First Ever Socks (so far)

I dropped hints like boulders to all my family that I wanted to try sock knitting next and was not disappointed when Santa came (see below). So come Christmas night I was casting on my first ever pair of socks and so far have not found them too difficult. I mucked up a bit last night on shaping the instep as I was decreasing on every row when there should have been a knit row in between. Then I lost a stitch somewhere and had to rip it all back to the heel as i just couldn't find it. Anyway, I am very pleased with my progress so far:Only trouble is everyone in my family thinks they are hideous and wouldn't wear them if I paid them, so I don't know where they are destined. Maybe I will frame them!

Look what was in my stocking!

This year I got so many lovely thoughtful presents from my family. Here are the knitting related ones!

2 balls of very pink Sirdar toddler Aran from my sister. Her friend is expecting next year so this is her way of hinting for me to knit the baby something. Lets hope its a girl!

2 lovely books full of small, quick projects. "One-skein" from my sister and "Easy Knitted Accessories" from my brother and his girlfriend. Perfect for getting into after spending the last couple of months on bigger items.

From my husband - 2 sets of dpns, a sock pattern, two balls of regia self patterning wool and 2 balls of plain sock wool. As you can see I have started on the patterned wool - more of that later.

A very spacious knitting bag from my brother and his girlfriend. Full already!

5 sets of bamboo needles from my husband. Have always knitted with metal needles before so this will be a new experience for 2007.

Christmas Wrap

This is my sisters present. It's from a Simply Knitting magazine pattern, knitted in Rowan Plaid. She picked it out months ago as something she would like. I had a hard time getting the yarn as its been discontinued, I finally got it at cucumberpatch. Then I couldn't find the magazine! But it all turned out fine in the end. I put her off the scent by making her a tank top for her birthday (see below) so I am hoping it will be a pleasant surprise on Christmas Day.

Here's a close up of the cabling:

Baby Knits

My cousin had a wee girl this morning (Hello Emily!). These are her presents, each with their own bit of history.

This cardigan is knitted in my late Grans holey pattern, which she first knitted as a twin-set when my Mum started school around 1955. She then went on to knit it for every new baby that came along and as we grew up we had them in navy and grey for school, pale yellow for Easter, pink for the Summer. Round necks, V-necks, Jumpers, tank tops.

My Gran died a few years ago and I have taken it upon myself to continue the tradition. She had written down the pattern on a wee bit paper and I've not been 100% happy with the results so far but with each one I improve the pattern (this is my fourth).

This is a loopy hat, which was my Mums speciality. She died nearly 20 years ago, and this is my first attempt which I'm very pleased with. The colours haven't came out too well on this photo. I'll definitely be making more loopy hats. Love the effect.

Tank Top

It's my wee sisters birthday this week and this is part of her present. It's knitted in RYC Cashcotton DK which is lovely to knit with. Bit worried that it may be too short but we shall see.

Blast from the Past - Fashion Doll Wardrobe Item1

Now. When I was taught to knit as a wee lassie I loved to knit dolls clothes and toys. Then I moved on to baby things but never progressed much from there until this year. However even though I have now mastered adult items, a bit of me still holds a soft spot for those tiny fashion doll clothes. So one day on ebay I was looking at patterns and saw a dolls pattern I'd had when I was wee, then another, then another. So I bought a few and have had great fun knitting some up for my own daughters dolls.

This actual feather and fan evening dress I first knitted in white at least twenty years ago and here it is in a rather more contemporary 'heather mixture'. (Little joke there for any Billy Connelly fans out there).

Fetching

I have been knitting longer than I've been doing this blog so obviously there are things I've knitted over the past wee while that I can show you too, and not just works in progress.

I returned to knitting with a vengeance around Easter this year and then subsequently discovered loads of knitting-related sites on the internet. One of the first I discovered was Knitty and the first ever thing I knitted from a website was Fetching. It was also the first item I've ever attempted on double pointed needles so I was delighted with the way they turned out. They're knitted in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and only took one 50g ball. I bought two just in case I needed the extra so I might do another pair in the New Year. It's a very popular pattern out there as I've seen them on various sites in every colour going.

Anyway, they're getting sent off to Santa as a stocking filler for my sister. (I'll keep the 2nd pair for myself!) Excuse the fat hands, just shows you they really are one size fits all!

Getting there....

So I've finished the back and am nearly done with the front. It might not be too obvious from the picture but it has a very deep neckline, though it does look like the picture on the pattern so I am not too worried. I think these deep v-necks are quite 'in' at the moment and as my Gran used to say "Yir as weel deid if yir no in the fashion".

I wonder what my sister will wear under it?

I promised myself that I wouldn't buy any more wool this year but I was in the wee shop down the road buying some Christmas stickers for my daughters Christmas cards that she is making and bought two balls of Sublime. My cousin is due this month and if she has a boy, I'll be making a holey pattern cardigan for him in this lovely colour. More of the history of the holey pattern another time.

WIP in time for Christmas????

This is the back so far of my sisters Christmas present. I decided to knit both my sisters and my brothers girlfriend something this year. I've completed two out of the three but they have still to be blocked so no pics yet. I started this on Thursday so am doing not bad. The front has a very deep v-neck and it just has wee cap sleeves so I should get it done before the 22nd, whihc is when my sister arrives.
It's knitted in a Jarol DK wool/acrylic mix which is really soft. I chose it for the clour, which is a much deeper winey-red than on this picture.

White Baby Boy Hat

Another friend asked me to make this hat for her newest grandson. She saw an old patten lying around my living room. It's made with Sirdar Snuggly DK which is really soft.
I have been gathering lots of old baby patterns as I really like some of the old fashioned styles for babies. More to come in the New Year once I get my Christmas knitting finished.

Baby Cardigan & Hat

My friend asked me to make a hat for her friends new baby and when we went to pick the wool I ended up saying I'd make the cardigan too so here it is. It's knitted in Sirdar Bonus as this was the colour my friend liked best, so both items for under £2!
Back to the Christmas knitting..........

My First Post

My first foray into blogging! Pictures of what I've been up to will appear shortly.