The Long Road to Loki 2020

Introducing my epic knit for 2020: the Loki Sweater from Knitting from the North by Hilary Grant. There is the usual element of yarn jeopardy alongside a more considered approach to the start of the project.

The yarn is a complete mystery! There I said it. It is a huge unlabeled skein I bought at Wonderwool in April 2019 for £10. It feels like 4ply and it is definitely wool because I set fire to some of it and it smelt like burning hair. I made yarn cakes with the help of my girls and weighed it in at 316g. After a few calculations from the Sprindrift website (the pattern's choice of yarn) I worked out I had enough in the main colour. I felt like it was worth the risk. There is always bracelet length sleeves!

I ordered some cream Drops Flora as the best match to my rhubarb/raspberry yarn for the colourwork contrast. It is a bit thinner but I felt all set up.

Next I went to Ravelry to see if I could find out about any snags from previous knitters. A very useful move as it concluded that it knits up small if your colourwork and normal knitting are different tensions. Knitters also said they wished the waistband was more boxy. It also revealed that the chart in the book was wrong. 

After scanning the miniscule chart and blowing it up so I could read it more accurately, I cut off the 29th and final row of the pattern which turns out to be a repeat of the first. I covered the pattern in sellotape ready for a few months of knitting and to act as a big bookmark.

You know I mean business when I knit a gauge swatch. This wise move revealed that on 3.5mm needles I could get gauge exactly over stocking stitch. The challenge for any stranded knitter is to be able to repeat that on the colourwork section. My floats are looking pretty good so far and there is still a good amount of stretch in the finished fabric.

Over the holidays I have made 4cm of ribbing. I did this on the 3.5mm needles to keep the waistband boxy and the pattern is now set with 280 stitches over a 28 stitch repeat - 10 beautiful feathers. I am loving it so far.

Wish me Luck, I am on row 50!!! Jo xxx

Crafting Resolutions 2020

A trawl through my 2019 blog posts reveals that I did make most of my crafting resolutions in 2019.

First up I wanted to crochet a blanket to bust some stash. I had a lot of acrylic yarn that had been given to me by various people over the years and I wanted to get to the bottom of it. There were so many colours, I knew a Spice for Life blanket would be the perfect pattern.

This is my favourite sofa blanket for winter nights.

I also made lots of other smaller blankets using more pastel collections which were gifted to new babies.

In sewing, I really wanted to crack learning how to sew Roman blind for our new house. 

I finally mastered it and have made three this year. They are all packed away in carpet tubes to keep them clean until we move house.

I wanted to knit something from my ravelry favourites queue that had been there for more than two years! The Lady Kina pattern jumped to the top of my wish list.

I have worn the Lady Kina a lot but the acrylic has stretched to a bigger size, I gifted it to my friend in November. The colourwork sweater called prairie Fairy has been a triumph. I was even contacted by Drops to give permission for them to use my photos. Much Kudos!

Finally, I wanted to complete my postage stamp quilt of 5 x 5 cm squares. I am nearly there with this one. The topper is finished and I just need an afternoon to be in the mood to sandwich it all together on my knees! Maybe when the Christmas tree comes down I will have the space. A big reveal is imminent.

For 2020 I have some more ideas:

1) To knit a sweater in 4ply yarn to use some mystery wool I bought at Wonderwool this year.

2)To sew a pattern from my pattern box that is unopened. I tend to use the same patterns and alter them.

3) To crochet more of my acrylic stash for gifting.

Well that is more than enough for any crafter I think. There will of course be more making everyday depending on what I intuitively fancy. So I hope you will join me in 2020.

Happy New Year!

Love from all here. xxxx

Christmas..ing

Decorating - the front door with my pom pom wreath.

Knitting - a few more things to add to the gift pile.

Putting - up our tree.

Baking - a Christmas cake and mince pies

Wrapping - presents with some scrappy fabric gift tags.

Writing - some handmade cards for far away family and friends.

Missing - my dad this Christmas. He once bought me a side of salmon alongside other eclectic present ideas over the years.

Sewing - The girls had a creative afternoon making decorations.

Thinking - it is time to put my feet up, enjoy a drink and count our blessings.

Happy Christmas! Jo xxx

All done #28 - Little Trees Fabric

It is time for another All done post, this time rather than yarn, I have used up some fabric to the very end. I have had this fabric for a few years. Christina from Colourful life sent it to me because her daughter had fallen out of love with it but I think it is sensational.

It is a beautiful quality cotton with little trees and a swirly snow-like background. I am calling this my Christmas Skirt (I loathe Christmas Jumpers!) I wore it to school on Christmas dinner day and then to the Christmas play performances.

The pattern is a tried and tested one for me. It is NewLook 6106. The waistband is called a yoke on the pattern pieces and it certainly gives a comfortable feel and a flat stomach. The pockets are big. I don't like going to the effort of adding pockets to a garment and then finding I can hardly fit a pencil sharpener in them - these were definitely pocket worthy.

These rest of the fabric was used for a pinafore dress for Megan in October 2017.

It has also made a pump bag which has been and gone over a year ago. There have been pleasant appearances on scrappy quilts over the last two years too. This is my current postage stamp quilt which is all ready to be sandwiched together.

Today, to satisfy my inner thrift, I made a little pouch with the last piece to keep all of Megan's sewing machine feet together for her new machine.

All done. A very inspirational gift of fabric. Thanks Christina.

Jo xxxxxx

An Old Favourite

 Sometimes it is best to simply visit an old pattern; tried and tested. I love making these gloves and they give me a lot of knitting pleasure.

I don't normally knit with bamboo needles but I thought I would give them a try and I really liked how light they felt. My shoulder did not ache so much after an evening of knitting with these.

The pattern is from an old Louisa Harding book called Fade to Grey. A quick flick through the book also reminded me of a cardigan I no longer have which I knit about eight years ago so that has landed on my wish list for 2020. After a quick search on raverly, I found this pattern is now published free here. 

I used a skein of hand dyed yarn from Weavers Loft which I picked up at Wonderwool this year. It has a mottled pattern so I just knit with that instead of adding stripes. You could actually see the different patterns a lot more. I felt this pair didn't need a flower because the yarn was singing on its own.

These are destined for my 13 year old god daughter who has a very individual dress style (she wears a fedora hat to Guides!) So I think she will love these eclectic gloves.

Are you still making for Christmas?

Easy Peasy Presents

I am spending my evenings making some gifts using what I already have. The sock yarn scraps are a little lighter after making these cowls. I don't like a saggy cowl but a neck warmer is much more cosy I think.

I chained just enough to go over my head (about 68 I think) and then crocheted rows of granny stitch to my hearts content.

The pink and coloured yarn is drops fabel which I have made a pair of socks from. I have no idea where the the fawn colour has come from...

...but they made a good mix.

Next up I tried a blue version to wear with a denim jacket. 

These are ready to wrap for a couple of young ladies at Uni.

Little M saw me crocheting them and said can you make me a purple one so I made her one too which she loves wearing. It is a bit long for her because I used my own head to measure the initial chains. Duh!

My sock yarn has not disappeared completely, there is still a little pile to play with.

Here is the link to the gift wraps that I use. You might find it useful if you make things.

Are you making any gifts? Jo xx

December...ing

Making - another hat with my new favourite knitting pattern.

Wearing - My new winter wrap dress made with Ponte Roma from Minerva

Eating - Broccoli and Brie pasta bake

Baking - Carrot and banana muffins.

Loving - using a new milk filling machine to help us be plastic free and support UK farmers. Unfortunately it is a bit far from our town but we pass it in Waters Upton every other Saturday on an errand. 

Disliking - what we came home to on the same day we got the milk.

  and what we came home to on Friday when I returned from work - My Prada glasses and kitchen scissors :(

Buying - A £1.50 waste not box from Lidl which made: roasted pepper soup, plum and apple crumble, vegetable and pearl barley soup and a Veggie curry with roasted aubergine. The bananas went on our porridge and in the muffins. Finally, we scoffed the grapes the same day. Bargain!

Knitting - Little mittens, teeny tiny mittens.

Building - Lots of carpentry which I enjoy. Wood feels manageable until you add a wet dog into the mix. I have learnt some new skirting board techniques. More painting too, Meh!. 

Going - Belly dancing at a local Christmas market.

Collecting - for charity at the dancing event.

 

Avoiding - people who can't see the best in others.

Reading - my new cookbook. I was supposed to be Christmas shopping for others and ended up buying this for myself. A wonderful book.

Thinking - About Advent.

Feeling - Life is under control

Jo xxx