Snuggly, wuggly, wool

Tags

baby clothing, Just Jussi, Knitting, Wool

Now that I’m very, very, very, nearly finished with the monster hoodie, I’ve been contemplating other knits for family.

This marathon knit which has left my fingers and shoulders very sore (each side is the same length as a dress on me), so I think it’s time for a few quick knits.

The cool of winter has reminded me that there are little nieces and nephews who “require” dressing in the unbeatable snuggly warmth of wool…

I’ve got a few patterns queued, and as I know that there are a number of baby garment knitters among you, thought I’d share:

Fat Kitty makes me giggle.  So cute!!  I will add a fat, fluffy tail though, and maybe some long whiskers.  The pattern actually comes with charts for a rabbit, cat and bear, so you can take your pick.  It looks like it’s designed especially for one of my nieces.  The pattern is from Just Jussi, the talented designer of the hit Aviatrix hat, who is coincidentally also a Kiwi.  I haven’t decided on yarn yet, but I do have quite a bit in the stash, so I will probably pick some machine washable wool (just to avoid being told that it got shrunk in the wash).

Just Jussi has put together some very cute designs.  I also picked out Liam because what keen knitter can say no to fluffy little sheep on a baby knit!?  It also happens to be the name of my nephew, although I think he’s too old for it, and I will probably knit it for his brother when he arrives later in the year.  I have the perfect yarn in mind for that, a beautiful fingering-weight merino in blue that is very soft, and very suitable for a baby.

The aptly named Favourite Hoodie caught my attention recently too, and I can see it knitted up in a lovely, natural coloured pure wool. Perhaps more of that same merino but in a creamy yellow.  The best thing about this yarn is that it is dyed using eco-friendly methods and non-toxic dyes – which makes it very guilt-free knitting for babies.  It’s just a pity it’s not sold any more.

I’m also in love with Bronson, Echo and Addison all of which just happen to be free dowloads from Rowan and also in same issue of Rowan No. 46.

Looks like they’ll be keeping me busy for a while!

Before I do that, I do have a couple more ‘almost done’ knits that the recipients are hanging out for:

This is a scarf I’m knitting in snuggly Zealana Kauri (check out the fancy new packaging!) for a certain young man who has requested a long, warm (and soft) scarf that he can wrap around his neck a couple of times and be able to tuck it into a keyhole so that it doesn’t slip off while he’s wearing it.  It’s based on my Keyhole Scarf pattern which is designed to be unisex.  I’ve adjusted it for worsted weight, and cast on 39 stitches using 6mm (US 10) needles.  It’s coming along beautifully, and such a quick knit!

The other young man’s hat in juicy orange is almost done too:

In case you are wondering about it, here’s the beginning of the Southern Skies.  It has come along a bit since I took this picture.

So… quite a bit on the needles, and that makes me happy.   But the best thing of all, is that it’s all WOOL (even the possum has wool in it). Beautiful, warm, natural wool.  :-)

How’s your knitting going?

A grand week

Tags

Anna Gratton, craft market, Fibre Alive, Happy go Knitty, Knitting, Little Wool Co., New Zealand wool, Verandah Yarns, Wellington, Wellington Underground Market, Wonders of Wool, Wool

Wonders of Wool was great!!

This is some of my haul:

The rest of what you don’t see is a super amount of naturally coloured 100% wool  from Anna Gratton’s Little Wool Co.  For gorgeous sweaters that will keep me and my family warm.  You’ll see more of it when I start to knit it shortly.

Let us examine some of this yarny happiness in more detail shall we?

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you may remember the sad day when I told you that James of Fibre Alive had decided to stop dyeing yarn.  So yes, your eyes do not deceive you – I was so happy to see James at the market!!

After a break and a rest, James has decided to make a return to his love of dyeing, albeit in a smaller scale.  He has also added another base to his yarn selections!  And as of today, he has reopened his online store!!  Woohoo!!!  Happy jigs happening at this end.  I’m so happy I can once again enjoy his wonderful talent.

Of course, I had to replenish my stock of Happy-go-knitty yarn.  Especially self-striping loveliness!

I also was delighted to finally meet Sally of Verandah Yarns in person, and to acquire some of her gorgeous colourways.  So pretty, I’m thinking I should do a shawl with the yarn and not socks.  She manages to achieve a striking depth to her colours.  Quite masterful.

And finally, more lovelies from Anna Gratton.  I think I could have bought ALL her stock… but one must spread the budget around, and share nicely with other knitters…

The colour transitions in this hank of Little Wool Co. merino/mohair make my heart go bumpty-bump extra fast.

Alice made me buy this one (hehe, blame the co-shopper!)  Actually, I’ve had Lime lust for a while, especially after I saw her Wholehearted shawl in the same colourway.  

I didn’t think that a week could get much better when it was topped and tailed with a woolfest at each end.

What I didn’t count on was the wonderful people I would catch up with and meet, who turned the events not just into an occasion to add to my stash but something very special indeed.  We often talk about how knitting brings people together.  This week was very much an illustration of that point for me.

I’m going to be smiling for a while.  

Tidal

Tags

Anna Gratton, free pattern, hat, Knitting, New Zealand yarn, Wellington Underground Market, Wonders of Wool, Wool

It seems that this week is hat week!

Inspired by the gorgeous chocolate wool I used for the ribbed beanie, I decided to knit another in DK weight yarn this time.

I finished it last night.

This one is called Tidal.  The undulating twisted stitches remind me of how the exposed seabed looks at low tide.  Knitted in Anna Gratton’s Little Wool Co. DK pure wool naturals in the natural dark chocolate colour, Peat.

I really like it.  It does all the right things for me – looks good on my head, covers the ears and keeps the neck warm, and it’s not too tight and not too loose.   And there is just the right amount of patterning on the hat to suit my sensibilities.

I’m hoping to have the pattern ready in time to have a hard copy at Anna Gratton’s stall at the Wonders of Wool market, but no promises.  If it is, it will be free with yarn purchase (there will be 100g skeins of natural DK yarn as well this time).

In any event, the pattern will be available for download from my blog within the week.

Yarn production

Tags

Christmas, Knitting, Little Wool Co., New Zealand wool, Wellington, Wool

Just another pop in today to point out some fascinating posts happening on Anna Gratton’s facebook page as she takes us through the yarn making process from wool to yarn.  Pop over and have a look!  She’s even made a few mini videos of the process.

If you’re around and about in Wellington this weekend, she’s going to be at the Wellington Underground Market’s Christmas-themed market this 8/9 December.  Anna promises to bring baskets of pretty, multi-coloured yarn…!!!