Sunday 30 September 2018

Festive Cheer KAL 2018

In the knitting world we are well into the festive knitting season, whether it's knitting Christmas decorations or gifts. To celebrate that, I'm hosting a festive knitalong (KAL) in my Ravelry group* and on Instagram.

The KAL will be called the Festive Cheer KAL, and all you need to do to join in is to either knit (or crochet) a festive item, or an item that you'll be giving as a gift over the festive season, and post your progress in either the thread in my Ravelry group* or on Instagram using the hashtag #festivecheerKAL2018 (if you want to double your chances of winning, you can post in both).


The KAL will run between October 1st and November 30th 2018, but will be a very relaxed affair, so works in progress (WIPs) are included, and you don't have to finish anything, just post your progress.

I'll be drawing two winners, one from Instagram and one from my Ravelry group. The prize winners will be selected using a random number generator from all posts posted between October 1st and November 30th 2018.

Happy knitting!

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The rules
1. Knit or crochet a festive item, or an item to be given as a gift over the festive season
2. Post a progress shot on Instagram using the hashtag #festivecheerkal2018
Or
3. Post about your progress in the thread in my Ravelry group
4. Only entries posted between October 1st and November 30th 2018 will be included
5. WIPs are allowed and you don't have to finish what you're working on 
6. Two prize winners will be drawn using a random number generator: one from Instagram and one from Ravelry. You may enter on both platforms, but will only be able to win one prize
7. If entering via Instagram, to win a prize, you must be following me on Instagram
8. If entering via the Ravelry thread, to win a prize, you must be a member of the Ravelry group


*Ravelry link. You must be signed in to Ravelry for the link to work

Sunday 23 September 2018

The crochet-hook black-hole

Somewhere in my house there is a black hole filled with every crochet hook I've ever owned. That's the only possible explanation as to why I cannot locate any crochet hooks at the minute. My knitting needles are all carefully filed, and I thought the hooks were there with them, but apparently not, nor are they in any of the other obvious homes. All of which makes crocheting a baby blanket rather tricky.


I had been planning on making a blanket for a friend's new baby ever since I found out she was pregnant, but even though I've known for months that the baby is due in October, I hadn't realised how quickly October was coming around (for some reason I've spent most of the past week thinking it's February). The yarn has been purchased (I'm using the leftovers from the blanket I crocheted for another friend earlier in the year, along with three balls of pale grey that I bought to go with them), but without a hook, the project is a bit of a non-starter.


I did consider ordering the most likely hook size, I then considered ordering a whole new set of hooks just in case I needed a different size. Both of which are not great options as: (i) the pattern I was planning on using is one I haven't made before so I knew I'd need to play with hook sizes before I'd be happy; (i) I already own lots of crochet hooks, even I can't find them, so it seems silly to replace all of them!


As ever, the answer was pretty obvious, and I popped round to a crocheting friend's for an afternoon to borrow some hooks and do a couple of test swatches (I was right not to order just one hook - I had to try two). I'm now ploughing on with the blanket, and it's looking lovely (the pattern is Hydrangea Stripe blanket by Lucy of Attic 24) and it's mindless enough to do whilst feeding a baby! I have ordered myself a single hook in the right size as I have a favourite type of hook (Clover Soft Touch* - the ergonomic handle means I can crochet for ages without my hand cramping up), and am keeping my fingers crossed that the rest of the hooks hooks turn up one day! 

*Affiliate link.

Friday 14 September 2018

New design: Little Fox Sweater

I have a new pattern for you today, the Little Fox Sweater.*



Foxes are one of my favourite creatures, and a perennial favourite children's character. The Little Fox jumper is perfect for Autumn with its cheeky fox on the front.


The Little Fox Sweater is knitted flat from the bottom up in sections that are seamed before adding the neckline in the round. The jumper is knitted in stocking stitch with 2 x 2 ribbing for the cuffs, hem and neckline; the fox motif is added using the intarsia technique. The pattern is written in 5 sizes: 2 (4, 6, 8, 10) years and is designed to fit with 2 inches of positive ease.



The sample is knitted in Stylecraft Life DK,* one of my favourite yarns for hard-wearing children's garments. Using DK weight yarn makes for a nice lightweight jumper that is perfect for layering.

Fancy knitting your own Little Fox Sweater? You can find the pattern in the October 2018 issue of I Like Knitting magazine. I Like Knitting magazine* is an e-magazine that is available via a subscription model, giving you access to a whole host of beautiful patterns. You can also favourite and queue the pattern via the Ravelry pattern page.


Want to add the pattern to your Ravelry queue or favourites? The Ravelry pattern entry can be found here.

*Affiliate link.

Images copyright I Like Knitting.

Tuesday 11 September 2018

Yarn along: In with the new

The past week has been one of many firsts: first day of infant school; first day of junior school; first day back at work for my husband after paternity leave; first day of looking after a newborn on my own in rather a long time. And somehow we’ve taken it all in our stride. I’m still in that happy newborn bubble, where to do lists have been replaced by lists of achievements (some as mundane as hanging out the washing and getting it back in again before the rain), and all that really matters is that we make it through each day in once piece.

I have managed to fit in a bit of reading, and some knitting (an additional bonus of all those hours spent feeding!). My reading for the last couple of weeks has apparently been sponsored by the Fletcher family, as I’ve read Happy Mum, Happy Baby by Giovanna Fletcher, followed in quick succession by The Creakers, which is written by her husband Tom Fletcher. Happy Mum, Happy Baby was passed on to me from my sister, and could be described as a memoir of early parenting, covering Giovanna’s personal experience of her first few years of being a parent first to one then two small boys. The book was the perfect read for the first few days of having a newborn - I have the hardback, so could lie it on a surface and not have to worry about losing my page, the font was quite big and the content light and chatty. The read was enjoyable, but don’t expect anything revolutionary, this really is just one mum telling the reader about her experience of parenting. Most of her parenting choices are very similar to mine, which made the read a comforting one, but if your views are very different to hers I suspect this book would annoy you massively!


The Creakers was a Christmas present to my son, which we tried reading together earlier in the year, but he didn’t enjoy it (all the parents in a town go missing within the first couple of chapters), so we stopped reading really early on in the story. The book’s been living on my bedside table ever since, so I picked it up last week, as children's books are perfect for reading whilst feeding in the middle of the night! I’m enjoying the story so far - it’s got a good level of suspense, and the story is really engaging. The tale is a classic 'things that go bump in the night', and I'm excited to see where Fletcher takes it.


My needles have been pretty quiet since the baby arrived. I've finished a baby cardigan, which is just adorable (it's a Baby Vertebrae, but I striped the yoke). I have contemplated casting on something new and exciting (possibly a cardigan for me), but instead have continued with the socks I was knitting for the Yarndale sock line. I have absolutely missed the deadline for these (they needed to arrive in Skipton by the start of September), and at a few rounds a day they may still be on the needles when Yarndale actually happens, but that's fine, I'll donate them next year. I'm using Cascade Heritage Prints* in the colourway Lights, and it's beautiful to work with - the yarn is smooth and non-splity and the colours are really vibrant. Maybe next month I'll have something new on the needles, but don't hold your breath!



What are you reading and working on at the minute? Any book recommendations?

Linking up with Ginny for Yarn Along.


Happy knitting!