After making the Ewa Hat so successfully in black cotton, I had another couple of attempts in other yarns and am equally pleased with the results. Firstly, a lighter version in Patons Dew,which is a firm crisp yarn and excellent for hats .
This yarn has been in my stash for ages and I was pleased to have finally found the perfect project for it. I love the hat! So much so that I had to hook up another one straight away. This time I doubled up some Rowan Fine Milk Cotton that I bought in the John Lewis sale because I liked the colour. Milk Cotton is a very soft yarn and pleasant to work with but maybe not the ideal choice for a hat with a brim This hat is a little floppier due to the nature of the yarn but still lovely, especially trimmed with my purple flower brooch.
I've tried to finish a few projects that were in danger of joining the UFO pile this month. The crochet belt from Rowan's River Camp Knits is at last complete. It was a very simple item to crochet which did get a bit boring at times. However ,the finished result is quite pleasing.
Also sewn up at last is Sash, a Sublime pattern that I made up in Sirdar Recycled Cotton. The top is a little large, my fault for not checking gauge, but still very wearable. I like the yarn, it is very soft and pleasant to handle.
From the same Sublime booklet as Sash comes the Mimi Shrug.
My version is knitted in Rowan Luxury Cotton. I have already worn this quite a few times. the pattern is very simple and straightforward. No shaping at all, just a long strip with ribbing at either end.
I started making the "It Could happen To Anyone" Bag a while ago and have just been making odd squares for it between other projects. I found the pattern on Ravelry (where else?) and loved it as it is strikingly different. It was designed by a girl who had lost a relative to cancer and each square depicts a famous person that has died from the disease. When they are all joined together the bag looks amazing. I am using Patons 100% Cotton dk. Progress is slow as you really have to concentrate when following the charts but I do hope to finish it eventually. So far, we have Audrey Hepburn, Joan Crawford and Bob Marley. I am half way through the Andy Kaufman square. Only 8 more to go!
Quite often when I find a pattern I like, I enjoy making several versions in different yarns. Dot's Little Ditty Bag is one such pattern. Another free pattern from Ravelry that I just couldn't stop making - it only takes a couple of hours to whip one up and then the fun is in embellishing it.
Each bag takes less than a ball of yarn and is ideal for using up scraps. I'll probably make loads more of these. They are just the right size for keys, a phone and maybe some lippy. Very useful!
I found a really pretty pattern for crochet bunting on the website "Crochet with Raymond" and felt inspired to make some for the house.
Each little triangle works up in a very short time and takes very little yarn. I bought a few nice colours of Patons 100% Cotton dk from Hobbycraft and have been happily crocheting bunting. The first string is now hanging in the kitchen window and I think it looks lovely.
I have almost completed another length for Miss Millie's room. It is an addictive pattern. It would be nice in green and red at Christmas - looking out for appropriate yarn in the sales!
Pretty coat hangers are really easy to make. I just bought a pack of 4 at Poundland and covered then embellished them with flowers. I am so pleased with these and want to cover all my hangers.
I am particularly pleased with the second one I made, which was inspired by a hanger I saw in a Japanese craft book.
Let's Knit magazine gave away some free yarn and tea cosy patterns with it's latest issue. I felt compelled to make the Gumdrop Tea Cosy for own little teapot. I have yet to sew the bobbles on top but it is so cute that I couldn't wait to use it.
Speaking of cute.....
Alfie just gets cuter and more mischievous by the day. He has been enjoying long walks in the sunshine this last weekend.
I've been meaning to make the "Must Have Cardigan" from Patons for ages but couldn't find the pattern anywhere. A few weeks ago I discovered that it is available free on the Patons website under a different name. Happy days! I cast on with Rowan Silk Cotton this evening and have almost completed one pattern repeat on the back. The yarn shows up the cables really well. I think it will be a very good knit.
So, only about another 300 to go if it is to be a good sized throw. Each hexagon probably takes about 20 minutes to make. The variety of colours keeps it interesting. It may take a while to finish this project but I am loving what I have already done. I have chosen not to join the hexagons as I go because I want to make sure that the colours are well distributed through the blanket at the end. Not sure yet whether I should do a final round of a single colour around each motif before I join them. What do you think?
Recently, I have had a bit more time for novelty yarns. I will admit that they have their place. This super frothy scarf was knitted in a couple of hours from a single ball of Katia Triana Lux which I purchased last week from "Mavis" in Bushey, my LYS. There were a few made up in the shop and I rather liked them, particularly the gorgeous colours available in this yarn. I chose this lovely green colour, although I was very tempted by the fabulous purple. It is a bit fiddly to knit and if you drop a stitch you have lost it for ever - but worth the effort I think.
