast, where she gave instructions for us to knit along with her, such a good idea.

So that's what I've been working on this week, all very simple knits but sometimes simple is good.

Have a good week and I should be back on Friday with some FO's.

xxxxDebxxxxx

Yarn Along.........a wedding but not much knitting

Hello my friends, I hope you had a good weekend and if you're in the UK a good Bank Holiday. I went to a beautiful wedding on Sunday, it was my first outdoor wedding and it was perfect, the weather kept nice for them and the bride looked stunning. I will share some photos with you soon but my daughter has took my gadget to load the photos onto my iPad, on holiday with her!!!!! It was the wedding I made the invitations for, you can see them here and they gave me this beautiful bouquet of flowers at the reception.

Here I am all ready to go, my lovely friends trekked the shops of Chester with me, trying to find a little gold jacket but couldn't find what I was looking for but they'll be happy to know I found one at the local shopping centre!!!!

I've had a busy weekend so I didn't get much knitting done and what I did do I can't share just yet as it's a test knit but this is the yarn I'm using. If you want a little clue of what I'm knitting check out this Ravelry Group thread.

I've knit a few rows on my Mini Cable Jumper and now on the front. What I'm reading this week, I've just finished Fresh Doubt by Eva Hudson and haven't decided what to read next, what I have been flicking through is this little book Keep Calm and Cast on. It's a fab little book full of helpful tips and knitting quotes. I'm linking to Yarn Along, WIP Wednesday and Keep Calm, Craft On.

I have been buying yarn this week, I bought some Jamieson & Smith 2ply a 100% Shetland wool, to join in with Melody, who is running a Shwook hat KAL on her Ravelry Group. It is part of Shetland Wool Week that runs from the 4th October-12th October, you can find the free pattern on the website. I had trouble choosing these colours as there were so many gorgeous shades to chose from!!!!

Have a great week.

xxxxDebxxxx

Yarn Along........Two Hats and Two Shawls.

Hello, how is your week going? This week I've been working on two hats and two shawls, the first hat is a test knit for Melody of Manderine's blog. Check out her blog you won't be sorry, it's full of pretty photos of the Latvian countryside, nature, knitting and recipes, her photos are so tranquil and after reading her posts I always feel very peaceful.

I received the pattern on Thursday evening, cast on Friday and had it finished and blocked by the Sunday. It is a quick knit using worsted weight yarn, a fair amount of garter stitch and a beautiful textured panel at the front. If you follow me on Instagram you will have already seen the FO, modeled by my daughter but I'll share the photos on my blog, Friday.

Jodie kept the hat and took it home with her so I immediately cast on another one for me using a variegated yarn, I should also have this finished by Friday and will give you full details of the yarn on Friday.

The next project I've been knitting on this week is my Leftie by Martina Behm, as I'd said last week, Zena, Rachel and myself are all knitting this pattern with yarn we'd bought from Unwind. Zena and I don't live too far away from each other so we arranged to meet at The Library of Birmingham for a coffee and to knit on our Leftie's. We had a great morning, chatting and knitting away and hope to meet up again soon.

If you are in Birmingham, I highly recommend paying a visit to the library, there are activities going on, thousands of books to peruse, two coffee bars, lounge areas to sit and relax but my favourite part was The Secret Garden.

It's on the seventh floor and is a balcony wrapped around the building with an urban garden and places to sit, this was the view of Birmingham from the balcony. Unfortunately, it was a little bit too chilly to sit and knit up there on Saturday, I'm hoping for an Indian Summer so can go back and sit up there and take in the views.

Shawl two is the Menehune Shawlette by Mel, Episode Three of With Mel is now up with the third part of the pattern which is the middle section of the border.

This is a simple garter stitch section which didn't take long to complete, so I now only have the last part to finish which will be in next weeks episode. This has been such a fun knit, I really enjoyed this week's episode, she took us on a boat trip with her family and of course it's great to sit and "knit with Mel" !!!!!

 

I'm into my thrillers at the moment and have just started reading Fresh Doubt by Eva Hudson, I've not read any of her books before and so far, so good, I'm enjoying this book, the first in a series of books featuring Ingrid Skyberg, FBI Agent.

I'm linking to Yarn Along, WIP Wednsday and Keep Calm, Craft On, I've decided to post it a day early this week as one I've written it in advance and two, Nicole from Frontier Dreams, posts her KCCO on a Tuesday.

 

There is just one last thing I would like to say, Mel has just wrote a heartfelt post and would like some help raising some money for a bereaved family, if you could please pop over and read it, she would really appreciate it. She has just released a shawl pattern called Hapa and to help this family from 19th-26th August, Mel will give all profits from the pattern to this family who's life has tragically been ripped apart. I've bought mine, every little helps.

Thank you for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your week.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along......a little bit of sock knitting.

Hello there, I hope you're having a good week. I've actually been knitting on my Calla Socks by Rachel Coopey this week, the pattern is from issue 4 of Pom Pom Quarterly, my favourite knitting magazine. I haven't knit on these for a while now but this week I picked them up and I'm very nearly at the toe. I'm using Artesano Definition sock yarn in Azure, I love the colour.

My Pebble Beach Shawlette by Helen Stewart is at the 50% point of the pattern, I need to work on this more this week to keep up with the KAL.

I might add some beads to my shawl, I've got these gorgeous grey beads that match, I will try adding them near the bottom of the shawl and see what it looks like.

On Friday afternoon whilst sitting in my garden under shady tree, I started this sweet tank top by Debbie Bliss. I had some yarn in my stash and wanted to knit something my soon to be grandson.

It was such a quick knit that I has it finished by Sunday, so I'll show you the finished item on Friday.

I also had a small amount of leftover yarn so knit a pair of bootees to match.

This week I'm reading In Broad Daylight by Seth Harwood, a fast paced, hard to put down thriller. Check out Tami's WIP Wednesday, Ginny's Yarn Along and Nicole's KCCO for more crafty WIPs.

I'll leave you with a few photos from our Saturday afternoon in Bewdley, a beautiful riverside town. The regatta was on so we sat by the river with a Pimms, live music and watched all the action.

Have a great week.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along.....Wee Envelope Jumper.

Hello my friends, how are you all? I'm back to show you what's on my needles this week. I've mainly been working on a test knit so this is all I can show you at the moment. The pattern is released at the beginning of August so will tell you more about it then.

What I can show you though is my Pebble Beach by Helen Stewart, I'm using mini skeins from Five Moons in Fade to Grey and I've reached the 40% point of the pattern. There is a Pebble Beach Knit A Long going on at the moment in the Curious Handmade Group, you've still got plenty time to join in.

After a few false starts I've nearly completed the top half of the Wee Envelope Jumper, it is an easy pattern but I think because I've never done a construction like this before and wasn't sure how it was suppose to look, I confused myself. I emailed the pattern support and got a very quick response on what I was doing wrong. After that it all made sense and if I had read the pattern properly in the first place it wouldn't have been a problem. Do you ever do that, read something but not take it in properly and knit what you think it should be? Word of advice, trust the pattern, lol!!!

What I'm reading at the moment, I've just finished Secrets of the Lighthouse by Santa Montifore and have started The Zookeepers Wife again but I'm also reading The Paris Journal by Evan Robertson and Nichole Robertson. I originally bought it on my Kindle but after flicking through it on there, I wanted the linen cover edition. It's a fabulous book full of wonderful photography, I ordered it from the US and it took less than a week to arrive to the UK!!!

I'm linking to Yarn Along, KCCO and WIP Wednesday.

It was my birthday on Friday, I was very spoilt and received some gorgeous gifts. I'm still not well so havent taken photos of everything as I just don't have the energy but wanted to share these from two of my non-crafty friends. The yarn is gorgeous and I was so touched and surprised that she'd gone out of her way to find me this luxurious skein of yarn. My other friend knows me so well too, I love the locally handmade teacup pincushion and look at the wall hanging, so special. I have the bestest friends!!!!

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your week.

xxxxDebxxxx