Cabled Legwarmers (mini!)

I think these are rather cute...  They were a quick and easy knit using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino yarn and some circular needles.  As mentioned in my last post, I saw a very similar photo on a Debbie Bliss picture:

Image from Design it Knit it by Debbie Bliss

...are they not rather scrummy? So, I figured that they must be pretty easy to work out pattern-wise, and, although there are some tweaks I will do next time, I am pretty content with the result...

Right. What next?
Happy weekend, friends.

Cx

Nap-time upcycling and a photo shoot

I had a few minutes 'spare' whilst both children were napping today, and a little project beckoned to me.  I made an impulse buy in a sale up in a local town this morning (never a particularly wise idea, but not expensive!) and when I got home and tried it on (I was wearing a sleeping baby in the shop, so could not try on there) I was less than convinced...

To be honest, I was less than loving those frills... So. I decided to cut them off (to be used for something else when I get inspiration) and instead make a little binding out of a contrasting fabric (something I've been meaning to do for a while having seen lots of lovely on-line ideas) and stitch it on- much more simple, but hopefully nice!

I have a lovely Cath Kidston material that I have been eaking out due to it's general loveliness (and general expensiveness, let's be honest) and I used that.

It doesn't look bad at all now.  Certainly it's a bit more individual!

Early on in the year I knitted a lovely Debbie Bliss cabled cardi for the impending arrival (Poppy!).  Today I shot some pictures of her wearing it- I think both she and it look pretty good (to be utterly biased)...

Lastly I'd like to share with you one of my lovely birthday presents- a scarf! (A scarf in the summer? Yes, a scarf in the summer).  It's made from a beautifully cool (fair trade) jersey material and it is definitely summer colours...

Isn't it lovely?  I got one in two colours, and then ordered two more for presents.  I imagine it would be very warm in the winter, but it's also lovely for keeping you nice and toasty if sitting outside in the evening in the summer.  (On a practical note, it's also big enough to use as a snuggly blanket for a baby as I did with P when pushing her back from the park when it was a bit chillier the other day).

Enjoy your weekend.

C x

A finished project and a day out.

I finished the garter stitch cardigan on Friday.  I'm pleased with the result.

I think P looks rather gorgeous in it too...

It was a nice easy pattern using only garter stitch, and with one row of decreasing (making the eyelets for the ribbon to go through).  I used King Cole DK Smooth.  It is lovely to knit with, and although it's actually acrylic, it feels really light, and quite like bamboo.

Yesterday we had a trip to the Zoo with Husband, Small Ones, and Grandparents.  It was a lot of fun.  E was absolutely captivated by a little train which drove around the site, and paid it far more attention than he did the Lions, Zebras and Giraffes!

Al's parents bought a fabulous picnic, and during lunch time we (I say 'we', I really mean 'they'!) attempted a cryptic crossword.
It was an overcast and windy day, but kind of perfect for an outdoor day, as no one was worrying about trying to keep little ones out of the sun etc. - very different from the scorching heat of today! (Talking of that, does anyone have any tips for keeping a very grumpy baby cool in the heat? She does NOT want to go to sleep tonight!).

What a lovely way to spend a Saturday.

To finish, I'll give you a sneak peak of what wonders arrived in the post for me this week... Any guesses on the projects I am now starting?!

Have a lovely week.

C x

Clafoutis and Yarn.

Last week I was given a bag of fresh rhubarb and coriander (not mixed!).  I don't often eat rhubarb, and am rather ambivalent about it in crumble, so I decided to make clafoutis.  We had a delicious one of these when visiting some friends in France last year, and I've quite fancied the idea of making it since.

It's essentially a sweet batter, with a spiced cooked rhubarb filling.  It's delicious, and we thoroughly enjoyed eating it!
I enjoyed using the coriander too, and made a lovely lime and coconut chicken, and a carrot and coriander soup.  Thanks Nadine!

I've not blogged much about yarn recently.  I have been knitting, but things are getting made less quickly at the moment with two little ones taking up lots of time! BUT- I have renewed vigour and am steaming ahead, as I have some lovely things lined up to make.
I am almost at the end of a Debbie Bliss garter stitch cardi for P, and I have three new projects I am about to start... EXCITING!
I'll give you a sneak peak of the cardi, but I'll save most of the info on this for when I have completed it.

I'll finish with a couple of shots, nothing to do with cooking or crafts in the least, but everything to do with what most of my time is currently spent on...

Goodnight friends!

C x

Your Opinion?

So. I mentioned last post that I was knitting a pair of bootees for the baby of a friend.  Well. They are coming on well, and I'm really pleased with how they look.  BUT. They are for a little girl, and I'm wondering if they are just too boyish. What do you think?!

While I'm waiting...

So. Whilst waiting for The Arrival, I have been keeping busy.

As mentioned a few weeks back, I went to a local garden centre, and one of the things I bought was 2 packets of seeds...

We always used to get Sprouting Alfalfa in our organic box (back when we still got one) and so I decided to do some at home.  Today I enjoyed eating some of it with some left-over filled pasta and some avocado. Yum.

I also planted some of the lavender seeds into a little pot which is on my kitchen windowsill.  As I have confessed before, I am totally addicted to the smell of lavender, so I was very excited to see some little seedlings springing up through the earth, and, even though I knew it was ridiculous, I couldn't resist having a little sniff just in case they smelt of lavender already! (they didn't!).

Although it's not strictly crafty, another thing I have done A LOT recently is build train tracks with E!  My husband is much more accomplished than I am in this respect, but today I was quite pleased by my efforts...

I stumbled across another fabulous blog recently- this time by the super-knitter Catherine.  It's full of inspiring knitting, so do pop across to say hello!  Having read her latest post, I couldn't help but pre-order the new Debbie Bliss knitting book- The Ultimate Book of Baby Knits.  I can't wait to get going on it!

It was another day of fabulous weather here today, and as the shadows were being cast later on in the afternoon, I couldn't resist taking a less conventional "bump-photo" for posterity!

Have a good evening.

C x

Busy (almost spring) days.

These past couple of days I have been...

Making a favourite recipe from my Wagamama cook book...

Admiring my son's very cute pyjamas that we were given over a year ago, but which he's just about grown into...

Posting a little portable gift to a friend...

And making fairly rapid progress on E's zipped Gilet- a really fast knit after the more complicated things I've been attempting recently!

That, hanging out with an enthusiastic toddler, seeing a handful of friends and trying to fit in the odd bit of housework has kept me fairly busy!

I hope you are having a lovely week!

C x

Nice things from today, and checking my gauge.

Today has been sunny.

That meant I could hang my washing outside... and it actually dried. So lovely!

I have started a new knitting project... Always nice! This time a Zipped gilet for Elysée from Debbie Bliss' book "Essential Kids".

Not only this, but I also checked my gauge! For the first time ever before embarking on a project, I took inspiration from Fay's blog and thought I would just be good and knit a tension square. And. Lo and behold I am a loose knitter! So I adjusted down my needle size, and am now happily ensconced in the project.  Had I not checked, I'd have made a gilet considerably larger than necessary!

My little pile of crocheted Granny squares is steadily growing.  It makes for a nice thing to do when one only has a little time to spare... The basic Granny square pattern says "you might also want to block the granny square"... Does anyone out there know what this means?

Last night I made chocolate soufflé.  Again- thank you BBC Good Food for an amazing recipe!  I read the comments and reviews below the recipe before starting, and decided to reduce the cooking time as a few people said it was a little dry.  That was definitely a good move, and the resulting dessert was wonderful- nicely risen but that little bit gooey inside.  Perfect!

I hope your day has also been a lovely one.

C x 

I've done-knit! *

So I finally finished the cabled cardigan- started on December 25th, and completed yesterday on March 4th!  It was quite a labour of love- given how long some little-person clothes take to make!

The finishing always takes far longer than you think it will, so a good deal of yesterday was spent knitting borders, sewing pieces together and weaving in loose ends...

Some was completed outside whilst E played in the garden, a friend's baby slept in the garden and my friend continued on with her cross-stitch...

So there we have it. It's huge- I did 3-6 months size, but I reckon it'll fit for about a year! It's also really quite heavy because the knitting is pretty dense- 3.25 needles and Cashmerino wool.  But for something that's taken this long (along side lots of other projects, naturally!) I'm glad it will last for a while!

I modified a few little bits and bobs (as I am now a little prone to doing as my confidence grows) such as slightly reducing the size of the border as I wasn't convinced I'd have enough wool to complete the project otherwise.  As it was I had a very small amount left- not quite enough for some matching booties, unfortunately!

What shall I do next?! Answers on a postcard! (in all seriousness- any ideas?!)

For the immediate future (i.e. after finishing this post) I need to go and put on a Boef Bourguinon (again à la Julia Child) for a belated Birthday dinner party for my Husband.

I hope you have a restful weekend.

Cx

* p.s. I would like to unreservedly apologise for the pun in the title of this post.  Upon remarking to my Husband that I didn't know what to name the post, he suggested the pun, and I couldn't quite resist!

I must make do and mend.

I was reading my Parents' copy of The Telegraph this weekend, when I stumbled across an interview with Dame Helen Mirren where she professed her love of mending clothes, and darning holes in socks.  This brought me a disproportionate amount of joy to read- particularly in today's rather more throwaway society, and it also reminded me that I had rather a big pile of mending accruing at home.

So. Today, I got to work on the pile.

I keep putting off these jobs, which is rather silly- given the tiny amount of time they actually take! However, now I am all caught up, and feeling rather pleased with myself (until I find the next hole....!)

Having finished the cardigan, I am now back on the case of the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Cabled cardi.  It is coming along well, and is quite a quick knit after the fiddly job of the Lucille one.  It is essentially a repeat of 4 rows over and over, and I am remembering how much quicker cashmerino knits up than 4-ply!

Today is incredibly windy (as have been the last few days actually!).  There is something bizarre about the effect windy days have on children (of all ages!)- and today we had two rather over excited toddlers playing in the wind.  Over my years of teaching, other colleagues have knowingly nodded, and accredited mischievous and excitable behaviour to the wind, but I think it is actually true!

I hope you are enjoying your week, and that the wind isn't creating too much excitement!