Saturday 31 October 2009

another hat

I'm never tired of praising Wooly Wormhead designs.
And this time, I have immensely enjoyed myself in knitting this beauty!
Look at the stitch, I was fearing it was going to be difficult or extremely laboriuos, and instead it went on ... like butter!



The pattern, Star Beanie (Rav link) by Woolly Wormhead, is as usual super well written and clear, and was fantastic and quick to knit. Hey, if you go to her site, visit the blog, and have a look at the download section, where there are lots of interesting informations about techniques besides free patterns!


I used 4mm needles, and a pure wool from BBB lane, of which I do not remember the name. I used a bit less than a skein. And look at the colour (OK, not the one in the above photo, which is overexposed). The only tricky part of the scheme was the change in moving the marker at the end of the body of the hat, but by then you must have got the hang on how the stars should overlap, and thus I was able to make them spiral up continuously as by pattern.

This was the november KAL at the Wormhead's hats group on Ravelry, and if you check there, a new KAL is starting tomorrow, with two new designs... Anticipations are high!

Speaking of knit alongs, the bug has beaten me lately, as I have decided to participate also to the short-rows KAL, organised, I think, by Miss Piggott at the kn.it group (Ravelry link). I like a lot to knit toghther with other people, albeit virtually, and actually also to know them in real person afterwards, as it often happens after a while! So internet starts as a virtual space, but it is then possible to know the people you share something with in reality!

Thursday 29 October 2009

lucky me! SP14 continued

It is somedays I wanted to write this post, but never had time to take a picture... No more excuses, I now have a photo! (OK, it is a bad photo, I had to use the flashlight, but at least here it is).


I have had the luck to participate to sp14 with two wonderful partners, Gabi, at Rainbowthreads, and Katie, at The view from the Hill. They have been really fantastic partners, I was so lucky (and also a thank to our hostess Jinann at Have ewe any wool?).


Gabi sent me a nice present to celebrate the end of the swap: she has been really thoughtfull and picked up a super fantasic knitting diary. Look there, isn't it wonderful? There are real petals and vegetable in the cover, and orange is one of my favourite colours! I will start using it now, otherwise I usually tend to keep beautiful things unused, but the best way for me to show I liked it, is starting to write on it NOW.



THANK YOU Gabi! You really made my week, that is being rather hard on many other aspects.

Tuesday 27 October 2009

some finished objects...

After a writing hyatus, due to crazy working schedules, I'm back on knitting, and have something to show you.
I'm very pleased with it, and considering that it took me less than a month, I'm proud of myself.

Let me introduce you my latest accomplishment:

And also indulge on some details

And finally have the full view:


It's Ysolda teague's "hap blanket" (Rav link) knitted with 8mm needles, using two wools I had in stash (with no names of brands or any other information). The pattern is in Little Whimsical knits 1, and it is the less well written I have done so far. No complains, anyway, as it was quite clear and absolutely nice to knit, but there is an error (row 5 and subsequent correspondents should be purled and not knitted), and there were a lot of "sending back to previous row" type of instructions. Despite this, I'm VERY happy of the result, and would consider to knit another.

It went to my dad for his birthday, and he liked it a lot!



Friday 16 October 2009

sad news...

Yesterday morning a dear friend's father died....
Yesterday evening I was exhausted....
Life goes on, I guess!

Wednesday 14 October 2009

a brilliant idea

I have found a brilliant idea at the purl bee blog.
Look there: these mittens are gorgeous and combine sewing and knitting!

Maybe I should try to make a pair, the only thing I don't really have is time ;-)

Tuesday 13 October 2009

something for SP14

Lately, besides trying to complete started projects ... and not so successfully, up to now at least,
I have been also ingaged in some "secret projects".

This cowl was made for Gabi, my secret pal, and now that she has received it, I can show it to you. Here it is, unblocked


And this is how it was while blocking (the real colour is nearer to the one in the first picture).


The pattern is a noble cowl, by Emily Kausalik (ravelry link). I found the pattern in the queued projects from Gabi, and fell in love with it. It in knitted on 4mm needles, in the round, with a pure merino baby wool I had in stash. It was a pleasure to knit this cowl, and I hope it will keep her warm, now that winter is approaching.

In the meantime, other things are being knitted, but I'll keep them for other posts!


Friday 2 October 2009

secret pal 14 update

This week was a sort of nightmare at work, and I was so tired that days were passing by with no posts.
I have received the final package from Katie: she has been a wonderful pal, and she has stimulated me in trying (er..., wanting to try!) new things. And I will post here my progresses, no worries!

Anyhow, the package was full of wonderful things, and I honestly liked all of them, I can't decide on favourites. Here are some photos:



Look there!
A lovely note, all for myself!
A gorgeous wool handspun by Katie! I love its colour, and feeling, and I spent a bit of time wondering how is it possible to spin like that. Which brought me to resume my spindle, and decide that by the end of october I shall finish my first attempt at spinning.
A super fantastic bookmark, already in use, and it is a knitting bookmark (thus combining two favourites things of mine).
A washcloth (orange, I love it) and fabric with chickens. The washcloth complements beautifully my kitchen, and the fabric will be put at good use.
And finally, tea and chocolate!!! (all was excellent).

The last thing in the pack was such a cute thought, and I really loved it to no end: a pack of moo cards. I have no words, actually, there would be so many words, that I will just write here a big

THANK YOU KATIE!