A tartan what?

Hello crafty friends, I am feeling happy it is Friday.  Why?  Well I'm getting my hair cut today.  I know, no big deal.  I hate getting hair cuts like I hate going to the dentist.  I am sure there is some deep psychological reason why, but I haven't figured it out.  I hate it even more now that I've got the kids, because pregnancy and the aftermath did awful things to my hair.  I had a blond fro for a while.  However I seriously need a new style.  Or rather, any style.  Anyway, I digress.  By the time my American friends read this, I'll have a new do.

Here's what I've wrapped up this week.........

The slippers!!  They are done, felted, and being worn as I type this.

Here's the info:

Pattern: Felted Slippers

Wool: Patons Classic Wool in a denim blue (100g) and a self striping colour (maybe 30g?) and some Fishermans' Wool in cream (mayb 30g?).

I like them.  I ran out of the blue yarn and the striped yarn, which is why the left slipper has cream in it. I actually intended to put one square of cream on the back so I knew which was left, which was right, but there is a bit of 

cream on the side too.

Even with the different yarns, they felted pretty much the same, hurray!  Hopefully these will last!

I also finally finished the toddler pull over for KAS I was working on.  It is knit in Hayfield (I think?) 25% wool, 75% acrylic.  I finally finished off the jumbo 400g ball I had.  Hurray!

Lastly, I had a little sewing project on Thursday.  My girls attend Rainbow's once a week.  This past Tuesday was Burn's Night, and the girls were asked to wear something tartan to the meeting.  Yikes!  I should know by now, having lived this long in Scotland, to have tartan things handy at all times.  Oh wait, I DO have some tartan fabric.

I whipped up these tartan and purple flowers, and just used a safety pin to attach them to their tops. Job done.

That's what I've been up to this week.  Here are the hops:

I can't focus, WIP

This week I decided I would, in fact, work on a few projects I've been thinking about.  I don't actually mean anything I already have on the needles, but things I was waffling about whether or not I would do.  So I cast on two new (or rather, old) projects this week.

First up is my second blue sock.  After washing the first one it still fits just fine, so I've decided to make it a sibling.  Really, what is the point of only one sock?   I've also decided to start my second Tiny Tea Leaves pullover for daughter B (that's what she was called in the womb, baby A already got her sweater).  I am going to make it the next size up to give her a bit more room, as she is slightly larger than her sister.  I'm pleased to get it going, because she is getting pretty excited!

The last project I'm currently working on is the red baby blanket.  I'm still plugging away on this one, and I'm about 70% done.  I actually need to find out when the baby shower is, so I can use that as motivation.  Any time I have a long time for a project I just take ages.  Sorry about the terrible picture, red is worse than black!

That's all from me for now, see you guys on Friday!

Tiny Tea Pullover

I am happy to report I've finished my first Tiny Tea Leaves Pullover.  See, it is so special is gets capital letters!  I'm really pleased with it, and so are the girls.  The only real problem now is I have to make another one...............

 

These pictures were taken before I blocked it (ok, I still haven't blocked it, I'm easily distracted).  So I am hoping to get a bit more size out of it then.  I measured the girls and made one size bigger (don't they just grow so fast?) and still it could be bigger.  So I'm away to block.  Soon.  Sometime.

Pattern: Tiny Tea Leaves

Yarn: Araucania Aysen. It is 70% merino, 20% alpaca, 10% silk

I also finished my first sock for the Turning Heels in the New Year with Beth over at Visions of Sugar Plums.  I admit I worked like mad yesterday to get it done on time.  I love having a deadline, it really helps!  It is..........ok.  To me it looks like blue camouflage.  At least it fits, though after a wash I'll get back to you.  Last week there was a comment on my post that this particular yarn shrinks.  Eeek!  I've decided I really need to buy some sock yarn I love, and that will make all the difference.

Here are the blog parties for this week:

Felted Slippers

As I sat down to write this post I realized just how much I love a back story.  I'm not sure why I feel I always need to include one, but I do.  So here is today's.

I currently work from home.  I know it won't last forever, and I'm already looking for another job (fat chance around here, the job market is terrible) but for now, I'm home pretty much all the time.  It is a really good gig if you can get it.  At our house we have a strict inside/outside shoe policy.  No outside shoe may ever touch my carpet (so much so that when I had to run back inside for something yesterday I used the plastic dog bags we keep by the door to put over my shoes).  You will understand when I tell you that I have free range chickens wandering around my garden.  Anyway, I wear slippers all the time.  I have yet to find a slipper that I like and can withstand the amount of use I put them through.

Recently when my last pair of slippers died I found a pattern for  felted slippers.  It is the kind of felting that takes place after you knit the item, which I am keen to try again.  Also, the pattern couldn't be simpler, check it out here (or on Ravelry here).  You basically knit a strip, then a few squares on the side, fold it up and sew.  I used some Patons Classic Wool I had in my stash.  I've got one ready for felting, here is what it looks like:

Gratuitous dog picture

Now I'm off to go and felt it, because I don't want to wait for the other one to be done, and I want to make sure I like it before I make another one.

As for reading, this week, I am gearing up for spring (yes, super early).  We are waiting for the OK to put up a poly tunnel, and I really hope it all works out.  I can't wait!

Now hurry and check out all these crafty blogs!

Blueittude heel

I fear I might be falling behind in my sock knitting.  I've turned the heel and done the gussets, now I'm working on the foot.....and getting a bit bored.  Really my Tiny Tea for the girls is much more interesting.  But for now, here is my progress:

January 13th we'll show off our heels

One reason I didn't knit socks for quite a while is the only sock yarn I had (see above picture) I didn't really like.  However I have to say I am rather tickled with the colour changes going on from leg to heel and now into the foot.  It really humours me that it looks so strange.  I do so like strange.

I also want to share the ball of wool I won from Jess over at Storied Yarns during the Sew Mama Sew giveaway recently.  It arrived about a week ago but I've been too busy to take a picture of it.  It is lovely, isn't it?  Any ideas on what I should make with it?

And that's all from me this week.  I feel confident I'll have a Tiny Tea jumper to show you next Friday, with another one in the works.  Until next week, happy crafting!

Please check out these Creative Blog Hops

Tiny Tea with a Twist

I will admit that I'm the sort of parent that lets her children dress themselves--no matter how it turns out.  I like to view it as self expression, and everything from spots and stripes to terribly clashing colours is allowed.  To that end, I like to involve the girls when I knit them something.  I want them to wear what I make, or really, what's the point?

Recently we came to the conclusion that they each needed a new jumper.  Both girls were quite specific--they both wanted a pull over sweater, not a cardigan.  We decided on the pattern together (ok, mostly me), and selected Tiny Tea Leaves.  I'll stop you right there, I know it is a cardigan, bear with me.

After much searching from a seemingly endless supply of online yarn stores, the girls agreed on a yarn (the same one, no surprise there).  I ordered the yarn, bought the pattern, got a few extra needles I needed, and then waited for delivery.  I hate waiting.  It took especially long because I ordered it a few days before Christmas, so of course I had to wait until after New Year for it to arrive.  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, did I mention I hate waiting?

The yarn they picked is Araucania Aysen in a variety of shades of pink and orange.  I LOVE this yarn.  It is 70% merino, 20% alpaca, 10% silk.  I swear to you, my children have better taste in yarn than I do.  They put me to shame.

I'm not one to mess around with patterns, truth be told.  However, I really like this pattern, so I put my mind to the task.  Fingers crossed it all goes according to plan.  Here is where I'm at so far:

As for reading, I just finished The Luminist by David Rocklin.  It was really very good, I recommend it, especially if you like historical fiction.

I've just picked up the Last Days of Ptolmey Grey by Walter Mosley.  I can't comment just yet on how good it is, it is certainly different that my normal book choice though.  I'll keep you posted.

Lastly, please check out these blog hops:

Blueittude Socks

For the next few weeks I'm joining Beth over at Visions of Sugar Plums for her New Year's Sock Challenge.  Here's today's:

January 6th we'll show off our cuffs and leg of the sock.

 I'm using Ann Budd's book, Getting Started Knitting Socks.

I'm using the 8 stitches per inch pattern, with a 6" cuff/leg.

Wool: Cesana sock yarn (from Lidl's).  It is a wool/nylon blend

4 DPN's, size: 3mm

I CO 72 stitches using long tail cast on.  This video helped.
Then I knit 3, purl 1 for 6"

Here's the link to the Turning Heels in the New Year Party:

And of course, I'm doing some knitting other than socks.  I just cast on a sweater for my daughter, I'll try to post on that next Wednesday.  I'm in love with the yarn she chose.  My girls also got a late present from their Aunt in Mississippi, a couple of Barbies.  I was pretty excited, because I loved my Barbie when I was a girl.  I whipped this up:

I found a link through Ravelry of a website with literally over a thousand free Barbie patterns.  Hurray!  I've since completed a skirt, I just don't have a picture yet.

Check out these Blog Hops, and all the wonderful craftiness out in blogland!