Pebble Beach in a seaside garden.

I took part in a KAL (knit-a-long) on the Curious Handmade forum to make this lovely Pebble Beach Shawlette. The pattern was included in the Unwind programme and was designed by Helen Stewart.

I finished this last week but have been waiting for right light to take pictures as bright orange (like bright red) can be a real bitch to photograph.

As we can see the sea from home the idea of photographing this in our 'seaside' garden amused me and today the light was perfect. Not only to show the true orange of the yarn but also the stitch definition as the pattern.

This is a lovely pattern to knit, quite simple and beautifully written and is now available to buy on Ravelry.

Details of the yarn used etc can be found either on my Rav project page or via an earlier blog post.

I also finished a bobbin of spinning today. The fibre is from some I purchased at Unwind. I am spinning it by gradient and have already started bobbin 2. Holidays are great for getting on with craft stuff that you have put off.

Brighton, bright orange pebble beach.

This is one of the free patterns in the Unwind programme it is by Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade and is the Pebble Beach Shawlette. Loving it so far. I've joined the KAL on Rav too.

I am using one of the skeins from Unwind in an uber bright orange -  have I ever mentioned how much I love orange? - It is from easy knits (link on previous Unwind post) on his Mesmeric base the colour (I muted it in the picture because it is so bright all the photos went blurry) is called Solar Erruption.

I plan to make the other free pattern as well but this one called to me being a Brighton girl who spent her teens trying to get comfy all summer on the pebble beaches by the pier.

P.s I know eruption only has one 'R' but I spelt as it is printed on the label.

A Phi of relief

This is a Phi shawl by Jennifer Dassau. It soothes my inner geek as the stripes follow the Fibonacci sequence. It's a nice knit - garter stitch - but the shape and the stripes stave off the boredom factor.

The yarn is from The Uncommon Thread (I mentioned it on a previous post) it is called Sunday Best and the colours are Into Dust (pink) and Plata. I'm not pink person (these days) but I just love the combo of these two colours so much. It has knitted up beautifully and is so soft and plooshy. The photo is pre-blocking it has grown a little but not too much and I can't wait for a cool spring/summer evening so I can wear it.

Little Boggart cameo too.

Little summer tango cardi

Wispy cardigan pattern by Hannah Fettig. Second time I've knit this. This one has longer sleeves. I love Malabrigo Lace, so soft. This colour is Tigerlily and if a really bright, summery orange. The pattern has a nice construction and you can try it on as you go. Am really happy with it.

Summer colour crochet with added sockness

Have made a couple more since I took this but have been a lazy blogger. I love the patterns and colours and they work really well on  this great cotton.

Just starting a week off, so who knows, I might get a few more made. But I am feeling very lazy and have been on a bit of a sock knitting thing.

These were having a second sock hiatus but last weekend I found my sock mojo and the second one, which had only had 6 rows knitted, flew off my needles in about a day.

Love this Swedish inspired pattern from Stephanie Van Der Linden's book 'Around the World in Knitted Socks'. The photo is pre blocking and I have to say that after blocking the pattern just jumps off the sock and is lovely. I so enjoyed making these that I am making another two colour pair from her book and am already over half way through the first sock. This pair were made with Regia Uni in cream and red and knit on 2.25mm dpns. Nice pattern, easy chart and quite nice construction.

Hot knife through butter

This is a new yarn from The Uncommon Thread called Sunday Best. It's 115g (345m) of 70% Superwash Merino, 20% Cashmere and 10% Nylon - sport weight. The two colours above are Into Dust and Plata. I am knitting Phi shawl with it ( non Ravelry link).

It knits beautifully. It is so soft but with enough sprongy-ness that it feels plush and full. The stitch definition (even on this garter stitch pattern) is lovely. It makes me long to pick up my needles even if I only have time to knit one row. Been a while since I have felt such instant yarn love. Bliss.

N.B. I chose this pattern over all the other two colour shawls because I am a total Fibonacci geek.

Hatty McHat time

Leftover yarn just needed to become a slouchy titfer. Catkin hat by Kate Davies on 2.5 and 2.75mm needles. Yarn is as before TUT heavenly fingering in Nimbostratus.

Sloppy, floppy, soft and warm. Perfect.

Trying to blog more

It's a quiet week at work so I'm about a bit more but no less busy. One of my non-resolutions was to firstly blog a bit more and secondly to write more in general. M bought me a beautiful yellowy/orange Moleskine lined note book for Christmas and with my newish ink pen I am attempting to write one flash fiction a week. This week I started number three and it has run away with me, think it will be more fiction than flash but hey ho. I might start a new blog and post some of them there, am undecided at the moment.

I have also been playing about with the new camera again. I do love it.

The quilt is progressing nicely too. But today I have to knuckle down and take back up at job of work. I've been asked to make a small crochet afghan for a charity raffle to be ready by May. Each square takes about an hour. I think I have made 6 so far. So, as I am waiting for the weather to clear up before taking the dogs, I am planning to make at least 2 or 3 squares today. I've also signed up for Ysolda's first mystery shawl knit along, which starts Monday (13th Jan). I have picked my yarn and swatched it.

This a 4ply superwash Merino fingering by Eden Cottage Yarns in the colour Pendle which I bought a Woolfest 2012. I have 800 yards and the pattern calls 600 ish. It has a nice subtle semi solid feel to it.

Lastly, we had some sad new this week. One of my elderly aunties on my Dad's side has passed away. We found out a few years back that she had developed dementia and finally allowed her daughter to put her in a home for her own safety really. I have very fond childhood memories of this aunt and when we used to visit her and other family down in Kent. She came to my wedding and in one of my favourite photos she is smiling at M and I in the background. She was truly a lovely person. My two favourite aunties from that side are now gone, my family so distant and scattered gets smaller every year :(

Cloudy Conic - first FO of 2014

Conic pattern by Cookie A available via Ravelry.

Started in September but took a break for the Xmas knitting. Yarn is Heavenly Fingering in Nimbostratus by The Uncommon Thread. It knits up a dream, washes well and is light but warm. The colour is wonderful and goes with everything.

I really liked this pattern - it has a quirky construction and even with the stocking stitch is an interesting knit. I will make another.

This year so far....

 

Playing with my latest toy.

 

 

Faffing around making a quilt top.

Also just need to cast off and my Conic cardi will finally be finished.