It's spring!

We are happily back home! Maybe a little bit sleepy...



But now and then the sun shines, and you realise it's spring!

ready to leave - and a shawl

Well, the time of getting back home has come.....



Before leaving I managed to send to M the shawl I knitted for her!



It's another stipey shawl, this time no pattern, but if you want to make one, here it goes, it's a simple recipe.



- cast on 3, knit 6 rows, pick up 3 sts from side + 3 from cast on (9 sts total).
- leaving a border of two knit stitches, knit one row, purl another (to have stocking stitch), or knit all rows (to have garter). Alternate stocking stitch bands and colors at your will, just following the inspiration.
- increase 4 stitches every other row (better if on the knit side...), two stistches near the borders (i.e. k2, kf&b k), and the other two on either side of center stitch (you can put a marker to remember which one it is, better use two markers, and kf&b when you reach them, on either side of central stitch). I used k1f&b as increase, as I didn't want holes.
Have fun! :-)

a tram trip

On sunday we went to visit R.
Coming back, I had my i-pod in my hands, and of course, couldn't stop clicking. Waht fascinetes me is all these cables... And that wonderful, cloudy blue sky! Enjoy the trip with me.

almost ready...

We are about to return home, which is quite good after two months. Actually good and sad at the same time, maybe I should make a post to express my feelings: I'm really happy to return home, to see my family, my friends, my house. I'm not looking forward to get back to work (to the horrible atmosphere there, not to work itself, as I'm actually happily working a lot here). I'm sad to leave so many good friends.

Well, as I'm struggling to finish things, here is the last hat I managed to knit.



The model is Inga (free on Ravelry) by Thèonie. Very well written, and doable by an absolute beginner (this is my second attempt at fair isle), it was a pleasure to knit.



I bought the two wool balls at Morris & Sons in the city, they were on sale and called me saying it was time to try again some colorwork. I fear now I'm hooked, I like it, but still need to get better at it!



I'm now working as much as I can (so not much indeed) to finish a shawl that should stay here, I hope I'll ba bale to complete it and send it to a dearest friend before we leave. I'm almost there, so there is hope.

baby sweater

Baby O was born on the 25th of fabruary, and how could I resist? That same day I bought some Panda Amber at Clegs, downloaded the beautiful pattern Five Hour Baby Sweater by Courtney Filner, and cast on.



Well, it didn't take only five hours, but it was indeed a fast knit!



It was really well received, even if it is probably a bit big, but oh, well, it will fit sooner or later (probably next summer....!).
Th only modification to the pattern was to knit the sleeves in the round, I hate seaming and avoit it as plague.

All in all I'm really happy and will make some more of these baby sweaters, and there you see the last addition to my chicken collection (I'm SO weak!).

the forgotten shawl

This is another piece I finished sometimes ago. Then I was trapped by too many things happening and never blogged about it.
So here it is, my first completed shawl for 2011. If I continue at this speed the challange of 11 shawls in 2011 is going to be tough!



The pattern is Josephine Shawl by Susan Gutperl (another free pattern on Ravelry) and it is an easy all garter shawl. I really had fun knitting this, no much thinking and all relax, a real win for this period.



I have now fallen into striped garter shawls, so be ready, you are advised!

and the knitting continues!

So, here we are with another hat!



I'm quite pleased with it, it was fun start to end, especially going to buy the button!



The pattern is "The republic hat" by Nicole Reeves (free on Ravelry), easy but interesting.


The garter band is worked flat, then the rest of the hat is knitted in the round. Final touch is the button, and voilà, a nice hat is finished!