A question

So I'm currently full of cold, my sons been dropped off at school and I've started me leave for the holidays, the perfect time for knitting.

But before I can start knitting I have to find the perfect thing to watch while I knit. Today's choice is Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. When I'm knitting I like something familiar to watch, something I know by heart ideally so I don't mind missing the occasionally bit if there's a stitch I need to concentrate on. But it also needs to be something cheery, I don't know why, but I don't like knitting to anything miserable! And no action films either, too distracting!!

So for me, its usually a musical that wins, perfect for knitting to, similarly period dramas fit the bill quite well.

What about everyone else? Is there anything in particular you like to watch while you knit?

Santa's Little Helper

With 10 days to go, my Christmas knitting is all done!

It feels a bit weird not having a huge list of projects to complete now, but I guess it's time to return to making my Heliotrope vest, it's a pattern form the Unofficial Harry Potter Knits book, and it's easily the hardest thing I've ever attempted, so wish me luck!

Fingerless Gloves

My fingerless gloves

Well I finally got these finished, and I'm pretty happy with them, yay!
My Grandmother had asked me to make her some fingerless gloves for Christmas, as she goes walking every week and finds normal gloves make things really awkward, but its too cold to wear no gloves what so ever, she wanted something that would cover her forearms, but not go too high as that would be faffy under her clothes. These will hopefully do the trick perfectly.

What you'll need:

1 ball of Sidar Crofter DK in Hound Dog (50g)
1 pair 4.50mm circular needles
1 pair 5.50mm circular needles
2 stitch markers

How:

Cast on 32 stitches using the larger needles,
Place stitch marker and join in the round
Rib in k1p1 for 12 rounds

Switch to smaller needles and knit for 3 inches
knit for 16 stitches and place second marker, make one and knit to end
knit the next round
knit for 16 stitches, make 1, k1, m1, k to end
knit the next round
knit for 16 stitches, make 1, k3, m1, k to end
knit the next round
knit for 16 stitches, make 1, k5, m1, k to end
knit the next round
knit for 16 stitches, make 1, k7, m1, k to end

continue increases until you have 51 sts
knit the next round

slip 16 stitches onto spare needle (or yarn/wool)

work 15 stitches

slip remaining stitches onto the spare needle (or yarn/wool)

knit the 15 stitches you have on your needles, joining to work in the round (this is your thumb)

knit for 3 rounds

Rib k1,p1 for 3 rounds and bind off with stretchy cast off.

That's your thiub done, now return to the hand, using the unbroken yarn, continue knitting the hand. pull the yarn tightly when you join across the thumb gap.

Continue knitting for 5 rounds (or more if you have long fingers or want longer gloves)
switch to your larger needles and rib in k1,p1 for 3 rounds

BO using stretchy cast off

Weave in all your ends, you may also need to use a few small stitches to close the hole left at the base of the thumb.

And you're done, now simply repeat for the other hand and Voila, you are done!

Work in progress

So, somehow I've committed to knitting two baby cardigans, a pair of sleeveless gloves, and a hat for Christmas. I've also got a lovely vest for myself on the go. It's entirely possibly I've over extended myself this time. 

It would possibly be easier if I could find a glove pattern that I liked, but I can't, so I've taken elements from three separate patterns and am now making it up as I go along. 

I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at some point. /Sigh 

The Fuzzy Shoulder Bag Pattern

Notes: 

Gauge isn't important with this, as long as you make it loose enough to have a good amount of stretch. 

I wanted a bag big enough to hold an A4 notebook, but that would also fit comfortably over my shoulder/across my body. You can make it as big or small as you like, and with a strap as long or short as you like, just remember that if you want to felt it, you'll loose 15-20% of the size, so make it bigger than you want the finished project to be. 

Once finished my bag measures 8 inches long and 13 inches across. 

Tools

4mm Circs. 

4mm DPNs.

5mm Circs.

4mm DPNs.

100m/  90g Aran Wool. 

1 Button. (1 inch across.) 

PATTERN 

Using Knitty’s magic cast on for socks (link at the bottom of the pattern) , C/On 102 stitches on 4mm Circs.

Place stitch marker.

Knit 5 rounds. (This makes the bottom of your bag.) 

Switch to 5mm Circs. And knit in the round until the bag side measures 11 inches (so 21 inches from side to side.)

Switch to 4mm Circs and knit in the round until bag the bag side measures 12 inches (so 24 inches from side to side.) 

Move 3 stitches to spare yarn and c/off 20 stitches. 

Move 5 stitches to spare yarn and continue to c/off another 20 stitches. 

Move 6 stitches to spare yarn and c/off 45 stitches. 

Keep the final 3 stitches on your needle and add the next 3 stitches on the spare yarn back onto your needle ready to knit. Knit in garter stitch (knit/purl alternative rows) for 1 inch. 

Switch to 5mm dpns and continue to knit in garter stitch until strap measures 14 inches and then switch back to the 4mm dpns for the final inch. (So your strap will measure 15 inches in total) 

Graft with Kitchner stitch to the 6 stitches on the spare yarn on the opposite side of the bag and weave in your ends (I used my yarn end to really make sure the seam on my strap was secure.) 

Finaly, using the 4mm dpns knit the clasp on the bag. Knit the 5 stitches you still have on the spare yarn in garter stitch for 2 inches. 

Then on the next knit row, K1f+b, k3, K1f+b. 

P7. 

K1f+b, k 5, K1f+b. 

P9. 

K1f+b, k 7, K1f+b. 

P11. 

K3, c/off 5. K3. 

P3. C/on 5. P3. 

K2tog. K7. K2tog. 

P9. 

K2tog. K5. K2tog. 

P7. 

K2tog. K3. K2tog. 

P5. 

K2tog. K1. K2tog. 

P3. 

K2tog. Move stitch back to left needle. K2tog. 

P2. 

C/o and weave in ends, and block.

Sew button on to the front of your bag.

It’s up to you weather you then want to Felt your bag or not. I found 30 mins in the washing machine on 40oC shrank the bag about 20%. 

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html

Pre-Felting

 Post Felting

 Just to prove it does hold an A4 notebook!

The snuggly Shrug

Materials:

200m Aran Wool.

4.5mm Circs.

5mm Circs.

5.5mm Circs.

6mm Circs. 

To fit a 34/36 inch bust 

Instructions:  

(using 4.5mm)

c/o 48, Join for working in the round. 

p2,k2 for 2 inches.

Continue in the round: (using 5mm)

p2, *k2tog, yo2, k2tog, p4* p2 

p2, *k1 (k1,p1) k1, p4* p2

for 9 inches (Or to whatever length you want the sleeves) 

*TURN*

Knit flat: 

k2, *p2tog, yo2, p2tog, k4* k2, Turn, 

p2, *k1 (k1, p1) k1, p4* p2, Turn, 

for 2 inches 

Switch to 5.5mm

k2, *p2tog, yo2, p2tog, k4* k2, Turn, 

p2, *k1 (k1, p1) k1, p4* p2, Turn, 

for 4 inches

Switch to 6mm

k2, *p2tog, yo2, p2tog, k4* k2, Turn, 

p2, *k1 (k1, p1) k1, p4* p2, Turn, 

for 6 inches

Switch back to 5.5mm

k2, *p2tog, yo2, p2tog, k4* k2, Turn, 

p2, *k1 (k1, p1) k1, p4* p2, Turn, 

for 4 inches 

Switch back to 5mm

k2, *p2tog, yo2, p2tog, k4* k2, Turn, 

p2, *k1 (k1, p1) k1, p4* p2, Turn, 

for 2 inches 

For the last row, don't turn, and join for working in the round and continue:

p2, *k2tog, yo2, k2tog, p4* p2 

p2, *k1 (k1,p1) k1, p4* p2

for 9 inches (Or to whatever length you want the sleeves) 

(using 4.5mm) p2,k2 for 2 inches.

c/off 48,

(still using 4.5mm pick up 160 stitches all around the inside hem and p2,k2 for 2 inches.) 

Weave in ends. 

For other sizes:

32, 40, 44, 48, 52 inches.

Cast on: 40, 56, 64, 72, 72