Cable & Bobble?

Cables? Yes. Bobbles? Er, no.

During my recent trip to the UK, I got to spend some Quality Time with my Mam. She was impressed with something I was knitting from the Interweave Knits 2006 magazine (watch out for that FO in a future blogpost) when she saw the Cable & Bobble Headband Pattern.

But really? Bobbles? On a lady of a certain age? We decided the plain old cable would do just nicely thank you very much.

Then another dilemma, not so easily solved. No needles. And no yarn.

The yarn was easily solved. The remnants of my now finished project - Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Rich Chocolate. But the needles? Hmm, trickier. But the Gods were smiling on us, that windy day in Llandudno. We drove right past a little sewing shop. I thought, you know, maybe, just maybe, they might carry knitting needles too. And what do you know? They not only carried needles, but yarn too!!!

So here she is, my lovely mother, modelling her Cable Headband.
:-)

Knit-A-Bear

Well, not quite knit the whole bear. Go to the store and 'build' some. Then knit some sweaters to keep them warm.

Meet our monkey - his name is New York Banana. Guess where he was 'built'. The cat has no name - we can't remember it anyway. This is the sweater pattern. I made the darker pink sweater using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. Around one ball for the whole thing and no modifications needed. The lighter pink is made with Cashmerino Astrakhan. I increased the no. of rounds for the body and sleeves from 14 to 22 as this yarn gave me a smaller gauge (not that I swatched, I could just see as I knit it up that it needed more rows).

I just noticed that there is a 'stranded' version of this sweater, if you'd like a bit more colour and pattern.

I'm not subjecting my boys to playing with pink sweaters for their dolls. These are for our friend Jen's daughter, whose birthday is next week. I'm sure I can find some blue or green yarn to use for my little guys :-)

Welcome baby Ethan

Yesterday we had a new addition to our family. Tommy's cousin's wife had a baby boy, weighing in at 7lbs 9oz.

We were all there, grandparents, aunts, cousins, 2nd cousins, to see him when he was wheeled out of the operating theatre, after being delivered by planned C-Section. He was literally born into a party - how fun.

It was such a beautiful moment to see this tiny new life. He cried just a little, but it wasn't that 'nails-on-a-blackboard' baby cry, it was more like a tiny kitten's mewl.

Welcome to the world, baby Ethan. We love you already :-)

Planes, trains and automobiles

My recent trip was solo, affording me plenty of knitting time. Even on the plane - thank you very much US Airways.

Here's the first of the projects I managed to complete.

I made a dishcloth for Hubbs in the past, but she doesn't use it because it doesn't match her kitchen! She has a very modern looking affair, with black granite countertops. It really is quite lovely. Well, maybe lovely is the wrong word, but modern it definitely is. So last year I scoured Joann's and Walmart for some black cotton and found just the right peaches'n'cream.



Now her life really IS complete :-)

My Nan

I just got back from the most terrible trip back home to the UK. My Nan died on Saturday Jan 5th, after being admitted to hospital following a "funny turn". She was 83 years old and had a heart attack in the hospital.

Lillian Evans, mother of 3 daughters, wife to Glyn, all round fabulous, funny person and awesome knitter. Here she is on her wedding day. She and my Taid (that's Welsh for grandad) met on a blind date :-)



She was a wonderful, spirited woman and I could write every special and nice word in the English language and it still would not be enough to describe how much we all loved her and how much joy this Scouse firecracker brought to our lives. God rest her soul.

Baby Lightning

We gave a baby dolly to Teddy, way back when I was pregnant with Matthew, so he could practice being nice to the baby. Well, indeed he has loved the dolly all this time. It's almost 18 months since 'Cars - the Movie' was released and he is still obsessed with that movie. The connection?

Sometime last year, I was out at the front of the house with Matthew when Teddy burst out of the garage shouting "a baby been born, a baby been born". He was carrying his dolly. I was very excited by the 'new' arrival in our family and asked what his name was. Silly of me to ask really, his name was "baby Lightning".

So, here is Baby Lightning modelling a hat I made for a friend's baby just before Christmas.


Pattern: Stripey Stocking Cap from Itty-Bitty Hats
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in colours 3000005 and 300205
Size: Newborn
Started: Dec 17 2007
Finished: Dec 18 2007
Made For: Baby Quinn (the second Quinn I know of born in 2007 - who knew it was such a popular name!)

I only just got this book. Don't know why I didn't have it before. It is chock full of the cutest hats ever. At the same time I bought it, I got the Itty-Bitty Nursery book too. Again, chock full of adorable knits.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr

It's really chilly here in Florida. This is the third day. And here's the proof...

"What's that huuuuuuuuuge scarf thing around your neck, disco?", I hear you say.
Why, it's my brand new Clapotis, thanks for asking. Completed only the day before the 'big freeze'. I absolutely love it to death and wish I lived further North, so I could wear it more. I'm as warm as toast with just that and a thin long-sleeve t-shirt on.
Here's a close-up shot....

By rights it should be blocked. It will be, as soon as it warms up here - so tomorrow I expect.

Pattern: Clapotis - Knitty.com
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino worsted in Rich Chocolate.
Started: July 29 2007
Finished: Jan 1 2008

I have almost 4 hanks of this yarn leftover so I'm thinking a hat and gloves to go with the Clapotis would be excellent. But which patterns? Off to Ravelry.......

:-)