Giftwrap set

July 2014

I recently spent a very pleasant week at Centre Parcs in Sherwood Forest. Practical as ever, I decided that the best project to take away with me on holiday would be one which required me to carry 8 balls of yarn around with me in what can really only be described as a sack…

But there were babies to knit for, and babies don't hang around. I won a boxful of Stylecraft dk in a competition last year, and had been meaning to make something colourful with it for a while.

I love this little set, but I do wish I'd done something to test out the palate first, if that makes sense. All of the colours are very pretty, and they mostly do combine very well, but the pale purple does tend to blend into the grey a little too much for my liking, and if I was to make this again, I would leave it out or use a different shade.

A word of warning to anyone thinking of embarking on a project like this - every stripe means two loose ends to sew in. I was very grateful this wasn't an adult sized project - I think if it was it might still be hanging around half-finished. Having said that, being topdown and seamless there is very little finishing with this project other than sewing in the ends, so I shouldn't really complain.

Giftwrap is available as an e-book with a onesie pattern as well as this bonnet and cardigan. 

Pattern: Giftwrap sweater and bonnet by Carina Spencer
Yarn: Stylecraft special dk in 1246 Lipstick (red), 1711 Spice (orange), 1114 Sunshine (yellow), 1316 Spring Green (green), 1003 Aster (blue) and 1188 Lavender (pale purple)

Hayfield bonus dk in Velvet Plum (dark purple) and Light Grey Mix (grey)

Amount: Less than one ball of each
Needles: 3.50mm
Size: Smallest
On ravelry: here

Owls

May 2014

I love Kate Davies, and I'm starting to love how yoked sweaters look on me. When my husband finally agree to let me recycle the Appersett he just didn't quite seem to be getting enough wear from, there was only one thing I wanted to make. Actually, make that two because I did briefly flirt with the idea of DownEast, but only very very briefly.

Owls is a flattering-even-though-it-shouldn't-be slice of chunky loveliness, which can easily be whipped up in a week or so. I totally made it at the wrong time of year, but come the winter time it's going to be getting a lot of wear (especially if I manage to drop that half-stone or so I've been meaning to do something about since forever).

This seems to be one of the most knitted patterns ever if ravelry is anything to go by, and so there probably isn't a great deal useful left to say about it. I made a size small, but added bust darts a couple of inches below the yoke.

The finished fit was a little on the snug side, but I think that's what makes it so flattering. I also worked mine top-down so that I could make sure I was happy with the length. It feels like length is the one thing I'm most likely to be fussy about in any of the projects I made for myself at the moment. Thinking about it, though, I could just have easily worked the pattern bottom-up as written with a provisional cast on to mess about with at the end. Must try that next time.

I'd already had a go at making the child's version of this when I embarked upon mine, and now of course I'm kicking myself about not making this sooner, before my son grew out of his. Perhaps it's time to think about making him another one!

Pattern: Owls by Kate Davies
Yarn: Rowan Purelife British Sheep Breeds Chunky
Amount: Recycled, so who knows?
Colourway: Dark Gray Welsh
Needles: 6.00mm
Size: Smallest, but with bust darts
On ravelry: here