Pattern: Rosita cosies in Knit Now issue 20

Long time no blog! It’s difficult blogging when everything I’m doing is under embargo! Well, here’s what I was doing in December and January which I couldn’t talk about!

I managed to squeeze 5 items out of 100 g of yarn (8-cup cafetiere/French Press cosy not pictured). Not bad, huh?

For this design I was inspired by two things; a husband-and-wife designing team and a love of hot coffee. Tai and Rosita Missoni’s love of fabrics with chevrons of varying widths gave me the idea for the stitch pattern, and the recent purchase of a cafetiere which doesn’t always retain it’s heat lead me to the design. I chose midnight-blue and fawn-cream colours to lend a French bistro feel to the designs, but I think these items would also look great in bright, sunny colours.
Knit Now issue 20 is available from newsagents and supermarkets UK-wide and via Apple’s App store for all i-devices.

Milla Mia Naturally Soft Merino in Colours Fawn (106) and Midnight (101)

Approx. meters used for each item.
8-Cup Cafetiere Cosy: 54 m each colour
2-Cup Cafetiere Cosy: 23 m each colour
Coaster: 10 m each colour
Coffee Sleeve: 17 m each colour
Mug Hug: 20 m each colour

Sinus and ears and throat, oh my!

Still life with knitting, antibiotics, and the t.v. remote

A snapshot of my life for the past few days (and for the next few to come).

I have to grow old…

But no-one said I had to grow up.

Teddy bear, cross and handprint lemon and poppy seed biscuits.

Coming up for air

albeit briefly. My nose has been rather firmly applied to the grindstone recently working on things I can’t yet talk about. I can, however, show how much yarn I had left when I’d finished:

These were 50 g balls. Phew! Close one!

And I can also show you the yarns I’m using for something else:

4 colours 4 what?! Orange and purple are from Triskelion Yarns, the yellow is taspestry yarn and the cream is my Shetland handspun.

I’ve also been working on a sock design that I haven’t quite decided what I want to do with; publish it myself, submit it to a site or magazine or just make for my own amusement? I’ve not photographed it in case I want to send the pattern for consideration somewhere. Decisions, decisions ….

Also, it’s been snowing here so it’s made a perfect excuse for staying wrapped up warm inside and knitting!

Hope all is well (or as well as it can be) with you.

First in an occasional series

called “This should really be on Instagram but I can’t be bothered signing up for something new”

I bought a decapitated chocolate reindeer from the the supermarket!

Adorable and tasty!

 

FO: Mad-Eye Moody Socks

Pattern: Moody Stockings by Erica Lueder from Dreams in Fiber. The Sock Knitters Anonymous mystery sock-a-long pattern for November 2012. Technique: Texture

Yarn and needles: Posh Yarn’s Jeannie in “Froggy Went A-Wooing”. 2-ply fingering weight yarn. 400 yds per 100g. 83 g/ 332 yds used. 2.5 mm Knit Picks Harmony/Symphonie double pointed needles.

Notes/modifications:

• No modifications as per Sock Knitters Anonymous knit-a-long rules.
• In this yarn, on these needles, this makes a very stretchy sock. I would highly recommend going down a couple of needle sizes or trying to reduce the number of stitches in the pattern if you have an average or small-sized foot.
• I thought that the colours in this yarn were going to obscure the stitch pattern, but that isn’t the case (at least, in natural light. Artificial light flattens it and makes the purl stitches recede somewhat)
• Sorry for the non-modelled shots but these aren’t socks for me! Just on the off-chance that the recipient is reading this, I won’t say for whom they are destined!

And then it was December…

I think it’s safe to say that the end of the year has sneaked up on me. To be fair, I don’t remember great swathes of 2012 so it’s not very surprising.

I didn’t managed to knit a sweater within the month of November, but I wasn’t far off:

The home stretch?

Yes, it’s lacking sleeves. And a hem. And buttons. But technically, you could wear it. Sort of.

Also, pockets!

Pocketsseesssss…. my precisoussssss. Also, I hope this blocks out because Holy Puckering Batman!

And I’m just 1 repeat away from the toe on the first Moody Stocking:

Nearly!

Oh, and the designer called it Moody Stockings not because they are in a bad mood but rather named after the character “Mad Eye” Moody from the Harry Potter wotsits.

My depression/de-realisation is still pretty bad but I’ve got very good at pretending everything is okay. That’s why I’m mentioning it because re-reading what I’ve just written, even I think I sound fine. I’m not.