Cabled hat

A new hat was needed for the cooler weather.  After extensive searching on Ravelry for a (preferably) flat knitted, free pattern, chunky hat  I found this Paton pattern

http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/knitting/easy_cable_knit_hat.php

It was so quick to make I hardly remember it taking up much time at all.  And it fits, which is the main thing.

Hoorah for hats!

2012 garlands

At the beginning of 2012 I set myself a monthly craft task....to crochet or knit a garland to hang over the fireplace in our lounge.  So far they have all been crochet.

January

Motifs from 'Beyond the Motif' by Edie Eckman (numbers 12  and 46) using Stylecraft special dk

 

February

Hearts were the obvious choice for February.  Pattern found on Ravelry - from Planet June blog I think.   Crocheted using Patons fab dk.

 

March

Spring time garland - inspired by Lucy of Attic 24's  Christmas garland

Made with Stylecraft Special dk

 

April 

Easter Chicks and Eggs using patterns from Ravelry.  Painted with a pva glue/water mixture to stop them curling.  Used Stylecraft Special dk again

 

May 

Flower garland made using a variety of flower patterns.  Several from Lesley Stanfield '100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet'

Using a variety of dk scraps and Patons Fab dk for the sunflowers.

 

Dangling birdie

I made this birdie to replace a dangling knitted heart hanging in our back room. The heart was put up in February 2010 when we had our Valentine's pancake party. The kiddies have loved pulling and swinging it over the months. It was looking a little tatty and with a potential house sale looming it was time for something new.

The pattern is from the wonderful Attic 24 website. There are loads of great patterns on the website and it has really helped me get to grips with crochet.

The bird...

Spring garland

Whilst poking around on ravelry I found a lovely crochet tutorial for a flowery spring garland. It is perfect for my crochet requirements (basic!) plus I have been planning to make something to celebrate the coming of spring.


I was very pleased how quickly this came together. It only took a few days although I probably worked on it more than I should have. There isn't a great deal of crafting going on at the moment but I desperately wanted to actually get something finished. Far too many "in progress" items hanging around!

Piggy

I made this pig as a birthday present for my friend who likes pigs. It was good fun to make. In fact I made two. The other pig is now sitting in the kitchen to remind me to stick to my latest attempt to lose weight.

The pattern is from Alan Dart's 25 Christmas ornaments. Working on the other 24 should keep me busy for a while. Knit early for Christmas!

Cloud Bolero

I made this last summer but I have only just got around to posting a photo on ravelry. It took about a week to make. Most of the time was spent getting my head around the pattern. It's a free pattern and is very good but I am not great at the maths of knitting. In fact I am not very good at maths in general.I got very confused about the stitch count between markers but once I had cracked that issue it was all very easy to finish.

I have worn it quite a bit since finishing and it's one of the few things I have knitted that I have been really happy with.

Poppy cardigan

It's the school holidays so I need quick, easy knits that can be worked on whilst sitting with the children. I am lucky that the kiddies don't often need me to be active in their play but they like me to be in the room. Works out fine for me as I get lots of craft time.

Baby Annabell has made it up from her usual home - the cellar - for a little playtime. She was wearing just a cream sleep suit which was getting a little grubby. So I made her this little cardigan. It's a Poppy cardigan designed by Georgie Hallam. It's seamless on the body but I did take the seamed sleeve option.

I have made a few other seamless knits recently. I do enjoy them but I am a little bewildered by their structure. Making such a small item has given me more of an insight into this way of knitting and maybe even the confidence to work out a similar pattern of my own.