Water Lilies Baby Blanket

I recently knitted this baby blanket for a new arrival.

It was quite time-consuming to knit.  It was knitted in various different balls of double knitting yarn which was 100% acrylic so it will be easy to wash. 

It is really a smaller version of the English Adventure Throw that I knitted previously.  I am calling it Water Lilies because it consists of large flat circular shapes – some of which are pale pink like water lilies.

I originally intended to add an edge all around the blanket – but in the end I just added an edge to the shapes that didn’t have one.

As well as the blanket I also knitted this little jacket – using my usual baby jacket pattern which I have used many times before.

It is a simple design and ideal for boys or girls.  Because of its simplicity – it is ideal for very patterned or multi-coloured yarn like this.

Noro Kureyon Odd Ball Throw

 

I love Noro Kureyon.  I know I have said this before – but it is one of my all-time favourite yarns.  Last time I wrote about knitting for a friend at work – but I have also been encouraging another friend to learn to knit.  She told me that her mother wanted to get back into knitting and she thought she would have a go as well.  I said I would supply her with the basics – needles and yarn.  I went home and when through all my accessible stash to see what might be suitable.

For her first project – a scarf – she chose some Colinette Prism and she told me she enjoyed the process of knitting it.  When she had finished she decided to make another scarf – for this I gave her some Noro Kureyon which I had intended to use for a jumper – but it had never got knitted.

I noticed that I have got a lot of odd bits of Kureyon – bits that very few other people would bother with – bits that could not be donated to a charity shop.  I decided to knit some of them!  I used the same sort of design as the previous throw that I knitted – simple garter stitch squares using two shades of Kureyon.   I used less stitches for each square – only 41 (20 + 1 + 20).  This was because I was using odd bits of yarn.  It is much easier to use up bits when knitting smaller squares.   I will eventually be knitting a throw with squares the size of a postage stamp!

I worked the squares in strips - across the throw – again this was due to the restrictions of the yarn – roughly if you have 2 full balls you can produce a strip which is the right width for a throw.  When I had finished knitting all the strips I organized them in a way that I thought looked best and sewed them together – adding an edging in a shade I had more of than any other.

When I say that each square/strip contains 2 shades used alternately – sometimes this was 2 whole balls and at other times it was bits of similar colours that might originally have come from other shades. 

I am pleased with the end result.  I think I might give it to the friend who caused me to knit it.  It is a bit too bright for many people but as she is an artist – she might appreciate it.

While I was knitting I was producing yet more odd bits and these made me think about knitting a cardigan in a similar way.

Odd Ball Birthday Throw

I haven’t written anything for ages - in fact I hadn't realised how long it was. I haven’t really done much knitting this year but in the last few weeks I have started again.  I have had breaks before – even for as long as a couple of years but not since I started writing a knitting blog!

Last year a friend of mine at work gave me 3 balls of yarn for my birthday.  It is very easy to buy me a present because I love odd balls of yarn.   I thought I would knit the yarn and give it back to her on her birthday in April.

During the winter I started knitting.  I used the balls that I had been given and combined them with some of the odd balls that I had left over from when I knitted tea cosies.  I decided to choose blues and pinks because these are the colours that my friend likes.    However when I gave it to her – I said that if she hated it – I didn’t want her to feel that she had to keep it – she should find someone who did like it and give it to them.  Anyway I think she does like it.

With the cost of heating being very high – I think having a throw on the sofa or in the case of knitters – knitting a throw (covering your lap) could be very popular this winter.  I was lucky this year – knitting a throw when it was chilly – I normally have to do it when it is hot.

The pattern is very simple.  All the squares are knitted in double knitting on 5mm needles and garter stitch is used throughout.  Each square is made up of 61 stitches – with the first decrease in the centre of the second row – which becomes the right side.

I did get this throw finished by the end of April and I took photos before I wrapped it up – but I have failed to write about it until now.   During May I did continue knitting using up some more of my stash.

Modular Knitted Throw - Finished Version

I have finally got around to finishing the large version of the multi-coloured modular knitted throw.

I am quite pleased with the result.  It is a bit garish but that was the intention.  

The plan was to use up my oddments of double-knitting yarn but I still have loads left.  

I have thought about making another throw with smaller squares so I can use up some of the smaller balls.  However - that will have to wait because at the moment I am knitting hats and then I have a couple of Christmas presents to get on with.

Miniature Version of the Modular Knitted Throw

 

At the beginning of the month I was told that the lady I had made the flowered cushion for – is expecting a baby.  Whenever I hear about a new baby I tend to enquire about what I can knit for the little one.  I decided to make a miniature version of the modular knitted throw which I am still working on.  I am only half way through the large one. The small one is now finished.

It is intended as a baby blanket for a couple who like bright colours.  I hope the baby likes it.  All the yarn is acrylic so it will be hard-wearing and easy to wash.  I hope it will be able to be used for a bit longer than the little coats that I usually knit.  I will knit one of those as well though.

I was conscious when I was taking the photos – that it was not obvious that the throw was very small – so I have included a bit of the large one for contrast.   Each small square starts with 33 sts whereas the large one has 61sts.   I used double knitting yarn and 5.5mm needles so it is much lighter weight than it would have been if I had used the normal size of 4mm.

I am now working on a little red coat.  I don’t know if the baby is a boy or a girl – so red seemed appropriate.

Modular Knitted Throw

Earlier in the year I knitted a modular knitted throw which was predominantly blue and white.  While I was knitting it – I thought that I could knit it in another colour way – using bright or even garish colours.   I have lots of odd balls left over from various projects.

I have made a start on it.  There is no planning – I am just picking the colours for the next square as I go along.  The only 2 “rules” I use – is firstly to spread the colours out across the throw and secondly to use strongly contrasting colours next to each other so that the stripes stand out.  As with the previous version – I intend that every square will be different.

The result so far reminds me of one of the first things I ever knitted – which was a blanket knitted in garter stitch stripes.  I only knitted some of the blocks, my mother, grandmother and aunt knitted the others.  In those days I wouldn’t have believed that I could ever knit a whole throw on my own in a couple of weeks.    I should manage to do it – if I carry on knitting in front of the sport on TV.

Shirt Fabric Throw - Finished Version

 

Last week I finished off this throw.  It didn’t take very long to put a simple garter stitch edging on it.  Sewing in the ends took a bit longer. 

I am happy with the end result – it is all man-made double knitting yarn – so it will be easy to wash.  I used 5mm needles which makes the finished knitting more light-weight.  Each square is made up of 61sts (30 = 1 = 30).  There are 8 different striped patterns and no squares are the same.   The throw is 8 squares long and 6 squares wide.

While I was knitting I was thinking about other colourways and other striped patterns which I had not used because I was restricted by the amount of yarn I had. 

This week I have been working on the throw which is made up of 96 individual squares.   This is much harder than the throw I have just finished and when I have finished – I have all that joining to look forward to.

Shirt Fabric Throw

 

Instead of writing blog posts – I have been knitting in front of old detective programmes.  A few years ago I saw a fabric quilt by Kaffe Fassett made out of shirt material – and thought “I could knit that”.  I know that he would appreciate me using that idea and knitting something instead.  In fact he has probably done it.  Anyway I had a lot of golf ball sized balls of blue yarn  - left over from knitting tea cosies.  They are too large to throw away – but too small to do much with.  I collected them all together in a bag with some larger balls of blue, cream and white.

At the beginning of 2020 – I tidied up and I put the bag inside a suitcase and promptly forgot about it – otherwise I may have knitted this throw last year.  A month or so ago – I opened the suitcase and found the bag and decided that it was time I knitted this yarn into the throw that I had imagined when I collected it together.

When I started knitting – I changed my mind.  I had originally intended to knit full-squares that need a seam to complete them or squares of different sizes to accommodate the small balls of yarn – but instead I decided on simple modular squares which are all the same size (30 + 1 + 30 = 61 stitches).  There are 8 different combinations of stripes and so far no square is the same.

I have taken some photos of some of the squares that I have knitted.  I am now on what I think may be the last column of squares.  When I have done the last 8 squares – I will spread it out and see whether the throw needs another column.   When I have knitted all the squares – I will add a simple border.  This is a really easy design.  It has no sewing up – although I will have quite a few ends to darn in and it will have taken about a fortnight to knit.    I can then get back to knitting the central section of the shawl that I have been working on.  I have got half-way with a diamond lace pattern but it is very boring and requires more concentration that I am prepared to give it at the moment.

 

Happy 7th Birthday Maud Tabron Blog

 

When 22 February comes around each year – I think – another year can’t have passed already.   The other thing I think each year is that I didn’t do much knitting.  However I know I knit without noticing and often forget to write about something because I am too busy knitting it.  I think the square shown above is an example of this.  I knitted this for a Knitting and Crochet Guild project.  We had to knit something that represented us - a favourite stitch or favourite yarn etc.  I chose stocking stitch but it is the yarn, the colours and the patchwork that represents me.  Also knitting something that has a meaning.  The lack of definition was intentional.

During the first lockdown of 2020 – I meant to do more knitting – I meant to finish some things and in fact I did.  I finished the jacket that I had started at least the year before.  I don't seem to have a finished photo of it - but I know I did finish it!

I also wanted to knit another Fandango bag – in a brick design – something that had been in my head since 2014!  I have another one in there – which may get knitted this year.   I still have plenty of Fandango and a few basic bags – so I could make a new one every year.  Typically I tend to use the same bag all the time – so much so that it is now very worn.  I should start using the Brick bag and knit another one to put in the cupboard!

During the spring I got some tea cosies finished which had been waiting unfinished for years.  Later in the summer I also knitted a new tea cosy for my cousin.

I also knitted some other gifts too including a cowl and a shawl using yarn from my stash.

I had completely forgotten about a couple of the shawls that I knitted during the year.  It’s a good thing I can re-read this blog and see what I have been doing.

I had been wanting to have a go at the Elizabeth Zimmermann Baby Surprise Jacket  - I managed to achieve that as well as several other baby jackets that are now ready to give to new babies.

At the moment I am still working on the Bressay Hap shawl that I mentioned last week but I have 4 large unfinished projects and plenty of ideas for new projects.  I have knitted lots of individual squares for a charity blanket.  I have knitted several individual squares for my Afternoon Tea throw and I would still like to finish the Everything I Have Ever Knitted project which I think I started in 2019 and have hardly touched since.  I should keep knitting pieces for it as I go through my stash and a memory of a particular project comes back. 

At some time before the autumn deadline – I would like to knit and send off some Innocent Smoothie hats for Age UK.  This is something I have been thinking of doing for a few years and I have collected together some patterns and have a lot of odd bits of yarn that I could use up.

While I am still furloughed from work – I should get on with some of these projects but unfortunately when I am out for my morning walk – I usually thing of something else that I would like to knit – and my family history is never-ending.  I enjoy knitting but it does not occupy the mind like family history.  I will have to think of some more projects which combine the 2 things.

Jewelspun Tea Cosy

I am aware that I haven’t written anything for weeks.  I haven’t done much knitting recently. My cousin asked me if I would knit her a tea cosy for her tiny teapot.  This is what I have come up with.

It is double-sided.  It is 2 tea cosies in one.  This means it is very thick to keep the tea warm and she can decide which side she likes the most.   The teapot is about a 2 cup size.  I made the pattern up as I went along.  I used 4mm needles and Sirdar Jewelspun yarn  which is aran weight.  The shade is 844 which is blue and pink, and green and orange.   The balls are 200g in size – so I have quite a lot left over for something else.

The tea cosy is mainly made up of diamond modules.  I cast on 17 sts and the first row was K8, P1, K8.  I then decreased in the centre on the front facing rows maintaining the centre line on each diamond.  I fill the base with triangles which I made up as I went along.  I shaped the top by using a 3-needle cast off to join the diamonds together.

I am now going to knit some more blocks for my Afternoon Tea throw.

Duck Feet

After months of struggling – I have finally finished the duck feet that my work colleague requested for her baby. 

When she asked me if I could knit her some duck feet – I said – “yes” – I mean - how hard can it be?!  I downloaded the pattern.  It is  a design by Jeny Staiman and has very comprehensive instructions.  The question is – what do they mean?!  I think the pattern is actually very good – the problem is that I am not a sock knitter so most of it is written in a foreign language.  If you are a sock knitter – you will think it is OK.

Having said that I found the pattern hard and the duck feet have taken me months to knit – I have managed to knit them.   I don’t think I knitted them exactly correctly – but it is close enough.

I am now back to knitting something much more to my taste – a modular knitted cardigan – which I started last December.  When I have finished that – it will have taken even longer than the duck feet – not because it is difficult – but because I have been knitting other things and haven’t touched it at all since last December.