just in time

This will be my last completed project for the year - The Utopia Hat. I just loved knitting this creation, just as much as I love my postman, although because of this festive season I haven't seen him as frequently as I'm accustom to. I'm still waiting for two deliveries, one being more yarn (or course) and a full set of Knit Pics circular needles. What else could a knitter need?

Anyway, back to the project. It was such a quick little knit. I used Cascade 220 and a 3.75mm and 5mm circulars. As I said before, I loved knitting the Utopia and more importantly the recipient my daughter loves it. The colour is a exact match to her school coat, so this little number has become part of her school uniform. How sweet!

This morning (2.30 am to be exact) when I completed my daughter's Utopia, I rushed to my yarn bin and dug up some more Cascade to cast on straight away for another one. This one's going to be mine.

Enjoy the pic of my last completed creation for 2007.

Utopia on the sofa.

A perfect fit. And I looked and said "It is good"

Pattern: Utopia Hat

Material: Cascade 220 100% Peruvian Wool

Colour: 4002 Dark Charcoal

Needles: 3.75mm and 5mm Addi Circular Needles

Modification: Ribbing using 3.75mm for 1.2 inches and and addition cable in the lower high of the hat

Started: 29th December 2007

Completed: 30th December 2007

There's only a little over 7 hours left of this year. I'm so excited about 2008, life is awesome and just imagine what we can achieve with our precious gift of creativity. Remember if you can conceive it you can achieve it. Start dreaming about all those beautiful creations you want to create next year with your precious hands.

May God give you all the desires of your heart. God Bless and Keep Knitting.

Joy

i've been shopping again

Ouch! I been shopping again. This time in the John Lewis SALE.

• Heartfelt Pattern Book
• Noro Pattern Book
• 10 balls of Noro Cash Iro
• 10 balls Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky
• 14 balls RYC Baby Alpaca DK

I may have to go on a yarn diet in the New Year.

Speak to you tomorrow. God Bless.

merry christmas

I wish you a 'Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year' (can you hear me singing).

Remember to take a few moments out to reflect on why we celebrate CHRISTmas. God gave us (the world) his best gift, his only son Jesus Christ to save our sins.

Now this is love! Let us not forget to show our appreciation by saying a simple 'Thank You'.

God Bless

the seven day challenge is over

My self inflicted seven day challenge is over, well, it was over from last week Thursday. It's amazing what you can achieve when you set goals and give yourself a time refrain. This is what I was able to create within the seven days; I had to pat myself on the back, considering I was also working and I'm not the faster knitter as I tend to send a lot of time frogging. May God deliver me from this.

Anyway, cast your eyes on these lovely head warmers - hats.

Completed Item 1 - The Slouchy Copy Cat Hat.

I love this stitch pattern. It's so easy to memorise and just look at it's definition in Cascade 220. This colour is also awesome.

Pattern: The Slouchy Copy Cat Hat

Materials: 1 Skein of Cascade 220 100% Peruvian Highland Wool

Colour: 8834 Pink

Needles: 4mm and 5mm Addi Circulars

Started: Friday 14th Dec 2007

Completed: Sunday 16th December 2007

Modifications: I casted on an extra 8 sts.

Completed Item 2 - The Le Slouch

I've knitted this pattern before but, I just had to knit it again. This is a must have for this season - a beret and the yarn feels just like a soft cotton.

Pattern: My Adaptation of Le Slouch (see previous entry)

Materials: 2 balls of Rooster Almerino Aran

Colour: Sky Blue

Needles: 4mm and 5.5mm Addi Circular Needles

Started: Monday 17th December 2007

Completed: Wednesday 19th December 2007

I also added 3 buttons of various sizes for decoration.

..............................and finally I was able to complete this

So I've had a very productive week. Let's see what I can create and complete between today and NEW YEARS EVE.

Have a bless and productive day.

day two of the seven day challenge - i really really love my postman

Look at what my postman delivered this morning; Elizabeth Zimmermann and Meg Swansen's A Knitting Glossary DVD, 4 hours of nothing but knitting. What else could a knitter want? More yarn!!!!!!!! It has already made it's debut in my DVD player. A Knitting Glossary is a must for all knitters who want to develop their knitting skill.

Day 2 of The Challenge - The Slouchy Copy Cat Hat

Just thought I'd show you a couple of snap shots of what I started last night.


The first shot is a truer colour of the yarn, Cascade 220 Wool in Shade 8834 a beautiful dusky rose pink. I'm off back to my knitting, so much to be done and only 5 days left.

God Bless. In the words of Elizabeth 'Keep on Knitting'.

yet another!!!!!!!!!!

I've casted on for another new project. I won't tell you what it is yet :-) so you'll have to come back, if your interested. But I've set myself a challenge - The Seven Day Knit. To see how many garments that I can knit and complete within 7 days.

See ya. There's knitting to be done.
God Bless.

i've done it again

Yesterday I went to my LYS - IKnit; to buy a stitch holder, and walked out with these..........

• 8 balls of Rowan Big Wool
• 4 balls of Rowan Cocoon
• 12 Skeins of Artesano Aran

and this.........................

Rowan Studio Issue Number 6 (Royal College of Art special edition) pattern book and a receipt for £145. I intend to knit the cardigan shown. Oh yea I left without the stitch holder that I originally went there for. I suppose I can't have it all, or can I?

I'll be busy over Christmas, working my little fingers.

Stay Bless.

i just couldn't help myself

It's 12.12am but I was so inspired by this , I just had to cast on the stitches now.

Oh man! What time will I be going to bed now? I've work in the morning. Bother. But knitters must knit on.

God Bless. I'm out of here.

i love my postman

I so love my postman. This week he brought me these......................


.............well these are just part of what he delivered. The total delivery included 5 knitting books (I can't show you the others as they are Christmas presents for people who read my blog) and 17 skeins of Cascade 220 in 6 different colours. The postal service here is fantastic. I ordered the yarn late Saturday afternoon and they were here by Tuesday morning, and they were coming from a different city.

I was inspired by this so I've already started it, the Modular Tomten Jacket for my nephew Santi. It's part of his Christmas present (it's OK, my brother and sister-in-law don't have access to the Internet, so it's safe to post this now). This is such a quick little knit and the stripping is keeping me from becoming bored. I'm just adding colour randomly and if I don't like the last row, frogging it back and re-knitting using a different colour. The only problem will be all of the ends that I will need to weave in. Oh well! That's for another day.


After reading about the great late Elizabeth Zimmermann, I just had to do one of her patterns. Yea, I know! You may be asking; 'What about the Baby Surprise Jacket?' Well that has been laid to rest. It was one of those where I was not fully satisfied with the yarn and pattern combination.

At least I love my latest creation, a gift made by my own hands for my gorgeous nephew.

God Bless and Keep Knitting.
Joy

decisions, decisions, decisions

I want to order some new yarn 100% Cashmere. I've never used this yarn and I'm not sure which colours to order, but I need to get it right as it cost between £105 - £125 per kilo depending on the colour. Ordering 5 - 6 colours + VAT will cost me a few pretty pennies.

Should I order .............. Celadon or Sapphire or Misty Cliffs or Lavandula or Wisteria or Rapture or Rosewater or Amoroso or Marie Antoinette or Chanterelle or Oatmeal or Porcupine or Wildebeest or Dark Medium Dyed or Kelp or Rosine or Ombre Rose.

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions. Helllllllllllllllllllllp.

Keep Knitting.

it's a wrap

I'm going to try to post more frequently this month. It should be possible considering that I'll have two weeks off work soon. And I'm going to do nothing but hand knit. Well, that's the plan. Lets hope I succeed.

Here's a little something that I knitted about 3 weeks ago. It's based on the same principle of the felted scarf that I knitted back in September. I used my favourite machine knitting yarn 2/14 100% Geelong Lambswool (it's sooooooo soft, people often ask if it is cashmere) and then felted it in the washing machine on a 60 degree wash.

Pattern: My Own

Yarn: 100% Geelong Lambswool

Colour: Kilim

Machine: Brother 940 Standard Gauge

Started and Completed: In One Day

There's not much more to tell you about it except that it's so warm. I'm not sure who is going to be the lucky recipient of this wonderful little thing. We'll just have to wait and see.

On my needles at the moment - The Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann. Well, it was on my needles until about 10 mins ago. I've just ripped it out again, for the third time. Pray for me. Hopefully I'll have more success the next time I cast on those 160 sts ;-(

Keep those needles clicking until the next time.

God Bless and Happy Knitting.