Category Archives: patterns written by others

Phew!

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I have finally knitted something where I had to use my brain a little bit (really only a  little bit) and I really struggled….. I am clearly not used to it any more. I guess I need some brain exercise and what would be better than knitting!

Anyway, so I made a Life on Sundays by Veera Vaelimaeki using some DyeForYarn Merino/Silk. It is a striped triangular scarf with slipped and twisted stitches.

It is a beautiful pattern but it really took me a while, a few ripped rows and a few stitches that needed to be dropped in order to fix something. And at some point, I had actually a “disappeared stitch”. That was really a new experience for me and it took me ages to find where it had gone as there was no obvious hole.

I guess I have learned a few (obvious) lessons from this project.

If you are winding yarn into balls and then keep them for months before knitting, keep the ball bands as you might start a project using two different weights of yarn 🙂

Think before you start. Choose the right colour as main/contrasting colour. Thin stripes with very contrasting colours might actually not look that good from further away especially if it is a rather loose knit.

If you are using a new pattern, don’t knit while your children want to play with you. Especially not if it is something with many stitches on the needle.

Anyway, it was a very nice project and I am definitely going to use the pattern again. as usual, this one is not even made for me….

And one of my next projects will definitely be something for MEEEEE. Except that I need to make a few other things first….

 

 

Finally overcome…. I think

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I haven’t had much time to update the blog lately because I was sooo busy knitting hats. One of my new years resolutions is to actually tackle problems rather than always knit the same easy things where I do not have to use my brain. So, I made these two extremely warm hats (a third is in the making – to improve the decrease section). I have used Debbie Bliss Rialto Chunky, a 100% super soft merino. I have used slightly too small needles to make sure I’ll get a dense and warm fabric. The blue-green one is in simple stockinette, for the black-white-red I have used a ribbed pattern to get an even chunkier look.

I have also knitted two more feminine hats, one for my mum, one for who knows. So, my mum left London with a purple Super Cupcake by Bonne Marie Burns.IMG_1545I have used Debbie Bliss Rialto DK for the ribbing and added Debbie Bliss Angel in a very similar colour for the main part to add a bit of a halo effect. It is a very nice and simple hat in shaker rib pattern.

The other one is much more adventurous. It is an Escargot by Veronica Parsons.

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I just love it. I have used Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed which is perfect for that 20ies inspired style.

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Unfortunately it is slightly too big for me, I guess because I haven’t got much hair. So the hat is currently headless, and I am looking for a loving and caring home for it. If you have any suggestions please let me know!

 

 

New Years Resolution

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Firstly, just a quick reminder that you can still take part in my Christmas raffle if you want to win one of my knits.

Up until today, I was hoping to still be able to fly back home and as I had bought Make them yourself – Christmas crackers to use them at the Family reunion, I thought I could start early with my New Years resolution which is not to be mentally lazy but trying out new things.

So I started to make tiny things to put in the Christmas crackers. To be honest, I came only about half way. I could have knitted a sweater in the same time 🙂

I have made a few finger puppets for all the children in my family.

pig
bunny
bear
cat
mouse

In theory there is still one missing and I gave the pig already to leaving mother in law as a New Years lucky charm plus the other four got nicked by my own children. So I guess, it’s back to the start.

I have started a bit randomly following cute patterns for a snowman or a snail or just improvise for example a little beer bottle or a bag, this is how far I got in this few and busy days.

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I am unsure how to proceed, I might finish the project and just send it to everybody or keep the ones that I have already made for other purposes and stop now as I can tick the box of knitting tiny objects.

I wish you all a “good slide” or Guten Rutsch as we would say and a very Happy and healthy new year.

Door 18 – favourite patterns

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I have just been browsing my ravelry-projects, wondering when I will ever have the time to add my latest projects and I have realised that I have used some patterns over and over again, just because they are really great and versatile.

There is, of course, the Little Rascals by Julia Stanfield.

right of 2 itchy woolen jumpers
cotton sweater with detail
coordinated set 1
matching outfits
left of 2 sleeveless cotton Little Rascal
not too girly with kangaroo pocket and fitted hood
with collar and caterpillar on lower front
comfy for little ones without hood or collar
plain white cardigan for christening

I am not even sure if the gallery shows all the models I have ever knitted from that pattern, but you can see it is very versatile and all children in my family own at least one of them.

Another favourite for a quick and easy gift for a new baby girl would be the Versa by Shannon Passmore.

sunset colours, pockets and bow
short and strait
bold colours with contrasting pockets
raspberry with green details

I almost always use this pattern when I have to knit something for a baby girl. It offers many choices to adapt the shape but I almost always knit a tunic as I feel it is the version that will fit the longest, first as a dress, later a top.

And last but not least, there is the Rainbow Dress by Georgie Hallam. I haven’t actually knit it this year but I think it is a great pattern and I am very fond of it. Maybe because it was the first time ever that I came across anything a seamless top-down pattern.

Whilst looking at my past projects I have also rediscovered a few patterns that would be worth to be knit again, but enough for today 🙂