Let's Knit Issue 63 ::

Last week, issue 63 of Let's Knit magazine hit the shelves, displaying my Jessica Sweater on the cover!

I'm crazy proud of this.  I do love this sweater and really enjoyed knitting it (I do love a bit of colourwork), but I never ever expected it to make the cover.  This is only my second ever knitting pattern and my first pattern published in Let's Knit.
This is now my third cover in my short designer life time, I cannot believe how far I've come in such a short space of time, it just goes to show that if you are really passionate about something and put you all in to it you can do anything you want!

Anyway enough beaming.

 

I love this issue, I realise I say that a lot about magazines, but I really really do.  The theme is vintage, and there are some really cute 50's inspired sweaters and a great piece on stranded colourwork, if you've never attempted it before.

Inside Crochet 37 ::

The day we set off on our Christmas adventures (we managed a total of four christmas's all in!) this lovely arrived on my doormat to accompany on the many train journey's that lay ahead.

Issue 37 of Inside Crochet.  I love this issue, with so many great patterns within and as always fabulous photography, styling and a most beautiful model indeed.

I have two patterns in this issue, both men's, both chunky.

This cable centred raglan sweater, worked in one piece bottom up.  This is a great project, because it's simple enough to be quick, chunky enough to be super quick, but with just enough detail to not be too boring.

And this scarf, again the chunky yarn makes this a super quick project.

Unfortunately I left my copy somewhere during the christmas rush around (we returned from our adventures with 9 bags of gifts, there are few occasions where I'd admit that not being able to drive is an inconvenience but carrying those bags on over crowded post christmas trains was certainly one of the few!).  But I'm hoping to be reunited with it soon, when I have no doubt there'll be a few projects jumping on my hooks.

mustard hearts for me ::

 

my newest short sleeved sweater is finished!  It still needs blocking (which I'm really hoping will give it a bit more length as it's a teeny bit short) but otherwise it's all finished and I'm quite in love with it.

I made a few silly mistakes with the fair isle pattern, but for a first attempt I think I did pretty well.

I have to be honest I didn't knit it all in continental style as I had intended, in order to get some practice, it was too easy and quicker to slip back in to my old habits, but I did do enough to just about justify knitting myself yet another sweater!

• owls pattern available to download as pdf for £3.50 :: here (although this is fairly modified)


• my ravelry notes :: here  

 

another short sleeved sweater for me ::

so as I said, new knitting skills require practice and well, what perfect excuse to knit myself a new sweater.

I saw this beautiful Katia Peru yarn in my local yarn store a few weeks ago and fell in love with it.  It's super chunky and soft and I imagine it will be oh so warm too.

I found a fabulous book of fair isle in the charity shop this week, it has some really interesting history of the technique along with some patterns.  I'm using Kate Davis' Owls pattern for the main body of the sweater, though I'm going to try and amend the bulge that appeared on the back of the last one I made.  I am going to be omitting the owls this time and instead working in some fair isle hearts (I think anyway), where the owls would be.

I'm really pleased with my colour choices and it just so happens they match the crocus's, that appeared on my window ledge this morning perfectly!

owls for me ::

I was asked to knit something for a twitter friend.  I've never been asked to knit something for someone before (normally I just inflict my creations on others) so I was hugely flattered.  

The pattern in question was owls by Kate Davies.  I had never heard of Kate Davies and her blog needled before, but my am I glad I now have, she has some beautiful patterns!  I completely adore these gorgeous paper dolls.

So anyways...as I have never knitted anything on request before, I thought it a good idea to make one for myself first (just as a practice run of course!).  Off I went in to town on saturday morning (sans baby, bliss) and headed straight for the yarn shop!

Since my last visit they have had delivery of some utterly delicious new chunky yarns, which I was oh so very nearly tempted by, but having promised the Mr I wouldn't spend too many pennies and after a quick calculation, 14 balls of beautiful teal tweed at £3.10 each just wasn't going to make its way in to my basket on this occasion when compared to 7 balls of the 100% acrylic, fairly soft, a lovely colour and a snip at £1.99 each.

I cast on Saturday afternoon and I knit and knit and knit, quite solidly, breaking only for a little sleep and to occasionally tend to the toddler.  At around midnight on Sunday I was so close to finishing, as I started on the neck ribbing I decided although I was eager to get it completed, I would be furious at myself for making a foolish mistake because I was tired, so I put it aside and headed to bed.  I finished off the neckline and stitched the the underarms, plus weaved all the ends in, whilst watching Milo play on Monday afternoon and put it on straight away!

I don't think the pattern is perfect, there appears to be some flaws in the shaping on the back as I have a bit of a back bulge!  But otherwise I really love it!  The pattern suggests buttons for eyes on the owls them selves, but I have yet to decide whether or not to add these.  I'm thinking I may just put them on one?

I'm afraid the photos of the finished item aren't fabulous, I'm rubbish at trying to take photos of myself! 

• pattern available to download as pdf for £3.50 :: here


• my ravelry notes :: here  

 

another placket neck ::

I made Joelle Hoverson's placket neck sweater for Milo back in the summer and I loved it!  The pattern was so easy and quick to knit (it does come from last minute knitted gifts after all).  It also introduced me to some new techniques, including knitting on circular needles, which is now by far my favourite way to knit.

So at when time was running out for all the holiday handknits I had promised myself I would make, I figured I'd revisit this for my youngest (and only) nephew.

I used sublime organic cotton, as he has fairly sensitive skin, I thought this would be the best bet and added stripes to the pattern.  Adding the stripes meant a whole lot of weaving in at the end, which was fairly painful, but other wise all was well!

I'm afraid, it was so last minute that I didn't have time to photograph it properly, but I did get this one snap of him with my mum, whilst wearing it!

• pattern available to download as a pdf on ravelry for free :: here


• my ravelry notes :: here