Toast

My latest finished knit. I actually finished them a few weeks back, but am only just getting round to showing you.

These have been a long time coming. I started them last year and were my first tentative steps into knitting with DPNs. They were the ideal project, in my mind, to practise knitting in the round on DPN's. It's a quick, easy and simple project so you don't have to think about the pattern at all. The pattern calls for aran weight yarn, and so should be easier to practise with than a thin sock yarn.

I found it incredibly difficult to do that first round after casting on, but was being surprisingly patient and simply put it all down to a learning experience. So I found myself quite happy to cast on, knit a few rounds, take it off the needles, rip it back and start again. When I did finally finish them, I discovered that during the learning curve my tension had become better by the second and so was a snugger fit, plus the ladders that can occur where the needles join on each corner were less noticeable. I had also, for some reason, done different casting on and off for each, so they ended up basically being completely different.

By this point, I'd had enough, so I put them in a basket and forgot about them for a few months.

I picked them back up again towards the end of February and decided to rip them both back and start again from scratch. I had a couple of false starts whilst I got back into the swing of it, but this time I paid more attention to my cast on and off and managed to produce a pair of arm warmers.

And here's the finished article, Toast.

I realised too, with delight that I had produced them at exactly the right time too. Coming up towards Spring, when it starts to get a little milder, I had started wearing lighter clothing, perhaps 3/4 length sleeves, but still needed occasional extra coverage on my lower arms.


Photo curtesy of BellaBee


Details
Pattern: Toast by Leslie Friend (Ravelry)
Needles: 4.5mm DPNs
Yarn: Patons Colour Works Aran (50g)
Shade: 00083
Bought: Dunelm Mill
Price: £3.75
Total yarn used: 44g

I'm not going to split hairs and work out an exact cost, as the leftover yarn is not good for much. I lost a little yarn as I wanted to start the second arm warmer on the same section of colour and so get them to match through the colour changes up the length of the arm warmer. I knitted the second to the same length as the first and had a little yarn left over at the end too. I used the long tail cast on and Elizabeth Zimmermann's sewn cast off.

They are ideal, and I wore them solidly for a couple of weeks. They are currently laid to one side while we have the warmer weather, but I can see myself getting a lot of use out of these. And will be making more pairs as presents in the future.



Peace Out x

Birthday Cowl

This is another post Christmas birthday make.  It's only going to be short and sweet, and it's actually a bit of a cheat as I've already made one of this pattern and posted about it.  But the reason why I made it in the first place was as a bit of a practise for this gift.  Well, sort of.  It is a lovely cowl and I wanted one for myself anyway.  But as soon as I saw it on Ravelry I thought of my sister. 

It's the GAP-tastic cowl MkII.

I'm glad I got that first one to practise with though.  I was very new to knitting, especially in the round on circulars, and it helped to have a mock run at a few of the techniques.  It went much smoother for the MkII.  I considered using a smaller needle size as the first one was too loose.  But I stuck with the same needle and just tightened up the stitches more. 

Details
Pattern: GAP-tastic Cowl by Jen Geigley on Ravelry
Needle: 9mm circulars
Yarn: King Cole Comfort Chunky
Shade: 428 Dill
Total yarn used: 200g
Total price: £5.98 (£2.99 per 100g)

I used the long tail cast on and Elizabeth Zimmermann's sewn bind off to make sure it had plenty of stretch. The yarn was ideal for this project, lovely and thick and soft.

My sister loves it and it's had plenty of wear already and will probably still have many more oppurtunities for use in the months to come.

On other news, I've now got a new baby to knit for!  My friend's girlfriend is expecting in April, so I'm finding much joy in pouring over and finding some nice boy knits (they already know the gender).  I already have a little niece to knit for, and will soon share a gorgeously cute, easy, quick, all in one seamless cardigan when I've done the little finishing touches.  But it's always nice to have a brand new being to introduce to the wonders of wool.  I was a bit naughty as I have a cardigan that I've vowed to finish for Bella Bee I'd started back in Septemeber and got laid to one side with the Christmas makes.  I tried ever so hard, honestly I did, but I succumbed to those cute little mini knits.  I justified it by the fact that it is a baby knit, so should be quick and simple, I can get it out of my system then get right back on the job of little lady's cardy.  I picked a little vest.  I've done the back and the more I look at it the more it doesn't look right.  It looks a bit too long and narrow to me, especially the top half, after the armhole shaping.  I'm just going to continue and have faith in the pattern and hope it's correct.  After checking the measurements.  Hmm.  I'll let you know.



Peace Out x

Cowl-tastic

It's that time of year to get wrapped up in some serious comfort knits!  This is a knit I actually finished back in August, but has now come into it's own.

The GAP-tastic Cowl

This pattern was super quick and super easy.  It's comfy and cosy and a super big soft hug for your neck.  It's absolutely ideal for a Christmas present. 

Details:
Raverly Project Page
Pattern: GAP-tastic Cowl
Yarn: Stylecraft Special Chunky
Colour: Parchment 1218
Needles : 9mm circulars
Quantity: 2 x 100g
Cost: £1.76 per 100g x 2 = £3.52
Bought at Knit And Sew

It's a super dull colour I know but at least it'll go with everything.  As soon as I saw it I thought of my sister, so this was actually a bit of a practice run for a possible birthday present (her birthday is right after Christmas) but I'm now very pleased to have my own.  It's just been through a normal 40 degree wash and has come out how it went in.  If I decide to make this again I may go down a needle size, as my tension is a little on the loose side, to make the pattern a touch more compact.  All in all I'm extremely pleased.

So get wrapped up warm and have a super weekend.



Peace Out X

Cast Adrift

I feel like Peter Pan, I'm missing my shadow.  I've had an appendage removed and have phantom limb syndrome.  My sole purpose for the last six years has disappeared.  I feel lost and lonely.  I wander around the house not quite sure of what I'm supposed to be doing.    Bella Bee has gone on holiday with her Dad.  To Italy.  For 12 days.  I well up just thinking about it.  12 WHOLE days.  What do I do without my little mini me?  She stays at her dads' for weekends regularly and I appreciate the break.  She's even stayed there for a week a couple of times, but I'd still see her every couple of days.  Never for this long, and never in a whole different country.  I feel happy and excited for her getting to have her first 'proper' holiday.  Her first ride on a plane.  A lot of exciting adventures and experiences in a foreign country.  But she's doing it all without me and that makes me feel incredibly sad.  So while waiting for my daily evening calls from my little Italian bambino, which I treasure so much, but for her are an inconvenience, keeping her from important play, I try not to mope, I try to keep busy, doing something productive.  Trying to appreciate this child free time I've been given, making the most of it. 

So lets move on, to a Ta-dah.  I've finally finished my first circular needles knit.  The Honey Cowl pattern from Ravelry.

This took a little longer than I would of liked to knit up.  It's basically taken 3 weeks.  It was my only project on the go, I wasn't intensively knitting but I was doing it every day.  I had a couple of false starts and the finishing off took a couple of attempts.  So that added time, plus as a beginner I'm not the speediest of knitters.  I made a few mistakes, but I guess it's all part of the learning curve.  The perfectionist in me isn't completely satisfied, but I'm getting better at making allowances for being a beginner (for now).  It is a very easy pattern to knit, and ideal for a first circular project.  Over all I'm happy.

How hard is it to take pictures of yourself!  Trying to do that AND smiling? Out of the question!  And please ignore the decor.  It's horrendous.  Maybe picking up a paintbrush during this free time wouldn't go amiss!

I would have liked it a little looser when it's doubled over, but it keeps it nice and snug and very warm.  The colour is a little murky, but it'll be a good autumn shade, and as I got it in a sale there weren't many options.

Details:
Yarn used: Sirdar Click (30% wool) in Fern. 
Cost: On sale for £1.49 (50g) with just over 2 balls used is approx £3.50 total.

I already have another cowl cast on.  A different pattern.  It seems to be a much quicker knit as I'm already half way through.  I'm still not happy with the join in the first round though, it's too obviously the join to me.  I tried adding an extra stitch then knitting that and slipping the next over it, but I didn't like that one.  For this one I simply kept it tight when joining, but the first stitch has made, in my eyes, an obvious loop in the bottom ring.  Ideally I'd like it not to be noticeable at all.  Am I being too picky?  Is this possible?  Any tips or links to a good tutorial?

I'm going to tackle DPNs next and make a pair of fingerless gloves to match next.

With all this free time I'm sure it won't be as long to my next post as it was to this one.

Peace out x

I Need To Knit. Now!

I was watching TV Saturday night and had a sudden realisation, I want to knit, and I want to knit now!  (Very rock and roll!)  I didn't want to do just any type of knitting, but knitting in the round using circular needles.  I'm a beginner and haven't tackled anything like that, but suddenly I was ready, and had to do it right that minute.  What a very new and surprising sensation!  I certainly wasn't expecting that.  Only trouble was I had no circular needles.  It's 7pm on a Saturday night, but in our 24 hour society I didn't think that would be a problem.  Shops are often open till late, especially the bigger stores that you'd find in the retail parks.  So I thought.  Evidently not.  I came home disappointed.  I just needed to find something else to do till they opened on the Sunday.  I very half heartily started a lovely striped cushion cover with some Cotton DK I already had.  I was just biding my time though. 

Sunday came and I had the loveliest morning.  As it was a gorgeous sunny morning, instead of running straight to the yarn shop, I wandered round the local car boot first, and picked up some fantastic bargains, mainly clothes and books for Bella Bee, but managed to pick up that great bag in the last post.  Then on the way home I casually sauntered (practically ran) into the local large chain craft store.  I know, I know, and I usually avoid the massively overpriced, mass produced, charmless chain horror, but it was Sunday, it's local, I had the knitting itches and there was a sale on.  Humph.  So, I grabbed much wanted needles, and browsed yarn on sale, and grabbed a couple of bargains.  A bargain is bargain after all, no matter where it comes from.  I'm half way through and hope to finish quicker than I know I will.
 

About quarter of the way through here


So hopefully a FO coming here soon.  And for a bit of colour, if I get a wiggle on and do the very final finishing touches to the below, I should have another even sooner than that.

Peace out x