Wednesday, some stuff and that

Ugh I am so sick of  this bloody thing I just cast it off and called it done.

It's the first proper 'thing' I have knitted from a pattern in ages and, no doubt, the last. I didn't check tension, didn't think it would matter much for a sloppy cardi, but if I had I would have decided I don't much like how this knits up like a soppy mohair thing.  Also I didn't buy enough yarn to knit the whole thing, and Rowan discontinued the purple.  Sigh.  So its a bit short, and will be a bed cardi.  And I think it will make a very good bed cardi too due to the cuddly soppiness.  I found some crappy pink plastic buttons in  a jar, which go well with its general soppy crappiness.

Couldn't cope with a pic of it done up.  I thought I liked the look of shalom, but wearing circular yoke with radiating ribs makes me feel like I have my head stuck through a bicycle wheel, ugh. 

In more satisfying news, here is a wee (as yet one-eared) sheep towards the birthday farm:

and here is a little supposedly vintage dolly top from a local vintage shop.  I need to get some courage up to sew some dolly tops and thought this could be a vague template. Also, I like the fabric.  Hope it survives the wash. 50p well spent I reckon.

Forgot to take a pic of the project which is currently given me most pleasure, especially now I have redone the sleeves.  Tomorrow, I think...

saturday...new hat

here is Dan in his new hat!

He really likes it (or so he says, but he did wear it out, so it must be OK!) in both appearance and feel.  But now I'm wondering if the rolled brim is a bit girly?  What do you think?  Abi has also been seen wearing it and looked charming as ever.  I also tried it.  It seems to be a cradle to grave hat.

friday...hard at play

first you have to tuck yourself in and get comfy

then you have to tuck big dolly in on your left

and little dolly in on the right

but this makes the 'blanket' all crinkly, or someone's toe is poking out, and you have to pretend to huff and puff like I probably do when somethign is going wrong and start all over again.  But eventually, you will be tucked in, with your dollies, next to mummy.

It actually took her half an hour, I was not allowed to help at all, or provide a blanket larger than her muslin!  It was a lovely snuggly game to have her work at whilst I snuggled next to her and knitted.

Tomorrow I hope to post all about dan, who is getting a bit neglected here, as his hat should be finished by then!

Wednesday - work in progress...

Abi's frock, coming on nicely.  Not perfect, but nice (and possible a little large, but too large is always better than too small)

Daniel's hat, which so far meets with sir's approval.  He was finding his current hat a bit itchy, so I took him to the wool shop to stroke the lovely wool and choose one.  I think I have the shaping right but really can't be arsed to put the sts onto a thread to try it, it would probably be no quicker or slower to rip it back and alter it

Classy boy went with rowan coccoon.  Can't blame him, I chose the same for the shalom.  Which means abi's frock is also of the same yarn as its knitted from the shalom sleeves.  At least we get a discount at the wool shop!

Also: I borrowed the most beautiful and inspiring book from the library, freya jaffke's 'toymaking with children'.  I have been meaning to buy it for ever, and not being able to justify the pennies, and then I remembered about LIBRARIES hurrah!  I have a couple more excellent craft books reserved too, can't wait.  But I reckon if you want a comprehensive book for lovely homemade natural toys, this is the one to go for. I was wanting to get abi a barn and animals for her birthday...this book has given me the confidence to think I could maybe knit the animals myself...

After knitting this first attempt, I realised I would have to forget the first rule of knitting toys, i.e. KEEP YOUR TENSION TIGHT ENOUGH TO BRING ON EARLY ARTHRITIS IN ORDER TO AVOID STUFFING POKING OUT because these toys are designed to be shaped largely by the wool stuffing, and clever seaming.  They are ingenious.  But I wasn't able to get the desired effect when stuffing this because of my very efficient tension.  I then knitted a much slacker duck which is turning out much better.

  I would have continued knitting farm animals, but the trouble with knitting toys is that I just want to give them RIGHT NOW.  It is very hard not to.  So now I am knitting a quick little doll from the same book to give abi asap.

And, a final project from this book which will be ongoing and not knitting related...yet, at least...any guesses?

Happy Valentines Day

How to make two children happy very quickly for £4...

Sorry there's only one child in this picture, I take most family pics with a disposable camera now as I am scared of losing them on my phone!

In the valentines theme, a red frock for abi (which might be a smock top if I run out of yarn!  It now has sleeves but its too dark to get a pic)

new nappies...possibly the funkiest nappies in the world...what possessed me to be sucked in by novelty shit catchers I do not know!

And, much more sensible, lovely yarn (which was in the sale so its OK!)





Bumble Slippers

This pattern is designed for toddlers between 1-3 years of age, you can easily adjust the length of the foot to fit.  It is worked entirely in one piece using short rows and circular knitting, you will only have to sew two stitches at the end! (ravelry page here)

Materials:
3.5mm circular needle of a length which you might use to magic loop socks (or dpns)
Worsted weight yarn...I used Filz it

Tension...not crucial, but intended to be close enough to give a sturdy fabric

Abbreviations:
w+t = wrap and turn (check a knitting book or youtube if you aren't sure about this as you'll need it to work short rows)

Start at cuff:

Cast on 40 sts and knit 8 rows.
Work each of the following rows TWICE so that the shaping will be symmetrical:
k to last 4 sts, w&t
k to last 8 sts, w&t
k to last 12 sts, w&t
k to last 16 sts, w&t

Now prepare to knit the heel:
k to last 20 sts, w&t, and k to end of row.
k 1 row
k14, change to cc, k12 (do not break off mc, it will be in the right place to start the stripe pattern)
On these centre 12 sts only, work to and fro in garter stitch for around 19 rows, or until it is pretty much square, ending with a right side row (a little like you would for a sock heel).

Now the foot:
Pick up 9 sts up left side of heel.  Put last st picked up back onto left needle, and knit it together with the first st of the held cuff sts. Turn.
k21, pick up 9 sts from other side of heel.  Put last st back onto left needle, and knit it together with the first st of the held cuff sts.  Turn and change to MC

*K to the last of the foot sts, k this last st tog with the first of the cuff sts, turn.
Repeat the row above, turn and change to other yarn colour*

Repeat the 2 rows between the *'s until all the cuff sts have been knitted in, and 30 sts remain in total.
Now continue working in g st, changing colour as before, but working in the round and therefore purling what would have been the wrong side rows.  Continue until foot is the same length as your child's foot, including the toes, ending with a p row in CC.  Break of MC.

Shape toe (note - this style of toe gives depth rather than length)
k4, k2tog, turn
k9, k2tog, turn
repeat the previous row until 20 sts remain in total.
turn the work inside out so that there are 10 sts on each needle, and work a 3 needle bind off.

Weave in ends, using the cast on tail to work a couple of sts to bring the cuff edges together where they meet the foot.

Friday...this moment

Today I cleaned the stairs by hand with a damp cloth.  As you can tell, it needed doing.  It was nice doing it this way.  No chemicals, and no electricity.  No lugging a big plastic machine around.  No nervousness from Abi, who doesn't like the loud hoover (who does?) Instead, I could hear her chatting to herself as she played in her room.  When I checked on her, she was trying on all her dresses.  I could also hear the Archers on the radio.  I didn't have back ache, because I could kneel comfortably to rub and wipe, instead of bending over to lug a heavy machine, which occasionally falls on me.  I didn't have to throw anything away...apart from the dust...I just put the cloth in the cloth bag, to be washed when its full.

I wish we all had time to do 'life' this way.