Category: General

More Bobble Socks

Posted on by Alice Neal

So I really can’t call these Lilac and Lime, can I??

These ones, if you recall, from a week or two ago? (Click for pattern).

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Well, here’s how this story goes: I have a dress. It’s one of my favourites. Covered in owls, in autumn tones. And I always wear it with boots.

Here it is:

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I bought it in Norwich, back when I lived in Norfolk around 7 years ago. A spontaneous, impulse buy that paid off as I’ve worn it to death over the years and love it still.

And I fancied a pair of bobble socks in the right kind of colours to match it. I also fancied trying these ones with two balls of Lang Merino + Color rather than a different kind of aran wool, as I then plan to reverse the colours for another pair. See? There’s method to my apparent madness 😉

Well, I’m REALLY pleased with how the first one has turned out and am, as we speak, casting on the second.

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Can’t wait to finish and wear them with my owls. (The colours, for those interested in this colourway, are 68 and 5).

It’s OK, winter, you don’t have to go yet…

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Happy February knitting, lovelies <3

The Husband Jumper

Posted on by Alice Neal

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… it needs a better name. The Polar Bear Jumper…? Nah. Although (don’t tell him), he is a bit of a bear, and the older he gets, the more polar he looks 😉

The name question stays on the drawing board for now.

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What I realised was that this was (shamefully) a WIP for oh-so-very-much-too-long. Inexplicably, I had actually got it to the point where there was only half a sleeve left to knit, put it down, and not picked it back up for about TWO YEARS?!? I mean, I know I’m a bit of a project magpie (ooh, the shiny new yarn! ooh, let’s have a crack at THIS! ooh, I neeeeeed to make THIS, right NOW!) you get the point, but this was pushing prevarication to its very limits.

And then I never actually shared with you the fact that I had finally finished. One picture on Instagram passed by with barely a nod.

But I DID finish. And it fits him beautifully, and he has actually WORN it this winter. Quite a lot. Which, as far as I’m concerned, is the mark of something he actually likes. 😉

So without further ado, or too much of a flourish, here he is, posing beautifully outside my perfectly blue house.

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I did write it all down as I designed and knitted it (I’m a make-it-up-as-I-go-along sort of designer. Intuitive rather than mathematical, if that makes sense) but I haven’t written it all up formally yet. It’s rather a job, and I’ve got all my charts to map up etc. I will though, as I’ve had quite a few enquiries about it. Just let me catch my breath 😉

Anyway. Another WIP turned to FO and a sigh of relief, a big smile and a large gin.

Hope you like!

<3

 

Snatching Victory from the Jaws of Defeat…

Posted on by Alice Neal

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It’s a joy and a blessing when the small people you’ve spent years running around after are at last able to begin to fend for themselves and, even better, to help around the house.

Dishwashers emptied, washing up done, sitting room tidied and hoovered… A total gift. And a blessed relief.

Buuuuuuut.

There’s a sore point about to be made and I’m sure you have already figured it out. It seems that every post I make at the moment mentions my Beauteous Boot Socks. There’s a very good reason for that. I love them. I love them so much that I knitted myself about 5 pairs over the last couple of winters.  Indeed, if you click on the link, you will see that the photograph for the pattern itself is the very pair in question.

You don’t need words, though. You just need this picture:

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Yup, that’s the very same pair. *le sigh*

See… when your darlings start putting on the laundry, it’s worth mentioning to them that wool – you know, proper wool – shrinks. It’s also worth NOT putting said wool in the family laundry basket when you’ve taught them how to use the machine, and asked them to put a load on.

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How on earth only ONE made it into the machine is another question entirely.

So now, I have one delightfully soft and fluffy boot sock, and one tiny, stiff, very thick felted… thing. Don’t get me wrong, I still find it quite beautiful, but what to do with it??

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Well, it started with a gulp, a pair of scissors and:

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It then progressed to the 1950s PFAFF sewing machine we recently acquired for peanuts on eBay:

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Next was a decorative button and magnetic popper and… voila!

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My new handbag phone-sock is born.

I think it’s a thing of beauty and I guess I’m just going to have to shrink the other sock, right?

As for my plans for the bottom of the sock, oh, yes! I have some. But I had to order something to make it work, which will take a little while to arrive, and, to quote my husband, it is a bit bonkers. (At least, he thinks so 😉 ) When the time comes, I’ll let you decide <3

Lilac and Lime Bobble Boot Socks

Posted on by Alice Neal

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We know about my Beauteous Boot Socks, don’t we?

You see, in the summer, I’m in flipflops, and autumn, winter, spring, I’m in boots. I’m not sure I actually possess any shoes.

And in the winter I get chilly tootsies, I’m afraid, so big chunky boot socks are the way forward for me.

And we know I’m a Mama, too, right? And I have some rather fabulous teenagers who, I am delighted to say, have been helping me with the laundry.

See, the thing is… Well… Put it this way: Note to self – Don’t put wool socks in the general family laundry basket. Keep them separate and wash them myself.  I am now the proud owner of some very tiny, thick, heavily felted boot socks. Which, I confess, are a thing of beauty in themselves, but entirely useless when it comes to wearing them now… sigh.

So, it was time for a pair of superwash socks, which even if they are put in the machine a bit hot, are far less likely to end up quite so tiny.

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I had this really gorgeous yarn in my stash (I do love colour-changes, as you may have noticed) Lang Yarns Merino+ Color which is pure merino. One of my favourites. And I had some Drops Nepal, too, which only occurred to me rather too late was something that will also shrink (I’m a little tired, I confess, which often leads to a rather slower brain 😉 ) so having put a little research in, I would suggest Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (also a superwash) in Citrus to match the ones I made.

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This weekend, like most just now, has been a bit gruelling. My youngest needs meds through the night, 3-hourly, and I couldn’t get back to sleep after the 3am dose. My lovely husband is off in the woods with his bushcraft buddies on their monthly trip, so I turned on the light and got on with my socks, Netflix and headphones. And having started them yesterday lunchtime, by lunchtime today they were finished so they’re a fairly speedy knit, too (though I don’t recommend the crazy early starts if you have the option to snooze merrily till the sun is well and truly up).

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(If you fancy a crack at these, you can find the pattern here).

In other news, I’ve got to the heel-turning point on my second Toast sock, so I’ll be updating you on those in the not-too-distant, though I’m rather hoping for a better night tonight, so it may be a few days yet, fingers crossed!

Right – back to school-runs, teatimes, the daily grind and squeezing in a few stitches where I can.

Have a gorgeous week! <3

Seaglass Convertible Mittens

Posted on by Alice Neal

I have a second passion: I collect seaglass and make silver jewellery with it (which, incidentally, you can find here).

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But the fingers get a little chilly when you’re hunting through the briny waves in the winter.

So: I give you Seaglass Mittens. Decorated with waves and sparkles, with tops to keep the fingers warm, which flip back when you’ve spotted something special in the sand.

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They are long enough to keep the wrists warm under jumper and coat sleeves, too. I do like to keep my wrists warm.

If you fancy a go at them yourself, the pattern can be found here

 

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In other news, having fallen out of the woolly groove towards the end of the year, I set myself a challenge: a jumper between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. I had something very specific in mind. Something in chunky cream wool, with a wide roll neck, and a boxy shape. Not too long so I could wear it with my favourite denim mini skirt.

Here it is:

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Aaaaaaaaaand… while I’m here…

This last summer, when my gorgeous gaggle of boys, my husband and I went hiking on Mull and visited the Isle of Iona, I picked up some beautiful yarn.

I’m combining it with a grey Cascade and have just the sleeves left to knit:

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So with a little luck, I’ll have more to show you very soon.

TTFN <3

In the Pink

Posted on by Alice Neal

There are one or two advantages to not having a long, hot summer (though I’m a bit sensitive about the amount of rain we’ve had Oop North just lately, so do try not to bait me… 😉 ), the main one being longer months of wool-wearing.

Which, when you’ve just finished pretty much your favourite jumper yet, is some small consolation to offset the bloody RAIN.

*Harumph*

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It’s outrageously pink, but striped enough not to be candy floss, and I chose a different solid colour for the sleeves and the main body to shake things up a bit.

The neck is wonderfully wide, and is left to furl slightly, as are the sleeves. 2-stitch raglan seams (my favourites) and a K2P2 rib at the hem are the final little details.

I made it with Drops Nepal and Drops Big Delight, which I had LOADS of kicking around, given my total obsession with knitting Beauteous Boot Socks 😉 but any Aran weight yarn giving you a gauge of around 16 stitches per 10cm would do nicely.

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If you fancy having a crack at it, you can find the pattern here. And if you do have a go, do please think about tagging me. I totally love seeing the interpretations of others (we all know it’s impossible not to tweak a pattern, right?)

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The pattern is in one size (pictured) and shown here on me – 5’9″ and a UK size 12 – though the bust is a generous 42″ and there are notes in the pattern about making it bigger.

So… happy knitting! <3

Luscious LongSocks

Posted on by Alice Neal

You might be forgiven for confusing these with the Beauteous Boot Socks for they are, in fact, enormously similar…

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However, the BBS are rather too thick to continue to wear through the Spring – early Summer and the late Summer – early Autumn seasons.

So!

The Luscious LongSocks are born.

Knitted with Cascade 220 for the solid colour and Lang Yarns Tosca Light for the graded colour, they are soft, light and still snuggly for chillier days under boots or with shoes, or chilly weekend mornings with your jammies 😉

If you fancy a go at them, you can find the pattern here.

Hobbit Hat (free pattern)

Posted on by Alice Neal

I find myself here, on the beautiful North Norfolk Coast. Wide, sandy beaches, and sunshine that has taken us by surprise.

But… you know… it’s February.

How in the world did someone who knits hats not bring enough?!

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My new moniker is, apparently, “The Wool Psycho”, so it goes without saying that needles and yarn had found their way into my essential packing list.

Quick – cast on!

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This hat fits us all, from Teddy (aged 6, above) to me. Though it might be a bit of a stretch (no pun intended) for beloved husband, since his bonce is quite spectacularly large. Probably the brains 😉

For this hat, you will need a ball of Rico Creative Melange Chunky (in this case in CurryGreen), a 7mm circular needle and depending on your speed, a couple of movies.

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So without further ado:

Cast on 64 stitches and join in the round without twisting.
Knit 1 round, purl 1 round and knit the 3rd round.
Then begin the Knit2 Purl2 rib for 10 rounds. This gives a hat that is super slouchy without folding up the rim, or nice and snug if you do.

Knit for 34 rounds.

Then K2tog all the way around.

Then knit around.

Then K2tog all the way around again.

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail, then sew the tail through the live stitches and pull tight. Tie off securely and weave in the tail. Sew in the ends, and wear to your heart’s content.

Happy knitting! 🙂

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