Yarn Along - Coming Along Nicely!

I have a few WIP's this week that are all coming along nicely!!
My socks are getting there, I just need to. I really want to take part in Rachel Coopey's mKAL, but I need these off the needles first!  I'm a little further along than this, to the heel turn - on the home straight now.

My Vianne is progressing well - it's a dk but it knits quickly like a worsted.  I have a while longer for this one so I will concentrate on this after finishing those socks.

And my second chance frog cowl is making great progress.  I frogged a cardi I didn't wear and decided to make a cowl from the yarn - I settled on nine twenty two by Amy Miller.  The yarn is a cashmere blend, so it will be scrumptious when finished.

I am still reading Starting Now

What are you knitting/crafting and reading?
Linking with and Nicole and Ginny.

Year of Projects - Round up!!

Well, what a year?  It seems to have flown by.
The pictures are not all of the FO's, but some of the most memorable.
It started with a test knit (main pic below) - I loved doing this and learned such a lot, but also realised that I don't like knitting with that type of pressure (time and skill), so this was my first and probably my last (for the time being at least).

Going around, I knit several bits and pieces for the stall and Etsy shop, that I now have (mainly as a result of this group).  I have particularly liked knitting baby booties as they take little time, but are so cute!!  I have knitted lots of hats, mainly for the stall, but some for costumes we have needed (snowmen at Christmas)!  Early in the YOP I got to planning the outfit for my SIL's wedding and so above is the dress and at the bottom in the additions is the shawl.  The wedding is next week, so I hope to kick the year off with the list and a picture of the ensemble!
Along the bottom of the first selection are some accessories for me - Spiced cocoa mitts and odd stripes.  And last up in the first group are the first in a line of socks, these were a MKAL at the new year.

In the second group, the main picture is Aiken knitted in Gilliatt by de rerum natura.  I love this yarn, almost as much as I love Mellifera yarn!  I also love Andi Satterlund's patterns, this is the second of hers and I have another (Vianne) on the needles.

Going around again, top right is a pair of Abates for my two boys.  Love this pattern - I think there is an adult version.  Then going down we have two pairs of sandals for the stall - these are gorgeous and use cotton yarn for cool feet!  Next up are two more pairs of socks, an aran pair and my stripey socks in a plain vanilla pattern.  Then there is one of my many novelty coffee cosies, and finally, the bath mats knit from t-shirt yarn.
In addition to these I finished the shawl and bag for the wedding.
This week has also seen progress on the socks, Vianne and a cowl.

The cowl is nine twenty two by Amy Miller - the yarn is reclaimed from a cardi I knit a year or so ago and unfortunately it wasn't the right yarn for the pattern.  But I have frogged it and now it will be a snuggly cowl and, probably socks.
Next week is the start of a new year, if you wish to join us, we are here.

A Year of Projects Update - week 51

I can't believe how quickly this year has gone!  I'm nearly there with next year's list, but I need to tweak here and there!  Anyway, more importantly right now is this week's progress.

Firstly, I blocked the shawl.  Yes, I could have blocked it more aggressively, but I like it how it is, and don't want it much bigger.

I CO Vianne for the outfit along and love it so far, it's coming along so quickly.  I also cut the fabric for the dress today.

My latest socks are progressing nicely.  I love working taat, but will watch out for YO's next time.

Finally, I frogged one of my cardigans last week, as the yarn wasn't right for it and I never wore it, even though I loved the yarn.  So, after several hours of frogging later I am knitting nine twenty two - a cowl that will be super squishy and cosy.

If you fancy joining us, our year starts again in two weeks, find out more here.

Yarn Along - FO's and a CO!

I have finished a few things this week.
The bag I finished last week and wrote up the pattern here.

I also finished the shawl and it is blocking!

I have Vianne, Rhombing Around and a pair of socks OTN but I decided I needed another project, so I CO Nine Twenty Two!!  The yarn is reclaimed from a cardigan I knit a year ago but had lost its shape and that I never wore.  The colour is lighter than the pic - it is called gingerbread and that is an accurate representation of its colour!

Also finished 'Me Before You', so I decided some nice light reading was in order!!  Have started 'Starting Now' - holiday read about knitting.
Joining Nicole and Ginny

A Year of Projects Update - week 50

Oooh, I have some FO's this week!!
I finished the bag for the wedding.  The pattern is my own and I am really pleased with it.  I wrote up the pattern here

I also finished the shawl - it is currently blocking.

And so I have CO Vianne for the outfit along and have completed a little of the back mesh.

I have done a few rows of my socks, now with the two wedding projects out of the way, I should make more progress on these.
With just a few weeks to go on the year of projects, I should be able to show the whole wedding ensemble and get at least one more FO through before the start of July!!  To see everyone else's progress look here.
Have a great week!

Simple knitted bag pattern

This is the pattern I made up for the bag to take to my SIL's wedding.

Using aran weight yarn and 4mm needles (smaller needles make a tight fabric so no need to line). This pattern will fit a 15cm bag handle, so just add stitches to fit larger (if you add to the ends the pattern is unaffected).
CO36 stitches leaving a long tail to sew up later.
1-14 Knit in ss for 14 rows
15-16 Knit 2 rows
17 P4 K2 (P2K3)x2 P4 (K3P2)x2 K2 P4
18 K1 KFB K2 P2 (K2P3)x2 K4 (P3K2)x2 P2 K2 KFB K1
19 P5 K2 (P2K3)x2 P4 (K3P2)x2 K2 P5
20 K1 KFB K3 P2 (K2P3)x2 K4 (P3K2)x2 P2 K3 KFB K1
21 P6 K2 (P2K3)x2 P4 (K3P2)x2 K2 P6
22 K1 KFB K4 P2 (K2P3)x2 C4B (P3K2)x2 P2 K4 KFB K1
23 P7 K2 (P2K3)x2 P4 (K3P2)x2 K2 P7
24 K1 KFB K5 P2 K3 P2 T3F T4B T4F T3B P3 K2 P2 K5 KFB K1
25 P8 K2 P2 K4 (P4K4)x2 P2 K2 P8
26 K1 KFB K6 P2 T3F P3 C4F P4 C4F P3 T3B P2 K6 KFB K1
27 P9 K3 P2 K3 P4 K4 P4 K3 P2 K3 P9
28 K9 P3 T3F (T4B T4F)x2 T3B P3 K9
29 P9 (K4P4)x3 K4 P9
30 K9 P4 C4B (P4 C4B)x2 P4 K9
31 P9 (K4P4)x3 K4 P9
32 K9 P3 T3B (T4F T4B)x2 T3F P3 K9
33 P9 K3 P2 K3 P4 K4 P4 K3 P2 K3 P9
34 K9 P2 T3B P3 C4F P4 C4F P3 T3F P2 K9
35 P9 K2 P2 K4 (P4K4)x2 P2 K2 P9
36 K9 P2 K2 P3 T3B T4F T4B T3F P3 K2 P2 K9
37 P9 K2 (P2K3)x2 P4 (K3P2)x2 K2 P9
Repeat from row 22

K9 P2 (K2P3)x2 K4 (P3K2)x2 P2 K9
P9 K2 (P2K3)x2 P4 (K3P2)x2 K2 P9
Repeat last 2 rows 2 more times
Repeat rows 22 to 37 2 more times - on 2nd repeat (forth time through cable pattern) complete cable rows as follows:
32 K1 K2tog K6 P3 T3B (T4F T4B)x2 T3F P3 K6 K2tog K1
33 P8 K3 P2 K3 P4 K4 P4 K3 P2 K3 P8
34 K1 K2tog K5 P2 T3B P3 C4F P4 C4F P3 T3F P2 K5 K2tog K1
35 P7 K2 P2 K4 (P4K4)x2 P2 K2 P7
36 K1 K2tog K4 P2 K2 P3 T3B T4F T4B T3F P3 K2 P2 K4 K2tog K1

Next row P6 K2 (P2K3)x2 P4 (K3P2)x2 K2 P6
K1 K2tog K3 P2 (K2P3)x2 K4 (P3K2)x2 P2 K3 K2tog K1
P5 K2 (P2K3)x2 P4 (K3P2)x2 K2 P5
K1 K2tog K2 P2 (K2P3)x2 K4 (P3K2)x2 P2 K2 K2tog K1
P4 K2 (P2K3)x2 P4 (K3P2)x2 K2 P4
K4 P2 (K2P3)x2 K4 (P3K2)x2 P2 K4
Knit to end
Continue in ss for 14 rows
BO

To make up sew wider part together with right sides together, then sew reverse stocking stitch sections around handles (they should naturally curl around!) and voila you are ready to go!

A Year of Projects Update - week 49

As predicted, my progress has slowed this week.
However, I have made good progress on my shawl - I now only need to do the lace edge and bind off.

I also started and completed a steeking KAL.  This was the first time I have done a steek and I was quite scared to start with, but this was a small project and I used the recommended yarn (Rowan felted tweed), so it was nice and sticky. It went well and not nearly as scary as I thought, but not sure I would be able to do it on a piece that I had invested more time and money on.  We will see!!

I've done a couple of rows on my socks but nothing else to report, so will go to visit the others!!  Find us here.

A Really Crafty Week/Yarn Along

I have been off last week for the half term break and had an amazingly crafty week.  We did lots of excursions with the boys including a fabulous morning at Southwater Country Park, a day at a llama park and swimming.

But I still managed to do lots!
I sewed a cute little elephant using an old vest of Thomas's.

I love him and he is a momento!
I made the muslin for my outfit along, a tunic top and finished up my wrap dress.  I also had a tutorial in a magazine to make a fascinator, which I have duly done to match my dress.

I saw a tutorial in one of my magazines for making jewelry using salt dough, so here are my first attempts. I am really pleased with them and so cheap and easy to do.

On the knitting front, I realised it is about a month to my SIL's wedding, so I am working frantically at finishing Fragile Heart and the bag.

I also cast on Rhombing around since finishing my Aiken last week.

Oh, and some socks - Hector by Rachel Coopey in Heather by the Knitting Goddess!

With all this I have not read much - still on Me before You, but progressing nicely as when I do get to pick it up I can't put it down.
What are you knitting or crafting?
Linking up with Nicole and Ginny