Pretty things

 I told you I'd be back with something pretty after my husbands weird beard hat. Well here it is. My third time making the Grrlfriend Market Bag. It's a great free pattern, for a great bag. This one was for my sister, Miss C. She had requested it for her birthday. The yarn is O-Wool Balance in the cinnabar colourway. I thought it looked like coral to me, which is one of Miss C's favorite colours right now. I'll have to make one of these for myself eventually.

 
Right now I'm working on a Colour Affection shawl for myself. This is what it looked like last week. I've gotten a little further on since then. I picked up the yarn for it while we were visiting family out in Utah from a great yarn shop called Knit Unique. If you are ever in Logan, I highly recommend the place.

I find knitting a great creative outlet and stress release. I think everyone needs a hobby like this to keep sane. This week I've really needed it. I already have a 'Keep Calm And Carry On' poster hanging in my house, but I've been thinking I need one of these too.

Weird Beard Knit.

 If you're my friend on Facebook or Ravelry, you will have already seen this hat/beard combo I made for my husband. A couple of days before his birthday my other half requested this. He never asks me to make him things, so I felt kind of obliged. It's about the silliest thing I've ever made. He saved it for a camping trip. We've been out west this past couple of weeks. He wanted to give his family a laugh.

The pattern is available as a free download on Ravelry. I'll warn you that it's not a great pattern. I wouldn't recommend it. There are a few other beard patterns out there that you should probably look at first. I had to restart this several times, and made quite a few adjustment to the pattern. I used Lion Brand wool-ease and held the yarn double and knit on US size 8 needles. It is really dense and therefore very warm.

 My husband thinks it's great. He even went to chase a grizzly bear while wearing it. He came back alive, so maybe it's good for scaring bears. I wouldn't suggest you test that theory though.

Just for a laugh I took a picture of me wearing it too. It's pretty ridiculous. I'll be back with something a little prettier soon.

Hermione's Everyday Socks

 These are what I worked on for most of June. Socks always take me a while, but I love handmade socks so much, so they are totally worth it. These are for me, and I'm looking forward to wearing them once the weather cools down again. The pattern is available as a free Ravelry download. The yarn is Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted Sock Yarn in the Wild West colourway.

I started the heel on the first sock and did not really like it. I picked it back and re-knit it using the pattern from the Susan B. Anderson's socks. I also followed her pattern for the toe.

I love the way this yarn looks with the texture created by this simple pattern. I feel sure I will use it again.

Tomorrow I'm off to visit family in Utah for a couple of weeks. I'll have something fun to share with you when I get back, and of course I will be taking a project along with me to work on when I have a chance. I just hope I won't have any problems taking my knitting on the plane with me.

A month of pink knits

 May was a very pink month. Starting out with some pink socks for my Mum's birthday. They are knit up in in Zitron 6 ply yarn. I used the Susan B. Anderson's pattern for how she makes her socks again. This yarn was a little thicker/heavier that than yarn I've used for socks before, so hopefully they won't be too big. I figured if they are, they will make great house socks, as they are very warm.

One of my little ones wanted to get in on this picture.

 Next up in this month of pink are these fingerless mitts made for my sister Mrs. M. They are to match her Meret I made her last year. I added thumb holes and a little extra ribbing at the beginning and end of them. I love how they turned out.

 I'll end this post with possibly my favorite knit of the year so far. I can't remember where I first saw this idea, but I immediately knew I had to find someone to make it for. It's a Boobie Beenie, you'll find the free pattern here. It's a really simple rolled brimmed stockinette hat. I knit it up in Classic Elite Yarns Liberty Wool. It's a really soft, washable wool. I gave it to my friend who is expecting in July. She is a fellow kniter, and a breastfeeding mama. I wish I had seen this pattern when my kids were babies. I would have loved one.

 I'll have more to share with you soon. Keep happy everyone and enjoy your summer.

The Snake Boy Quilt

 Way long ago, when my boy was only four years old, I made him this little quilt. He picked out all the fabrics himself, and he totally loved it! Then when he was about 7 he lost it. I was sad, he was sad, we were all sad! He begged and begged me for a new one, this time bigger and better. I kept putting it off for other projects. Even after I ordered the fabric I was really slow to get started on it.

Finally on Sunday night it was done. Little Mr. M is now 9. So it didn't take so long;) He didn't pick out the fabrics this time, but he thoroughly approved them all. It is all about him. His favorite colour is orange, he loves snakes, and is always dressed in camouflage.

 Most of the fabrics are from the 'Backyard Baby' collection by Michael Miller. I found them online at Fabric.com. I threw in the camo and found some fun grey chevron fabric for the backing and Ta! Da!

 I love the snakes and other creatures in jars, and the little ants crawling around.

Here is my happy boy ready to head to bed with his new quilt. I'm really hoping this one doesn't get lost!

Hinagiku Hat

 As the title of this post would suggest, the pattern for this hat is called Hinagiku. I have no idea how to pronounce it, so don't ask. The designer is Japanese, so that should explain it. It's available as a free download on Ravelry. I love the way it looks and fits. I knit it up in Berroco Vintage DK. The colour is so pretty and is very much loved by the recipient and her daughter. I sent it to a friend of mine, Mrs. S. She used to go to school with me, but we didn't really become friends until we went to collage together way back in 1995. They say opposites attract, and I think that happens with us. While she worked hard, I slacked off. We shared a great love of Alanis Morissette though, so our friendship was formed. I believe good friendship is rare, and so it often makes me sad that so many of my favorite friends live so far away. At least I get to see her every now and then on my trips back home. I know she has been waiting for a hat since I saw her last summer.

The great texture in this hat is created using the daisy stitch or the star stitch, as it is sometimes called. I admit that this was a little tricky at first, and I ended up ripping it back and starting again more than once. After watching a couple of youtube videos I got it down. It's not a fast stitch to knit, but it looks so great. This yet another gift that I plan on recreating for myself in the future. I even think there is some yarn in my stash that I use for it. It may not happen for some time though. I have to get finished with my mothers birthday present and fast! So I'm heading back to work. Laters!

Owls sweater

 I might be the only person who was glad winter lasted a little longer than it should have. Only because it gave me the chance to wear my new sweater a few times. This pattern is called Owls and is available on the Kate Davies website.

You may recognise the owl cables from some hats I knit for my little girls. They were made so I could practice. I knew this sweater was in my future. I knit it up in Rowan Purelife British Sheep Breeds in Steel Grey Suffolk. The undyed wool smelled like a petting zoo, and made me want a pet sheep! I ended up using six skeins. They came from all over the place. Two from John Lewis, Oxford Street, bought when I was over in England last summer. Once I got home I realise it was the recommended yarn for this project, so I sent my sister to get me three more skeins. She ended up getting them from Liberty of London. She's told me I will love this shop. On my next trip home I will be checking it out! Just as I was starting the ribbing around the neck I ran out of yarn. So I ended up getting the sixth and final skein from Webs. Despite the yarn coming from all over the place, I can't see any difference in the colour.

 I only made one mistake, I put on one of the sleeves back to front. It is hopefully only noticable by me. I couldn't get enough matching buttons to give every owl eyes, so I ended up putting them on every other owl. A friend from knitting group said it looks like half the owls are asleep. I like that idea, so I'll probably leave them that way.

Now I've got to get a little something in the post to my friend in Wales. When she get's it, I'll share it with you.