SORRY I MISSED YOU.........

I'm so sorry I missed you last week, but we had an unexpected arrival! Little Isaac arrived rather quickly on Thursday, 5th May at 7.12p.m., a couple of weeks before we were expecting, so Mr Snoops and I made a very special trip up North. What little beauty he is, don't you think? He's still looking a little yellow in this photo, but after light treatment the jaundice is slowly disappearing.

We had the pleasure of looking after darling Evie for a couple of days: she is an absolute delight! It also meant that we were able to spend time with our other two grandchildren, Sophie and Jess, as well. A very special time was had! 

I had time to make another little sweater and a couple of hats. This one matches the grey and the green sweaters and the other has grey and blue stripes to match the grey sweater and blue cardigan featured a couple of posts ago. I don't have a photo of the blue and grey hat, as I completed it on our Thursday evening journey northwards, just after taking a phone call in the car to say that he arrived. Needless to say, a hat photo was no longer high priority! :-)

I LOVE these cute little buttons. They work just perfectly!

Since we've been home, I've made Evie a little cardi for her 'baby' doll. This is a great pattern (Little Kina), that I've used before, knit from the top down all in one piece. It's quick and easy and uses up oddments of yarn! ;-)

We may only have been away for six days, but at this time year so much happens during that time in the garden. The honeysuckle smells divine!

Fresh produce and 'first of the season's' goodies were on offer at the Farmer's Market yesterday in the city centre. We usually stool down through the park for a coffee and to buy some of this stalls wonderful produce. Just look at those lush strawberries; they tasted just as good as they look, as did the yummy asparagus; tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted for 10 mins in a hot oven. Delicious!

I just wanted to show you the new 'life and times' of Mr Snoops' feet! Two years ago came the first wearing of the knitted socks and now we seem to be going for 'how bright can you get'! These are his new socks for days when knitted socks just won't do :-(   He wanted brown! I said 'Why not stripes?' So, he went for stripes. Snazzy, hey?

Here's a pic of our beautiful boy, Oscar, taken this afternoon in the garden. He had been racing around with his pheasant, but stopped dead when he saw me with the camera, as if to say, ' You taking a shot of me Mum? Okay, I'll play ball!' Love my boy!

ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END...

 

The Easter holidays have been and almost gone! The two weeks have been a very welcome chance to unwind, relax, meet up with family and knit! We spent the second week in North Yorkshire and although the weather was not the finest, we had a lovely time. Oscar did too!

These gorgeous foot warmers were started as travelling socks on the long journey northwards, but the beautifully bright self-striping yarn made for pretty addictive knitting. The pair were completed in record time!

I started this little cardigan for Evie's new brother or sister, due to be born in May and managed to complete on the journey homewards on last Friday. Here it sits awaiting seaming. It might have to wait patiently, as it's a job I hate!

This morning, the final day of the holidays,  dawned bright and sunny with a stunning clear blue sky, which was very welcome relief after the cold and rain of yesterday. The beach it had to be! We were up, ready and gone by 9.30 a.m. and on the beach after a speedy cup of coffee. Holkham, on the North Norfolk coast has to be one of the most beautiful of beaches anywhere. In fact, it IS the most beautiful! 

To avoid the cardigan seaming job, I started a cute sweater for the new baby too. I hope he or she is going to like my thoughtfully chosen 'spring greens' colour! I'm not so sure my daughter will ;-)

We stopped off for a bite of lunch at Blickling Hall, before heading homewards just as the clouds began to roll in.

All in all, a lovely Easter break!

DAWN SWEATER

It looks a pretty grey dawn in my grey on grey photos today, but do you know what? I like it! This little beauty took me a little longer the expected, due to school getting in the way, but it is now done and ready to send to London for little Eliot, who arrived a few days ago.

I just love this pattern and have used it many times. It's Erika Knight's 'sweater' from her 'Nursery Knits' book.  It's a quick simple knit, but also modern and stylish. I have to say I also love the gorgeous merino and silk Rowan yarn, which is perfect for special baby garments and washes beautifully. 

The cute buttons work perfectly. After much fruitless searching for something just right in our city shops, I found these little beauties at the Wonderwool show a couple of weekends ago. I bought four, so can now repeat the knit for my elder daughter who is expecting a little brother or sister for darling Evie next May! Exciting!

LITTLE GREY MOUSE ...

Well, after weeks of feeling disgruntled about the lack of knitting time, I finish this little beauty in under a week. I've made several of these little hoodies and each one has been a great success. The pattern is quick and easy (Hooded Kaftan by Debbie Bliss and the Rowan Baby Merino Silk DK is lovely to work with and washes beautifully.

So little Evie, you'll be a snuggly little grey mouse in your new hoodie. It's a little large at the moment, but will soon be a comfy fit. I made the 12 to 24 month size, using five balls of yarn.

The surprising thing about these photos, is that they were all taken during a five minute snippet of time at around 5.30p.m. on a sunny late afternoon/early evening, and yet the light has thrown up two ends of the 'grey' colour range!!!! The actual colour is the darker grey.

Never mind the success of the close-up shot to show you the sweet side styling, have a look at that great grass! ;-)

Love how the simple neck opening lays well and requires no buttons or extras.

So, little grey mouse, what colour shall I make next? Perhaps you can become a gorgeous green alligator!

SMOKING NEEDLES........

Here we go, hot off the needles. This is such a sweet little hoodie and a very quick and easy knit too. It's the 'Hooded Kaftan' from Debbie Bliss's 'Ecobaby' book, to keep Evie snuggly. I've made the 6 - 9mths size, using 4 balls. 

I like the fact that the edging is knitted as you go and not afterwards.

I also like the little split sides detail. Baby Cashmerino is one of my favourite yarns for small people projects. It's warm, very soft and washes beautifully.

I've already got some gorgeous bright red lined up for another one!

We are off up to Yorkshire tomorrow for a couple of weeks. We've a few days on our own, before being joined by our family, including Sophie, Jess and Evie and, of course, Scott! I'm hoping to make a quick start on the jodie, so that I complete it before they arrive next Saturday.

As usual, I'm taking way too many projects: I'll certainly need smoking needles to complete them all!!! However, a girl needs to have choice. I like some easy knitting for the car, socks for anytime and something a little more challenging. Think I'd better go and do some yarn-winding and project bag choosing!

AT THE FINISH LINE......

I finished this requested cardigan a week or so ago and it has already winged its way up to little Evie. It really is the simplest of all in one patterns ever. The only slightly tricky bit is picking up the stitches for the edging and button bands. It is a quick knit that produces quite a warm, thick fabric.

Ii's a Debbie Bliss pattern and it took three balls of her Baby Cashmerino. I really like the contrast that these little wooden buttons add. They seem to lift the design.

Evie is growing pretty quickly, as it appears that 3 - 6 months won't be fitting her for very much longer. Such a little sweetie!

I've definitely rediscovered my love of colour just recently, as I find myself tempted back to multicoloured sock yarns. I popped into my local, and recently re-located, yarn store yesterday and just couldn't leave this scrummy offering behind.

As  much as I love the hand-dyed yarns, for long-lasting socks you really can't beat Regia.

Looking forward to another set of stripes, just as soon as my 'London Gap's are off the needles.

........ AND RELAX!

Hello there! Phew! After the whirlwind combination of the end of term and little Jessica's arrival, we are now relaxing in our regular cottage hideaway in north Yorkshire. As you can see, Spring is slowly beginning to appear up here and we have felt the sun's lukewarm rays; so life affirming after weeks of snow, ice and dull winter coldness.

We had quite an eventful trip up here on Friday, as Mr Snoops absentmindedly began to fill up the tank with unleaded rather than diesel. This led to a two hour delay in our journey, as we had to be taken by breakdown truck to  a recovery depot for the tank to be drained!!! He was not the most popular!

The lengthy journey did give me time to complete 'Potter', the cute little romper for baby Jessica. It's from the Rowan 'Just Baby' book. I realised that if I didn't get a move on, it wouldn't fit her!! I used the suggested yarn; Rowan baby merino silk DK. It's very soft and great to knit with.

Hope she likes it!

From the same book, I've cast on 'Dahl', a pretty little girly sweater for Sophie, so she's not feeling left out. She is a great fan of pink in all it's varieties and I promised her I'd knit a PINK one!

The plan is to try to finish this before we arrive home on Friday. Watch this space to see if I succeed. I may find time to post a few finished (well almost) kitchen pics too.