FO Olearia

 
Pattern :  Olearia by Georgie Hallam
Yarn :  TWC Utiku, 226gms Cherry

I was lucky enough to be a test knitter for tikki again.  This time for her latest pattern Olearia.  Olearia is a gorgeous wee pattern that features three different designs – two cardigans and a shrug, all which are knit seamlessly and easy to knit. 

I knit the 2nd version of the cardigan which features a gathered bodice with a plain stockinette body and did capped sleeves instead of long sleeves.  I really enjoyed knitting this cardigan, as all of tikki’s patterns, it was easy to follow, well set out and simple to knit.  

If you want to buy the pattern, check out Ravelry here or tikki’s blog here, sizes range from size 1 – size 8 making it great value for money!!

I’m also licensed to sell all versions of this pattern so if you don’t knit and would like one, e-mail me at info@littlemooknits.co.nz or see http://www.littlemooknits.co.nz/knits/olearia for more information.

My Little Knitter

Morgan loves watching me knit and always likes to know who I’m knitting for.  She picked up some of my knitting needles this afternoon, pointed to my wool stash and said “I knit mummy”, I passed her what was in arms reach and she sat on her stool “knitting”

 

TNN 10 in 2010

**edited 6 Jan to add another couple of sections**

Over on Ravelry, a new group has been started for TNN members and friends.  It’s a wee bit of a knitting challenge to knit 10 things in 2010, there’s about 9 categories to join in.  At this stage I’m joining 5 (now 7)  different categories so that means at least 50(70) items from me next year *gulp*  including a pair of socks *double gulp*

Under each category I’ve started listing patterns I’d like to knit, the list is still very much a WIP, some of them are bound to change due to my indecisiveness.  As time goes by I’ll mark things off and maybe include a picture so I know what I’ve done :)

(all links below are currently Ravelry links)

One Skein Knits and Dishcloths

Just going to be dishcloths to go along with the new monthly dishcloth KAL at KrisKnits

Charity Projects

Undecided here as of yet

Baby/Child

Pinkalicious (Blog post here)
Pattern: Pinwheel Sunhat by StitchyMama

Rainbow Dress
Paxton Jacket (for a special little boy)
Bloom  (x 2 - one for Morgan in 8ply, one for Zoe in 10ply)
Oriental Lily (x2 for Morgan)
Milo for Morgan for the winter
Pinwheel Beanie for Zoe
Little miss greenjeans probably for Morgan

MCN Knitting

Ladybug Loops Longies/Shorties
Ultimate Longies
Looking Glass Longies
Vanilla

Dolls Clothes

Dolly Bloom
Poppy Cardigan
Pinny for a Dolly (x3 – Jo, Amy and Beth)

1 of each

Dolls Clothing
Teddys Summer Breeze
Pattern: Kaia Babydoll (doll sized) by Rachel Evans

Toy
Little Birdie
Pattern: Sweet Little Bird by Raynor Gellatly

Adult knit –  Tilted Duster ?
Baby/Toddler knit – Baby Tiered Coat and Jacket ?
Bag -  Grrlfriend Market Bag ?
Dishcloth
MCN Knitting
Older Child knit (5+)
Shawl or scarf
Socks
Toy

finish 10 projects!

Big Red
Pattern: Sweet Little Bird by Raynor Gellatly

Traveling Woman
Lets Go Shopping - Market Bag
Buddy Bag

(The items in the last category might move up to the “1 of each” category if they fit, which will make room for more variety)

FO Birthday Top

Time for another FO post!!

Ok, so I’m very unimaginative and couldn’t think of a better name than that...since its for a birthday present and its a top, made sense to me at the time :P

Pattern : Kaia Babydoll by Rachel Evans
Yarn : (don’t shoot me) Some acrylic I had in my stash

Another (kind of) test knit here (told you I love test knitting? – nothing better than having a deadline and being one of the first people to try out someone elses brilliant ideas)  I was supposed to doing the sz 2 version of the revised Kaia Babydoll but am waiting for my yarn to arrive, so I thought I’d knit up a 12 month size for my niece who’s birthday is the day before Morgans.

Love the pattern, very quick and easy and I love the way it looks. I didn’t do the lace down the bottom as per the pattern because I was knitting in acrylic (don’t like acrylic as much as I used to and found it very squeaky so after the acrylic I have is gone I’ll stick to nicer yarns :P ) and I wasn’t sure whether or not the lace would come out ok so I did a ruffle that came out looking gorgeous even if I do say so myself. 

Will definitely knit this pattern again, hopefully some of the pregnant people I know will have some girls :D

(click for a better view – will open in new window) 
Stay tuned for Morgans Top in a couple of weeks (this time in cotton and acrylic – yes I know acrylic again but apparently the stuff I’ve chosen is one of the better acrylics but we’ll see)

On a completely unrelated topic, this will be my third post in 2 days, thats like a world record for me, and 6 posts for October!  – I normally would have given up blogging by now but this time I’m quite enjoying it :)

FO Teddys Spring Butterfly

Pattern : Spring Butterfly by Rachel Evans
Yarn : The Wool Company Utiku, 20gms Raspberry, 23gms Sunset

While knitting Teddy’s Meg Pinny, I realised that I quite enjoy knitting clothes for dolls and furry creatures alike (that and Teddy whispered in my ear about needing a few bits and pieces) so when I saw Rachel’s Dolly Butterfly I fell in love with it. I pestered asked Rachel if she was planning on releasing the pattern soon as I really wanted to knit it for Morgans birthday and she kindly let me test-knit it for her!

Unlike the bigger version, the bodice is only knit using a single strand of wool but everything else is pretty much the same, I can see myself making a whole heap of these.

FO Meg Pinny

Pattern : Pinny for a Dolly by Kelly Brooker
Yarn : 48gm Bendigo Woollen Mills Classic, Denim

Pinny for a Dolly is a set of 4 dinky wee pinnys to fit the anatomically correct dolls many toddlers have.

This pattern was brought to fruition as an accompaniment to The March Sisters - a series of pinafores for Little Women aged 0-5yrs. (Due for release October 15th 2009)
Little Women love to wear pinafores, and they adore it when their dolly wears something to match!

FULL VERSION of the pattern is for all four pinny styles - Meg (mock cables), Jo (with foldover hem), Beth (lace edge) and Amy (ruffled ege), and all three yarn weights (4ply/Fingering, 8ply/DK/Light Worsted, 10ply/Aran/Heavy Worsted)
(Blurb “borrowed” from Ravelry page)

When one of my favourite designers asked for test knitters for her Pinny for a Dolly pattern, I put my hand up (seriously I love test knitting – think it’s the whole knitting to a deadline thing) and as you can see the result is gorgeous. Teddy is definitely pleased with her new dress, and has now become Morgan's favourite toy.

Kelly has done it yet again with another quick and easy knit, this time for your little peoples favourite dolls and teddy's.

So what are you waiting for? Get the pattern and start knitting! :)

FO Jo

Pattern : Jo Pinafore by Kelly Brooker
Yarn : Cascade 220 Heathers, 93gms of purple, 80gms of green

When my friend Kelly asked for test knitters for her latest patterns "The March Sisters - a series of Pinafores for Little Women aged 0-5yrs", I jumped at the chance (although I’ve never read the book)

I tested out “Jo – which is a pinafore for the tomboy; a simple, non-girly pinafore perfect for throwing over a long tee and pair of jeans, ready to jump around in the muck” in a size 36 months for my little miss muck who hates getting her hands dirty inside but will quite happily go outside and dig around in the dirt….go figure.

The pattern is a quick and easy knit (even for a size 3!), and as always when I knit Kelly's patterns – I learnt something new, this time it was double knitting! A great knit for sitting in front of the TV.

(click for a bigger view)

I can’t wait to try the other 3 pinafores - Meg, Beth and Amy!!  This series is due to be released mid-October but if you really can’t wait that long, try out Pinny for a Dolly which Kelly has generously offered for free, and if you hurry I think there's a competition ending soon in which you can win some yarny goodness, more about that here

Starting Over

Come in..sit down..oh you're already sitting? Well, jolly good then.

I felt like it was time to start anew, and thanks to my friend Kelly, (go check out her blog! seriously..now...go...I'll wait) who came with the awesome new name, here I am! Now, I like blogging, but alas I am not very good at it, you might even say I'm a sucky blogger - I don't update as often as I should - my posts are often boring and lets face it, I'm not even all that crafty! But hopefully those are just a few things I plan on changing over here.

I've recently gained a knitting bug (please let me know if yours is missing) which I'm loving! I now spend my nights knitting and watching tv, which is a lot easier than watching tv while sewing which you can really only do in the ads as sewing machines aren't exactly quiet. In gaining the knitting bug I seem have to lost my sewing mojo/bug - hopefully it will return in time for the summer in time to sew the girls some clothes. I'm now obsessed with yarn and not fabric - I've even destashed my fabric to make more room for my yarn stash, which has to be a good thing...right?

Oh and just before I go, I'll apoligise now for my lack of photography skills - I do try my best although sometimes my best isn't quite good enough (or even close to good.) I'm getting better at taking photos of the kids, but when it comes to other things such as things that don't move (i.e knitting) I really suck. How hard can it be I hear you say? To be honest not very, it's just one of those things I've never been able to master.