Just a little update.
High on the beauty of my Dolly Socks, I cast on a new pair immediately.
These ones are being knitted with Blue Faced Leicester washable sock yarn I bought from The Knitting Gift Shop.
I’m casting the second on tonight, and I’m already a bit too excited about how they look.
What’s on YOUR needles this week?
Happy Knitting, lovelies <3
Anyone who follows me on Instagram will know I’ve been playing a lot with socks, chunky and fine, of late.
And one of my newest discoveries is Toast, a washable sock yarn with cashmere by Debbie Bliss.
My first foray with them produced these
(which I will write up next 🙂 )
But before I do, I got a bit excited about this yarn’s squishy softness and the way it holds the integrity of each stitch: it was clearly a contender for a bit of lace…
So I picked up the needles and a gorgeous ball of silver yarn, and
I didn’t need to get beyond this to know these were going to be beautiful.
And they’re NOT boot socks. These babies deserve to be seen.
So slip them on, dig out your mary janes (my chestnut beauties are Duckfeet. You may have heard me singing their praises before), and BRING ON THE SPRING!
If you fancy knitting a pair yourself, you can find the pattern here (or check out the patreon page up at the top, for info on instant access to all future patterns).
Happy Knitting, Lovelies <3
Aphrodite has been wearing her sweater since yesterday. It’s not especially cold, but she seems rather taken with it and objects when I try to take it off.
So today I coaxed her to a spot in the house with a little more light, so you could see it in all its glory. Or her. See her in all her glory.
I give you Aphy, in her Juno’s Friend Jumper.
I thought it might be time for a round-up of all the little jumpers I have so far designed for the hairier 4-legged people in our family. It’s been a while since I did, and the woolly family has grown since then, so let’s gallop down Memory Lane with a quick refresher of the story so far. (I’ll add links to the patterns in case you fancy a go yourself).
* Drumroll please *
Aphrodite has a new jumper.
All will be revealed once I’ve taken some rather more glamorous shots of her somewhere a bit prettier, so watch this space…
But for now, have a picture of Aphrodite in Paintbox Wool-Mix Chunky, in Seville Orange (you’ll need 2 – 3 balls, if you’re thinking of buying in anticipation of the pattern release 😉 )
The rather larger, lanky-leg friendly version of the Juno Jumper is just around the corner <3
Could it really be my third (is it third, or is it fourth??) post on the same pattern? I guess it could. But the thing is, you see, once you’ve designed it, knitted it, written it up… then the pressure’s off and you get to play.
So, as you saw in my last post, I’ve been playing with some bold and striking combos. This grey-black gradient, with the red-orange-brown has produced something I think is rather spectacular…
You saw the first sock, last time:
but before I post the next picture, check out the colours on those balls of wool – the point I’d got to before casting on the next.
What I think is rather spectacularly beautiful is that as striking as the first sock is, the second looks like its long-lost brother – left on a windowsill for a decade until its rediscovering has reunited it with its counterpart, still as fresh as a daisy. Whilst our windowsill sock looks like a sepia photograph of the original.
So, now that I’m done with the waxing lyrical, take a peek:
Also, gasp in wonder at how wonderfully well they match my kitchen table. 😉
Of course, they still look awesome with my Duckfeet boots
So… which are your favourites? I have to confess, I’m pretty hard-pushed to decide:
And, as always, if you fancy a pop at them yourself, the pattern is here.
And the yarn is here. I used colours 5 and 68 for mine.
Happy knitting! <3
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).
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:
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.
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…
Happy February knitting, lovelies <3
And Teddy walked to school in his mittens. Delighted. But probably mostly because of the snow.
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.
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.
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).
(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
I have a second passion: I collect seaglass and make silver jewellery with it (which, incidentally, you can find here).
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.
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
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:
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:
So with a little luck, I’ll have more to show you very soon.
TTFN <3