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Tag: Knitting

by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

What can I say? It’s coming up to my favourite holiday and I am definitely getting in the spooky mood!

Heres one of my projects currently on the needles (I know I don’t generally share WIPs but I’m quite proud of how this MKAL has gone!)

The pattern is 100% That Witch by Brittany Westmorland – it’s a MKAL that’s currently running on Ravelry and I’m actually running two weeks behind as my needles were in another project. I’ve also deviated from the pattern in a few places (I can’t help it!) but I’m really enjoying how it’s come out so far!

Now, here’s one of my latest super cute and completed spooky knits:

Isnt this pumpkin kitty adorable?! The pattern is Jack-o-Cat by Anna Hrachovec (Mochimochiland) and is part of her Spooky Ookie Cats set – look out for more coming in the future!

Now, Mochimochiland is running a competition based on spooky photos involving her designs, and Inkling has come up with a rather amazing idea when I was taking the above photo. I’ve collected all the things I need, including 14 new balls of wool, and it’s a race against time to see if I can make his idea happen to submit it for the contest!

If not, still expect cute photos at some point in the future!

Speaking of future, I am still waiting on the go ahead for two finished knitting projects and one sewing project to share with you all…sigh…soon I hope, soon!

In other news it’s been a bit of a week. The lurgy has hit the house making small chores seem like mountains to climb, and on top of that, Lockdown came rushing in Wednesday night dripping blood everywhere. Turns out something bit his tail and it’s tooth punctured clean through it.

Emergency day off work Thursday and off to the vets for first appointment of the day – antibiotics, painkillers, anti-inflammatory meds, cone of shame and house arrest have been prescribed for my ginger trouble maker, and fingers crossed when he goes to the vets tomorrow (Monday) they will decide the wound has healed enough with no permanent nerve damage and he won’t have to get it amputated…

Not sure who would be more upset about that, myself, the kids, or him. I suspect myself mainly.

Other than some gardening and Felix going to her first sleepover (they grow so fast!) not much else has happened really. On that note, I’m going to get back to knitting Inklings amazing idea and keep an eye on Lockdown who is having a little break from his cone so he can groom himself…I don’t trust him at all however…

Wool Count

Starting total – 897

Wool used – 131 (1 this week!!)
Wool bought – 49
Wool given to me – 47
Wool gifted to others – 4
Wool handspun – 11

Total – 863 (Net total of 21 down! Curses! I will claw that number back!!!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Thats not the most burning question, really, it’s actually:

Which looks cutest? Just shorn, growing back in or time for shearing? (Left to right)

Need more cuteness to help with the decision?

Just look at those faces!

These are all knit with the same needles and same pattern (the one used the other week – Tiny Alpaca! by Anna Hrachovec) but with different fluffy/textured wool and it has affected the size, shape and cuteness by a lot!

I’m curious to know which is your favourite? I’ll reveal later which one actually won out for my grand alpacalypse plan!

Been a busy week (isn’t every week these days?) and have just got back from seeing friends at the zoo, and I am physically and socially worn out from it! We all had a ball – Felix was super excited to see a leopard up close and Inkling had a bonding moment with a gibbon who was as curious of him as he was of it! And for me it was all about the ring tailed lemur, which due to Covid, meant that the walkthrough enclosure was currently closed. Turns out lemurs are susceptible to human respiratory illnesses and that includes Covid.

The things you never knew!

Oh! We also saw a pair of vicunas today (the smallest of the camelidae family and the wild ancestor to what we know of as the modern alpaca) with a fleece that is super fine and soft but can only be sheared every three years…and was of great value to the Incas to the point only royalty could wear things made from their fleece…If it went for the electric fence…

More things you never knew!

So with that, I shall leave it till next and until then, stay safe!

(Oh, and in case your wondering, I have three projects – 1 sewn and 2 knitted I can’t reveal quite just yet but hopefully soon! Until then, expect more alpacas. Or llamas. They appear to have become interchangeable in this house and I haven’t quite had the heart to sit everyone down and go through what exactly separates the two species!)

Wool Count

Starting total – 897

Wool used – 130 (2 this week!!)
Wool bought – 35
Wool given to me – 47
Wool gifted to others – 4
Wool handspun – 11

Total – 863 (Net total of 34 down! Or 45 if I don’t count the handspun, cause it was fleece in the stash anyway…it’s just changed form…what are your thoughts?)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

It’s a frisbee!! Made following the free circular How to Knit a Granny Square pattern by Frankie Brown.

As someone who knows how to crochet, and can technically do it, but can’t due to a knackered wrist, I was very keen to have an excuse to try knitted crochet, and these cotton frisbees for the Christmas set was a perfect opportunity!

I will say that it was still hard on my wrist, and I had to take breaks from it more than if I had been knitting normally, but I could do it for far, far longer than crochet!

Curiosity satisfied, another present finished.

In other news, you will have noticed I didn’t post last week – you can blame Rabbie for that one! You can read about the chaos on her blog, but regardless, I was just too tired from the week, the weekend, and the start of another week to actually take the time to post anything!

There has been family meet ups, Dog fest, socialising, work stuff, gaming, littlest terror has started his swimming lessons and oldest one has gone up four book bands this school term already…it’s been busy!

Project wise there’s quite a lot on the needles, and as such, not a lot of progress on any of it! I’m usually a monogamous knitted but…yeah…more on those as and when I have things to show.

Until next week, stay safe!

Wool Count

Starting total – 897

Wool used – 128 (2 this week!!)
Wool bought – 35 (2 this week, but for a specific project, promise!)
Wool given to me – 47
Wool gifted to others – 4
Wool handspun – 11

Total – 865 (still a net total of 32 down!!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

Just a small, quick knit to show this week, and this is the first of many. Many, many.

What am I on about?

Teeny Tiny Alpaca! Pattern by by Anna Hrachovec – better known as Mochimochiland! I do adore her patterns, and there’s a whole herd of these guys planned!

I may have mentioned before but my conservatory is being turned into a craft area now that the roof is sorted – and purely for no other reason than ‘because’ and ‘its Rabbies fault’, I’m giving it an alpaca/llama theme.

There’s a few things in progress for said theme, so this little guy is a sneak peak, but he’s also the only bit remotely close to photograph ready! I plan on more with different fluffy/textured wools to see what I like best and what also works best.

Not much to report this week, other than the front garden is finally finished. My hands and back are incredibly pleased with this knowledge, and fingers crossed to good harvests next year!

On that note, I’m going to return to my nest on the sofa and not move for the rest of the evening…

Till next week, stay safe!

Wool Count

Starting total – 897

Wool used – 126 (1 this week!!)
Wool bought – 33
Wool given to me – 47
Wool gifted to others – 4
Wool handspun – 11

Total – 865 (A net total of 32 down!!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

As I mentioned previously, I’ll alternate between the more boring practical Christmas knits and the cute and random ones that seem to appear frequently in my life…

And so, I present:

Rather than wrapping paper, or a plastic bag, I’ve opted to knit several large Boardwalk Beach Bags by Holly Beemer (a very easy, quick free pattern) out of cotton and a cotton/linen mix. But me being me, I couldn’t resist making them look cute, and thus bumble bees! (Though more than one person has pointed out that the darker yellow/orange and black ones look like Hufflepuff house colours…which is perfect for my sis, who is a self declared Hufflepuff!)

I have also made two small ones which will hold little knitted cotton pads for cleaning faces/removing makeup (worryingly most of the supermarket ones contain plastic! Didn’t realise that till I looked at the packaging…)

And that’s all for this week regarding Christmas gifts.

I’m currently working on three things at the moment, and very shortly a fourth which will involve me spinning a fair bit of wool. All I’ll say on that is “Rabbie, you’re a genius, and that’s going to look awesome on the wall – may have to make two!”

Its been a weird week this week – work has been quiet, giving me lots of time to start thinking things over, and plot, and plan… I’ve also started training someone and accidentally became their buddy, which is quite hilarious seeing as I have been signed off after the fact on all my own training!

This weekend has been two family fun days, and despite panicking every time anyone came near me, it was brilliant – the kids even got to play with a fireman’s hose and go into the cab! So jealous! It’s strange though, post Covid, in that even though it was crowded, everyone kept themselves separate from everyone else…

I am thoroughly shattered though, physically and socially, I have definitely got to start building up my tolerance of being around people again!

Wool Count

Starting total – 897

Wool used – 125 (6 this week!!)
Wool bought – 33
Wool given to me – 47
Wool gifted to others – 4
Wool handspun – 11

Total – 866 (A net total of 31 down!!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Its been a busy week! Mostly of my own making, but it’s been good at least. Yesterday I met up with a group of friends whom I haven’t seen in person since pre-Covid. One set, whom I have seen, fell in love with my knitted jackalope head.

I had a spare set of antlers…and plenty of natural fleece to spin…and well, I was going to see them so…on Friday I made the decision to spin the fleece.

And by Monday night, I had all that I needed spun and plyed and wound into balls of wool ready to knit.

Tuesday to Friday saw much frantic knitting, as well as Engel stepping in on the Wednesday to saw the skull down some more to allow me to fit it inside the jackalope head, and Friday saw the last bits knitted and all the assembly taking place.

Pattern is a modified version of the free pattern my dear – a deer trophy by Claire Garland and the wooden plaque is from Pallets2Place – commission piece in regards to both size and shape! I also have another two to redo my other knitted heads as I was so impressed with it!

The wooly critter was handed over yesterday and then there was lots of axe throwing – the reason for everyone meeting up was to have a laugh and test our apocalyptic survival skills. I did far better than I had expected! Then there was food, home, meeting with in laws and more food.

Today has been much quieter – a play in the park, climbing trees and a quiet afternoon of playing games and getting on with some sewing.

How have your weeks been?

Till next, stay safe!

Wool Count

Starting total – 897

Wool used – 111 (4 this week!!)
Wool bought – 33
Wool given to me – 47
Wool gifted to others – 4
Wool handspun – 11 (2 skiens for the jackalope head!)

Total – 880 (A net total of 17 down)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

Some of you may be wondering why I haven’t mentioned a certain set of blue projects for a while, a set of three matching blue sweater vests to be exact, and the answer to that was…

Well, I finished them. Did all the picking up of stitches and ribbing, weaved in the ends, then shoved them in a bag and out of sight for…three weeks…?

I am ashamed to admit I have only just pulled them back out to photograph them and to share with you all!

Apologies for the photos being somewhat uninspired, but with so much blue, and it being three identical garments in various sizes…there’s not much you can do with that!

I’m planning on gifting these today, and if my measurements and maths are all correct, they should fit the FIL and the little Terrors well. Can’t wait to see them all matching!!

In current knitting news, I am doing a spate of Christmas knitting. These will get shared, in part, on the blog as the only member of the family who reads this and will receive them has been helping come up with ideas and inspiration behind it all. More on that later.

I did mention last week about sewing projects, and there’s been some fun photo shoots with regards to that, as well as a few extra little projects sneaking their way in. There’s debate as to when I should share these as I don’t know if I should before I send it off to its new owner, or wait until they have received it… When I get an answer I will post about it, until then, we’re all somewhat being kept in the dark!

In non knitting news, my new job has been going well. It’s strange working for a company that focuses on nurturing their employees and encouraging ideas and creativity, compared to being just a number who gets their workload increased until they crack…

There was a lengthy conversation with Engel where I explained that I was happy, but also anxious, because surely, at any moment now, the other shoe is going to drop and it’s all going to turn out to be some elaborate ploy with some awful catch attatched… I’m still waiting.

There’s been some spinning going on as well, I have a project planned that requires some hand spun, and some natural dying of fleece for no other reason than I wanted to have a play with colour.

Yesterday saw me getting my second Covid jab, which I am pleased to have now had. Its a strange one, I wasn’t keen on getting the vaccine for myself, as in my health, but was very keen to get it so I would feel that the risk of making friends and family and loved ones would be greatly reduced.

Give it two weeks and I will be giving out all the hugs!

Thats all for this week, sorry it’s a bit of a ramble, I feel like I have lots to say but also not sure what to say, or where to start.

Until next week, stay safe!

Wool Count

Starting total – 897

Wool used – 107 (5 this week!!)
Wool bought – 33
Wool given to me – 47
Wool gifted to others – 4
Wool handspun – 9

Total – 882 (A net total of 15 down)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

It’s been a very long and busy week. Despite the heat it’s also been very productive. The roof is all fixed now, my nest egg is but a few pieces of shell, (just in case, commission’s are open!) I got all the fences painted, both gardens weeded, fruit harvested and a whole load of cleaning, tidying and sorting!

Thankfully the majority was done at the start of the week as it’s been getting hotter and hotter as it’s progressed. But I was planning on physically resting anyway as my new job starts tomorrow.

The nerves have well and truly hit me, but there’s still excitement! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

On to the knitting content!

Its approaching the end of the school year here, and as such I’m knitting a few small gifts for the teachers and teaching assistants. One of the TAs in Felix’s class also runs Welsh club, which Felix has really enjoyed going to, and as such, Felix felt she deserved a special knit – a little red dragon! Or should I say ‘draig goch fach’?

(Ok, I have a friend he speaks Welsh, and I asked her as I know zero Welsh)

Anyhow, the pattern is Dragons 9051 by King Cole Ltd – I added front legs, ears and the little spikes down his back though to make it more like the Welsh dragon.

Anyhow, I’m exhausted and dying of the heat, hopefully I’ll have a post for you all next week but with it being the first week at not just a new job, but of a career change, I make no promises!

Wool Count

Starting total – 897

Wool used – 98 (1 this week)
Wool bought – 33
Wool given to me – 29 (Andrew picked me up 8 balls of cotton for the Christmas projects I’m plotting)
Wool gifted to others – 1
Wool handspun – 9

Total – 876 (Up 7, sigh, still more out than in though!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

As you’ve already probably guessed by the title, I’m still working through the miles of blue cabled vests, and still knitting  ‘Kawaii Kittens’ by Louise Walker from the book ‘Mollie Makes Knitting’ as little breaks from the endless blue.

This one is different in that I didn’t follow the pattern exactly as written in the book as there isn’t a sushi cat pattern, so I changed the colours and pattern, and added a little prawn/shrimp on top to create…

I couldn’t resist going to get some sushi and soupy noodles as an excuse to get some cute photos! Here’s another, next to some shrimp nigiri, to show you the tail of the prawn/shrimp!

As well as getting sushi, it’s been an eventful week. There was some working from home to tie off all the loose ends of my job before I am fully done and start the next one. The kids are fast approaching the end of the school year so there’s a lot to do and organise with that. My roof sprung a leak which had to get fixed asap, with more work to be done when we can arrange the time and money for it. As well as this, my mum managed to finally visit us, and it’s been near two years since she last set foot in my house. Chaos and good times had by all, but I am thoroughly exhausted!

Which is why this is a day later than usual – feel better for getting some sleep and serious knitting time in, but more sleep and knitting is needed to recharge the batteries I think! Maybe some spinning too…

Wool Count

Starting total – 897

Wool used – 97 (7 this week)
Wool bought – 33
Wool given to me – 21
Wool gifted to others – 1
Wool handspun – 9

Total – 869 (no net change)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Still working through miles of blue vests, so this week’s quick knit break was:

I’m definitely enjoying these cute knits far more than the vests, but alternating between is definitely helping knitting project burn out! The pattern for the Ice Cream Cat, like the Burger Cat, is a set of three cushion patterns called ‘Kawaii Kittens’ by Louise Walked from the book ‘Mollie Makes Knitting’. Popcorn cat is the remaining cat from the set, but I have plans to tweak the pattern to make other cute food variations…

Aside from the knitting, the rest of the time has been spent sorting out all my craft things (including ripping out a pile of old knitted projects in various states of completion which I had thrown into a naughty corner and forgotten about) and moving everything into the conservatory, sorting Engels things into piles for him to go through proper, and yesterday was a mammoth painting session – all the walls and ceiling are now painted, multiple coats required, especially on the ceiling, which is blue and now awaiting me to get the energy to paint some clouds on it.

Look forward to that, just waiting for the pain in my neck and shoulders to ease…

Hope you’ve all had a good week, and until next post, stay safe!

Wool Count

Starting total – 897

Wool used – 89 (1 this week)
Wool bought – 33
Wool given to me – 21
Wool gifted to others – 1
Wool handspun – 8

Total – 876

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