Total Pageviews

Saturday 25 August 2012

Crafty things


Very pleased I have finished the hat to match the sports coat for friend's grandson. The collar of the coat was garter stitch, most of the hat is garter stitch too. the brim is stocking stitch so it curls up a little, making it slightly less beany style.

Have checked, you haven't seen a picture of the coat, well not this version of it in navy Sirdar.




to coordinate, here's the hat,



Rather difficult to have an idea of scale, but I have made the garments for a one year old, because I knit a bit tightly sometimes, to allow the child to grow into the clothes, not all children come in British Standard specifications for their age and who knows what may have interrupted my knitting.

Have completed 141 hexipuffs so far, but they are an out and about project, so once the baby hat was finished I looked around for another project. There is quite a stash here, so marrying up what I would like to make or need with what is in those ziplock bags is fun. I see a pattern, then think, oh, that would be good, then the yarn doesn't line up, I am torn between making items for my home or for me to wear. So far I have made just two pairs of socks, would like to try the toe up technique; have patterns and the book but would need to go out and find the yarn. Given the thunderstorms we've had this afternoon it is a stay at home day.

Last November I acquired a huge amount of yarn from Freecycle, don't know what the weight or make is, but decided to knit some up into a square. Found some chunky wooden needles size 7mm I think, the how to knit a square pattern  - cast on one stitch, increase one stitch at beginning of every row till square is a big enough triangle then reverse the process. Have made two following the instructions, third one I have modified the instructions so first stitch is slipped and this has made a tidier edge.


This is much quicker knitting than hexipuffs, 36 stitches before I decrease again, so I am using up the cream and will make quite a few garter stitch squares before using moss stitch, or even double moss stitch. Will make at least 4, or a multiple of four of each design and use all the cream wool before starting on the other neutral colours of which there is less.


The wool I have started is on left of picture, colour isn't clear but it a natural creamy colour. Am considering crocheting some squares too to give a different texture to the throw, need to mug up on techniques, it is a long while since I was hooked.

Lastly, am not sure how to proceed when turning sheep's wool in its raw state to beautiful yarn for when we went on the walk a month ago I gathered some wool from the hedgerows. A few days later I was given considerably more so have washed it all, dried it by hanging a netting bag on the washing line. Now, for the next stage, can the fluffy wool be turned into thread without a spinning wheel? Wouldn't want to buy one just for this quantity.



Any thoughts, criticisms, ideas, comments all more than welcome, but in the meantime, enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend and the Paralympics.

3 comments:

  1. Love the little jacket,,,cute!

    ReplyDelete
  2. From having read about treating wool, I seem to remember it has to be combed first, and then spun. There is always the possibility to spin it with a handheld spindle instead of a wheel.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I admire anyone who can knit or sew well. I don't really have the patience never mind the skill.

    Does anyone still spin with a distaff?

    ReplyDelete