And Teddy walked to school in his mittens. Delighted. But probably mostly because of the snow.
Tag: love
The Husband Jumper
… 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.
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.
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
Debbie Bliss Toast Sock Yarn (1)
This completely gorgeous squishiness, which arrived in the post last week. It’s made with cashmere, dontchaknow, for the poshest socks you can fashion.
Seaglass Convertible Mittens
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
Oh Serendipity, you wondrous thing…
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.
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.
No screens, no social media, no intrusion… we even had a visiting squirrel allow us to feed and stroke it.
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.
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??
Sprouting again – baby sleepsack and hat
Do you remember the Sprout?
Matching baby cocoon / snugglesack and little hat. In the picture above, it’s knitted in James C Brett Woodlander self-patterning yarn, which you can find here.
Weeeeellll….
Do you also remember the Luscious Long Socks?
These were knitted in Cascade 220 and, more importantly, Lang Yarns Tosca Light – that gorgeous self-striping stuff… (find it here).
The socks only used 40g of the 100g ball, so I thought I’d make another Sprout with the rest. And look!
I completely love it.
What do you think?
<3
A little comfort…
Meet Puss.
Inside his tum, he has a handmade wheat sack.
To spray on his tum, there is a handmixed Magical Pillow Spray
The pattern is available here, if you fancy having a crack at making him.
For now, though…. just breathe… <3