A Cardigan for Merry

October 2012

George's Christmas present, which was well timed to coincide with the UK release of the Hobbit (the pattern being named after a character in the Lord of the Rings).

Although this is a freebie pattern, you do need to have bought Kate Gilbert's Cardigan for Arwen if you want to refer to the cable charts. Substituting your own would work fine too, but it would have to be reversible, because the hood means that both sides are on display at once.

This felt enormous when I first finished it, and I remember thinking it would have to languish in a drawer until he was at least 3. A couple of months later, it's not a bad fit - so I guess the 12 - 18 month sizing was about right. George is about 13.5 months here, and big-ish for his age.

I THINK I've got the right yarn - I couldn't find the ball band, but it was definitely something style craft or King Cole-y. Next time I'm in Helmsley I'll track down the wool shop and check (any excuse).

The Buttons came from Boyes in York, chosen by Daddy. Daddy also wanted me to add a tassel to the hood, which I might well have done was it not for the fact that the finishing was already epic (it's knit flat, in pieces, and there are hems - ick).

Pattern: A Cardigan for Merry by annypurls
Yarn: Stylecraft Special double knit
Colourway: 1010 Matador
Needle: 3.5mm
Size: 12 - 18 months
On ravelry: here

Meredith

November 2012

I've been working on an entirely-stocking-stitch XL cardigan since September, and it's boring the heck out of me. So I jumped on the opportunity to make this as a Christmas present, just so I could have a go at a bit of lace.

The lace pattern is written, not charted, but for a freebie pattern it seems churlish to complain about that. I thought the way short rows are used to make a nice round shape of the lace yoke was really clever, and unlike anything I've attempted before.

The buttons (from John Lewis, by the way) are supposed to be at the back, as far as I can tell, but I'd be tempted to try it the other way around, because they're so pretty. White and green is such a lovely combination.

I found my lace hem turned up on itself a little bit, but I'll put that down to the fact that I was very poorly when I was trying to finish this off. Blocking has helped a little bit, so I might have another go, although acrylic doesn't really have the same memory as natural fibres.

This is a great baby yarn - I've made quite a few things with it now, and it wears very well. Plus it's washable, which is pretty essential with baby clothes. I was toying with the idea of turning it into a jumper with a dragon on it for George (my little boy), but I think this was the right call. I reckon I should be able to find a more dragon-y green.

You know, it's high time I made something for me. Just as soon as I finished that damned cardigan...

Pattern: Meredith by Ruth Maddock
Yarn: King Cole Big Value Baby dk
Colourway: Nil 7
Needle: 3.5mm
Size: 2 - 3
On ravelry: here

Poseidon

October 2012

There is a certain time of year when a knitted vest over a long-sleeved top is just the thing to keep the chill off without making you too sweaty and itchy. I made this for my son to wear during that time of year in 2013.

I loved the unusual construction of this vest. It starts with a provisional cast on of the stitches which will end up as the row across the back at which underarm shaping starts. You then knit up the back, over the shoulders and start working downwards, making the v-neck by increasing. When you get to the point at which the front measures the same as the back, you take out your provisional cast-on and join to work in the round, making it totally seamless. And you really can't spot the provisional cast on row when you're finished.

See?

I've always struggled with provisional cast on, despite watching more online demos than I care to remember. Just too much twisty turny. Then Amber Bertram pointed out that if you cast on normally with scrap yarn and just knit into that with your working yarn, you achieve the same thing. So simple it made me feel a bit silly.

This was a really quick enjoyable pattern, and I love the way the cables look in this two-tone yarn (I'm not sure what the technical word for it would be). I've completed one other project in Moods Duet dk, and it loved the look of it then, given it's a bit of a bargain basement sort of yarn.

Pattern: Poseidon by Amber Bertram
Yarn: King Cole Moods Duet dk
Colourway: Stonewash
Needle: 3.5mm
Size: 18 - 24 months
On ravelry: here

Round Dance

July 2010

I love this pattern. To design colourwork is clever enough, but to design something so cool, and which even works around decreases for shaping blows my mind. And to give it away for free too. Awesome.

HOWEVER, it came out massive. It's not that I have a tiny head, honest. I really should have been more careful about my gauge, because being knitted bottom-up, this isn't the sort of thing you can adjust very easily even if you realise it's going a bit wrong. And I did. But I just had to finish the chart regardless.

One other difficulty I had with this hat is that I'm quite new to colour work, and so the huge gaps between the rib cages and the skulls, which called for very long floats, weren't as neat as I'd have liked (although blocking may have remedied that). This is probably one for someone with a bit more experience than me.

I'm blogging about this now because I'm on the verge of unravelling it so that I can recycle the yarn into  a pair of Lusekofte-esque Mitts. I've just passed my driving test, and I think they would be just the thing to keep my hands toasty on a wintery drive. I couldn't bring myself to frog this without plenty of photographs first.

Pattern: Round Dance by Thomas Pototschnig
Yarn: Rowan RYC Cashsoft 4-ply (MC) and Debbie Bliss Rialto 4-ply (CC)
Colourway: Thunder / Cream
Needle: 3.25mm
Size: One size
On ravelry: here