WIP Wednesday (On a Thursday...)

Time seemed to get away from me yesterday, but a date late isn't that bad, right? Especially when I have lots to show you! :D

First up is progress on the squares - I've decided a 6x6 layout is best as it's a preemie blanket. I've only got 9 squares left to go... I'll be sad when they're done as they're so fun! (Pattern from Bella Coco)

I won't be at a loss for crochet squares for long though! The lovely Emily at The Loopy Stitch has asked me to test crochet her new cushion pattern and I couldn't be more excited! It's a lovely pattern with step-by-step photos to guide you along the way and the cushion is so pretty! I've chosen my yarns - what do you think?

Finally, some Christmas knitting! I can't believe it's time to start gift knitting again - where did this year go?
Not going to say much about this one... never know who reads the blog, after all! :P

I'm sensing a theme at the moment - all my projects are pink!!
Are there any colours you're gravitating towards at the moment?

WIP Wednesday: Colour Blocking

Despite the autumnal hues outside my window, I've not been able to shake off the pink and purple yarns in my project basket just yet!

I finished off the last of the preemie cardigans - love the purple almost as much of the pink! (I think I just like the ombre effect!)

This week's project is thanks to Bella Coco... I watched her tutorial and now I'm hooked! (Pun totally intended!)

I've been churning them out whilst watching TV in the evenings - perfect now the season is really in full swing! Nothing better than curling up with hot tea, a warm quilt and the latest WIP!

I feel a case of start-itis brewing though... Christmas will be here soon so there are presents to start, and walking to work in the morning is cold so I'm feeling the need for some fingerless mitts... Hmm... plenty of ideas brewing!

What's on your needles/hook at the moment?

WIP Wednesday: Sweet Obsession

I think I have a problem. A preemie sweater problem - I can't stop knitting them! I'm beginning to think Marianna's All-in-One Baby Top should come with a warning label...
After finishing the pink and lilac ones, I have now gone on to finish the pink ombre version...

...and because ombre is so fun, I maybe have started a purple one too!

I don't think I'll ever tire of this pattern! It may just become one of those patterns - you know the ones - that you go back to over and over and over again (a bit like my favourite hat). It's just so sweet!

Speaking of sweet things, I couldn't help but share a pic of the cupcakes I made this weekend:

Lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream - yum! Usually October is full of dark, warm, fall colours, but I can't seem to shake the pretty pastels and brights, even in baking! Ah well - even if outside is beginning to get gloomy, at least my knitting won't be.

Hope you're all having a great week :)

WIP Wednesday: Pastel and Ombre

I'm on a good run with the knitting these days! Thanks to many evenings watching Once Upon A Time (which leaves things on a cliffhanger so you have to watch just one more episode!) I've been quite prolific. The above is the third preemie cardigan in just as many weeks. Starting to get more adventurous with colours - the above is going to be ombre pink!

(Pardon the quality of the photos - they were snapped quickly right before they were donated...)

This pattern is so quick and simple to knit, and I've almost got it memorised - I'll probably churn out a few more to go towards Knit-A-Soc's Christmas donation to the neonatal ward.

After that comes (dare I say it?) Christmas knitting! Only a few knitted gifts on the cards this year... I won't say what just yet, but I can show you the yarn for them...

Both are children's knits, so I've chosen some Sirdar Snuggly - lovely and soft, but still machine washable. Of course, I never work on just one project at a time, so I'm likely to cast on one or two winter warmers as well!

WIP Wednesday: Knits and Stitches

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful feedback on the RainbowRainbow shawlette! It's been so encouraging to know that it's been well received - I may even design more patterns! 

Well, it's cold season again, and I don't just mean the cooler temperatures! Unfortunately I've been battling a rather horrible cold - boo! However, all that resting time has meant that I've got some exciting new WIPs! Although I originally said I wanted to finish all my other works in progress first, there have been too much inspiration on Instagram and on blogs not to cast on a few new things.

One such project (inspired by the jumper knit by @onecraftymumma ) is this lovely all-in-one preemie jumper! I have been meaning to knit some preemie things for the Nottingham QMC for a while, and this pattern seemed perfect!

Also on the needles - some preemie hats!

Recently I've also diverged from my usual yarny path and taken up some hand-piecing... I've had a few patchwork projects on the go for several years now, and felt it was time for me to dig them out of hibernation! This bear paw block is the latest one to be worked on - I have been saving up pretty batik fabrics, but now it's time for some sewing!

Now, I know I probably have enough WIPs, as those in this post are not the only ones I have on the go. But I couldn't resist starting another...

This is the first block from a sampler that my mom designed, and my friend and I have both decided to make our own and we are calling them our friendship quilts!

So that's all that I'm working on at the moment! What's on your needles?

It's Finished!

A basket of ends can only mean one thing...

Okay, so I know I would usually wait for a WIP Wednesday or FO Friday or some other fun alliterative title, but LOOK!!!
It's finished! It's finished! It's finished!

 I'm so pleased with how this has turned out! It took forever, but considering I made it up as I went along, I think the end product is quite nice, don't you?

It's another one for the hospice, as all the materials are from the Knit-A-Soc stash, with a few additions. From what I purchased, there is some of the grey left over, and a couple of pinks, so I can see a matching winter hat and glove set in my future... a nice reminder of the blanket!
This is definitely a pattern to remember for the future, as it was easy to grow attached to it as hexagon by hexagon was added...

...and the finished blanket came into being!

Ravelry project page HERE.
Join as you go technique from Attic24 HERE.

WIP Wednesday: 2 FOs and Blanket Progress!

Happy Wednesday!

Feeling like I've been quite productive on the crafting front recently! It's been nice to get some of those WIPs off the needles and onto the finished pile. Although there are plenty more WIPs where they came from! I can't seem to help but have a few projects here and there to flit between :-)

So, what are these finished items? SOCKS!

First were these simple ribbed pink ones...

These were a simple project which kept me going through all my essay and dissertation writing - seems fitting that they got finished just as I finished university. I think these will forever hold a special significance because of it :-)

Next were these Rose City Rollers by Mara Catherine Bryner...

 Yes, I know I only have one sock-modelling pose!! 

I loved  knitting these! Is it possible to have a crush on a sock pattern? :-P
They were quick, they were easy, and they are oh so comfy to wear! I love ankle socks, but they don't always stay on my feet nicely, but these ones do! I can definitely see myself making more of these in the future :-)

The next WIP to try and finish is my pink charity blanket. For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you'll realise I've been working on it for quite a while!

I'm about 4 rows in, and still only on the first ball of grey! I bought quite a bit of grey, so I can see myself having more than enough for some borders.

It's moving quite slowly, slower than join as you go squares (but then again, there are more sides!). Luckily, Wimbledon is on and keeping me amused! :-)

As always, full project information can be found on Ravelry.

WIP Wednesday: All I see is PINK!

Phew! What a busy month! I finished my presidency of Knit-A-Soc (my local yarnaholics group), took a 2 week trip to Canada (many photos to follow) and found out that I had achieved a top final grade for all my university work (to my surprise and delight!).

All this busy-ness has meant that I have been turning to creating more than ever, picking up my latest project whenever I have a spare moment. That project, if you've been following on Instagram, is a pink dream! What started out as playing with some scraps has turned into a full blanket project. It's a wild one, this project, and started to get out of hand the moment I let those pink scraps loose!

I've spent several weeks making 50-odd pink circles... Each one different from the others, and all blindingly PINK!

This has been so fun to work on! But to stop the pink being so loud, I've decided to tone it down by joining them with grey, forming hexagons...

(Sorry for the quality - that last one was snapped with my phone)

I'm so quickly falling in love with this project that I may have to make another one afterwards for me! (This one is for the hospice...)

What are you working on? Link your blog or Instagram in the comments so I can see!

FO: Granny Square Blanket

Blankets seem to be my go-to projects these days - I think it's because they are something lovely and quick to work on. I can see progress quickly, which is particularly nice at the moment!

I'm pleased with this one - so simple, but very cozy, and quite effective I think!
(Yes, those are sheep stuffed animals on the bed... consequences of being a knitter - lots of sheep gifts!)

The greens, golds and coppers don't show up very well in the photograph, but the marbled yarn changing colours whilst working on it was very comforting...

Yarn: James C Brett Marble DK
Hook: 6.5mm
Pattern: Just a simple granny square...

Just under 2 weeks to go until my last ever assignments are in! I can't believe it, but am very much looking forward to having some time to work on personal projects - I have another blanket on the go, as well as a growing reading list, and I have a trip to plan and learn the language for! Lots of exciting things to look forward to!

What have you been working on recently? I'd love to hear!

FO: Pinks and Blues...

Look! I have something to show you! Something more exciting than links! Can you guess what it is?

 
The finished blanket! I'm so pleased with how it turned out - I almost didn't want to give it away!

 
And it has the bonus use of being a cape! (Thank you to my boyfriend for being such a good model and humouring me taking all these photos!)

Pattern: TinyTinBird's Granny Square method for the granny squares, and Attic24's for the Join-As-You-Go method...
Yarn: Scraps from the Knit-A-Soc stash...
Hook Size: 4mm

Hopefully this will provide someone at the hospice with lots of happiness!

Little Knits...

In my previous post, I mentioned that I had been working on another few bits and pieces for charity...

First are these Innocent Smoothie Hats for their Big Knit... I know I'm far too late for this year's campaign, but I'm sure they will run it again, so I'm thinking I've just got a super head start for next time!!

They are so quick to knit, so adorable, and quite addictive! I never realised how fun pompoms were to make until I did these!

Also on the needles are a few ADAPT triangles... I was sent some pastel yarns, so I am thinking they will be split between the triangles and some preemie knits for the local hospital.

It has been mostly charity knitting recently... not much for myself. I'm finding charity knits are smaller and so easier to work on in between other things - they are portable too, which is a bonus!

WIP: Charity Blanket

Between assignment deadlines and having a horrendous cold, I haven't had the chance to work on all that much recently - just a few bits and pieces for charity. Some of which I will post in a few days, but first I wanted to show you that there has been progress on the blanket!

It had started to be put together in this post, and now it looks like this!

I've not been putting many together, but I have been churning out the coloured centres, and they are all finished... I just love the colours!

Aren't they pretty?

Another afternoon of Netflix and joining these squares and I should make good progress :-)

What have you been working on?

Granny Square Crazy!

I had a feeling that when I got into crochet, granny squares would become a favourite - just how much of a favourite, I never quite anticipated!
Much like socks, I seem to always have a granny square project on the go...

At the moment, I'm working on two - this first one is for charity. I was bored with my project at Knit and Knatter, and so with some scraps that were in our group box, I started some squares, and it just seems to have taken a life of its own! 

I'm working them all in shades of pinks, purples and blues, with the lighter tone in the middle and a white border to tie everything together.
 

I decided a slightly different technique for this one - I am joining the squares as I go using Lucy's tutorial, and I'm absolutely loving it! No fiddly sewing up, and it saves on yarn too!

The other project is my blanket that you've seen before HERE. I wasn't so clever as to join as I went, but I am still loving how it's turning out.

Remember I asked for your suggestions as to whether I should checkerboard the design with plain white squares or whether to just stick with the coloured ones? Well, I've decided to do both. Because why not?

I'm going to do a central panel of 6 squares by 7, add a few borders to it, and then have another border of the checkerboard effect, then maybe add some more borders. There is still a lot of work to do, but I think it'll be worth it! :-)

WIPs... (Or all the half projects that I've started!)

I figured it's been a while since I've actually posted any crafty content, mostly because all my projects are half-finished and I haven't really had a chance to work on any of them!
But I thought I would share what's in my knitting basket at the moment :-)

First up is a labour of love - I have finished the head, body and tail, and one of the legs for the dragon for my sister... This is a project I have to sit down and really focus on - ask any of my housemates and they'll tell you it's common to hear me say "Ssshhh! Don't talk to me! I'm COUNTING!" while working on it... not exactly the most sociable of projects! I need to really set some time aside to work on it though... with only 17 days until Christmas, I better get a move on!

Which has led to me starting this project! Little granny squares which are easy to work on during knit and knatter evenings with the girls! These are a little more sociable as they're easy and I don't really have to think about what I'm doing...

They are for a preemie blanket for the hospital... I love the pastel colours - so cute!

And of course my knitting basket wouldn't be complete without a) A knitting project - I seem to be crocheting an awful lot recently! And b) a pair of socks! I finished my last pair in the summer, so I thought it was high time I get another pair on the needles! They are just simple ribbed socks in self striping yarn - I'm thinking they'll be an easy project to work on during the holidays :-)

Hope you have a great week - it's the last week of term for me, and we have our Christmas knitting party tomorrow! Hoping I'll be able to get some pictures to show you!

Preemie Project...

So this has been my view this afternoon...

Buttons...

 Sewing them onto a button band...

... and a finished preemie jumper! 

This was knit from a pattern provided by our knitting group, which I only realised later was loosely based on this one. If I was to do this again, I think I would follow the original pattern (the variation where the button band is knit at the same time as the fronts...). As the edges of the fronts were uneven due to increases and decreases right on the edge, it made it very difficult to pick up the button band stitches neatly. I'm thinking I would get a nicer result if the button band was knit as part of the fronts... and if all the edging was either ribbing or garter stitch... I'm not a fan of it being mixed...

Ah well! All a learning experience, right?? Not to mention it gives me an excuse to make another one - it was so fun!

Besides, I think it's quite darling anyway :-)