knit n bitch

Back in the land of the living (almost!)

Back into the heat, myself and my two small people are just getting over the jet lag (although I still feel a bit spaced out).  Now, enough of that, lets show you the extent of my knitting whilst in blighty!  Nowt much took place, mores the pity, but other than a few more winter hats that were knocked up for friends and family, this is what I knit.

From the book Handknits for The Holidays, this spiral scarf, knit in Rowan Kidsilk Spray, was much shorter than I anticipated, and certainly the length was not reflected in the book.  I checked, and double checked the pattern and yes, it was supposed to be 22" long, but that hardly gets round your neck.  A bit disappointing, but at least it was theraputic knitting whilst I was around my Mother in Law!

Moving swiftly on.....Next up is the denim Kim Hargreaves kit Delight that I purchased many moons ago.  Not much progress, but I have enjoyed it so far!

I have been back for nearly a week, but not even picked up my needles once!  The IV's meet up on Tuesday, so I am looking forward to seeing the girls and trying a bit of click-clack once more!

Felted Clutch Bag

This is the last of my Chrissy Pressie Felted Bag Gifts.  The pattern is the Mini Skull & Crossbones Bag but this time I made it slightly larger, and without the Skull & Crossbones.  The yarn is Lornas Laces Bullfrogs & Butterflies (colour Black Purl) and it's for my old flat mate back in London!

Keeping My Ears Warm!

It's snowing in the UK right now!  I don't own a wooly hat!  I felt it was probably a good idea to have one!  Soooo, here's a hat that I adapted from the Rowan Big Just Got Bigger and the pattern is called Vinster. It's supposed to be gathered up at the top to a point, with only one tassel, but I wanted to have it as a square top, with two tassel's dangling.  I also knit it in Ribbon Twist with a Big Wool moss stitch turn-up!  I will look silly, but it's Christmas, and it'll be coollllddddd!  I shall be using the same colour yarn to knit Casey from the Ribbon Twist Collection. It's a long, chunky, cabled scarf....yumm!

Miss Nicoles Christmas Bundle

I wanted to make something a little different for Miss Nicole this year, so as well as a home made card, I made her a bundle of felt candy canes!  Just cut out red felt with pinking shears, hand sewed, stuffed and embroidered the rest, then tied with a spotty ribbon!

Felted Sophie!

Just a quickie to show you the finished Felted Sophie bag that I recently knit up!  Not too sure about the end result (my others were better) but I'm sure if I tart it up with a few crocheted flowers, that might make a difference.

Mini Skull & Crossbones Tote

I started and completed this bag in about 4-5 hours, but have only been able to blog about it 'coz my 'puta was poorly sick!  Now I am back online, here is the finished piece.

It's a free pattern (gotta love those) from a website call Hello Yarn and I chose the Skull & Crossbones Tote for my 16 yr old Niece.  I actually think it looks more like a space invader, but it's still cute.  Just enough for a mobile phone, keys, a bit of cash!

I knit it using the Cascade 220 (I seem to have a growing stash) and it felted with just one hot wash in my front loader, with no additions (jeans etc).

I am currently knocking up another bag in the Lorna's Laces Bullfrogs & Butterflies, which I know from experience felts like a dream.  It's in the Black Purl colourway and will be a solid colour bag for my old flat mate in the UK.

Xmas Cards

Very simple this year, as time is running out!  Red card, some festive paper, red felt and red gingham mini Christmas Trees, and a gold star holding it all together.  Not my best creation (I did have to knock out 30 of them), but the odd 'special' friend will get something a bit more elaborate!

Before & After

Last night I polished off the knitting for my Sophie bag, and this morning I chucked it in the washing machine, 90 degrees, front loader, no extra agitation (I was experimenting).  Here's the final before and after shots, and it shrunk HUGELY, much more than my last Sophie bag.  Although compact, I am still really happy with the result and the fact that one wash was enough to felt it perfectly!

 

Spiral Scarf in Lion & Lamb

It's my favourite Aunt's 50th Birthday in December (when I will be in the UK to celebrate with her) and I decided to knit her a spiral scarf from Scarf Style and this time I used a hank of Lornas Laces Lion & Lamb (colour was Black Purl).  I basically knit it on 5mm needles and kept going until the hank ran out.  It's not as long as the original pattern, but it looks gorgeous and I'm sure she'll appreciate a little silk and wool round her neck!  Great for a dressy night out!

 

Monkey T-shirt.

Today my eldest small person, Joseph, was poorly sick (or recovering from being poorly sick) and instead of working, I was looking after his daily entertainment, and in between the building blocks and Thomas the Tank Engine, I managed to squeeze in a bit of embroidery (transfers care of Sublime Stitching) on a Bonds T-Shirt.  This cute little number is for my youngest small person, the divine Mister Luka Palooka!

  Shirt!

Large & small person!