Grizzly Sweater

This is my top down raglan named Grizzly after a budgie.

The lighter part is hand spun and dyed by me.  I feel like pulling out the spinning wheel today but I think I might save my strength and fibre/fiber for the Tour De Fleece this year.  I am in the middle of turning the heel of my second Vestigial sock (the 3rd pair).  Can't wait to finish it and a million other projects.

It's feeling a bit more summery here.

From Song Of The Open Road   by Walt Whitman

Listen! I will be honest with you,

I do not offer the old smooth prizes, but offer rough new prizes,

These are the days that must happen to you:

You shall not heap up what is call’d riches,

You shall scatter with lavish hand all that you earn or achieve,

You but arrive at the city to which you were destin’d, you hardly settle yourself to satisfaction before you are call’d by an irresistible call to depart,

You shall be treated to the ironical smiles and mockings of those who remain behind you,

What beckonings of love you receive you shall only answer with passionate kisses of parting,

You shall not allow the hold of those who spread their reach’d hands toward you.

Stitch Markers and Socks

 I've been making stitch markers and have been enjoying decorating my knitting with them.  The top photo is a picture of stitch markers that I made from a treasured bracelet.  One of my closest friends made me the bracelet whilst we were students, sharing a flat together.  The elastic broke and I kept the beads.  I made stitch markers out of the beads and I love them. 

That Fischer Price dog is another treasure of mine, a prized possession.

Three Ply Handspun Hat

                                         Lexi is always on the scene, to help.

Three Ply Handspun Hat

Solid Navy Brim and Contrasting Handspun

4 stitches per inch
Worsted/Aran Yarn

Needles

5.5mm for body of the hat
5mm for the brim

Cast on 76 stitches, using 5mm needles and solid colour.  (in this case, I used Navy Blue)
2x2 Twisted Rib for 2 inches

Switch larger needles and handspun/contrasting yarn.  Increase 4 stitches evenly in the first round with handspun/contrasting yarn.

Knit until piece measures 7.5inches/19cm then start decreases.

Decreases
Round 1: *K6, K2tog
Round 2: Knit
Round 3: *K5, K2tog
Round 4: Knit
Round 5: *K4, K2tog
Round 6: Knit
Round 7: *K3, K2tog
Round 8: Knit
Round 9: *K2, K2tog
Round 10: Knit
Round 11: *K1, K2tog
Round 12 : Knit
Round 13 : *K2Tog
Round 14 : *K2Tog

Cut the yarn giving you a 12 inch/30.5cm tail.  Using a wool needle or tapestry needle and draw the yarn through the stitches on your knitting needle.  Draw it tight and weave this in and all other ends.  Wash and block or just wear if you don't have the patience.

Remake No. 2

When I first started knitting garments, I decided I wanted to learn how to make sweaters out of my hand spun yarn.  Maybe the reason behind this was due to being slightly intimidated by normal knitting patterns.  Also I just wanted to knit the simplest of designs. I tried to learn how to make pieces that fit me.  I love to learn how to do things.  It all began with learning how to knit t toppers because I also wanted to knit in the round.  As great as the process was, I found I didn't really want to wear t toppers.  I made three.  I have ripped out two and reknitted them.  I will be tackling the 3rd soon.  This is the second t topper that got frogged and reknitted.  I spun all the yarn used.  I didn't dye it.  Purchased the dyed top off Felt Studio Uk years ago.  The natural coloured wool is Blue Faced Leicester which is always dreamy.

Lexi met a pal today and they had a great time.

Look at them ears xxx Love Love Love xxx

Twilley's

This is a top down raglan sweater knitted with some handspun yarn from some crazy batts that I put together and some commercial yarn- Twilley's of Stamford of Freedom Purity and the colourway is 781 Clay.  I purchased this yarn from This is Knit, Dublin.  It is a chunky yarn and I used 6.5mm needles.  The actual sweater has been finished for a while and it was great to get such a lovely day to photograph it.

It's not easy to have little legs in tall grass but she does manage.

Donegal Black Hat

This was knitted a couple of years back but it is one of my favourite hats with one of my most favourite yarns.  It is knitted with Kilcarra Donegal Yarn/Studio Donegal yarn.  It is a yarn that gets softer as you wear and wash it.  It doesn't pill as much as other yarns and it wears well.  I like my sock yarn to be superwash but not much else.

I would like to make a few more of these hats.  I like a smurfy slouchy hat from time to time.

You can buy Studio Donegal yarns in most good Irish yarn shops, especially This is Knit.

Lights Out

Sunday was a comically trying day.  My handbag strap broke in a shop when I thought was over the worse of it.  The night ended with the shock of the town's lights going out.  Note to oneself, buy more candles.  The top photo was from Sunday and when the lights went out.  I knitted for a bit by candlelight then headed to bed, laughing at the events of the day.

The Autumnal coloured socks are another pair of Vestigials by Hedgehog Fibres.  It is a colourway from one of the LHogan Sock Clubs that I dyed.  It is a 2 ply high twist merino and nylon yarn.  The other sock yarn I dyed as well and is going to be another pair of Vestigials.  I dyed this yarn when I first started dyeing yarn.  There is a time, a place and a pattern for every yarn.  You might be waiting years or minutes but it's great when it all clicks and comes together.

The sweater or sea of stockinette stitch is a top down raglan that I started years ago.  I needed another needle that I finally got.  It is two lace weight yarns that are knitted together.  I dyed both lace yarns.  Not that into lace shawls, so I might be knitting up my lace yarns as sweaters and cardigans.  I love the marled look at the moment. Marled definition