Lovely Woolly Mail

I know I said I wouldn't put details of my many yarn purchases here anymore. More to stop embaressing myself than for any other reason LOL. This month is special though as I am on a yarn buying bann and only recieved special packages that were from previous orders.

I recieved some custom dyed yarn from Live2Knit, all for winter clothes for DD. I love this yarn so much I just have to include piccies. The LillyPilly 8ply Merino is for a cardigan, the frangipani 5 ply Merino is for a dress and the Fig 8ply Cotton is for a sundress and hat combo. Nice hey!

I got a very special yarn package this month. I recieved an email about PurlYarns sale and asked DH if he would get my anniversary present early (it's in April). He agreed and bought me these...

The first and most special purchase is Handmaiden Fine Yarn Lady Godiva (Silk/Wool) in Glacier, I am going to make a seafoam scarf out of this, the second is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Purple Club, the third is Pear Tree Yarns 12 ply in Turkey. Aren't they scrummy!!!

Dyeing Near-Disaster

I tried my hand at kettle dyeing this month for the first time ever. I was trying to dye 500g (in 50g skeins) of Spotlight Dashing in a very dark purple using some Gaywool Dye from Dyelicious. I was going to use it for a shrug KAL on Woolaholics. After my first attempt I ended up with 4 skeins of dark purple, 4 mid purple and 2 lighter variegated purple.

After getting emergency help on Woolaholics and from my Ravelry knitting buddies I ended up finding a new way to do it. I had enough dye left over to re-dye 4 of the skeins. Instead of putting the dye mix into hot water it was better to put it in with the yarn cold and heat it up gradually. This let the colour disperse more evenly between the skeins.

This is what I ended up with: 8 skeins of lovely even dark purple (shown balled below) and 2 slightly variegated dark purple skeins. I even ended up having some dye left in the pot. I use it to dye this last little skein light purple. Very pretty colour, I wish I had done more this colour LOL!

I haven't actually ended up making the shrug as it has turned quite cool recently. There doesn't seem much point doing it right now. I might do it next year now I have the yarn all ready, hmmm .... maybe ;)

January's FO's

My stash is getting rediculous (blush) so I am not going to bother posting it anymore. Anyone who is interested can just check it out on Ravelry anyway.

On the Needles:

Cady's Amelie Dress

I have all but finished this one. All I have left to do is attach some buttons to the shoulder and knit up more flowers to be attached all over the dress. Again not really in a rush to do this as she won't fit it for 5 months. I'll get it done soon though.

French Market Bag
I am making this with some Panda Woolbale I got from Spotlight in their sale. They were only 50 cents a ball so it will end up being one of the cheapest bags I have ever bought :) I am knitting the base in Olive green on 6mm DPN's (couldn't find any 7mm ones). The body of the bag will be knit on 7mm circs and will have a few stripes. Cream will be the main colour, with thick purple stripes and a skinny green one between them. The handle will be in the coours as well.

I haven't got a progress piccie yet as I am only part way though the base. Her are some piccies of the yarn I'm using instead :)

Thuja Socks for DH

These are to be a Valentines Day pressie for my DH. I am using Patons Superwash 8Ply and 4mm needles. I am attempting to knit these using the knitting on 2 circs method as I have a strong dislike for DPN's. I've only just started these so no progress pic yet only yarn pic.

Recently Finished Projects (most recent to oldest):
Okay, inspired by the Woolaholics UFO month I got a few of mine finished, plus a few new items as well of course.

Here's the new projects I finished recently:

Baby Blue 'Tom' Vest

This was knit for a friends baby boy bump in the 0-3 month size. I used Spotlight Dashing with 4.5 and 3.5mm needles. I altered the pattern to knit the main body in the round and the neckhole and armhole ribbing were also knit on 30cm circs. I also put only 2 pattern repeats at the botton of the vest as I thought it would be too busy if I continued it throughout.

NB Rocky Creek Longies Set

This was knit again for a friends baby boy bump. I used Yarn Cafe Navy treliske for the waistband and cuffs and Yarn Cafe Single ply worsted weight yarn (100purewool single ply) in the Rocky Creek colourway for the MC. I used the Picky Pants pattern in the NB size with an added 1" in the rise and the leg length. Needles used were 3.5 and 4.5mm circs.

The beanie was made with a heavily modified free pattern from the internet (see Ravelry project file for details)

Cady's Fuschia Shrug

Cady has grown out of her pink shrug now so I decided it was time to make another one, especially since all the alterations were still in my head from knitting Gabby's. I knit this on Sue's Secret Supplier (SSS) wool and 4.5mm needles. Alterations to the pattern were the same as the ones made for Gabby's below. This yarn was super soft and I have some leftover so I shall be making some headbands and a beanie for Cady with it at a later date.

Here's the UFO's that were finished in January:

Cady's Purple Splish Splash Soaker
I knit this for my DD using the Snapdragon Soaker pattern. The yarn used was Jolly Jumbuck Venus (100purewool single ply) with a solid purple and the Splish Splash colourway. It is very soft and squishy but pills easily. My gauge with this yarn was that of 8ply so I had to knit the sts for 2 sizes up. I decided to make a feature of the bottom and used the different yarn to make a strip and then stitched her name there. The heart embellishments were done using chain st.

Gabby's Red Shrug
This shrug was knit as a 1st birthday present for a friends little girl. It was knit using Red Zhavigo yarn and 4.5mm needles. I used the Debbie Bliss Baby Shrug pattern in the 12-18 month size with a few alterations. I did a crochet edging instead of the ribbing in the pattern and only did 1/2 length sleeves. The crochet edge was a row of tr and then alternating front post tr and back post tr. It was quite a pain to knit as the yarn kept slipping off the addis turbo's. Can't say I want to knit with this yarn again but it did turn out lovely in the end. Gabby's mum appreciated all the effort that was put into it and I'm sure it will get alot of wear in the near future.

Crochet Rolls

These are crochet rolls. One is for my Grandmother and the other is for Sue, one of my EB knitting buddies.

I started off using this tutorial but change alot as I didn't have any bias binding. They were really easy to make and, I think, ended up really cute.

Review of Knitted Xmas gifting

In The Wool Basket:
Now before I list all of this I thought I'd better explain... There are 3 bubbies expected in my friends and family before August so alot of this will be gifted as woolies for these little ones. I have also started knitting things other than woolies too. I have made a few scarfs and may even venture into making myself a cardigan before winter. I also bought myself a Louisa Harding and a Debbie Bliss pattern book for Xmas so I have been inspired to make alot more of Cady's clothes for Winter this year.

From The Yarn Cafe I have:
100g of 3ply Worsted 100Purewool in Mud Princess, ~50g of DK BFL in Kai, 100g of Aran BFL in 'Ocean Dreams' (Aqua blue and greys), 100g of Aran BFL in 'Purple Strands', 100g Single ply Worsted 100purewool in 'Walker' with 50g of 3ply Worsted 100purewool in a green to match, 100g BFL DK in 'Merman' with 50g Treliske in Aqua/Turquoise to match, 100g 4BF in 'Tannenbaum', 200g of 3ply Worsted 100purewool in 'Rinn', 100g of single ply worsted in 'Rocky Creek', 200g of Aran BFL in Plum Tree (Plums and greens) with 50g Plum for feature colour, 100g of 12ply Polwarth Merino in 'Walker', 200g of Chunky Wrap BFL in 'Misty Morning' (for a scarf) and mini-skeins (50g) of Treliske wool in Pink, Turquoise (to match Ocean dreams), Chocolate, Navy (both to match Kai), and Plum (to match Rinn) to be used for cuffs and waistbands .

From Jolly Jumbuck I have:
100g of MINERVA (DK BFL) in 'Enchanted Eggplant', 250g of ATHENA - 150g of Retro Prince with 50g of Chocolate and 50g of Turquoise to match, 200g of BERTHA (Big Blue BFL) in 'Enchanted Eggplant (from DH as a xmas gift).

From the NZ Wool Company I have:
200g each of Utiku 8 Ply Multi Colours in Gems, Watermelon, Boysenberry and the Chocolate brown colourways.

From Bendigo Woolen Mills I have:
200g balls of 100% cotton in Lemon Drop, Heather, Lilac, Damask Rose (100g), Light Teal (175g), Snow, Latte. 400g of Colonial 8 Ply 100% wool in Camelia to be used for dying.

From WoolyButts I have:
100g of Secret Squirrel 22 Micron Merino, in a berry (pink/purple) colourway.

Wooly Mail on it's way:

Live2Knit

150g of Barbara (100% Cotton 8Ply) in Fig and 100g in Red/Pink colour to match, 300g of Shirley (8Ply Superwash Merino) in 'LillyPilly' and an undecided amount of Joan (5Ply Superwash Merino). These are all to be used on Winter clothes for Cady.

On the Needles:

Cady's Amelie Dress
I have loved this wool ever since I got it. I think it was my first custom order from Elissa and was originally supposed to be used on a Flirty Skirty. I decided the colours weren't really strong enough for that and that treliske wasn't really suited to this use anyway. Instead I decided to try making a dress in size 1 for Cady. It should be suitable to be worn in autumn/winter/spring seasons depending on sizing of course. It is just soooo pretty, can't wait to finish it :)

My Jacaranda Scarf

This wool was part of a swap with a friend from the EB MCN Knitters Group. She hand-dyed some BWM Cameo in a colourway she calls 'Jacaranda'.

I'm knitting it on 6mm needles using the Dropped Yarnover Scarf by Curly Purly. I'm not in a huge rush to get this done as it is Summer but I am definately aiming to have it done by winter because it is soft and the yarn is so pretty.

Recently Finished Projects (most recent to oldest):

Kirra's Sundress
Finally finished this one. It turned out a little bigger than intended but I am assured by the recipients mum that it will still be worn. The lengthy amounts of stockingette st were quite boring so it took me longer than it should have (blush).

Mum's Bird of Paradise So Called Scarf

This scarf was knit on 6mm needles with 225g of 100purewool worsted (single ply) in the Bird of Paradise colourway and matching purple from Jolly Jumbuck. This was fun to knit and a great way to use this colourway which I loved but was unsure I could really use it for soakers etc. Mum really likes orange and green too so I think it was a success.

I had a bit of trouble with the edges on one side but managed to fix it with some help from my EB MCN Knitters Group friends. Notes on how I fixed it are on my Ravelry info for this project if anyone is interested.

MIL's Drop Stitch Scarf

This was knit with 10mm needles and 100g of undyed Chunky Wrap wool from the Yarn Cafe. I used the Lion Brand Pattern for a Drop Stitch Scarf. Elissa gifted me with this yarn as a sample so I though I'd better put it to good use. My MIL loved getting it for her xmas pressie :)