First Felt

Have not updated for ages so here goes. One pic today, the rest tomorrow!

STASH DIET UPDATE. To date I have lost 12 pounds so am still 2 pounds away from my first stone (14 lbs), the point where I can buy some more yarn. So I am still knitting from stash, which is great for the corner of the bedroom where it is all kept but I am beginning to crave a shopping spree. Hopefully over the next week or so I'll get there.

I've made a 6-12 month lacy cardigan in Sirdar Snuggly, 2 first size baby boys hat in some unlabelled acrylic stuff, a hat for DD in Jaeger Baby Merino and have almost completed a felted bag in Twilleys of Stamford Freedom Spirit with the remainder of the yarn I got during the Angel Yarns Forum Springtime Secret Santa, from Bronte.

Here is a pic prior to felting -

It measured roughly 12" x 12". I popped it in a pillow case and put it in the machine on a 40 degree 29 minutes wash with a pair of jeans. I wasn't too impressed when it came out so put it all back in again on a 60 degree wash for the same time. I'm much happier with the result so far. Tonight I am going to add the decorative frill, which isn't felted and will post a finished article picture soon. I've never felted anything before so it's all very exciting.

Supersoft Aran

Penny asked yesterday what the Sirdar Supersoft Aran was like to knit with, as she has a pattern that uses it. I should qualify my post by saying I used Sirdar Supersoft Toddler Aran, I'm not sure if they make some that's just Aran!
It's 100% acrylic - I know there's a lot of knitters out there where that would be enough to put them off rightaway! When you're knitting stuff for wee ones though it's ideal as it can be chucked in the machine and not worried about.
It knits really well and keeps it's shape - the cabling I did on the baby blanket is really well defined. I wouldn't say it's the softest acrylic I've knitted with, even though it claims to be 'Supersoft'. I made a hat a while back in the same yarn but it was in grey and blue, and my memory of that yarn is that it was much softer once knitted.

Bits and Bobs

I have been knitting lots of wee things lately as I am trying to use up my stash and only have one or two balls of each yarn.

Pram Blanket in Sirdar Supersoft Aran.

2 berets and a pair of pram shoes (which still need buttons) in Sirdar Snuggly Bubbly and plain Snuggly for the borders. Snuggly Bubbly takes a wee bit of effort to knit with initally but it is so soft once knitted it's worth it.

Hat in Twilleys Freedom Spirit

This is a cropped waistcoat in Sirdar Supersoft Aran/Confetti. Not overly pleased with this, it's fine from the back but the front is very blousy, even after blocking. It is meant to have a tied twisted cord at the front to fasten but DD used a badge she had lying about.

And finally, I completed a mini-clapotis a few months ago and finally got round to blocking it. It did lose a bit of clour in the process but I am afraid the washed-out effect on ths photo is more due to my camera technique!

STASH DIET UPDATE

Previous readers will know I have set myself the task of not buying anymore wool until I have lost 2 stone (28 pounds). Well, yesterday I hit my first target of losing half a stone (7 pounds) so I am a quarter of the way there!