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?

The Replacement Hat...

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you'll remember that I have been working on another hat... well, it's finished! :-D

Most of you are probably looking at the photo thinking "I'm sure that's an old photo, we've already seen that hat!" - I can assure you, my dear readers, that it is a new one! This is the fourth time knitting this pattern - the Cafe au Lait Tam - and the third time knitting it in this colour!
The first one was for my friend Steph for her birthday (which I didn't get photos of), and the second was gifted to my grandmother.

I thought that was it for the green hats, but a few weeks ago Steph came to me quite upset... she had lost her hat whilst rushing to an exam. Knowing the stress of an impending exam, and also how much she wore and loved the hat, I decided to make her another one :-)

(Well when a person is a fan of handknits, you can't let them go cold, can you?)

Off to John Lewis I went, and bought 2 balls of the exact same yarn and colour to make another hat - each hat only takes 1 ball, but I wanted to make sure I had enough, just in case!! (As it was there wasn't much - you can see what was left sitting next to the hat in the photo!)
I didn't see any more of this colour after this trip... I have just one ball of this colour now left in my stash to make another replacement hat if need be - I will keep it in my stash, and it will be Steph's ball of yarn. I know that if I use it, that would tempt fate, and so I'm keeping this last ball safe!

Project details HERE.

Are there any patterns that you keep going back to?

Winter Warmer!

I know, I know... I've not posted in a while... but it's totally worth the wait (or at least I think so!)
Whilst I've been quiet, and in between reading for my dissertation, I've been sneaking in a few rows on this...

I finally got around to knitting myself a hat! You'll recall I've knit this pattern not once, but twice, before (one was gifted, but you can see the other one here)... I love how simple and yet so pretty it is...

I am really looking forward to wearing this to keep me warm in the next few months as the weather turns colder. I'm not usually a hat person, but I think now I've made this one, I may change my mind!
The only modification made is an extra row or two more of the ribbing, and an extra pattern repeat, as I was looking for a slightly slouchier look...

Overall, very happy! I have more of this yarn in red... would it be bad to knit this pattern yet again??

Ravelry Project Details Here

Cafe Au Lait Tam...

Ta Da!
This is the twin to a hat that I knit for a housemate for her birthday - I loved the pattern so much that I just had to knit another one!
I blogged about it in progress here...

...and this is the finished product! I'm really happy with it :-)

The colour makes me smile - with the stitch pattern it reminds me of forest walks...

And just because I was having fun with photography (oh the things you can spend time on when you don't have exams!), here is a close-up of the stitch pattern...

 I'm thinking this in blue would be stunning... like ocean waves!

Ravelry info here.