slightly off topic...

I am easily distracted at the best of times, and I definitely like diversity in my knitting projects, and lately it's felt a bit like all-sweaters, all-the-time.

So despite needing to sew up my Peasy, and having a Ferris Wheel to finish...not to mention a Miette on the needles as well, I decided to take a slight detour this weekend and work on some instant-gratification projects.

Firstly, I whipped up not one but THREE of these wee little baby hats.  Knit in the round using aran yarn, they zoomed off the needles and into the blocking bath. I made all three in a 24-hour span.

The pattern is the Garter Ear Flap Hat, a freebie from The Purl Bee, and I used some Rowan Pure Wool Aran (pink) and Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (grey and teal).

Super cute!  I just need to add the tiny tassels to these and they are ready to go in the gift stash box.  I think I've even got enough leftover from each ball of yarn to make another two to three hats, probably with some colour blocking.  This pattern is definitely a win, in my books - free, quick, small yarn usage, and CUTE!  I think it's turned my baby-knitting mojo back on, for sure.

I also had a delivery of some Murano wool from Bendigo this week, that I bought because it was on special, and I wanted to make a blanket of some description.  I toyed with a mitred square pattern, and a knitted chevron, but in the end I decided to give crochet one more crack and try my hand at the Round Ripple Baby blanket.

And with all the stars miraculously aligning, I managed not to stuff it up!



This is a really simple pattern, and I found the instructions very clear and straightforward - perfect for those among us that perhaps struggle with crochet terminology, or reading stitches.  I usually always end up with extra chains, or not enough, and I'm never exactly clear about which is the "next stitch" the pattern asks me to slip stitch to!!

The yarn is great for this type of blanket too.  Self-striping in fairly long repeats; it makes impressive work out of something really rather simple.

As far as blankets go, this is also working up very fast.  In two evenings work, I have just finished the second 200g ball, using a 5mm hook.  I was debating whether to stop here, as it's probably big enough for a baby blanket, but I think I'll persevere and use up the third ball I ordered so the finished blankie is nice and snuggly.

shoes for scale...

And the best thing is, now that I have got that instant-gratification out of my system, I feel like I'm ready to knuckle down to seaming and probably a bit of garment knitting. 

What's exciting your needles this extra long weekend?  I'm working at Sunspun tomorrow, then we are shut for Good Friday but will be open 10-5pm Easter Saturday, so pop in if you're in the area?   I had the pleasure of finally meeting missfee last week, after probably 7-8 years of "knowing" each other online (hope your yarn purchases are bringing you much happiness, lovely lady!).  I really enjoy meeting more of the people I regularly chat to but have never met in person, and I feel like Sunspun might just end up being the great facilitator...

Hope to see you one of these days soon xx

a small amount of procrastination...

I seem to have skipped a week somewhere along the way, sorry - time has got well and truly away from me at the moment.

However, I do have some finished pieces and new works to show you though!

For a 24/12 update, I went to cast on the Tears of Bronze beanie only to find issues with the pattern link.  As in, it doesn't seem to be available any longer?

I went scrolling through Ravelry looking for a substitute, but after no luck finding something I really wanted to make, I finally thought - pfft, how many beanies have I knit?  I can totes do this on my own!

So I did.

MossyHearts is a pretty basic stocking stitch beanie, with a twisted 1x1 rib band and a cable panel of hearts and moss stitch centres finishing with a simple cable up to the crown peak.

The wool is Madelinetosh DK in "Baltic".  Oh dear lawd, this colourway is FINE.  I'm pretty pleased with how it came up in this beanie, it seems to show off all the variations and has minimal pooling/striping.

Once the was finished, I decided it was time I knit my two beautiful nieces a cardigan each.  Coincidentally, this thought came almost simultaneously with Tikkiknits releasing a set of summer cardigans AND offering a coupon discount as part of the Indie Design Gift-a-Long that's happening on Ravelry at the moment.  

I ordered some BWM 8ply cotton in a pale grey and vibrant fuschia (to match their individual personalitites!) and got started.   I've just separated for the sleeves on the grey and the fuschia is only a few rows in, but I'm already loving the pattern.  It's got enough interest in the form of some lace details to keep you motivated, but it's simple enough to suit my modern young fashionista's taste.

I don't think they'll have them for Christmas - I'm making sizes 8 and 10 so these aren't toddler cardigans - but I'm hoping to get them both done in time for summer holidays at least.

THEN, just as a bit of a quick fix project, I dragged out some stash cotton and made a couple of dishcloths!  I love knitted dishcloths.  They are so soft and squishy, and I think they stay "fresher" than chux-like ones you buy at the supermarket?

I made on knitted one in a chevron stitch, and two crochet ones, because I'm determined to master crocheting from a pattern and I figure a dishcloth is probably a good way to practice.

(Keen blog readers will notice that despite a flurry of activity, there has been no casting on of the final project on my 24/12 list - the Gingko Shawlette...  I'm procrastinating, I know.  This week will be the week, for sure!)

24in12 progress update

This week seems like a good time to check in on my 24in12 challenge, given there are only 8 weeks left!  

Where did that time go? I think daily at least one person mentions to me how quickly this year has gone for them, and I have to agree.  It feels like the weeks are just slipping by, and it will be 2014 in the blink of an eye.

My tally count is currently sitting at 20, so I feel I'm well on track for the NYE deadline.  I've completed a couple of small "extra" projects recently too - the Barley beanie and my Zombie Apocalypse socks that I wrote about last week -  but I'm not counting them in that tally just yet.

I'm not counting them because I set this challenge with an idea that I would work towards a targeted outcome, with focus and discipline.  I get distracted easily, so it doesn't surprise me when I create a couple of small diversions from the master plan! 

I'm officially back on the wagon though, and have been working consistently on my Girl Friday cardigan. 

Sleeves and body are done, I need to now sew them together and pick up for the bands and collar. Still love it.   The pieces are currently blocking, to make seaming and picking up band/collar stitches easier.  We've got a few days of nice weather ahead so hopefully it will dry quickly.

Ideally I'd like this completed by the middle of November, so I can start on the Ginkgo Crescent shawl, as I have a feeling that might be my slowest project of those left.

I've also wound the yarn for the Tears of Bronze beanie and the My Cup of Tea socks, as motivation.  The beanie won't take long at all, and I think it will be a nice respite between the shawl and the socks.  

 I've changed the sock yarn to another colourway of Jitterbug too, because I remembered I had other plans for the Oyster I'd originally chosen.

Then once it was wound, I decided that I *totally* needed a small project just to take the edge off  the transition of finishing my cardigan.  See what I do??!

My Cup of Tea, nicknamed the Beautiful Ugly Socks

Not the prettiest yarn I've ever knit, but there is something about that mustard khaki and the flashes of teal, watermelon and gold that draws me in.  
Ugly is the new Beautiful, and even ugly yarn needs love ♥
So anyway, there you go. Some solid knitting ahead to meet the deadline, but certainly not impossible.  I'll update again at the 4 week mark, hopefully still as positive and optimistic about the project!