FO No 20

Pattern: Jacket from Sirdar Baby Knits Book 316
Size: 6-12 months
Yarn: Snuggly DK, 3 balls
I finally finished knitting the jacket that I started months ago. I put it aside to knit on other things as I normally do (must stop doing that), and then during the week thought that I would finish knitting it. I had already completed the back, so the rest was finished during the week. The Snuggly DK is so soft and I think it shows the pattern up well. It is actually a chocolate brown color and I think it will be so nice for a little boy. Speaking of little boys, we have another little boy named Sam who decided to arrive last night, so congratulations to Paul's cousin. He was a big baby, 9' 11 and was about 2 weeks late. He must have been scared to come out into the cold weather we have been having and decided it was much nicer where he was.
Also my yarn arrived this morning from Katt, who just makes the most beautiful colored yarn. From left to right we have Patter, Pansy and Boyson. I absolutely adore all of these colors Katt, and will be knitting a new knit today with the green ones, although I dont think the other 2 colors will be sitting there for long either. I will have to make some nice socks out of those! I must look through the Interweave Favourite Socks book I think for some inspiration. Well that is it for now as the kids will be on school holidays as of 2:30 this afternoon, so a few chores need doing beforehand. I also will still be delivering catalogues although in a new area further from home on a permanent basis, and on a larger scale too, so blogging may be a bit quiet for the next 2 weeks. Happy holidays!

A Sprinkling of Hats!!

I have been knitting hats for charity. The Guardian Chemist runs it from June through to August, in which you can knit sweaters, blankets, hats, scarfs and socks too. When you have knit all of the items you take them to the chemist, and they send them over to the children in Mongolia and surrounding areas. The campaign this time is based more on children aged 2 to 12 years rather than babies, as the items can be handed down to children as they are outgrown by the older children in the families. I have been using stash yarn, and my mum has also been contributing stash yarn too. She is planning on knitting a few sweaters to contribute, and I think I might try and knit some too. I also thought of knitting some little socks out of the scraps of sock yarn that I have, so I hope they wont take too long to knit up. I would like to take in a big bag of things for them since they are going to such a great cause. The hats above are from Louisa Harding's book Hats, Gloves and Scarves. I hadnt really looked through this book or knitted anything from it so when I discovered it on the bookshelf I decided to knit some of them from it. The patterns are so easy to knit up and dont take too long to do. I would also like to thank you all for the lovely comments on my getting better, and I am sure you are all getting sick of me being sick as I am too. My earache has decreased, but I am going to pay a visit soon just to make sure that this time it is completely gone. Well that is all for now, as I must attend to the daily chores before starting on my knitting!

FO No. 19 and a few other things too!

Pattern: Playtime Sweater from Miss Bea's Playtime book.
Size: 1 to 2 years.
Yarn: 8 ply crepe yarn, blue and gray, 1 and a half of each.
Started: Thursday 14th and finished Sunday 17th
This is the 3rd one I have knitted and I just adjusted the stripes to suit my own style. In this one I did 10 rows of each color and now I am hoping to do one in a girl's colorway as all of them so far have been for boys. A great way to use up stash yarn too.
I visited the Rowan website last week ryclassic.com and they had a special on some of their books. Since I wanted those 2 I decided now was the right time to get them, so I got Mother and Baby, and Classic Weekend and Classic Winter which were the 2 for a special price deal. They arrived in a week so that is always good, and they have so many wonderful things to make in them too. I really love the scarf on the front cover too, and there is a bag to match also. I will try and knit some of those things this year, just need more time in the day.

I also wanted to show you all what a wonderful gift I received at Isabelle's school from the lady who sometimes gives us a lift to school and home again. I had given her a carseat that Isabelle no longer needed last week, so she could use it for her granddaughter, and she gave me some little pressies. Arent they gorgeous, and I think they are both so sweet, and Lachlan seems to love the jester bear but there is no way it is leaving my bedroom. What a wonderful thing to receive when I feel so sick, yes again. I have managed to pick up the virus that the rest of the family had for the last 2 weeks, but I also have a middle ear infection so that explains my feeling a bit funny for the last few weeks. The other doctor that I saw a few weeks ago did not discover it, but yesterday the doctor I saw said it looked as though it was about to burst and it certainly feels like it too. A great start to the week since I have been doing a temporary job of delivering catalogues which will last for about 3 weeks for now. At least it only takes an 1 and a half hours to walk and deliver them so that is fast and easy too. I am hoping the kilos will drop off too. I also attended a Stitch n Bitch on Sunday at Gisborne (thanks Sue for the details) and met Marie and her daughter Rebecca, and Polly as well. Isabelle and mum came, and it was nice to meet new people. Hopefully next month it wont be miserable weather to drive in and more people will show up. I also joined a dishrag tag and the details can be found on Sue's blog. It sounds like a lot of fun so if your interested pop on over and have a look. I have also finished knitting Isabelle's scarf, and she seems more interested in knitting again, doing 3 rows in bed last night, and then another row at 7:00 this morning. I am hoping she keeps up her interest as she wants to go to the next Stitch n Bitch meeting with some progress. Well that is all for a while, whilst I go and have a little rest on the couch and the tablets start working on my earache. Happy knitting!!!

New Projects - 1, 2 & 3

First up we have the Gingham Jacket from one of the DB books, which I will check for later. This is for Isabelle, and I am not knitting it in 3 colors, just 2. I am hoping that the fronts dont take too long to knit because as soon as they are done I can fly by with the rest of the knitting on it. Isabelle picked this one out after we saw it on a post in one of the Knitty sections. It looked so cute, so this will fit her for the winter months.

Secondly, another cardigan for Isabelle. This is from the Bouton d'Or book, pattern 45 I think. I will have to check that too. This is just alternate rows of st st and garter st, so quite easy and it feels so nice. I am knitting it out of some yarn from Spotlight, the merino blend which knits up so lovely. I am glad I bought it in a few different colors too.

Thirdly the jacket from Cotton Knits for All Seasons. I am using 8 ply wool and knitting the 2-3 yr size and knitting it a lot longer in the length for Isabelle. I changed the bottom edging on it too, but will show you all when I get nearer to completing it. Isabelle has sadly outgrown all her winter handknits that I made her so she needs them replenished, so I thought I would knit them all at the same time, and stop boredom from settting in too. Tomorrow I will show the other UFO's and a hat and scarf that I finished up too. I have Lachlan home sick with a horrible cough and sore throat at the moment, and I am sure it is the same thing that Isabelle has, but she doesnt want to stay home. I will try and email everyone back who has left such wonderful comments for me, and you are all so lovely for doing so, it does make my day reading them and appreciating them too. Happy knitting!!

FO No. 18

Pattern: Sirdar Baby Knits book 316 - Design K Textured Jacket

Size: 6 - 12 months

Yarn: 8 ply wool, about 4 or 5 balls

Started: 5th June and finished 8th June 2007

I loved knitting this little jacket, so easy to remember the simple pattern, and it does go by quickly. I probably could have knit this easily in 3 days, if I hadnt been naughty and knit other things too. I already had the yarn and buttons in my stash, so it is slowly reducing bit by bit. I need to stock up on the buttons again though, as I am starting to run out of ones that match my knits. Speaking of knitting, have you seen the new Knitty patterns, I like so many of them. Laura has designed a cute girl's top too, and I couldnt help myself but to print it out straight away. I am sure this will be a good top for summer, and it will be perfect for Isabelle to wear. Isabelle loved the chevron patterned skirt too, so that was also printed out. There are quite a few sock patterns too, which reminds me I need to start another pair. Tomorrow shall be the start of the WIP's pile, so one a day for the rest of the week should get me through them. Happy knitting and have a wonderful day!

Scrappy Quilt!

This quilt is from a kit that I bought about 2 years ago now, or it could have been longer than that. I bought it from a wonderful little shop off Pakington Street in Geelong, called A Little Different. About 3 weeks ago now, I decided that I needed to start it so I pulled it out, washed the fabrics and cut out the squares. Stitching them whilst I was sick took quite a bit longer than I thought it would, but now that I am fully recovered I have been able to do lots of sewing and knitting too. I love all the muted autumn colors of this quilt, and I only used a thick fleece on the back of it, no wadding in between. Blue Willow Cottage made a similar one in an issue of Handmade, so that is where the idea came from, and I thought it would be much easier than sewing 3 layers together. This quilt will be used on our bed for those extra chilly nights, which we have been having lately, along with some wonderful rain too which is always good for the garden.

Isabelle is going to be performing in her first school play today. She is in a little play called The Very Hungry Caterpillar. There are 2 preppies, and 2 Grade 5 students doing it together. She has been practising for weeks now. I wish that I could see her do it, but unfortunately I am not allowed to. Her role is as a fruit in the play. They go and visit the children at the kindergartens and do the play for them. I was told that they take photos too, so hopefully I will get some and be able to show you all. I am so proud of her since she is very shy in public, although not at home. She has been feeling unwell for a while now, and a checkup at the doctors didnt reveal anything, although this morning she had a horrible cough and did not want to stay home. She is such a little trouper, nothing keeps her away from school. I hope she will feel better soon. There have been so many kids with different bugs lately in her class, that I am surprised she hasnt caught one, but fingers crossed her throat gets better. Lachlan has also started going to the gym which is just around the corner from our house doing a general exercise program through his school which is run by the local police. They do it to raise kids' self esteem, and also to encourage them to work out their frustrations another way. He is enjoying it which is great. He has been going twice a week, so hopefully in a few months his attitude will change and he will feel better about himself and not get so frustrated and angry all the time. Well that is it for now, I am off to take some photos of all my new knitting projects, which seem to be a lot at the moment, and finally sew some buttons on another finished knit too. See you all tomorrow!

FO NO. 17

Hello, a bit of an absence from me due to my sickness, but after all the good wishes from you all I am on my way to feeling a lot better, so thank you so much for all your kind thoughts. Now since I have been sick I have not been knitting as much as I would like, but I did manage to finish something today. Isabelle's long ribbed cardigan from Special Family Knits by Debbie Bliss. I knit this in the size 7 to 8 years and it is quite long on her (down to her knees actually), but it is a good length and will keep her really warm. We only took this picture a few minutes ago so now she is snuggling up on the couch watching Harry and the Bucket Full of Dinosaurs whilst keeping nice and warm. I knit this using GGH Samoa in a nice bright green, and it seems my last two projects have been that color. I am thankful to have finished knitting this, as it did a great workout on my arms and neck for knitting on it for so long. I did enjoy making it though, although I did not knit the ties at the back as I did not think they needed it and I really wanted to knit something else too. At least Isabelle likes it. I have started something else for Isabelle since it seems most of her other handknits she has grown out of. I will take some pictures and post them throughout the week. Oh, and some happy news my cousin's wife had another little girl on Friday night, Killanda (I am not sure of the spelling), and she is very healthy and doing well. Only downside is that now its another girl they dont need anymore handknits as they will be using Jindalee's ones so I might just knit her a little toy. I do have that toy book calling out to me lately. I am also going to knit my very good friend a baby knit too as she informed me on Saturday that she is having her second baby sometime at the end of the year, so I will have fun making lots for her new baby. So only 4 more baby gifts to make before the year ends, funny how May went by so quickly. I will have to knit something in an adult size soon as I am sure you will think I only make baby clothes, although I do love knitting them I do knit other things too. Happy knitting and I shall see you soon!