Bless My Little (Wool) Cotton Socks!

Design: 60 Stitch Socks, stocking stitch, stocking stitch heel flap

Designer: Regia (leaflet given with yarn)

Yarn: Regia Wool Cotton (34% Cotton, 41% New Wool and 25% Polyamide)

Colour: 4082 Top Winner

Needles: 2.5mm

Another Christmas gift from my sister - well, the yarn was, I had to do the work! Although my sister can knit - or could - she doesn't, and leaves it up to me and my mum to make stuff for her and The Tot :o) So guess who is going to be teaching said Tot?

This yarn is lovely and soft, and is great for spring and autumn wear, the cotton adds just a hint of coolness. There's not a huge amount to say about these basic socks, really - although I should add that I deliberately didn't try to match them up.

Does anyone have any tips for taking pictures of self plus socks?

Opal Socks

Design: 60 stitch socks, stocking stitch, stocking stitch heel flap.

Designer: Regia leaflet (free with their yarn)

Yarn: Opal Lollipop 1013 (Yellow/Brown) (75% wool, 25% polyamide)

Needles: 2.5mm double pointed

My sister bought me the yarn last Christmas, so come the New Year, I cast these on, despite the colours not exactly being me - I think you get the picture that I'm not a big blue person, and I thought the yellow and brown in the ball looked a little odd...

However, they were great fun to knit, watching the colour changes ... yes, I'm easily amused :o) These are my fifth pair of socks ever, and I was beginning to get more confident and happy to make the legs and feet a little smaller, to suit me better.

The yarn is very comfortable and is wearing well. As you can see from this picture, there's hardly any felting on the foot and heel...

And the colour combination is growing on me! :o)

Hardanger MP3 Cosy - Mary Hickmott

Design: Hardanger Motif

Designer: Mary Hickmott

Threads: Anchor Perle 5 1349 Stormy Seas

Fabric 22 count hardanger, pale blue

The Hermit got a new MP3 player for his birthday, but it didn't have an anchor point for clipping on a lanyard. So, I thought I would make a little case for it. I was going to use felt, but then I saw this little piece in my finishes box, and thought it would do. I don't know why I stitched something blue, it's really not a colour I like, but as it's The Hermit's, he was happy...

A little bit of folding and pressing, a tad of stitching, sticking with a bodger and finally a wallop with a hammer to set in the eyelet and ...

It can safely hang from a lanyard, and there's enough room in there for the earphones to be stored neatly.

Bunny Blanket Buddy 2 - Lion Brand

Design: Blanket Buddy (freebie available here)

Designer: Lion Brand

Yarn: Wendy Supreme Cotton 1904 Daisy

Needles: 4mm

I liked this so much I very quickly made a second one - always handy to have ready for a gift - I reckon most very small children would like one of these :o)

This yarn is very nice to work with, and the yardage seems pretty good.

Off on Retreat!

My knitting friends and I are off for a weekend of fun and frolics, which will involve yarn, tea, a ruined castle, Christmas lights and more handknitted accessories than you can shake a stick at ...

Full report on my return, and thanks to scheduled postings, you won't even miss me! :o)

Bunny Blanket Buddy - Lion Brand

Design: Blanket Buddy (freebie available here)

Designer: Lion Brand

Yarn: Wendy Supreme Cotton 1866 Amber Splash

Needles: 4mm

 This little freebie pattern knitted up really quickly, and with no seaming, it makes a great, safe gift for little ones! The head piece is cleverly knitted in a slip stitch pattern which creates a double layer which can be pulled open for stuffing once it's off the needles. Very nifty!

I made this rather smaller than the pattern says because of the finer yarn and thinner needles, but to my mind, this is a more portable comforting toy/face wipe/puppet/bib for a small baby, and being 100% cotton, can be washed and washed and washed ... My knitting group is now in love with the pattern too! So am I, I've already made a second one!

Piggie Pics

Given that my last piggie post generated a heap of comments - more than my craft ones do! - The Hermit suggested that the boys should get a weekly (or should that be wheek-ly?) post of their own, and the boys agreed, so, here's Rowan having a bit of a snooze...

It's just before they were cleaned out, hence the rather scruffy pen! This is one of Rowan's favourite spots - he's 'guarding' Jasper, who is curled up behind. They will share the pod, but prefer not too, I think it's a bit of a squeeze!

And here is Jasper nibbling the parsley bell. Both he and Rowan have worked out that they can lift and drop the bell to make a nice, satisfying (to them - annoying to us!) 'clunk' - which is sometimes used to call the slaves to service...

Lest We Forget - Free Cross Stitch Design!

With the passing of 'The Last Tommy', Harry Patch, our human connection to the devastation that was the First World War is finally severed. The generation that fought end endured through the Second World War is diminishing in number too. However, the need to remember the sacrifices people made - and are still making - doesn't diminish. War is still with us. One day, hopefully, peace will prevail, but until then, we must not forget.

I hope you like the design. If you would like a copy, please leave a comment below with your email address, as this is a little too big to display as a jpeg.

If you do stitch this chart, I'd love to see a picture - and there will be a prize for the first one I get! 

This pattern is offered for personal, non-commercial use only. Items made from this pattern may be sold on a small scale basis such as on Etsy or at craft sales. Sales for charity are positively encouraged! This pattern and the text and photos contained within, may not be copied or reproduced for any purpose other than personal use. Please direct people to this blog rather than forwarding the pattern, thank you! Copyright 2009 N M Wray

Striped Baby Accessories - Sirdar

 

Design: Striped Baby Bootee, Mitts and Hat

Designer: Sirdar

Yarn: Elle Classic, 100% Courtelle

Needles: 3mm and 3.75mm

I made these from the remains of the 100g bals of yarn used in the previous sweater - and I still have some oddments left! I forget how economical baby clothes can be... These will hopefully keep little M warm through a Swiss winter!

I must say though - making striped bootees is a pain when it comes to darning in ends, especially as I'm more used to socks!

Striped Baby Sweater - Sirdar

Design: Striped Baby Sweater

Designer: Sirdar

Yarn: Elle Classic - 100% Courtelle

Needles: 3mm and 3.75mm (smaller than called for)

The yarn for this sweater was bought at the Creative Yarns warehouse on the summer knitting retreat - it cost me £1 for a 100g ball, an absolute bargain, as it knits up beautifully and is very soft for an acrylic. Out of three balls, I made the sweater and a matching hat, mitts and bootees!

The buttons cost me the same as a ball of the yarn ... they are cute little teddy faces :o)

The pattern knitted up quickly, but the seaming ... well, even though I had advice from the lovely Jill at The Wool Baa, I had to reset one of the sleeves SIX times before I was happy with it. Yes, I'm probably overly picky, but when this is a gift for a very precious baby, it has to be just right!