Update

I’ve been knitting some fun little knits over the weekend. Probably about 9 hours total (about 3 hours each, maybe less if you’re not watching telly!) for these adorable little hats!



Pattern: Basic Baby Hat
Yarn: James C Brett Merino DK (red and green) and Sublime Pure Merino DK (sesame)
Needles: 4mm
Modifications: None really, I moved the decreases around a bit
Verdict: I love this pattern – I’ve made it before for Nerd Wars!

I’ve sent these lovely little hats off to another Raveller who is collecting for Breakspears Baby Blankets (they also take hats).


Baby hats are such a satisfying knit. They don’t take very long, or very much yarn. They are so cute when they’re done. These ones in particular are going to someone who really needs them, someone who maybe can’t afford to provide their baby with even one little hat to keep its head warm. How can anyone not love making something like that?
I do have another baby hat planned to go with the little jacket I knitted earlier this month, but I will wait until Thursday (start of round 2) to cast it on because that means I can count it for next round’s challenges.
That also means that I have “Melted the cube”! Yes, that’s 6 for 6 Nerd Wars challenges.



Woot!

This also means I’ve three whole days to work on my dissertation and other stuff, while waiting for the next round’s challenges to appear!
I’ve really enjoyed knitting all the things I’ve knitted for this round of Nerd Wars. I’ve enjoyed the new team as well. I’ve especially enjoyed the squares, which isn’t something I thought I would enjoy at all. In fact, I’ve enjoyed them so much I’m considering making a mini blanket.

You might remember a while back I worked out that it is possible to have a 9x9 blanket with 9 colours and 9 patterns and have them all appearing only once in a row. I think I’d like to do that still!
So watch this space!

A Week Off!

I was off work last week; I was on holiday!

Hubby and I had a lovely week, we visited his folks, my friend, and the Quaker Tapestry. We also did a little shopping. My parents visited my house and helped us to extend the chicken run.



One of the chickens, we think it was Willow, laid a massive egg



It was a whopping 96g! The normal size egg on the left is just under 50g, so 96g was amazing. When I cracked it to make scrambled eggs for breakfast, it turned out to be a double yolker! Yum!

I bought some fab new boots (I’ll try to remember to post a picture later) in the Kurt Geiger sale, and we managed to find some shoes for my mum to wear to my sister’s wedding in April. Phew.

And amongst all that, I even managed to get some knitting done!
I’m competing in Nerd Wars again, so I should be completing plenty of knits, crochets, and maybe even some spinning.

First, I made this tiny shrug.



Pattern: Improvised raglan with lace panel on sleeves
Yarn: Louisa Harding Kimono Angora
Needles: 4mm
Modifications: n/a
Verdict: Love it! It’s cute and perfect for keeping shoulders warm. I knitted it for a friend of mine who was in hospital at the time.

Then, I made this super cute baby jacket



Pattern: Ribbed Baby Jacket by Debbie Bliss
Yarn: Stylecraft Life Aran
Needles: 5mm
Modifications: None!
Verdict: This was a nice pattern to knit, not too difficult at all. However, I wouldn’t knit it this way again. I found seaming it to be quite frustrating. The bottom of the jacket curls badly, and I don’t think blocking will fix it. This irritates me. The cuffs also curl. I do like the ribbed front, but the nature of ribbing is that it pulls in, so in hindsight I would make the first and last ribs 4 stitches wide rather than 2. I would probably also slip the stitches on the collar section to make the edge a bit neater. Of course, if I make all the changes that I’m currently thinking I would make, it wouldn’t actually be this jacket pattern at all! Maybe I’ll create a new pattern, and then write it up.

There are a few projects still in the works! Not least, I plan to make Tirrold finally. It’s my Nerd Wars dissertation this round! So I need to cast that on too.

Darn! I think I need some more time off to get all this knitting done! (I wish it was the case that I got more knitting done on holiday, but I’m not sure that I do!

At Last!

Some completed knitting! Woo!



Pattern: Rippenschal
Yarn: Colourmart cone 50% cashmere / 50% wool
Needles: 4mm
Modifications: I cast on 50sts, so I had to adjust the cables slightly
Verdict: Love it! It's smooshy and warm. Hopefully hubby loves it too.