Sunday, September 02, 2007

Actual knitting content

There's been plenty of the woolly action going on around here of late but you'd be excused if you took that statement with a grain of salt. After all there's been precious little in the way of documentation.

Why I know not. The photos got taken, they just didn't make it into a post.

So here you go - proof that my yarn manipultion powers have not deserted me, and all done in the last two weeks. Oh and before anyone comments, yes I AM aware that several of these pieces haven't been sewn up yet and/or are lacking ribbon ... and your point was?

Bootee [ yeah singular ] mitten [ ditto] and bonnet in BWMs 4ply [ fingering] baby wool on 3.25mm needles.


Pattern: Patons classic 'Heather' reprinted umpty gazillion times. In this case I was using Patons Royal Babies Book no 649


I could see that I wouldn't get the second bootee out of the one ball so I made the mitten. I do have more of the yarn so I'll get back to them ... one day.


Then instead of making mates for them, I cast on for another bonnet in the same pattern. This time in S*******t [ Big Souless Craft Chain Store ] Basics 4-ply baby wool. It's labelled superfine nylon/superfine acrylic but I would've described it as microfibre. Seriously soft and gorgeous but very very prone to splitting. I added a garter stitch border instead of the 'crochet on afterwards' one called for in the pattern and I think it looks much better. Compare it to the original white one and you'll see what I mean. btw I'm thinking classic white ribbon for both these first two sets. Yes? No?


Anyway, I was on a roll with the pattern so out came the BMW baby wool, this time in flame, and I made the set again. The ribbon was a real find. it comes in both wide for the bonnet and narrow for the bootees and mittens AND it's blue slightly shot with red.


... but wait! There's more:



last night I cast on for another bonnet from the same book - except I'm making it as a beanie. I modified the pattern to make it an 8 row repeat instead of 6 - which means instead of six repeats for 36 rows, I'm using 4 repeats of 8 [32] plus two rows stocking[ette] as set up and two extra rows of ribbing. The yarn is Patons 3ply Feathersoft of unknown vintage on 3mm and 3.25mm needles.


Can you tell I'm really enjoying the fine needles and the small projects?


AND all the yarn was from the stash - the flame WAS bought this year but it was from the playroom of backroom specialness at BMW and as we all know that doesn't count. Plus it's been marinating in the cupboard for a few months now so I think it qualifies as stash reduction.


Finally, these simple little beanies were made a while ago and I just forgot to photograph them. Jeanette [ sadly Blogless ] told me last Saturday that her other knitting club had been asked to provide beanies for a bub that wasn't doing to well at the Daylesford Hospital. It's a small country one and usually the high risk deliveries get sent to Melbourne. This little one caught them unprepared and they were wrapping its wee head in torn up nappies [diapers] to keep it warm. Jeanette knew I kept a stash of hats for donation and so I dropped these two off on Monday. The lady I gave them to really threw me. After thanking me she asked what she owed me. Excuse me? Doesn't that rather defeat the purpose?

7 comments:

Sheepish Annie said...

I think that people are sometimes a little shocked by random acts of kindness. Kind of sad, really... And those hats are so very, very sweet, I can imagine that the lady at the hospital wondered if they deserved some sort of compensation.

That's a whole lot of knitting you've got going on there! I've had and entire summer of vacation time over here and have not accomplished even half of that. Nice work!!!

crazyhaberdasher said...

Gotta love that heather....it is simply the best pattern ever....

Unknown said...

I think the classic white ribbon would be perfect for those two bonnets! But I love the blaze color and the ribbon you chose for that!

Rose Red said...

I LOVE the red and blue set - fabulous! That'd be one rockin' baby in that set!

Yvette said...

I have that Heather pattern - doesn't everyone?? LOL!! But haven't made it in a long while! Just had an idea - might use the zig zag heather pattern but the Precious Layettes top down schematic! Love the flame and blue. Love everything in fact. the little hats are so cute - is there a pattern available for that little lemon one with the flut-ey top?? Please??

Thanks for sharing. love your blog. love Y in Queensland

catsmum said...

okay Yvette I've emailed you the 'pattern' - and I use the term loosely - does anyone else need it?

Alice said...

In the Wangaratta Craft Festival I have seen whole layettes knitted for a 3 inch doll, with the finest and wool and stitches. Your work is lovely, and I'm a real sucker for traditional baby clothes.