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Category: Knitting

by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting, Little one 2 Comments

Now that has be the oddest title yet for one of my blog posts.

But there is indeed a mole rat and an eye patch!

Let’s start on the ugly one. No, really, it’s ugly! I knitted one of these:

(Image from the Fallout 4 artbook) it’s a mole rat. More specifically, the mutated, diseased mole rats found in the computer games Fallout 3 and 4. These are awesome open world games full if all kinds of horrors, set in a post nuclear 1950s-esque world.

Engel loves the game. He’s pumped a crazy number of hours into both of them to, and he demanded I make him one.

And I did.

And it’s ugly.

I butchered the pattern ‘Mole’ from ‘Knitted Woodland Creature’s’ by Susie Johns for this one. I also kept extensive notes (for me) on what I did to if I ever make another – it’s on my Ravelry project page.

Engel is delighted with it, so job done. Though he wants it to wear a little belt with mines on it…it’s a Fallout 4 thing.

So, something ugly, now something cute.

Free Ravelry download pattern ‘Scurvy Eye Patch‘ by Cistabel Seneque.

Time for a story.

Before Felix was born, Engel obtained a toy cat that, after some joking around, was called Captain Morgan of the seven sofas!

Cue a few years down the line and Felix acquired Morgan. We told her of his mighty adventures as a pirate Captain and she demanded he had an eye patch.

So we dug one out.

Next day she lost it. Was very upset and wanted him to have another.

So I made one. Coincidentally, his pirate costume arrived. If asked, I’ll say that Felix wanted it, and it wasn’t Engel at all that insisted Morgan just had to have one…

Wink wink. Nudge nudge.

Other knitting news: I have two projects on the go this week, both to be done by Saturday. I have a habit of tight deadlines these days it seems…and despite all my knitting, no whole balls of wool used either this week. So the wool count still stands at:

Starting total – 697

Wool used – 73 (5 since last post)
Wool bought – 9
Wool given – 4

Total – 637

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting, Little one, Patterns 1 Comment

Hi all,

I’m offering a free pattern as an apology for a lack of update last week – not that much happened (well, above the normal level of madness!) But just failed to actually post anything.

I do however have a few offerings this week to make up for it!

First of all, the pattern for the fox bag holder / purse I posted last time is now available in the ‘free pattern’s section – or you can skip straight to it here.

Yeah! Been a while since I published a pattern!

What else?

This!

It’s a shawl based on the pattern ‘Peruvian Cat Lace Scarf’ by Donna Druchunas from the book ‘Kitty Knits: Projects for cats and their people’ – I love this book, and have made a number of the patterns now.

So, the story behind this one:

Decided to make a shawl rather than a scarf as I felt that the recipient would use it more. (She’s mad about cats, so using this lace pattern for the shawl was ideal)

Managed to make the full sized shawl (3ft from point to top) in five days, having cast on Monday evening and finished it with 15 minutes to spare before setting off for the birthday dinner it was being handed at…

I was also juggling full time work, being a mum, and trying to keep the house tidy enough to live in! But not bad if I say so myself!

Tempted to make one for me (in black) and Felix (my two year old) is demanding one in blue. Or purple. Or blue and purple…

But that’s just one week of knitting, what about the other? Well, I have a toy in progress that’s taking quite a bit of time, but more on that when it’s done, and j finished my fluffy wool projects.

IMG_20160612_204118931

There’s…43 sets of cat ears and matching tails there. It’s a rather messy photo, but also the best way to show the sheer quantity of them.

Worryingly, I still have a load of fluffy wool – nothing to make a set of ears and tail with, but at least it’s manageable! In time, I’ll turn the rest into fluffy mice or fish as cat toys, but right now? I’m satisfied with the dent I’ve put in my wool stash.

I just need to work out what to do with 43 sets of cat ears and tails. Should probably attend a craft fair, or maybe a mandatory wearing of cat ears birthday party for Felix in September…

Any suggestions?

Starting total – 697 balls

Wool used – 73 (5 since last post)
Wool bought – 9
Wool given – 4

Total – 637

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Gaming, Knitting 1 Comment

Today is Engels birthday, so this weekend (a bank holiday weekend at that) has been filled with much fun and games. Saturday was a quiet family day, mooching about the local village, enjoying the good weather as well as people who hate the heat can do.

Yesterday we had a ‘sushi sunday’ (£1.20 a plate sushi!) And after being thoroughly stuffed, kicked off a new Call of Cthuhlu campaign, but with the twist of introducing the Laundry. (Think secret government department that covers up and contains all mythos related events, but with classic British Beurocracy, red tape, HR, and so much paperwork to be completed in triplicate that it really is easier to just buy your own stationary than use the stationary cupboard at work)

It was awesome, can’t say much as despite being an estimated 2-3 hour campaign, it took six last night and put on hold till the next gaming session as everyones character in game  has turned into paranoid wrecks. It’s hilarious, and reminds me why I go through the effort of preparing gaming sessions.

Ah, but this is a knitting blog primarily, and so to knitting it is. It’s been a slow week project wise as I was at Centre Parks at the weekend, started my old-new job on Monday and am getting back into the swing of that again, plus shaking off a stinking cold, and prepping for gaming chaos. I’ve also been nose deep reading Eldritch Chrome – think cyberpunk Cthuhlu. So…yeah…

Cat ear project on temporary hiatus as I work out logistics with the remaining mishmash of fluffy wool.

After getting annoyed at not having a bag on me for the shopping, again, (we pay for bags down here now, and I have so many decent shopping bags that I begrudge buying more!) So made myself this:

It’s a little fox purse to attach to my bag and has two little shopping bags inside, so I’ll always have them on me!

It’s a cute fit, right? And also a little thing I threw together out of my own head, so no pattern reference.

Hmm. Wonder if it’s worth writing out and posting as a freebie pattern here…

Anyhow! A little story for the next one.

A long time ago (several years) my mum ‘borrowed’ a pair of my armwarmers, and well, the only way I’m getting those back is if I replace them…

She was bought a number of balls of wool from New Lanark a few years ago which I made a jumper with. And two hats. (And another in sparkly cotton) And there was a bit leftover.

So now it’s arm warmers!

Free Ravelry pattern Camp Out Fingerless Mitts by tante ehm. Super cute and easy!

No wool used up this week (sadly) but I’m just happy I actually finished a few things!

Starting total – 697 balls

Wool used – 68
Wool bought – 9
Wool given – 4

Total – 642

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting, Little one No Comments

I should be unpacking but…well, I’ll get to that.

I’ve officially finished one job, and start another tomorrow – I’m actually going back to my previous job, a number of reasons, but mainly the one I just left was getting very, very manic to the point it was affecting my time with Felix.

Engel comes second to Felix, but he knows that already, and to him I come second to Felix too. It’s something we’re open and honest about.

But I digress, so, job change. Had my mum visit last weekend (Felix loves her Granny, and insists she lives at the Pineapple House, though has a second, normal house when more people are around)

And this weekend we were at Centre Parks, Sherwood Forest. Felix did find Robin Hood, in the form of the classic Disney cartoon I had brought along. This skewed my plan of having her go for a wander in the woods looking for him, but hey-o, points for observation to her.

Knit wise, still plodding on with cat tails and wars, but rapidly losing steam and the will to knit fluffy fur with that project. Other projects though:

The Paulina Dress I was working on last post. Finished and adorable! The pattern is a free Ravelry download by Taiga Hilliard Designs.

And something i’ve made twice before, Meret (Mystery Beret) by Woolly Wormhead, another free Ravelry download. It’s for my mum, whom I knitted the original two of in her wool from New Lanark. This one (modelled by Ramen) is a sparkly cotton version for those warm windy days!

Alright, i’d best get back to unpacking, though procrastination is so much more fun!

Starting total – 697 balls

Wool used – 68 (16 this week!)
Wool bought – 9

Total – 638

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting No Comments

No, really, there isn’t anything.

I’ve been plodding on with the cat ears and tails, but as I’m waiting till they’re all done to photograph it, there’s obviously no photo for this blog.

There is another project in the needles now too – a last request from someone at work before I leave in two weeks. It’s a baby dress, for their grandchild of unknown gender. They’ve decided that if the grandchild is a boy, the dress will go the person at work who is having a girl. If the grandchild is a girl, well, they keep the dress.

But that’s on the needles, so no photos.

Really was nothing to see this blog.

I was going to do a ‘from the archives’ post but it’s been a very long week, and a hectic day, with tomorrow planned to be just as hectic! This is what happens when I juggle motherhood, full time work and a social life mind you.

So, anything else to mention? Only six balls of wool used this week, not as epic as last week’s twenty four, but not a number to sniff at either!

See you next week.

Starting total – 697 balls
Wool used – 52 (6 this week!)
Wool bought – 9

Total – 654

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Knitting, Little one 1 Comment

Twenty four balls of wool used, twenty four balls of wool knit, we take a ball, we knit it all, twenty four balls of wool used up!

Only six hundred and sixty ball of wool to go!

Insanity aside, it’s been busy since my last post. I’m now in the process of changing jobs, my love for Rockband being awakened, knitting, work itself, a massive spring clean and lastly I spent a week’s break in Wales with Engel and Felix.

A brief summary is thus:

Three railways – one diesel (Welsh highland heritage), two steam (Ffestiniog and Talyllyn) – all narrowguage, three beaches, two harbours, one failed attempt at crabbing (Felix dropped her crab line into the sea), several successful rock pooling attempts (caught four fish, a dozen crabs and a live clam), a swimming pool, rabbit farm and sea zoo, plus a brief look at where they make seasalt.

It’s been busy.

But good.

I doubt anyone is really interested (except Rabbie) on a blow by blow account of my trip, so my summary I hope will suffice.

Onto the knitting!

Another little knitted extra for person at my work who is pregnant with a little girl.

Something Felix, my little one, adored when she was tiny was a little Scamp snuggly (I think alike people call them lovelys?) A little fabric square with an animal head.

Hopefully this one will be loved too!

Worked top down from the head and then onto the blanket from the centre out, finishing with a picot bind off. Seeing as my cat Crumble refused to move as I was finishing it, I took a photo of it on her.

And a firm favourite – pattern is Cat-ears Hat by Donna Druchunas, from ‘Kitty Knits: Projects for cats and their people’ – a very used and loved Christmas present from Rabbie, many, many moons ago!

“But that hasn’t used up twenty four balls of wool” I hear you say, why no, it hasn’t. The two projects above used up four. The other twenty is from cat ears and tails as I blitz my way through my fluffy/fuzzy wool collection.

Engel has been helping me on this crusade by knitting the cat tails with as small knitting machine we got Felix.

She’s made a few too.

It really is that easy to use.

I’ll take a photo of them all when I finish, there’s still fluffy/fuzzy wool left (I suspect it’s breeding, and related to Tribbles)

Well, that’s all for today, still sorting out the post holiday stuff that needs doing…

Starting total – 697 balls
Wool used – 46 (24 balls used up this week!)
Wool bought – 9

Total – 660

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting No Comments

Does whatever knitting I can…

For some reason the spider man song leapt into my mind. Must be the sleep deprivation catching up with me! Work, being a mum, attempts of a social life and a house keeping have just killed me lately.

Have managed a fair bit of knitting though!

These were made using the free Ravelry download ‘Stripy baby dungarees’ by Becky Smith. This was a request from someone at work who is expecting their first grandchild – they asked for grey dungarees and this was the pattern I settled on.

I do like the two tone grey – its very soft on the eyes and gender neutral.

This is also the first project I’ve used a hammer on! (It was for the big silver fasteners – but still, a hammer! For a knitting project! Engel appeared to feel that my invasion of his sacred toolbox warranted him the right to ‘supervise’. Or maybe he doesn’t trust me with heavy tools…)

But that’s not all this week! More baby things!

Lots of baby things! The cardigan pattern is ‘long or short sleeved coat with flower’ from sirdars ‘Beautiful baby knits’. (Got to love the incredibly unimaginative names!) The booties are from the same booklet, they’re from the ‘Sweetpea’ set. The hat is another free Ravelry download – Alfafa Baby Hat by Kate Gagnon Osborn. Lastly, the mittens pattern is a free online pattern ‘Wee baby mitts’ by Christine Vogel. Adorable! To tie the set together I added the flower from the cardigan onto everything. I think it’s worked out well. 

Though I still have a ball of that wool left – maybe a matching cuddly toy?

Wool countdown!

Starting total – 697 balls
Wool used – 22 (5 balls used up this week!)
Wool bought – 9

Total – 684

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting No Comments

Just a short post to say my Easter has been busy but fine – even with all the gardening and the thunderstorms! I managed to mostly avoid being outside during the thunderstorms but the few seconds I was out…

Anyhow. Felix had fun, too much chocolate was consumed, cakes got baked, crafty things were made and the houses was turned upside down only twice.

Amongst this, I finished knitting the squares for the blanket. And some. Will blog later when I feel like I won’t murder my cats and the blanket is sewn.

You can instead look at this mini knit I did during the week:

It’s (another) Miss Marple scarf, present for Engels godmother for her birthday.

There will be a much longer and more entertaining post next week.

Wool countdown!

Starting total – 697 balls
Wool used – 17 (3 this update!)
Wool bought – 9

Total – 689

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting No Comments

Still plodding on with my blanket – having a little saga with it, but more on that when I post about it…

It’s been a fairly quiet week all in all, used up one ball of wool, done lots of work, Felix has been up to no extra mischief than normal…though the weekend should be fun, but let’s see how that goes before I go on about it!

So, when there’s not much to say or show, it’s time to hit the knitting archives of things not on this blog yet!

Today: Teapots.

I posted, back in November 2013 about my commissioned Scottish hippo teacosie but no other tea cosies have appeared on my blog. And I’ve made lots. Like dice bags, there’s a certain charm to making tea cosies…but they’re something that’s nearly obsolete to most people. I do own a pair of Teapots, but my sister Rabbie owns a whole collection…I’ll try and get a photo of it some time!

Let’s start with…

Grannies traditional tea cosie, free pattern by Keren Smith – this one is not in traditional colours (the orange and green are both UV reactive and will glow under a black light) but it’s a lovely design that never fails. I’ve made half a dozen or so in different colours for people, usually to match their kitchens!

After a few I was inspired to make this using the same pattern, just the one colour, and a few added details…

Cactus teacosie! This was a present for the father in law, who loves his cacti, and I will say now, I’ve never known a knitted thing to be used as much as this has. Everyday since February 2012, and several times a day at weekends, this gets used.

My in-laws are big tea drinkers.

And as an aside, nothing makes a knitted happier than knowing their knitting is used/loved to the point of repair. That base and the flower and the seams have all been redone several times…

Anyhow! Before I digress further, one of my own creation, for my mum this time;

She loves elephants and wanted an elephant tea cosie, but didn’t like any I showed her, so she told me to make my own up. It boggles that the woman who taught me to knit thinks I can do a better job than her (maybe on toys, but baby stuff? No way, never ever…)

And last but not least:

‘Sheepish look’  by Caroline Lowbridge. The pattern is from ‘Tea Cosies’ to which I own books and and two…again, this is a pattern I’ve made a dozen times or so – I make it for myself and before it’s even done, it gets thieved…always with permission mind you…it’s hard to say no sometimes…

Alright, hopefully next week I’ll have something new to show you all!

 

Starting total – 697 balls
Wool used – 14 (1 this update!)
Wool bought – 9

Total – 692

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Gaming, Knitting, Little one 1 Comment

Hi all,

Apologies for the lack of a blog last week, there was an issue with the server but I’m back now!

Today myself, Engel and Felix went lambing – it was rather surreal and more of a walk in documentary type affair than the hands on experiences I’ve had with lambing in the past.

Needless to say though Felix had a ball – with much shouting of sheep! And lambs! Took a while for her to understand that baby sheep were lambs and mummy lambs were sheep, but we got there. She was very timid about petting them though.

I find it amusing that my two year old fearlessly deals with the snakes and tarantulas that we own as pets, but runs screaming because a sheep baa’d at her…

Onto knitting news, still working my way through the blanket, not sewn anything together so other than a bundle of squares there’s not much to show. I do however have line little finished project:

Yes it’s another dicebag birthday present.

And yes, it’s a star wars one too. The charts are from the free pattern ‘star wars double knit scarf‘ by Notanicedragon.

I may have to extend my circle of friends, or criteria, about making dice bags, there’s only one or two left who haven’t received the traditional gift – this troubles me as I enjoy making them far too much!

Starting total – 697 balls
Wool used – 13 (2 this update!)
Wool bought – 9

Total – 693

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