Garter Ear Flap Hat

One of my work colleagues has become a grandma over the Easter holiday, so I thought I would have a go at making a baby hat. The baby is a little early, so I wanted to knit a small hat, and to use some alpaca wool that I had. Ravelry came to my help, and this pattern is called Garter Ear Flap Hat, by Purl Soho, and is available for free. I really like the simple design, with the cosy ear flaps, and by mixing my colours this version reminds me of a cup of cappuccino coffee. I hope it fits, and suspect I may have made it a bit large for a 4lb baby. But babies grow, so hopefully it will fit baby Scarlett soon.

Just a reminder that there is still time join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for May. Click on the photo above or at the top of the page to find the party. I would love to see what you have been working on this month.

Cardigan ... Finished at Last

I thought about calling this post "The Reluctant Model", as you can probably tell that my son was not over keen to have me take his photograph. Although he has said I can post them on my blog. (Mind you, I am usually not very keen on having my own photograph taken, so I do know how he feels.)

I prefer the photographs taken above, even though they don't show the cardigan very well. I knew if I started faffing about the cardigan I might lose my model completely, so here are some taken outside, which show the garment off better. 

I'm rather pleased with my improvised stripes on the sleeves, although in the end I had wool left over. So I didn't need to do them, but I think they have added something to the garment - the college preppy look.

The pattern I used was call "The Boyfriend Cardigan" by Erica Knight, bought from John Lewis. It is actually a woman's cardigan pattern, but I reversed the bands. It fits my son very well, as he is tall but very skinny. The grey Aran-weight wool is Drops Alaska and was bought online from Wool Warehouse. It seemed good value for 100% wool at £1.80 for a 50g ball, and by clicking about a bit I managed to find a discount code. (I bought 18 balls, but have 2 left over.) 

I was tempted into buying some sock wool, as spending over £30 put me into free postage. So expect some more family knitting here soon.  

I'm also rather pleased with how the toggles look, instead of buttons, bought from Fabricland.

I know this is not great, but it did capture the feel of most of the photos that I took but haven't used.

Just a reminder that there is still plenty of time join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for January. Click on the photo above or at the top of the page to find the party. I would love to see what you have been working on this month

"A Christmas Pickle"

Has anyone else got themselves in a Christmas knitting pickle. Taken on too much, and not got it done in time. I've mentioned a few times that I'm knitting a garment, which is in fact a cardigan for my son. It's taken a bit of planning, as he doesn't like anything too flamboyant. I am not completely sure he will wear it. I know that handknitted cardigans are probably not the coolest thing, but he might, as he is not particularly into fashion. 

So I am in a pickle in two ways. Firstly, as you can see, it will not be done for Christmas. The back and two fronts are done, but I am still on the sleeves. Second problem is that I think I am not going to have enough wool. So I have decided to try and solve this problem in two ways. I'm knitting both arms at the same time, and the new plan is to have some stripes of other colours around the elbows. (Does anyone knit arms like this? I have heard that some people knit socks this way.) He is at university, and perhaps this will give him a preppy look. I think this might work out, but will keep you updated, and perhaps eventually I can get my son to model the finished garment. Not sure he will, as he is a shy young man.

And I just thought I would finish off with a few of the knitted ornament that are on my tree this year, made from my own patterns. Christmas Tree, Sand Dollar and Scallop Shell.  

These come out every year, but I may have to think of a few more ideas for next year, as the dog had a bit of a session on some of my other decorations. These are the broken ones on her bed. She had got some knitted ones off the tree, but they seem to have survived. So perhaps she is the "Christmas Pickle"!

Happy Christmas to you all!

Floral Skirt (or a lesson in getting on with things)

Some time last year I think I was looking round the shops with my daughter, and when we saw lots of nice long floral skirts, I did my usual trick of saying "But I could so easily make one of those for you". This time we actually got as far as getting a pattern, and some material, thread and zip. (A little side grumble here, but why are sewing patterns quite so expensive! It does quite often put me off.)

But I ashamed to say I got as far as cutting out and sewing the side seams, and then I just sort of stopped. I am sure other people do this. You know the knitting project started with enthusiasm, and then found a year later stuffed behind an arm chair. Not even sure why I stopped - something to do with dark nights, and the bulb blowing on my sewing machine.  Still haven't sorted that out ....

But I resolved to take up the skirt again this holiday, and realised that there was not much left to do. Just put the zip in, waistband on, hem, and I would be done. I got as far as the waistband, but the problem is that since I cut it out last year, she has grown and it didn't fit on the waist.

So I decided not to give up, but to do some alterations. The skirt should be quite long, but she was very insistent that she didn't want it very long. "Make it like that, and I won't ever wear it!" Good to know your own mind, I suppose. So I decided the best way to make the waist bigger was to take a strip off the top. So waistband and zip were removed, a whole section taken off. Zip resewn in further down the side seam. But alas, I then found I had gone a bit too far, and it was going to be too loose. So proper measurements were done, and two darts added to the back. 

Finally we are there. I think we are both very pleased with the result. I am thinking I might sew something for myself next. Expect to see it in 2019 ...

Tundra Baby Vest Pattern

At last I have my new pattern ready to publish - Tundra Baby Vest. It has taken a little while, as you will see there are different wrapovers for boy or girl, and two different sizes 0-3 months Newborn, or 3-6 months Older Baby. The pattern contains some pictures to show how the boy/girl versions differ. These samples are knitted from James C. Brett Marble Doubleknit. I love these vibrant colours, but the same wool maker also does a Baby Marble Doubleknit or Baby Marble, if you want something more traditional. (I have put links to LoveKnitting where I see some of these wools are in a sale.)  

The knitting for this vest is not terrible hard, but I think it makes a really cosy and pretty top. I am toying with the idea of larger sizes, or a version with arms, but for the moment I think I need to make something a bit more seasonal.  The main sections are knitted in rib, which make it very warm and stretchy. The neck is finished off with a length of icord. You could leave this off, put it is not hard to do, and I think gives it a neat looking finish. I managed to find cute little toggles, although you could use buttons.

It is getting colder here in the UK; There has been some frost on the window panes in the early morning.  I quite fancy wearing a cosy knitted body warmer myself.
 

Boy Wrapover

Girl Tundra Baby Vest - Newborn and Older Sizes

The pattern is available on Craftsy, ravelry, Etsy and LoveKnitting at present.

Beach Crop Top

Sometimes as a mum you feel that you just can't win. I really wanted to knit something for my daughter, but a nice poloneck or cardigan just wouldn't do (her words). So something young and funky (my words not hers, apparently young people don't say funky). I decided to make a crop top that she could wear on the beach. (We did actually have one day at the beach on our holiday, and all swam in the sea, even me!) 

I was really quite pleased with this little halter neck top, which I have made up as I went along. I can't quite decide whether to type it up as a pattern. As soon as you get into clothing there is the problem of offering various sizes. At the moment it is just notes on a scrappy bit of paper, which is cut to the same shape as the top. Perhaps I will leave this for some winter evenings, as it is not really the time of year for folk to start to knit a beach top (except in Australia).

But her verdict is it is far too small!!! This from the girl that it has taken me half a year to persuade that she needed some longer school skirts. (Ha, ha - I have just won on that argument.) I can't quite understand it, as it is much more discrete than any bikini top. I think the real problem may be that it is woollie. 

So my reluctant model may not even give me permission for this post. I keep telling her that hardly anyone looks at my blog. We will have to see ....