9 September 2014

Show And Tell

Hello!

Pinch me.  It can't be two weeks since I last posted, surely?

School started last week in earnest and I'm not ashamed to admit that I am cock-a-hoop!  The silence is a joy.  Or rather, not having to listen to 5 Seconds Of Summer (daughter) in thumping competition with Arctic Monkeys (son) is a joy.  I've decided that I'm totally and utterly rubbish at time and household management in the holidays.  Routine flies out the open windows, my food bills seem to treble (I'm not convinced my children don't each have a tapeworm) and I slowly drown under a pile of laundry and mess.

I spent a large chunk of last week restoring some semblance of order and I think I might, just might, be getting there.  Hopefully my blogging manners will now improve too!


My knitting classes on Monday nights have been a hugely enjoyable constant.  It's the last one next week.  We've been shown all the basics now and I'm quite hooked, especially since I made the decision to buy my own needles.  We were given a plastic pair to begin with but my new shorter bamboo ones are so much easier to use.  I'm still having the odd issue with tension; I tend to work too tightly and my working yarn keeps ending up in a twizzled tangle.  What's that all about?  Knitty Gritty: Knitting for the Absolute Beginner is a fantastic 'how-to' book if you're a newbie knitter like me.



Oh but there's something about the stretch and drape of knitting that I completely adore.  With hindsight, I think my crocheting style has always tended to try and emulate something similar.  I'm pretty sure my first grown-up knitting project is going to be some sort of colour block scarf.  Which reminds me …

I promised a lovely friend that I'd make him a scarf.  I've not crocheted for a man before so I played safe and chose a soft denim blue in an aran weight.



I chained 220 with a 7mm hook (I always, always use a hook two sizes up for a foundation chain when I'm making a scarf - it stops that annoying curve) and then, using a 6mm hook, simply worked half trebles (half doubles US) in the back loops.  It creates the loveliest flexible rib.

Also, since you and I last spoke, my youngest brother and his wife have had a baby!  My seventh sixth nephew*.  I'd already planned a personalised gift but wanted to make something I could wrap up straight away.  After a quick flit around the internet, I settled on making the cutest little hat, using this super crochet pattern here.  I added two extra increase rounds to take the finished diameter to 15".  (Baby Arthur weighed in at an impressive 9lbs 13oz so I thought I'd better err on the side of caution!)



So, two little makes, both blue and both for boys!  I can feel something extremely colourful and girly coming on next!

xxx

*Oh crap, I'm such a bad auntie!

31 comments:

  1. Awww! Congratulations on the new arrival! I've just become a great aunt! The knitting looks great! I think it's about how you hold the yarn. If you are consistently holding the yarn the same way, your tension should even out! X

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    1. Thank you Helen and many congratulations to you too! I think you're right plus I've noticed that doing something else at the same time (namely watching television or chatting) helps me loosen up a little. x

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  2. Your knitting looks great, I don't have any tension tips though as I'm a bit of an awkward knitter. The scarf you made for your friend looks perfect and congratulations on your seventh nephew; his little hat is very cute - I love the cross stitch motifs you add to your crochet. Have a great week.
    Jane

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  3. Well done with the knitting! Love the man-scarf. I've been planning to make a scarf for my husband in his beloved Aston Villa colours, so might well follow your lead.

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    1. What a great idea! My husband has also asked for one - I nearly keeled over with shock! x

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  4. Hello Heather xx
    Oooh I love your posts so much - they are always packed to bursting and I now have two more ideas stashed away in my crochet folder inside my head. I absolutely love the man scarf - perfectly manly in every way, I made some beanies for the girls other halves last winter and they were done in a very similar way - so quick and so easy. I completely get you when you say about how your crochet style is very similar to the look of knitting, I think that's exactly why I like the solidness of a blanket, I'm not really a holey crochet sort of person. As for the little baby hat - that is just beyond cute, its such a cool little pattern and there's just something about that little knot on top isn't there ?
    Have a lovely week - here's to lots of blissfully quiet daytime hours, Kate xx

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  5. Aww the hat is the cutest, and love colour of the scarf, I struggle a bit getting my head around knitting, finding crochet comes easier but I do have a very ongoing knitting project that I really need to get on with, I also have some bamboo needles and they are a dream to use, looking forward to seeing the blanket
    Clare x

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    1. I know exactly what you mean Clare. I take an absolute age doing the tiniest bit of knitting - it's such a relief to pick up my crochet and positively zoom along! x

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  6. Two beautiful makes. Thanks for the tip about working scarf foundation chains in a bigger hook size, I'm going to try that. The baby hat makes me a wee bit broody. My daughter was 9 lbs 13 oz, you know...a "whopper" my Mum said. Her going home outfit was too small! x

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    1. Yikes! And you're so teeny!!! x

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    2. Ha ha, far from it...I'm 5'11" and a size fourteen. Someone once called me "statuesque" which is nearly as bad as being called "diminutive" if you're small... But thank you! xx

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  7. I just love that hat! My daughter was 9lb 8oz...I'm five feet tall. Hats off to the mums of giant babies! Your knitting is so pretty - I was given that same book, my goal is to knit by the new year! Thanks for the inspiration, Chrissie x

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    1. Eep!!! Chrissie, it makes me wince just thinking about it! My two were both seven something and that was plenty big enough thank you very much! Good luck with the knitting - you'll be a natural. x

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  8. Well done on your knitting , it's looking great. I'm a 'tight' knitter too, always have been and always will be . I could be wrong but when the wool twists like that it seems as though you are 'turning' your needles instead of just passing them. Next time you knit a row watch how the wool turns when you change the needles from one hand to the other. Sorry I'm rubbish at explaining things ....

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    1. No, not at all, I think I understand just what you mean. I watched myself very carefully and I think it is happening when I yarn over (do you say that in knitting?) for each stitch. It seems to get a bit better when I make sure that I've unwound lots of yarn from the ball that I'm working with rather than letting the working yarn get too taut. See, I'm heaps more rubbish than you at explaining things!!! x

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  9. Well done with the knitting.....not something I've ventured into so far, oh and I'm loving that little hat, very sweet! Your crochet is so neat, enjoy the peace! :) xxx

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  10. Following on from ither's comments, my son was 10lb 7.5oz (now aged 4) and my daughter was 10lb 7oz (3 mths old), both born with no pain relief!! Definitely hats off to us "whopper producers"!!

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  11. What a cute hat. I have bookmarked this post as my god-daughter is expecting in December. She is keeping the sex of the baby secret until it arrives so I will need something quick to make. Congratulations on your beautiful new arrival.

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  12. Just reread the post- congrats to your brother and his wife!!!

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    1. Thank you Catherine. I'm more than happy to accept your congratulations on their behalf! It's hard work being an auntie!!! ;-) x

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  13. Heather, it's so lovely to hear that you're learning to knit! (and I just know you will be a natural :-) )...I love your crochet scarf and little hat too..the baby blue and white look beautiful together...a perfect baby gift x
    Congratulations to you all on the new arrival...six nephews now...wow!! :-)
    Susan x

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  14. Sweet Heather, I'm sure you'll master knitting in no time, and you'll soon be creating such lovely things...just like you do in crochet! xo

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  15. Congratulations on becoming an Auntie again, love they baby hat!
    My 3rd daughter weighed in at 9lb 11oz.

    I can't offer help on knitting tension, I naturally knit quite tight, you are doing a great job :-)
    Thanks for the crocheting tip, I only learned to crochet last year and am loving it!

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  16. They are great colours aren't they. I am just like you in a wool shop too, in fact I spent ages wandering around one very recently, and bought one random ball and some shawl pins as I just couldn't make a decision. I had nothing specific in mind and it was all too overwhelming. The colours of yarn that you selected are lovely and look great together or would be nice on their own as well. xx

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  17. Very manly scarf. I made one for my husband for Christmas; it's a bit brave colour-wise for a man, but I think he'll like it! Here's the link, if you are interested:) http://wp.me/p4xSJV-pW

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  18. What a gorgeous scarf :) Do you know what the yarn is ? I've been looking for something that colour for ages, can't seem to find anything!
    Jillxo

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Anyone ever told you that you're a peach? xx

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