FO: Apollonie Shawl

There are projects that just make you happy all round and you constantly look forward to knitting a few more rows on. Apollonie by K.M. Bedigan was one of those for me.

I used Ginger Twist Studio's Splendor 4ply in the Dove colourway. It's a Merino/Silk mix that is a dream to knit with and, as you would expect with the 50% silk, drapes beautifully.The colour itself is gorgeous, with very subtle changes in the pale silvery grey that seem to make it almost luminous. It'll go with just about anything.

The pattern itself is a dream to knit as well: clearly written and well laid out with the best description of wrap and turn I've come across yet. The lace sections are very intuitive and easy to read in the knitting, and I managed to watch TV while knitting it which is not something I can say very often with lace work.

All in all, I'm in love with it. Drapey, lacey and so, so soft.

On a side note, I used my new blocking wires for the first time when I blocked this, and it made life so much easier!

Project Specifics
Ravelry pattern page: Apollonie
Ravelry project page: My Apollonie
Yarn Used: 74g/296m Ginger's Hand Dyed Splendor 4ply in the Dove colourway
Finished dimensions: 126cm wide by 46cm deep (not quite as wide as stated but I think that's simply a gauge issue on my part).

FO: Hurricane Hat

This wee hat has been finished for some time (and had a happy reaction from it's new owner) so I really should get the photos up.

I used Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo in DK with 3.25 mm needles to create a baby version of the Hurricane Hat pattern by Andrea Guldin. The pattern is easy to memorise and knits up quickly, and the baby bamboo is gorgeous to knit with and creates a soft and warm fabric. Neither of the photos really do justice to the colour of the green, but it's a lovely sage colour.

This was my first project completely done on DPN's and apart from losing track a little on the last few rounds, I'm (pleasantly) surprised at how well it turned out - especially the lack of laddering where the needles met. It did take me a while to get comfortable holding the needles and get over my terror that the stitches were going to just going to slide off whilst I was knitting, but I think that is a fairly normal reaction. I quickly bought a set of Knit Pro Symphonies which helped with both of those as they gripped the yarn more than the metal ones I had borrowed from the family stash and were comfier to hold.

It's certainly given me the confidence to start a pair of socks, and I can see why the pattern is so popular. Definitely one I will consider knitting again!

Finished Ebbs Shawl

Last but not least of my Christmas knitting this year was an Ebbs shawl for my Mum.

I completely used both skeins of the Yarn Pony Mustang I bought at last year's Edinburgh Yarn Festival, making the shawl slightly larger than the written pattern. The wingspan is a smidgeon over 2 metres and the depth is 67cm. (Which I have to add was big enough that I looked rather ridiculous trying to get a picture of the whole shawl!) 

I'm absolutely in love with the pattern. It's easy but very well thought out and well written. It was such a pleasure to knit, and I can definitely see myself knitting another one at some point.

I also loved knitting with the Yarn Pony yarn. It's a gorgeous merino that has such a lovely colour to it and it is delightful to knit with.

Alas, I couldn't persuade my Mum to model it for me to post here so instead I'll post the somewhat obligatory for me folded up picture.

I'll be the first to admit, there is a very strong chance I will be borrowing this off her!

Log Cabin Blanket

Secret project number 2 last year was a log cabin blanket for the fantastic Amey of Teacups and Buttondrops.

I first saw the type of construction in Mason-Dixon Knitting and fell in love with it. Simple, yet with endless possibilities for customisation. Choosing the colours was the hard part, but I eventually settled on a spiral pattern of three favourite colours and I love the effect.

(Looking rather washed out here unfortunately)

It was knitted using a mixture of lovely acrylic/ wool mix aran weight yarns on 4mm needles for a dense, squishy fabric. The finished piece measures 37 inches square, and it's just the perfect size for a lap blanket and very cosy too.

(My obligatory folded photo. It's less washed out looking thankfully, but the second pink is nowhere near as purple as it looks here.)

I loved this blanket, (enough to start knitting myself one), but there is always a fear in the back of my mind that the recipient won't like it (to be honest, I'm like that with any present I give). Thankfully, it turns out she loves it as much as I do! She's definitely staying on my willing to knit for list. :)

And after all my prancing about trying to get a picture I liked, I think my favourite photo of the blanket has to be one Amey took herself.

She's a great photographer (and blogger) so I'd advise everyone to go and check her out.

Mitred Square Blanket

One of last year's giant secret projects was a mitred square blanket for my sister's birthday. Well, I managed to get it finished in time (just), and I'm really pleased with the result.

Based off the mitred square pattern in Lorna Miser's Faith, Hope, Love, Knitting, the blanket is 30 21ish cm squares of a wide mix of yarns crocheted together, and the whole blanket measures 130cm long by 112cm wide.

Here you can see it laid out flat on a double bed. A couple of the colours are washed out, but I love this picture anyway. It's modeled after those any scrap of yarn blankets my Gran used to crochet back in the 70's, and it will really go with anything because there is just about every colour in it.

 

The only thing I'm still a bit unsure about is the way I crocheted it together, but this was the first time in a long while that I had even held a crochet hook, and I was rushing more than I would have liked.  And in the true way of crafters, it's only me that's bothered by it. My sister absolutely loves it, and has barely parted with it when she's been at home. 

I am really pleased with how it turned out though, and it is so delightfully warm and snuggly that I almost didn't want to give it away. :D

Three things

My health has been not the best this last wee while, but wee things have made life a lot better.

1. I have actually achieved some reading. I finished Elizabeth May's The Falconer, and I enjoyed it. It's a nice light YA fantasy set in Edinburgh, and I'll be looking out for the sequel when it appears.

2. I knitted a chewing gum cosy. Seriously.

This is amusing me much more than it should, but doesn't that just bring a smile to your face?

3. Gingerbread syrup. Okay, I haven't actually made this yet, but I have everything together, and I have free time on Saturday. This stuff is completely yummy in coffee, and I'm looking forward to it a ridiculous amount.

Simple Hat

This year for father's day, part of my gift to Dad was a(nother) knitted hat. (He lost the last one when he was out walking the dog and asked especially for a new one. I did jokingly tell him that if he lost this one he wasn't getting another one, but he does appreciate knitted gifts so that's not likely to happen.)

My Dad is the type who likes simple patterns in nice yarns so picking the pattern was easy - a basic 2x2 rib for the brim, then 6x2 rib for the main part of the hat. The yarn itself was nearly as easy - a trip to my local McAree Brothers yielded two balls of this delightfully squishy wool/linen mix. On a sidenote, why do I have to discover these yarns just as they are being discontinued?

  

Simple ribbed hat, knitted with two balls of Gedifra Diandra on 6mm needles, kindly modelled by my wee brother

It was a dream to knit up, and only took an evening or two once I worked out my gauge. I ended up going down to 6mm needles from the recommended 9mm as I wanted a really dense fabric, and I also knitted it long enough to cover his ears. According to the dog walkers in my family, that's the perfect combination to stop ears getting cold and prevent earaches when out walking in the wet, windy, and frequently minging Scottish winter.

We'll just have to wait and see how long this one survives ...

Finished Tea Cosy

Between present knitting and the two giant secret projects (which are technically present knitting as well), it's been a good couple of months since I knitted something purely because I wanted to, even longer since I knitted myself something. This quick knitting tea cosy was the perfect antidote.

The pattern is For your eyes only in Sirdar Escape DK, shade Ravishing.

I love the colour combination in this wool, especially how it makes both sides look completely different. Also, it was my first time knitting bobbles, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy they were. I'd definitely knit it again, with maybe a slight adjustment for the fact that my teapot handle is on the top rather than the side!