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

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!

Can a girl have too many shoes?

Since getting my new sewing machine, I decided that I needed a little project to get started on it.  I chose these lovely baby shoes from "Handmade beginnings" by Anna Maria Horner (who, if you are interested, has a lovely blog).  I made them in 0-3 months size, and used a Cath Kidston fabric with a white floral print inside, finished with a lovely big chunky button to adorn them.

In addition to this, I made a pair of little garter stitch silk slippers from Simple knits for cherished babies, in some 4-ply wool I had left over from a project a while back.  I decided to add a couple of odd buttons to give them a little feature.

The pattern is really simple, and they can easily be completed in an evening.  I enjoyed making them so much, that I thought I'd adapt the pattern to use moss stitch instead of garter stitch, and I used the slightly larger Debbie Bliss Cashmerino wool (which is oh so lovely to knit with!).  I was particularly pleased with the result...

Nice, and again quite simple, but in need of a little extra something, which was provided with a little bit of stitching around the edges...

So. There are still 10 weeks left until number 2 arrives, but she already has a growing shoe collection. Well, start as she may well go on I guess.....!
Happy Weekend.

Singing away

Yesterday and today, we saw a rare sight (well, rare for recent weeks)- blue sky! I can't believe how much that lifted my spirits- so much so that I had to capture the moment on camera to remind myself that it is still up there above the clouds...

Now that we are well and truly into the New Year, I am allowed to get making and knitting for the impending arrival.  It is quite exciting to be doing things in girlie colours too, as I have done lots of making in blues and browns these past few years. So- on the go at the moment are...

A Debbie Bliss Cardigan in Cashmerino (so lovely to knit with!)

Some booties (a good chance to try out my new Singer!)

My new Singer sewing machine arrived this week, and, being incredibly conscientious I refrained from just jumping in and playing, and actually read the manual cover to cover first!  It does lots of fancy stitches and looks rather lovely too.

What a lovely start to the New Year.  What are you planning to make at the start of 2011? I'm all up for sharing some inspiration!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.