Pirate's Cutie - Sweater

November 2012

I tweaked this a little bit, because judging by the pictures in the magazine, in the smaller sizes it looked as if there was very little space between the top of the skull and the beginning of the neckline.

I used a provisional cast on, knit two rows black and then worked through eight rows of the chart. Then I checked my row gauge (which was waaaay off) and, based on the schematic measurement for the area between the start of the armhole and the neckline, calculated which row of the chart should be the start of armhole shaping if I was going to add four plain black rows after the end of the chart.

I then knitted downwards from the provisional cast on to get the right length. This was the best way I could think of the get the motif exactly where I wanted it to be. I also worked the front before the back, so that I could be more flexible about the number of rows worked by matching the back to the finished front, not vice versa.

Speaking of provisional cast on, though, I recently discovered a very simple way of doing it (via another pattern I recently completed). Just cast on with scrap yarn and then when you’re finished, start knitting into it with the working yarn. It takes a bit of unravelling, but it’s easier than any of the other techniques I’ve tried.

This was mostly intarsia work, which I haven’t done very much of, but it wasn’t an especially difficult motif. This video by Norah Gaughan is a really useful starting point.

I did switch to stranded colourwork in a couple of places - specifically for the teeth and the nose. I might try to add a picture of this inside out later, just to pat myself on the back for sewing in all those loose ends.

I’m seriously thinking about something with the logo on the back next time - it’s got to be easier to photograph!

Nothing useful to say about the yarn for the time being really. It was cheap, it washes in a machine and it wasn’t too squeaky to work with but I’ll be interested to see how it wears.

Pattern: Pirate's Cutie by Shiri Mor - published in Knit One Winter 2006/7
Yarn: King Cole Pricewise dk
Colourway: 48 Black / 46 Cream
Needle: 3.50mm
Size: 12 - 18 months(ish)
On ravelry: here

Cisco

November 2011

Inspired by Brooklyn Tweed's version, and completely ripping off his idea of using a self striping yarn rather than stripes of lots of different colours of solids, this was originally made to match this jacket. 

Of course, they turned out completely different sizes and were never worn together. In fact, this hat had been languishing in a drawer for months, and it was only in getting George's knitwear drawer ready for the winter that I rediscovered it. It's more or less a perfect fit just now.

My mother in law has a real paranoia about babies getting ear infections (or that's how it seems to me, because it's never happened to George yet) and so wholeheartedly approves of hats which cover the ears. Being able to tie them on is also a plus, for obvious reasons.

This is a freebie patten, made with yarn which I had stashed anyway, so it basically cost me nothing. It's not machine washable, but I don't think that matters so much with hats as with other baby clothes. He would have to be going some to get this dirty.

Pattern: Cisco by Berroco Design Team

Yarn: Freedon Spirit by Twilleys of Stamford 

Colourway: 515 Destiny

Needle: 3.50mm 

Size: 6 - 12 months(ish)

On ravelry: here

Cartman Hat

August 2012

The problem with having a baby son is that I can't help wanting to dress him up in clothes he probably wouldn't approve of, if he was capable of expressing an opinion about it. So this is me making hay while the sun shines, and dressing him up as Eric Cartman. I'm also working on a Stewie Griffin costume, perhaps even including a ginger wig for me.

Anyway, this hat was pretty much improvised. Based on a gauge of 22 stitches to 4 inches and a head measurement of about 16 inches, I cast on 85 stitches. The yellow brim was in garter stitch and about five ridges (or ten rows) wide. The main body was in stocking stitch, which I worked even until about 4 inches from the cast on edge.

Deceases were as follows:

k1, (k2tog, k5) around

k one row even

k1, (k2tog, k4) around

k one row even

and so on, with one less stitch between decreases every other row until there were 13 stitches left.

I left the last few stitches on the needle. whilst I made the pom-pom, so that I could attach it by pulling the two ends of yellow yarn through them as well as the blue working yarn.

Much as would have loved to put him in a red coat and yellow mittens for the photos, it was August and WAY too hot!

Yarn: Patons Fab dk
Amount: less than one skein of each

Colourway: 2302 Yellow / 2315 Blue

Needle: 3.50mm
Size: 9 - 12 months 
On ravelry: here

Little Coffee Bean

May 2012

I loved this little cardigan. The yarn was a lidl special offer, and very cheap, but lovely and soft. It knitted up beautifully and wasn't splitty at all. The first time George wore it was to a playgroup, and it was spotted as handmade by a fellow knitter, which was gratifying.

Little coffee bean is a top down, seamless pattern, and I always enjoy those. I worked the sleeves in the round using the jobless stripe method set out in Jared Flood's turn a square pattern.

I'm tempted to make this again one day, maybe in a warmer yarn for the winter. I'm a big fan of cardigans without hoods at the moment, as the ones with hoods can get a bit too bulky with a coat on top.

These picture were taken when George was just over six months old - moving onto solid food but not yet mobile, and so at his chubbiest. And just as he was starting to play with his feet :)

Pattern: Little Coffee Bean by Elizabeth Smith
Yarn: Lidl Spring Crochet Assortment
Amount: one skein of each 
Colourway: blue / navy
Needle: 4.50mm
Size: 6 months 
On ravelry: here 

Lotus Baby Blanket

March 2012

I've been really dreadful at keeping my blog up to date for a good few months now, and I'm determined to make amends, so this is the first in what will hopefully be a flurry of posts about rather old projects. The last post I made was about a cardigan which has now been outgrown, and that's is a shocking state of affairs.

Anyway, back from the days when the baby stayed where he was put, this blanket he is modelling was a present for a little girl called Rosa to celebrate her naming day. I was rather pleased to find something with a flower-like pattern, because it seemed appropriate.

This is worked from the centre outwards. I used DPNS and circular needles rather than magic loop as suggested. When I got to near to the end I was running very short on time, and so I modified the blanket edging by working it in garter stitch, rather than seed stitch (which is a lot more time consuming). I thought it was just as decorative and just as effective at preventing the blanket from curling up on itself.

I really liked Breeze dk - it's lovely and soft and lightweight and it didn't show up my mistakes a much as some other cotton yarns seem to. Sadly it's been discontinued, and I only discovered it through a ravelry trade.

Pattern: Lotus Baby Blanket by Shana Kreikmeier
Yarn: Sirdar Breeze dk
Amount: 2 skeins
Colourway: 065 Apple Green
Needle: 4.00mm
Size: One size
On ravelry: here