Knitting Christmas Gifts
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Busy December
As always November and December are proving to be very productive months for knitting. There is just something about Thanksgiving and Christmas that makes me want to just turn out project after project so that everyone on my list gets something handknit. I’ll reserve the photos until after the gift giving has taken place so that I don’t spoil any surprises. For those who are visiting from Interweave, looking for missing Page 34 of the article on shaping sleeve caps. click to zoom, rt click to save and hope this helps 🙂 OK a tiny sneak peak with no names 🙂
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2 New Luxury Baby Gifts for Heirloom Treasures
I’ve just added two new luxury gifts for baby to the shop section. Both are hand knit from hand spun yarns. The pure cashmere dress was inspired by an old Beehive Baby booklet that I used to use for knitting for my own little babies many years ago and the Cashmere and Merino Layette is an original design but was also originally inspired by one of those old booklets from the 60s and 70s. I even had a few of those little books when I was a kid. I use to knit baby things because they didn’t take a lot of yarn. It was fine and gave me lots of…
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Hello Kitty – Horray!
I don’t know about you but I am almost as opposed to finishing as I am in love with knitting. It took a lot of self-control but I managed to put a face on “Hello Kitty” today for my sweetheart Alice. This is her dream hat for this year and she really appreciates the stuff I make her. What an amazing girl she is. I used Beadwhore Knitting’s pattern and it was very helpful. I just adjusted the stitches to my gauge and cast on. I used coins to help me visualize the best placement for the face and outline stitched around them to show me where to go with my…
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The Perfect Reversible Watch Cap The one my Guys like
My guys like a light weight but warm hat, one they can scrunch up and stick in their pocket but when they put it on it needs to keep them warm! The folded over “cuff” should not be too deep and when it’s folder over the hat sits just over the tip of the ears but when it’s pulled down against the cold it goes right over those ears completely. I might call a hat with this kind of fit a skull cap or beanie. This little watch cap fits the bill perfectly. Having knit and ripped quite a few times before I got it right I can now present…
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Polwarth/Silk Roving (Top) – Hand Painted WOW
Loving this wonderful top I just purchased on Etsy from threewatersfarm ! I had recently signed up for a class on Craftsy Spinning Dyed Fibers on how to spin these wonderful tops and so, of course, I had to buy some. I got these 2 amazing colourways and a bar of homemade goat milk soap. I got on the iPad and watched the class and practiced. It was my first time to try Navajo plying and I can’t believe how easy it is after I’ve been avoiding it for all these years! I only have 4 ounces of each colourway so I started with a pair of mitts. I found the…
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One Cosy Cashmere Cowl Finished
I’m making my Christmas presents and wanted to work with some cashmere so I thought this would be a nice little project that would work up fast and give the recipient some wonderful warmth and luxury this winter. It was really fast and such a treat to knit. This one’s for Bethy. I love this cowl and it was so fast and easy, a perfect “knitting as meditation” project. BLOCKING: I blocked it with wires and pins and Wow, what a difference. I really stretched it to it’s max when I blocked and probably wouldn’t have stretched it quite as wide now that I see it dry. I think I…
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An Alpaca Hat to go with the Pullover
Yesterday while watching football I knit this little earflap cap to match the Alpaca Pullover . Ill be writting it up as a pattern soon. let me know if you want to try the untested version and Ill email it to you if you ask before the retail version is ready. Pattern for the Sweater is here Fun and Fast to knit
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The Cashmere Cowls
I’ve decided on a couple of designs for Cowls. I’m going to do a simple one, just once around the neck with a little drape and simple elegant lace design. I have a couple of traditional all-over lace patterns in mind. I handspun some of my Mongolian cashmere fiber for this one in a fingering weight. I was really happy with the way it knit up. it’s so soft and the drape is perfect for what I want. I’m thinking I will write out the pattern for this one and another one with the “old Shale” pattern on it. I think the same yarn would be perfect. Put them both…
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Knitting Socks and Ideas for Christmas
All thought of building a web site and products for sale are slipping into the background as I contemplate what I’m going to knit for my family for Christmas. The socks are always a big hit and I will certainly be doing them this year but what else. Everyone has a couple of scarves, mitts or gloves and the kids all have hats scarves and mitts but I’m sure anyone could use more. I will perhaps do the big cowl for the ladies. I saw a couple on Ravelry. This is the free Burberry Inspired Cowl that I thought would be nice in Cashmere or in Merino and Silk bulky.…
