Cream Olympic Copper Socks

Had enough of this plain yarn for socks

Chose this pattern so that there was some textural interest
Still look very plain !!

Pattern: Olympic Copper by Ann Hutchison

Size: 72 sts.

Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks

Colour: 55008 Muslin

Grey Business Socks

Lovely pattern and yarn

Pattern: Business Casual by Tanis Lavallee
Size: 72 Stitches
Yarn: Zitron Trekking XXL
Colour: 596 Greys Black

Blue Snowfall Hats

Saw this kit in Little Red Mitten and loved the hat

Now  winter is almost here and I still have no hat! Finally got started

Made the large size which is huge even for me

Lots of yarn so made the smaller one which is just right. Only did 6 rows of Rib and cut 2 plain knit rows out of pattern chart too.

Still enough yarn to make a child's hat. Started with 48 sts and 5 rows of rib. Increased to 56 sts. Then mixed and matched rows from pattern as dictated by yarn

Very happy to have got 3 hats.  Only need the one for me so the other 2 will go to NGH

Pattern: Lopi Snowfall Hat by Joan Janes
Size: 72 sts, 64 sts, 48 sts
Yarn: Istex Alafosslopi
Colour: Navy, White

Flax Sweaters

Two little sweaters for NGH

Really simple pattern
Knit from the top down

Not very fond of the pink yarn. It feels a little harsh and the colour changes are too short for my taste

Pattern: Flax by tincanknits
Size: 2-4, 4-6
Yarn: Bernat Super Value, Redheart Comfort
Colour: Gingerbread, Shaded Pink

Baby Things

A new great niece is on the way so this is for her

I have knitted this sweater several times.
The pattern is so easy and looks so good
I carried the lacy pattern all the way down the sides of the sweater as well as the fron
If I make this again I may add a cable down the middle of the back

The hat was improvised based on Kate Atherley's Sock Yarn Baby Hat.
I used fewer stitches and a k1p1rib to start then added some garter rows for textural interest as this is a solid yarn.


Pattern: Sunnyside by Tanis Lavallee
Size: 62 Stitches
Yarn: Bernat Baby Solids
Colour: Baby Green

Pattern: Sock Yarn Baby Hat by Kate Atherley
Size: 104 Stitches

Yarn: Bernat Baby Solids
Colour: Baby Green

October Knitting

Another month busy knitting for NGH  - more mittens and some baby sweaters
I think I got them finished in time for the Christmas sales season
It must be time for a change as I have the mitten pattern memorised!

MRR  was fascinated with the little pink sweater. She was hoping it was for her.  I'm not sure if she really needs a new sweater . She is still wearing the DK pink and purple sweater which I made last year. This particular one would have been too small any way.

I will need to focus on family for the next little while as there is a new great niece on the way

Hospital Knits for September

I continue to knit items for the hospital

Some more mitts
Used The World's Simplest Mittens by tincanknits
I added some cables to some and some stripes to others. This really is an easy pattern and it has instructions for different weights of yarn.

Some more hats
Used the Tristan pattern

Needed a change so made some small cardigans

I have used this pattern several times. It is knit in one piece from the bottom up.
I like the lack of seams so that once the knitting is done there is very little sewing


Pattern: Gib's Safari Sweater by Barb Bettegnies
Size: 122 Stitches
Yarn: Merit Worsted
Colour: Kelly Green

Yarn: KnitPicks Comfy Worsted 

Colour: Seraphim

More Hospital Knits

Continuing to knit for the local hospital

Two more hats:
Palindrome Hats

This is an easy pattern. I knitted the first one in purple following the pattern exactly.
The second one is smaller, child's size. It has 96 stitches and I continued the cables all the way up the hat
Both have really thick brims which should keep ears warm in winter.


Pattern: Palindrome Hat by Kristin Bellehumeur

Size: 120 Stitches, 96 stitches
Yarn: Bernat Super Value Solids
Colour: Purple

Yarn: KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Worsted

Colour: Ciel

Apparently we are short of mittens so I made some more Antler mitts and then found this pattern also from tincanknits

World's Simplest Mitts

I knitted the first pair in solid green following the pattern for 32 stitches exactly

The second pair were Ciel and Gosling. Also 32 stitches. The only modification is the stripes and slightly shorter hand.

The third pair are toddler size but with 28 stitches 

Pattern: The World's Simplest Mittens by tincanknits
Size: 32, 28 Stitches
Yarn: Merit Worsted
Colour: Kelly Green

Yarn: KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Worsted

Colour: Ciel and Gosling, Almond 

Hospital Mitts #1

Next phase of use up the stash:

Mittens

First up

Newfie Mitts

Making several using left over yarns

#1 Child size Purple main, Pastel contrast
Cast on 32 sts, used 30 sts for body.
Used 37g yarn; 15g contrast, 22g main

#2 Adult size 40 sts. Gingerbread main, Mushroom contrast

#3 Child size 32 sts. Green main, Pastel contrast


Pattern: Newfie Mittens by Nadine Reeves
Size: 32 or 40 Stitches
Yarn: Bernat Super Value Solids
Colour: Purple, Gingerbread, Mushroom
Yarn: Merit Worsted
Colour: Kelly Green
Yarn: Patons Canadiana
Colour: Light Pastels

Antler Mittens

A new pattern so I knitted the child's size with no modifications.

The result is a long and narrow mitten

Next time I will make it wider and longer in the rib and shorter in the hand

Pattern: Antler Mittens by tincanknits
Size: 28 Stitches
Yarn: Bernat Super Value Solids
Colour: Purple

Hospital Hats #2

Made some more hats for charity

Hurricane Hats
These are so easy
A very simple pattern which I have memorized

#1 Mushroom 45 g
#2 Gingerbread 42g

Pattern: Hurricane Hat by Andrea Guldin
Size: 80 Stitches
Yarn: Bernat Super Value Solids
Colour: Mushroom, Gingerbread

Barley Hats
Easy straightforward pattern

#1 72 stitches Toddler size no mods! took 35g
#2 84 stitches Adult size no mods! took 50g
#3 66 stitches Baby size alternating stripes all knit took 24g




Pattern: Barley by tincanknits
Size: 72, 84, 66 Stitches
Yarn: Bernat super Value Solids
Colour: Mushroom, Gingerbread

Grey Chevron Shawl

Bought some lace weight yarn at The Fibre Garden in Jordan and decide to knit a shawl for Mum

I struggled to find a pattern which wasn't too open and which I could follow!!
As well it was hard to find a balance between lace yarn and needle sizes suggested in the patterns

In the end I found this which is an easy well written pattern.  I went down several sizes of needles and used 2.75 mm rather than the 3.5 mm suggested.  Maybe it was just that the bigger needles didn't have nice pointy lace tips. either way they were just too clumsy

By using smaller needles of course I got a firmer fabric and a smaller shawl but as this is just intended as a shoulder wrap it should be fine

I added one extra pattern to the row and did 29 pattern repeats which gave a decent size shawl once it was blocked

I had hoped for a more silvery colour than the dark grey but it is what it is

I am not sure that I would knit another at this weight it took a very long time to complete and I am not sure that it was worth the effort

Pattern:  Rectangular Chevron Shawl by Elisa Di Fiore
Size: 19” x 58”
Yarn: The Dye Guy Lace Time
Colour: Coal and Ash

Hospital Hats #1

I seem to have lots of add bits of yarn so I am going to knit them up into hats of various kinds for the Hospital

First one is a Tristan hat in Coral

Love this pattern.
The yarn was left over from a cabled sweater I finished earlier this year and it's made a lovely hat but it's not for me

Pattern: Tristan by Drops Design
Size: 117 Stitches
Yarn: Filatura di Crosa Zara
Colour: Salmon

Second one is a small Wribbed hat in blue

Love this pattern too. I prefer to knit in the round so I modify the number of stitches but that is all

Pattern: Easy Wribbed Hat by Joan Janes
Size: 84 Stitches
Yarn: Tent Sale Worsted
Colour: Blue

Cream Spindrift Shawl

An easy knit. Hopefully for Mum to keep her warm in her new home
Not sure I like the crescent shape but that is not the fault of the pattern

The pattern was easy to follow and spot on for yarn
Loved the stitch counts!!

I added lace rows in the body of the shawl 

Pattern: Spindrift Shawl by Helen Stewart
Size: One size
Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks
Colour: Muslin

Blue Vanilla Socks

Took these on holiday to Barbados
Finished one sock there and the second when I got home
Lovely pattern. Very easy to follow
Love the yarn and the socks !!!

Pattern: Vanilla Latte Socks by Virginia Rose-Jeanes
Size: 72 Stitches
Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks
Colour: Sing N The Blues Stripes

Blue Cumbria Sweater

Bought this pattern and the yarn to make it a long time ago
Finally had time to knit it up

Love the colour. Think I really prefer DK or sock weight yarns. Worsted feels really bulky

The pattern has set in sleeves and I am really beginning to think that I prefer Raglan sleeves above all others.

Having said that, this pattern was clear and easy to follow. I did find it easier to write out the decrease/increase rows rather than try to count on

Pattern: Cumbria Sweater by Kerin Dimeler-Laurence
Size: 52 Stitches
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted Weight
Colour: Ciel

Rose Marl Swirl E Socks

The next pair of socks
New pattern
Not too happy with the suggested pattern for the rows. Made a dreadful mess at the join of each round.
Very simple solution: -  just add a stitch and then the 8 stitch pattern will move round automatically

Decided to keep the feet just plain knit

Pattern: Swirl E. Socks by Susie White
Size: 64 Stitches
Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks
Colour: Brown Rose Marl

Deep End Skyp Rib Socks

I am wearing out my socks from 2012 so I need to replace them !1
 This was a different pattern from Adrienne Ku
Again very well written and easy to follow
I decided not to pattern the foot just the leg
The yarn had some very subtle colour changes which don't show well in the skyp rib but do look good on the feet
The socks almost match which is pleasing
Have Patons upped the length of yarn in the 50 g balls ?  I seem to have yarn left over again

Pattern: Skyp Rib Socks by Adrienne Ku
Size: 66 Stitches
Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks
Colour: Deep End

Ecru Wribbed Hat

Another quick and easy hat
Very simple pattern

Pattern: Easy Wribbed Hat by Joan Janes
Size: 96 Stitches
Yarn: Bernat Super Value
Colour: Mushroom

Shaker Rib Hat

This was a quick hat for NGH

I used a free pattern from the yarn store
It was an easy enough pattern. I just didn't like the way the decreases for the crown were treated.
The knit stitches were out of alignment after the decrease row
Knitting 3 stitches together at this gauge leaves a bit of a hole

Also not too sure if I really like the knit into the stitch below I think I prefer German or Fisherman's rib

Pattern: Shaker Rib Hat by Bernat
Size: 83 Stitches
Yarn: Bernat Super Value
Colour: Mushroom

Springtime Skyp Socks

I need some more socks. I am starting to wear through the 12 in 2012 set
This is a favourite pattern in  yarn from the stash

Pattern: Simple Skyp Socks by Adrienne Ku
Size: 64 Stitches
Yarn: Patons Kroy
Colour: Springtime Jacquard