Tag: knitting

A Socking Success

Posted on by Alice Neal

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:

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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:

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Also, gasp in wonder at how wonderfully well they match my kitchen table. 😉

Of course, they still look awesome with my Duckfeet boots

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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

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

Teddy’s Mittens (free pattern)

Posted on by Alice Neal

And Teddy walked to school in his mittens. Delighted. But probably mostly because of the snow.

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

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

Oh Serendipity, you wondrous thing…

Posted on by Alice Neal
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Night falling over our camp

Last half term we took a very welcome break from the electronic world and all its intrusions, and returned for a blissfully happy few days to Abbots House Farm on the North Yorkshire Moors, a campsite with clean, basic amenities (loos and hot showers) along a beautiful drive, right in the place where the television series Heartbeat was filmed.  Goathland has retained its latterday charm and a walk into the village from the site sees you navigating wandering sheep, roaming free wherever they choose. It’s about as picturesque as you can get.

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Goathland

Our field was entirely empty apart from us. We set up camp with three hikers’ tents and a tarp, under which we constructed the fire pit barbecue where we cooked our suppers every night. And along the bottom of the field ran the old steam railway with half-hourly trains providing plenty of waving opportunity for the children.

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Getting ready to wave

No screens, no social media, no intrusion… we even had a visiting squirrel allow us to feed and stroke it.

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The time not spent hiking saw us whittling, reading and – of course – knitting. The picture at the top was taken from the doorway of my tent. Other than a 100-mile stint on the Pennine Way before my youngest was born,  I don’t think I’ve felt happier or freer.

Our beloved Teddy was diagnosed with autism back in 2012 and it feels as though we are just emerging as a family from the restrictions such things (happily now mostly in the past as he continues to develop and amaze us) as major meltdowns and flat refusals can put on daily life and especially on outings. Camping and hiking are just perfect for this little whirligig – totally content and always exploring.

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The beautiful drive leading to the campsite
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A walk along the Esk Valley Trail introduced us to this lady, happily grazing totally unflustered by the many walkers passing her.

Other than simply describing our last break, what is the point of this post, you ask? On a knitting blog, you ask?

Well, the most wonderful thing happened this morning.

I received a message through my Facebook page containing this link: http://www.pitchandstitch.co.uk/

Yes, ladies and gentlemen of the yarnie persuasion – an entire weekend of camping AND knitting! In the most idyllic setting….

I’m in. Who’s with me??