Hakea

I have not done much knitting so far this year.  I treated myself to some Noro yarn as a Christmas present.  It is called Ito - col 12 and is 100% wool.   

I ordered it from Laughing Hens and when it arrived - my first thought was that it wasn't very brightly coloured.  However I then remembered why I had ordered it.  I saw the design called Hakea in the Noro Knitting magazine issue 19. The original design was knitted using a plain natural sheep colour.  The yarn was not available but this Ito was - so I thought a fairly dull shade would be equivalent.  

The design is very textured so you would not want something which was distracting.  I haven't got very far yet.  I have just knitted the back up to the first pattern change.  

Catastrophe Throw - Finished Version

It has been weeks since I have written anything on this blog.  I have been knitting the Catastrophe Throw and have just got it finished in time for Christmas.  It still needs to be blocked and the edges are not how I would like them to be - but I have run out of time.  

I had intended to write something about each strip of knitting or about particular blocks but I haven't got around to it.  Almost every block contains a least one cat and those that don't have a whole cat -  have a tail or dirty paw prints.  The whole throw must have hundreds of cats on it.

No two blocks are the same but some are the same design knitted in different colourways - as shown below

I particularly liked this "outline" design of a cat licking its paw because it was easy to knit - but also because the ladies I have knitted the throw for are professional cleaners.  There are other subtle references to their lives which makes the design more personal.  

Even the repetition of the word "meow" is appropriate as they were telling me only the other day - that one of their cats is constantly "meowing".  

I hope I can get back to writing this blog more regularly but I intend to start 2022 by working on my family tree.  

Catastrophe Throw

At this time of the year I am normally looking for Christmas presents.  I often try to buy something with a cat on it for some friends of mine who love the furry creatures.  It is hard to find something new that they haven’t got – so I decided that I would knit them one of my throws.

I have lots of books of patterns – including designs that have cats on them – so I have collected together some of them and added a few ideas of my own.   I spent ages thinking and not enough time knitting – but I think I am sorted now – and I can just get on with the knitting.

I am using Rowan Pure Wool Superwash Worsted in various colours – but I have tried to pick – “cat colours” and a few contrast colours that my friends like – particularly blues and burgundy.    I think I am using 5.5 mm needles – I am actually not sure – but it doesn’t matter as long as I keep using the same circular needle to knit the whole throw.

I thought about knitting individual squares – but I remembered how much I dislike sewing squares together – so I have decided to knit 6 strips of 6 squares.  This means that I have to pay attention to the placement of the colours – so the same colour is not used in 2 adjoining squares (or squares that will be adjoining when the strips are sewn together).  I am also trying to spread out the colours across the throw – so that the design looks balanced.

The first square come from the book Cat Knits by Marna Gilligan.  It is a repeat pattern which is used in the book on hats and a jumper.  

The second square I invented but it was inspired by a design in the book Cats Knits by Melinda Coss.  

The third square comes from The Sasha Kagan Sweater Book. 

The fourth square is inspired by a design in Melinda Coss’s book.

And the fifth square is largely copied from Nicky Epstein’s book Knitting Block by Block.

I have knitted many more squares but I haven’t photographed them yet.  I will try to show you more of this throw later in the month.  I have decided to call it “Catastrophe” – let’s hope it doesn’t turn out to be one!

Noro Silk Garden Cowl

I haven’t written a blog post for ages.  I have done some knitting and I kept meaning to write about it but I seem to have lost my enthusiasm!  I am currently working on 2 projects.  I am working on a throw which I am making up as I go along – so it is not a very quick project.   This has meant that some days when I was very tired after work – I did not have the energy or inspiration to work on it at all. 

A week or so ago – I ordered the latest 2 Noro magazines from Laughing Hens.  I often want to knit several of the garments in them.  In the most recent one there is a cowl which is like a shawl – which can be knitted using various different kinds of Noro yarn.  I decided to make one – as a really easy project to use up some of the Silk Garden yarn that I had had for years.  I have got 6 balls and the pattern only needs 4.  I will use more because I like to match the colour changes so that there is not a clear stripe between one ball and the next.  This means I often unravel a ball until I get to the bit that I want. 

I think this project is going quite well.  I hope it turns out OK and that I want to wear it.  Of the 4 patterns I chose the one which drapes the best.  I am on my third ball at the moment – so I should be over half way through and if I get on with it – it should be finished in the next day or so. 

Hats for the Homeless

As a change from knitting large things - I decided to knit a few hats for the homeless.  I don't really need an excuse to buy yarn and recently when I was in Hobbycraft I bought 2 balls of James C Brett's Marble Chunky yarn.  They are 100% acrylic - so hardwearing - and come in 200g balls.   I was surprised that I managed to knit 4 hats out of each ball.  

A couple of these are the same pattern in different colours.  However it is good to try a different pattern to keep the interest going.

I then also knitted 2 hats using thinner yarn.  I had 4 odd 50g balls of aran weight yarn.  I used these to knit these hats.

I have got these hats finished and ready to post off - I am now in the position of having nothing to knit!   I don't expect it will take long before I find something else.  I am supposed to be making Christmas presents but now it is getting chilly in the mornings - I might knit myself another scarf.

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.

A Few Baby Clothes

 

I have made a few baby clothes – to go with the miniature throw that I wrote about last month.  I have made a multi-coloured jacket which is supposed to fit a baby of about 3 months.

 

When I knit something like this – I think of the Agatha Christie comment: “two sleeves, both the same, very boring” – because of course – these 2 sleeves were different – so not so boring!

I have also made a little red set of a jacket, a hat and some mittens.

 

This set is much smaller and is intended for a more recently born baby.   The hat may be useful for a bit longer than a couple of weeks – but I expect the baby will quickly grow out of the jacket.   The jacket is a pattern from Knit Now magazine and the hat and mittens are from a Stylecraft pattern.  They are all double knitting acrylic – so they will be easy to wash.

I have now started thinking about knitting Christmas presents – although this morning I have gone back to the large modular knitted throw and told myself – I should finish it before I start anything else.  I have cast on another square – so hopefully I will get it finished in the next few weeks.