FROZEN...... in time!

Well hello! It's good to be back. I very rarely desert my little bit of bloggy heaven for quite so long, but Christmas chez Snoopydog was  a very busy affair this year. Busy in a good way, with our family arriving at different times, along with grandchildren and carloads of 'essentials' if you have little ones!

We survived and had a very lovely time, with walks, games, trips to the cinema and just generally enjoying each other's company.

I managed to complete this little sweater for Sophie intake for Christmas. I called it her Elsa ( from  Frozen) sweater, so that she would approve of the colourway and want to wear it. Sophie is a very 'pink' little girl! As it happens, she seemed to like it very much. The yarn is pretty cheap and cheerful but lovely and soft and a pleasure to work with. It's Sirdar Crofter DK and the pattern is Sirdar Crofter 2256. I picked it up at Fibre East last summer.

I love the simplicity of the little rolled neck and sleeve edges and the set in sleeves. 

I then managed to make an Anna version for little Jess. The fact that I have made two well within four weeks, shows that it really is a quick knit!

I made a cheeky little purchase last week in order to knit one of Kim Swingles' new Playtime sock patterns. Her newly published e-book includes three fab patterns especially designed with variegated yarn in mind. I have a feeling I shall make 'Teeter Totter'.  STR is the recommended yarn and as there seems to be a great big gaping hole in my stash, I felt I needed to go some little way to filling it.... or a the very least, plugging the hole! I love it and know that it will make a fabulous pair of colourful foot warmers.

Looks like two separate skeins doesn't it! Fun!

Right, now lets say goodbye and get on with some new blankie crocheting for an hour or so. Hopefully I'll be able to show you a worthwhile amount of what's being hooked next time. Have a good week!

WOOLLY WARMERS........

 
Autumn is definitely starting to make her mark here in the UK. The evenings are feeling rather chilly now, even if the sun has still shared a little warmth during the day. This little chap spends his days busily collecting and then burying his goodies underneath the willow tree, in the farthest corner of our garden. I don't think he needs to worry though!

The garden is winding down and beginning to prepare itself for the cold months ahead. Our greenhouse though, is still providing us with more than enough tomatoes. The flavour seems to be extra good this year!

It's at this time of year, that my knitty fingers start to twitch and tell me they need to be engaging in some woolly warmth work. So, yesterday, I dug deep into the hibernation and pulled out two lovely winter warmers that have both been on the needles for far too long.

This is Henley with a Twist by Anne Hanson, my favourite pattern designer. I'm using Woolen Rabbit Essence yarn, which 100% merino, in colourway Forever in Blue Jeans. That should be my signature tune!

This is my second Henley. I love the design so much and the fit is just perfect. Here's my first one, in the same yarn base. The yarn washes beautifully.

I've also woken up this little lovely...........

It's Gunnerside Ladies from Rowan's Design Studio. The yarn is Rowan's British Sheep breeds undyed chunky. I remember giving up on this one as it felt so cumbersome knit. I seem to knit mostly with much finer needles. But I've now transferred onto a circular and so far, the working does seem a little easier.

I made the coat, Gayle, on the book cover for my youngest daughter, a couple of years ago.

Think I might be kept rather busy, as I already have Beau on the needles. She's going to take quite a 2ply while though!

I do need a change of project to keep me interested. Don't think I'll be short of winter warmers though, do you! Ijust need to get them finished in time to wear.

PATCHES CHILD

This week, I have been deliberately delaying the inevitable. I'm really, really good at it! I have quite a lot of schoolwork to do, in readiness for the new school term that begins this week. However, I have managed to skillfully while away the least week of the holidays doing a 'little bit of this' and a 'little bit of that' I am sitting here right now with my pile of work ready to ........ after some blog time, of course. I wonder what other 'must do' task will further delay my knuckling down to some work. Hmmm!

Much of my knitting time this wek has been spent on finishing the litttle 'Patches Child' jacket for little Sophie. The pattern is well written and an easy knit. I loved the clever knitting together of the strips and watching the colour changes. However, I DID NOT enjoy the yarn. I think I moaned about it last week, so I won't rant again:just suffice it to say that I won't be buying Noro again. I've yet to have a happy experience with it.

The pattern offers choices of edging, neckline and finishing. I chose the ruffled edging, which I think works fine the hem of the jacket, but I'm not so sure that it works so well on the sleeves. It's quite hard to tell until I see the jacket actually being worn.

I chose the crew neck option, as it seemed to fit the style of the garment.......

....... and found a pretty wooden button in my button tin (well, one of them!) to finish it off.

The shoulders were joined with a three needle bind-off, which is so easy and gives a really lovely neat seam. The finishing is quite simply single crochet. I chose a section of the yarn to use that would act as a contrast.

I've also begun a project for myself, using Rowan Kidsilk Haze, which is a very fine 2ply 70% mohair, 30% silk mix. It's Beau from Rowan's 'Fresh Fashion Knits' book.

I realised I have the American publication of the book, bought from Amazon, and so needed to remember to follow the correct UK sizing. I think the UK version of the book may have a different title. I just love the design and have chosen a deep, navy blue to allow the beauty of the shiny, hairy yarn to come through.

I have a feeling this one may take some time, but so farI'm loving it. The yarn is so soft and comfortable to work with after the nightmare Noro. Deep sigh...... and relax!!!! NOOOO, I must get on! See you next week. Have a good one.

THE YEAR OF THE SWEATER?

I don't know whether any of you remember this project. Well it would have been  a year ago now and sadly, this gorgeous aran sweater has remained in its own little dark hidey hole inside a large cotton bag. I don't know why. I can't explain. I lusted after the yarn for months and love the pattern.

The trouble is that there are just too few hours in a day. My knitting head imagines the items finished in a flash. In reality , this is not the case. My fingers cannot possible work at the required speed of light. It is just not humanly possible. So why can't my brain say STOP! Don't start another!

 AAARRRGGGHHH!  I did! I started a second 'Henley with a Twist' by Anne Hanson. Why? Because I loved the first one I made so, so much. To be fair, it gets so much wear that a second one would come in very handy. The trouble is, where are those 100 hours in a day? Here's the first one.......

You can see why I wanted a second bite can't you. The pattern is fabulous and so is the scrummy Woolen Rabbit yarn.

I have also managed to complete this fabulous piece for yht younger Miss Snoops. She wears it a lot  and it is wearing very well. The impetus to complete was knowing that she was eagerly waiting for it.

Perhaps this should become the year of the sweater, rather than the year of the dragon!!!

AUTUMN DAYS WHEN THE GRASS IS JEWELLED...........

'Autumn days when the grass is jewelled.....' ! So goes the the song that is sung in just about every English primary school at this time of year. We HAVEN'T sung it yet, but the words always buzz around in my head as the days start to draw in and there's that unmistakeable nip in the air. Oscar spent the morning collecting sticks from the undergrowth. This was one of his long lost 'trophy' sticks, rediscovered under a blackcurrant bush right at the bottom of the garden. He just loves stripping the bark!  Needless to say, the bark had been stripped with relish at some long gone point in time, but to merely rediscover this favourite was good enough to give it another lengthy chew and carry. He's so adorable!

The garden is suddenly beginning to accept the rolling in of Autumn. The recent hot days have kept things going longer than usual, but slowly and surely she is making her mark.

There are some delicate spots of colour still lingering and autumn leaves and berries beginning to add their own tones from the colour palette too.

I look forward to the start of each and every season, as they bring their own fresh perspective on our world.

There is always a shift in my knitting habits too. Out come the scarf, hat and woolly sock patterns. Not that I need to much excuse to knit a pair of socks.

This week, I've managed to complete 'Miss Doolittle'. She has been grafted, blocked and photographed.

It's a lovely, easy knit that grows very quickly. I'm so pleased I made the decision to go with this pattern rather than theshalette, Hazeline, that I should have been knittting with my September yarn.

I've also started another 'Henley with a Twist'. I love wearing the first one and enjoyed the pattern so much, that I knew another would soon be sitting on the needles.

It's the same yarn as before, The Woolen Rabbit's Essence in colourway 'Forever in Blue Jeans' . As I am 'forever in blue jeans' the colour seemed very appropriate. I'm already addicted to it once again!

We've enjoyed a return of slightly warmer weather again this weekend. Yesterday we decided to take a stroll down into the city for a coffee.

We mooched around the Farmer's Market stalls and made one tiny purchase..... some delicious marshmallows, flavoured with blackcurrants and violets. SCRUMDELICIOUS!

Needless to say, they are all long gone, otherwise I might have offered you one! Good evening, see you soon!

WOOLEN RABBIT......

Hello there from sunny Yorkshire! We are here 'en masse' dogs, partners and Sophie. It's wonderful having a family week's holiday like this. Time to unwind, catchup and enjoy each other's company. So, this will be a quick post this evening, before our curry arrives!

 Remember the yarn I showed you a couple of weeks ago, that josiekitten bought me for my birthday? Well, I have to say, it is the loveliest yarn I have so far had the pleasure to knit with. It's 'Woolen Rabbit' , dyed by Kim up in the mountains of New Hampshire. Her colourways are stunning. I'm making Anne Hanson's 'Henley with a Twist'. It takes 4 skeins of the gorgeous 4ply. The stretchy, cabled design should produce a lovely close fit! The pattern is very easy to memorise and quite addictive.

So far, I've completed the back and one sleeve, with the second sleeve very nearly there.

The plan is to knit, knit, knit, as fast as I can, so that I am ready to begin another new project next week. That's all I can tell you about it at the moment, as it is the first pattern in Anne Hanson's 'Fall in Full Color'  club. The pattern is due to be released tomorrow, but not everyone has received their yarn yet, so I can't show the scrummy delight that I will be casting on with. Perhaps I'll have time to pop back during the week to show you.

Thankfully Oscar's paw is much, much better and he has been having great fun with Scott in Dalby Forest. Her he is just before we came away.

Thanks for stopping by. I always love to see you. Have a good week!