Blue Baby Moss Print Hoodie

Baby knitting is so awesome! Its so much easier to finish something when its this tiny, and i'll be honest i'm not brilliant at finishing my knitting projects. Admittedly, with a little baby it still takes a while, but at least its a finishable project. I mean it seems daft to put something this small on you hibernating knitting pile when a few extra evenings will see it finished.

This little hoodie is a pattern I got from Ravelry called Manda Ruth which can also be purchased from the designers website. I really like the all over moss print which adds a lovely bit of texture, and of course the cute little hood.

 

This is the first time I have ever knitted anything 'in the round' (its a cardi, so esentially not round but you get the point). Knitting in the round is where you knit the whole body, front and back, as one piece so there are no seams to be sewn. You then pick up the arms and knit them in the round on dpns so again no seams. This is not a very British way of sewing, and although the technique itself wasn't difficult I think I actually prefer to knit all the pieces and sew them together at the end. I'm not brilliant at picking up and knitting, but at least this project gave me some much needed practice. 

The pattern itself was very straight forward to follow and it knitted up really quick being an aran weight hoodie. I would definitely recommend this pattern, and I might make up another one for when hes a bit older.

I did make a couple of boo boos here and there, but nothing too noticeable I hope, and certainly not something which is going to bother me (or Master Fox).

 

I chose this really lovely blue Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran which I got from Love Knitting. It was meant to be a superman blue, as Mr Fox is a huge fan of blue, but it is ever so slightly off. The colour and feel of this wool is so gorgeous though, its so fresh and bright.

The sad thing about this pattern is that it has come up really small :(. Master Fox is a little boy and is still in 0-3 month clothes despite being 4 months now (how is he already 4 months old!?!). I chose to knit this in the 6 month size and as you can see from the picture below its a little on the snug side, especially the hood. So if you do decide to knit this double check your gauge and maybe knit the next next size up to be on the safe side. Its ok when the hood is down though, and we will get a few wears out of it as its the perfect cover up for these spring days.

Fabric Storage Basket

Well, its Good Friday so I hope you are all planning to cram as much chocolate into your cake holes as possible over the next few days... I know I am!

So issue 2 of the new Simply Sewing Magazine turned up last week (it was a bit over a month and I eagerly anticipated its arrival!). It has a lot of cute little patterns in it, my favourites being the stuffed felt dinosaur which I am totally going to make, this fabric basket and a cute pintucked top. The pintucked top is however very similar to the free Colette sorbetto pattern though it does make a cute little variation and has some very nice dipped hems.

What I think I like most about this magazine though it that it contains loads of simple, yet lovely small makes. Things that don't require a huge amount of fabric or time and whats so perfect about this is that its totally a way of me sewing stuff out of the massive amounts of fabric I already have lying around doing nothing.

Now don't get me wrong, I am terrible at using fabric. I buy its because its pretty and then I fear using it for making something which turns out to be a huge failure, or something which I don't actually like. Well, time to get over that fear, I need to get using some of this stuff I'm hording!.

So this months issue came with a little floral tea towel and some patterns on how to best use the tea towel to make it into something else. These included a roll bag, a lunchbox, a pinny or cutlery roll. They are all very nice ideas but do you know what, non of them are practical to my life (and the idea here is to destash, not create stuff I don't need). So instead of making one of those I used the pattern in the magazine for this fabric storage basket and turned this tea towel into storage instead. 

The pattern called for some lining fabric as well so I used this teal and black fat quarter which I bought about 2 years ago from ebay. Its a lovely colour match and makes a very nice lining in my opinion. The nice thing about this basket is its also reversible. 

The pattern was really easy to follow, just a few straight lines and folds here and there and you have a basket. I did omit the interfacing as the free tea towel was pretty sturdy, it is a little floppy though so you might want to use it anyway. It doesn't fall over though so is perfectly servicable. Its now sat in the living room keeping my current knitting project in order instead of being strewn all over the side! perfect.

 

Have you been reading the new sewing mag? do you have any favourite patterns, or makes from it you want to show off? Please feel free to leave a linky below.

Happy Easter :)

How to slow down for creative types - find a slow sofa project!

I have never been very good at just sitting down, I'm one of these people who doesn't feel comfortable unless they are doing something, anything. Even now, when I am trying to give myself 5 sat on the sofa, after a day of work, I am both writing this and thinking 'I should be starting dinner' etc when I should just be taking it easy.

The problem is, now I am pretty much cemented in my third trimester my body is screaming at me to just stop, but my brain just can't handle it, there are so many more interesting things to do than just sit down and watch tv. I also haven't ever been any good at reading. Its not that I don't like books or can't read them its just that I would prefer to be creating something, whether that be a piece of art or a cookie it doesn't really matter.

So whats the solution? Well for me, I think I have discovered it is a little knitting project. Nothing too complicated, or too big mind, otherwise I am likely to get fed up and move onto something else... which doesn't involve sitting around! But just having a little bit of knitting on the sofa which I can sit down, pop the tv on and crack on with means that I actually have something which forces me to stop. This really has become a bit of a revelation for me and should really do me some good over the next few weeks. My only issue now is trying to unprioritise things like making mince pies and prioritise finishing off the little cardigan or blanket or whatever it is I am knitting up which is forcing me to be sat on my arse!

Do you have the same issues? I can't be the only one? What projects do you have which you find are perfect for doing whilst sitting on the sofa? I imagine a cross stitch or crochet project would work just as well. I would really love to hear other suggestions from you.

Fox Cub Hoodie

 

Well... if you are going to have a little fox cub you might as well dress him like one!

I am very pleased to show off this adorable little fox hoodie which I have knitting for the little man. I found the pattern on Ravelry and I just couldn't pass it up!  Its knitted in really chunky wool so it made up really quickly (unlike these darned 4ply baby knits I keep picking up!). 

The pattern was easy enough in the most part, but I had a lot of trouble with the ribbing cuffs etc. The pattern is translated into English so although it probably makes sense to the more seasoned knitter, as a bit of a novice I struggled with some of the sections. I still dont think I have the ribbing correct... I mean look at those sleeve cuffs, what are they all about? But I dont think it matters, it came out ok in the end and it should fit a little boy brilliantly. 

I made it for a 1 year old as the pattern was only for ages 1,2 &3 but at least he will have time to grow into it, hopefully by next winter when he starts needing new outerwear again. 

The wool is some very cheap Wendy Serenity 100% superwash which I purchased from what is fast becoming my favourite online wool shop www.loveknitting.co.uk. They are always doing 10-15% off something, email you free patterns and they send out your parcels in gorgeous little bags which arrive very quickly. You couldn't ask for better service. I just need to stop buying wool for projects before I am near to finishing the last one... oops!

I really have discovered I love a baby knit because they are so small, quicker than an adult knit, and easier to port about. I just hope I still find a little bit of time to do some more when he arrives as it would be a real shame to have to stop!
 

One thing I will say though it that I am really missing sewing my own clothes. I know I really should have done a bit more maternity sewing, but I had one of those bad experiences with some elastic (which seems to be in all maternity sewing patterns) and I just couldn't face picking it back up again. I have however already started shopping patterns and fabrics etc for when I do finally (fingers crossed) return to my old shape so I really can't wait to get back into that again. I really hope I can find some time (and energy) for it! I will just have to get Mr Fox looking after baby whenever I can!

But for now... on to the next knitting project! I don't like to blog about a project though as I feel like I get a curse and they never end up finished, so you will just have to wait and see on that front.

Have you got any projects on the go at the minute you want to share? Or do you have any baby sewing/knitting kawaii/fancy dress ideas you want to give me? You know I am always on the look out for more! Do feel free to comment and share away.

Completed Norman

I actually knitted a whole jumper!

That might not sound too amazing to a lot of you, but I have actually never started and finished a jumper knitting project yet (and there are a lot on the half done pile!) so I am feeling very proud of myself right now.

Not too proud though, I started this jumper 9 months before my nephews 2nd birthday as part of his birthday gift. He is now 2 years and 11 months and I completed it this week! Oops! Safe to say its not going to fit him now, but at least I know I will have a little boy who will grow into it. I will just need to find a new knitting project for my nephew.

The pattern is from 'Just Baby' by Rowan and is called Norton, I'm not 100% sure I didn't pick this pattern because the child is so cute! I loved the colours though so knitted it in the exact same wool as the pattern. Its very boyish but still not dull and too babyish.

The pattern was really easy to follow and not actually too arduous to knit, I just put it down and didn't pick it back up again. I have got half a mind to knit it in a smaller size and some different colours now, but I think I should give some other baby patterns a go. I do like a baby knit though, they come together really quickly and I really think I have picked up a bit of the knitting bug now.

I really like the button panel on the front of this jumper. It was probably the most awkward part to knit up but it gives a nice little detail to the front and will make taking it on and off the little man really easy. 

Keep your eyes peeled for what will come next....

Do you have any really good baby knitting patterns you like to know? I would love to hear your recommendations.

DIY Bow Ring

I have seen these little things popping up all over the internet of late. I am going to give you a quick tutorial on how to knit your very own version for some instant DIY gratification.

Firstly, Happy Easter (4 days off work WooHa!) I hope you have some exciting plans and can enjoy as much chocolate as you can forcibly cram in. Now that we have the pleasantries out the way lets get on with how to make this utterly cute little accessory.

If any of you have looked at my pinterest you might have noticed I have a bit of an obsession with bows at the moment. I first saw these knitted numbers when one of project craft made some smaller than this to attach to some knitting, but I have since seen lots of these all over the internet, not surprising really given that you need only the very basic of knitting know-how to make it up.

You will need: 

• A scrap of wool, preferably DK but anything will be fine as long as its not too thick

• Small knitting needles. I used 2.75mm for mine. You could use anything up to 3.5mm but you will need to be wary this will make the bow bigger than mine was

• Ring Blank

• Glue Gun 

This bow is knit in garter stitch (where each row is a knit stitch). If you are not sure of knitting, or its bin a while, there are lots of tutorials, books, you tube videos etc out there to help you out. I personally love you tube for a knitting conundrum but there are also some basic techniques here on Martha Stewart 

Instructions:

To start off cast on 20 stitches.
Row 1: Knit 20
Row 2: Knit 20
Repeat until you have done 12 rows of knit stitch
Cast off.

Next you need to join the bow together. Fold both ends in towards the centre and using a needle sew the two ends together to form a circle. To make the bow shape hold the front and back flat together with the join seam in the centre back. Using your loose ends wrap the wool around and around the centre to hide the join until you have a bow shape and are happy with the amount of wool in the centre. Cut off your loose end making sure that the end is to the back of the bow.

Finally, using your glue gun, put a tiny blob of glue under the loose end to tack it down. Then put a nice big blob on the top side of the ring black and stick that bad boy on there squashing it down so its nice and secure.

Viola.. you now have the cutest little accessory ever! Top Tip: make sure to take it off before you go to use the ladies, you don't want it getting all soggy when you wash your hands!

I am so going to be making many many many of these...*runs off to ebay to buy more ring blanks. Enjoy your weekend everybody xx

Do you have too many hobbies as well?

As I sit here contemplating a sunny weekend I am pondering what I want to do to make the most of my time away from the office. It occurs to me that I have far too many hobbies for my free time.

My first love is obviously any form of sewing or general craftyness. It gives me such a feeling of achievement when I come away having made something new from effectively nothing. The list of projects I want to try is as long as my arm, and for them alone I don't have much time.

 
Then there are the thoughts of sunshine, getting out and enjoying some fresh air, as well as the company of Mr Fox. I yearn for spending more time out and about, especially as we are so close to the Peak District and all its gorgeous scenery. Then there is the garden, I love my garden, and pretty much do enjoy gardening and spending time in it, especially with the cats who love it when you join them in their outdoor playground. However this time could be spent getting on with those sewing projects, but then the garden will not be as pretty, these two things are a constant juggle.


 I also enjoy a quiet obsessive PC gaming habit with the Mr, and we have probably spent most of our relationship in a fantasy MMO world together. I love this time spent sat next to each other at our DIY two person PC desk, though it does sometimes feel a bit like we are together but not really communicating as effectively as we should. We have made some great friends here as well, who I genuinely miss when I am off indulging one of my other hobbies instead of this one.


 
Then there are my other hobbies like knitting, blogging and reading blogs. I tend to try and utilise spare time at work for these sorts of activities as it seems a good use of portable time, however that doesn't mean I don't enjoy dipping in to them at home.

All in all I have concluded that there just are not enough hours in the day. I think I need to start prioritising, but trying not to see each thing as an 'I must' and just enjoy what takes my fancy in the then and now. Do you have too many hobbies? What are they and how do you manage your time to make sure you get a little bit of everything you love? I would love to hear any bits of advice you have to offer.

So why knit a jumper, or make anything else yourself for that matter?

I'm not going to lie to you, the wool alone for the jumper I am knitting cost me in excess of £50! I know it's ludicrous right. Thankfully I justified this as a Christmas crafty treat to myself, but it's certainly not something which I could afford to do on a regular basis.

It's not just this project, but a lot of the wool companies out there charge quiet a bit for a ball of wool. This is usually a result of the wool content used, where you will generally find that you pay more the higher % pure wool the ball contains. You can usually get a cheaper alternative wool, something which contains a higher acrylic %, or if you are savvy you can sometimes find a bargain on discontinued colours, or the last of a certain dye lot. It is worth doing some research on alternative options if money is an issue for you. 

Then you need to take into consideration the (wo)man hours which have to be put into a knitting project, and not to mention the sweat and tears when you make a mistake and have to undo a chunk of your hard work. 

The same can be said for a lot of projects. Things which people used to make by hand because it was cheaper, has very much switched itself on the head. I think the biggest reason for this is how 'throwaway' fashion and clothing has become. You can buy clothing for next to nothing these days, and as trends are moving on so quickly it seems to be catching on as people can move from one fashion to the next at little cost. I wonder however, what the real economical and ethical cost of this is. 

Lets start with the cons of handmade, and try to end on a positive note shall we

Cons:

• Cost - often higher than the highstreet for materials (but not always)
• Time 
• Mistakes - lets face it, sometimes things don't quiet work out as planned
• Skill - not all of us are good at everything, and you might need to learn a new skill

Pros: 

• Style - usually only limited by your imagination/ability
• Self satisfaction
• Quality - usually much higher when handmade 
• Ethos - often using locally sourced materials or patterns from independent retails, and not shipped half way across the globe
• OOAK - finished result is one of a kind and completely unique to you
• Gifts - are far more personal if hand made

So I think that whilst there are some obvious and quiet significant cons, the pros are far more positive and far out way the cons. I personally don't think I will ever go off the idea of making something for myself where I can, just because I love the sense of achievement I get from it. If you are not someone who is creative yourself there is always those talented crafters out there who sell their wonderful high quality products online for your delight. 

And so knit begins...

...I'm so sorry for that!

Last week I put up some of my small, but hopefully achievable, resolutions for 2014 and one of those is to knit a jumper, and one that I will hopefully wear. Well there is no time like the present, and knowing how long it takes me to finish a knitting project I have jumped straight in.

One of my Christmas gifts was a copy of Kim Hargreaves Enchanted and the sweater I plan to knit from this is Longing. I have a slightly scary obsession with Kim Hargreaves knitting books and I own about 5 or 6 of them (see I have lost count). I have also NEVER completed a knitting project from any of them. That's quiet bad really isn't it, but I am just drawn to these books. The pictures are so enticing and the quality of the books is amazing. On top of that the patterns are all items which you could actually wear on a day to day basis. They are classic but also stylish at the same time. I also have a bit of an obsession in that I would always rather knit in Rowan than anything else. Maybe that makes me a yarn snob i'm not sure? I will tell you something though, it does make any project a very expensive one. The Kim Hargreaves patterns all use Rowan, though you can of course substitute for other yarns as long as you check your gauge.

So I purchased some wool for the project, 5 balls of Kid Classic in Rose, and 3 balls of Kidsilk Haze in Blushes. It turns out blushes was a lot darker than I expected, and as this pattern calls for you to knit two strands together I was not sure, but after knitting up a swatch I actually like the way this makes the kid classic a bit more of a deep dusky pink than a candy type pink.

So I have made a start and cast on the back, mostly knitting this in the kitchen at work during my lunch break. I really really hope that some point this year I can turn this into my first successful completed sweater from a Kim Hargreaves book. Fingers crossed, and I will keep you updated on its progress.

Finally on a couple of side notes: my Ravelry ID is Monstermagic if you would like to add me, and isn't the heart fabric gorgeous! It's a scarf that I was gifted for Christmas from my mother in law. I love the colours, so pretty. 
 

Looking to the Year Ahead:

Last year was full of its ups and downs. The biggest up was obviously being wed to my wonderful new husband. However we did suffer a number of losses in both our families, and what with that, the wedding planning, and the stresses of work it wasn't the easiest of years.

So with that in mind it's time to start the new year off with a clean slate, to look forward and to try to shape 2014 into something much better. I do love this time of year because it give's you the time to reflect and think about where you are headed. I know there is a lot of stigma about resolutions at this time of year, lots of grand gestures and empty promises, but I am determined not to go down this route. How to go about that? Well I think that setting some realistic achievable goals is probably the best way forward. So here are my resolutions for the year ahead:

1. To set up a regular blogging schedule, and to review this monthy to make sure that the content is frequent enough, but also good quality. I would rather be writing twice a week with good content than just quick posts with no depth.
2. Improve my dressmaking skills.
3. To make 5 items which I can actually wear.
4. To knit a jumper
5. To start thinking about Christmas early
6. And finally, to try and be a good wife. Now this isn't a very specific goal,but its the little things I want to concentrate on. Things like trying to clear up after myself, spend more 1 on 1 time with Mr Fox, and to remember that he has a stressful job and to try and be a bit more understanding when he comes home and is not in the best of moods.

They don't seem too scary right? The problem is I have just blogged them for the world to see so you will all know whether I managed to achieve these, or whether I threw them out the window in a rage come 31st January. However I think getting them out in the public eye is a good thing as it means that I can't just decide to not bother, just because I didn't actually tell anyone what they were. Do you have any resolutions which you would like to share with the group, get it out your system, you know it will feel good to tell someone. 

On that note I want to wish you all a Happy New Year... here is to hoping 2014 brings you just enough of the things which you really wanted.

A Crafty Christmas

It's all over :( but it's not time to wallow...

It's time to start thinking about the year ahead, the things you want to achieve, the people you want to see and what to enjoy. As well as this, for those of us that are still enjoying a break from the everyday grind it's time to spend some time enjoying those lovely gifts which our kind friends and families bestowed upon us.

I have been very lucky this year and so am writing this post to you from my brand new iPad (I really do have a far to kind husband) but I couldn't be happier. I really want it as a place to write the blog from, read other blogs, collect magazines (where they won't clutter up the house!), collect recipes as well as obviously the odd game and or movie. 

But this wasn't the only awesome gift I received, I got some beautiful jewellery as well as some craft items. I got some knit pro circular needles which I just adore. They are so useful as you can just untwist the needle from the string bit, that must have a proper name?, and add a new needle size. I have also started doing a lot of my straight knitting on. Circulars as they are much easier than having big long needle hitting you, or the cat, whilst you are knitting. I also got a new Kim Hargreaves knitting pattern book as I have a real hankering to make Longing so I can't wait to head out to my local yarn shop and get this cast on. Let's see if I can finish a jumper eh. 

I also really must sew up a nicer little case for these bad bouts, the plastic is a bit icky.

So put your feet up, relax, enjoy those gifts and think about the year to come. 

Knitted Fingerless Gloves for Mummy

My mum put on her Christmas list that she would like a pair of knitted gloves for Christmas so I really want to knit them myself because it was the perfect stash buster idea, and so meant think could be an inexpensive 'extra' gift for her to open on Christmas morning.

I started off using my favourite go-to fingerless glove pattern: Cherry Red Handwarmers by Creative Yarn

I love this pattern, it can be made up in almost any wool and because they are open lacework (which is a really simple repeat) they are flattering, an easy fit, and very quick to make. However on this occasion I tried them on a friend with normal sized hands and she thought they were a little bit on the small side.

So I searched for another pattern using 3.25 double pointed needles (the only set I have) and Aran weight yarn to stash bust some Kid classic that I have. I found this pattern: Optimistic Mitt Pattern by For Makers Sake. They are a little longer than I wanted to so made a few alterations to the pattern. I knitted just 10 repeats of the bottom rib, and 6 for the top. I also added the stripe pattern and omitted the cuff button. I am really pleased with how these came out, and were my first attempt at a thumb hole and so I am very proud of myself. They do feel a little big on my hands, but not too uncomfortably, and I do have children's midget hands so hopefully they will have a good fit on a normal person.

I really hope she likes them! I am off to wrap them up ready for tomorrow, and the bonus, I get to keep the grey pair!

I am now going to chill out with Mr Fox, so I wish you all a wonderfully Merry Christmas.

The Velvet Acorn Knitted Hat

Are you feeling the cold as much as I am? There is a chill in the air now, and we have even had a few frosty mornings here in the UK, so its definitely time to get the hats, scarves and gloves out.

I recently purchased a PDF pattern from The Velvet Acorn on Etsy for a chunky knitted woolly hat. You should check out her shop though, there are some amazing patterns in there, not least a knitted fox cowl pattern which is incredible (I just don't think I would wear it myself, maybe I should think about it as a Christmas gift for nephew Fox) Can you think of anyone this would be suited to? Anyway, here is the hat I knitted for myself:

What do you think, did I make the pom pom big enough? 

I had to knit it in toddler size, because I have such a stupidly small head, but my guess would be the sizes are true as it was too small for Chris's head. It was a very simple knit, and pretty quick because of how chunky the wool is. The instructions on the pattern were also very straight forward and easy to follow. The pattern includes some Mitts so I may knit these up quickly at some point with the leftover wool.

Has anyone else gone straight for the knitting needles now its cold outside? I would love to hear what you have been knitting.